cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Coexistence of Dedicated Short Range Communications (DSRC) and Wi-Fi: Implications to Wi-Fi performance

The 5.9 GHz band is being actively explored for possible spectrum sharing opportunities between Dedicated Short Range Communications (DSRC) and IEEE 802.11ac networks in order to address the increasing demand for bandwidth-intensive Wi-Fi applications. In this paper, we study the implications of this spectrum sharing to the performance of Wi-Fi systems. Through experiments performed on our testbed, we first investigate band sharing options available for Wi-Fi devices. Using experimental results, we show the need for using conservative Wi-Fi transmission parameters to enable harmonious coexistence between DSRC and Wi-Fi. Moreover, we show that under the current 802.11ac standard, certain channelization options, particularly the high bandwidth ones, cannot be used by Wi-Fi devices without causing interference to the DSRC nodes. Under these constraints, we propose a Real-time Channelization Algorithm (RCA) for Wi-Fi Access Points (APs) operating in the shared spectrum. Evaluation of the proposed algorithm using a prototype implementation on commodity hardware as well as via simulations show that informed channelization decisions can significantly increase Wi-Fi throughput compared to static channelization schemes.
Examining the Use of Therapeutic Recreation in Schools and the Implications on Students’ Social Interaction Behaviors

The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of a therapeutic recreation program on social interaction behaviors of students with disabilities. Specifically, this paper examines a service-learning course called Project Therapeutic Recreation in Public Schools (TRiPS) offered at a large public university in the Southeast. In the current study, 18 students with disabilities were observed on five social interaction behaviors: (1) “motor gestural positive” behaviors, (2) “motor gestural negative” behaviors, (3) “vocal verbal positive” behaviors, (4) “vocal verbal negative” behaviors, and (5) “response to environment” behaviors. Results indicated instances where there was an increase in the frequency of students with disabilities’ social interaction behaviors. Further examination of the developed activities implemented provides insight into why significant differences in some social interaction behaviors exists and direction for future research. Limitations of the study and implications are discussed. Subscribe to TRJ
Local Is Good: A Fast Citation Recommendation Approach

Finding relevant research works from the large number of published articles has become a nontrivial problem. In this paper, we consider the problem of citation recommendation where the query is a set of seed papers. Collaborative filtering and PaperRank are classical approaches for this task. Previous work has shown PaperRank achieves better recommendation in experiments. However, the running time of PaperRank typically depends on the size of input graph and thus tends to be expensive. Here we explore LocRank, a local ranking method on the subgraph induced by the ego network of the vertices in the query. We experimentally demonstrate that LocRank is as effective as PaperRank while being 15x faster than PaperRank and 6x faster than collaborative filtering.
Components of learning in a reactive environment

The goal of the C—MU/UCI World Modelers Project [Carbonell (this volume)] is to develop an integrated model of learning in a complex, reactive environment — in particular, a simulated physical world that contains three—dimensional objects. Within this framework, we are designing cognitive architectures within which to cast our theories of learning, and in this paper we outline one such architecture. The paper is organized around four types of learning that we believe are central to dealing with reactive environments — the formation of object concepts, the acquisition of procedures, the construction of cognitive maps, and the discovery of problem solving heuristics. In each case, we discuss issues of representation and performance in addition to problems of learning.
Microvascular decompression of the cochlear nerve in patients with severe tinnitus. Preoperative findings and operative outcome in 22 patients.

We evaluated the operative outcome in 22 consecutive patients who underwent microvascular decompression (MVO) of the intracranial portion of the cochlear nerve to relieve incapacitating tinnitus an...
Birth synchrony in squirrel monkeys (Saimiri oerstedi): a strategy to reduce neonatal predation

The vigilance behaviors and association patterns of adult female squirrel monkeys (Saimiri oerstedi) in Parque Nacional Corcovado, Costa Rica were studied over the annual reproductive cycle to identify a possible adaptive function associated with the unusually close within-group birth synchrony prevalent in Saimiri populations. Raptor association with the troops, predation attempts, and monthly changes in food abundance were also documented. Seasonal fluctuations in food abundance probably constrained the timing of births among three contiguous troops to a two month period. The close within-troop birth synchrony (majority of births occurring within a week) is suggested to be advantageous because of intense predation pressure on neonate squirrel monkeys. Adult females with neonates cooperate in anti-predator vigilance and defense of neonates. Participation in these maternal associations may increase the probability of neonate survivorship. Variable gestation length in squirrel monkeys may reflect a lability in the duration of gestation to allow coordination of the timing of births among females in a troop.
Ferroportin deficiency in erythroid cells causes serum iron deficiency and promotes hemolysis due to oxidative stress

Ferroportin (FPN), the only known vertebrate iron exporter, transports iron from intestinal, splenic, and hepatic cells into the blood to provide iron to other tissues and cells in vivo. Most of the circulating iron is consumed by erythroid cells to synthesize hemoglobin. Here we found that erythroid cells not only consumed large amounts of iron, but also returned significant amounts of iron to the blood. Erythroblast-specific Fpn knockout (Fpn KO) mice developed lower serum iron levels in conjunction with tissue iron overload and increased FPN expression in spleen and liver without changing hepcidin levels. Our results also showed that Fpn KO mice, which suffer from mild hemolytic anemia, were sensitive to phenylhydrazine-induced oxidative stress but were able to tolerate iron deficiency upon exposure to a low-iron diet and phlebotomy, supporting that the anemia of Fpn KO mice resulted from erythrocytic iron overload and resulting oxidative injury rather than a red blood cell (RBC) production defect. Moreover, we found that the mean corpuscular volume (MCV) values of gain-of-function FPN mutation patients were positively associated with serum transferrin saturations, whereas MCVs of loss-of-function FPN mutation patients were not, supporting that erythroblasts donate iron to blood through FPN in response to serum iron levels. Our results indicate that FPN of erythroid cells plays an unexpectedly essential role in maintaining systemic iron homeostasis and protecting RBCs from oxidative stress, providing insight into the pathophysiology of FPN diseases.
Implementation of Value-based Medicine (VBM) to Patients With Chronic Hepatitis C (HCV) Infection

Introduction:With the significant clinical and economic burden of chronic HCV, effective treatment must be provided efficiently and appropriately. VBM is predicated upon improving health outcomes (clinical and quality) while optimizing the cost of delivering these outcomes. This review explores the
Les difficultés de l’évaluation photographique en pratique courante et en recherche clinique

L’Homme a voulu, des l’antiquite, reproduire l’image du corps humain. Au fil des siecles, les supports et techniques d’acquisition de ces images dans le domaine medical n’ont eu de cesse d’evoluer mais les 20e et 21e siecles ont connu une croissance exponentielle de ces techniques. Aujourd’hui l’introduction des appareils photographiques au sein des smartphones rend l’exercice de la photographie possible pour chaque medecin dans sa pratique quotidienne d’autant que ces derniers sont quasiment tous equipes de cette technologie et en font regulierement l’usage pour d’autres applications (sites medicaux, aide a la prescription…). Dans un premier temps, l’utilisation de la photographie en soins courants sera abordee. Peu de travaux existent en France a ce sujet. Cependant certaines publications et theses permettront de faire un etat des lieux, les pays anglo-saxons ayant aujourd’hui a ce niveau une longueur d’avance notamment dans le domaine de la telemedecine, sujet depuis peu d’actualite dans l’hexagone. Quel niveau de competence et quel materiel peuvent etre requis pour un medecin qui veut utiliser la photographie dans sa pratique et dans quels domaines medicaux ? Sur un plan medico-legal qu’en est-il ? Y a-t-il des recommandations ? Quelles obligations vis-a-vis du patient ? Ces dernieres questions sont communes a la deuxieme partie de cette presentation : la recherche clinique. Lorsque la photographie est un element necessaire a l’evaluation d’un traitement au sein d’une etude, par exemple, des regles precises vont tout d’abord s’appliquer concernant la maniere de l’utiliser : a quel(s) moment(s) ? Par qui ? Evaluation en aveugle ? Mais la ou un diagnostic ponctuel de telemedecine ne posera pas de probleme d’un point de vue technique, un protocole de recherche clinique d’autant qu’il est multicentrique posera le probleme de la reproductibilite des conditions de prise de la photographie. Une revue de litterature de differents protocoles de recherche clinique utilisant la photographie comme critere de jugement principal, permettra de mieux comprendre ces difficultes et comment aujourd’hui y faire face et ainsi de s’affranchir d’erreurs methodologiques.
Phosphorus utilization in chicks fed hydrated sodium calcium aluminosilicate.

Two experiments were conducted to evaluate the effects of hydrated Na Ca aluminosilicate (HSCAS) on P utilization of young broiler chicks. Phosphorus-deficient corn-soybean meal diets containing .36% (.134% available) P and 1% Ca were fortified with 0, .05 and .10% P provided as KH2PO4 (22.8% P) or feed-grade dicalcium phosphate (18.9% P). Diets were available ad libitum to chicks receiving 0, .50 or 1.0% HSCAS during the period 8 to 22 d posthatching. Weight of tibia ash, percentage of tibia ash and bone-breaking force were regressed on supplemental P intake to assess P utilization in the absence or presence of HSCAS. Tibia parameters (ash weight, percentage of ash and bone-breaking force) responded linearly (P less than .01) to P supplementation. Regardless of P source (KH2PO4 or dicalcium phosphate), .5% or 1.0% HSCAS had no effect (P greater than .1) on P utilization. With no supplemental P, tibia parameters also were not affected (P greater than .05) by HSCAS. Phosphorus utilization from dicalcium phosphate was estimated to be 87% as efficient as that observed for KH2PO4. The results suggest that dietary HSCAS does not impair utilization of either phytate or inorganic P.
Are we accurately evaluating depression in patients with cancer

Depression remains poorly managed in oncology, in part because of the difficulty of reliably screening and assessing for depression in the context of medical illness. Whether somatic items really skew the ability to identify "true" depression, or represent meaningful indicators of depression, remains to be determined. This study utilized item response theory (IRT) to compare the performance of traditional depression criteria with Endicott's substitutive criteria (ESC; tearfulness or depressed appearance; social withdrawal; brooding; cannot be cheered up). The Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), ESC, and Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) were administered to 558 outpatients with cancer. IRT models were utilized to evaluate global and item fit for traditional PHQ-9 items compared with a modified version replacing the 4 somatic items with ESC. The modified PHQ-9 ESC scale was the best fit using a partial credit model; model fit was improved after collapsing the middle 2 response categories and removing psychomotor agitation/retardation. This improved model showed satisfactory scale precision and internal consistency, and was free from differential item functioning for gender, age, and race. Concurrent and criterion validity were supported. Thus, as many have speculated, utilizing the ESC may result in more accurate identification of depressive symptoms in oncology. Depressed mood, anhedonia, and suicidal ideation retained their expected properties in the modified scale, indicating that the traditional underlying syndrome of depression likely remains the same, but the ESC may provide more specificity when assessing patients with cancer. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).
American leadership of the Atlantic alliance post-Kosovo

AbstractAlthough American leadership of NATO had been a constant over the entire postwar period, after the Soviet threat evaporated in the 1990s Americans began a process of reassessing the necessi...
Perceived Influence of Medical Students' Community Health Assessment Projects.

Background and objectives To achieve overall health, physicians must understand how community and population health impacts individual health. Although several US medical schools have incorporated community health assessment project requirements into traditional curricula, examples in longitudinal integrated clerkships are unknown. This study was designed to assess alumni perceptions of the influence of community health assessment projects, a core component of the University of Minnesota Rural and Metropolitan Physician Associate Program's (RPAP/MetroPAP) 9-month longitudinal integrated curriculum. Methods This 2018 study consisted of a descriptive cross-sectional survey of 480 RPAP/MetroPAP alumni who completed 457 community health assessment projects between 2004/2005 and 2016/2017. The authors administered a 14-item survey requesting date and location of RPAP/MetroPAP 9-month placement, name of project, source of project idea, and perception of project influence on professional activities. Quantitative data were collected using 4-point Likert scales. We collected qualitative data with open text boxes. Results The survey response rate was 42.29% (203/480). A key finding was alumni perceived project ideas arising from community partners had greater impact on their acquisition of several community engagement skills. One-half reported projects influenced their professional activities, evidenced by ongoing community engagement, interest and participation in public health and preventive health initiatives, efforts to learn about specific health issues, social determinants of health and patient advocacy. Conclusions This exploratory study suggests medical student community health assessment projects enhance community engagement and soliciting project ideas from community partners increases student acquisition of community engagement skills.
Understanding evidence-based lead mitigation: Is the lead mitigation advice and strategies being communicated to citizens evidence-based?

Background and Hypothesis: The CDC has declared that there is no safe blood lead level for a child, but still approximately 37 million homes are lead-contaminated of which 4 million are home to small children. Lead abatement is an expensive strategy to remove all lead hazards rendering a home lead-free. Many of these lead-contaminated homes are in lower socioeconomic areas which makes lead abatement nearly impossible. Given the expense of lead abatement, low-cost interim controls are needed to reduce lead exposure thus creating a lead-safe home. We hypothesize that updated lead mitigation strategies need pursued, and there is a large disparity of lead information disseminated between health departments. Project Methods: Using JSTOR and Boolean criteria, we conducted a systematic literature review on evidence-based, do-it-yourself (DIY) lead mitigation strategies for sources of lead contamination. Once the literature review was completed, QualtricsR was used to quantitatively and qualitatively evaluate the 50 state health department’s websites for lead policy, user friendliness, and recommended lead interim controls as compared to the literature review. Results: Results from the literature indicate that there is a lack of current information regarding new strategies for lead mitigation. Research prior to the year 2000 shows that cleaning flat surfaces by wet mopping, washing hands frequently, mulching, removing shoes before entering the home, and painting over deteriorating paint significantly reduces lead accumulation in the home. Preliminary results from the website review found that there is no baseline of uniform information being distributed, and evidence-based practices are not included for each state health department. Potential Impact: The lack of continuity nationwide for lead mitigation showcases that families are not receiving all of the information that research has to offer to help keep their homes safe. This research indicates that there is a need for national lead policies and recommendations, so each family in the U.S. is equally informed.
Empirical Delay-time Distributions of Type Ia Supernovae from the Extended Goods/Hubble Space Telescope Supernova Survey

Using the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) Advanced Camera for Surveys imaging of the GOODS North and South fields during Cycles 11, 12, and 13, we derive empirical constraints on the delay-time distribution function for type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia). We extend our previous analysis to the three-year sample of 56 SNe Ia over the range 0.2 95% confidence). This result is difficult to resolve with any intrinsic delay-time distribution function (bimodal or otherwise), in which a substantial fraction (e.g., >10%) of events are "prompt," requiring less than approximately 1 Gyr to develop from formation to explosion. The result is, however, strongly motivated by the decline in the number of SNe Ia at z > 1.2. Sub-samples of the HST SN data confined to lower redshifts (z 1.2 supernovae are extraordinarily obscured by dust may partly explain the differences in low-z and high-z results. Other possible resolutions may include environmental dependences (such as gas-phase metallicity) that affect the progenitor mechanism efficiency, especially in the early universe.
New directions and dimensions for bioengineered models of fibrosis

During fibrotic diseases, functional tissue parenchyma progressively transforms into stiff, disorganized and non-functional tissue causing organ failure. The underlying multitude of interconnected changes in the cellular microenvironment can be investigated using bioengineered fibrosis models.
Protecting IoT Devices through Localized Detection of BGP Hijacks for Individual Things

In this paper, we leverage the limited functionality of IoT devices and the homophily of a single home network to identify control plane attacks. We illustrate the use of privacy-preserving data analysis in machine learning to evaluate the leptokurtic distributions of routes from a single device in an individual home in a specific geographic location. Previously, route hijacking has been approached as a large-scale systems problem, requiring network service providers to take action. Route information from the edge has traditionally been considered inactionable, however, small enterprises and homeowners may be targeted for such attacks for reasons ranging from nations attacking suppliers in critical systems to simple monetization of e-crime. We describe how a single small entity can leverage large-scale historical data with their individual histories to identify these attacks. We implement our proposed method in the form of a local agent that monitors the IoT devices and services for detecting BGP hijacking as well as an agent server that utilizes global history in initializing the local agents.
Case 54: A Case of Trismus

You have just arrived to work, as an anesthesiologist, on the island of Mauritius on the east coast of Africa.
Entkriminalisierung und alternative Sanktionen

Die Geschichte der Kriminalitat wurde nicht nur vom „Labeling“-Ansatz als eine Geschichte von institutionellen Zuschreibungen erzahlt. Die Aussage, dass als „kriminell“ gesellschaftlich behandelt werde, was zuvor durch politische und soziale Institutionen so definiert wurde, gilt Kritikern als relativierungs- und erganzungsbedurftig, hat sich aber in der weiteren kriminologischen Diskussion auch als akzeptierte Teilwahrheit festgesetzt (vgl. Shoemaker 2000, S. 200 ff.). Eine solche Optik hat allerdings Auswirkungen auf die Wahrnehmung von Kriminalpolitik und des engeren, hier angesprochenen Themas.
Effect of frequency offset on BER of OFDM and single carrier systems

Performance of both orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) and single carrier (SC) systems suffers from a carrier frequency offset (CFO) due to Doppler effect and the carrier instability between the transmitter and the receiver. We investigate the bit error rate (BER) performance degradation of OFDM and SC systems due to the frequency offset in an additive white Gaussian noise (AWGN) channel as well as multipath Rayleigh fading channels. We consider three effects to the BER degradation, i.e., phase shift, useful power decrease and intercarrier interference (ICI). We also derive the approximate expressions of BER under binary phase shift keying (BPSK) and quaternary phase shift keying (QPSK) for both OFDM and SC systems in the presence of CFO. In general, SC is more robust to CFO in the AVVGN channel than OFDM in terms of BER, while both of them suffer similarly from CFO in the multipath Rayleigh fading channels assuming the the same CFO.
Predictors of child abuse potential in at-risk adolescents

Characteristics prevalent in known child abusers and in child victims of abuse (i.e., internalizing, externalizing, sociopathy, delinquency, and nonrational conflict-solving tactics) were examined as predictors of abuse potential in adolescents. The Child Abuse Potential (CAP) Inventory (Milner, 1986) was administered to male (n = 71) and female (n = 63) teenagers attending alternative educational sites due to behavioral problems or pregnancy. Regression analyses found unique variance in abuse potential contributed by youth (16%) and teacher (6%) reports of internalizing behavior, and youth reports of sociopathy (4%) and delinquency (4%) for a total of 33% of the variance (p < .0001, n = 91) after controlling for age, sex, and pregnancy status. Number of elevated predictors in each student was also related to increased abuse potential (r = .39, p < .001). Pregnancy status and SES were not independently associated with abuse potential. Conduct disorder as a probable precursor to future abusive behavior is suggested, and the use of the CAP with adolescents is discussed.
Robust automotive idle speed control design based on μ-synthesis

This paper investigates the feasibility of designing an Idle Speed Controller that would be robust with respect to large variations in engine operating conditions. This was done by applying a μ-synthesis robust control design technique to the previously experimentally identified 2.9L Scorpio engine model. The simulation results illustrate the effectiveness of the investigated robust control.
Synthesis of DNA Oligodeoxynucleotides Containing Site-Specific 1,3-Butadiene- Deoxyadenosine Lesions

Post-oligomerization synthesis is a useful technique for preparing site-specifically modified DNA oligomers. This approach involves site-specific incorporation of inherently reactive halogenated nucleobases into DNA strands using standard solid-phase synthesis, followed by post-oligomerization nucleophilic aromatic substitution (SNAr) reactions with carcinogen-derived synthons. In these reactions, the inherent reactivities of DNA and carcinogen-derived species are reversed: the modified DNA nucleobase acts as an electrophile, while the carcinogen-derived species acts as a nucleophile. In the present protocol, we describe the use of the post-oligomerization approach to prepare DNA strands containing site- and stereospecific N6-adenine and N1,N6-adenine adducts induced by epoxide metabolites of the known human and animal carcinogen 1,3-butadiene (BD). The resulting oligomers containing site-specific, structurally defined DNA adducts can be used in structural and biological studies to reveal the roles of specific BD adducts in carcinogenesis and mutagenesis.
Public Health Impact: Metropolitan Atlanta Developmental Disabilities Surveillance Program*

Publisher Summary This chapter describes the establishment and ongoing implementation of Metropolitan Atlanta Developmental Disabilities Study (MADDS) and Metropolitan Atlanta Developmental Disabilities Surveillance Program (MADDSP) that are used a public health framework for understanding developmental disabilities. To providing ongoing estimates of prevalence that are useful for policy, prevention, and intervention planning, MADDSP facilitates epidemiologic studies to investigate risk and other factors associated with developmental disabilities. The chapter demonstrates the utility of MADDS and MADDSP data to address important public health issues. Such activities help in identifying gaps and help develop future research and policy priorities.
Numerical Survey of Some Bacterial Taxa

Focht, D. D. (Iowa State University, Ames), and W. R. Lockhart. Numerical survey of some bacterial taxa. J. Bacteriol. 90:1314–1319. 1965.—A numerical analysis was made of 77 properties of each of 43 bacterial strains, representing 25 genera from 8 families in the orders Eubacteriales and Pseudomonadales. Four major groups were found, related to one another at approximately the same level of similarity: (1) a large cluster containing the subgroups (1a) Athiorhodaceae-Spirillaceae, (1b) Xanthomonas, and (1c) “inactive” Micrococcaceae-Achromobacteraceae; (2) a cluster containing the “active” Micrococcaceae and Lactobacillaceae; (3) the enterobacteria; and (4) Aeromonas. There was a sharp distinction between the branches of groups 1a, 1c, and 2. The composition of groups was essentially the same whether or not fermentation of carbohydrates (28 characters) was included in the analysis. Several individual strains, notably, Bacillus subtilis, Leuconostoc mesenteroides, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Erwinia amylovora, were related to none of the groups, and others (two species of Proteus, Flavobacterium devorans, and Lactobacillus casei) showed only minimal quantitative relationships with their groups. These results suggest that there may be significant variation in levels of similarity within microbial groups presently accorded equivalent taxonomic rank, and that some present distinctions among taxa, particularly at the generic level, cannot be confirmed on the basis of overall similarity.
Evidence for an Ionic Intermediate in the Transformation of Fatty Acid Hydroperoxide by a Catalase-related Allene Oxide Synthase from the Cyanobacterium Acaryochloris marina

Allene oxides are reactive epoxides biosynthesized from fatty acid hydroperoxides by specialized cytochrome P450s or by catalase-related hemoproteins. Here we cloned, expressed, and characterized a gene encoding a lipoxygenase-catalase/peroxidase fusion protein from Acaryochloris marina. We identified novel allene oxide synthase (AOS) activity and a by-product that provides evidence of the reaction mechanism. The fatty acids 18.4ω3 and 18.3ω3 are oxygenated to the 12R-hydroperoxide by the lipoxygenase domain and converted to the corresponding 12R,13-epoxy allene oxide by the catalase-related domain. Linoleic acid is oxygenated to its 9R-hydroperoxide and then, surprisingly, converted ∼70% to an epoxyalcohol identified spectroscopically and by chemical synthesis as 9R,10S-epoxy-13S-hydroxyoctadeca-11E-enoic acid and only ∼30% to the 9R,10-epoxy allene oxide. Experiments using oxygen-18-labeled 9R-hydroperoxide substrate and enzyme incubations conducted in H218O indicated that ∼72% of the oxygen in the epoxyalcohol 13S-hydroxyl arises from water, a finding that points to an ionic intermediate (epoxy allylic carbocation) during catalysis. AOS and epoxyalcohol synthase activities are mechanistically related, with a reacting intermediate undergoing a net hydrogen abstraction or hydroxylation, respectively. The existence of epoxy allylic carbocations in fatty acid transformations is widely implicated although for AOS reactions, without direct experimental support. Our findings place together in strong association the reactions of allene oxide synthesis and an ionic reaction intermediate in the AOS-catalyzed transformation.
The Fanconi Anemia Signalosome Anchor

FAAP24, a new XPF endonuclease family member identified by Ciccia et al. (2007) in a recent issue of Molecular Cell, heterodimerizes with FANCM, binds unwound DNA, and reveals how the Fanconi anemia core complex concentrates DNA repair proteins at stalled replication forks.
Coupled probabilistic and possibilistic uncertainty estimation in rule-based analysis systems

Champaign, 103 S. Goodwin Ave., Urbana IL 61801AbstractA methodology is developed for estimating the Performance of monitored engineering devices. Inferencing and decision-making underuncertainty is considered in Production -Rule Analysis systems where the knowledge about the system is both probabilistic and possibilistic.In this case uncertainty is considered as consisting of two components: Randomness describing the uncertainty of occurrence of an object,and Fuzziness describing the imprecision of the meaning of the object. The concepts of information granularity and of the probability of afuzzy event are used. Propagation of the coupled Probabilistic and possibilistic uncertainty is carriedout over model -based systems usingthe Rule -Based paradigm. The approach provides a measure of both the performance level and the reliability ofa device.IntroductionTwo types of uncertainty need to be considered when monitoring the performance of engineering devices: Uncertainty due to randomness,which expresses the uncertainty of occurence of an event, and uncertainty due to fuzziness which expresses the imprecision of the meaningof an event. Consider for example the statement: "Power will increase about 10% with a probability of 60 % ". This statement describes anevent whose random component is given by "a probability of 60 % ", and a fuzzy component by "about 10 % ".1,2 Probabilistic or randomuncertainty is associated with the outcome of future phenomena which can be quantified either from symmetry considerations and othermathematical principles (a priori probability), or from past statistical data (a posteriori probability). Fuzzy uncertainty on the other hand,does not depend on the outcome of an event, but in the degree by which an object belongs to a certain set.3From Fuzzy Set Theory4,5, the meaning of the words "about 10 %" can be precisely defined by a possibility distribution function tt}f,which may be induced by physical constraints or be epistemic in nature, in which case it is induced by a collection of propositions.6 From
Characterization of the tyrosine phosphorylation and distribution of dystrobrevin isoforms

Dystrobrevin, a member of the dystrophin family of proteins, was initially identified as a major tyrosine phosphorylated synaptic protein in the electric organ of Torpedo californica. In this paper, we show that the major sites of tyrosine phosphorylation of Torpedo dystrobrevin are within its C-terminus, on Tyr-693 and Tyr-710. Cloning of the mammalian homologue of dystrobrevin has recently shown that this phosphotyrosine containing tail, or PYCT, is subject to alternative splicing. To compare the expression and distribution of PYCT− and PYCT+ splice variants, we generated antibodies against different regions of dystrobrevin. Here we show that the PYCT− isoform of 62 kDa is expressed at high levels in all tissues examined. In contrast, PYCT+ isoforms are expressed primarily in brain and muscle, where they are concentrated at synapses. Moreover, PYCT+ isoforms associate more tightly with the membrane and with syntrophin, another synaptically enriched protein. These results suggest that PYCT+ isoforms of dystrobrevin are specialized components of the dystroglycan complex which render the complex sensitive to regulation by tyrosine kinases.
Quantitative Measurement of Cardiac Markers in Undiluted Serum

Two mycocardial infarction biomarkers, myoglobin (MG) and cardiac troponin I (cTnI), were quantified at biological levels and in undiluted serum without sample pretreatment using surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensors. To achieve detection of biomarkers in undiluted serum (72 mg/mL total protein concentration), minimization of the nonspecific signal from the serum protein was achieved by immobilizing the antibody for the biomarkers on an N-hydroxysuccinimide activated 16-mercaptohexadecanoic acid self-assembled monolayer. This monolayer reduces the nonspecific signal from serum proteins in such a manner that short exposure of the sensor to serum prior to analysis prevents any further nonspecific adsorption during analysis. Thus, sensing of MG and cTnI was achieved on the basis of the difference between signals from the active sensor and a reference sensor that captured background interference. This resulted in direct measurement of these biomarkers in undiluted serum. Detection limits for both markers we...
Effects of β-bungarotoxin on calcium uptake by sarcoplasmic reticulum from rabbit skeletal muscle

Abstract A fluorescent chelate probe and a Millipore filtration technique have been used to study the effects of β-bungarotoxin (β-toxin) on passive and active Ca ++ uptake and ATPase in fragmented sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) of rabbit skeletal muscle. β-Toxin at 3 × 10 −6 M did not affect ATPase activity. In the absence of ATP, β-Toxin increased the passive uptake of Ca ++ ; in the presence of ATP, active Ca ++ uptake was inhibited. The effect of β-toxin in SR can be detected at concentrations as low as 10 −9 M. The results suggest that β-toxin induces Ca ++ leakage in SR membranes.
Morph-Specific Variation in Baseline Corticosterone and the Adrenocortical Response in Breeding White-Throated Sparrows (Zonotrichia albicollis)

ABSTRACT. The adrenocortical response to perturbation varies considerably within and across avian species during breeding. Among the factors hypothesized to influence this variation is the degree of parental care expressed by an individual. To increase our understanding of the relationship between parental care and the adrenocortical response, we examined corticosterone secretion in the polymorphic White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis) during three breeding stages: prelaying, incubation, and nestling. In addition, we reevaluated previously described morph differences in parental behavior. Tan-striped males provisioned nestlings at higher rates than white-striped males, which is consistent with earlier findings. However, in contrast to previous studies, provisioning rates were similar between female morphs and higher than those exhibited by either male morph. We found that, in males, the more parental morph (tan-striped) expressed a reduced adrenocortical response during the nestling stage, but t...
The CD160, BTLA, LIGHT/HVEM pathway: a bidirectional switch regulating T‐cell activation

Abstract CD160 is a newly identified ligand for HVEM (herpes virus entry mediator). Previously identified HVEM ligands include BTLA (B- and T-lymphocyte attenuator), LIGHT (lymphotoxin-like, exhibits inducible expression, and competes with herpes simplex virus glycoprotein D for HVEM, a receptor expressed by T lymphocytes) and LTalpha (lymphotoxin-alpha). The binding of LIGHT or LTalpha to HVEM delivers a costimulatory signal, whereas the binding of BTLA or CD160 to HVEM delivers a coinhibitory signal. Thus, HVEM is a bidirectional switch regulating T-cell activation in a costimulatory or coinhibitory fashion whose outcome depends on the ligand engaged. The cysteine-rich domain 1 (CRD1) of HVEM is essential for the binding of coinhibitory ligands CD160 and BTLA but not costimulatory ligand LIGHT. Deletion or blockade of HVEM CRD1 abolishes the binding of CD160 and BTLA, but not LIGHT, and converts HVEM to a dominant costimulatory molecule, possibly through the loss of negative signaling by CD160/BTLA. Therapies targeting the CRD1 of HVEM to block BTLA and CD160 binding are being developed to enhance immune responses and vaccination.
Ultraviolet-violet electroluminescence from highly fluorescent purines

We report efficient ultraviolet (UV)-violet organic light-emitting devices (OLEDs) based on highly fluorescent donor–acceptor purine molecules, which can generate tunable emission from 350 nm to 450 nm in solution by using different electron donor and acceptor arrangements on the heterocycles as reported previously. Here, external quantum efficiencies (EQEs) up to ηEQE = 1.6% are achieved for the multilayer OLEDs based on purine 2, with UV emission peaked at 393 nm, as compared to previously reported purine 1 based OLEDs with ηEQE = 3.1% and peak emission at 433 nm. The efficiencies of the OLEDs based on the two purine molecules are among the highest reported to date with emission peak wavelengths below 450 nm. By using a range of charge transport and host materials, we show that appropriate energy level alignment in multilayer OLED devices is imperative to achieve UV emission and prevent undesired emission from other layers or interfaces.
Tactics of Protest as Media: The Case of the Black Revolution

In classifying and defining mass movements, consensus appears to exist among social scientists relative to certain elements for inclusion. Basic to most classification schemes are the following structural and content features of social movements: objectives; ideology and myths; symbols for collective consciousness; role allocation and status differentiation; leadership patterns; and strate gies and tactics. A social movement is typically defined as a widespread and large-scale collectivity, lacking institutionalized status, transcending geographical boundaries, and oriented to sys tem preservation or transformation, i.e., the resistance or promo tion of structural changes. With most definitions emphasis is placed on goals and the configuration of myths justifying objectives. Less attention has been focused on means as the basic elements of a movement's internal structure and external orientations. It is the contention of this paper that strategies and tactics are the most critical ingredients comprising the dimensions of move ments. The major thesis posited is that tactics function as means containing their own message by identifying the total psychic and social character of a mass movement. Support for this assumption is found in the works of anthropologists who have differentiated between form, content, function, and use, and in the recent work of McLuhan (1964; 24) who asserts that: "The medium is the message' because it is the medium that shapes and controls the scale and form of human association and action. The content or uses of media are as diverse as they are ineffectual in shaping the form of human association." It would seem that if McLuhan (1964) is correct, and if strategies and tactics can legitimately be considered media, then it is equally important to study movements from the standpoint of the latter. Following a brief discussion of the nature of strategies and tactics and the feasibility of analyzing
On the Angular Distribution of Fast Neutrons Scattered by Hydrogen, Deuterium and Helium

The angular distribution of $d\ensuremath{-}d$ neutrons scattered by hydrogen, deuterium and helium was measured by observing the distribution in energy of the recoil particles in an ionization chamber. The scattering in hydrogen and deuterium was found to be essentially isotropic in the angular interval investigated. In helium, collisions with small energy transfer were more frequent than large angle scattering. The absolute differential scattering cross section of helium was measured.
Hospitalized Cases of Nonorganic Failure to Thrive: The Scope of the Problem and Short-Term Lay Health Visitor Intervention.

This paper describes the characteristics of thriving and failure to thrive (FTT) children and their mothers and examines the effect of short-term lay health visitor intervention in cases of nonorganic failure to thrive (NO FTT). Twenty-five FTT children and mothers received lay health visitor (LHV) intervention in addition to other community and medical treatment; 25 other FTT children and mothers did not receive the LHV intervention but did receive all other medical and community treatment. Twenty-five thriving children and mothers were matched with the FTT children and mothers in the LHV group on the child's age at intake, sex, birth weight, and the mother's age, ethnicity, and number of living children. At initial assessment, the FTT and thriving groups were found to be comparable on demographic factors, infant birth weight percentiles, apgar scores, complications of pregnancy or delivery, and separations in the newborn period. There were more premature births in the LHV group although the proportion of premature births for the FTT and thriving groups overall were similar. A majority of mothers in the FTT groups had negative memories of childhood in contrast to more positive memories in the thriving group. At initial assessment, the majority of thriving children were developmentally normal and had increased from their birth weight percentiles whereas all of the FTT children had decreased from their birthweight percentiles and over half were developmentally delayed. There were clear differences in mother-child interaction patterns in the thriving and FTT groups. Three patterns of interaction were identified in the FTT group: benign neglect, incoordination, and overt hostility. Intervention had no measurable effect on the child's weight, development, or interaction patterns. Only 8 of 37 FTT children reevaluated 6 months later showed "catch up" growth and only 7 had improved in developmental score category. Patterns of interaction were found to persist over the 6 months in all cases. One to three year follow-up of 44 families emphasized the severity of the condition and the need for differentiation of the severity of the disturbance in the mother-child relationship and for more intensive intervention than was available in this study. Of these 44 cases, 2 children had died, 5 had been physically abused or further neglected, and 10 were in alternative care arrangements.
CATHODE BOMBARDMENT STIMULATED MICROSTRUCTURE GROWTH - AVERAGE ION ENERGY

Les microprotusions en surface sont associees aux processus de disruption sous vide initiees par cathode; certaines interpretations de leur formation incluent la migration en surface et la croissance augmentee par champ
Endogenous hormone levels of immature corn kernels of A188, missouri-17, and DeKalb XL-12

Abstract Auxin, cytokinin, and abscisic acid levels were measured and compared at similar stages after pollination in immature corn (Zea mays L.) kernels of two inbred varieties, A188 and MO-17, and one hybrid, DeKalb XL-12. Kernels from XL-12 were examined 3, 12 and 15 days after pollination. The general trend in the hormone profiles of XL-12 corn kernels was one of rapid accumulation of growth promoting hormones, auxins and cytokinins, and a decline of growth inhibiting hormones, abscisic acid (ABA) and ABA-ester(s). For all three varieties, the auxin accumulation (free indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) and esterified IAA) was by far the most pronounced change among the hormone groups observed. A188 corn kernels containing 1-mm embryos (12 days after pollination) had 20-fold less auxin than Missouri-17 kernels containing 0.8-mm embryos (15 days after pollination) and 16-fold less auxin than XL-12 kernels containing 0.5-mm embryos (15 days after pollination). Since literature reports have correlated corn embryo size with the ability of embryo derived callus to regenerate in culture, it is hypothesized that endogenous kernel auxin levels may be a major regulatory hormone component of corn embryo callus regeneration. Procedures for the measurement of auxin, cytokinins, and abscisic acid using high performance liquid chromatography are also described.
pERKing up the BLIMP in plasma cell differentiation.

The intracellular pathways that induce the differentiation of naive B cells into antibody-secreting plasma cells remain poorly defined. A new study now provides surprising evidence that the activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) is pivotal for inducing the transcriptional repressor B lymphocyte-induced maturation protein 1 (Blimp-1), which is required for plasma cell differentiation. Consequently, ERK-deficient B cells were unable to generate plasma cells effectively. This is an unexpected result, because previous work has shown that ERK signaling functions chiefly to induce cell division, whereas plasma cells are considered to be nondividing, terminally differentiated cells. This finding not only reveals an important signaling pathway that underlies antibody-mediated immunity but also raises important questions about the varying roles that ERK, and perhaps other kinases, may play in different biological contexts.
The Effects of Representation and Juxtaposition on Graphical Perception of Matrix Visualization

Analyzing multiple networks at once is a common yet difficult task in many domains. Using adjacency matrices for this purpose, however, can be effective because of its superior ability to accommodate dense networks in a small area. We evaluate various representations and juxtaposition designs for visualizing adjacency matrices through a series of controlled experiments. We investigate the effect of using square matrices and triangular matrices on the speed and accuracy of performing graphical-perception tasks. Based on human symmetric perception, we propose two alternative juxtaposition designs to the conventional side-by-side juxtaposition, and study how users perform visual search and comparison tasks regarding different juxtaposition types. Our results show that the matrix representations have similar performance, and the matrix juxtaposition types perform differently. With the design guidelines derived from our studies, we present a compact visualization termed TileMatrix for juxtaposing a large number of matrices, and demonstrate its effectiveness in analyzing multi-faceted, time-varying networks using real-world data.
Behavioral Assumptions in Models of Fish Movement and Their Influence on Population Dynamics

Abstract This study investigates the movement and growth of cohorts in a coastal fish stock by simulating animal responses to spatial heterogeneity of biotic and abiotic conditions in a dynamic marine landscape. A coastal bay is modeled using spatial and temporal data on prey distribution, benthic habitat, depth, and salinity. Prey abundance and salinity vary daily through an annual cycle to create a spatiotemporally dynamic environment with seasonal fluctuations in the quality and distribution of habitats favoring growth. Three movement behaviors—random walk, kinesis, and gradient response via restricted-area search—simulate fish cohort movements in relation to environmental characteristics. A bioenergetic growth model is used to describe somatic growth by comparing spatiotemporally variable prey consumption rates and metabolic requirements. This facilitates evaluation of the way in which movement behavior influences the ability of cohorts to locate and occupy favorable habitats in a heterogeneous enviro...