cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Design and Control of a 6-DOF Positioner With High Precision

This paper presents the design and construction of a 6-degree-of-freedom (6-DOF) multi-dimensional positioner. This positioner is based on a novel concentrated-field magnet matrix, and its electromagnetic operational principle is presented. This high-precision positioning system consists of a magnet-matrix base and a triangular single-moving platen that carries three 3-phase permanent-magnet linear levitation motor stators. With a combination of six independent force components, the moving platen can generate any 6-DOF motion. Three aerostatic bearings are used to provide the suspension force against gravity for the system. We designed and implemented digital lead-lag controllers running on a digital signal processor (DSP). Currently, the positioner has a position resolution of 20 nm and position noise of 10 nm rms. The planar traveling range is 160 mm × 160 mm and the maximum velocity achieved so far is 0.5 m/s with 5-m/s2 acceleration in the y-direction, which is highly suitable for semiconductor manufacturing applications. Several 2-dimensional motion profiles are presented to demonstrate the stage’s capability of accurately tracking any extended planar paths.Copyright © 2003 by ASME
Accuracy of the point source approximation to high dose-rate Ir-192 sources

The accuracy of the point source approximation used in dose calculations for an implant comprised of multiple high dose rate (HDR) Ir-192 source dwell positions is investigated. First, a single dwell position implant is modeled. The exposure rate about the source is calculated using both the point source approximation and the more rigorous line source formalism. A comparison of these calculated exposure rates is made. It is found that for each HDR Ir-192 source dwell position, the point source approximation results in a dose overestimation of 1% at a distance of 1 cm on the source transverse axis, while dose underestimations of more than 2% can be found at a distance of 1 cm on the source longitudinal axis. Even larger errors occur closer to the source. The results of this academic study are then extended to two clinical cases--an endobronchial treatment and a tandem and ovoids setup, both involving multiple source dwell positions. Since clinical HDR Ir-192 implants are comprised of many individual source dwell positions, there will be inaccuracy in the calculated overall dose distribution leading to dose delivery errors. For example, the dose delivered to a prescription point located 0.5 cm from an endobronchial applicator will be 3% lower than prescribed. Similar errors are produced in gynecologic implants. To decrease below 0.5% the dose delivery error resulting from the point source approximation, prescription points should be at a distance of at least 1 cm from any applicator. Since the dosimetry error is a direct result of the choice of model used to describe the source, the use of anisotropy factors accounting for the variation of photon fluence around the HDR Ir-192 source will not completely correct the calculation.
Anti-/Propsychotic Drug Signaling via Heteromeric GPCRs—A Balancing Act?

In this issue, Fribourg et al. provide insight into a molecular basis of psychosis. They reveal that a heteromeric complex formed by the G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) for glutamate and serotonin is a convergent site for the activity of anti- or propsychotic drugs, opening a possibility for new therapeutic strategies for schizophrenia.
The numbers of rooted triangular maps on a surface

Abstract In this paper we enumerate the rooted triangular maps on a surface by number of vertices. A parametric expression of the generating function is obtained for such maps on the sphere, the projective plane, and the torus. An asymptotic formula is obtained for such maps on an arbitrary surface.
The Prediction of Cotton Yarn Irregularity Based on the ‘AFIS’ Measurement

This paper presents a neural network model for predicting the yarn irregularity, based on inputs of fiber property measurements with the AFIS instrument. By using a back-propagation neural network algorithm, alternative models were fitted and compared. The resulting predictions of yarn irregularity are superior to these obtained by using conventional multiple-linear regression techniques.
Characteristics of restricted ionization and its relation to voids in insulating materials

THE phenomena accompanying the formation of corona about cylindrical conductors and the laws governing such corona formation have been under investigation for a number of years, and the relations of such corona loss to voltage gradient, pressure, temperature, and the geometry of the system are now quite completely rationalized. Corona or ionization also occurs in restricted spaces, such as the voids which frequently are formed in dielectrics during their fabrication, and this corona formation has important effects on the behavior of such dielectrics. An example of such restricted corona formation is to be found in high-voltage impregnated-paper cables1,2,3 within which occluded-gas spaces occur. Although the characteristics presented in this paper are for gaps longer than those ordinarily occurring in cables,4,5,6 data obtained with cables show that the characteristics differ only quantitatively. The effect of such gaseous films on the deterioration of the insulation is well known. A knowledge of the characteristics of restricted ionization has made it possible to separate the solid-dielectric and the ionization losses in cables.2,3
Renal Pigmentation Following Ingestion of Psyllium Seed

ConclusionsThe addition of a large quantity of ground psyllium seed to the diet of albino rats or dogs is followed by a darkening of the kidneys when examined grosdy. If the feeding is continued for a longer period brown pigment granules become evident microscopically in the renal tubules. Whole psyllium seed produces no renal pigmentation.
DNA Methylation and Mutator Genes in Escherichia coli K-12

Mutator strains of Escherichia coli have been used to define mechanisms that account for the high fidelity of chromosome duplication and chromosome stability. Mutant strains defective in post-replicative mismatch repair display a strong mutator phenotype consistent with a role for correction of mismatches arising from replication errors. Inactivation of the gene (dam) encoding DNA adenine methyltransferase results in a mutator phenotype consistent with a role for DNA methylation in strand discrimination during mismatch repair. This review gives a personal perspective on the discovery of dam mutants in E. coli and their relationship to mismatch repair and mutator phenotypes.
DNA Hybridization as a Guide to Phylogenies: a Critical Analysis

— This article evaluates the use of DNA hybridization for estimating the extent of divergence among the single-copy fractions of vertebrate genomes. It focuses, in particular, on the nature and informational content of the melting profiles as a guide to phylogenetic relationships. While concluding that the DNA hybridization approach remains the best and most cost-effective guide to such relationships over its useful range, it demonstrates serious flaws in certain recent attempts to apply the method to specific cases among primates and birds. The major points are: 1 The T50H statistic is flawed as a measure of mean sequence divergence, and also, therefore, as a measure of phylogenetic distance. 2 The Tmode statistic overcomes many of the problems inherent in interpreting thermal stabilities of DNA heteroduplexes for phylogenetic purposes. 3 The phylogenetic significance of ΔTmodes of > 15d or so cannot be accurately assessed. 4 The putative slowdown in the rate of nuclear DNA sequence change among the lemurs is not justified by the data. 5 The claims of Sibley and Ahlquist to have resolved the human/chimpanzee/gorilla trichotomy are not supported by their data. 6 There are major problems in the published Sibley and Ahlquist avian phylogenies; in particular, with those containing evolutionary “staircases” of nodes separated by less than 1d from one another. 7 There would appear to be a lineage misplacement involving a ΔT of at least 4d in a recent publication on avian phylogeny. 8 Certain of the published ΔT50 H values seem not to be representative of the actual data on which they are based. 9 Most important, it is recommended that no phytogenies based on DNA hybridization comparisons should be presented without being accompanied by the data relevant to each claim of a resolved lineage.
Hybrid plasmonic-photonic resonators for sensing and spectroscopy

Design and experimental characterization of a hybrid resonator consisting of nanolithographically fabricated gold nanoparticles integrated with a Silicon Nitride photonic microresonator is discussed. Application of the proposed structure for sensing and spectroscopy will be discussed.
Multiplicity of hormone-secreting tumors: common themes about cause, expression, and management.

Context: Multiplicity of hormone-secreting tumors occurs in a substantial portion of hormone-excess states. Multiplicity increases the difficulty of management and drives the selection of special strategies. Evidence Acquisition: This is a synthesis from publications about tumor development and expression, and also about types of clinical strategy for hormone-secreting tumors. Evidence Synthesis: Comparisons were made between patient groups with solitary tumors vs those with multiple tumors. Major themes with clinical relevance emerged. Usually, tumor multiplicity develops from a genetic susceptibility in all cells of a tissue. This applies to hormone-secreting tumors that begin as either polyclonal (such as in the parathyroids of familial hypocalciuric hypercalcemia) or monoclonal tumors (such as in the parathyroids of multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 [MEN1]). High penetrance of a hereditary tumor frequently results in bilaterality and in several other types of multiplicity. Managements are better for...
Energy released by the interaction of coronal magnetic fields

Comparisons between coronal spectroheliograms and photospheric magnetograms are presented to support the idea that as coronal magnetic fields interact, a process of field line reconnection usually takes place as a natural way of preventing magnetic stresses from building up in the lower corona. This suggests that the energy which would have been stored in stressed fields is continuously released as kinetic energy of material being driven aside to make way for the reconnecting fields. However, this kinetic energy is negligible compared to the thermal energy of the coronal plasma. Therefore, it appears that these slow adjustments of coronal magnetic fields cannot account for even the normal heating of the corona, much less the energetic events associated with solar flares.
The Analytical Imbalance Response of Jeffcott Rotor During Acceleration

The characteristics of the transition vibration of a rotor system when it passes its critical speeds during acceleration are of great interest for active vibration control, active real-time balancing @1#, and rotor design. In the past, a few analyses @2‐8# have dealt with speed varying transient rotor dynamics. These researchers used numerical integration techniques to calculate numerical solutions to the transient dynamic model. Although these models can be used to predict the transient vibration for a complicated rotor system, it remains hard to obtain the quantitative characteristics of the transient vibration. Lewis @9# and Dimentberg @10# presented an analytical solution of the problem of running a rotor system through its critical speeds at a uniform acceleration. The basic characteristic of the ‘‘envelope’’ ~amplitude! of the transient vibration was studied by an approximation method. In this paper, their work is extended. An analytical expression of the motion of the geometric center of a simple Jeffcott rotor is derived. The exact ‘‘envelope’’ and ‘‘phase’’ of the transient vibration are presented. As stated in Dimentberg @10#, it is found that the transient vibration through critical speeds consists of free vibration and synchronous vibration. Explicit expressions of these two components are presented in this paper.
Software error classification using Purify

Perfect quality represents 100% conformance to specifications. Complex systems make it difficult and expensive to assure conformance to specifications by post-production testing alone. As a result, quality assurance processes are moving upstream in the life-cycle, i.e. statistical process control and design for manufacturability. These processes try to avoid defects or make it easier to detect defects. In software systems, this move to upstream processes for quality control is still in its early stages. As with more traditional manufacturing systems, maturity of the software design and development process will dramatically reduce the cost of attaining conformance to specifications. Even so, it is difficult to imagine a "bug-free" complex software system. Downstream processes will continue to play an important part in the efforts to achieve defect-free software. This paper presents results of a survey which used the defect detection tool Purify to examine off-the-shelf software products in order to show that software errors continue to escape testing and threaten field failures. Errors detected are compiled and presented. All data were collected on C and C++ programs running in a UNIX operating system environment.
Treatment of Occipital Acne Keloidalis by Excision Followed by Secondary Intention Healing

Objective To demonstrate the principle of excision with healing by secondary intention in the treatment of occipital acne keloidalis, a chronic, inflammatory condition characterized by inflammation and hypertrophic scarring on the posterior aspect of the neck and the occipital aspect of the scalp. Setting Academic teaching institution. Methods Five consecutive patients with massive (>10 × 15-cm) occipital keloids, all actively infected and growing, were treated by excision of the lesion deep to the dermis and hair follicles. Aggressive local wound care of the wound followed, with the end point being complete reepithelialization of the region. Results Complete wound closure took place in all patients within 6 to 10 weeks. No complications or recurrences occurred. Cosmetic results were judged as fair to good. Follow-up ranged from 2 months to 4 years. Conclusions Successful treatment of occipital acne keloidalis with direct excision and secondary intention wound healing is demonstrated. While cosmetic results are not optimal, this form of treatment has produced stable scar beds without return of infection or keloids.
Use of Low-Cost Multistripe Laser Triangulation (MLT) Scanning Technology for Three-Dimensional, Quantitative Paleoichnological and Neoichnological Studies

Abstract The purpose of this paper is to test the application of a new, low-cost ($2995.00 US), multistripe laser triangulation (MLT) scanner and three-dimensional (3D) software for semiquantitative and quantitative analyses of ichnofossils and modern traces. The goal of this research is to improve on existing analytical techniques and apply new methods to 3D digital models of ichnofossils and modern traces. Objectives are to (1) provide researchers with new ways to develop and test hypotheses quantitatively in the fields of paleoichnology, neoichnology, sedimentology, and soil science, and (2) discuss uses, advantages, and limitations of MLT technology related to ichnology. We scanned and created digital models of a variety of mostly continental ichnofossils and modern terrestrial traces produced by invertebrates and vertebrates. Visual methods applied include making uniformly colored specimen surfaces, stereo pairs, anaglyph stereo images, animations, and cross sections. Quantitative methods applied include measuring distances, tortuosity indices, and angles, and producing contour maps of tracks. Two of the most useful properties measurable from digital models are surface area (SA) and volume (V); these are used rarely in ichnology because they are difficult to measure with traditional methods. We use SA to calculate area exploited and introduce a method of quantifying surface roughness adapted from research on soil surfaces. We measure V of burrows, tracks, and coprolites, as well as introduce a new measure termed “volume exploited.” We hypothesize that different tracemakers make burrows with characteristic V to SA ratios; this is partially supported by statistical tests of previously published data. We also use V to SA ratios to determine relative compactness—a metric adapted from building physics. Digital models ensure perpetuity of specimens because they preserve 3D data that can be used to make physical copies, placed in museums, and disseminated easily to researchers and educational institutions of all levels. Data from digital models can be used to interpret ichnocoenoses, bioturbation rates, and pedogenic properties and processes in soils and paleosols. Note that MLT scanning digitizes only surfaces of objects, so it is best suited for exogenic traces and casts of endogenic traces.
Cytokine Upregulation of CD36, But Not ICAM-1, Increases Plasmodium Falciparum-Infected Erythrocyte Adherence to Microvascular Endothelial Cells under Shear Conditions

Cytoadherence of parasitized red blood cells (PRBC) to microvascular endothelial cells (MEC) contributes to the pathogenesis of human cerebral malaria (MacPherson et al., 1985). We studied cytoadherence of two strains (HB3 and FC27) of Plasmodium falciparum PRBC to human MEC cultures under shear conditions to elucidate the pathways of adherence to MEC (Wick and Louis, 1991). Using antiICAM-1 and anti-CD36 antibodies, we found that HB3 PRBC bound exclusively to CD36 and ICAM-1 receptors. FC27 PRBC bound to MEC via CD36 (and at least one other pathway) but not to ICAM-1. Stimulation of MEC with interferon gamma (IFNy), which selectively increases CD36 expression, elevated HB3 and FC27 PRBC adherence 64% and 71%, respectively. Conversely, MEC stimulation with tumor necrosis factor (TNF), which selectively upregulates ICAM-1, did not increase HB3 PRBC adherence, in contrast to previous data using large vessel endothelium. Downregulation of CD36 and ICAM-1 expression by phorbol 12, 113-dibutyrate completely abolished HB3 PRBC adherence. These data suggest that cytoadherence to microvascular EC is distinct from adherence to large vessel EC (Berendt et aL, 1989). PRBC adherence to MEC is strain specific, regulatable by cytokines which increase CD36 expression, and abrogated by pharmacologic modulation of MEC receptors. These data have defined the relative contributions of both CD36 and ICAM-1 to PRBC binding to microvascular endothelium and have provided evidence for the presence of an additional adhesion mechanism. antibody therapy of pharmacological manipulation of endothelial cell receptor expression may reduce PBRC adherence to MEC and ameliorate the sequestration associated with human cerebral malaria.
Ancestral Origin of Insulin-Dependent Diabetes in Mexican-Americans

To test the hypothesis that insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus in the Mexican-American population is due to Spanish genetic admixture, we obtained ancestral information on 106 Mexican-American families with an insulin-dependent diabetic index case and 80 Mexican-American control families from 1987 to 1991. The Mexican states of origin were available on 395 grandparents of the insulin-dependent diabetic index cases and 291 grandparents of the controls. Analysis of the individual states of origin revealed that there were significantly more Mexican-American grandparents of diabetic index cases from the states of Jalisco and Michoacan when compared to the control families (31% and 16% diabetic versus 22% and 11% controls respectively, P less than 0.01). The states of Zacatecas and Durango had a lower frequency of diabetic grandparents as compared to controls (6% diabetic versus 12% controls, P less than 0.001). Analysis of the origin by Northern and Southern states of Mexico revealed a significant decrease in the number of grandparents of the insulin-dependent diabetic cases from the Northern regions of Mexico, 19.5%, versus 32% in controls, (P less than 0.001). These data indicate that the grandparents of the insulin-dependent diabetic index cases originate from states and regions of Mexico which were those of the early entry of the Europeans. These data thus support the hypothesis that insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus in the Mexican-American population may be due in significant part to an original genetic contribution from the Spanish-European population.
Anemia and Cardiovascular Risk in the Patient with Kidney Disease

Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) often experience anemia, which causes fatigue and diminished quality of life. In addition, anemia in CKD has been associated with increased risk for cardiovascular events and left ventricular hypertrophy. To the extent that anemia plays a causal role in these relationships, treatment with erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs) could potentially help improve outcomes. To date, however, results from interventional studies have been disappointing in this regard. This article reviews the relationship between anemia in CKD and cardiovascular risk and explores current knowledge on ESA treatment.
Fluorescence assays for F-pili and their application.

Conjugative pili are extracellular filaments elaborated by Gram-negative bacteria expressing certain type IV secretion systems. They are required at the earliest stages of conjugal DNA transfer to establish specific and secure cell–cell contacts. Conjugative pili also serve as adsorption organelles for both RNA and DNA bacteriophages. Beyond these facts, the structure, formation and function of these filaments are poorly understood. This paper describes a rapid, quantitative assay for F-pili encoded by the F plasmid type IV secretion system. The assay is based on the specific lateral adsorption of icosahedral RNA bacteriophage R17 by F-pili. Bacteriophage particles conjugated with a fluorescent dye, Alexa 488, and bound to F-pili defined filaments visible by immunofluorescence microscopy. F-pili attached to F+ cells and free F-pili were both visible by this method. For quantification, cell-bound bacteriophage were separated from free bacteriophage particles by sedimentation and released by suspending cell pellets in 0·1 % SDS. Fluorescence in cell-free supernatant fractions was measured by fluorometry. The authors present a characterization of this assay and its application to F-pilus formation by cells carrying mutations in the gene for the F-pilus subunit F-pilin. Each mutation introduced a cysteine, which F-pilin normally lacks, at a different position in its primary structure. Cysteine residues in the N-terminal domain I abolished filament formation as measured by fluorescent R17 binding. This was confirmed by measurements of DNA donor activity and filamentous DNA bacteriophage infection. With one exception (G53C), cysteines elsewhere in the F-pilin primary structure did not abolish filament formation, although some mutations differentially affected F-pilus functions.
Extending Post-Processing and Runtime Capabilities of the CTH Shock Physics Code

CTH is a multi-material, large deformation, strong shock wave, solid mechanics code that runs on most UNIX workstations and MPP supercomputers. CTH is one of the most heavily used computational structural mechanics codes on DoD High Performance Computing (HPC) platforms. While CTH includes some internal graphics capabilities, it is preferable to take advantage of widely used scientific visualization packages like EnSight and ParaView to analyze the results of calculations. A new method has been devised that extends the capabilities of CTH to allow three dimensional polygonal models to be written directly from a running calculation in a format compatible to both EnSight and ParaView. Additionally, an interpreter for the scripting language Python has been embedded into CTH, and its post-processor Spymaster. Embedded Python allows for almost limitless, parallel capabilities to be added that do not require a recompilation or relinking of the CTH executable. Examples of these capabilities include one and two way code coupling, and Behind Armor Debris (BAD) applications.
Men, Masculinity, and Male Domination: Reframing Feminist Analyses of Sex Work

Prostitution has been considered by feminists as, alternatively, a gendered relation, an issue of sexuality, and a kind of labor. In this article, I argue for an integrated feminist analysis of sex work that focuses on the first and third of these, leaving the second in the background. I argue that this reconstructed feminist analysis must reject the moralism and determinism of the gendered critique, and radicalize the economic critique. It must also, I suggest, orient itself toward consideration of prostitution as a symptom or function of various masculinities. In all cases, feminism has considered sex work as a question or problem of women's agency and sexuality. Reversing this standard feminist approach offers important new directions for empirical research, and denaturalizes prostitution as an inevitable feature of human life. This denaturalization radicalizes the otherwise traditional policy debate over prostitution by allowing for a more revolutionary critique of the relations of domination that both govern and constitute sex work as a stigmatized, hierarchical, and exploitative practice.I would like to thank Kate Baldwin, John Christman, Brandon Fogel, Traci Levy, William Roberts, Michael Zuckert, and four anonymous reviewers for Politics & Gender for their helpful criticism and insightful commentary on previous drafts of this article. Conversations with Terri Horning proved invaluable to its theoretical development.
Hippocampal dependent learning ability correlates with N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor levels in CA3 neurons of young and aged rats.

Hippocampal N-methyl-D-Aspartate (NMDA) receptors mediate mechanisms of cellular plasticity critical for spatial learning in rats. The present study examined the relationship between spatial learning and NMDA receptor expression in discrete neuronal populations, as well as the degree to which putative age-related changes in NMDA receptors are coupled to the effects of normal aging on spatial learning. Young and aged Long-Evans rats were tested in a Morris water maze task that depends on the integrity of the hippocampus. Levels of NR1, the obligatory subunit for a functional NMDA receptor, were subsequently quantified both biochemically by Western blot in whole homogenized hippocampus, and immunocytochemically by using a high-resolution confocal laser scanning microscopy method. The latter approach allowed comprehensive, regional analysis of discrete elements of excitatory hippocampal circuitry. Neither method revealed global changes, nor were there region-specific differences in hippocampal NR1 levels between young and aged animals. However, across all subjects, individual differences in spatial learning ability correlated with NR1 immunofluorescence levels selectively in CA3 neurons of the hippocampus. Parallel confocal microscopic analysis of the GluR2 subunit of the alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole proprionic acid (AMPA) receptor failed to reveal reliable differences as a function of age or spatial learning ability. This analysis linking age, performance, and NR1 levels demonstrates that although dendritic NR1 is generally preserved in the aged rat hippocampus, levels of this receptor subunit in selective elements of hippocampal circuitry are linked to spatial learning. These findings suggest that NMDA receptor abundance in CA3 bears a critical relationship to learning mediated by the hippocampus throughout the life span. J. Comp. Neurol. 432:230‐243, 2001. © 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Transparent conducting oxides as dynamic materials at telecom wavelengths

Transparent conducting oxides have received significant attention in recent years for their tunability. Here, we study the tunability in the static optical properties of TCO films and nanostructures, as well as their dynamic properties under optical pumping. Combined with their low-temperature and CMOS-compatible processing techniques, TCOs are shown to be key materials for future dynamic nanophotonic devices.
Subunit Interactions in Lactate Dehydrogenase

The NAD+ dependent tetrameric enzyme lactate dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.27), of molecular weight 140,000 Daltons, catalyzes the interconversion of L (+) lactate and pyruvate. Five isoenzymes result from the two subunit types abundant in tissues. The H subunit type is predominant in heart tissue and the M type in skeletal muscle. The M4 isoenzyme (LDH-5) from dogfish (squalus acanthius) has been most studied in this laboratory, while investigations are now proceeding on the H4 (LDH-1) and M4 (LDH-5) isoenzyme of pig.
How to tell a good story: The intersection of language and affect in children's narratives.

AbstractThis article reports two studies in which the developmental relationship be-tween affective and linguistic expression is explored by comparing the comple-mentary skills of storytelling (performance) and story construction (structure). In the first study, children of the two age groups (3- to 4-year-olds and 6- to 8-year-olds) were shown a picture book, Frog, Where Are You? (Mayer, 1979) and then asked to tell the story. Analyses of the data revealed a striking dif-ference in both story structure and storytelling performance. The older group consistently produced stories of greater length and complexity than those of the younger group; with respect to storytelling performance, however, 3- and 4-year-olds used significantly more affective elements of good storytelling than did the 7- and 8-year-olds. In a second study, ten 7- and 8-year-olds and ten 10- and 11-year-olds retold the same story, but to a 3-year-old. In this con-text, the 10- and 11-year-olds used significantly more affective devices, both linguistic and paralinguistic, than did the 7- and 8-year-olds. Considering both cognitive and discourse perspectives, the developmental implications of these findings are discussed.
Syncephalis californica, a mycoparasite inducing giant hyphal swellings in species of mucorales.

Syncephalis californica is described from soils of the Sacramento Valley of California. It is distinguished from other species by the height of the sporangiophore, a 270' angle of recurvature and the uniform diameter throughout the recurved portion of the sporangiophore. Synchephalis californica induces giant hyphal swellings in its host: it parasitizes several species of Rhizopus, Mucor, Choanephora, Gilbertella, Blakeslea, Thamnostylum, Thamnidium and Zygorhynchus. Of the hosts examined, Rhizopus species are the most susceptible.
Degradation Of C3 By Streptococcus Pneumoniae

After growth to exponential phase in Todd-Hewitt broth, clinical and laboratory isolates of Streptococcus pneumoniae serotypes 3, 4, and 14 readily degraded first the beta and then the alpha chains of purified human C3 in the absence of serum or other complement proteins, as assessed by SDS-PAGE. With exponentially growing pneumococci, degradation of native C3 was detectable within 30 min; methylamine-treated C3 and preformed C3b were degraded with equal avidity. Pneumococcal C3-degrading activity was cell associated, abolished by heat killing, and independent of the presence of the polysaccharide capsule. After degradation, 44% of C3 molecules contained a disrupted thiolester bond. Pneumococci treated with 100 micrograms of mutanolysin released 94% of C3-degrading activity from the pneumococcal surface into the supernatant. These studies demonstrate that clinical and laboratory isolates of virulent pneumococci degrade and inactivate soluble C3.
Environmental Friendly Ni-P-Diamond Composite Electroless Plating Coating on the Surface of Cast Aluminium

In order to improve wear resistance and anti-corrosive abilities,environmental friendly Ni-P-diamond composite electroless plating coating was fabricated on the surface of cast aluminium.The influence of key factors such as temperature and stirring on diamond content in composite coating and microhardress was investigated.The wear resistance and anti-corrosive abilities were measured at the same time.The composition of the coating was analysized by EDX.The results show that Ni-P-diamond composite electroless plating coating can improve effectively the wear resistance and anti-corrosive abilities for cast aluminium.The composite coating's wear resistance is better than Ni-P coating,but the anti-corrosive abilities are worse.There must be a little time before diamond particles in coating surface are rooted into matrix metal.Both temperature and stirring rate or style take action to change the time.
From Trip-Based To Activity-Based Approaches:A Review of the Revolutionary Shift of Travel Forecasting Paradigms

After decades of theoretical research and experimental explorations, especially for the last 10 years, the activity-based approaches to travel forecasting have seen significant progress in operational model development and practical implementations, and become readily available to replace the traditional trip-based approaches currently dominating over the arena of travel analysis. Through an introduction of some basic concepts, this paper first identifies, from a perspective of policy and technical background, the key impetus that drives this new generation of travel modeling approaches to have been gaining more and more attentions across the world. Then the paper reviews the theoretical fundamentals, technical framework, data collection methods, as well as implementation procedures of the new approaches. Finally, the paper concludes with a brief discussion on model developments and practical applications of the new approaches in China.
Consumers' Understanding of FDA Approval Requirements and Composite Scores in Direct-to-Consumer Prescription Drug Print Ads

In 2 studies, we investigated how laypersons perceive the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval process, FDA authority, and the presentation of composite scores in direct-to-consumer (DTC) prescription drug print ads. The 1st study consisted of 4 focus groups (N = 38) in 2 cities. Using a semi-structured guide, a moderator led participants through the viewing of 3 existing DTC print ads that differed in the presence or absence of composite score information, and participants discussed their views of the ads and their understanding of composite scores. The 2nd study surveyed a nationally representative sample of 1,629 individuals from the general population who saw a fictitious DTC print ad and answered closed-ended questions about the same topics. Results showed that knowledge of FDA approval and authority was mixed, with several misconceptions apparent. Many consumers were not familiar with the use of composite scores in a medical context or in advertising and, in the 1st study, expressed distrust of the product and the ad after learning about how composite scores are used. In the 2nd study, receiving composite score information changed the perceived clarity of the ad but not the perceived risk or benefits. Implications for the presentation of complex medical information are discussed.
Necessary and sufficient conditions for solvability of the Riccati inequalities in the general case

Abstract This paper presents necessary and sufficient conditions for solvability of Riccati inequalities in the general case in terms of purely imaginary eigenvalues of associated Hamiltonian matrices.
Emulation for de-rating and degradation/turbidity factors effects on PV module

This work presents de-rating\degradation factors effect on photovoltaic (PV) module energy output. It studies the turbidity and the angular optical losses to facilitate a development of an index that evaluate the level of solar radiation degradation. It is performed in an algorithm that provides a solution of optical depth, solar incidence angle on tilted PV module, turbidity index, and angular losses. PV modeling and simulation is the tool in this research; de-rating and solar radiation degradation factors effects on PV module performance are implemented in MATLAB\M-File script, the results demonstrate the variation of loss and gain over the year out of the module rated output DC power corresponds to harsh ambient conditions including high turbidity index of 78.84%. The algorithm approach uses National Renewable Energy Lab/American Society of Testing and Measurements (NREL/ASTM) solar spectral irradiance of air mass 1.5 (AM1.5), Angstrom turbidity coefficient, and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) surface metrology and solar energy over 22-years period.
Abstract POSTER-CTRL-1202: Suppression of cytokine expression and ovarian cancer invasion to omentum by vitamin D

Purpose: Ovarian cancer (OCa) is the deadliest of all gynecologic cancers, mainly because the disease, in most cases, has progressed to advanced stages when it is diagnosed. Our published studies have established a role for 1alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25D3) and its receptors (VDR) in suppressing ovarian tumor growth. The purpose of the present studies is to investigate the effect of the hormone and its receptors on OCa invasion. Approaches: Our microarray analyses have identified a group of cytokines of which the expression was suppressed by 1,25D3. Molecular analyses were used to define the mechanisms underlying the cytokine suppression. Trans-well assays were used to measure the in vitro effect of 1,25D3 on OCa invasion and migration. Ex vivo omental organ co-culturing with luciferase-marked human OCa cells was developed to investigate the effect of 1,25D3 and VDR on the ability of OCa cells to invade omentum. Syngeneic ovarian tumor models in VDR null mice were established to test the effect of stromal VDR in controlling OCa invasion in vivo . Data Summary: Mechanistic studies showed that the suppression of cytokine expression by 1,25D3 was mediated through NFκB inhibition. In trans-well assays, 1,25D3 treatment decreased the OCa motility and invasion through matrigel and VDR knockdown diminished such an effect. In ex vivo mouse models, the absence of the VDR in either the tumor cells or omentum resulted in increased invasiveness of OCa cells into omental tissues. In in vivo studies with syngeneic tumor models, mouse ovarian tumors invaded into omentum much more rapidly in VDR null than wild type mice, showing a role for stromal VDR in OCa invasion. Moreover, stable expression of constitutive IKKβ or the addition of recombinant cytokines in the culture medium relieved the suppressive effect of 1,25D3 on OCa migration and invasion, identifying the suppression of cytokine expression and NFκB activity as the main mechanism underlying the inhibitory effect of 1,25D3 on OCa invasion. Conclusions: This is the first demonstration of an important role of 1,25D3 in suppressing cytokine expression and ovarian tumor invasion into omentum. The studies are also the first to define a role for both tumor and stromal VDR in the suppression. The studies support a VDR-based therapeutic strategy that will allow the use of 1,25D3 or its analogs to improve the poor clinical outcomes for patients with invasive OCa. The main findings of the present study is that the VDR acts as a suppressor of ovarian tumor invasion and thus represents a novel molecular drug target for the intervention of invasive OCa. Citation Format: Lungchukiet Panida, Kasiappan Ravi, Sun Yuefeng, Quarni Waise, Santo Nicosia, Xiaohong Zhang, Wenlong Bai. Suppression of cytokine expression and ovarian cancer invasion to omentum by vitamin D [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 10th Biennial Ovarian Cancer Research Symposium; Sep 8-9, 2014; Seattle, WA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Clin Cancer Res 2015;21(16 Suppl):Abstract nr POSTER-CTRL-1202.
Juvenile X-linked Retinoschisis Presenting as Juxtapapillary Retinal Fold Mimicking Combined Hamartoma of the Retina and Retinal Pigment Epithelium

A 21-month-old boy presumptively diagnosed with combined hamartoma of the retina and retinal pigment epithelium was found to have juvenile X-linked retinoschisis with vitreomacular traction and prominent retinal folding.
Preoperative risk factors predicting postoperative complications in radical cystectomy for bladder cancer.

395Background: Radical cystectomy is an extensive operation with complications reported in up to 30.5% of patients. High complication rates contribute to increased costs, patient morbidity and mortality. Accurate prospective predictions of patients’ risk for post−surgical complications have the potential to identify at risk patients. Risk estimators have been developed but often involve an extensive number of factors or produce expansive results that are not clinically useful. Methods: 330 patients who underwent radical cystectomy for bladder cancer from January 2008 to July 2014 were included in this study. Potential preoperative risk predictors were collected from medical history, TURBT pathology, preoperative labs, proposed procedure type, and prior treatments. Postoperative complications were graded using the Clavien−Dindo scale. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to predict post−operative complications. Accuracy of prediction models was assessed using the area under the receiver operat...
Strongly Interaction-Enhanced Valley Magnetic Response in Monolayer WSe 2

We measure the doping dependence of the valley Zeeman splitting of the fundamental optical transitions in monolayer ${\mathrm{WSe}}_{2}$ under an out-of-plane magnetic field by optical reflection contrast and photoluminescence spectroscopy. A nonlinear valley Zeeman effect, correlated with an over fourfold enhancement in the $g$ factor, is observed. The effect occurs when the Fermi level crosses the spin-split upper conduction band, corresponding to a change of the spin-valley degeneracy from two to four. The enhancement increases and shows no sign of saturation as the sample temperature decreases. Our result demonstrates the importance of the Coulomb interactions in the valley magnetic response of two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenide semiconductors.
Evidence and Skepticism in Verifiable Disclosure Games

A key feature of communication with evidence is skepticism: to the extent possible, a receiver will attribute any incomplete disclosure to the sender concealing unfavorable evidence. The degree of skepticism depends on how much evidence the sender is expected to possess. I characterize when a change in the prior distribution of evidence induces more skepticism, i.e. induces any receiver to take an equilibrium action that is less favorable to the sender following every message. I formalize an increase in the sender’s (ex-ante) amount of evidence and show that this is equivalent to inducing more skepticism. As an input to this result, I fully characterize receiver optimal equilibrium outcomes in general verifiable disclosure games. I apply these results to a dynamic disclosure problem in which the sender obtains and discloses evidence over time. I identify the necessary and sufficient condition on the evidence structure such that the receiver cannot benefit from early inspections.
Evaluation of the Completeness, Data Quality, and Timeliness of Fetal Mortality Surveillance in Wyoming, 2006–2013

Purpose The number of fetal deaths in the United States each year exceeds that of infant deaths. High quality fetal death certificate data are necessary for states to effectively address preventable fetal deaths. We evaluated completeness of detection of fetal deaths among Wyoming residents that occur out-of-state, quality of cause-of-death data, and timeliness of Wyoming fetal death certificate registration during 2006-2013. Description The numbers of out-of-state fetal deaths among Wyoming residents recorded by Wyoming surveillance and reported by the National Vital Statistics System were compared. Quality of cause-of-death data was assessed by calculating percentage of fetal death certificates completed in Wyoming with ill-defined, unknown, or missing cause-of-death entries. Timeliness was determined using the time between the fetal death and filing of the fetal death certificate with the Wyoming Department of Health Vital Statistics Service. Assessment Wyoming surveillance detected none of the 76 out-of-state fetal deaths among Wyoming residents reported by the National Vital Statistics System. Among 263 fetal death certificates completed in Wyoming and collected by Wyoming surveillance, 108 (41%) contained ill-defined, unknown, or missing cause-of-death entries. Median duration between the fetal death and filing with the Wyoming Vital Statistics Service was 33 days. Conclusion Wyoming fetal mortality surveillance is limited by failure to register out-of-state fetal deaths among residents, poor quality of cause-of-death data, and lack of timeliness. Strategies to improve surveillance include automating interjurisdictional sharing of fetal death data, certifier education, and electronic fetal death registration.
The List Decoding Radius for Reed–Muller Codes Over Small Fields

The list decoding problem for a code asks for the maximal radius up to which any ball of that radius contains only a constant number of codewords. The list decoding radius is not well understood even for well studied codes like Reed–Solomon or Reed–Muller codes. Fix a finite field ${\mathbb {F}}$ . The Reed–Muller code $\text {RM}_{ {\mathbb {F}}}(n,d)$ is defined by $n$ -variate degree- $d$ polynomials over ${\mathbb {F}}$ . In this paper, we study the list decoding radius of Reed–Muller codes over a constant prime field ${\mathbb {F}}= {\mathbb {F}}_{p}$ , constant degree $d$ , and large $n$ . We show that the list decoding radius is equal to the minimal distance of the code. That is, if we denote by ${\delta }(d)$ the normalized minimal distance of $\text {RM}_{ {\mathbb {F}}}(n,d)$ , then the number of codewords in any ball of radius ${\delta }(d)- {\varepsilon }$ is bounded by $c=c(p,d, {\varepsilon })$ independent of $n$ . This resolves a conjecture of Gopalan et al. , who among other results proved it in the special case of ${\mathbb {F}}= {\mathbb {F}}_{2}$ ; and extends the work of Gopalan who proved the conjecture in the case of $d=2$ . We also analyse the number of codewords in balls of radius exceeding the minimal distance of the code. For $e \leq d$ , we show that the number of codewords of $\text {RM}_{ {\mathbb {F}}}(n,d)$ in a ball of radius ${\delta }(e) - {\varepsilon }$ is bounded by $\exp (c \cdot n^{d-e})$ , where $c=c(p,d, {\varepsilon })$ is independent of $n$ . The dependence on $n$ is tight. This extends the work of Kaufman et al. who proved similar bounds over ${\mathbb {F}}_{2}$ . The proof relies on several new ingredients: an extension of the Frieze–Kannan weak regularity to general function spaces, higher order Fourier analysis, and an extension of the Schwartz–Zippel lemma to the compositions of polynomials.
Visual System II

This chapter considers the overall organization of the central visual pathways. Students should know the names of each component of the central visual pathways and be able to identify each component in brain dissections, histological sections, or drawings. We then define how the information from the two eyes is mapped within the central visual pathways and define the retinotopic organization of the pathways. Students should be familiar with how the fibers of the optic nerve decussate at the optic chiasm, and how different parts of the visual field are represented in the optic tract, lateral geniculate nucleus, and cortex. This information is the key to understanding the visual field deficits that result from lesions at particular locations along the central visual pathways.