cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Swarm nodes for automated steel installation tracking: A case study

Abstract Monitoring the installation of building components offers great opportunities for enhancing not only the productivity but the performance of construction operations. Existing approaches and technologies still suffer from low level automation and lack of adaptability to material installation processes. This paper examines the feasibility of automatically tracking the installation of building components using proximity data obtained from swarm nodes. Proximity data were collected from tagged steel components during the installation process and compared with that obtained from the design model. Experiments were conducted to determine the accuracy of the swarm nodes. The error obtained from the experiments was used to set a buffer or tolerance around the components for accurately capturing the installation status in the developed system. This result has demonstrated that the application of swarm nodes has the potential to automatically track the installation of building components.
Diversity in global patterns of observed precipitation variability and change on river basin scales

Comprehensive characterization of diversity in global patterns of precipitation variability and change is an important starting point for climate adaptation and resilience assessments. Capturing the nature of precipitation probability distribution functions (PDF) is critical for assessing variability and change. Conventional linear regression-based analyses assume that slope coefficients for the wet and dry tails of the PDF are consonant with the conditional mean trend. This assumption is not always borne out in the analyses of historical records. Given the relationship between sea surface temperature (SST) and precipitation, recent trends in global SST complicate interpretations of precipitation variability and risk. In this study, changes in the PDF of annual precipitation (1951–2011) at the global river basin scale were analyzed using quantile regression (QR). QR is a flexible approach allowing for the assessment of precipitation variability conditioned on the leading empirical orthogonal function (EOF) patterns of global SST that reflect El Nino–Southern Oscillation and Atlantic Multi-decadal Oscillation. To this end, the framework presented (a) offers a characterization of the entire PDF and its sensitivity to the leading modes of SST variability, (b) captures a range of responses in the PDF including asymmetries, (c) highlights regions likely to experience higher risks of precipitation excesses and deficits and inter-annual variability, and (d) offers an approach for quantifying risk across specified quantiles. Results show asymmetric responses in the PDF in all regions of the world, either in single or both tails. In one instance, QR detects a differential response to the leading patterns of SST in the Tana basin in eastern Africa, highlighting changes in variability as well as risk.
B Cell Immunity

B cells and the antibodies they secrete are crucial for responding to certain pathogens, as shown by the clinical presentation of patients who lack B cells or antibodies. Such patients show increased susceptibility toward recurrent and/or severe bacterial infections, particularly with encapsulated bacteria. In this chapter, we review basic B cell biology in humans and in mice, including new insights that have been gained recently. Information covered in this chapter includes the types of B cells found in the body, the role of surface receptors in activating B cells, B cell interactions with T cells, formation of germinal centers, isotype switching, affinity maturation, and the production of memory B cells and antibody-secreting plasma cells. Although much has been learned about B cells and how they function in immune responses, questions still remain about the exact mechanisms that control their activation and differentiation programs. Future studies will help to fill in these details and give us a complete picture of how B cells contribute to immunity in response to infectious diseases.
Abstract 12728: Inactivation of Cdc42 in Neural Crest Cells Causes Craniofacial and Cardiovascular Morphogenesis Defects

Neural crest cells (NCCs) are physically responsible for craniofacial skeleton formation, pharyngeal arch artery remodeling and cardiac outflow tract separation during vertebrate development. Cdc42 (cell division cycle 42) is a Rho family small GTP-binding protein that works as a molecular switch to regulate cytoskeleton remodeling and the establishment of cell polarity. To investigate the role of Cdc42 in NCCs during embryonic development, we deleted Cdc42 in NCCs by crossing Cdc42 flox mice with Wnt1-Cre mice. We found that the inactivation of Cdc42 in NCCs caused embryonic lethality with craniofacial deformities and cardiovascular developmental defects, which mirror the phenotypes of DiGeorge syndrome in humans. Specifically, Cdc42 NCC knockout embryos showed fully penetrant cleft lips and short snorts. Alcian Blue and Alizarin Red staining of the cranium exhibited an unfused nasal capsule and palatine in the mutant embryos. India ink intracardiac injection analysis displayed a spectrum of cardiovascular developmental defects, including persistent truncus arteriosus, hypomorphic pulmonary arteries, interrupted aortic arches and right-sided aortic arches. To explore the underlying mechanisms of Cdc42 in the formation of the great blood vessels, we generated Wnt1Cre-Cdc42-Rosa26 reporter mice. By LacZ staining, a subpopulation of Cdc42-null NCCs were observed halting in their migration midway from the pharyngeal arches to the conotruncal cushions. Phalloidin staining revealed dispersed, shorter and disoriented stress fibers in Cdc42-null NCCs. Finally, we demonstrated that the inactivation of Cdc42 in NCCs impaired bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP2) -induced NCC cytoskeleton remodeling and migration. In summary, our results demonstrated that Cdc42 plays an essential role in NCC migration, and inactivation of Cdc42 in NCCs impairs craniofacial and cardiovascular development in mice.
Hydrogen bonding in the triple-helix

The increased level of detail obtained from high resolution crystal structures of triple-helical peptides and the residue specific properties that can be defined by NMR studies on15N-enriched peptides has given new information on hydrogen bonding in the triple-helix. In particular, it has given details about the principle originally posed by Ramachandran to try to maximize the hydrogen bonding in the collagen triple-helical structure in the face of the lack of direct favorable interactions. Now it can be seen that by the participation of water, and by the summation of many weak hydrogen bonding patterns, the structure is largely stabilized through hydrogen bonding, as indicated by calorimetry. The CaH…O=C hydrogen bonds, the water mediated NH…CO bonds, and the hydroxyproline-water hydrogen bonds proposed by Ramachandran have been visualized and now defined in the triple-helix.
Accuracy and Resolution in the Computation of Solutions of Linear and Nonlinear Equations

Publisher Summary This chapter describes the accuracy and resolution in the computation of solutions of linear and nonlinear equations. In many problems, one is presented with piecewise initial data whose discontinuities occur along surfaces. According to the theory of hyperbolic equations, solutions with such initial data are themselves piecewise with their discontinuities occurring across characteristic surface. At points away from the discontinuities, the truncation error is small. In these regions, it is reasonable to use difference approximations of high order accuracy, except for the danger that the large truncation error at the discontinuities propagates into the smooth region. According to the theory of hyperbolic conservation laws, solutions of systems of the form are in general discontinuous. The discontinuities, called shocks, need not be present in the initial values but arise spontaneously and their speed of propagations is governed by the Rankine–Hugoniot jump relation. It is more difficult to construct accurate approximations of discontinuous solutions of nonlinear equations than of linear equations.
Long-term impact of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill on deep-sea corals detected after seven years of monitoring

Abstract Cold-water corals form high biodiversity habitats in the deep sea. They are generally long-lived, slow-growing, and thus particularly vulnerable to anthropogenic impact. We used high-definition imagery to quantify the impact and assess the recovery of deep-sea corals that were affected by the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Over three hundred Paramuricea spp. colonies were imaged yearly between 2011 and 2017 at five sites, and the images were digitized to quantify health, hydroid overgrowth, identify branch loss, and track recovery patterns. Although the median level of impact decreased after 2011 at all impacted sites, it has been stable since then and remained higher than at the reference sites. Recovery depended on the initial level of impact to the colonies, which negatively affected the ability of individual branches to recover or remain healthy. The effect of initial impact on recovery between consecutive years was still visible seven years after the spill, indicating a long-term, non-acute, impact on the colonies. Injured corals were also more likely to lose branches, and branch loss was still significantly higher at some of the impacted sites between 2016 and 2017, indicating an ongoing effect of the spill, which may eventually lead to delayed mortality. The methodology we employed allows us to successfully detect small changes in the health of corals. We suggest the establishment of image-based coral-monitoring sites to collect baseline data on coral biology, assess the efficacy of Marine Protected Areas, and detect future anthropogenic impact to these vulnerable deep-sea ecosystems.
Balloon Catheter Dilation of the Sinuses: A 2011-2014 MarketScan Analysis.

Objective This study uses a large national claims-based database to analyze recent practice patterns related to balloon catheter dilation (BCD) of the sinuses. Study Design Retrospective study. Setting Academic. Subjects and Methods Patients with chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) undergoing BCD and functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS) from 2011 to 2014 were identified in Truven Health MarketScan Databases with codes from the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification and Current Procedural Terminology, Fourth Edition. Prevalence of CRS and frequency of sinus procedures were trended over the study period. Information related to site of service, demographics, and comorbidities was analyzed. Results Although the prevalence of CRS and sinus procedures remained stable over the study period, there was a consistent increase in the annual number of BCD procedures performed in the office. Among BCD procedures, multisinus dilation had the largest increase. A higher proportion of patients undergoing BCD were women, aged ≥65 years, and from the South. There was a higher prevalence of headache disorder and allergic rhinitis in the BCD group, as compared with the FESS and hybrid groups. Conclusion BCD, especially in the office, has risen in popularity since the introduction of Current Procedural Terminology codes in 2011. This study reveals significant differences in demographics and comorbidities between patients undergoing BCD and those undergoing FESS. Such disparities may highlight the need for better-defined indications for use of this technology.
Human crawling performance and technique revealed by inertial measurement units.

Abstract Human crawling performance and technique are of broad interest to roboticists, biomechanists, and military personnel. This study explores the variables that define crawling performance in the context of an outdoor obstacle course used by military organizations worldwide to evaluate the effects of load and personal equipment on warfighter performance. Crawling kinematics, measured from four body-worn inertial measurement units (IMUs) attached to the upper arms and thighs, are recorded for thirty-three participants. The IMU data is distilled to four metrics of crawling performance; namely, crawl speed, crawl stride time, ipsilateral limb coordination, and contralateral limb coordination. We hypothesize that higher performance (as identified by higher crawl speeds) is associated with more coordinated limbs and lower stride times. A cluster analysis groups participants into high and low performers exhibiting statistically significant differences across the four performance metrics. In particular, high performers exhibit superior limb coordination associated with a “diagonal gait” in which contralateral limbs move largely in-phase to produce faster crawl speeds and shorter crawl stride times. In contrast, low performers crawl at slower speeds with longer crawl stride times and less limb coordination. Beyond these conclusions, a major contribution of this study is a method for deploying wearable IMUs to study crawling in contextually relevant (i.e. non-laboratory) environments.
Environmental Justice Dimensions of Oil and Gas Flaring in South Texas: Disproportionate Exposure among Hispanic Communities

Unconventional extraction techniques including hydraulic fracturing or "fracking" have led to a boom in oil and gas production in the Eagle Ford shale play, Texas, one of the most productive regions in the United States. Nearly 400000 people live within 5 km of an unconventional oil or gas well in this largely rural area. Flaring is associated primarily with unconventional oil wells and is an increasingly common practice in the Eagle Ford to dispose of excess gas through combustion. Flares can operate continuously for months and release hazardous air pollutants such as particulate matter and volatile organic compounds in addition to causing light and noise pollution and noxious odors. We estimated ethnic disparities in exposure to flaring using satellite observations from the Visible Infrared Imaging Spectroradiometer between March 2012-December 2016. Census blocks with majority Hispanic (>60%) populations were exposed to twice as many nightly flare events within 5 km as those with <20% Hispanics. We found that Hispanics were exposed to more flares despite being less likely than non-Hispanic White residents to live near unconventional oil and gas wells. Our findings suggest Hispanics are disproportionately exposed to flares in the Eagle Ford shale, a pattern known as environmental injustice, which could contribute to disparities in air pollution and other nuisance exposures.
Iatrogenic Cushing Syndrome In An Hiv-Infected Patient Secondary to Concomitant Therapy With Genvoya and Epidural Triamcinolone

ABSTRACT Objective We report the first known case of Cushing syndrome and secondary adrenal insufficiency in a patient with concomitant use of epidural triamcinolone and Genvoya® (elvitegravir 150 mg/cobicistat 150 mg/emtricitabine 200 mg/tenofovir alafenamide 10 mg) for the human immunodeficiency viruses (HIV). The prompt recognition of this drug-drug interaction is critical to avoid adverse outcomes when glucocorticoids are used with anti-retroviral treatment containing cobicistat, a potent cytochrome P450 3A (CYP3A4) inhibitor. Methods The patient was evaluated by determining morning serum cortisol concentrations, the serum cortisol response to cosyntropin, and a urine synthetic glucocorticoid panel that is capable of measuring triamcinolone. We also employed the Naranjo Nomogram for Causality as well as a Drug Interaction Probability scale to assess medication-related adverse effects. Long term outcome was assessed by measuring morning serum cortisol and adrenocorticotropic hormone levels. Results A 76-year-old female with HIV on Genvoya® presented with fatigue, weight loss, and hyperglycemia. She had received multiple epidural triamcinolone injections for chronic back pain before her presentation. We hypothesized that the patient's presentation of Cushing syndrome and adrenal insufficiency was caused by the inhibition of triamcinolone metabolism by cobicistat. The patient's antiretroviral therapy was changed to a regimen without cobicistat. She was started on maintenance hydrocortisone to prevent an adrenal crisis. A repeat urine glucocorticoid panel, within 3 days of the patient's HIV regimen being changed, showed a significant decrease in triamcinolone levels. Conclusion It is essential to avoid drugs that include cobicistat when administering glucocorticoids that are metabolized via the CYP3A4 pathway due to the risk of developing Cushing syndrome and secondary adrenal insufficiency. Abbreviations ART antiretroviral therapy CYP3A4 cytochrome P450 3A4 HIV human immunodeficiency viruses HPA hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal ICS iatrogenic Cushing syndrome
Muslim women meme-ing citizenship in the era of War on Terror militarism

Facebook meme groups created by Muslim students at American universities are sites of intensive daily productivity, where members post memes they create, or share memes they find elsewhere, joking ...
Oral sedation for pain with cervical dilator placement: a randomized controlled trial.

Abstract Objective Assess oral sedation versus placebo for pain control with cervical dilator placement. Study design We randomized participants presenting for dilation and evacuation to lorazepam 1 mg/oxycodone 5 mg or placebo 45 min before cervical dilator placement. Our primary outcome was median visual analog scale (VAS) pain score after dilator placement using a 100-mm VAS. We used our outcome data to calculate median pain score changes from baseline to better reflect pain score differences between study groups. Planned sample size was 30 participants per group, for a total of 60. Results We randomized 27 participants; 9 received sedation and 11 placebo. Median pain score increase from baseline to last dilator placement was 20 [interquartile range (IQR) 8–29] and 31 (IQR 15–81) in the oral sedation and placebo groups, p = .16. Conclusion We were unable to enroll our desired sample size, and our sample is underpowered to make any conclusions. Our results suggest that oral sedation may provide some benefit for pain relief with dilator insertion and indicate that further research might be worthwhile especially in settings that do not routinely provide these analgesics. Implications We had difficulty with study recruitment because many patients desired oral sedation for pain management for cervical dilator placement and declined randomization. Randomized trials of pain management with a placebo arm may find recruitment challenging especially if default clinical care already includes a pain management option that patients would have to opt out of.
Lower-Limb Amputees in Olympic Weightlifting

The coach serves an integral role in shaping the youth sport experience. For athletes with disabilities, participation in sports may be a negative experience because their coach may misperceive or misunderstand their behaviors. More educational material about coaching adaptive athletes would help bridge the information gap between weightlifting coaches and the adaptive community. Because the number of adaptive athletes in the sport of weightlifting is steadily rising, it is becoming increasingly important that coaches of these athletes understand how they can facilitate the athlete’s lifelong enjoyment of the sport. Coaches should not be intimidated by adaptive athletes. Due to the unique nature of individual circumstances, it can be difficult to generalize about the most effective ways to train adaptive athletes. In recent years, USA Weightlifting (USAW) has introduced measures designed to increase accessibility of the sport for disabled athletes. These measures are summarized, analyzed, and presented in this article in a way that the authors are able to make training recommendations for athletes with lower-lib amputations. In addition, the psychological aspects of adapted weightlifting are briefed and analyzed culminating in recommendations for athletes engaging in weight training and coaches who work with athletes with amputation.
Machine learning workflow for microparticle composite thin-film process–structure linkages

Microparticle composite thin films (MCTFs) have applications in a variety of fields, ranging from water filtration, to advanced energy storage, to medical devices. Variations in processing parameters during casting and solidification have been demonstrated to lead to morphological and therefore property changes in the final film. However, the wide range and number of possible combinations of parameters can make robust process–structure (PS) linkages a complex problem. Material informatics has shown to be well suited for developing PS linkages in other materials, but there are challenges that must first be addressed for MCTFs given the lack of separation between the characteristic length scales of the microstructure (i.e., particles, pores, etc.) and the film thickness. The objective of this work is to identify reduced-order spatial models and machine learning algorithms to address these problems. To achieve this, simulated microstructures of microparticle distributions based upon slot die coating simulations have been generated. Reduced-order representations of the microstructures were then created to capture variation in the microstructure across small slices through thickness of the film using two-point particle autocorrelation statistics and principal component analysis. Results showed that predictive PS linkages can be created using Gaussian process regression between the final film morphology and processing parameters; however, image size must be considered to ensure convergence in spatial statistics to increase accuracy.
Reparations Theory and Practice Then and Now: Mau Mau Redress Litigation and the British High Court

The article casts bright and, in some respects, new light on Mari Matsuda’s foundational theories on reparations. It summarizes her critique of limited traditional legal views and then describes her expansive, yet grounded approach, to reparations as a “critical legalism” and her illumination of theory through the then-pending Japanese American internment redress and Native Hawaiian redress initiatives. As part of this description, the article pays close attention to her anticipation of obstacles to reparations, many of which later played out on judicial and legislative battlefields. It then depicts four evolving past-to-present generations of reparations theory and practice, with Matsuda's Looking to the Bottom article as the first generation's starting point, and identifies the present-day relevance of Matsuda's original insights and their impact on reparations theory and practice “at the cross-roads,” particularly as fourth generation reparations theory evolves with a multidisciplinary emphasis on social healing through justice. The article does this through a concise look at startling 2011 and 2012 reparations rulings by the High Court of England and Wales (“British High Court”). Those rulings recognize the viability of the Mau Mau people's group-based reparations claim against the British government for atrocities in Kenya during colonial rule and, in important respects, approach reparations as a “critical legalism.”
Type-C RNA virus gene expression in human tissue.

Partially purified fractions of human tissues have been analyzed by competition radioimmunoassay for the presence of two of the principle structural components of type-C RNA viruses, the major core protein (p27 to p30) and the major envelope glycopeptides (gp69/71). Screening of tissues was carried out by use of a heterologous assay system of 125 I-labeled Rauscher murine virus p30 antigen and anti-RD 114 virus serum which was found to detect a class of interspecies determinants common to murine, feline, and primate viruses. A competitor with the same apparent affinity for antibody binding as that of purified viral core proteins was found in relatively high concentration in tissues from patients with systemic lupus erythematosus, in some neoplastic tissues, and also in normal human tissues. This competitor from a lupus spleen chromatographed on phosphocellulose and showed size fractionation during gel filtration similar to known p27 to p30 viral proteins. An immunologically reactive protein was also demonstrated by immunodiffusion and by immunoprecipitation of 125 I-labeled human protein with anti-RD 114 p28 serum. Analysis of these human competitor proteins with homologous assay systems of viral core proteins and corresponding antisera showed that all, including the normal tissue extracts, appear similar to core proteins of known viruses, especially the RD 114 and woolly monkey species. A hypothesis suggested by these data is that many, if not all, humans harbor at least part of the genome of one or more type-C viruses, the properties of which are similar to those of viruses from other mammalian species, particularly primates. Images
Evaluation of the ocular penetration of topical alpha-luminol (Galavit®/GVT®).

Purpose Oxidative stress plays a major role in the pathogenesis of many neurodegenerative diseases. It has also been implicated as part of the pathogenic mechanisms in the development of glaucoma. Alpha-luminol has shown profound anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects in both experimental animal and human clinical studies. The purpose of this pilot study was to investigate for the first time the ocular penetration of topical alpha-luminol. Methods Nine animals were divided into three treated groups (three animals each; one drop OU/n = 18), each group receiving a different concentration of the eyedrop (0.5%, 1.5%, 2.5%). Aqueous humor and peripheral blood samples were obtained from each rabbit at three different timepoints (20 min, 4 h and 12 h). Samples were analyzed by means of high performance liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry; median values were compared. Results Alpha-luminol was found in the aqueous humor in all treated groups at all timepoints. At the 2nd and 3rd timepoints (4 h and 12 h), aqueous humor levels decreased significantly (P < 0.05) for two of the three dosages tested and it was not detectable in some eyes. The highest aqueous humor concentration of the drug was 272 ng/mL after 20 min (0.0217% of one drop, 2.5% group). Alpha-luminol was found in the vitreous in two animals, one in the 1.5% and another in the 2.5% group (16.4 and 21.5 ng/mL, respectively), at 12 h. Conclusions Topically administered alpha-luminol readily penetrates into the anterior chamber and can penetrate into the vitreous chamber. Further investigation is warranted to better understand the intraocular pharmacokinetics of alpha-luminol.
ALVEOLAR BONE ANATOMIC PROFILES AS MEASURED FROM DRY SKULLS CLINICAL RAMIFICATIONS

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship of alveolar bone morphology to tooth shape and form. 111 dry skulls were evaluated at Baylor College of Dentistry (Dallas, Texas). The skulls were arbitrarily divided into flat, scalloped and pronounced scalloped anatomic profiles according to alveolar bone anatomy. The number of buccal dehiscences and fenestrations was determined for each skull according to their anatomic morphotype. 10 skulls from each group were selected for bone height measurements. The measurements were made with a periodontal probe and ruler from the height of the interproximal bone to the buccal alveolar crest. Kodachrome slides were used to measure mesial-distal tooth width and length from ten skulls from each anatomic category. The average number of fenestrations for each group was 3.5. The mean number of dehiscences for flat and scalloped skulls was 0.5. The average number of dehiscences for pronounced scalloped was 1.2. There were no significant differences when the groups were compared. The mean distance from the height of the interdental bone to the alveolar crest was statistically significant when the groups were compared (flat 2.1 mm, scalloped 2.8 mm, pronounced 4.1 mm) (Tukey, p = 0.05). There were no significant differences when tooth shapes were compared with bone anatomy. Pronounced scalloped anatomic profiles were slightly narrower when compared with the other groups. The observations reported have treatment ramifications when patients with scalloped or pronounced scalloped morphotypes are being considered for dental implant placement.
Evidence supporting a physiological role for proANP-(1-30) in the regulation of renal excretion.

The experiments, performed in pentobarbital sodium-anesthetized rats, consisted of a 1-h equilibration period followed by two 30-min control periods. Subsequently, synthetic rat pro atrial natriure...
The role of emotional brain processing during sleep in depression.

Accessible summary • Explores current research illuminating the physiological mechanisms contributing the relationship of sleep dysfunction and depression. • Investigates the crucial role of sleep in the affective modulation of brain functioning. • Describes the relationship between emotional brain processing during rapid eye movement and depression. • Points to the use of multi-therapeutic approaches for treatment with emphasis on positive behavioural imagery therapies. Abstract This review synthesizes some of the most current investigative research to illuminate the physiological mechanisms contributing to the relationship between sleep dysfunction and depression. Major depression has consistently been linked to sleep abnormalities and insomnia is a robust risk factor in the initiating and development of depression. Recent neurobiological findings indicate the crucial role of sleep in the affective modulation of brain functioning. Studies have demonstrated that sleep in major depression is characterized by a reduction in slow wave sleep, interruptions in sleep continuity, longer periods of rapid eye movement (REM) sleep including a shortening of REM latency (i.e. the time between sleep onset and the occurrence of the first REM period), as well as an increase in REM density. The failure of sleep dependant emotional brain processing in REM sleep that seems to occur in depression, support the development and fostering of clinical depression. How depression likely interplays with these sleep processes points to the use of multi-therapeutic approaches for treatment with emphasis on positive behavioural imagery therapies.
DRUG POLICY IN THE TIME OF AIDS: The Development of Outreach in San Francisco

In 1985, the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) funded an ethnographic research project in San Francisco to study the needle sharing behavior of injection drug users (IDUs). The goal of the re...
Environmental and cost benefits of using powder coatings: "an IBM perspective"

This paper documents IBM's use of powder coatings to replace liquid organic paints for decorative finishing of IBM products to achieve improved environmental and cost benefits. The technical accomplishments achieved by a multi-divisional team are described which resulted in the elimination of the volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions and solid waste disposal associated with liquid organic paints in selected applications. Additionally, this paper identifies the type of cost savings that can be realized in the decorative finishing of computers that makes the use of powder coatings a "win-win" situation.
Incremental learning of a large number of noisy texture classes by similarity measure

Pattern recognition methods are well applied to static problems. Their extension towards incremental acquisition or evolution of class descriptions over time is extremely difficult or even impossible. Moreover pattern recognition methods are not suitable to the integration of numeric and symbolic features in the acquisition of class descriptions. More flexible methods of the acquisition of class descriptions are methods of machine learning technology. For example, learning-from-examples methodology incorporates induction process in order to derive concept descriptions from a given set of preclassified examples. An alternative method that integrates some elements of pattern recognition and machine learning techniques is presented. The proposed method consists of two phases. In the first phase the systems learn a discriminatory description, called, Principle Axes Base (PAB) of initial classes. In the second phase PAB is used to learn new classes. >
Bases for modules

Abstract Let R be a ring and A an R -module. We examine different notions of bases or generating sets for A . Of particular interest is the notion of an irredundant basis for A , that is, a subset X of A that generates A but for which no proper subset of X generates A . We investigate the existence and cardinality of irredundant bases.
The processing of ternary LCP/LCP/thermoplastic blends

Abstract The feasibility of introducing a second thermotropic liquid crystalline polymer (TLCP) as a compatibilizer, or coupling agent, in order to improve the adhesion and dispersion between components of incompatible TLCP/thermoplastic blends was investigated. Two TLCP blends of a wholly aromatic copolyester (K161) with poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) and polycarbonate (PC) were prepared by a two-step melt-blending process, using an aliphatic containing TLCP, PET/60% poly(hydroxybenzoate) (PHB60), as the coupling phase. Preliminary morphological evidence indicated that the K161 reinforcing phase in the ternary systems exhibited improved adhesion and dispersion in a much finer scale than in binary blends of K161/PET and K161/PC prepared under the same processing conditions. It was found that the adhesion between the reinforcing K161 and the matrix PET phases depended on both the concentration of the coupling PET/PHB60 phase and the relative composition of the two TLCPs. The improved adhesion between K161 and PC matrix with the inclusion of PET/PHB60 phase was further delineated by comparing the phase morphology and mechanical properties of the ternary blends after a cold-drawing process with those of the binary systems. While the binary systems remained practically unaffected by the cold-drawing process, the ternary blends exhibited a well aligned and elongated K161 fibrillar phase with a diameter of around 1 μm or less. An increase of both initial modulus and breaking strength suggests that the enhanced adhesion between K161 and PC facilitates a better stress transfer for the deformation of the dispersed K161 particles into oriented, ellipsoidal domains. Other characterizations, including both differential scanning calorimetry and dynamic mechanical analysis, were conducted to elucidate the nature of the interactions between the components.
Florida Residents' Preferred Approach to Sexuality Education

Abstract Although there is widespread support for sexuality education, whether to use an abstinence-only or comprehensive approach is hotly debated. This study assessed Florida residents preferred approach to school-based sexuality education. The 641 respondents were selected by random digit dialing, using methods to ensure ethnic and geographic representation. Chi-Squares were used to assess relationships between seven socio-demographic variables and participants' preferred approach to sexuality education. The majority of respondents supported Abstinence-Plus, followed closely by Responsible Decision-making, with few supporting Abstinence-Only. Although in most cases respondents in the various age ranges, education levels, political parties, and political ideologies were most likely to choose Abstinence-Plus, there were some significant differences (p's < 01). Support for sexuality education is widespread in Florida.
A building block synthesis approach for precision flexure systems with integrated, strain-based position sensing

Abstract Early stage design of precision flexure systems that utilize strain-based displacement sensing is difficult due to the strong coupling between the mechanical and sensing subsystems. Traditional tools for flexure system and compliant mechanism synthesis are not capable of simultaneously optimizing the mechanical and sensing subsystems. The building block synthesis approach developed in this work is the only tool capable of designing compliant mechanisms with integrated strain based sensing. Building block modeling allows for rapid synthesis and vetting of concepts. This approach also allows the designer to determine concept feasibility, identify performance limits and tradeoffs, and obtain 1st order estimates of flexure geometry. In short, this method enables one to find an optimal design and set first order design parameters. The utility of the building block approach is detailed in a case study detailing the synthesis and modeling of three different one degree-of-freedom translational stages that are all derived from the series and parallel addition of fixed-guided cantilever beam building blocks.
Laser-Induced Material Modifications

This special issue is devoted to (ultrafast) laser-induced material modifications. it is limited in scope by considering for the most part materials in the solid state. Researchers from the international scene have been invited to review a topic from their current research interests in this area. But review or not, most of the papers herein contain new and interesting results. Fortuitously, the 12 papers accepted readily fit into three sections.
Fatigue limits in noncyclic loading of ceramics with crack-resistance curves

Fatigue properties in the noncyclic loading of ceramics with R-curves are studied. Particular attention is directed to the potential role of R-curves in the enhancement of fatigue limits. A numerical algorithm for solving the appropriate differential equations of rate-dependent failure is developed. Our formalism specifically incorporates a crack-size dependent toughness function, based on grain-localized interfacial bridging, and a hyperbolic-sine velocity function, representative of a fundamental activation process. In a case study, dynamic fatigue (constant stressing rate) and static fatigue (constant applied stress) data for a coarse-grained alumina with a pronounced R-curve are analysed. With foreknowledge of the toughness parameters, the intrinsic crack-tip velocity function is deconvoluted. This intrinsic function is distinguished from the usual “apparent”, or “shielded”, (and demonstrably nonunique) function determined directly from the external load. It is confirmed that the R-curve, by virtue of its stabilizing influence on the crack growth, significantly enhances the fatigue limit, and confers the quality of “flaw tolerance” on fatigue lifetimes.
Lubricant for Probe-Based Ferroelectric Recording Devices

In a probe-based ferroelectric recording system a protective coating of lubricant provides low friction and a low wear rate as well as allows the continuous contact of the probe tip with the storage medium. SO5, a member of the commercially available electric connector lubricants polyphenyl ether (PPE), was experimentally proven effective as a lubricant in supporting this probe/media interface and has enabled the demonstration of the probe-based ferroelectric recording technology. The unique stability of SO5 lubricant in an electric field and in the presence of electrons makes this liquid particularly suitable for ferroelectric recording storage devices. A broad range of analytical techniques were used to identify this lubricant as a mixture of alkylated diphenyl ethers having varying molecular weight. A thin layer of this lubricant was uniformly coated on the probe media surface through a dip-lubing procedure. Its thermal stability and wettability was investigated in terms of the requirements for the successful application of this unique ferroelectric recording technology. The impact of this lubricant film on the read/write capability, durability and tribological performance was also explored.Copyright © 2008 by ASME
Sequential lymphomas or clonally unrelated richter syndrome of chronic lymphocytic leukemia into mantle cell lymphoma.

Clinical Practice Points Patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) can present with transformation into aggressive lymphomas (Richter’s transformation), most commonly diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL). However, other types of lymphomas can also occur in patients with CLL, e.g. the present case. A clinical suspicion of Richter syndrome by clinical history, abnormal laboratory, and positron emission imaging findings must be followed by a proper biopsy (not fine needle aspirate) and detailed histopathologic evaluation of the lymph nodes or involved tissues to confirm the diagnosis of the type of transformation or the type of lymphoma. Not all clinically suspected Richter syndrome cases are diffuse large B cell lymphoma. Simultaneous presentation of mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) and CLL in the same lymph node or in the same patient at the same time has been well described. We describe the unusual case of a patient with CLL who was in complete remission from CLL and now presented with a MCL without any evidence of CLL, which suggests a sequential lymphoma or a transformation of CLL into MCL.
Rhodium ion catalyzed decomposition of aryldiazoalkanes

Abstract Aryldiazomethanes are converted by rhodium(II) acetate and iodorhodium(III) tetraphenylporphyrin to cis - rather than trans -1,2-diarylethylenes. Secondary aryldiazoalkanes react with rhodirum(II) acetate to give azines.
The Color of Reform Race, Education Reform, and Charter Schools in Post-Katrina New Orleans

This article will focus on both the racial implications of the charter school “movement” in New Orleans after Katrina and the resistance to it by local citizens. We argue that it is difficult to ignore the manner in which White supremacist ideology has been normalized in the reform as it has historically in U.S. public education. Drawing on separate but complementary research by the authors, this article will be multi-vocal and reflect our positionalities as researchers who are “insiders.”
Sex differences in the function of pair bonding in the monogamous convict cichlid

Many monogamous animals engage in a period of pair bonding prior to their ultimate mate choice (reproduction). One hypothesis about the function of this behaviour is that it allows individuals to continuously assess the quality of their partner as well as other potential mates. I tested this hypothesis in the convict cichlid, Amatitlania nigrofasciata, by providing males and females with a choice between their partner and a novel individual of the opposite sex at various time points after formation of a pair bond. Sex differences were observed in patterns of behaviour, with females significantly more likely to spend time with their partner than with another male, while males generally spent more time with a novel female than with their partner. The time spent in a pair bond affected this pattern, however, with both sexes showing a decreased time-based partner preference as the time in a pair bond increased. After forming a pair bond, males were largely aggressive towards novel females, treating them as territorial intruders, while pair-bonded females generally ignored novel males. Neither sex appeared to actively court potential mates apart from their partner. In a second experiment, I attempted to alter this pattern by presenting pair-bonded individuals with novel potential mates of relatively higher quality (larger size) than their partner. When given a ‘better option’, neither females nor males showed a preference for their partner over a large novel mate. All males continued to treat novel females as territorial intruders, while a subset of females shifted their preference from their partner to a larger novel male. These results support the hypothesis that the role of pair bonding may differ between the sexes in this species, functioning as a prolonged period of mate assessment in females, but not in males.
A combinatorial model of odor discrimination using a small array of contiguous, chemically defined glomeruli.

: The macroglomerular complex (MGC) is a sexually dimorphic array of contiguous glomeruli in male moths, located at the base of the antennal nerve where it enters the primary olfactory processing area of the brain, the antennal lobe. A new three-dimensional reconstruction method was used to map this glomerular array, and images obtained with the laser scanning confocal microscope revealed the precise location and spatial arrangement of the MGC glomeruli in two related species of Heliothine moth. Intracellular recording and staining of projection neurons (PNs) that arborize within the MGC has revealed that information about the two attractive components of the Pheromone blend is segregated to different glomeruli in both species. In one species, Helicoverpa zea, a third glomerulus serves as the locus for the processing of odors that antagonize upwind flight. Thus, activation of different but overlapping sets of glomeruli within the MGC may provide a neural substrate for discriminating attractant vs antagonist chemical signals.
OBSERVATIONS ON THE GAMETOPHYTES OF BOTRYCHIUM VIRGINIANUM AND B. DISSECTUM

OF THE 23 SPECIES of Botrychium recognized by Clausen (1938), the gametophytes of only 5 have been described. These are B. lunaria (Bruchmann, 1906), B. simplex (Campbell, 1921), B. virginianum (Jeffrey, 1897; Campbell, 1928), B. dissectum (Lyon, 1905; Campbell, 1921), and B. japonicum (Nishida, 1954b, 1955). Those of B. matricariaefolium were collected by Lyon in 1904, but were never described (Lyon, 1905); and similarly those of B. multifidum ("B. rutaefolium forma tuberosum") were crudely illustrated, but ulndescribed and misunderstood (Milde, 1858). Despite the fact that the literature is meager on this subject, generalizations are often made concerning the subterranean stages in the life cycles of these ferns. The writer would suggest that two of these generalizations, namely that the gametophytes of Botrychium are rare and difficult to find and that there is little or no variation among the gametophytes of a given species save for irregularities in shape, are in error, and will present data to substantiate this conclusion. Gametophytes of Botrychium, especially B. virginianum, have been found in the field much more often than the nurhber of descriptions in the literature indicate. This can be concluded from the large number of laboratories in which these plants are deposited. For the most part the described and undescribed collections are made up almost entirely of larger gametophytes with sporophytes attached. This has led to a stereotyped concept of the morphology of the gametophyte based on those relatively few which act as female parents and which continue to grow after the establishment of the young sporophyte. The writer feels safe in concluding that it is the minority of gametophytes which do act as female parents and that of these a relatively small number persist after giving rise to a sporophyte. Still further, morphological gaps of considerable magnitude are suggested as existing among the gametophytes of the various genera of the Ophioglossaceae, gaps which in reality do not exist. MATERIALS AND METHODS. Gametophytes of B. virginianum were collected by the writer at the following locations: Ontario, along the north shore of Lake Superior approximately 50 mi. east of Nipigon with Professor E. C. Abbe, July, 1951;
Further experience with splenectomy in Hodgkin's disease

The indications for splenectomy in Hodgkin's disease have been defined. Using these criteria, splenectomy in a small number of patients has been of considerable benefit. Their pre- and postoperative management is described.