cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Measurement of 17-hydroxyprogesterone in human plasma.

ABSTRACT A sensitive and precise method, based on the technique of competitive proteinbinding, was developed for measuring 17-hydroxyprogesterone (17-OHP) in peripheral blood. The plasma 17-OHP level in normal men was 95 ng/100 ml±31 (sd). In normal women the plasma 17-OHP level was 42 ng/100 ml±20 (sd) during the follicular phase and 174 ng/100 ml ±46 (sd) during the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle.
Polysomnographic sleep characteristics of generally-anxious and healthy children assessed in the home environment

Background Using laboratory-based polysomnography (PSG) we recently provided evidence of significantly prolonged sleep onset latency (SOL) and reduced latency to rapid eye movement (REM) sleep among non-depressed children with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) compared to healthy age-matched controls. In the current study we conducted unattended ambulatory PSG in a new sample of children with GAD and controls in order to examine sleeping characteristics in the home environment.
The Reinvention of the FDLP: A Paradigm Shift from Product Provider to Service Provider.

Abstract This article highlights the Government Printing Office's (GPO) successful transition from a producer of print publications to a service provider and how this has affected the role of Federal Depository Libraries in an increasingly electronic service environment. It discusses the identity crisis currently facing Federal Depository Libraries during this transition to provide electronic dissemination of government information and proposes a 3-year certified training demonstration program for government information librarians, while vigorously attempting to make it financially self-supporting using a mixed funding formula. The cost/benefit analysis of this certified training demonstration project will be the ammunition for amending Chapter 19 of Title 44 of the U.S. Code, making training a key and permanent component of GPO's mission.
A new method for estimating residual stresses by instrumented sharp indentation

Abstract A general methodology is proposed for the determination of surface residual stresses and residual plastic strains using instrumented sharp indentation. The residual stresses and the residual plastic strains are assumed to be equibiaxial and uniform over a depth (beneath the indented surface) which is at least several times larger than the indentation contact diameter. The indenter load and geometry can be so chosen as to minimize or maximize the contact radius to seek the broadest range of applicability and validity of the proposed method by recourse to macro-, micro- and nanoindentation of elastoplastic materials. Invoking the invariance of contact pressure in the presence of an elastic residual stress, or the change in the instantaneous yield strength of a strain-hardening elastoplastic solid in the presence of a residual plastic strain, a step-by-step method is outlined here to estimate pre-existing residual stress/strain fields. The technique can be directly used for residual stress measurements in such applications as thin films for microelectronics and optoelectronics, structural coatings, and engineered surfaces whose properties are altered by such methods as mechanical working, etching, ion implantation, case hardening, laser treatments, shot peening or laser shock peening. The predictions of the proposed analytical method for determining residual stresses have been shown to compare favorably with finite element predictions as well as available experimental results.
The nonlinear evolution of vortex sheets with surface tension in axisymmetric flows

Abstract The presence of surface tension for interfacial flows usually leads to severe stability constraints for explicit time integration methods. Moreover, the nonlocality and nonlinearity of the high-order terms make the application of implicit methods difficult. In this paper, a computational strategy is presented for computing the motion of fluid interfaces with surface tension in axisymmetric flows using boundary integral techniques. This method is based on adaptive quadratures for the principal-value integrals and a small-scale decomposition for the treatment of surface tension through a vector-potential formulation. A study of the method is conducted in the context of vortex sheet evolution with surface tension in axisymmetric flows. The method is found to be accurate, efficient, and robust. Numerical simulations indicate that the dynamics of vortex sheets with surface tension frequently result in topological singularities (i.e., self-intersection). Away from the axis of symmetry, these singularities are similar to those found in the two-dimensional flows. Singularities occurring near the axis of symmetry take a different form.
A new n-type doping precursor for MOCVD-IMP growth of detector quality MCT

A new indium precursor, triisopropyl indium (TIPIn), has been used for doping MCT at low carrier concentrations. Previous attempts using indium organometallics resulted in a strong memory effect where residual doping would persist for many growth runs. Introducing TIPIn on the tellurium inject line resulted in a similarly strong memory doping but this was not observed when feeding the dopant in on the cadmium injection line. The TIPIn is believed to have been forming a low volatility adduct with diisopropyl tellurium (DIPTe) in the feed line and to have continued to evaporate at a low but significant rate. By keeping the TIPIn and DIPTe precursors separate until they entered the reactor, the desired low 1015 cm−3 carrier concentration and flat indium profiles could be achieved with good reproducibility. Good electrical characteristics were measured for these layers with Auger limited lifetime >1 μs at 77K.
Family-based association test using normal approximation to gene dropping null distribution

We derive the analytical mean and variance of the score test statistic in gene-dropping simulations and approximate the null distribution of the test statistic by a normal distribution. We provide insights into the gene-dropping test by decomposing the test statistic into two components: the first component provides information about linkage, and the second component provides information about fine mapping under the linkage peak. We demonstrate our theoretical findings by applying the gene-dropping test to the simulated data set from Genetic Analysis Workshop 18 and comparing its performance with existing population and family-based association tests.
Identification of morphology dependent resonances in stimulated Raman scattering from microdroplets

Abstract Orders l = 2 and 3 TM and TE morphology dependent resonances were identified in stimulated Raman scattering spectra from 23 μm diameter ethanol droplets. These assignments are made possible through use of an improved stabilized vibrating orifice droplet generator and a novel variational size spectroscopy that permits sufficiently precise estimates of index of refraction and droplet radius to be obtained.
Establishing conventional communication systems: Is common knowledge necessary?

How do communities establish shared communication systems? The Common Knowledge view assumes that symbolic conventions develop through the accumulation of common knowledge regarding communication practices among the members of a community. In contrast with this view, it is proposed that coordinated communication emerges a by-product of local interactions among dyads. A set of multi-agent computer simulations show that a population of “egocentric” agents can establish and maintain symbolic conventions without common knowledge. In the simulations, convergence to a single conventional system was most likely and most efficient when agents updated their behavior on the basis of local rather than global, system-level information. The massive feedback and parallelism present in the simulations gave rise to phenomena that are often assumed to result from complex strategic processing on the part of individual agents. The implications of these findings for the development of theories of language use are discussed.
Double-Helical Polynucleotides: Immunochemical Recognition of Differing Conformations

Rabbit antibodies to double-helical RNA react by complement fixation with synthetic or natural double-strand RNA but not with native DNA. In turn, human (from systemic lupus erythematosus patients) antibodies to native DNA do not react with double-strand RNA. Both types of antibodies show cross-reactions (from 1 percent to 50 percent) with RNA-DNA hybrids, but antibodies to the hybrids do not react at all with double-strand RNA or with native DNA. Antibodies to polydeoxyguanylate·polydeoxycytidylate also failed to react with native DNA.
Clinical Research: Benefits of a Nutrition Support Service in an HMO Setting

In an effort to improve long-term follow-up and to provide an integrated approach to the care of patients receiving home parenteral nutrition (HPN), a home nutrition support service (HNSS) was formed in 1993 at a large not-for-profit Midwest Health Maintenance Organization (HMO). Because the coordination of care for these patients is managed within the HMO setting, rather than contracting this service out, continuity of care is maintained and provides ease of communication with the physicians and access to patient information. By using a case management approach with the HPN patients, the average cost of HPN per day has decreased by 54% over the past six years. The home nutrition support service in the HMO setting has been cost effective and provides a unique setting for comprehensive patient care.
NF-κB Is Required Within the Innate Immune System to Inhibit Microflora-Induced Colitis and Expression of IL-12 p40

We have previously presented evidence demonstrating that mice deficient in NF-kappaB subunits are susceptible to colitis induced by the pathogenic enterohepatic Helicobacter species, H. hepaticus. However, it has not been determined whether NF-kappaB is required within inhibitory lymphocyte populations, within cells of the innate immune system, or both, to suppress inflammation. To examine these issues, we have performed a series of adoptive transfer experiments using recombination-activating gene (Rag)-2(-/-) or p50(-/-)p65(+/-)Rag-2(-/-) mice as hosts for wild-type (WT) and p50(-/-)p65(+/-) lymphocyte populations. We have shown that although the ability of H. hepaticus to induce colitis in Rag-2(-/-) mice is inhibited by the presence of either WT or p50(-/-)p65(+/-) splenocytes, these splenocyte populations are unable to suppress H. hepaticus-induced colitis in p50(-/-)p65(+/-)Rag-2(-/-) mice. Colitis in these animals is characterized by increased expression of inflammatory cytokines including IL-12 p40, and depletion of IL-12 p40 from p50(-/-)p65(+/-) mice ameliorates H. hepaticus-induced disease. Consistent with a primary defect in the regulation of IL-12 expression, H. hepaticus induced markedly higher levels of IL-12 p40 in p50(-/-)p65(+/-) macrophages than in WT macrophages. These results suggest that inhibition of H. hepaticus-induced IL-12 p40 expression by NF-kappaB subunits is critical to preventing colonic inflammation in response to inflammatory microflora.
Accidental degeneracy beats: A distinct type of beat phenomenon in nonlinear optical spectroscopy

A type of beat in nonlinear optical spectroscopy that is distinct from quantum beats (QB's) and polarization beats, is described. Like a quantum beat, this beat, which we refer to as an accidental degeneracy beat (ADB), can only be seen in multilevel systems. However, unlike quantum beats, which are the result of intramolecular interferences, ADB's are interferences between different subensembles of molecules in the sample. They require multilevel systems with spectral overlap. ADB's can appear as separate frequencies or as phase and amplitude contributions with the same frequency as that of quantum beats. A procedure for distinguishing between quantum beats and ADB's is outlined, and criteria under which ADB's are expected to be observed are delineated. Calculations of the spectrally resolved stimulated vibrational echo signal from an inhomogeneously broadened coupled anharmonic oscillator system are presented to illustrate the differences between the two types of beats. ADB's carry information about the anharmonicity of a system, while QB's carry information about intramolecular correspondence of transition frequencies in a multilevel system.
Charge storage in electron-irradiated phantom materials.

A recent article by Galbraith e t a l. [Med. Phys. 1 1, 197 (1984)] revealed the existence of dose errors due to charge storage in electron‐irradiated plastic phantoms. We have subsequently studied the same effect using similar materials, plus some others including ‘‘solid water,’’ which is an epoxy‐based phantom material manufactured by Radiation Measurement, Inc. Our work shows that there is minimal charge storage in solid water, as compared to polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) and polystyrene. Since existing dosimetry protocols allow PMMA and polystyrene to be used for calibration phantoms, users should beware of the possible dosimetry errors resulting from charge storage in those plastics, and consider choosing other water‐substitute media, such as solid water, that do not display this effect.
Cooperative Target Tracking using Oscillator Models in Three Dimensions

The work in this paper addresses the task of control design for coordinated autonomous vehicles operating in 3D. A group of N unit-speed individuals are modeled using natural frenet frames, in which each individual has a total of two inputs that act to steer the vehicle gyroscopically. Extending previous results for planar target tracking based on oscillator models, a velocity matching controller is first designed for each individual so that the collective centroid is asymptotically stabilized to a moving target vehicle. Simultaneously, an additive spacing control term induces helical motion in order to keep pursuer vehicles near the centroid. Simulation examples are presented to support analytical results.
The New Sociology of Morality

Sociology was once integral to the scientific study of morality, but its explicit focus has waned over the past half-century. This article calls for greater sociological engagement in order to speak to the resurgence of the study of morality in cognate fields. We identify important treatments of morality, some of which are not explicitly so, and identify those treatments that build a distinctly sociological focus on morality: room for culturally divergent understandings of its content, a focus on antecedent social factors that shape it, and a concern with ecologically valid explorations of its social importance.
An anionic galactomannan polysaccharide gum from a newly-isolated lactose-utilizing bacterium. I. Strain description and gum characterization

As part of an effort to obtain microorganisms able to produce polysaccharide gums from whey and whey permeate, soil samples from farm fields regularly treated with whey were screened for bacteria able to produce gums from lactose. The most promising organism isolated (ATCC 55046) is a facultative anaerobe, tentatively identified as a new Erwinia species on the basis of biochemical and morphological tests. The organism produces a polysaccharide gum from lactose and other sugars (herein named lactan gum) composed of mannose, galactose, and galacturonic acid with an approximate molar ratio of 5:3:2 and containing no organic acid modifying groups. The weight average molecular weight of the gum is approximately 7 x 10(6). Aqueous solutions of lactan gum exhibit shear-thinning and elastic flow behavior with an estimated power law model flow index of 0.26 at 1% (w/w) gum. The viscosity of aqueous 1% (w/w) lactan gum solutions is stable over a pH range of 2-11, being particularly stable in alkaline environments. Aqueous 1% (w/w) gum solutions at pH 5-11 show excellent thermostability, retaining at least 80% of the original viscosity after being heated to 121 degrees C for 15 min. These flow properties indicate potential industrial applications in food and nonfood products requiring a moderate degree of thickening, wet-end additives and coating agents for paper products, ceramics, detergents, and binders for building materials.
A Rule-Based Natural Language Technique for Requirements Discovery and Classification in Open-Source Software Development Projects

Open source projects do have requirements; they are, however, mostly informal, text descriptions found in requests, forums, and other correspondence. Understanding of such requirements can provide insight into the nature of open source projects. Unfortunately, manual analysis of natural language (NL) requirements is time-consuming, and for large projects, error-prone. Automated analysis of NL requirements, even partial, will be of great benefit. Towards that end, we describe the design and validation of an automated NL requirements classifier for open source projects. Initial results suggest that it can reduce the effort required to analyze requirements of open source projects.
An Energy-efficient MAC-Layer Retransmission Algorithm for Cluster-based Sensor Networks

In a typical sensor network application scenario, occurrence of an event triggers data collection. In such cases, a mobile sink node moves into the sensing area or a node is activated to serve as a cluster head and collect data from the sensor nodes deployed in the area. In such applications, only the number of nodes in the area is known which makes TDMA-type protocols infeasible. Different data collection algorithms have been proposed for such applications aiming at reducing energy usage, increasing throughput, or reducing delay. However, most of those solutions assume some form of contention-free MAC protocol, making them less practical. Recently proposed synchronized, shared contention window (SSCW) based 802.11 DCF protocol is a contention based solution and has demonstrated superior performance in terms of delay and throughput compared with the standard binary exponential backoff (BEB) based 802.11 DCF and 802.15.4 (ZigBee) protocols. We propose an energy-efficient algorithm based on the contention window concept. We study the energy cost and time delay of our method assuming different sizes of the contention window and determine the optimal value that minimizes the energy cost for a given number of nodes in the cluster. Compared with SSCW protocol, the proposed protocol improves energy efficiency by 36%-400% with throughput still within 82%-75% of SSCW.
The Effectiveness of "Emolabeling" to Promote Healthy Food Choices in Children Preschool Through 5th Grade

Obesity has become a growing global concern. Evidence indicates that ecological factors are most predictive of obesity among children, and that a new strategy, referred to as emolabeling, may effectively address ecological factors, although the extent to which it can influence food choice is not yet known, but tested here. Specifically, we tested the hypothesis that children aged 3 to 11 years will use emolabels, or emotional correlates of health (i.e. healthy-happy, unhealthy-sad), to make healthy food choices. A cross-sectional design was used with two phases. In Phase 1, children were taught how to use emolabels with a “faces of health” lesson. In Phase 2, children made choices between containers that were laid out on a large table in pairs and varied by taste (tastes good, no information), social norms (popular, not popular), branding (image of a minion, no image), or preference (told what food was in each container). A control pair was labeled with only emoticons. The order and presentation of the containers were counterbalanced for each variation. Results showed that a significant proportion of children in the pre-literacy and the early literacy grades used emoticons to specifically make healthy food choices in each variation ( p < .05 for all tests), except when children were told what foods were in the containers. In all, emolabeling effectively influenced food choices for healthy foods among children aged 3 to 11 years, more so than labeling for taste, social norms, and branding, but not preference.
Variability of CYP2J2 expression in human fetal tissues

CYP2J2 metabolizes arachidonic acid to 20-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid and epoxyeicosatrienoic acids (EETs), which play a critical role in the regulation of renal, pulmonary, cardiac, and vascular function. However, the contribution of CYP2J2 to EET formation in the liver remains poorly characterized. Likewise, information is sparse regarding the extent and variability of CYP2J2 expression during human development. This investigation was undertaken to characterize the variability of CYP2J2 expression in fetal liver, heart, kidney, lung, intestine, and brain and in postnatal liver samples. CYP2J2 mRNA expression was measured using quantitative polymerase chain reaction, and immunoreactive CYP2J2 was examined using two anti-CYP2J2 antibodies. CYP2J2 mRNA was ubiquitously expressed in pre- and postnatal samples. Fetal hepatic mRNA expression varied 127-fold (1351 +/- 717 transcripts/ng total RNA), but this variation was reduced to 8-fold after exclusion of four samples with extremely low levels of mRNA. Amounts of immunoreactive protein also varied substantially among samples without an apparent relationship with transcript number or genotype. Western blot analysis revealed a different protein pattern between prenatal and postnatal liver samples. DNA resequencing of selected subjects identified a single novel single-nucleotide polymorphism (CYP2J2*10), which was found in only one subject and therefore did not explain the large variability in CYP2J2 protein content. In vitro expression suggests that the protein product of CYP2J2*10 confers reduced enzymatic activity. Aberrant splicing produces three minor transcripts, which were present in all samples tested. Due to premature termination codons, none encodes functional protein. The mechanisms leading to variable amounts of immunoreactive protein and distinct pre- and postnatal CYP2J2 protein patterns warrant further investigation.
Temperature-Dependent Expression of Turtle Dmrt1 Prior to Sexual Differentiation

Vertebrates employ varied strategies, both chromosomal and nonchromosomal, to determine the sex of the developing embryo. Among reptiles, temperature-dependent sex determination (TSD) is common. The temperature of incubation during a critical period preceding sexual differentiation determines the future sex of the embryo, presumably by altering the activity or expression of a temperature-dependent regulatory factor(s). Here we examine the expression of the Dmrt1 gene, a candidate regulator of mammalian and avian sexual development, in the turtle. During the sex-determining period, Dmrt1 mRNA is more abundant in genital ridge/mesonephros complexes at male-promoting than at female-promoting temperatures. Dmrt1 is the first gene found to show temperature-dependent expression prior to sexual differentiation, and may play a key role in sexual development in reptiles. genesis 26:174-178, 2000.
Collectors behaving ethically: an emerging consumption constellation

Purpose – This study aims to examine the characteristics of ethnographic textile collectors and compare them with the literature regarding fair trade consumers to explore the existence of a possible consumption constellation between collecting and fair trade purchasing.Design/methodology/approach – Purposive sampling was used for the study as it maximized the attainment of significant information related to ethnographic textile collecting. Qualitative data from ethnographic textile collectors (n=12) were collected.Findings – Results suggested that collectors were interested in purchasing high quality, authentic products that expressed their identity and individuality. These are similarities shared with fair trade consumers. Furthermore, collectors' motives to help artisans overcome poverty were evident; a similar value guides fair trade purchasing.Research limitations/implications – The predominantly female sample of academics may not be representative of the average ethnographic textile collector.Practic...
PEP-II operations report

PEP-II is a two-ring asymmetric B factory operating at the Upsilon(4S) resonance. It was constructed by a SLAC-LBNL-LLNL collaboration. The collider comprises two rings, a High-Energy Ring (HER) storing 9 GeV electrons, and a Low-Energy Ring (LER) storing 3.1 GeV positrons. Commissioning of the HER began in mid-1997 and commissioning of the LER began in mid-1998. First evidence for collisions was obtained on July 23, 1998. The BaBar detector was installed in early 1999, and commissioning with the detector commenced in May 1999. By September 1999, PEP-II had reached a peak luminosity of 1.35 x 10{sup 33} cm{sup {minus}2} s{sup {minus}1}. In the present run, which began in October 1999, the peak luminosity has reached 3.1 x 10{sup 33} cm{sup {minus}2} s{sup {minus}1} and the integrated luminosity delivered is 25 fb{sup {minus}1}. At present, PEP-II is the world's highest luminosity collider. In this paper we describe the startup experience and summarize the operational experience during fiscal year 2000 (from October 1999 through September 2000). Plan s for luminosity upgrades are briefly described.
Twin Deficit Revisited: Evidence From India, Pakistan And Mexico

In recent years twin deficit has been a subject of investigation for several authors including Darrat (1988), Day (1998), Evans (1986). In the decade of 1980s when US deficits behaved much like twins rather than distant cousins, there was a great interest in further research. Several attempts have been made to explain the reasons of expected casuality between trade and budget deficits. This paper attempts to test this casuality for trade and budget deficits for the annual data of India, Pakistan and Mexico.
Cooperative Phenomena in Biological Motion

The production of a “simple” utterance, such as the syllable /ba/, involves the cooperation of a large number of neuromuscular elements operating on different time scales, e.g., at respiratory, laryngeal, and supralaryngeal levels. Yet somehow, from this huge dimensionality, /ba/ emerges as a coherent and well-formed pattern. Similarly, were one to count the neurons, muscles, and joints that cooperate to produce the “simple” act of walking, literally thousands of degrees of freedom would be involved. Yet again, somehow walking emerges as a fundamentally low-dimensional cyclical pattern—in the language of dynamical systems, a periodic attractor. In physics, an infinite dimensional system, described by a complicated set of partial, nonlinear differential equations can be reduced—when probed experimentally or analyzed theoretically—to a low-dimensional description [1,2]. In all these cases, it seems, information about the system is compressed—from a microscopic basis of huge dimensionality—to a macroscopic basis of low dimensionality.
Alternative Substantive Approaches to Advanced Legal Writing Courses

Recent surveys indicate that more and more law schools are beginning to offer legal writing courses beyond those required in the first year. In 2002, 87 percent of' the schools responding to a survey of legal writing programs offered upper-level legal writing electives. The increase in such courses has been a growing trend for a few years now. Louis Sirico commented on the "proliferation" of advanced legal writing courses in 1997, attributing it to two things: First, with the increasing sophistication of legal writing as a professional discipline, legal academics have realized that there is far more to teach than can be taught in the standard first-year legal writing course. Second, with the growing emphasis on teaching professional skills, legal academics have realized that learning to write well is an integral part of any professional training. 2 A third reason can be added. Unlike schools of times past, many (if not most) law schools now use full-time teachers with indefinitely renewable contracts in their legal writing programs. Undoubtedly, some schools are developing advanced courses to take advantage of the expertise of these professionals who are making their careers in legal writing. One byproduct of the boom in advanced legal writing has been the publication of numerous books and articles devoted to it. In the last few years several textbooks designed to be used in upper-level courses have appeared, and several teachers have written comprehensive articles on advanced legal writ
Distance-based Trustworthiness Assessment for Sensors in Wireless Sensor Networks

Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) have been substituting for human senses to make human lives better by monitoring the environment and providing intelligence. Collected sensor data are used to make decisions as a human does. Therefore, providing trustworthy sensor data is crucial to make correct decisions. However, faulty sensors can give incorrect information. In addition, since sensors are usually deployed in unattended areas and can be compromised, cryptographic approaches are insufficient. To address this problem, we propose a distance-based trustworthiness assessment scheme. In our scheme, a centralized trust assessment module outputs an absolute trust score of each sensed value and the trust score of each sensor. The trust scores of sensed values are calculated based on the differences of sensed values provided by a sensor and its neighbors and the physical distances from the neighbors. Our simulation results show that our scheme outputs practical and accurate trust scores in a realistic environment where the sensed values of interest gradually change over the monitored areas.
The effect of small doses of human ACTH on serum corticosteroid levels in man.

SummaryThe serum corticosteroid response to small doses of human ACTH was studied in a group of healthy male volunteers whose endogenous ACTH production was suppressed with dexamethasone. Whereas the initial rate of rise and the time required for onset of rise of serum II-OHCS were independent of the dose of ACTH over a tenfold range (approximately 10-100 ng/kg of body weight), the maximum levels attained and the time required to reach these maxima were a direct function of the dose of ACTH employed.
Exploring critical success factors for Napa’s wine tourism industry from a demand perspective

AbstractWine tourism regions such as Napa face challenges in destination marketing and branding. The Napa Valley is a wine tourism destination that embodies dual identities as both a geographical location in the coastal northern region of California and a renowned brand that has become globally synonymous with high-quality wine. The purpose of this study is to evaluate supply-derived critical success factors of Napa wine tourism from the lens of a demand perspective utilizing an importance-performance matrix. Analysis between supplier intent and demand reception will highlight the overall strengths and weaknesses of branding efforts, where improvements can and/or should be made, and discrepancies where gaps and incongruity may exist.
Teaching methodology of artificial intelligence and related subjects: meeting industry's needs --- panel discussion

The discussion will begin by describing the current state of the art in industry-ready AI and the increasing call for AI in the job market. Then we will shift the focus to consider the content of the AI curriculum and that of related disciplines; availability of textbooks and other forms of teaching materials, including case studies to increase the interpersonal orientation of the classroom experience and the use of immersive environments; the design of homework and exams; the choices of programming languages for programming projects; the relation to other computer science and engineering disciplines to AI; and the perspectives for designing an introductory AI course for majors outside Engineering/Computer Science, keeping in mind both undergraduate and the graduate levels of instruction throughout the discussion. We will conclude by asking what the best ways are to prepare our students for industry's needs, given the available resources and maturity of teaching methodologies.
Field Screening Method for Above-Tolerance Residues of Dithiocarbamate Fungicides

A field screening method has been developed for detecting above-tolerance residues of dithiocarbamate (DTC) fungicides on fruits and vegetables. A harvested crop might be condemned as unfit for market if above-tolerance DTC residues are present; however, by using this screening method, a grower might be able to postpone harvesting a crop until the screening test indicates that residues have dissipated below the tolerance level. The method depends on carbon disulfide generated from DTC fungicides at an elevated temperature into the headspace gas above the contents of a septum-sealed reaction flask, with hydrochloric acid and stannous chloride present. The syringe-withdrawn, headspace carbon disulfide then reacts with the appropriate chromophore reagent already in the syringe. The lower limit of detectability is about 2 ppm DTC fungicide from 30 g chopped crop. A single test can be completed in about 90 min; the average time per test when several are conducted sequentially is considerably shorter.
Conclusion: Guidons Burning

By 1791, it seemed that France’s inflated expectations for citizen soldiers — and perhaps citizenship in general — had inhibited, if not indefinitely deferred, the realization of a citizen army for France. Much of French expectation for the citizen army throughout the old regime and Revolution had depended on the citizen desiring to join the army and fighting vigorously out of love for the patrie, with little change to the social hierarchy and status of the officers. The early Revolution, however, while promising the realization of a citizen army, also extinguished it, at least for the next several decades. Like a dream deferred, the citizen army was something that the officers, soldiers, and citizens of France had tried, and just barely touched, but never fully realized. Officers began to flee in great numbers in 1791, and the declaration of war on 20 April 1792 only increased the number of officers who emigrated, seeing it as their last chance to restore their comrades, the king, and their way of life, with the help of another country that still recognized nobility.2 French Revolutionaries then had to contend with the ‘citizen army’ that they inherited, just as it crumbled under the rigors of an increasingly radical Revolution and the threats that plagued it without and within. The army of the French Revolution would pursue voluntary enrollment, specifically with calls for volunteers in 1791 and 1792, but the numbers of people who answered the call would not be sufficient to fill the army’s ranks, and Revolutionaries would resort to conscription.
Validating a summary measure of weight history for modeling the health consequences of obesity

Abstract Purpose Data on weight history may enhance the predictive validity of epidemiologic models of the health risks of obesity, but collecting such data is often not feasible. In this study, we investigate the validity of a summary measure of weight history. Methods We evaluated the quality of reporting of maximum weight in a sample of adults aged 50–84 years using data from the Health and Retirement Study. Recalled max body mass index (BMI, measured in kilogram per square meter) based on recalled weight in 2004 was compared with calculated max BMI based on self-reported weight collected biennially between 1992 and 2004. Logistic regression was used to assess similarity between the measures in predicting prevalent conditions. Results The correlation coefficient between recalled and calculated max weight in the overall sample was 0.95. Recalled max BMI value was within three BMI units of the calculated value 91.4% of the time. The proportions of individuals with obese I (BMI: 30.0–34.9), obese II (BMI: 35.0–39.9), and obese III (BMI: 40.0 and above) were 28.8%, 12.7%, and 6.6% using recalled values compared with 27.1%, 10.5%, and 4.9% using calculated values. In multivariate analyses, the two BMI measures similarly predicted disease prevalence across a number of chronic conditions. Conclusions Recalled max BMI was strongly correlated with max BMI calculated over the 12-year period before recall, suggesting that this measure can serve as a reliable summary measure of recent weight status.
An Optokinetic Clue to the Pathogenesis of Crossed Fixation in Infantile Esotropia

This report demonstrates that patients with essential infantile esotropia (EIE) and crossed fixation tend to switch fixation to the eye receiving nasalward optokinetic input, suggesting that monocular nasotemporal optokinetic asymmetry (MNTA) could underlie the phenomenon of crossed fixation. As MNTA derives from the nasal retina, EIE can be conceptualized as a condition wherein the nasal retinas are repositioned to lie within the frontal plane, thereby permitting bidirectional horizontal motion detection (nasalward for each fixing eye). This explanation should not imply that EIE is generated for the purpose of restoring horizontal motion bidirectionality, but that the preexisting nasalward deviation of both eyes can be exapted under binocular conditions to promote this critical function. This mechanism dovetails with the subcortical hypothesis in the following chapter to suggest that a dynamic (optokinetic) imbalance could underlie a static deviation (essential infantile esotropia).
Abstract 2786: Associations of erythrocyte ω-3 fatty acids with breast tissue ω-3 and inflammation

Large, prospective studies have shown that chronic inflammation is associated with increased breast cancer risk. Long-chain ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids [(LCω-3PUFA); including eicosapentaenoic (EPA; 20:5ω3), docosapentaenoic (DPA; 22:5ω3), and docosahexaenoic acids (DHA; 22:6ω3)], derived from intakes of fatty fish and fish oil supplements, have anti-inflammatory properties. Epidemiologic studies of circulating LCω-3PUFA are suggestive of an inverse association with breast cancer. However, it is not known what, if any, relationship there is between LCω-3PUFA in blood and in breast tissues. Further, no study has examined the association between circulating LCω-3PUFA and inflammatory markers within breast tissue. We conducted a cross-sectional analysis in blood and breast tissues from 132 cancer-free women undergoing elective reduction mammoplasty. Women, ages ≥18 years (17 with parental permission) with no prior history of cancer, were recruited between 1997 and 2009 and completed a comprehensive questionnaire. Surgically removed breast tissues, erythrocytes and heparinized plasma samples were collected. Fatty acid analysis of erythrocyte membrane and breast tissue EPA, DPA, DHA, and α-linolenic acid (ALA; 18:3ω3), a short-chain ω-3 PUFA that does not hold anti-inflammatory properties, were performed using gas chromatography. Breast tissue C-reactive protein (CRP) and interleukins (IL) -6 and -8 were measured using ELISA assays. T-tests and analysis of variance (ANOVA) were used to evaluate differences in mean total LCω-3PUFA (defined here as the sum of EPA, DPA and DHA) and CRP concentrations by participant characteristics. Multiple-regression models were fitted to examine the associations of circulating ω-3 with breast tissue ω-3 and inflammation. Erythrocyte ω-3 concentrations were positively associated with the same fatty acids in breast tissue. The strongest association was for DHA; women in the highest quartile of erythrocyte DHA had 39% higher tissue DHA compared to those in the lowest quartile (Ratio 1.39, 95% CI: 1.08-1.79; P-trend To our knowledge, this is the first observational study examine the association between circulating and breast tissue ω-3, and the first study to examine associations between circulating ω-3 and breast tissue inflammation. Our findings provide evidence of the biological mechanisms linking ω-3 intake, inflammation, and breast cancer susceptibility. Citation Format: Shuvro Roy. Associations of erythrocyte ω-3 fatty acids with breast tissue ω-3 and inflammation. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 106th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2015 Apr 18-22; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(15 Suppl):Abstract nr 2786. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2015-2786
Irradiation of Semiconductors

Germanium semiconductors of various resistivities and carrier concentrations have been irradiated with 9.6 Mev deuterons, 4.5 polonium a-particles and 4.5 Mev electrons. The energy levels introduced by defects have been determined from the removal rate of carriers as a function of the Fermi level in the semicunductors, from the temperature dependence of Hall coefficient and resistivity and from the spectral response of photoconductivity. All this information leads to a model of the defects, in general agreement with the conclusion that interstitials act as donors, vacancies act as acceptors, and that each interstitial and each vacancy can introduce several levels.
Ultrasound-Assisted Removal of A Fishbone Stuck in A Tongue in the Emergency Department.

Abstract Background Foreign body (FB) impaction in the oropharyngeal region—and specifically the tongue—is a common problem in the emergency department that often requires specialty consultation and admission for operative intervention. Over the years, the use of point of care ultrasound (POCUS) has increased ease and success of FB removal in other anatomic regions, but is only rarely reported for extraction of FB from the tongue outside of the operating room. Case Report This case demonstrates a unique case of ultrasound-guided removal of a fishbone from the tongue in the emergency department after blind attempts failed. Operative intervention and admission were initially avoided; however, because of initial failed attempts and blind dissection before the use of POCUS, the patient presented a day later requiring admission for postprocedural tongue swelling and edema. Why Should an Emergency Physician Be Aware of This? Emergency physicians should be aware that POCUS may assist in FB localization in the tongue.
P2Z adenosine triphosphate receptor activity in cultured human monocyte-derived macrophages.

The present study shows that human mononuclear phagocytes express a P2Z- like purinergic membrane receptor activity. Extracellular adenosine triphosphate (ATP) induces the formation of nonselective membrane pores in human mononuclear phagocytes that allow the entry of otherwise membrane impermeant fluorescent dyes (YO-PRO-1 or Lucifer yellow) into the cytoplasm of these cells. The percentage of mononuclear phagocytes that was permeabilized by ATP increased as monocytes matured into macrophages. Their response to ATP was inhibited by Mg2+ and oxidized ATP. Benzoylbenzoic-ATP (BzBzATP) was approximately 60% as effective as ATP and adenosine-5 -O-(thiophosphate) (ATP gamma S) was less than 20% as effective as ATP in permeabilizing human macrophages to YO-PRO-1 or Lucifer Yellow. Thus, the human P2Z-like receptor differs from its murine counterpart because BzBzATP, ATP, and ATP gamma S are equally efficacious in permeabilizing murine macrophage-like J774 cells to these dyes. UTP, GTP, and CTP were ineffective in permeabilizing human or murine macrophages to YO-PRO-1. Taken together, these data indicate that human monocyte-derived macrophages express a P2Z-like activity that is pharmacologically distinct from that expressed by their murine counterparts and that expression of these receptors is developmentally regulated in human mononuclear phagocytes.
Professionalism and the leadership transition in the post-Mao Chinese Army

Many China experts claim that there was a leadership transition in the Chinese Army in the 1980s and that the formation of the post-Mao military elite represents the emergence of technocracy in the People’s Liberation Army (PLA). However, their arguments are not supported by sufficient data. This article analyzed 224 top Chinese Army leaders’ biographies and found that there was indeed a leadership transition in the post-Mao Chinese Army and that the current PLA elite can be best characterized as a bureaucratic-technocracy rather than just as a technocracy.
Community Succession, Diversity, and Disturbance in the Central Hardwood Forest

During the past two decades, ecologists have voiced increasing concern over the problem of maintaining forest ecosystem integrity and sustainability, not only locally and regionally but also nationally. This concern has grown concurrent with the hard database that has provided new information on succession, stability, and biodiversity. In the central hardwood region, the process of forest succession is characterized by natural fragmentation of the oak-hickory forest overstory as canopy gaps are filled with stems of other hardwood species. The loss of oak and hickory over time will have a major impact on the entire ecosystem because they impart a unique structure and function to the forest community. These species are considered keystone species,which Bond (1994) defines as those that should be conserved because they have a disproportionate effect on the persistence of other species. Oak- and hickory-dominated forests not only produce mast but create environmental conditions required by a variety of understory plants as well as mammals, birds, and insects not found in other forest types. The impact of forest habitat loss on mammals is well known, but our understanding of the impact of fragmentation (i.e., caused by agriculture) on neotropical migrant songbird and cowbird populations is relatively recent (Thompson and Fritzell 1990, Terborgh 1992, Thompson et al. 1992, Martin 1993). Less well studied is the impact of succession on shrub and herbaceous plants. These strata produce seed and support a myriad of insect species that constitute the food supply of many songbirds (Martin et al. 1951). A relatively new concept is that many common herbaceous plants depend on the oak-forest environment and are strongly negatively impacted by succession to shade-tolerant species.
Abstract 174: Economic Benefit of an Educational Intervention to Improve tPA Use in Community Hospitals: Secondary Analysis of the INSTINCT Trial

Introduction: Prior work demonstrates substantial economic benefit from tPA use. We hypothesized a T2 knowledge translation (KT) program to increase community tPA treatment would provide a cost-eff...
Cartography for Journalists

Maps are, perhaps, the most common types of information graphics. In addition to serving a variety of purposes in communications design, such as forecasting the weather, locating the scene of a news event or plotting statistical information geographically, maps are also used by the government, private and public companies and community organizations. Road maps provide us with directions for how to get to where we're going. Land-use maps are used to outline a city's zoning parameters. Topographic maps show the physical features (i.e., water, mountains, valleys, etc.) of land. Statistical maps associate numerical data with specified areas of land. In fact, for every known location in the world, any number of maps may exist that provide a variety of information from a simple x-marks-the-spot location to a more detailed explanation of a specific location's various characteristics.