cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Gas Chromatography as a Potential Means of Diagnosing Arthritis. I. Differentiation between Staphylococcal, Streptococcal, Gonococcal, and Traumatic Arthritis

Studies were done to determine whether arthritis can be diagnosed by gas chromatographic examination of synovial fluids. Both acidic and basic extracts of synovial fluids from patients with well-documented cases of arthritis were studied. Heptafluorobutyric anhydride derivatives of these extracts were prepared and analyzed on a gas chromatograph equipped with an electron-capture detector. The gas chromatograms obtained were sufficiently dissimilar to permit differentiation between synovitis caused by trauma and that caused by staphylococcal, streptococcal, and gonococcal infections. In vitro studies included incubation of the bacterial isolates in control synovial fluids and comparison of resulting profiles with profiles obtained from the in vivo studies. Gas chromatography data from both the in vitro studies and studies of samples taken after effective antibiotic therapy indicated that many of the volatile components detected from diseased synovial fluids were metabolites of the pathogenic agent or metabolites of the host that had been modified by the presence of the parasite. The data suggest that gas chromatography might be used to help determine the etiology of various types of arthritis.
Dimensional Scaling of Cylinders in Thin Films of Block Copolymer-Homopolymer Ternary Blends

The cylindrical domain diameter (d), spacing (D), and uniformity in thin films of ternary blends of a cylinder-forming polystyrene-block-poly(methyl methacrylate) block copolymer and the corresponding homopolymers were investigated as a function of the molecular weight (Mn) and concentration (φH) of the homopolymers. Thin films (20−65 nm) of the blends were deposited on silicon wafers that had been modified with random copolymer brushes such that the cylindrical domains of the annealed blends were oriented perpendicular to the substrate. The best uniformity of d, at a given φH, was achieved in the blends with lower homopolymer Mns. For blends made with homopolymers that had Mn values of the same order of magnitude as those of the corresponding blocks of the copolymer, D increased with increasing φH as D = D0(1 − φH)−β, where D0 is the domain spacing of the block copolymer and β is a parameter that depends on the ratio of the homopolymer and block copolymer molecular weights. The cylindrical domains of the...
On reconstruction of task context after interruption

Theoretical accounts of task resumption after interruption have almost exclusively argued for resumption as a primarily memory-based process. In contrast, for many task domains, resumption can more accurately be represented in terms of a process of reconstruction-perceptual re-encoding of the information necessary to perform the task. This paper discusses a theoretical, computational framework in which one can represent these reconstruction processes and account for aspects of performance, such as measures of resumption lag. The paper also describes computational models of two sample task domains that illustrate the sometimes complex relationship between reconstruction and more general human cognitive, perceptual, and motor processes.
Design Fixation in the Wild: Design Environments and Their Influence on Fixation

Many studies of design fixation ask designers to work in controlled laboratory or classroom environments, but innovative design work frequently occurs in dynamic, social environments. The two studies reviewed in this paper investigated how three independent variables likely to be present in many design environments affect design fixation. The first study found that working with physical prototypes significantly reduced fixation effects, and that working in groups can reduce fixation effects under certain conditions. The second study found that brief interruptions in designers' thought processes during the initial states of the design process also reduce fixation effects. I conclude by discussing what the data from both studies may indicate about the theoretical causes of fixation effects, and what designers might do to prevent fixation from affecting their creative output.
Hooking Up: Sex, Theology, and Today's “Unhooked” Dating Practices

Current theological literature on dating emphasizes issues of premarital sex and chastity. At the same time, recent sociological research suggests that dating is being replaced by the alternative practice called “hooking up” among college-age students. A key issue not addressed in these discussions is whether the current generation's contraceptive practices influence the decision to hook up rather than date. I argue that one cause of younger women's sexual assertiveness today is the increased use of contraception, which in turn promotes a mentality that sustains the practice of hooking up and an insufficient anthropology. For theologians who attempt to discuss these issues with their students, a more adequate anthropology is necessary in order to better ground a theology of dating that is able to compete against the practice of hooking up.
T-cell trafficking competence is required for CNS invasion

T-cell invasion of the CNS is critical for the induction of a variety of autoimmune mediated neuronal diseases. We utilized blood-brain barrier (BBB) mediated exclusion of anti-CD4 antibody to define populations of encephalitogenic T-cells recovered from mouse CNS preparations as either CNS invasive or non-invasive. This separation of cells allowed flow cytometric examination of the kinetics of encephalitogenic T-cell entry past the BBB. Further experiments examined the relative contribution of EAE inflammatory conditioning of the BBB to the kinetics of T-cell adherence and migration into the CNS. Inflammatory conditioning was found to have no effect on accumulation of T-cells at the vascular interface of the BBB, but was found to increase the entry of adoptively transferred T-cells into the CNS following their initial adherence to the BBB.
Entomophobia: The Case for Miss Muffet

Entomophobia, the irrational or unreasonable fear of insects, and the related arachnophobia, fear of spiders, are only two of more than one hundred terms describing recognized human fears (Terhune 1949). Among the common fears reported by Western societies that involve animals, insects and spiders rank relatively high as fear-inducing organisms, running close behind rats and snakes. This ranking may be somewhat surprising from an entomological perspective, although many entomologists would concede that public sentiment rarely favors insects. What is it about insects and spiders that evokes such negative responses from a significant portion of the population? Why are they feared? And is there a little Miss Muffet in all of us?
Prosthodontic considerations in the management of surgically compromised cleft palate patients

Prosthodontic habilitation with speech aid prostheses for surgically compromised cleft palate patients has been discussed. It can be concluded that surgical redivision of the soft palate with removal of the levator veli palatini muscles as an aid to construction of a pharyngeal obturator is contraindicated. Surgical redivision with removal of the levator muscles prevents subsequent surgical procedures and commits the patient to a prosthesis for life. The management of nonfunctional pharyngeal flaps, large soft palate perforations, and patients with palatopharyngeal insufficiency and/or incompetency secondary to surgical repairs was also discussed. If the prosthodontist is routinely consulted in the initial treatment planning, alternatives to surgical management might be considered for patients with high potential for postsurgical deficiencies.
Preschoolers categorize animate objects better in the presence of a dog.

ABSTRACTThe current study was designed to examine whether preschool children categorize picture stimuli differentially in the presence of a real dog compared with a stuffed dog or a human. Seventeen preschool children (age in months; M = 51.67, SD = 8.06), both Typical and those with a developmental delay (“Identified”), were asked to categorize Animate and Inanimate objects into two environments (Farm and Ocean) in each of three Collaborator conditions (Real Dog, Stuffed Dog, and Human). As predicted, there was a main effect of animation: the children more accurately categorized Animate (e.g., cow) exemplars than Inanimate ones (e.g., tractor). Additionally, the Animation variable interacted with Collaborator, such that in the presence of the real dog the impact of animation was significant, but this effect was not significant in the presence of the stuffed dog or human. This result indicates that the presence of the real dog served as a highly salient stimulus which encouraged the children to focus more...
High-temperature drying of southern pine 2 by 4's: effects on strength and load duration in bending.

Southern pine lumber specimens dried by conventional (82 °C maximum) and high temperature (116 °C for less than 1 day) schedules were tested to determine if high-temperature drying affects load duration. Results show that high-temperature drying has no appreciable effect on load duration, probably because it has no appreciable effect on static strength. Results from combining the data from both kinds of drying suggest that the load duration effect is less severe for lumber than for small clear specimens.
Antenatal diagnosis of sacral agenesis syndrome in a pregnancy complicated by diabetes mellitus

The sacral agenesis syndrome is a severe congenital abnormality consisting of agenesis of the lumbar spine, sacrum, and coccyx, as well as hypoplasia of the lower extremities. It is considered the most characteristic of all congenital anomalies associated with maternal diabetes mellitus. We describe the sonographic and radiologic findings of agenesis of the lumbosacrococcygeal spine with lower limb and genital hypoplasia in the offspring of a woman with both diabetic retinopathy and nephropathy. The diagnosis was established at 25 weeks' gestation and was confirmed by radiologic evaluation of the neonate.
Package model synthesis

To address the need for package models in the earliest project stages before package layout has even begun, a package description language and a package model synthesizer have been developed and are described.
Scattering from a shifted von Neumann–Wigner potential

We study the s-wave scattering produced by perturbing a family of potentials that support a single bound s state with energy embedded in the continuous spectrum. Such bound states were first studied by von Neumann and Wigner [Z. Phys. 20, 465 (1929)], and we refer to the class of potentials that we perturb as von Neumann--Wigner potentials. We solve the radial Schr\"odinger equation exactly for von Neumann--Wigner potentials which have been perturbed by a radial displacement. We analyze the Jost function and its zeros, including how the latter moves as the perturbation is changed. Depending on the amount of the displacement, the perturbation may produce a sharp resonance at an energy shifted from that of the unperturbed continuum bound state, a virtual state, or a conventional bound state with negative energy. In all cases, no physically acceptable solution of the perturbed Schr\"odinger equation has the energy of the unperturbed continuum bound state, and the scattering phase shift that is defined from the Jost function has a discontinuity of magnitude \ensuremath{\pi} at that energy. The continuum bound state is recovered in the limit as the perturbation goes to zero, but the limit is nonuniform, and we demonstrate a number of anomalies resulting from this.
Esteem and control bases of blame: “Adaptive” strategies for victims versus observers

An experiment was conducted to determine the esteem and control correlates of behavioral and characterological blame for victims and observers. On the basis of a proposed motivation to minimize perceptions of vulnerability, it was predicted that behavioral self-blame would be “adaptive” for victims, whereas both behavioral and characterological blame of the victim would be “adaptive” for observers. As hypothesized, behavioral self-blame by victims was associated with high self-esteem and perceptions of future avoid ability of the victimization, whereas both behavioral and characterological blame by observers were associated with high self-esteem. Behavioral blame was more likely to be engaged in by victims than by observers, and characterological blame was more likely to be engaged in by low esteem victims and high esteem observers. The study employed a role-playing/observer methodology. The adequacy of this methodology and the generalizability of results to actual victim/observer populations are discussed.
Abnormal distribution of α-l-fucosidase in cystic fibrosis: Decreased activity in serum

Abstract The activity of α- l -fucosidase is decreased in the serum of cystic fibrosis patients when compared to age-matched controls. This result, combined with the elevated activity in skin fibroblasts, supports the concept of an abnormal intracellular and extracellular distribution of α- l -fucosidase in cystic fibrosis.
Virulent strains of Toxoplasma gondii comprise a single clonal lineage

THE protozoan Toxoplasma gondii is a prevalent parasite in wild and domestic animals worldwide, being transmitted through the food chain by carnivorous feeding and scavenging1. Toxoplasma normally divides asexually to yield a haploid form that can infect virtually any vertebrate but it also has a well defined sexual cycle that occurs exclusively in cats1. Toxoplasma has become important as an often fatal opportunistic pathogen in patients with AIDS2,3, although the 15–85% of adult human populations that are chronically infected with T. gondii are typically asymptomatic4–7. Infections in immunocompromised hosts have variable outcomes. For example, only 30 to 50% of AIDS patients that are chronically infected with the parasite develop toxoplasmic encephalitis2,3 and only about half of acute maternal infections result in congenital disease of the newborn8. T. gondii strains differ in their virulence in animals1, but the extent to which different strains are related has not been determined. Here we analyse 28 strains from a variety of hosts on five continents and find that the ten virulent strains have an essentially identical genotype, whereas the nonvirulent strains are moderately polymorphic. These data strongly suggest that virulent strains of T. gondii originated from a single lineage which has remained genetically homogeneous despite being globally widespread, and despite the ability of this organism to reproduce sexually
Phase separation influence on the performance of CTBN-toughened epoxy adhesives

Epoxy adhesive systems were formulated and tested for their bonding behavior. Fumed silica and elastomer type and concentration were varied for the purpose of investigating their influences on intermediate and final adhesive performance properties. Of special interest was analyzing the role that flexibilized elastomer, that which does not phase separate during cure, played in these properties. Adhesive systems were tested with a commercial prepreg system using both bonded and cocured geometries. Dynamic mechanical analysis and optical microscopy showed the phase separation of the rubber was significantly influenced by the silica addition. Elastomer-rich dispersed phase growth rates were depressed resulting in a lower percentage of toughening domains. Mode I and II fracture energies were a strong function of dispersed phase particle size, flexibilized elastomer type/content, and residual stress considerations at the resin-resin interface. There were distinct differences between bonded and cocured fracture results with bonded samples generally outperforming cocured specimens due to changes in the surface roughness, resin flow properties, and interfacial stress build-up. Collectively, this work illustrates the importance of phase separation behavior on the final part morphology and performance for liquid elastomer toughened epoxy adhesives.
Regioselective ortho lithiation of halopyridines

Abstract Regioselective ortho lithiation of 2-, 3-, and 4-halopyridines is achieved with lithium diisopropylamide (−78°, tetrahydrofuran) to afford, upon quenching with electrophilic reagents, 2,3- and 3,4-disubstituted pyridines in good to excellent yield.
GLUT1 glucose transporter: differential gene transcription and mRNA binding to cytosolic and polysome proteins in brain and peripheral tissues.

The ratio of GLUT1 mRNA to actin mRNA in brain was 6- to 13- fold greater than the corresponding ratio in spleen, lung, testis, heart, and skeletal muscle in the rat. However, the ratio of GLUT1 transcription rate to actin transcription rate is comparable in brain and the five other organs. Organ extracts were fractionated into cytosol and polysomes, and ultraviolet light cross-linking studies were performed with these proteins and 32P-labeled GLUT1 mRNA containing the 3'-untranslated region (UTR) generated from transcription plasmids. The cytosol of brain, lung, spleen, C6 glioma cells in tissue culture, and freshly isolated bovine brain capillaries express a pair of 95 kDa and 74 kDa proteins, designated collectively as p88, and the polysome fraction of brain, testis, or C6 glioma cells express a 44-kDa protein, designated p44. In a middle cerebral artery occlusion model, brain cytosol p88 was up-regulated and p44 was down-regulated. These findings are consistent with the hypothesis that GLUT1 gene expression is subject to regulation at the post-transcriptional level.
Optimal realization of any BPC permutation on K-extra-stage Omega networks

An N/spl times/N k-Omega network is obtained by adding k more stages in front of an Omega network. An N-permutation defines a bijection between the set of N sources and the set of N destinations. Such a permutation is said to be admissible to a k-Omega if N conflict-free paths, one for each source-destination pair defined by the permutation, can be established simultaneously. When an N-permutation is not admissible, it is desirable to divide the N pairs into a minimum number of groups (passes) such that the conflict-free paths can be established for the pairs id each group. Raghavendra and Varma solved this problem for BPC (Bit Permutation Complement) permutations on an Omega without extra stage. This paper generalizes their result to a k-Omega where k can be any integer between 0 and n-1. An O(NlgN) algorithm is given which realizes any BPC permutation in a minimum number of passes on a k-Omega (0/spl les/k/spl les/n-1). >
Stability of the strahl electron distribution function and its dynamics

Abstract. It is shown that core-strahl electron system in the solar wind plasma is unstable with respect to excitation of the lower hybrid waves at anomalous Doppler resonance due to anisotropy of the strahl electron velocity distribution. Dynamics of the strahl electron distribution due to interaction with excited waves is studied.
Surface boundary layer of cattle feedlots: Implications for air emissions measurement §

Air quality issues at cattle feedlots are a growing concern, and micrometeorological techniques have potential for measuring air emissions from these operations. However, eddy covariance and related methods rely on assumptions about the boundary layer that might not hold above the complex, non-uniform, and fetch-limited surface of a feedlot. The objective of this study was to characterize the surface boundary layer of an open-air cattle feedlot to provide insight into how micrometeorological techniques might be applied to these non-ideal sites. An open-path eddy covariance system was used to collect highfrequency time-series data of wind speed, CO2, and H2O above a large commercial feedlot in central Kansas in 2006 and 2007. This site, like many High Plains locations, was characterized by windy conditions with daytime average wind speed of 5 m s � 1 , and near-neutral
Improved parametric imaging of scatterer size estimates using angular compounding

The feasibility of estimating and imaging scatterer size using backscattered ultrasound signals and spectral analysis techniques was demonstrated previously. In many cases, size estimation, although computationally intensive, has proven to be useful for monitoring, diagnosing, and studying disease. However, a difficulty that is encountered in imaging scatterer size is the large estimator variance caused by statistical fluctuations in echo signals from random media. This paper presents an approach for reducing these statistical uncertainties. Multiple scatterer size estimates are generated for each image pixel using data acquired from several different directions. These estimates are subsequently compounded to yield a single estimate that has a reduced variance. In this feasibility study, compounding was achieved by translating a sectored-array transducer in a direction parallel to the acquired image plane. Angular compounding improved the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) in scatterer size images. The improvement is proportional to the square root of the effective number of statistically independent views available for each image pixel.
Operational matrix accounting

. This paper provides an algebraic basis of accounting transactions, procedures and bookkeeping activities in a framework that supports various financial and nonfinancial reports and accounting views. The development is based, on a set of accounting matrix operators. This approach, when combined with database technology, provides for a new level of control and security of accounting information, and minimizes the processing required for information distribution on a “need-to-know” basis. The procedural accounting matrix captures the essence of a complete accounting procedure; it is independent of any chart of accounts. Moreover, the order in which matrix operators are combined into the procedural matrix implicitly defines the chart of accounts for the related procedure and the accounts' balances. Consequently, it provides an environment in which alternative charts of accounts, and their financial and accounting implications, can be investigated. This approach, though not yet tested for operational efficiency, thus promotes multiple accounting views, such as GAAP, tax, and managerial accounting, that are all based on the same set of basic accounts, and simplifies their reconciliation. Resume. Les auteurs suggerent une base algebrique pour les operations comptables, les precedes comptables et la tenue des livres dans un cadre approprie a divers rapports financiers et non financiers et a diverses optiques comptables. La mise au point de cette base se fonde sur un ensemble d'operateurs comptables matriciels. Cette methode, lors-qu'elle est combinee a la technologie des bases de donnees, mene a un niveau accru de controle et de securite de l'information comptable et minimise le traitement requis pour la distribution de l'information sur une base selective. La matrice comptable de mode operatoire recouvre l'essentiel du procede comptable complet; elle est independante de tout plan comptable. De plus, l'ordre dans lequel les operateurs matriciels sont combines dans la matrice de mode operatoire definit implicitement le plan comptable pour le procede qui s'y rattache et les soldes des comptes. Par consequent, la matrice est propice a l'analyse des plans comptables de rechange et de leurs consequences financieres et comptables. Cette methode, bien que l'efficience de son fonctionnement n'ait pas encore ete mise a l'epreuve, se prete ainsi a differentes optiques comptables, telles celles des P.C.G.R., de la fiscalite et de la comptabilite de gestion, qui s'etablissent toutes sur le meme groupe de comptes fondamentaux, et simplifie leur rapprochement.
Worker quality and labor market sorting

Abstract We test the hypothesis that labor market sorting into outcomes normally associated with wage premia (e.g. incentive pay coverage, urban dwelling, employment in large firms, marriage, and union coverage) is related to a series of non-standard worker “quality” measures.
The link between hyperoxia, delayed cerebral ischaemia and poor outcome after aneurysmal SAH: association or therapeutic endeavour

In this study, Jeon et al 1 assess the association between exposure to hyperoxia in ventilated patients following aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH) and both delayed cerebral ischaemia (DCI) and functional outcome. Prospective data from an observational cohort of patients with available partial pressure of oxygen (PaO2) was retrospectively assessed. Hyperoxia was defined as the highest quartile of PaO2 (≥173 mm Hg) and poor outcome as modified Rankin scale 4–6 three months after SAH. Of 252 included patients, there were no significant differences in baseline characteristics between patients with and without a history of hyperoxia. DCI occurred in 38.5% of patients and unfavourable …
Wake Up and Smell the Roses: The Ecology and Evolution of Floral Scent

Floral scent constitutes an ancient and important channel of communication between flowering plants, their pollinators, and enemies. Fragrance is a highly complex component of floral phenotype, with dynamic patterns of emission and chemical composition. The information content of specific volatile compounds is highly context dependent, and scent can function in direct and indirect ways from landscape to intrafloral scales. Floral scent promotes specialization in plant–pollinator relationships through private channels of unusual compounds, unique ratios of more widespread compounds, or through multicomponent floral filters. Floral scent also promotes outcrossing and reproductive isolation through floral constancy, via appetitive conditioning and discrimination on the basis of diverse mechanisms, including pheromone mimicry, odor intensity, complexity, composition, and synergy with visual stimuli. Finally, floral scent is a sexual signal and should be subject to the same selective pressures and modes of sig...
Discourse Generation Using Utility-Trained Coherence Models

We describe a generic framework for integrating various stochastic models of discourse coherence in a manner that takes advantage of their individual strengths. An integral part of this framework are algorithms for searching and training these stochastic coherence models. We evaluate the performance of our models and algorithms and show empirically that utility-trained log-linear coherence models outperform each of the individual coherence models considered.
Rural Black Women and Depression: A Contextual Analysis

We use ecological systems theory to guide our investigation of depression among a sample of 102 married Black mothers residing in the rural South. Using self-report data collected via computerized interviews during home visits, we conduct multivariate regression analyses, exploring the associations between depression and (a) spousal support and conflict, (b) cocaregiver support and conflict, (c) child conduct difficulties, and (d) socioeconomic risk. We hypothesize that each of these variables are associated with mothers' depression scores and that the extent to which these familial variables and depression are associated will vary across socioeconomic contexts. Socioeconomic risk, child conduct difficulties, and conflict with a cocaregiver were associated with women's depression in the full model. The moderational hypotheses were upheld for the variables of spousal support and child conduct difficulty. Spousal support and depression have a strong negative association under conditions of high socioeconomic risk and a nonsignificant relationship when socioeconomic risk is low. The association between child conduct difficulty and depression was exacerbated under high socioeconomic risk.
Long-Tract Mitotic Gene Conversion in Yeast: Evidence for a Triparental Contribution During Spontaneous Recombination

In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, spontaneous mitotic gene conversion at one site is statistically correlated with recombination at other loci. In general, coincident conversion frequencies are highest for tightly linked markers and decline as a function of intermarker distance. Paradoxically, a significant fraction of mitotic gene convertants exhibits concomitant nonreciprocal segregation for multiple and widely spaced markers. We have undertaken a detailed genetic analysis of this class of mitotic recombinants. Our results indicate that mitotic gene conversion in yeast is frequently associated with nonreciprocal segregation of markers centromere-distal to the selected site of conversion. In addition, distal markers are often found to be mosaic within the product colonies. These observations, and others described here, suggest that a percentage of gene conversion in vegetative yeast cells is coupled to a chromosome break and repair mechanism. This hypothesis was further tested using a strain trisomic for chromosome VII which was specially marked to detect homolog-dependent repair events. An association between mitotic gene conversion events and the production of broken chromosomes which are repaired by a homologous-pairing-copy mechanism was supported.
Effects of very low dose daily, long-term aspirin therapy on gastric, duodenal, and rectal prostaglandin levels and on mucosal injury in healthy humans.

Abstract Background & Aims: The safety of low-dose daily aspirin therapy in the gastrointestinal tract is uncertain. Our objectives were to evaluate the long-term effects of very low daily aspirin doses in the gastrointestinal tract and effects on platelet-derived serum thromboxane levels in volunteers. Methods: Subjects were randomized to receive 10 mg (n = 8), 81 mg (n = 11), or 325 mg (n = 10) aspirin daily for 3 months. Before administration of aspirin, all subjects underwent gastroduodenoscopy, and most underwent proctoscopy for assessment of mucosal injury and prostaglandin content. After 1.5 and 3 months, subjects again underwent gastroduodenoscopy and, at 3 months, another proctoscopy. Results: Each aspirin dose (even 10 mg) significantly reduced gastric mucosal prostaglandin levels, to ~40% of the baseline value. All three doses also induced significant gastric injury, and 325 mg caused duodenal injury. Three subjects developed gastric ulcers, 1 while taking 10 mg/day of aspirin. Furthermore, aspirin at 81 mg/day and 325 mg/day (but not 10 mg/day) significantly reduced duodenal mucosal prostaglandin levels to ~40% of the baseline value. Only 325 mg of aspirin per day significantly reduced rectal mucosal prostaglandin levels to ~60% of the baseline value. Serum thromboxane levels were inhibited 62%, 90%, and 98% with 10, 81, and 325 mg of aspirin. Conclusions: The findings explain aspirin's predominant gastric toxicity and question the safety of even 10 mg of aspirin daily. GASTROENTEROLOGY 1999;117:17-25
The challenge of determining the need for remediation following a wide-area biological release.

Recovering from a biological attack is a complex process requiring the successful resolution of numerous challenges. The Interagency Biological Restoration Demonstration program is one of the first...
Effect of pressure on the α‐amylase catalyzed hydrolysis of starch

It was found that moderate pressures (16.0 to 43.1 atmospheres) perceptibly decreased the rate of α-amylase catalyzed starch hydrolysis. The decreased rate was apparently due to pressure induced deactivation of the enzyme.
A-Prolog with CR-rules and ordered disjunction

We present CR-Prolog/sub 2/, an extension of A-Prolog with CR-rules and ordered disjunction. CR-rules can be used to formalize various types of common-sense knowledge and reasoning, that, to the best of our knowledge, have no formalization in A-Prolog. The use of ordered disjunction often allows for a very concise, easy to read, representation of knowledge. We also show how CR-Prolog/sub 2/ can be used to represent preferences intended both as strict preferences, and as desires.
BBN-based privacy management sytem for facebook

Online social networking sites (SNSs) has changed our lifestyle and become a main medium of communication among young adults to stay in touch with their friends, to organize events, to make friends, to promote themselves, to date, etc. To create content rich environment, SNSs make their platform available for third-party developers. The developers can build their applications based on users' social graph containing their personal and social information. Unfortunately, any information users posted on their profile can be harvested and used for unethical purposes due to Facebook's lack of application privacy configuration. In this paper we propose a privacy-management system for Facebook applications. The system can take advantage of the correlation between some profile features and network privacy settings, in this way it can automatically configure a users privacy settings. Our preliminary result show promising result.
Explicit modeling of coarticulation in a statistical speech recognizer

This paper presents a new statistical speech model in which coarticulation is modeled explicitly. Unlike HMMs, in which the current state depends only on the previous state and the current observation, the proposed model supports dependence on the previous and next states and on the previous and current observations. The degree of coarticulation between adjacent phones is modeled parametrically, and can be adjusted according to a parameter representing the speaking rate. The model also incorporates a parameter that represents a frame-by-frame measure of confidence in the speech. We present two methods for solving the system parameters: one based on the K-means method, and a novel method based on explicitly minimizing a measure of the segmentation error. A new, efficient forward algorithm and the use of top candidates in the search greatly reduce the computational complexity. In evaluation on the TIMIT data base, we achieve a phone recognition rate of 77.1%.
EEG responses to mock facial expressions by infants of depressed mothers

Abstract EEG responses to mothers’ and strangers’ mock facial expressions (happy, surprised and sad) during a peek-a-boo game were recorded in 60, 3- to 6-month-old infants of depressed and non-depressed mothers. The infants of depressed mothers exhibited less positive and more negative affect and were less likely to look at the facial expressions displayed by both their mother and a stranger. The infants of depressed mothers showed greater relative right frontal EEG asymmetry than the infants of non-depressed mothers throughout the different expressions of the mothers and strangers and showed elevated salivary cortisol levels after the session. Both groups of infants showed significantly greater right frontal asymmetry during their mothers’ and stranger’s sad versus happy expression. In addition, infants showed greater right frontal EEG asymmetry during the stranger’s surprised versus happy expression.
Queueing behavior under flow control at the subscriber-to-network interface for high speed metropolitan area networks

A credit manager algorithm (CMA) is introduced and used to control the flow of packets between a subscriber station (or a local area network) and the access to a high-speed metropolitan area network. The parameters of the algorithm are used to regulate the mean throughput and the level of burstiness at the subscriber-to-network interface (SNI). Simulation results are presented for the average system size at the SNI, representing the packet delays at the sender's buffer. The regulated output traffic across the SNI is statistically characterized by categorizing its states into three modes; idle, burst, and restricted modes. Presented also is a model for the queueing behavior of an asynchronous transfer mode (ATM)-type system, where single segment packets (cells) are served. A numerical method is used to solve for the underlying system state probabilities. >
Signal Divergence is Correlated with Genetic Distance and not Environmental Differences in Darters (Percidae: Etheostoma )

Speciation research focuses on the evolutionary mechanisms responsible for the origin of species, and recent treatments have distinguished ecological and mutation-order speciation as distinct evolutionary processes. Using a research framework that considers ‘speciation phenotypes’ (sensu Shaw and Mullen in Genet 139(5):649–661, 2011) and a modified hierarchy of speciation models, we address whether speciation in benthic fishes commonly called darters proceeds under divergent ecological selection or a mutation-order process. We examined neutral genetic divergence, sexual signal (male color) divergence, environmental differences, and geographic distance in 66 species pair comparisons. Modified Mantel tests detected significant relationships between genetic distance and overall male color differences, as well as geographic distance and overall male color differences; however, after accounting for the correlation of male color and geographic distance with genetic distance using a partial Mantel test, no relationship was observed between male color and geographic distance. Neither microhabitat nor climatic measures of environmental differences correlated with overall male color differences. Color difference scores for discrete color categories (i.e., red/orange/yellow, black, and blue/green) differed in their correlations with explanatory variables, implying different selection regimes may be influencing each component of darter color patterns. Our results do not support a primary role for divergent ecological selection shaping early divergence of darter sexual signals. Instead, a model of mutation-order speciation may best explain the clock-like manner of changes in male color among darter species.
Fabrication of direct fiber-reinforced posts: a structural design concept.

UNLABELLED: As the clinician continues the quest for optimal functional and esthetic success of a tooth-restorative complex, the current selection of restorative materials and techniques may prove overwhelming. Although no single system provides the ideal restorative solution for every clinical circumstance, understanding of general design criteria and the components for the various post and core systems available allow the clinician to appropriately select the method and materials compatible with the existing tooth structure and desired result. This article provides a discussion of the various post and core systems, the methods and materials inherent in these systems, and general design principles. Using that basic information and clinical experience, the authors offer an alternative procedure for the rehabilitation of the intraradicular anatomy of the post-endodontic channel with a direct composite resin--the fiber-reinforced post and core system. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Using improved restorative materials that stimulate the physical properties and other characteristics of natural teeth in combination with the proper design principles, the clinician can develop a tooth-restorative complex with optimal functional and esthetic results.
Loglinear Models and Student Course Evaluations

Using a loglinear probability model, the author finds that students' evaluations of a course and several behavior attributes of the course's instructor are interactive and significant.
Inertial aided SIFT for time to collision estimation

Visual time to collision estimation for small or micro air vehicles is challenging due to aggressive 6-DOF motion, real time performance requirements and significant size, weight and power constraints of the platform. Recent work in collision detection using insect inspired optical flow based methods have been demonstrated in low power hardware implementations [1][2][3][4], but have not achieved the obstacle detection and false alarm rate performance necessary for practical deployment. This performance is sensitive to correspondence errors in the optical flow field, so one approach to improving performance is to use a richer feature set for correspondence, along with calibrated inertial information from the platform to aid correspondence. In this video, we show proof of concept results for such an approach. Estimation results are noisy, but encouraging, and given that SIFT feature correspondence has been demonstrated in real time on low power GPUs, it has the potential for future small UAV integration.
Inhibition of platelet aggregation and the stimulation of prostacyclin synthesis by insulin in humans

An intravenous bolus injection of insulin (35.5 microM) followed by an infusion of insulin (0.53 microM.kg-1.h-1) for 2.5 h (which maintained plasma levels between 0.71 nM to 1.4 nM) in normal fast...
Mobile application with IBM Bluemix and social services (using Apache Cordova and RAD)

Every business needs to stay closer to their clients more than ever. The social and mobile channels are the perfect equation to let them know companies that offers products and services are "following" them, organization are avid to know what customer think about them, what personalized content customers will be interested in or even make honor customer physical proximity given current geo-location. This is a perfect two-ways mechanism to keep business and data moving in an ecosystem that is all about customer engagement.
Early Diagnosis and Treatment of Squamous Cell Carcinoma A Case Comparison Highlighting its Importance

The importance of early diagnosis and treatment of oral squamous cell carcinoma in insuring an optimum patient outcome is emphasized by comparing and contrasting the clinical presentation, diagnosis, treatment and follow-up of two patients who presented initially with fairly equivalent mucosal lesions but followed different treatment paths. The divergence of patient outcomes is directly linked to the time difference in microscopic examination.
Optimization of Smart Grid Solar Energy Application

This paper presents an approach to modeling of renewable energy integration into Smart Grid for Electric Vehicle charging applications.Integration of renewable energy sources to smart grid is not only the key to smart Electric Vehicle charging but also the most efficient way to manage the distributed energy resources. It enables the ability to control, ease the peak load impacts, and protect distribution network components from being overloaded by Electric Vehicles. Thus, the electricity generation and consumption is managed in more cost effective way.The developed model is a grid connected solar-assisted Electric Vehicle charging station, with battery bank. It generates electricity using solar photovoltaic (PV) arrays to augment the electricity used to charge the electric vehicles. The battery bank stores electricity from the grid and discharges the stored energy during periods of peak charging demand.Optimization of the model was done by developing a program written in Visual Basic 2012. The computational results show the economic advantages of this model as well as the anticipated benefits of the smart grid for reduced peak loads, and increased efficiency.Copyright © 2014 by ASME
Values of Beauty: The Ethical Value of the Aesthetic

Western philosophy effectively begins with Plato's ban of most poetry from his ideal republic because of its immoral influence on the education of his guardians. Recently, there has been renewed debate about the relation between aesthetics and morality, with its focus on such questions as whether criticism of the moral attitudes expressed by a work of art is a proper part of aesthetic criticism of the work, whether works of art should be free of censorship or even eligible for public support regardless of the moral attitudes they may express, and whether the experience of art plays an indispensable role in the development of the capacity for moral reasoning and judgment. This debate has been revived after a long period of quiescence, at least in Anglo-American “analytical” aesthetics, where a rigid barrier had been maintained between aesthetics and ethics under the aegis of such slogans as the “autonomy of art” and “art for art's sake.” This separation of the aesthetic and the ethical is usually thought to have been introduced into modern philosophy in the eighteenth century by such thinkers as the Third Earl of Shaftesbury and Francis Hutcheson, but above all by Immanuel Kant, whose “Analytic of the Beautiful” in his third great critique, the Critique of the Power of Judgment of 1790, opens with the claim that the “satisfaction that determines the judgment of taste is without any interest,” thus that the satisfaction “of the taste for the beautiful is a disinterested and free satisfaction; for no interest, neither that of the senses nor that of reason, extorts approval” ( CPJ , §5, 5:210).
Embolic Stroke: A Rare but Probably Real Cause of Aneurysmal-Like Subarachnoid Hemorrhage

Background Ischemic stroke is being increasingly recognized as a possible cause of spontaneous isolated convexity subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). However, it is a much less established cause of cisternal, aneurysmal-like SAH. Only 3 case reports of concomitant cisternal SAH and perforator infarcts exist in the literature, raising the possibility of perforating artery rupture as a potential mechanism. In contrast, embolic stroke is not recognized as a cause of aneurysmal-like SAH. Case Description In 2 patients with embolic cerebral infarctions mimicking intracranial aneurysm rupture, diagnosis was confirmed by magnetic resonance imaging with diffusion-weighted imaging after cerebral angiography failed to reveal an underlying vascular lesion. Extracranial atherosclerosis was identified as the source of emboli in each case. One patient was started on antiplatelet therapy, and the other underwent surgical revascularization. Both patients had a favorable hospital course, with no recurrent hemorrhage or ischemia. Conclusions Based on these observations, embolic stroke should be included in the differential diagnosis of angiogram-negative SAH. Therefore, brain magnetic resonance imaging and vascular imaging of the neck should be part of the routine work-up of this relatively common entity.
A Multi-Level Approach for Promoting HIV Testing Within African American Church Settings

The African American church is a community-based organization that is integral to the lives, beliefs, and behaviors of the African American community. Engaging this vital institution as a primary setting for HIV testing and referral would significantly impact the epidemic. The disproportionately high HIV incidence rate among African Americans dictates the national priority for promotion of early and routine HIV testing, and suggests engaging community-based organizations in this endeavor. However, few multilevel HIV testing frameworks have been developed, tested, and evaluated within the African American church. This article proposes one such framework for promoting HIV testing and referral within African American churches. A qualitative study was employed to examine the perceptions, beliefs, knowledge, and behaviors related to understanding involvement in church-based HIV testing. A total of four focus groups with church leaders and four in-depth interviews with pastors, were conducted between November 2012 and June 2013 to identify the constructs most important to supporting Philadelphia churches' involvement in HIV testing, referral, and linkage to care. The data generated from this study were analyzed using a grounded theory approach and used to develop and refine a multilevel framework for identifying factors impacting church-based HIV testing and referral and to ultimately support capacity building among African American churches to promote HIV testing and linkage to care.
Management Perspective: Gastro-Economic Cycles

The article examines the gastro-economic theory, an unusually simple, straightforward, institutional theory of self-generating, self-perpetuating business cycles. The author applies gastro-economic...