cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The topology of percolating porosity in woven fiber ceramic matrix composites

Three-dimensional x-ray microtomography has been used to visualize porosity in ceramic matrix composites during chemical vapor infiltration processing. The topology of percolating pores was determined in both 0°/90° and 0°/45° architectures. At densities greater than 75%, consolidation can be described with percolation theory.
James S. Coleman as a Guide to Social Research

Despite his outstanding empirical work and his exceptional clarity as a theorist of collective choice, James S. Coleman's program for social science would take it in the wrong direction. Whatever else it does, social science must explain social processes. Coleman: 1) neglected to specify causal mechanisms, 2) promoted an incomplete and therefore misleading psychological reductionism, and 3) advocated a form of general theory—rational choice analysis—that cannot, in principle or in practice, provide adequate explanations for the great bulk of social processes.
Supporting children as they program to make physical and virtual objects interact

I develop technological tools to help communities of children creatively solve problems as they program computers. The Hook-ups project introduces computational tools that support children in building physical input devices for computer programs they create. Research questions guiding my work are presented, as are the methods by which I investigate them in informal learning environments.
CYNTHIA LEWIS , Literacy practices as social acts: Power, status, and cultural norms in the classroom . Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum, 2001, Pp. xi, 213, Hb $59.95, Pb $24.95 US.; LUDO VERHOEVEN & CATHERINE SNOW (eds.), Literacy and motivation: Reading engagement in individuals and groups . Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum, 2001. Pp. 326, Pb $39.95 Hb $79.95 US.

Literacy practices as social acts and Literacy and motivation share an interest in the question of what engages children in reading. Both are relevant to our political times, when the federal government micromanages literacy education in schools. The U.S. federal initiative “No Child Left Behind” gave rise to the Reading First grants, and both are designed to “get kids reading at grade level.” Reading First ended up not including “motivation” as a rationale for funding. The government's preoccupation with phonics instruction has superseded the more important issue of what makes a child want (or not want) to read in the first place. Literacy and motivation is a useful corrective. However, Cynthia Lewis's Literacy practices as social acts really gets at the heart of the matter.
The Long-Term Marriage Between Autoimmunity and Internal Medicine: A Homage to Manuel Carlos Dias

Our understanding of autoimmune diseases results from the perfect combination of basic and clinical scientific research, and the figure that is closest to the proposed autoimmunology specialist is certainly the internist. The role of B cells in rheumatoid arthritis, the immunological mechanisms to fibrosis or to tissue specific damage, the classification of Bechet’s syndrome, the clinical outcomes of antiphospholid syndrome, and new biomarkers for vascular complications in systemic sclerosis constitute, among others, are ideal examples of this combination. For these reason, this issue includes comprehensive reviews in all these areas and is dedicated to Dr. Manuel Carlos Dias and his career in the perfectioning and teaching of the clinical skills necessary to manage autoimmune disease. We are convinced that these discussions are likely of interest to basic scientists and clinicians alike for the proposed translational applications.
Safety First: A Model for Understanding Domestic Violence in Child Custody and Access Disputes

A substantial percentage of contested child custody cases involve allegations of domestic violence. The impact on the psychological health and physical safety of the child exposed to domestic violence has only recently become a focus of the courts' and child custody evalu-ators' attention. Currently, the majority of state statutes include consideration of domestic violence in “best interests” child custody criteria. However, many of the statues do not provide the child custody evaluator the specific criteria to consider, especially if the domestic violence allegations have not been previously reported to authorities prior to the commencement of separation and divorce proceedings. This article presents the first three steps of the six-step Safety First Model, designed to assist the legal and psychological professions to focus on the priorities on the safety of children exposed to domestic violence.
Profound Amnesia and Confabulation Following Traumatic Brain Injury

Amnesia and confabulation may persist following acute aneurysmal hemorrhage of the anterior communicating artery, chronic alcoholic Korsakoff's syndrome, and late-stage dementia of the Alzheimer type. However, there is a paucity of information regarding the persistence of these symptoms following traumatic brain injury. We present the case of JL, a 43-year-old male with persistent and severe anterograde amnesia for verbal and visual information with co-occurring provoked confabulation which persists well into the chronic phase of recovery after a severe traumatic brain injury. Neuropsychological testing at 7 weeks post-injury demonstrated severe anterograde amnesia with co-occurring confabulation. Follow-up testing at 9.5 months post-injury showed persistent and severe anterograde amnesia and provoked confabulation despite superior non-verbal intelligence and above average attentional and perceptual abilities. Late computed tomography showed chronic hypodense regions in the temporal lobes, bilaterally (L > R), and in the region of the left ventrolateral frontal lobe. This case demonstrates that anterograde amnesia and provoked confabulation may persist long after the acute phase of recovery after traumatic brain injury, and also supports previous research which asserts that medial temporal lobe damage must be accompanied by ventral frontal lobe pathology to produce the amnestic-confabulatory syndrome.
Structural basis for the interaction between casein kinase 1 delta and a potent and selective inhibitor.

Casein kinase 1 delta (CK1δ) and its closest homologue CK1e are key regulators of diverse cellular growth and survival processes such as Wnt signaling, DNA repair, and circadian rhythms. We report three crystal structures of the kinase domain of human CK1δ, one apo and two complexed with a potent and selective CK1δ/e inhibitor PF670462 in two different crystal forms. These structures provide a molecular basis for the strong and specific inhibitor interactions and suggest clues for further development of CK1δ/e inhibitors.
Supersymmetric electroweak symmetry breaking

In the minimal supersymmetric standard model (the MSSM), the electroweak symmetry is restored as supersymmetry-breaking terms are turned off. We describe a generic extension of the MSSM where the electroweak symmetry is broken in the supersymmetric limit. We call this limit the ``sEWSB'' phase, short for supersymmetric electroweak symmetry breaking. We define this phase in an effective field theory that only contains the MSSM degrees of freedom. The sEWSB vacua naturally have an inverted scalar spectrum, where the heaviest $CP$-even Higgs state has standard model-like couplings to the massive vector bosons; experimental constraints in the scalar Higgs sector are more easily satisfied than in the MSSM.
Mesoscale Convective Systems Defined by Their 85-GHz Ice Scattering Signature: Size and Intensity Comparison over Tropical Oceans and Continents

Abstract This study used the 85-GHz ice scattering signature to describe the size, intensity, and geographic distribution of mesoscale convective systems (MCSs) between 35°N and 35°S for January, April, July, and October 1993. An MCS was defined as an area below 250 K of at least 2000 km2, with an enclosed minimum brightness temperature below 225 K. The geographic distribution of MCSs identified by these criteria was consistent with large-scale seasonal dynamics. There was no significant relationship (R2 ≈ 0.05) between the size and intensity for the MCSs in the study database. Tropical South America, tropical Africa, and the oceanic warm pool had the greatest number of MCSs. Equatorial regions such as tropical Africa had the smallest median areas. The subtropical oceans had the largest median areas, about 20% greater than other regions. MCSs in the continental regions tended to have colder minimum brightness temperatures than MCSs in the oceanic regions. The sub-tropical oceans had the warmest median min...
Cardinality Logics. Part II: Definability in Languages Based on `Exactly'

Etude par la theorie des modeles du concept de cardinalite dans certaines logiques d'ordre superieur
A Comparative Evaluation of the Weiss Saturometer

Abstract The Weiss saturometer, an instrument which measures dissolved gas tensions, was evaluated and compared with gas chromatographic apparatus. With vigorous shaking the saturometer equilibrated with dissolved gas tension only after fifteen to twenty-five minutes in moderately supersaturated water. Paired analyses by gas chromatography and the saturometer did not differ significantly. Both methods (gas chromatography and the Weiss saturometer) appear to offer advantages in specific applications, and the method of choice for dissolved gas analysis remains dependent on individual requirements. The need for conscientious operation of the saturometer by an experienced operator was apparent.
Dose profile modeling of Idaho National Laboratory's active neutron interrogation laboratory

A new research and development laboratory has been commissioned at Idaho National Laboratory for performing active neutron interrogation research and development. The facility is designed to provide radiation shielding for DT fusion (14.1 MeV) neutron generators (2 x 108 neutrons per second), DD fusion (2.5 MeV) neutron generators (up to 2 x 106 neutrons per second), and 252Cf spontaneous fission neutron sources (6.7 x 107 neutrons per second, 30 micrograms). Shielding at the laboratory is comprised of modular concrete shield blocks 0.76 m thick with tongue-in-groove features to prevent radiation streaming, arranged into one small and one large test vault. The larger vault is designed to allow operation of the DT generator and has walls 3.8 m tall, an entrance maze, and a fully integrated electrical interlock system; the smaller test vault is designed for 252Cf and DD neutron sources and has walls 1.9 m tall and a simple entrance maze. Both analytical calculations and numerical simulations were used in the design process for the building to assess the performance of the shielding walls and to ensure external dose rates are within required facility limits. Dose rate contour plots have been generated for the facility to visualize the effectiveness ofmore » the shield wall and entrance maze and to illustrate the spatial profile of the radiation dose field above the facility and the effects of skyshine around the vaults.« less
Amygdala volume and psychopathology in childhood complex partial seizures.

Abstract Objective The purpose of this study was to compare amygdala volume in children with cryptogenic epilepsy who have complex partial seizures (CPS) with that of age- and gender-matched normal children. The relationship of amygdala volume to seizure variables and presence of psychopathology was also examined in these patients. Methods Twenty-eight children with cryptogenic epilepsy, all of whom had CPS, and gender-matched normal children, all aged 6–16 years, underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at 1.5 T. Tissue was segmented, and total brain volume and amygdala volumes obtained from manual tracings were computed. Results There were no significant differences in amygdala volume between the CPS and normal groups. Within the CPS group, the children with an affective/anxiety disorder had significantly larger left amygdala volumes, as well as greater amygdala asymmetry, compared with those with no psychopathology. Exploring the association between seizure variables and amygdala volume yielded no significant predictors. Conclusions In pediatric CPS, left amygdala involvement may reflect effects of the neuropathology underlying comorbid affective or anxiety disorders on amygdala development rather than effects of ongoing seizures.
Form dropout using distance transformation

Forms are an important means for information gathering, storage, retrieval, approval, and distribution in business and government organizations. This paper presents a form dropout approach which employs a distance transform and its gradient flow. Form templates are pre-processed off-line to obtain their distance transforms and gradient flows. We demonstrate that various components in the form dropout algorithm can derive benefit from rich geometric information about the form template which are made explicit in the distance transform and its gradient flow. Experimental results are also presented.
Is Inadequate Transportation a Barrier to Community Involvement?: Evidence from the Social Capital Benchmark Survey

Since the publication of Robert Putnam's influential Bowling Alone, the concept of social capital has captured the attention of researchers in many disciplines. Policy makers and community advocates have pressed to include social capital in discussions about public policy, including transportation policy and planning. Using data from a national survey conducted in 2000, the study described in this paper investigated whether inadequate transportation is a barrier to people's involvement in their communities. The analysis uses a binary logistical model and finds that respondents who were female, who were nonwhite, who had household incomes less than $30,000, and who had long commutes to work had increased odds of citing transportation as a barrier. However, only 17% of the sample analyzed reported that transportation was a barrier. Most respondents cited other barriers along with transportation, most commonly, inflexible work schedules or inadequate child care. Although some types of improvements to transpo...
Simulation-based learning in knowledge-based controllers

A methodology is presented to transform knowledge-based controllers into adaptive structure representations. These adaptive controllers are then evolved using automatic directed search methods, where the performance of the trial controllers is evaluated through simulation in a synthetic environment. This automatically acquired knowledge is incorporated back into a revised knowledge-based controller. This process is developed and demonstrated using the flight and fire controllers of a simulated airborne laser system as a testbed.
Identity Formation and Transnational Discourses Thinking Beyond Identity Politics

This article is an attempt to explore the role, if any, that transnational deaf identity politics plays within the lives of members of the Delhi Foundation of Deaf Women (DFDW). Taking a two-pronged ethnographic and historical approach, I will examine how the DFDW came to exist, situating it within the field of organisations serving the deaf in Delhi, as well as providing an overview of its structure and client profile. I will also examine the terrain of identity politics within the deaf community of the DFDW, and ask questions about what identity, deafness and kinship mean to its members. Most theory coming out of Deaf studies has ignored, until relatively recently, the category of gender. This article seeks to explore how culture and gender modify the constructions and experiences of Deaf identity.
Chronic reduction of plasma free fatty acid improves mitochondrial function and whole-body insulin sensitivity in obese and type 2 diabetic individuals

Insulin resistance and dysregulation of free fatty acid (FFA) metabolism are core defects in type 2 diabetic (T2DM) and obese normal glucose tolerant (NGT) individuals. Impaired muscle mitochondrial function (reduced ATP synthesis) also has been described in insulin-resistant T2DM and obese subjects. We examined whether reduction in plasma FFA concentration with acipimox improved ATP synthesis rate and altered reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. Eleven NGT obese and 11 T2DM subjects received 1) OGTT, 2) euglycemic insulin clamp with muscle biopsy, and 3) (1)H-magnetic resonance spectroscopy of tibialis anterior muscle before and after acipimox (250 mg every 6 h for 12 days). ATP synthesis rate and ROS generation were measured in mitochondria isolated from muscle tissue ex vivo with chemoluminescence and fluorescence techniques, respectively. Acipimox 1) markedly reduced the fasting plasma FFA concentration and enhanced suppression of plasma FFA during oral glucose tolerance tests and insulin clamp in obese NGT and T2DM subjects and 2) enhanced insulin-mediated muscle glucose disposal and suppression of hepatic glucose production. The improvement in insulin sensitivity was closely correlated with the decrease in plasma FFA in obese NGT (r = 0.81) and T2DM (r = 0.76) subjects (both P 50% in both obese NGT and T2DM subjects and was strongly correlated with the decrease in plasma FFA and increase in insulin-mediated glucose disposal (both r > 0.70, P < 0.001). Production of ROS did not change after acipimox. Reduction in plasma FFA in obese NGT and T2DM individuals improves mitochondrial ATP synthesis rate, indicating that the mitochondrial defect in insulin-resistant individuals is, at least in part, reversible.
An Efficient Floating Larval Trap for Sampling Aedes Aegypti Populations (Diptera: Culicidae)

A floating mosquito-larval trap for medium- to largesized artificial containers was developed that eliminates many of the biases commonly associated with human collection techniques. This trap was extremely efficient in sampling Aedes aegypti and Culex quinquefasciatus immatures during both laboratory and field tests. Field trials revealed that the AFRIMS trap was highly sensitive (98.4 to 99.2%) for detecting immatures in known positive water jars in a 24-h period. In addition, over 42,000 immatures were collected in 1322 traps, and results from 1159 traps in which larvae and pupae were separated revealed an average of 31 larvae and 1.4 pupae collected per trap per 24-h period. Other advantages of the trap besides efficiency and sensitivity are its small size, low cost and simple construction. It keeps specimens alive, collects larvae and pupae, is sturdy and durable, functions as a random sampler, and also can be used as a surveillance device.
Chocolate Milk and the Hispanic Consumer

The U.S. Hispanic population is increasing, and purchasing power of this group is also increasing. Little is known about the attitudes and preferences of Hispanic adults or children toward chocolate milk. The objective of this study was to understand Hispanic consumer attitudes and preferences for chocolate milk. Focus groups with Hispanic adults (> 18 y, 3 groups, n= 31) and children (10 to 14 y, 6 groups, n= 29) were conducted to gain qualitative insight into perceptions and consumption trends. Using focus group results and descriptive analysis profiles of chocolate milks, 5 representative chocolate milks were selected for quantitative consumer testing. Milks were evaluated for overall liking and other attributes by Hispanic adults (n= 79), Caucasian adults (n= 91), and Hispanic children (n= 45). Analysis of variance and internal and external preference mapping were conducted to characterize differences among treatments and ethnic groups. Chocolate milks were differentiated by descriptive analysis (P < 0.001) in visual, flavor, and mouthfeel attributes. Hispanic children (n= 45) rated all chocolate milks higher in liking than Hispanic or Caucasian adults, and documented significant differences in liking for milks evaluated (P < 0.05). Caucasians adults were generally more discriminatory in liking of chocolate milks than Hispanic adults, but consistent ethnic differences were observed only for chocolate flavor liking where Hispanics assigned higher chocolate flavor liking scores to milks compared to Caucasians. Three consumer clusters were identified and the drivers for these clusters were largely consistent with previous chocolate milk consumer studies in that many of the same key drivers of liking for chocolate milk were identified. The results indicated that these consumer clusters were not defined exclusively by ethnicity.
Radiologists as valued consultants: IT can help.

sicians did make use of other evidence-based resources, indicating their willingness to incorporate such into their decision-making processes and practice patterns. Finally, and most positively, the responses revealed that consultation with a radiologist was the most frequently used resource [4]. Despite the wide agreement within the radiology community on theneedforensuringappropriateimaging and the fact that ordering physicians continue to rely on radiologists to provide such guidance, there remains a large disparity in our own adherence to such guidelines in the advice and recommendations we provide to ordering physicians [5].
Controlled Procedural Terrain Generation Using Software Agents

Procedural terrain generation is used to create landforms for applications such as computer games and flight simulators. While most of the existing work has concentrated on algorithms that generate terrain without input from the user, we explore a more controllable system that uses intelligent agents to generate terrain elevation heightmaps according to designer-defined constraints. This allows the designer to create procedural terrain that has specific properties.
Toward new techniques to assess the software implementation process

The author presents the concept of software boundaries and their automated detection. He describes an objective, high-level assessment technology to support process control of software development. The technique is largely independent of underlying design and development methods. An example illustrates an automated system partitioning application. The technique analyzes the end product and the delivered software code. By suitable adjustment of the analysis goals, measures, and criteria, the technique can help evaluate the effectiveness of many software implementation methods. The author discusses the technique's potential for increasing confidence in the fault-tolerating properties of a system. >
A Study of the Boreal, Alpine, and Arctic Species of Melanoleuca

Five new species of Melanoleuca (Tricholomataceae) from boreal, alpine and arctic habitats are described. In addition, five other species are treated including several previously unreported from No...
Morphometry of the digestive tracts of some passerine birds

To investigate how the morphology of the gut is related to diet and body size, several dimensions of the digestive tract were obtained for 34 species of passerines from Costa Rica and Pennsylvania. Measurements included the length and diameter of the intestine, length and width of the stomach, thicknesses of the muscle, mucosa, and koilin layers of the stomach, thicknesses of the muscle and mucosa layers of the intestine, number per cross section and length of intestinal villi, and diameter of the lumen of the intestine. In addition, the total absorbtive surface area of the intestine was estimated from several primary measurements. Correlations and regression coefficients based on phylogenetically independent contrasts for the lengths of the stomach and intestine did not differ significantly from those based on original measurements. The absorbtive surface area of the intestine and the thicknesses of the muscular and mucosal layers of the intestine were related to the 0.6-0.7 power of body mass; other measurements exhibited allometric constants close to 0.3. Further analyses were based upon residuals of measurements about allometric regressions. Correlation and principal components analysis revealed positive correlations among intestine length, stomach length, and stomach width, and negative correlations between intestinal diameter and villus length, on one hand, and the thickness of the stomach (muscle and mucosa), on the other. Discriminant analysis based on residuals of gut measurements separated species placed in three diet groups: insect, mixed insect and fruit, and mixed insect and seed. Insectivores were distinguished from species with mixed diets by having smaller but heavier-walled stomachs and smaller intestines. Fruit-eaters were distinguished from seed-eaters primarily by having thicker-walled intestines.
Intensity Dependence of the Excited State Lifetimes and Triplet Conversion Yield in the Fenna–Matthews–Olson Antenna Protein

The Fenna–Matthews–Olson (FMO) protein is a soluble light-harvesting, bacteriochlorophyll a (BChl a) containing antenna complex found in green sulfur bacteria. We have measured time-resolved fluorescence and transient absorption at variable laser intensities at 298 and 77 K using FMO protein from Chlorobaculum tepidum prepared in both oxidizing and reducing environments. Fitting of the spectroscopic data shows that high laser intensities (i.e., above 1013 photons × cm–2 delivered per laser pulse) distort the intrinsic decay processes in this complex. At high laser intensities, both oxidized and reduced FMO samples behave similarly, exhibiting high levels of singlet–singlet annihilation. At lower laser intensities, the reduced protein mainly displays a singlet excited state lifetime of 2 ns, although upon oxidation, a 60 ps lifetime dominates. We also demonstrate that the apparent quantum yield of singlet–triplet intersystem crossing in the reduced FMO complex is ∼11% in the most favorable low laser intens...
Pilot trial of a dissonance-based cognitive-behavioral group depression prevention with college students.

Abstract Objective Conduct a pilot trial testing whether a new cognitive-behavioral (CB) group prevention program that incorporated cognitive-dissonance change principles was feasible and appeared effective in reducing depressive symptoms and major depressive disorder onset relative to a brochure control condition in college students with elevated depressive symptoms. Method 59 college students (M age = 21.8, SD = 2.3; 68% female, 70% White) were randomized to the 6-session Change Ahead group or educational brochure control condition, completing assessments at pretest, posttest, and 3-month follow-up. Results Recruitment and screening methods were effective and intervention attendance was high (86% attended all 6 sessions). Change Ahead participants showed medium-large reductions in depressive symptoms at posttest (M d = 0.64), though the effect attenuated by 3-month follow-up. Incidence of major depression onset at 3-month follow-up was 4% for Change Ahead participants versus 13% (difference ns). Conclusions Change Ahead appears highly feasible and showed positive indications of reduced acute phase depressive symptoms and MDD onset relative to a minimal intervention control in this initial pilot. Given the brevity of the intervention, its apparent feasibility, and the lack of evidence-based depression prevention programs for college students, continued evaluation of Change Ahead appears warranted.
Booklet of Registered Residence of the Sanxing Eight Banners in the 9th of Xianfeng Reign(1st)

The Sanxing(Three Surnames) governed by Jilin General in Qing Dynasty is now Yilan County in Heilongjiang province.10844 names with official positions and ages from 1445 families were recorded in the booklet of registered residence in the 9th of Xianfeng Reign stored in Liaoning Archives.these booklets separately counted numbers and names of every family and Zuoling which showed the structure of their staff registrations,However,the first two pages was damaged a little.Some of Pijia died of illness or war just in the year after registration,so beside their names are marked with "dain de tuheke"or "nimeme akū oho",which are in bracket when translating and editing so as to keep coherent with parenthesis.
Simulated Low-Earth-Orbital Exposure of Thermal Control Materials

A variety of common spacecraft thermal control materials were exposed to a laboratory test designed to simulate the effects of the low-Earth-orbital space-radiation environment. The goal of this test program was to garner performance data on the subject materials, which included two thickness types of old and new rear-surface-silverized fluorinated ethylene propylene Teflon® tape manufactured more than a decade apart, an embossed version of rear-surface-silverized fluorinated ethylene propylene Teflon tape, perforated rear-surface-aluminized Kapton, and a zinc oxide/methyl silicone white paint. In addition to providing high-fidelity data on the end-of-life performance of the materials, the testing revealed that older samples of the rear-surface-silverized fluorinated ethylene propylene Teflon tape showed widely disparate responses and greater solar absorptance increases compared to samples of the same, newly manufactured materials. Samples of the new rear-surface-silverized fluorinated ethylene propylene ...
Hypoglycemic and insulin mimetic impact of catechin isolated from Cassia fistula : a substantiate in silico approach through docking analysis

A study of ancient literature indicates that diabetes was fairly well known and well conceived as an entity in India. The nature has provided abundant plant wealth for all the living creatures, which possess medicinal virtues. Therefore, there is a necessity to explore their uses and to conduct pharmacognostic and pharmacological studies to ascertain their therapeutic properties. In fact, nowadays diabetes is a global problem. Hence, this study aims to open new avenues for the improvement of medicinal uses of catechin isolated from the methanol extract of Cassia fistula stem bark for the selected area of diabetes. Oral administration of catechin (20 mg/kg b.wt) for 60 days produce a better glucose tolerance pattern in Streptozotocin-induced diabetic male albino Wistar rats. Another important objective of the study is to bring the implication of computer-aided drug development. In biomedical arena, computer-aided or in silico design is being utilized to expedite and facilitate hit identification, hit-to-lead selection, optimize the absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion and toxicity profile, and avoid safety issues. Commonly used computational approaches include ligand-based drug design (pharmacophore, a 3-D spatial arrangement of chemical features essential for biological activity), structure-based drug design (drug target docking), and quantitative structure–activity and quantitative structure–property relationships. The 3D structure of the catechin was docked with the receptors (PPARγ and insulin receptor) by Discovery Studio 2.1 version (An Accelery’s product). The results show that catechin possesses a potential agonist characteristic that is capable of activating Insulin receptor and Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma. These results confirm the hypoglycemic effect of catechin. We can conclude that catechin could be developed into potential oral hypoglycemic drug.
Industrial uses and sustainable supply of Quillaja saponaria (Rosaceae) saponins

The bark of the tree Quillaja saponaria, indigenous to Chile, is one of the major sources of industrially used triterpenoid saponins. For decades quillaja extracts have been used as foaming agents in beverages, emulsifiers in foods, wetting agent in photography, etc. Overexploitation of the bark has caused important ecological damage and a shortage of this resource. However, this can still be remedied by using whole quillaja wood (and not just the bark), for the production of saponins. This raw material can be obtained in large quantities from pruning operations, reducing the need to fell trees. This review covers ecological aspects of quillaja exploitation, as well as a discussion of its novel industrial applications.
A structural, preconscious piaget: Heed without habit

Introspection leads us to believe that universals and meaning are extracted from sensory information before responsive action commences: as if we act first as passive observers whose subsequent reactions follow a process of recognition and decision. We are inclined to base our designs of cognitive systems upon such subjective insights. However, if we take into account the necessity for a prior, ontogenetic growth of a repertoire of perception, it appears more probable that we are engaged in unceasing interaction with our environment and that a response itself, driven by homeostatic mechanisms, contains the meaningful information about the object of the response. The components of the world are thereby described not in terms of their intrinsic spatio-temporal parameters but by their relation to the observer. A rudimentary visual system employing a Probability State Variable (PSV) Controller as a, homeostat is described, and the prototype peripheral hardware suggested. The addition of an associative memory would allow the buildup of a cognitive model of the world, but the reactive searching by the system described --- as if it were an autonomous "perceptuo-postural" mechanism --- must begin the process of discovering the properties of reality.
A CMOS radio receiver architecture for ISM/UNII multi-standard wireless applications

Various wireless communication standards have been introduced and multi-standard wireless devices are highly demanded to accommodate different wireless communication standards. Due to the different frequency bands and bandwidths, existing multi-standard wireless devices use separate chipsets or separate signal paths for the different standards on the same chip. Low and zero-IF receiver architectures with high integration and high level of component share are proposed for Bluetooth and WLAN applications. The overall system requirements are analyzed and the design specifications for individual receiver components are determined using a Simulink model. The system design is targeting implementation in deep submicron CMOS technology, e.g. the 0.18 /spl mu/m process.
Intelligent Urbanism: Convivial Living in Smart Cities

Technology has been hailed as a panacea for global and local challenges in urban development. This research note explores the role technology plays in facilitating intelligent urbanism and considers how Illich’s notion of convivial living can inform urban development. Here, we present one case study on energy that is a work in progress. Two future cases will include transportation and food sourcing. The broader objective of this work is to develop a framework which those involved in the planning, design and deployment of technology in urban spaces can use to integrate conviviality into such environments. This note takes a step in this direction by describing the key elements which can promote convivial tools to facilitate convivial living.
Applications of molecular testing in surgical pathology of the head and neck

Molecular testing in routine surgical pathology is becoming an important component of the workup of many different types of tumors. In fact, in some organ systems, guidelines now suggest that the standard of care is to obtain specific molecular panels for tumor classification and/or therapeutic planning. In the head and neck, clinically applicable molecular tests are not as abundant as in other organ systems. Most current head and neck biomarkers are utilized for diagnosis rather than as companion diagnostic tests to predict therapeutic response. As the number of potential molecular biomarker assays increases and cost pressures escalate, the pathologist must be able to navigate the molecular testing pathways. This review explores scenarios in which molecular testing might be beneficial and cost-effective in head and neck pathology.
Materials-Directed Differentiation of Mesenchymal Stem Cells for Tissue Engineering and Regeneration

Cell-based therapies are a promising alternative to grafts and organ transplantation for treating tissue loss or damage due to trauma, malfunction, or disease. Over the past two decades, mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have attracted much attention as a potential cell population for use in regenerative medicine. Although the proliferative capacity and multilineage potential of MSCs provide an opportunity to generate clinically relevant numbers of transplantable cells, their use in tissue regenerative applications has met with relatively limited success to date apart from secreting paracrine-acting factors to modulate the defect microenvironment. Presently, there is significant effort to engineer the biophysical properties of biomaterials to direct MSC differentiation and further expand on the potential of MSCs in tissue engineering, regeneration, and repair. Biomaterials can dictate MSC differentiation by modulating features of the substrate including composition, mechanical properties, porosity, and topogr...
The complimentary role of transbronchial lung cryobiopsy and endobronchial ultrasound fine needle aspiration in the diagnosis of sarcoidosis.

Abstract Purpose Transbronchial lung cryobiopsy (TBLC) is a novel technique that has proved to be useful in diagnosing various interstitial lung diseases (ILD). The use of TBLC to diagnose sarcoidosis in an unselected patient population is unknown, and could be complimentary to endobronchial ultrasound fine needle aspiration (EBUS-FNA). Methods A retrospective analysis of 36 patients in a single, tertiary-care, academic medical center was conducted to describe the yield of both EBUS-FNA and TBLC in the diagnosis of suspected sarcoidosis over a three year period. A grading system to evaluate the presence and extent of specific radiographic features on computed tomography chest imaging studies was compared to the results of EBUS-FNA and TBLC. Complications associated with the procedures were also noted. Results The overall diagnostic yield in our cohort (all pathologic diagnosis considered) was 80.6% (29 out of 36 patients had a definite pathologic diagnosis). Eighteen patients referred for possible sarcoidosis had a positive bronchoscopic specimen confirming the diagnosis of sarcoidosis. For those patients with a pathologic diagnosis of sarcoidosis, the diagnostic yield for EBUS-FNA and TBLC was 66.7% each (12 out of 18 patients), while the combined diagnostic yield for EBUS-FNA and TBLC increased to 100%. For all cases, the pneumothorax rate was 11.1%. Conclusions TBLC appears to be a safe and complimentary technique to diagnose sarcoidosis and could be considered part of the diagnostic armamentarium in bronchoscopic centers.
Evaluation of approval request/call for release coordination procedures for Charlotte Douglas international airport

NASA is collaborating with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and aviation industry partners to develop and demonstrate new concepts and technologies for Integrated Arrival, Departure, and Surface (IADS) traffic management capabilities under the Airspace Technology Demonstration 2 (ATD-2) project. One of the goals of the IADS capabilities in the ATD-2 project is to increase predictability and throughput of airspace operations by improving Traffic Management Initiative (TMI) compliance. This paper focuses on the Approval Request (APREQ) procedures developed for the ATD-2 project between the Air Traffic Control (ATC) Tower at Charlotte Douglas International Airport and Washington Center. In March 2017, NASA conducted a Human-in-the-Loop (HITL) simulation to evaluate the operational procedures and information requirements for the APREQ procedures in the ATD-2 IADS system between ATC Tower and Center. The findings from the HITL are used to compare ATD-2 APREQ procedures with information about current day APREQ procedures.
Prospective phase II trial of combination hepatic artery infusion and systemic chemotherapy for unresectable colorectal liver metastases: Long term results and curative potential.

Background/objectives Combination hepatic artery infusion (HAI) and systemic (SYS) chemotherapy for unresectable CRLM results in high tumor-response rates. This study represents an update of long-term survival and conversion to resectability in patients with unresectable CRLM treated with HAI and SYS chemotherapy in a phase II study. Method The primary endpoint was complete resection. Multivariate and landmark analysis assessed the effect of complete resection on progression-free (PFS) and overall survival (OS). Results From 2007 to 2012, 64 patients with median of 13 tumors were enrolled; 67% had prior chemotherapy. 33 patients (52%) were converted to resection. Median follow-up among survivors was 81 months. Median PFS and OS were 13 and 38 months, respectively, with 5-year-OS of 36%. Chemotherapy-naive patients had 5-year-OS of 51%. Conversion to resection was the only independent factor prognostic of improved PFS and OS. Nine of 64 patients (14%) are NED (five since initial resection, three after resection of recurrent disease, one from chemotherapy alone) at median follow-up of 86 months from treatment initiation, and 72 months from last operative intervention. Conclusion Combination HAI and SYS is an effective therapy for high-volume unresectable CRLM, resulting in a high rate of resection, long-term survival, and the potential for cure.
Programmable Hypertension Control: Another Possible Indication for Implanted Pacemakers.

Hypertension is a leading modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality[1][1]; effective blood pressure control significantly decreases the risk of cardiovascular events, particularly in those with other risk factors or preexisting coronary artery or cerebrovascular disease.[2][2
Refining and implementing the Food Assortment Scoring Tool (FAST) in food pantries.

OBJECTIVE Hunger relief agencies have a limited capacity to monitor the nutritional quality of their food. Validated measures of food environments, such as the Healthy Eating Index-2010 (HEI-2010), are challenging to use due to their time intensity and requirement for precise nutrient information. A previous study used out-of-sample predictions to demonstrate that an alternative measure correlated well with the HEI-2010. The present study revised the Food Assortment Scoring Tool (FAST) to facilitate implementation and tested the tool's performance in a real-world food pantry setting. DESIGN We developed a FAST measure with thirteen scored categories and thirty-one sub-categories. FAST scores were generated by sorting and weighing foods in categories, multiplying each category's weight share by a healthfulness parameter and summing the categories (range 0-100). FAST was implemented by recording all food products moved over five days. Researchers collected FAST and HEI-2010 scores for food availability and foods selected by clients, to calculate correlations. SETTING Five food pantries in greater Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota, USA. SUBJECTS Food carts of sixty food pantry clients. RESULTS The thirteen-category FAST correlated well with the HEI-2010 in prediction models (r = 0·68). FAST scores averaged 61·5 for food products moved, 63·8 for availability and 62·5 for client carts. As implemented in the real world, FAST demonstrated good correlation with the HEI-2010 (r = 0·66). CONCLUSIONS The FAST is a flexible, valid tool to monitor the nutritional quality of food in pantries. Future studies are needed to test its use in monitoring improvements in food pantry nutritional quality over time.
A Legal Perspective on Conflicts Involving Religious Communities

Within any given state or society, numerous factors can influence both relations among religious communities and relations between these communities and other institutions or value systems, including scientific communities, schools of economic or legal thought, and various ideological or political movements. Though some of these factors obviously arise from within the beliefs and structures of the religions themselves, many arise from the history, political culture, and legal framework of the state or society in which a given religious community is situated. This paper discusses the potential role of law and the legal system in influencing these relations and addressing conflicts among these communities and institutions. After explaining in general terms the relevance of a legal perspective to the assessment and resolution of such disagreements, the paper specifically examines characteristics of the constitutional framework and political culture of the United States that appear to prevent or minimize conflicts involving religious communities.
Lifelong robotic object perception

In this thesis, we study the topic of Lifelong Robotic Object Perception. We propose, as a long-term goal, a framework to recognize known objects and to discover unknown objects in the environment as the robot operates, for as long as the robot operates. We build the foundations for Lifelong Robotic Object Perception by focusing our study on the two critical components of this framework: 1) how to recognize and register known objects for robotic manipulation, and 2) how to automatically discover novel objects in the environment so that we can recognize them in the future. Our work on Object Recognition and Pose Estimation addresses two main challenges in computer vision for robotics: robust performance in complex scenes, and low latency for real-time operation. We present MOPED, a framework for Multiple Object Pose Estimation and Detection that integrates single-image and multi-image object recognition and pose estimation in one optimized, robust, and scalable framework. We extend MOPED to leverage RGBD images using an adaptive image-depth fusion model based on maximum likelihood estimates. We incorporate this model to each stage of MOPED to achieve object recognition robust to imperfect depth data. In Robotic Object Discovery, we address the challenges of scalability and robustness for long-term operation. As a first step towards Lifelong Robotic Object Perception, we aim to automatically process the raw video stream of an entire workday of a robotic agent to discover novel objects. The key to achieve this goal is to incorporate non-visual information—robotic metadata—in the discovery process. We encode the natural constraints and non-visual sensory information in service robotics to make long-term object discovery feasible. We introduce an optimized implementation, HerbDisc, that processes a video stream of 6 h 20 min of challenging human environments in under 19 min and discovers 206 novel objects. We tailor our solutions to the sensing capabilities and requirements in service robotics, with the goal of enabling our service robot, HERB, to operate autonomously in human environments.
Surface Singularities and Superflow in 3He-A

Except in a toroidal container, the order parameter in 3He-A must have singularities at the surface. Examples of such singularities are given, and a relation between the surface topology and the kinds of singularities is derived. Quantization of circulation along surface contours is discussed, and examples of the decay of superflow through the motion of surface singularities are given.
Innovation: Will You Ever Hear Surf Music Again?

As we have seen, musicians are creative in putting a band together and in songwriting; however, to be successful, they must create a sound that is distinctive. Musical styles are differentiated on the basis of elements of sound such as rhythm, melody, harmony, and tone. Though musicians must have their own style, most compose within a particular genre of musical style such as jazz, country and western, rock, hip-hop, and so on. We can also compare the musical styles in different eras. The Tin Pan Alley songs, mostly written for Broadway, were quite different from the rock and roll songs of the 1950s which were simpler in both musical structure and lyrics. Fewer humans and a greater reliance on electrical amplification or electronic reproduction of sound characterized the Rock and Roll Era and rap music continued this trend.