cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Maximum-Profit Rations: A Look at the Results of the California System

Abstract Use of computers to formulate least-cost rations has increased greatly in recent years, and many commercial feed companies routinely use linear programming methods in establishing ingredient formulas for their concentrate mixes. Efficacy of computer-formulated concentrate mixes and cost savings realized from feeding them to lactating dairy cows were reported by Bath et al. (1). Similar results with least-cost complete dairy rations were reported by Howard et al. (6). Successful as they have been, however, least-cost rations are not the final answer. The important thing to a dairyman is not how inexpensive his feed cost is but how much profit he makes. Since feed is the largest single expense item in milk production, it has the greatest potential effect on profit. Many other factors affect profit such as labor costs, land values, taxes, building and equipment costs, and depreciation. Except for labor, however, they are fixed costs and cannot be changed much by individual dairymen. A dairyman can control feeding practices and costs to a large extent.
An electromagnetic vibrator for use in flutter testing

This paper describes a unique vibrator that can be used for the flutter testing of airplanes. The device is a variation of a linear electric motor; it uses alternating electromagnetic forces to move a magnetic mass and produce vibration. This design approach requires few components and makes the device attractively simple, reliable and efficient.
Treating metabolic impairment and myocardial stunning with phosphodiesterase inhibitor type III, milrinone, administered prior to coronary artery occlusion in the presence of calcium channel blockade in pigs.

This study examined milrinone effects on ischaemic myocardial metabolism and function with calcium blockade. We studied 15 pigs in 3 groups: group C received no drugs; group D received diltiazem 5 mg bolus followed by infusion; group D+M received diltiazem and milrinone (50 µg/Kg). The left anterior descending (LAD) artery was then occluded for 15 minutes. Left ventricular (LV) function data obtained included rate, pressures, output, Emax, and dP/dT. Blood lactate was obtained from the LAD and circumflex vessels at baseline, end of occlusion, early (15 min) and late (1 hour) reperfusion. In group D+M, less depression of LV function occurred during ischaemia and early reperfusion. Lactate extraction in the LAD region was less negative in D+M group than in the group without milrinone during ischaemia and late reperfusion. We conclude the preemptive administration of milrinone prior to ischaemia added to calcium blockade improved myocardial function and ischaemic metabolic effects.
Theory of single-photon transport in a single-mode waveguide. II. Coupling to a whispering-gallery resonator containing a two-level atom

We analyze the single-photon transport in a single-mode waveguide coupled to a whispering-gallery-type resonator interacting with a two-level atom. The single-photon transport properties such as the transmission and reflection amplitudes, as well as the resonator and the atom responses, are solved exactly via a real-space approach. The treatment includes the intermode backscattering between the two degenerate whispering-gallery modes of the resonator, and the dissipations of the resonator and the atom. We also show that a generalized critical coupling condition, that the single-photon transmission at the output of the waveguide goes to zero on resonance for a matched system, holds for the full coupled waveguide-ring resonator-atom system.
DRIVER RESPONSE TO STEERING TORQUE DISTURBANCES: A USER STUDY ON ASSISTED LANEKEEPING

Abstract This paper describes the design and results of a user study to investigate the driver's response to torque disturbances on the vehicle handwheel. These disturbances can result from malfunctions in steering-based driver assistance systems such as lanekeeping. To guarantee the safety of these types of systems, it is vitally important to know the response of the driver-vehicle system when there is such a torque disturbance. This includes both how the driver detects the disturbance as well as what the response is. The design of handwheel torque for lanekeeping assistance has been the focus of some research, but the response of the driver to a torque disturbance has not been investigated. To this end, 18 users are tested in an experimental vehicle during highway driving situations to determine safety limits of additional handwheel torque. With various amplitudes and shapes of torques applied, the driver response is measured through the movement of the handwheel and the vehicle. Initial results suggest that for slowly increasing torques, the response of the driver is independent of the final amplitude. Presence in a turn has an effect on steering response and on the driver's rating of the car's reaction from the additional torque. No significant difference in the handwheel motion was found between the groups of older and younger users.
A two-dimensional electrophoresis-related laboratory information processing system: Spot matching

An approach for the computer-assisted analysis of two-dimensional gels has been developed as a part of our laboratory information processing system (LIPS). This approach relies in part on an algorithm for the pairwise matching of protein spots. The matching process initially matches spots based on a cross-correlational measure of how well neighboring spots align. While this first pass correctly determines most spot correspondences and noncorrespondences, it can make errors. Higher accuracy is obtained by monitoring the consistency of spot match decisions in a second pass, which demands that neighboring spot pairs that align spatially must also have been found to match in the first pass. Pairwise comparisons of gels are, combined into n-way comparisons by matching spot lists of gels to “master” gel spot lists, which in turn are matched to higher level masters, resulting in a hierarchy of matched spots. After each pairwise match the results are reviewed and corrected with the assistance of a graphical match-editor. Results are given for 19, single-Cell-derived lymphoid clones in which the presence of a mutation had previously been established, each processed in duplicate. Only one of 46 spot changes failed to be detected, which demonstrates that the strategy is sensitive and efficient for detecting qualitative spot differences.
Towards a dynamic theory of strategy

This paper reviews the progress of the strategy field towards developing a truly dynamic theory of strategy. It separates the theory of strategy into the causes of superior performance at a given period in time (termed the cross-sectional problem) and the dynamic process by which competitive positions are created (termed the longitudinal problem). The cross-sectional problem is logically prior to a consideration of dynamics, and better understood. The paper then reviews three promising streams of research that address the longitudinal problem. These still fall short of exposing the true origins of competitive success. One important category of these origins, the local environment in which a firm is based, is described. Many questions remain unanswered, however, and the paper concludes with challenges for future research.
An Unusual Generalized Quadrangle of Order Sixteen

Abstract The generalized quadrangle J associated by the method of Tits with the nonconical ovoid discovered by M. Hall, Jr., in PG(2, 16) is shown to contain no subquadrangle of order 4. The full collineation group of J is determined.
Face detection using discriminating feature analysis and Support Vector Machine

This paper presents a novel face detection method by applying discriminating feature analysis (DFA) and support vector machine (SVM). The novelty of our DFA-SVM method comes from the integration of DFA, face class modeling, and SVM for face detection. First, DFA derives a discriminating feature vector by combining the input image, its 1-D Haar wavelet representation, and its amplitude projections. While the Haar wavelets produce an effective representation for object detection, the amplitude projections capture the vertical symmetric distributions and the horizontal characteristics of human face images. Second, face class modeling estimates the probability density function of the face class and defines a distribution-based measure for face and nonface classification. The distribution-based measure thus separates the input patterns into three classes: the face class (patterns close to the face class), the nonface class (patterns far away from the face class), and the undecided class (patterns neither close to nor far away from the face class). Finally, SVM together with the distribution-based measure classifies the patterns in the undecided class into either the face class or the nonface class. Experiments using images from the MIT-CMU test sets demonstrate the feasibility of our new face detection method. In particular, when using 92 images (containing 282 faces) from the MIT-CMU test sets, our DFA-SVM method achieves 98.2% correct face detection rate with two false detections.
A 47-year-old alcoholic man with progressive abnormal gait

Central pontine myelinolysis should be considered in the differential diagnosis of a patient with a history of alcoholism and malnutrition presenting with ataxia, regardless of serum sodium values. T2-weighted images are the most sensitive imaging technique, but changes may not be evident for weeks after the insult, and in addition, the insult may not be known. Supportive care is important to prevent complications, but no treatment has been found to be effective in treating the illness. Patient outcomes vary considerably and are difficult to predict.
Effects of maternal ethanol consumption on hematopoietic cells in the rat fetal liver

Abstract During development, there are many factors to be considered in studying the efficacy of the hematopoietic system to provide the immune system with adequate numbers of functional cells within the immune repertoire. Hematopoietic cells must be able to develop, proliferate, and emigrate from the hematopoietic fetal liver to other tissues of the body, such as the thymus and bone marrow. There is evidence that ethanol consumption causes immune deficiencies in adults and that maternal ethanol consumption causes immune deficiencies in children, both with correlative effects on cells and cytokinetic regulators. Therefore, the ability of the hematopoietic system to seed the immune system may be jeopardized by maternal ethanol consumption. In this study, test groups included female rats (1) fed a Lieber–DeCarli ethanol liquid diet, (2) pair-fed a control liquid diet, or (3) fed standard laboratory chow. Livers were removed from fetuses 18 and 21 days postconception (dpc) and analyzed by immunophenotyping and flow cytometry. There was a 22% and 38% decrease in fetal body weight and a 25% and 30% decrease in fetal liver weights between ethanol-fed and pair-fed groups at 18 and 21 dpc, respectively. At 18 dpc, fetal body and liver weights of the pair-fed animals were also significantly reduced to those of the chow-fed group. However, by 21 dpc, both body and liver weights of the two control groups were not statistically different. The effects of maternal ethanol consumption on the distribution of hematopoietic cells were characterized by using monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) anti-CD43 (a progenitor hematopoietic cell marker) versus labeling with anti-Vβ8.2 (pre-T cells), anti-B220 (pre-B cells), and anti-NKR-P1A (pre-natural killer cells). With the use of flow cytometric analysis, at 18 dpc ethanol-exposed fetuses showed 40% and 62% decreases in B220 + and Vβ8.2 + cells, respectively, versus findings for pair-fed controls, with no significant change in NKR-P1A + cells. At 21 dpc, ethanol-exposed fetuses showed a 46% decrease in B220 + cells among the CD43 + cells, with a 50% increase in Vβ8.2 + cells. Observed alterations in gross fetal body and liver weights, together with modifications in the percentage of hematopoietic cells in the fetal liver after maternal ethanol consumption, strongly support the suggestion that the ability of the hematopoietic system to impart a repertoire of cells that are functional in the regulatory and effector mechanisms of the immune process may be compromised.
Engineered Fatty Acid Biosynthesis in Streptomyces by Altered Catalytic Function of β-Ketoacyl-Acyl Carrier Protein Synthase III

The Streptomyces glaucescens β-ketoacyl-acyl carrier protein (ACP) synthase III (KASIII) initiates straight- and branched-chain fatty acid biosynthesis by catalyzing the decarboxylative condensation of malonyl-ACP with different acyl-coenzyme A (CoA) primers. This KASIII has one cysteine residue, which is critical for forming an acyl-enzyme intermediate in the first step of the process. Three mutants (Cys122Ala, Cys122Ser, Cys122Gln) were created by site-directed mutagenesis. Plasmid-based expression of these mutants in S. glaucescens resulted in strains which generated 75 (Cys122Ala) to 500% (Cys122Gln) more straight-chain fatty acids (SCFA) than the corresponding wild-type strain. In contrast, plasmid-based expression of wild-type KASIII had no effect on fatty acid profiles. These observations are attributed to an uncoupling of the condensation and decarboxylation activities in these mutants (malonyl-ACP is thus converted to acetyl-ACP, a SCFA precursor). Incorporation experiments with perdeuterated acetic acid demonstrated that 9% of the palmitate pool of the wild-type strain was generated from an intact D3 acetyl-CoA starter unit, compared to 3% in a strain expressing the Cys122Gln KASIII. These observations support the intermediacy of malonyl-ACP in generating the SCFA precursor in a strain expressing this mutant. To study malonyl-ACP decarboxylase activity in vitro, the KASIII mutants were expressed and purified as His-tagged proteins in Escherichia coli and assayed. In the absence of the acyl-CoA substrate the Cys122Gln mutant and wild-type KASIII were shown to have comparable decarboxylase activities in vitro. The Cys122Ala mutant exhibited higher activity. This activity was inhibited for all enzymes by the presence of high concentrations of isobutyryl-CoA (>100 μM), a branched-chain fatty acid biosynthetic precursor. Under these conditions the mutant enzymes had no activity, while the wild-type enzyme functioned as a ketoacyl synthase. These observations indicate the likely upper and lower limits of isobutyryl-CoA and related acyl-CoA concentrations within S. glaucescens.
Detection of circle of Willis aneurysms in patients with acute subarachnoid hemorrhage: a comparison of CT angiography and digital subtraction angiography.

The purpose of this study was to compare CT angiography with digital subtraction angiography (DSA) in the detection and measurement of intracranial aneurysms in patients with acute subarachnoid hemorrhage.Thirty consecutive patients with recent subarachnoid hemorrhage shown by unenhanced CT scanning or lumbar puncture were studied with CT angiography and DSA. Using a shaded surface display format and source images, two reviewers working independently blindly interpreted CT angiograms for presence and size of aneurysms. Sensitivity and specificity for aneurysm detection were calculated for each reviewer. Aneurysm size measurements were compared between reviewers and between the two imaging techniques.Thirty aneurysms were found in 22 patients with DSA; eight patients had no aneurysms. The sensitivity and specificity of CT angiography for reviewer A were 0.97 and 1.0, respectively. For reviewer B, the sensitivity and specificity were 0.77 and 0.87, respectively. All cases with single aneurysms on DSA (18 pa...
Ethanol consumption and serum lipid profiles in Sinclair (S-1) miniature swine

Abstract Ethanol consumption was correlated with changes in acyl group profiles of phosphatidylcholine and triacylglycerols in serum of Sinclair(S-1) miniature boars. Serum triacylglycerols in the control pigs were high in linoleate (18:2) (48%) and low in stearate (18:0 (3%). Upon feeding with 10% (w/v) ethanol ad lib for two weeks, the proportion of 18:2 in serum triacylglycerols decreased to 12–15% with a concomitant increase in 16:0, 18:0 and 18:1. Similar, but less extensive, acyl group changes were observed in the serum phosphatidylcholine. In addition, there was a decrease in the proportion of 20:3 (n−6), but a biphasic change was shown in 20:4 (n−6) with respect to ethanol consumption. In general, the high ethanol consumers (7.0 g/kg/day) indicated a more rapid rate of acyl group change than the low consumers (3.8 g/kg/day). Upon withdrawal of ethanol, acyl groups of triacylglycerols rapidly returned towards the control values, whereas only small changes were observed for the recovery in phospholipids. In this situation, the low-consumer group indicated a more rapid recovery than the high-consumer group. Results indicate that with the swine model, serum lipid changes can be a useful parameter for correlating biological changes upon ethanol consumption.
Lattice Boltzmann Method on Curvilinear Coordinates System

Using an interpolation-based strategy, the lattice Boltzmann method is extended to apply to general curvilinear coordinate systems. As an example, a cylindrical coordinate system is used to simulate two-dimensional flow around a circular cylinder. Numerical simulations are carried out for impulsive initial conditions with Reynolds numbers up to 104. The agreement of our results with previous computational and experimental results is satisfactory. Compared with previous lattice Boltzmann simulations of the same problem, our new approach greatly enhances the computational efficiency.
Ab initio design of perovskite alloys with predetermined properties: the case of Pb(Sc(0.5)Nb(0.5))O(3).

A first-principles derived approach is combined with the inverse Monte Carlo technique to determine the atomic orderings leading to prefixed properties in Pb(Sc{sub 0.5}Nb{sub 0 .5})O{sub 3} perovskite alloy. We find that some arrangements between Sc and Nb atoms result in drastic changes with respect to the disordered material, including ground states of new symmetries, large enhancement of electromechanical responses, and considerable shift of the Curie temperature. We discuss the microscopic mechanisms responsible for these unusual effects.
Truth-making and divine eternity

According to a widespread tradition in philosophical theology, God is necessarily simple and eternal. One objection to this view of God's nature is that it would rule out God having foreknowledge of non-determined, free human actions insofar as simplicity and eternity are incompatible with God's knowledge being causally dependent on those actions. According to this view, either (a) God must causally determine the free actions of human agents, thus leading to a theological version of compatibilism, or (b) God cannot know, and thus cannot respond to, the free actions of human agents. In the present paper, I argue that one can consistently maintain that God is not causally dependent on anything, even for His knowledge, without being committed to either (a) or (b). In other words, an eternal God can know the free actions of agents even if libertarianism is true.
Induction Therapy Followed by Definitive Local Control for Stage III Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer: A Review, With a Focus on Recent Trimodality Trials

This review first summarizes the potential survival outcomes for patients with the various subsets of stage III non-small-cell lung cancer. The rationale for combined-modality approaches is then reviewed, with a discussion of the possible treatment strategies using various permutations of three treatment modalities, namely, chemotherapy (CTh) radiotherapy (RT), and surgery. Conclusions that can be drawn from the published bimodality trials are discussed. The design, eligibility criteria, surgical findings, and survival data for five famility phase II studies of CTh plus RT followed by surgery are then presented in detail (with a focus on three larger trials)
Nerve Gas-Induced Seizures: Role of Acetylcholine in the Rapid Induction of Fos and Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein in Piriform Cortex

Soman (pinacolymethylphosphonofluoridate), a highly potent irreversible inhibitor of acetylcholinesterase (AChE), causes seizures and rapidly increases Fos and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) staining in piriform cortex (PC). This suggests that the inhibition of AChE by soman leads to increased acetylcholine (ACh) and neuronal excitability in PC. The sole source of cholinergic input to PC is from the nucleus of the diagonal band (NDB). To investigate the role of ACh in soman-induced seizures, we lesioned cholinergic neurons in NDB unilaterally with 192-IgG-saporin . By 10 d, saporin eliminated staining for choline acetyltransferase (ChAT), the synthetic enzyme for ACh, in NDB ipsilateral to the lesion. Staining for AChE, the degradative enzyme for ACh, was eliminated in PC ipsilateral to the lesioned NDB. By 45–60 min after soman, increased Fos and GFAP staining in PC was evident only ipsilateral to the unlesioned NDB. By 90–120 min after soman, Fos and GFAP staining increased bilaterally in PC. In a second experiment, electrical stimulation electrodes were implanted unilaterally in the NDB to activate focally the projections to PC in unanesthetized rats. Within 5 min of NDB stimulation, there were clear behavioral and EEG signs of convulsions. After 45–60 min of NDB stimulation, there was increased Fos and GFAP staining in layer II of PC ipsilateral to the stimulation site. Pretreatment with the selective muscarinic receptor antagonist scopolamine blocked the convulsions and prevented increased Fos and GFAP staining in PC. These results suggest that ACh release in PC triggers the initiation of seizures and gliosis after soman administration, predominantly by the activation of muscarinic receptors.
Analog VLSI-spinal cord interface for motor control

One's present understanding of neural locomotor control systems is primarily based upon results from experimental studies and some mathematical models. A device that could provide real-time interaction between complex mathematical models and actual biological systems would be very beneficial. The authors present a novel neuromorphic analog VLSI-spinal cord interface system for a lower vertebrate, the lamprey. The lamprey spinal cord has a distributed motor pattern generator, which can be described as a chain of coupled unit pattern generators. The authors' CMOS aVLSI circuit is based on a mathematical network model of a spinal unit pattern generator. It can be interfaced in real-time with the isolated spinal cord of the lamprey in both an open loop and closed loop mode. "Fictive" locomotor rhythm can be induced in the isolated lamprey spinal cord by chemical stimulation. This rhythm can dynamically modulate the activity of the aVLSI circuit. In turn, the aVLSI circuit can entrain the spinal locomotor rhythm. Since the VLSI neural network circuit is well characterized and some parameters of the model are readily modifiable, this real-time interface with the spinal cord provides experimental neurophysiologists a novel tool for investigating the role of specific neural components in locomotor rhythm generation and control.
Leveraging aggregate ratings for improving predictive performance of recommender systems

One of the key problems in recommender systems is accurate estimation of unknown ratings of individual items for individual users in terms of the previously specified ratings and other characteristics of items and users. In this thesis, we investigate a way of improving estimations of individual ratings using externally provided properties of aggregate ratings for groups of items and users, such as an externally specified average rating of action movies provided by graduate students or externally specified standard deviation of ratings for comedy movies.
Debye-scale solitary structures measured in a beam-plasma laboratory experiment

Abstract. Solitary electrostatic pulses have been observed in numerous places of the magnetosphere such as the vicinity of reconnection current sheets, shocks or auroral current systems, and are often thought to be generated by energetic electron beams. We present results of a series of experiments conducted at the UCLA large plasma device (LAPD) where a suprathermal electron beam was injected parallel to a static magnetic field. Micro-probes with tips smaller than a Debye length enabled the detection of solitary pulses with positive electric potential and half-widths 4–25 Debye lengths (λDe), over a set of experiments with various beam energies, plasma densities and magnetic field strengths. The shape, scales and amplitudes of the structures are similar to those observed in space, and consistent with electron holes. The dependance of these properties on the experimental parameters is shown. The velocities of the solitary structures (1–3 background electron thermal velocities) are found to be much lower than the beam velocities, suggesting an excitation mechanism driven by parallel currents associated to the electron beam.
Human Clostridium difficile infection: altered mucus production and composition

The majority of antibiotic-induced diarrhea is caused by Clostridium difficile (C. difficile). Hospitalizations for C. difficile infection (CDI) have tripled in the last decade, emphasizing the nee...
Selection by a deposit‐feeding polychaete, Polygordius jouinae, for sands with relatively high organic content

Field observations and flume experiments investigated whether subsurface migration and selection by adult Polygordius jouinae for sediment enriched with organic flocs could help explain small-scale patchiness of this deposit-feeding polychaete in rippled, sandy sediments on the inner continental shelf off New Jersey. Paired ripple crest–trough samples taken from stations located kilometers apart in several months in 1994, 1995, and in May 2006 found higher but more variable densities of P. jouinae in troughs compared with crests. Sedimentary particulate organic matter was also patchily distributed at similar spatial scales. In a racetrack flume under realistic flow (shear velocity 5 0.32 cm s21) and flatbed conditions, arrays of alternating, fresh ambient sediment (including natural levels of particulate organic material) and freshly sieved sediment (reduced in particulate organic content) showed significant subsurface movement of P. jouinae to sediment patches containing higher amounts of particulate organic matter in 48 h. Subsequent experiments showed that locating organic patches was not the consequence of a directed search. However, worms that located richer patches remained there and fed. Rate of movement in sediments indicated that P. jouniae could potentially travel the wavelength of a typical ripple (14–30 cm) at the Long-term Ecosystem Observatory in 15-m water depth in 35–75 min. Thus in a dynamic environment where food concentrations are low and patchy, the affinity of P. jouinae for particulate organic matter and its undirected, high rate of subsurface movement is a plausible mechanism to account for the similar spatial distributions of P. jouinae and its food resources in continental shelf sediments.
A Dramaturgical Perspective on Academic Libraries

Although many social sciences theories have been applied to the field of library and information science, one theory that has received relatively little attention is dramaturgy. The dramaturgical perspective posits that social life is inherently theatrical in nature. When applied to the academic library setting, both librarians and library users are seen as performers who play a variety of roles in front stage and backstage areas within the library. They strive to deliver convincing performances to their respective audiences by engaging in various forms of impression management. The application of dramaturgy to the academic library setting is critical for understanding the taken-for-granted nature of behavior in libraries. The dramaturgical perspective calls into question the common assumption that information seeking behavior is an exclusively logical, rational, instrumental process. Instead, it suggests that behavior in libraries is motivated, at least in part, by the attempt to maintain a favorable impression among those with whom performers interact.
Bornean orangutans on the brink of protein bankruptcy

Protein is a limiting resource that is essential to the growth, maintenance and reproduction of tropical frugivores, yet few studies have examined how wild animals maintain protein balance. During chronic periods of fruit scarcity, Bornean orangutans ( Pongo pygmaeus ) often catabolize their own fat reserves despite unusually low metabolic requirements. Such energy deficits suggest a marginal existence, and raise the possibility that orangutans also endure periods of negative protein balance. To test this hypothesis, we conducted the first study of protein cycling in a wild primate. Our five year analysis of urinary metabolites revealed evidence of protein recycling when fruit was scarce. During these periods, orangutans consumed more leaves and bark, proteinaceous but tough foods that yielded a mean daily intake of 1.4 g protein kg −1 metabolic mass. Such an amount is inadequate for humans and one-tenth the intake of mountain gorillas, but sufficient to avert, perhaps narrowly, a severe protein deficit. Our findings highlight the functional and adaptive value of traits that maximize protein assimilation during periods of ecological exigency.
Risk Factors for Substance Use by Mexican American Youth With and Without Learning Disabilities

This survey study was designed to (a) investigate the prevalence of minor and major substance use among low socioeconomic status elementary and middle school Mexican American students identified with learning disabilities (LD; n = 150) and without LD (n = 150), and (b) identify psychosocial and environmental risk factors that may lead to the use of various substances among both non-learning disabled (non-LD) students and students with LD in an all-Mexican American sample. No differences were found in the use of substances between the two groups. Risk factors that were found to influence the use of minor substances for students identified as learning disabled, as opposed to the non-LD students, included use of substances by close friends and susceptibility to peer influence. Risk factors that were found to affect the use of major substances for students identified as learning disabled, as opposed to the non-LD students, included the number of minor substances used and stressful life events. Findings are discussed in the context of differing pathways leading to the use of substances for non-LD students and students with LD within an intraethnic group study.
Connection rerouting/network reconfiguration

Optical networks employing wavelength division multiplexing can carry huge volumes of traffic, hence maintaining a high level of service availability is important. This makes fault tolerance an important issue. In general the failed connections need to be rerouted. After a link or node failure, alternate paths for restoration of the failed connections may exist only if the network is reconfigured. In addition to link or node failure scenarios, connection rerouting or network reconfiguration may also prove helpful for accommodating new requests which may otherwise be blocked. Since connections on backbone optical networks, have longer call durations, it is crucial to accommodate new blocked requests through alternate means, instead of blocking them till existing connections terminate and make a path available. These situations make network reconfiguration important. Since most connections plying on todays backbone networks are high data rate connections, it is critical that the connections have minimal disruption times during network reconfiguration. In this paper, we propose a methodology for minimizing the disruption time and the number of disruptions in the network during connection rerouting.
Private Parts: A Global Analysis of Privacy Protection Schemes and a Proposed Innovation for Their Comparative Evaluation

Given recent technological advances, we now are able to invade personal privacy as never before. The challenge in the business community is to make the most of the opportunities presented by the growth in communication technology while, at the same time, protecting what remains of individual privacy. The conflict between technological advances and privacy concerns is not new, but it has grown exponentially in recent years, and the development of a data protection scheme in the European Union lends a certain economic urgency to meeting the challenge.
Laboratory Replication of Scientific Discovery Processes

Abstract Fourteen subjects were tape-recorded while they undertook to find a law to summarize numerical data they were given. The source of the data was not identified, nor were the variables labeled semantically. Unknown to the subjects, the data were measurements of the distances of the planets from the sun and the periods of their revolutions about it — equivalent to the data used by Johannes Kepler to discover his third law of planetary motion. Four of the 14 subjects discovered the same law as Kepler did (the period varies as the 3 2 power of the distance), and a fifth came very close to the answer. The subjects' protocols provide a detailed picture of the problem-solving searches they engaged in, which were mainly, but not exclusively, in the space of possible functions for fitting the data, and provide explanations as to why some succeeded and the others failed. The search heuristics used by the subjects are similar to those embodied in the BACON program, a computer simulation of certain scientific discovery processes. The experiment demonstrates the feasibility of examining some of the processes of scientific discovery by recreating, in the laboratory, discovery situations of substantial historical relevance. It demonstrates also, that under conditions rather similar to those of the original discoverer, a law can be rediscovered by persons of ordinary intelligence (i.e., the intelligence needed for academic success in a good university). The data for the successful subjects reveal no “creative” processes in this kind of a discovery situation different from those that are regularly observed in all kinds of problem-solving settings.
Diagnostic utility of the monoclonal antibody A103 in fine-needle aspiration biopsies of the adrenal

Fine-needle aspiration (FNA) of the adrenal is a useful modality for the evaluation of primary and metastatic neoplasms. Until now, however, few reliable markers existed for the positive identification of adrenal cortical cells. Originally studied as a melanoma marker, Melan-A, as detected by the murine monoclonal antibody, A103, has gained recent attention as a marker for steroid-producing cells. Formalin-fixed, paraffinembedded cell blocks from 24 adrenal FNA specimens were stained for cytokeratins (AE1/AE3) and Melan-A (A103). Seven of 8 cases containing normal, hyperplastic, and neoplastic adrenal cortical cells were positive for A103. Among 16 cases of metastatic carcinoma, tumor cells in 14 samples were positive for cytokeratins but negative for A103. The A103 monoclonal antibody is a sensitive marker for the identification of normal, hyperplastic, and neoplastic adrenal cortical cells in cell blocks of adrenal FNA specimens. With the exception of melanoma, A103 reactivity is restricted to adrenal cortical and other steroid-producing cells. A103 should be used routinely for the evaluation of FNA specimens of adrenal mass lesions.
LDPC-Coded $M$ -ary PSK Optical Coherent State Quantum Communication

This paper addresses two important problems of interest for deep-space optical communications, quantum inter-chip/intra-chip optical communications and quantum-key distribution: 1) the problem of coded M-ary phase-shift keying optical coherent-state quantum communication in the absence of background radiation, and 2) the problem of coded binary coherent state communication in the presence of background radiation. In both cases large girth low-density parity-check (LDPC) codes are used as channel codes. With girth-10 LDPC-code of rate 0.8 and BPSK, the bit-error ratio of 10- 8 can be achieved for average number of signal photons of 0.73, resulting in net-effective coding gain of 7.63 dB.
Cardiac Positron Emission Tomography

Under resting conditions, coronary blood flow remains normal during progressive coronary artery narrowing until the coronary arterial lumen is severely reduced, to approximately 85% diameter stenosis.1 Consequently, resting coronary flow or myocardial perfusion images at rest may be normal. However, maximum coronary flow or coronary flow reserve after dipyridamole or adenosine stress becomes impaired with mild 40% diameter narrowing (Fig. 36B.1). Diffuse coronary atherosclerosis with even 20% to 30% diameter diffuse narrowing reduces coronary flow reserve and causes abnormal stress positron emission tomography (PET) scans.
Methods of fixation and the morphology of synaptic vesicles

Cerebellar mossy, parallel, basket and Golgi axons were used to study the variables contributing to vesicle shape. It has been found that, when aldehydes are used as a primary fixative, synaptic vesicles can be either small round vesicles (less than 400 A in diameter), large round vesicles (400–500 A in diameter) or flat, with a ratio of large to small diameters of 2 or greater (500–600 A × 250 A). The proportion of round vesicles as well as the presence and the number of flat vesicles in each axon depend basically upon the osmotic pressure of the buffer. Concentration of aldehydes, duration of the fixation and dehydration, temperature of the fixative, etc. do not affect the synaptic vesicle shape. With buffers (phosphate and sodium cacodylate) of low osmolarity, mossy and parallel axons exhibit a round synaptic vesicle population and no flat vesicles are seen at all. With the same low osmolarity buffers, basket and Golgi axons have a synaptic vesicle population that is mainly round with a low proportion of flat vesicles. As the osmolarity of the buffers is increased, the number of flat vesicles in basket and Golgi axons increases. In mossy and parallel axons the flat vesicles are present with highest osmolarities but always in a lower proportion than in basket and Golgi axons. Quantitative observations indicate that each axon type, under given conditions of fixation, exhibits a mixed vesicle population with a characteristic vesicle ratio. Although this vesicle ratio is modified significantly with changes in the osmotic pressure of the buffer, each axon type exhibits a different and characteristic modification of its vesicle ratio. These observations show that the vesicle ratio and its changes in different conditions of fixation are useful parameters for classifying axon.
Genetic Counseling for Diabetes Mellitus.

Most diabetes is polygenic in etiology, with (type 1 diabetes, T1DM) or without (type 2 diabetes, T2DM) an autoimmune basis. Genetic counseling for diabetes generally focuses on providing empiric risk information based on family history and/or the effects of maternal hyperglycemia on pregnancy outcome. An estimated one to five percent of diabetes is monogenic in nature, e.g., maturity onset diabetes of the young, with molecular testing and etiology-based treatment available. However, recent studies show that most monogenic diabetes is misdiagnosed as T1DM or T2DM. While efforts are underway to increase the rate of diagnosis in the diabetes clinic, genetic counselors and clinical geneticists are in a prime position to identify monogenic cases through targeted questions during a family history combined with working in conjunction with diabetes professionals to diagnose and assure proper treatment and familial risk assessment for individuals with monogenic diabetes.
Antibodies to squalene in Gulf War syndrome.

Gulf War Syndrome (GWS) is a multisystemic illness afflicting many Gulf War-era veterans. The molecular pathological basis for GWS has not been established. We sought to determine whether the presence of antibodies to squalene correlates with the presence of signs and symptoms of GWS. Participants in this blinded cohort study were individuals immunized for service in Desert Shield/Desert Storm during 1990-1991. They included 144 Gulf War-era veterans or military employees (58 in the blinded study), 48 blood donors, 40 systemic lupus erythematosus patients, 34 silicone breast implant recipients, and 30 chronic fatigue syndrome patients. Serum antibodies to squalene were measured. In our small cohort, the substantial majority (95%) of overtly ill deployed GWS patients had antibodies to squalene. All (100%) GWS patients immunized for service in Desert Shield/Desert Storm who did not deploy, but had the same signs and symptoms as those who did deploy, had antibodies to squalene. In contrast, none (0%) of the deployed Persian Gulf veterans not showing signs and symptoms of GWS have antibodies to squalene. Neither patients with idiopathic autoimmune disease nor healthy controls had detectable serum antibodies to squalene. The majority of symptomatic GWS patients had serum antibodies to squalene.
Defects in cGMP-PKG pathway contribute to impaired NO-dependent responses in hepatic stellate cells upon activation

NO antagonizes hepatic stellate cell (HSC) contraction, although activated HSC in cirrhosis demonstrate impaired responses to NO. Decreased NO responses in activated HSC and mechanisms by which NO ...
Octree-based progressive geometry coding of point clouds

We propose a generic point cloud encoder that compresses geometry data including positions and normals of point samples corresponding to 3D objects with arbitrary topology. In this work, the coding process is led by an iterative octree cell subdivision of the object space. At each level of subdivision, positions of point samples are approximated by the geometry centers of all tree-front cells while normals are approximated by their statistical average within each of the tree-front cells. With this framework, we employ attribute-dependent encoding techniques to exploit different characteristics of various attributes. As a result, significant improvement in the rate-distortion (R-D) performance has been obtained with respect to the prior art. Furthermore, the proposed point cloud encoder can be potentially used for lossless geometry coding of 3D point clouds, given sufficient levels of octree expansion and normal space partitioning.
Experiential Learning within Computer Information Systems Courses

Experiential education takes on many forms in the undergraduate and graduate Computer Information Systems (CIS) curricula. They include strategies such as formal internships, case studies, simulations, project-based coursework, and presentations. Clearly, these are important elements of the CIS curriculum because they enhance the student’s understanding of the topic beyond abstract conceptualization. Yet they may fall short of equipping the student with the tools necessary to succeed in a high-paced work environment and instilling a broad sense of the societal impact of IT. Most CIS educators appreciate the value of experiential education where the students learn by applying theory and concepts to “real-world” situations. CIS by its very nature is differentiated from computer science in the application of the science toward organizational information management problems. This paper will describe service-learning (or service-integration) within the CIS curriculum, a specific technique available to, yet largely unemployed by, CIS faculty. The discussion is based on two central themes: service-integration provides a means for improving the quality of the learning experience and exposing the student to a range of community-based issues.
Evolving Kernel Functions with Particle Swarms and Genetic Programming

The Support Vector Machine has gained significant popularity over recent years as a kernel-based supervised learning technique. However, choosing the appropriate kernel function and its associated parameters is not a trivial task. The kernel is often chosen from several widely-used and general-purpose functions, and the parameters are then empirically tuned for the best results on a specific data set. This paper explores the use of Particle Swarm Optimization and Genetic Programming as evolutionary approaches to evolve effective kernel functions for a given dataset. Rather than using expert knowledge, we evolve kernel functions without humanguided knowledge or intuition. Our results show consistently better SVM performance with evolved kernels over a variety of traditional kernels on several datasets.
Evaluation of [18F]PFH PET renography to predict future disease progression in a rat model of autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease

Abstract Introduction Prognostic markers for progression of polycystic kidney disease (PKD) are limited. We evaluated the potential of early para-[ 18 F]fluorohippurate ([ 18 F]PFH) positron emission tomography (PET) renography to predict future progression of PKD in Han:SPRD rats with slowly progressive autosomal dominant PKD. Materials and methods Male and female heterozygous (Cy/+) and normal littermate (+/+) Han:SPRD rats underwent [ 18 F]PFH PET renography and blood sampling to measure serum creatinine (S-Cr) and serum urea nitrogen (SUN) concentrations at 6 and 26 wk of age. T2 and T20 values, which represent the percent of the injected dose of [ 18 F]PFH in kidneys at 2 and 20 min after injection, were determined from imaging data. T20/T2 ratio was assessed as a prognostic marker. Rats were euthanized after renography at 26 wk of age, and kidney weight/body weight ratios (KW/BW%) were determined as a measure of PKD progression. Results Male and female Cy/+ rats are known to manifest PKD of different severity, male Cy/+ rats display much more severe PKD than female rats. S-Cr and SUN concentrations did not differ between +/+ and Cy/+ rats and between female and male Cy/+ rats at 6 wk of age, but they were higher at 26 wk of age and male rats displayed higher values than female rats, which indicates inability of S-Cr and SUN to measure disease severity at an early stage. T20/T2 ratios were higher for Cy/+ than +/+ rats at 6 wk of age. Importantly, male Cy/+ rats displayed higher T20/T2 ratios than female Cy/+ rats. T20/T2 ratios obtained at 6 wk of age correlated well with S-Cr, SUN, and KW/BW% values obtained at 26 wk of age. Conclusions This study indicates that T20/T2 ratio derived from [ 18 F]PFH PET renography at an early age could be useful as a novel prognostic marker to predict future disease severity in a rat model of ADPKD.
Dose and duration of dexamethasone in patients with high grade gliomas (HGG): Relationship to steroid myopathy (SM)

18517 Background: Steroids are critical in the management of HGG due to their ability to control peri-tumoral edema. Myopathy is a disabling complication of steroids leading to loss of ambulation a...
Plasmablastic Lymphoma Mimicking Acute Pancreatitis

Background. Plasmablastic lymphoma (PBL) is a rare B-cell neoplasm. It predominantly occurs in the oral cavity of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive patients and exhibits a highly aggressive clinical behavior. Case Presentation. We describe an unusual case of a 37-year-old HIV-positive male who presented with acute pancreatitis secondary to multiple peripancreatic masses compressing the pancreas. Histopathological examination of the lesions showed diffuse and cohesive pattern of large B-cells resembling immunoblasts or plasmablasts. The neoplastic cells were positive for BOB1 and MUM1, partially positive for CD79a, and negative for CD20, CD56, CD138, CD3, CD5, AE1/AE3, and HHV8. Epstein-Barr virus-encoded RNA in situ hybridization was positive. These features were consistent with PBL. The patient was initiated on cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone (CHOP) chemotherapy, demonstrating a striking response. Conclusion. To our research, this is the first report of PBL with the initial presentation of acute pancreatitis. The findings in this case suggest that PBL should be included in the differential diagnosis of pancreatic and peripancreatic tumors.