cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Periodic oscillations of the quasi-parallel bow shock as observed with the AMPTE/CCE spacecraft

The AMPTE/CCE spacecraft has, on occasion, encountered the earth's bow shock near apogee (about 9 earth radii). During one encounter, on November 1, 1984, the bow shock was observed to pass back and forth over the spacecraft several times in a periodic fashion. The period of the oscillation was about 20 seconds, and an upstream wave with a similar period was observed in the solar wind just prior to the multiple shock crossings. Minimum variance analysis of the shock crossings shows that the magnetic field carried out a single rotation through 360 deg for each pair of shock crossings. This implies that the shock was responding to the rotation of the field in the upstream wave, and it is shown how the plasma displacement associated with the upstream wave can produce the observed oscillations. These data may provide support for the wavelike structure of quasi-parallel shocks predicted in simulations.
Factorizations of root-based polynomial compositions

Abstract Let F q denote the finite field of order q=p r , p a prime and r a positive integer, and let f(x) and g(x) denote monic polynomials in F q [x] of degrees m and n , respectively. Brawley and Carlitz (Discrete Math. 65 (1987) 115–139) introduce a general notion of root-based polynomial composition which they call the composed product and denote by f♢g . They prove that f♢g is irreducible over F q if and only if f and g are irreducible with gcd (m,n)=1 . In this paper, we extend Brawley and Carlitz's work by examining polynomials which are composed products of irreducibles of non-coprime degrees. We give an upper bound on the number of distinct factors of f♢g , and we determine the possible degrees that the factors of f♢g can assume. We also determine when the bound on the number of factors of f♢g is met.
Reinforcing properties of some local anesthetics in rhesus monkeys

The reinforcing properties of several local anesthetics were determined in rhesus monkeys experienced in the intravenous self-injection of cocaine. Intravenous procaine and, occasionally, tetracaine maintained response rates higher than did vehicle injections in most monkeys. In contrast, lidocaine, procainamide and diethylaminoethanol (a metabolite of procaine) failed to maintain responding resulting in their intravenous delivery. These results demonstrate that not all local anesthetics are positive reinforcers in the rhesus monkey when delivered intravenously. Furthermore, the reinforcing properties of procaine probably cannot be attributed to its metabolite diethylaminoethanol. The data suggest that short-acting, esteratic local anesthetics are most likely to have reinforcing properties in the rhesus monkey.
Cultural Norms and Risk: Lessons Learned from HIV in Thailand

Cultural sensitivity has been identified as an important component of assessment and intervention for HIV risk. Recognizing cultural norms is important for selecting methods for assessment and intervention. The behavioral HIV literature in Thailand is reviewed to illustrate the importance of the localization of cultural norms and practices, the often fragmented or mediated character of broad social dynamics, and subtleties of drawing cross-cultural inferences. We also discuss the implications of cultural norms for selecting research methods and highlight the importance of participatory research approaches for adequately capturing and incorporating cultural elements in the design of assessments and interventions.
Benefits and limitations of panel data

Observations for a number of cross-sectional units over time have become increasingly available. The new data sources enable econometricians to construct and test more complicated behavioral models than a single cross sectional or time series data set would allow. The availability of new data sources, however, also raises new issues. In this paper we review some basic econo- metric methods that have been used to analyze such data sets. We also indicate areas of research where panel data may be useful.
Global geologic context for rock types and surface alteration on Mars

Petrologic interpretations of thermal emission spectra from Mars orbiting spacecraft indicate the widespread occurrence of surfaces having basaltic and either andesitic or partly altered basalt compositions. Global concentration of ice-rich mantle deposits and near-surface ice at middle to high latitudes and their spatial correlation with andesitic or partly altered basalt materials favor the alteration hypothesis. We propose the formation of these units through limited chemical weathering from basalt interactions with icy mantles deposited during periods of high obliquity. Alteration of sediments in the northern lowlands depocenter may have been enhanced by temporary standing bodies of water and ice.
The activation of chymotrypsinogen. Optical rotation studies.

Abstract The effect of the activation of chymotrypsinogen to chymotrypsin on the long-wavelength rotatoty dispersion and on the Cotton effects and absorption spectra of the peptide bond has been studied. In agreement with earlier work, rather marked changes in optical rotation are observed, indicating extensive changes in conformation. On the other hand, all optical properties which have been specifically related to the presence of helices remain constant. It is concluded that the transformation from enzyme precursor to active enzyme does not involve the formation of helices.
Interpretation and solution of ill-conditioned equations arising in parameter estimation and system identification

A new method, named Epsilon Decomposition (E-D), for the efficient solution of ill-conditioned linear algebraic equations is presented. If represents a significant improvement over Singular Value Decomposition (SVD), which requires the user to obtain all the eigenvalues and eigenvectors of all ill-conditioned matrix. The efficiency associated with E-D, for problems arising in system identification, resides in the fact that the user need only obtain the zero, near-zero and the lowest non-zero eigenvalues of the coefficient matrix of the system of equations. Physical and mathematical interpretations of the procedures are offered as well as insights regarding the highly sensitive nature of ill-conditioned equations. Suggestions are also provided for stabilizing results obtained for such systems.
Optimal monetary policy and the equivalency between the one-period AD–AS model and the forward-looking New Keynesian model

It is shown how a one-period aggregate demand–aggregate supply (AD–AS) model yields equivalent expressions for inflation and output under optimal monetary policy as a forward-looking New Keynesian model. Furthermore the advantage that the AD–AS model has over the New Keynesian specification when evaluating policy efficiency is evaluated.
Curved FtsZ protofilaments generate bending forces on liposome membranes

We have created FtsZ-YFP-mts where an amphipathic helix on the C-terminus tethers FtsZ to the membrane. When incorporated inside multi-lamellar tubular liposomes, FtsZ-YFP-mts can assemble Z rings that generate a constriction force. When added to the outside of liposomes, FtsZ-YFP-mts bound and produced concave depressions, bending the membrane in the same direction as the Z ring inside liposomes. Prominent membrane tubules were then extruded at the intersections of concave depressions. We tested the effect of moving the membrane-targeting sequence (mts) from the C-terminus to the N-terminus, which is approximately 180 degrees from the C-terminal tether. When mts-FtsZ-YFP was applied to the outside of liposomes, it generated convex bulges, bending the membrane in the direction opposite to the concave depressions. We conclude that FtsZ protofilaments have a fixed direction of curvature, and the direction of membrane bending depends on which side of the bent protofilament the mts is attached to. This supports models in which the FtsZ constriction force is generated by protofilament bending.
Altered ATP-dependent mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake in cold ischemia is attenuated by ruthenium red.

Abstract Background. Graft dysfunction as a result of preservation injury remains a major clinical problem in liver transplantation. This is related in part to accumulation of mitochondrial calcium (Ca2+), which has been linked to activation of proapoptotic factors. We hypothesized that cold ischemia increases mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake in a concentration dependent fashion and that ruthenium red (RR) will attenuate these changes by inhibiting the mitochondrial Ca2+ uniporter. Methods. Rat livers perfused with cold University of Wisconsin (UW) solution (4°C) with or without RR (10 μ m ) via the portal vein (n = 3 per group) were processed immediately (no ischemia) or after 24 h cold-storage (24 h cold ischemia). Mitochondria were separated by differential centrifugation, and adenosine triphosphate (ATP)-dependent 45Ca2+ uptake was determined in the presence of ATP (5 m m ), adenosine diphosphate (ADP), or adenosine 5′-β,γ-imidotriphosphate (AMP-PNP); variable concentrations of extramitochondrial 45Ca2+ were used. All measurements were performed in triplicate. Student’s t test with P Results. Our data demonstrate the following: 1) ATP-dependent 45Ca2+ uptake in mitochondria separated from livers following 24 h of cold ischemia in UW alone was higher than in mitochondria isolated from non-ischemic livers; the increased uptake was dependent on the concentration of 45Ca2+ in the incubation buffer. 2) There was no difference in ATP-dependent 45Ca2+ uptake between nonischemic mitochondria and those separated from livers stored in UW-RR for 24 h. 3) 45Ca2+ uptake in mitochondria from livers subjected to 24 h of cold ischemia in UW-RR was significantly lower compared to those from livers stored in UW alone when 45Ca2+ concentrations were greater than 1 μm. Conclusion. 1) Cold ischemia affects mitochondrial Ca2+ handling, especially when it is challenged by high extramitochondrial Ca2+ concentrations. 2) The addition of RR in preservation solution attenuates the effects of cold ischemia on mitochondrial Ca2+ handling. 3) Inhibition of mitochondrial Ca2+ uniporter with RR protects mitochondria from Ca2+ overload at high Ca2+ concentrations. These findings may offer a potentially effective strategy for prevention of ischemia-reperfusion injury in liver transplantation.
FEATHER-DEGRADING BACTERIA DO NOT AFFECT FEATHERS ON CAPTIVE BIRDS

Abstract Attention has recently been focused on microbes that occur in the plumage of wild birds and can degrade feathers under laboratory conditions and in poultry-waste composters. In particular, Bacillus licheniformis, a soil bacterium, was found in the plumage of many birds netted in eastern North America, and poultry feathers were rapidly broken down when incubated in a suspension of this bacterium (Burtt and Ichida 1999). If feather-degrading microbes affect wild birds under normal conditions, they may have played an important role in the evolution of molt, plumage color, and sanitation behavior, such as sunning and preening. We performed the first test on whether a feather-degrading bacterium can degrade feathers of live birds housed outdoors under seminatural conditions. We found no evidence that B. licheniformis degraded wing feathers of Northern Cardinals (Cardinalis cardinalis) when applied twice (with a two-week interval) during the winter, despite the fact that it degraded Northern Cardinal f...
Transplantation of Cultured Thymic Fragments I. Morphologic and Technical Considerations

Thymic fragments were maintained in organ culture until egress or deterioration of the leucocyte component was near completion. These depopulated cultured thymic fragments were then implanted into immunologically competent mouse recipients. Acute immunologic rejection was not observed in mice given cultured thymic allografts. If the organ culture period was approximately 2 weeks, lymphoid repopulation and newly developed Hassall's corpuscles were observed 7–10 weeks after implantation. If the initial culture period was extended to 3 weeks, transplanted fragments developed an unusual repopulation pattern, characterized by eosinophils, macrophages and plasma cells. This finding could be interpreted as a protracted allograft rejection or, more likely, a loss of ability of the thymic epithelium 10 attract or differentiate the types of precursors usually attracted to the normal gland. When cultured and non-cultured tissues were simultaneously transplanted in a single recipient, the non-cultured tissue was acutely rejected and became fibrous, while the cultured thymus assumed the appearance of a normal lymphoid organ without any neighbouring inflammatory reaction.
Comparison of TCAs and SSRIs in the treatment of major depression in hospitalized geriatric patients.

This study compares a cohort of hospitalized geriatric patients with major depression, treated with tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs), with a cohort of patients treated with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). The groups were compared on demographic, treatment, and outcome variables. Demographically, the groups were similar and did not differ on measures of outcome or risk for side effects. We conclude that SSRIs are equal to TCAs in the treatment of major depression in hospitalized geriatric patients.
A putative G protein-coupled receptor negatively controls sexual development in Aspergillus nidulans.

Summary G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are key compo- nents of heterotrimeric G protein-mediated signalling pathways that detect environmental signals and con- fer rapid cellular responses. To broaden our under- standing of signalling mechanisms in the filamentous fungus Aspergillus nidulans , intensive analyses of the Aspergillus nidulans genome have been carried out and nine genes ( gprA ~ ~ ~ gprI ) that are predicted to encode seven transmembrane spanning GPCRs have been identified. Six of nine putative GPCRs have been disrupted and the gprD gene was found to play a central role in coordinating hyphal growth and sexual development. Deletion of gprD ( D gprD ) causes extremely restricted hyphal growth, delayed conidial germination and uncontrolled activation of sexual development resulting in a small colony covered by sexual fruiting bodies. Genetic studies indicate that GprD may not signal through the FadA (G a )-protein kinase A (PKA) pathway. Elimination of sexual devel- opment rescues both growth and developmental abnormalities caused by D gprD , suggesting that the primary role of GprD is to negatively regulate sexual development. This is supported by the fact that envi- ronmental conditions inhibiting sexual development suppress growth defects of the D D D gprD mutant. We propose that the GprD-mediated signalling cascade negatively regulates sexual development, which is required for proper proliferation of A. nidulans .
How eyewitnesses talk about events: implications for memory

SUMMARY Eyewitnesses to traumatic events typically talk about them, and they may do so for different reasons. Of interest was whether qualitatively different retellings would lead to differences in later memory. All participants watched a violent film scene; one third talked about their emotional reactions to the film (as one might do when talking to a friend), one third described the events of the film (as the police might request), and one third did unrelated tasks. Following a delay, all participants were tested on their memories for the clip. Talking about emotions led to better memory for one’s emotions, but also led to subjectivity and a greater proportion of major errors in free recall. Differences were minimized on tests providing more retrieval cues, suggesting that retellings’ consequences for memory are greater when retellers have to generate their own retrieval structures. Copyright # 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Physical Encoding in Optical Layer Security

Data security at the physical layer of optical networks, or optical layer security, has received considerable research attention due to the rapid growth of optical network capacity [1]. Among various optical layer approaches, optical codedivision multiple access (OCDMA) systems are considered to be promising because of the physical encoding and decoding processes comprising these systems. Generally, physical encoding is an important concept in the field of optical layer security, which implements encoding to the transmitted optical signals, and protects the transmitted data from attack. In this paper, we provide an overview of various OCDMA systems, and discuss the impact of different physical encoding methods on OCDMA systems, in terms of security assurance. Furthermore, we introduce the application of physical encoding to optical steganography and optical transmission with wireless CDMA for security improvement.
Reconceptualization of the nursing diagnosis decreased cardiac output.

TOPIC. The parameters of the diagnoses decreased cardiac output. PURPOSE. To propose an alternative conceptual structure for cardiac output that links conceptual parameters with clinical and hemodynamic data. SOURCE. Past discussions and research investigations CONCLUSION. Careful analysis illustrates several diagnoses are contained within cardiac output at differing levels of abstraction. Testing of the model, including linking diagnoses with nursing interventions and outcomes, is suggested.
Demonstrating the Value of an Organization's Learning Culture: The Dimensions of the Learning Organization Questionnaire

The problem and the solution. Some organizations seek to become learning organizations. Yet, implementation is elusive and is not often based on research about what constitutes a learning culture. Over the past 16 years, a model of a learning organization was developed that draws on both the literature and organizational case studies. However, organizations wanted a way to diagnose their current status and guide change, and scholars wanted better measures of learning to compare organizations and to explore links between organizational learning and the performance of the firm. The solution was to develop and validate an instrument that addresses these needs.
Zero-Shot Learning Through Cross-Modal Transfer

This work introduces a model that can recognize objects in images even if no training data is available for the object class. The only necessary knowledge about unseen visual categories comes from unsupervised text corpora. Unlike previous zero-shot learning models, which can only differentiate between unseen classes, our model can operate on a mixture of seen and unseen classes, simultaneously obtaining state of the art performance on classes with thousands of training images and reasonable performance on unseen classes. This is achieved by seeing the distributions of words in texts as a semantic space for understanding what objects look like. Our deep learning model does not require any manually defined semantic or visual features for either words or images. Images are mapped to be close to semantic word vectors corresponding to their classes, and the resulting image embeddings can be used to distinguish whether an image is of a seen or unseen class. We then use novelty detection methods to differentiate unseen classes from seen classes. We demonstrate two novelty detection strategies; the first gives high accuracy on unseen classes, while the second is conservative in its prediction of novelty and keeps the seen classes' accuracy high.
All optical XOR gate for packet forwarding

An all optical packet forwarding architecture using a single Semiconductor Optical Amplifier (SOA)-based Mach-Zehnder Interferometer (SOA-MZI) will be studied. The forwarding unit and the AND gate are combined in an all-optical XOR gate. Error-free functionality was achieved at 10 Gbps for two cascaded nodes.
Searching for common stem cells of the hepatic and hematopoietic systems in the human fetal liver: CD34+ cytokeratin 7/8+ cells express markers for stellate cells

Background/aims The hematopoietic and hepatic systems are intertwined in the liver during fetal life. Cells expressing the hematopoietic stem cell marker CD34 and cytokeratin 7/8 (CK7/8) are hypothesized to be common stem cells for the hematopoietic and hepatic systems. Our aim was to determine if human fetal liver cells expressing CD34 and CK7/8 represent a common stem cell for both the hematopoietic and hepatic systems. Methods CD34+CK7/8+ cells from midgestation livers were analyzed for the expression of various markers by flow cytometry and isolated based on their expression of CD34, nerve growth factor receptor (NGFR) and lack of CD45 expression. CD34+CD38- hematopoietic stem cells were also isolated and cultured in the presence of various hepatopoietins. Results CD34+CK7/8+ cells comprised 3.4-8.5% of the erythrocyte-depleted liver. CD34+CK7/8+ cells had unique light-scatter properties compared to hematopoietic precursors and did not express most markers associated with hematopoietic cells. They did stain with CD13, CD59, NGFR, desmin and alpha-smooth muscle actin. In culture, these cells had a stellate appearance. Cultured hematopoietic stem cells failed to generate hepatocytes. Conclusions CD34+CK7/8+ cells are not common stem cells but rather appear to be hepatic stellate cells. A link between the hematopoietic and hepatic systems during fetal life requires further investigation.
Combining Bundle Search with Buyer Coalition Formation in Electronic Markets: A Distributed Approach through Negotiation

In electronic markets, both bundle search and buyer coalition formation are profitable purchasing strategies for buyers who need to buy small amount of goods and have no or limited bargaining power. In this paper, we present a distributed mechanism that allows buyers to use both purchasing strategies. The mechanism includes a heuristic bundle search algorithm and a distributed coalition formation scheme, which is based on an explicit negotiation protocol with low communication cost. The resulting coalitions are stable in the core in terms of coalition rationality. The simulation results show that this mechanism is very efficient. The resulting cost to buyers is close to the optimal cost. � 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Mid- Versus Near-Infrared Spectroscopy for On-Site Analysis of Soil

Research has demonstrated that for the determination of soil carbon, diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy (DRIFTS) is often more accurate and produces more robust calibrations than near-infrared (NIR) reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS) when analysing ground, dry soils. But DRIFTS is not considered feasible on non-dried samples due to the strong water absorptions in the mid-infrared. Also, mid-infrared spectrometers are generally either sealed from the ambient atmosphere or purged with CO2-free dry air. While DRIFTS has been shown to be advantageous in the laboratory, if samples need to be ground and dried and instruments purged, it may not be practical for on-site analysis. The objective of this research was to determine the effect of ambient atmospheric conditions and soil state (ground, dried, etc.) on DRIFTS and NIRS calibrations for soil C and N. Results using a portable DRIFTS spectrometer over a wide range of ambient conditions demonstrated that purging is not necessary to obtain calibrations for C in soils equal to those obtained in the lab with dry or dried–ground samples. However, efforts with field-moist samples have demonstrated that while calibrations using DRIFTS can be developed with an accuracy equal to those obtained using NIRS, the calibrations may not be as robust and more research is needed. Comparing these results with results obtained using large-scale scanning such as remote imaging or in situ NIR (scanning on the fly with a tractor-drawn NIR unit) indicates that soil analysis in which the sample is analysed by both traditional analysis (combustion) and spectroscopic analysis as performed here results in better calibrations. However, a much smaller area of the total field is sampled. An important question that emerges is Which is more valuable, lots of lower quality information or much less information, but of perhaps much higher quality?
Conifer regeneration in stand-replacement portions of a large mixed-severity wildfire in the Klamath-Siskiyou Mountains

Large-scale wildfires (*10 4 -10 6 ha) have the potential to eliminate seed sources over broad areas and thus may lead to qualitatively different regeneration dynamics than in small burns; however, regeneration after such events has re- ceived little study in temperate forests. Following a 200 000 ha mixed-severity wildfire in Oregon, USA, we quantified (1) conifer and broadleaf regeneration in stand-replacement patches 2 and 4 years postfire; and (2) the relative importance of isolation from seed sources (live trees) versus local site conditions in controlling regeneration. Patch-scale conifer regener- ation density (72%-80% Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb). Franco)) varied widely, from 127 to 6494 stemsha -1 . Median densities were 1721 and 1603 stemsha -1 2 and 4 years postfire, respectively, i.e., *12 times prefire overstory densities (134 stemsha -1 ). Because of the complex burn mosaic, *58% of stand-replacement area was £200 m from a live-tree edge (seed source), and *81% was £400 m. Median conifer density exceeded 1000 stemsha -1 out to a distance of 400 m from an edge before declining farther away. The strongest controls on regeneration were distance to live trees and soil parent material, with skeletal coarse-grained soils supporting lower densities (133 stemsha -1 ) than fine-grained soils (729-1492 stemsha -1 ). Other site factors (e.g., topography, broadleaf cover) had little association with conifer regen- eration. The mixed-severity fire pattern strongly influenced the regeneration process by providing seed sources throughout much of the burned landscape.
Design of the (248,216) Reed-Solomon decoder with erasure correction for Blu-ray disc

This paper presents an efficient VLSI architecture of the (248, 216) Reed-Solomon decoder with erasure correction capability for Blu-ray disc (BD). The proposed architecture is designed with four-stage pipelines: the syndrome and erasure location polynomials calculation, the errata location polynomial calculation, the errata evaluation polynomial calculation, and the Chien search and errata value evaluation. Each stage is carefully balanced to maximize the throughput of the pipeline for BD applications. To solve the key equation, the Berlekamp-Massey algorithm is transformed into a symbol-serial structure and the fully utilized VLSI architecture, maintaining the maximum decoding performance, is proposed. Therefore, the proposed architecture maximizes the throughputs requiring less hardware resources. The gate counts for the proposed RS decoder is 74K using the Hynix 0.35 /spl mu/m standard cell library and the maximum throughput is 700 Mbps at 100 MHz, which is fast enough for 16/spl times/ BD applications.
Closed-loop stimulations of hypoglossal nerve using its spontaneous activity as the feedback signal

Electrical recruitment of the upper airway (UAW) muscles has been attempted as a treatment method for Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA). Hypoglossal nerve (HG) and genioglossus muscle (GG) stimulations have given successful results in OSA patients. A reliable method for detection of obstructions is needed to trigger the stimulations in phase with respiration during obstructive breaths before this technique can be used clinically. Here, the authors investigate the possibility of closed-loop HG nerve stimulations using its spontaneous activity for detection of obstructions in a dog model. The activity of the HG nerve is recorded with chronically implanted nerve cuff electrodes in sleeping dogs while a force is being applied onto the submental region to collapse the airways. The increase in the phasic HG activity as a response to the submental force is used to trigger the stimulations. Closed-loop stimulations are shown to relieve the UAWs from the collapsing effect of the submental force.
Relationship between Al2O3 film dissolution rate and the pitting potential of aluminum in NaCl solution

The dissolution rate of the Al 2 O 3 film, R dis (mol/cm 2 s), and the pitting potential, E p , of polycrystalline Al electrodes were measured in 50 mM H 3 BO 3 /0.3 mM Na 2 B 4 O 7 .10 H 2 O solutions (pH 6.7) containing between 0 and 200 mM NaCl. R dis was determined by analysis of the transient current, using the high-field growth model, following a large amplitude potential step to induce film growth in competition with film dissolution. The dissolution rate of the oxide film increased from 0.8(±0.2) × 10 -12 mol/cm 2 s in the absence of Cl to a quasi-limiting value of 2.4(±0.2) × 10 -12 mol/cm 2 s at Cl concentrations above ∼100 mM. Over the same concentration range, E p shifted to more negative potentials with increasing Cl concentration, also approaching a quasi-limiting value of ∼-0.95 V vs. mercury/mercuric sulfate (saturated K 2 SO 4 ) at Cl - concentrations greater than ∼100 mM. The similar functional dependencies of R dis and E p on Cl - concentration suggest a strong correlation between oxide film dissolution and oxide breakdown.
The Effects of Computerized Symbol Processor Instruction on the Communication Skills of Nonspeaking Students.

The purpose of this study was to measure the impact on receptive and expressive language skills of teaching nonspeaking students to use a newly developed computerized symbol processor system. The system consisted of an Apple Ile computer, a Power Pad graphics tablet, and software which allowed the user to write with picture symbols by pressing the desired space on the Power Pad. The system was tested with 43 students from three schools: two self-contained day schools for students with mental disabilities and a residential institution for individuals with severe and multiple disabilities. A pretest-posttest control group design was employed to determine if the intervention had any effects on the receptive and expressive language skills of the system users. Those in the treatment group were taught to use the system for 15 to 20 minutes per day, 5 days a week for 8 consecutive weeks. Those in the control group received no instruction on the system, but participated in their regular classroom instruction duri...
Marlboro and Other Usual Brand Choices by Youth Smokers in Middle Eastern Countries.

This study analyzed data from 118,743 adolescents completing 30 different Global Youth Tobacco Surveys conducted in 15 different Middle Eastern countries between 1999 and 2007 to determine the proportion of young smokers who usually smoked Marlboro, other cigarette brands, or no usual brand smoked in these countries. Marlboro was the most prevalent brand smoked in 7 of the 15 Middle Eastern countries examined, the second most common brand smoked in four Middle Eastern countries, and the third most common in eight of the countries. Marlboro smokers were found to exhibit stronger commitment to smoking, to smoke more frequently, to have more close friends who smoke, to score higher on beliefs that smoking is attractive, and to score lower on the belief that smoking is harmful in comparison to other brand smokers. Understanding youth smokers' brand preferences and choices is advantageous because it provides insight into what influences young people to start and continue to smoke, and subsequently may inform s...
Error Analysis and Kernel Density Approach of Scheduling Sleeping Nodes in Cluster-Based Wireless Sensor Networks

Energy consumption is an important research topic in wireless sensor networks. Putting sensor nodes to sleep is one of the most popular ways to save energy in battery-powered sensor nodes. Many existing research studies on sleeping techniques are based on preknowledge of deployment of sensor nodes, e.g., a known probability distribution of sensor nodes in a target-sensing field. Thus, whether a scheduling-sleeping scheme has good performance mostly depends on preknowledge of the deployment of sensor nodes. In this paper, we first show the discrepancy of system performance metrics, including energy consumption and network lifetime, based on inaccurate preknowledge of the deployment of sensor nodes in a cluster-based sensor network. Through analytical studies, we conclude that the discrepancy is very large and cannot be neglected. We hence propose a distribution-free approach to study energy consumption. In our approach, no assumption of the probability distribution of deployment of sensor nodes is needed. The proposed approach has yielded a good estimation of network energy consumption. Furthermore, previous studies normally assume that battery energy levels of sensor nodes are the same. However, in a real network, battery quality is different, and the energy in each sensor node is a random variable. We provide a mathematical approximation and a standard deviation study for energy consumption, as well as a more in-depth study for network lifetime under random batter energy.
FINITE AMPLITUDE THERMAL CONVECTION WITH SPATIALLY MODULATED BOUNDARY TEMPERATURES

Finite amplitude thermal convection in a fluid layer between two horizontal walls with different fixed mean temperatures is considered when spatially modulated temperatures with amplitudes L$\_{\text{l}}^{\ast}$ and L$\_{\text{u}}^{\ast}$ are prescribed at the lower and upper walls, respectively. The nonlinear steady problem is solved by a perturbation technique, and the preferred mode of convection is determined by a stability analysis. In the case of a resonant wavelength excitation, regular or non-regular multi-modal pattern convection can be preferred for some ranges of L$\_{\text{l}}^{\ast}$ and L$\_{\text{u}}^{\ast}$, provided the wave vectors for such patterns are contained in a certain subset of the wave vectors representing a linear combination of modulated upper and lower boundary temperatures. In the case of non-resonant wavelength excitation, a three (two) dimensional solution in the form of multi-modal (rolls) pattern convection can be preferred, even if the boundary modulations are one (two) or two (one) dimensional, provided the wavelengths of the modulations are not too small. Heat transported by convection can be enhanced by boundary modulations in some ranges of L$\_{\text{l}}^{\ast}$ and L$\_{\text{u}}^{\ast}$.
Pulmonary responses to pathogen-specific antigens in latent Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection.

In this study, we used ELISPOT to quantify frequencies of bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) and peripheral blood T cells capable of producing IFNγ in response to PPD, antigen 85B, and Mtb-specific antigens CFP-10 and ESAT-6 in individuals with latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) and Mtb-naive controls. Compared to peripheral blood, BAL cells of LTBI subjects displayed significant enrichment for T cells responding to PPD, antigen 85B, and CFP-10, but not to ESAT-6. Baseline BAL cells of LTBI subjects displayed significant production of Mig (CXCL9) in response to PPD, antigen 85B, and CFP-10 as well. These findings suggest that enrichment for Mtb-specific T cells within BAL is not unique to active pulmonary tuberculosis and may, to the contrary, contribute to protection from re-infection in Mtb immune individuals.
Creating Human Machine Interface (HMI) Based Tests within Model-Based Design

Many of the multimedia and convenience features in today’s passenger vehicles involve Human Machine Interfaces (HMIs), such as the radio face plate or the remote key fob. The functional requirements for these systems are often written in terms of the customer interaction with the interface device. In the past, design engineers would not begin to test requirements for these systems until prototype hardware was available. However, many product development organizations are shifting from this hardware-based traditional development cycle, which relies on designing via a prototype and test iteration, to Model-Based Design. Unfortunately, testing systems with complex human machine interface requirements becomes less intuitive when the prototypes are removed from the design process, because the test cases must be scripted into the modeling environment instead of being applied directly to a prototype of the interface device. In this paper we will show how engineers can create a “soft” representation of an automotive HMI and record the test procedure when specified as a series of interactions with the interface, such as button presses. Next, we will demonstrate how the test procedure can be captured and exported to an editable file for re-use with ModelBased Design. Lastly, we will show how a test file can be used to populate a test harness within the Simulink® software environment.
Numbers Game: Equal Protection Analyses under Batson v. Kentucky, 'Hybrid' Race-Gender Class Implications, and the Future of Peremptory Strikes

April 2011 marked the 25th anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court opinion in Batson v. Kentucky, the seminal case on violation of equal protection rights through racially discriminatory use of peremptory challenges in jury selection. Since Batson, the Court has confirmed that gender, like race, is a protected classification entitled to equal protection in jury selection. A quarter century after Batson, the frontier of equal protection in jury selection is the “hybrid” race-gender class: Are challenged black female venirepersons, for instance, entitled to equal protection when it is not apparent that a party has used peremptory challenges to discriminate against either blacks in general or women in general? This paper analyzes the history, evolution, and direction of equal protection rights in jury selection and explores recent jurisprudence both recognizing and dismissing hybrid protected classes. The hybrid class “problem” – which differentiates it from each of the antecedent “cognizable group” battles – is that the dual variables of race and gender confound the already inadequate “statistical” analyses generally undertaken by bench and bar in Batson hearings. The equal protection ostensibly offered to members of venires by Batson and its progeny is illusory. The Batson test inherently relies on patterns of peremptory strikes – historically requiring the most seriously disproportionate patterns of strikes to sustain objection to strikes. Batson, therefore, fails to protect subcommunities' interests in jury participation in all but the most flagrant cases. Moreover, Batson has no teeth whatsoever when it comes to protecting single individuals' equal protection rights. While the hybrid class showcases the shortcomings of Batson and its Supreme Court progeny in effectively advancing equal protection, the questionably fundamental role of peremptory challenges seems less and less persuasive. The time has come to reform jury selection procedure again. Equal protection cannot co-exist with the peremptory challenge in its current state. The peremptory challenge has dwindled, flickered, and died in the motherland of our common law and should be destined to the same fate in the U.S.
Implications for Canada of United States Farm Policies

N THIS centennial year, when Canadian nationalism is in the forefront, the always contentious issue of the economic and political dependence of Canada on the United States is a topic which one might prefer to avoid. It may be somewhat risky, therefore, to argue, as I shall, that Canadian agriculture is directly and indirectly affected by domestic policy decisions within the United States. But to argue otherwise would be to avoid the facts. It is also true that Canadian policy influences U.S. agriculture, but the topic assignment precludes discussions of the reverse flow of influence. It will be the major purpose of this paper to identify the ways in which U.S. agricultural policy decisions influence the short-run composition of Canadian agricultural output and the longer-run structure of the Canadian agricultural industry. A secondary purpose will be to explore some of the major forces which have shaped, and likely will shape, U.S. policy, so that some form of prediction is possible concerning the effects of alterations in U.S. policy on Canadian agriculture.
An Integrated Process Analytical Technology (PAT) Approach for Process Dynamics-Related Measurement Error Evaluation and Process Design Space Development of a Pharmaceutical Powder Blending Bed

In this work, a model pharmaceutical powder blending system consisting of ibuprofen (drug), MCC, and lactose anhydrous was monitored in real-time via inline near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy for dua...
π-η degeneracy problem in gauge theories

The quark mass matrix appears to give an inadequate description of hadron symmetry breaking. Already, for pseudoscalar masses, such an approach predicts ${m}_{\ensuremath{\pi}}={m}_{\ensuremath{\eta}}$. We show one resolution of this old problem in terms of the explicit strong dynamics and the currents of $M$-gauge models. We also discuss a second possible mechanism, applicable to a quark or $M$ model, which generates a calculable breaking as a radiative correction in one loop. This second mechanism depends only on the dynamics of the weak interactions.
IMPS-45IDH MUTANT GLIOMAS ESCAPE NATURAL KILLER CELL IMMUNE SURVEILLANCE THROUGH DOWNREGULATION OF NKG2D LIGANDS

Mutations in isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 and 2 are common in gliomas. 50-80% of WHO II/III gliomas possess IDH1/IDH2 mutation. Methylation-related transcriptional repression is a feature of IDH mutant (IDHmut) tumors. Epigenetic repression of natural killer (NK) cell ligands is a common mechanism of immune escape in cancer, but it is unknown if this occurs in gliomas. We compared IDHmut and IDHwt tumor expression (z-score) and methylation (mean methylation score) data from the TCGA low-grade glioma database, and found two NKG2D ligands (ULBP1, ULBP3) that were downregulated (-0.47, p = 0.02; -1.28, p < 0.01) and hypermethylated (-0.31, p < 0.01; -0.15, p < 0.01) in IDHmut tumors. We validated this finding by measuring ULBP1 and ULBP3 gene expression in cells derived from IDHwt and IDHmut patients and found both genes were repressed in IDHmut cells (-0.85 fold expression, p = 0.01; -0.57 fold expression, p = 0.01). To determine whether repression of NKG2D ligand expression resulted in escape from NK recognition and specific lysis, we these cells with NK cells. We observed significantly (p = 0.03) reduced specific lysis of IDHmut cell (3.62%) as compared to IDHwt cells (24.13%). To determine NK activation, we measured inflammatory cytokine release in co-cultures, no basal release were detected in either tumor or NK monocultures. IDHmut co-cultures has significantly reduced IFN-g (82.08 pg/mL vs 250.1 pg/mL, p = 0.02) and TNF-a (151.2 pg/mL vs 650.2 pg/mL, p < 0.01) release compared to IDHwt co-cultures. To validate that IDHmut immune escape is NKG2D dependent, we blocked NKG2D binding using an antibody. Addition of isotype antibody did not significantly reduce specific lysis in IDHwt co-culture (10.40% vs 10.20%, p = 0.94). Addition of NKG2D blocking antibody to IDHwt significantly reduced specific lysis below isotype (3.34% vs 10.40%, p < 0.01). In conclusion, we were able to demonstrate that IDH mutant gliomas are able to escape from NK immune surveillance through repression of NKG2D ligand expression.
Numerical Simulation of Aerodynamic Noise Based on Acoustic Pressure Correction Boundary Element Method

Considering the scattering effect of non-compact boundary,an acoustic pressure correction method is presented to predict the aerodynamic noise using a combination of acoustic analogy and boundary element method.The boundary element method can reduces the problem by one dimension,which will greatly reduce the computation quantity,and also automatically satisfies the infinite far boundary conditions.When the acoustic frequency is not very high,the intensity of sound radiated from the quadrupole source is usually much less than that of the scattering sound,and the time consuming quadrupole integral could be avoided.Implementing Fourier transform to solve the acoustic pressure correction equation in the frequency domain can avoid cockamamie retarded time calculation.
Relationship between negative affect and smoking topography in heavy drinking smokers

Heavy drinking smokers represent a sizeable subgroup of smokers for whom nicotine deprivation and alcohol use increases the urge to smoke in the laboratory and predicts lapses during smoking cessation. The manner in which individuals smoke a cigarette (i.e. smoking topography) provides a reliable index of smoking intensity and reinforcement, yet the effects of affect on smoking topography have not been thoroughly examined in heavy drinking smokers. The current study examined how affect and nicotine deprivation predict smoking behavior as participants (N=27) smoked one cigarette using a smoking topography device after 12-h of nicotine abstinence and after a priming dose of alcohol (target BrAC=0.06g/dl). Primary smoking topography measures were puff volume, velocity, duration, and inter-puff interval (IPI). The effect of nicotine deprivation was measured by the Minnesota Nicotine Withdrawal Scale (MNWS) and the Profile of Mood States (POMS). Measures were obtained at baseline (i.e. 12-h of nicotine abstinence and pre-alcohol) and 30-minutes after alcohol administration (i.e. peak BrAC). Results revealed post-priming negative affect significantly moderated the trajectories of puff volume, puff duration and IPI (p's<0.05) over the course of the cigarette, such that those with greater negative affect had flatter slopes for volume and duration and increasingly infrequent puffs. Our results suggest that baseline and post-priming negative affect following nicotine deprivation alters smoking patterns and increases nicotine exposure throughout a single cigarette. Future studies need to examine differential amounts of nicotine deprivation on response to alcohol and smoking in heavy drinking smokers.
Framework for Scalable Adsorbate–Adsorbate Interaction Models

We present a framework for physically motivated models of adsorbate–adsorbate interaction between small molecules on transition and coinage metals based on modifications to the substrate electronic structure due to adsorption. We use this framework to develop one model for transition and one for coinage metal surfaces. The models for transition metals are based on the d-band center position, and the models for coinage metals are based on partial charges. The models require no empirical parameters, only two first-principles calculations per adsorbate as input, and therefore scale linearly with the number of reaction intermediates. By theory to theory comparison with explicit density functional theory calculations over a wide range of adsorbates and surfaces, we show that the root-mean-squared error for differential adsorption energies is less than 0.2 eV for up to 1 ML coverage.
Antidiuretic hormone moves membranes.

This review focuses on events at the apical plasma membrane of toad urinary bladder and mammalian collecting duct as their permeability to water changes in response to antidiuretic hormone (ADH) an...
Lung Transplant Pathology

Pathological evaluation of lung allograft specimens presents several challenges unique to lung transplant patients. Through the airways, the lungs communicate directly with the outside world and pathology specimens may include aerosolized exogenous particulate matter or organisms that are not otherwise encountered in other solid organ transplants. Furthermore, owing to interruption of the lower vagal nerve fibers during the transplantation procedure, the cough reflex is diminished in lung transplant patients resulting in increased risk for aspiration, leading to bacterial pneumonia or aspirated foreign material causing low-level chronic or acute inflammation that could cause interpretive difficulties for the pathologist [1].
Curbing Inappropriate Antibiotic Prescribing: What Works?

The reasons for antibiotic overprescribing are multifactorial, so efforts to reduce inappropriate antibiotic prescribing should combine shared decision making, incentives, quality-control measures, and similar interventions designed to improve clinical practice.