cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Zeroth-order Deterministic Policy Gradient.

Deterministic Policy Gradient (DPG) removes a level of randomness from standard randomized-action Policy Gradient (PG), and demonstrates substantial empirical success for tackling complex dynamic problems involving Markov decision processes. At the same time, though, DPG loses its ability to learn in a model-free (i.e., actor-only) fashion, frequently necessitating the use of critics in order to obtain consistent estimates of the associated policy-reward gradient. In this work, we introduce Zeroth-order Deterministic Policy Gradient (ZDPG), which approximates policy-reward gradients via two-point stochastic evaluations of the $Q$-function, constructed by properly designed low-dimensional action-space perturbations. Exploiting the idea of random horizon rollouts for obtaining unbiased estimates of the $Q$-function, ZDPG lifts the dependence on critics and restores true model-free policy learning, while enjoying built-in and provable algorithmic stability. Additionally, we present new finite sample complexity bounds for ZDPG, which improve upon existing results by up to two orders of magnitude. Our findings are supported by several numerical experiments, which showcase the effectiveness of ZDPG in a practical setting, and its advantages over both PG and Baseline PG.
Interleukin-36 Cytokine/Receptor Signaling: A New Target for Tissue Fibrosis

Tissue fibrosis is a major unresolved medical problem, which impairs the function of various systems. The molecular mechanisms involved are poorly understood, which hinders the development of effective therapeutic strategies. Emerging evidence from recent studies indicates that interleukin 36 (IL-36) and the corresponding receptor (IL-36R), a newly-characterized cytokine/receptor signaling complex involved in immune-inflammation, play an important role in the pathogenesis of fibrosis in multiple tissues. This review focuses on recent experimental findings, which implicate IL-36R and its associated cytokines in different forms of organ fibrosis. Specifically, it outlines the molecular basis and biological function of IL-36R in normal cells and sums up the pathological role in the development of fibrosis in the lung, kidney, heart, intestine, and pancreas. We also summarize the new progress in the IL-36/IL-36R-related mechanisms involved in tissue fibrosis and enclose the potential of IL-36R inhibition as a therapeutic strategy to combat pro-fibrotic pathologies. Given its high association with disease, gaining new insight into the immuno-mechanisms that contribute to tissue fibrosis could have a significant impact on human health.
Ecocultural adjustment: revisiting acculturation through a Peace Corps sojourn

This performative autoethnography examines extant theories of cultural adjustment through an ecocultural lens. I revisit my 26-month sojourn with the US Peace Corps in Malawi, Africa, and my return...
Institutional accreditation in Saudi Arabian higher education: perceptions and involvement

A sample of 189 participants from 28 institutions of higher education with baccalaureate programmes in nursing in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia participated in a study using an on-line survey about p...
Deep learning tools and modeling to estimate the temporal expression of cell cycle proteins from 2D still images

ABSTRACT Automatic characterization of fluorescent labeling in intact mammalian tissues remains a challenge due to the lack of quantifying techniques capable of segregating densely packed nuclei and intricate tissue patterns. Here, we describe a powerful deep learning-based approach that couples remarkably precise nuclear segmentation with quantitation of fluorescent labeling intensity within segmented nuclei, and then apply it to the analysis of cell cycle dependent protein concentration in mouse tissues using 2D fluorescent still images. First, several existing deep learning-based methods were evaluated to accurately segment nuclei using different imaging modalities with a small training dataset. Next, we developed a deep learning-based approach to identify and measure fluorescent labels within segmented nuclei, and created an ImageJ plugin to allow for efficient manual correction of nuclear segmentation and label identification. Lastly, using fluorescence intensity as a readout for protein concentration, a three-step global estimation method was applied to the characterization of the cell cycle dependent expression of E2F proteins in the developing mouse intestine. Additional spatial analysis of the data revealed a correlation between cell cycle progression and location of nuclei within the intestinal epithelium.
Scaling standards-aligned instruction through teacher leadership: methods, supports, and challenges

The Common Core Standards for Mathematics and Next Generation Science Standards were adopted by states with the goal of preparing students with knowledge and skills needed for college, careers, and citizenry. Adopting these standards necessitated considerable changes in instructional practice. While teacher leadership is known to be important for instructional change, there is little research that articulates the processes through which that influence occurs, and how contextual factors constrain or support those processes. This paper provides a case study of efforts in the Chicago Public Schools to promote widespread instructional change around standards reform through a teacher leader model using retrospective from 2013 to 2017 interviews with 16 math and science teacher leaders serving grades 6–12, along with quantitative analysis of district-wide data showing patterns of change and professional learning. It builds off prior research to articulate a framework of how teacher leaders promote instructional change. There were five patterns of teacher leader action: inspiring others, sharing with colleagues, working in collaboration, advocating for change, and providing individual support, and an interplay between teacher actions and school-level contextual factors, with some contextual factors more important than others for different types of actions. In particular, sharing and collaborative work were facilitated in schools with designated collaboration time, trusting relationships, and colleagues who were also trained and knowledgeable about the new standards. The degree of collective efficacy the teacher leaders felt seemed to be driven mostly by the presence of other knowledgeable change agents in the school. The study adds to the existing literature on teacher leadership by articulating the mechanisms through which teachers exert influence around instructional improvement of their school peers and providing examples of each. Further, the study illustrates how these mechanisms are facilitated or constrained by the larger school context. Together, the articulation of mechanisms and contexts, along with illustrative examples, provides a guide for supporting instructional change through teacher leadership in schools and districts.
A Realist Philosophy of Social Science: Social science and history

Introduction One could argue that the classical sociologists, Montesquieu, Comte, de Tocqueville, Marx, Weber, even Durkheim, were historical sociologists. All of them worked with historical materials and all shared in the idea that this was essential to what they were doing. They did their work before sociology emerged in the twentieth century as a distinct discipline. Even though Marx disapproved of much work which had been done by people who identified themselves as historians, he believed, indeed, that history was the human science. Similarly, Weber seems to have believed that sociology was, as he put it, a propaedeutic for historical work. That is, sociology could provide the tools and concepts for good historical inquiry, but was not itself an independent body of knowledge. Beginning in the so-called Methodenstreit (battle of methods) toward the end of the nineteenth century, the literature has tended to employ a distinction formulated by Windelband in 1894 between two kinds of inquiry: “nomothetic” versus “idiographic.” It is generally held that the natural sciences are nomothetic – they are engaged in the search of laws, while the human sciences, including history, are idiographic – their object of concern is the concrete particular in its uniqueness. But there is considerable disagreement as to whether the grounds for this difference are methodological, epistemological or ontological. In what is perhaps its most recurring form, two kinds of explanation are at issue: on the nomothetic view, explanation is in the form of the covering law model.
A Comparison of Five Solidification/Stabilization Processes for Treatment of Municipal Waste Combustion Residues - Physical Testing

Summary This paper presents the results of physical testing included in the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) program to evaluate the use of solidification/stabilization (S/S) technologies for treating municipal waste combustion (MWC) residues. These evaluations are part of the Municipal Innovative Technology Evaluation (MITE) Program sponsored by the USEPA, Risk Reduction Engineering Laboratory (RREL), Cincinnati, Ohio. The MITE program is demonstrating and evaluating technologies for managing municipal solid waste. The physical properties of the treated MWC residues are important for determining utilization applications. Consequently, considerable emphasis was placed on the structural properties and long-term durability during exposure to varied environmental conditions. Five solidification/ stabilization (S/S) processes were demonstrated for the treatment of bottom ash, air pollution control (APC) residue, and combined ash collected from a state-of-the-art MWC facility. For each process, side-by-side comparisons were made of physical tests results from (1) unconfined compressive strength (UCS), (2) UCS after immersion, (3) wet/dry weathering, (4) freeze/thaw weathering, and (5) permeability determinations. In general, the portland cement only process produced the most durable test specimens. The APC residue test specimens were the least durable test specimens.
Effect of topical 5-fluorouracil treatment on actinic keratosis: a light and electron microscopic study.

Sequential biopsies of 5-FU-treated actinic keratoses were studied by light and electron microscopy. Significant changes by light microscopy after 3 days of therapy included widened intercellular spaces, most marked in the basal layer, focal acantholysis, and intra-epidermal vesicle formation. Mitotic figures were more numerous with increased nuclear hyperchromatism and pleomorphism. After 10 days of therapy, the changes noted at 3 days were increased both in quantity and quality, with sub-epidermal bulla formation in some areas. After four weeks of therapy, the extensive changes noted at 10 days disappeared and the epidermis was essentially normal. Two months after cessation of therapy the epidermis was normal, but actinic degeneration of collagen persisted. The sequential ultrastructural changes parallelled those noted by light microscopy after 3 days of therapy. Discontinuities in the basal lamina were more pronounced. Intercellular spaces were wider and tonofilament abnormalities were more prominent. Desmo-somes and their tonofilament attachments remained undisturbed. There was increased cytoplasmic vacuolization and mitochondrial degeneration. Nucleoli were more electron-dense and bizarre. After 10 days of therapy, changes in the basal lamina, tonofilaments, cytoplasm and intercellular spaces were more pronounced. Desmosomes became homogenized, retracted and decreased in number. Plasma membranes became focally indistinct and cyoplasmic vacuolization and degeneration was widespread. Nucleoli were larger and more bizarre. After four weeks of therapy most of the changes noted at 10 days were absent with only a small degree of tonofilament condensation and mild widening of the intercellular spaces. Two months after cessation of therapy the epidermis was normal.
Quasiparticle Liquid in the Highly Overdoped Bi 2 Sr 2 CaCu 2 O 8 + δ

Results from the study of a highly overdoped (OD) ${\mathrm{Bi}}_{2}{\mathrm{Sr}}_{2}{\mathrm{CaCu}}_{2}{\mathrm{O}}_{8+\ensuremath{\delta}}$ with a ${T}_{c}\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}=\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}51\mathrm{K}$ using angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy are presented. We observe a sharp peak in the spectra near ( $\ensuremath{\pi},0$) that persists well above ${T}_{c}$, a nodal self-energy which approaches that seen for the Mo(110) surface state, and a more $k$-independent line shape at the Fermi surface than the lower-doped cuprates. This allows for a realistic comparison of the lifetime values to the experimental resistivity measurements. These observations point to the validity of the quasiparticle picture for the OD even in the normal state.
The Principles and Practice of International Commercial Arbitration: IBA Rules on Taking Evidence in International Commercial Arbitration

Reprinted with permission of the International Bar Association, London All Rights Reserved © International Bar Association, 1999 No part of the material protected by this copyright notice may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without written permission from the copyright owner. FOREWORD These IBA Rules on the Taking of Evidence in International Commercial Arbitration (‘IBA Rules of Evidence’) have been prepared by a Working Party of Committee D (Arbitration and ADR) of the Section on Business Law of the International Bar Association. The IBA has issued these Rules as a resource to parties and to arbitrators in order to enable them to conduct the evidence phase of international arbitration proceedings in an efficient and economical manner. The Rules provide mechanisms for the presentation of documents, witnesses of fact, expert witnesses and inspections, as well as for the conduct of evidentiary hearings. The Rules are designed to be used in conjunction with, and adopted together with, institutional or ad hoc rules or procedures governing international commercial arbitrations. These IBA Rules of Evidence replace the IBA Supplementary Rules Governing the Presentation and Reception of Evidence in International Commercial Arbitration, originally issued in 1983. The IBA Rules of Evidence reflect procedures in use in many different legal systems, and they may be particularly useful when the parties come from different legal cultures.
Evolution of Host Specific Virulence in Cochliobolus heterostrophus

Cochliobolus heterostrophus is the cause of Southern Corn Leaf Blight. Two races of the fungus are known; both are pathogenic. Race O was formally described as a corn pathogen in 1925 (Drechsler 1925). Race T, which produces a host-specific virulence factor called T-toxin, appeared suddenly in the US in 1969 and caused an epidemic on Texas male sterile cytoplasm (T-cms) corn in 1970 (Hooker 1974). Concurrently, a new disease, Yellow Leaf Blight (Arny and Nelson 1971), caused by Mycosphaerella zeaemaydis (Mukunya and Boothroyd 1973) was recognized. M. zeae-maydis is also specific to T-corn and produces PM-toxin, a polyketide with structural and functional similarity to T-toxin (Danko et al. 1984; Yoder 1973). The sudden appearance of these virulent strains suggests an identifiable genetic step in the evolution of a new race in each of these fungal species. Indeed, thirty years later, we know that the essential difference between C. heterostrophus races T and O is the Toxl locus which resides on a large segment of DNA that is not found in race O. Since there is evidence that race T arose from race O (Alcorn 1975; Kodama et al. 1999; Leonard 1977; Yang et al. 1996), a molecular understanding of the Toxl locus in race T and O should advance understanding of how new pathogenic races of fungi evolve.
Applications of a microfabricated device for evaluating sperm function.

Mesoscale structures (microns dimensions, nL-pL volumes) have been designed and fabricated in silicon for use in various analytical tasks. We studied sperm motility and performed sperm selection in channels (80 microns wide x 20 microns deep), branching structures (40 microns wide x 20 microns deep, eight bifurcations), and channels containing barriers (7 microns feature size). Sperm-cervical mucus and sperm-hyaluronic acid interactions were assessed by using appropriate microchannel-chamber structures filled with either cervical mucus or hyaluronic acid. Simultaneous assessment of the potency of different spermicides (e.g., nonoxynol-9, C13G) and spermicide concentrations was achieved with structures comprising chambers containing spermicide connected via channels to a central chamber into which semen was introduced. Semen was also tested for the presence of sperm-specific antibodies by using microchannels filled with human anti-IgG antibody-coated microbeads.
Incision in the Quadriceps of >4 cm Delayed Recovery of Strength After Total Knee Replacement.

Chareancholvanich K, Pornrattanamaneewong C. Does the Length of Incision in the Quadriceps Affect the Recovery of Strength After Total Knee Replacement? A Prospective Randomised Clinical Trial. Bone Joint J. 2014 Jul;96-B(7):902-6. ### Question: In patients having total knee replacement, does the length of incision in the quadriceps affect the time to recover the preoperative quadriceps strength? ### Design: Randomized (unclear allocation concealment), blinded (patients and outcome assessor), controlled trial with 12 months of follow-up. ### Setting: A university hospital in Bangkok, Thailand. ### Patients: 60 patients (mean age, 68 years; 87% women) who were undergoing total knee replacement for late-stage primary osteoarthritis. Exclusion criteria were varus or valgus deformity of >20°, flexion contracture of >30°, range of flexion of <60°, or previous knee surgery. All patients completed follow-up. ### Intervention: Patients were allocated to quadriceps incisions measuring 2 cm (n = 20), 4 cm (n = 20), and 6 cm (n = 20) in length. Total knee replacement was performed by 1 surgeon with the patient under regional anesthesia with use of a tourniquet at 350 mm Hg of pressure. The quadriceps incision …
Seasonal distribution of live births in a rural community in the southern United States.

Births in Greene County, Alabama for the years 1980–1984 were examined and an overall seasonal trend was found with a peak from August through November. This trend was found to be most pronounced among women greater than 24 yeas old, and among multiparous women, and to be negatively correlated with seasonal variations in temperature and daylight. The phenomenon is likely multifactorial in origin, with sociocultural factors playing a considerable role. The influence of increasing maternal age and parity in the expression of the seasonal trend may be a function of age-related changes in families, with nuclear families acting as the most powerful potentiators of seasonality.
Regulatory effects of human IgE‐binding factors in the IgE synthesis by human and rat lymphocytes

We have previously established human T cell hybridomas which produce IgE-binding factors. Incubation of one of the T cell hybridomas, 166A2, with human IgE dimer in the presence of 1 microgram/ml bradykinin resulted in the formation of IgE-binding factors having affinity for lentil lectin. The factors selectively enhanced both IgE-forming cell responses of rat mesenteric lymph node (MLN) cells and spontaneous IgE synthesis by human peripheral blood B cells of atopic patients, without affecting the IgG response. The same factors that enhanced IgE synthesis of B cells from atopic patients also enhanced IgE synthesis induced under bystander conditions by activated alloreactive T cells. Fractionation of the affinity-purified IgE-binding factors by gel filtration revealed three molecular mass species, i.e., 60 kDa, 30 kDa and 15 kDa. The 60-kDa and 15-kDa IgE-binding factors selectively enhanced both the spontaneous IgE synthesis by B cells of atopic patients and IgE response of rat MLN cells. In contrast, the 30-kDa IgE-binding factors had only marginal enhancing effects on the IgE synthesis by both human B cells and rat MLN cells. When the 166A2 hybridoma cells were incubated with IgE dimer in the presence of glycosylation-inhibiting factor (GIF), essentially all IgE-binding factors formed by the cells had affinity for peanut agglutinin (PNA) but for neither lentil lectin nor concanavalin A. All of the 60-kDa, 30-kDa and 15-kDa species, having affinity for PNA, selectively suppressed the potentiating factor-enhanced IgE response of rat MLN cells. The factors also suppressed the IgE synthesis of human B cells from atopic patients when the synthesis was enhanced by IgE-potentiating factor. The results indicate that human IgE-binding factors regulate IgE synthesis by both human and rat lymphocytes.
Uses of solar radiation pressure for satellite formation flight

One fundamental way in which satellite formation flight differs from conventional orbital proximity operations is that extended mission durations are required. Consequently, long-term perturbation effects, and in particular, those due to the oblateness of the Earth, must be corrected for if the formation is to persist. This paper considers a novel non-propulsive means for countering the differential orbital plane precession that is the major formation perturbation produced by oblateness. The approach taken is to make use of the solar radiation pressure acting on a relatively small surface, termed a solar wing, that is fixed to the satellite. The resulting torque causes the orbit to precess; if the wing is sized correctly, this motion will cancel, on average, with that due to oblateness, so maintaining the formation without use of propellant. It will be shown that the long-term orbital effects of the solar wing control input (the wing orientation angle) are highly nonlinear, and exhibit strong coupling between the orbital inclination and the longitude of the ascending node. Finally, numerical results are given to illustrate the approach. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Towards evidence based bioethics.

Use of epidemiological methods to study human behaviour is necessary to create an evidence base to inform ethical positions in medicine and science Bioethics has to date largely consisted of analyses of the moral underpinnings of appropriate behaviour in science and medicine. Although such theoretical writings often make important contributions to public health, they often contain unfounded assumptions about human behaviour. I describe recent examples in which assumptions made in theoretical writings were later repudiated, or in which empirical work served further to clarify positions taken in theoretical pieces. Paralleling the rise of evidence based approaches to clinical medicine, these examples show that further emphasis on empirical analysis is needed to promote more balanced, and evidence based, bioethics. In 1988 Benjamin Freedman noted that perception, rather than reality, controls the generation and resolution of ethical issues.1 Writing during the first decade of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, he was referring to how the debate on doctors' duties to render care to AIDS patients was influenced by doctors' perceptions of the risk that patients might transmit the virus to them, rather than the actual risk conferred, which was not yet known. In the absence of evidence, intuition and perception have useful roles. But what ought to guide ethical deliberations once evidence becomes available? Although evidence emerged that the risk of HIV transmission from patient to doctor is extremely low,2 3 resolution of many doctors' fears lagged behind and perception led several doctors to continue refusing to treat patients infected with HIV. I argue that, although Freedman correctly noted that perception often controls the generation as well as the resolution of ethical issues, this statement is only half true when placed in the normative realm: perception ought to govern the generation of ethical issues, but reality must often govern their resolution. Traditional …
Facilitating Phonological AwarenessRole of Speech-Language Pathologists

Research demonstrates that the facilitation of phonological awareness is an important component of intervention programs for children at-risk for reading disabilities. In this paper, the principles...
A quantitative analysis of CT and cognitive measures in normal aging and Alzheimer's disease.

Patients with presumptive Alzheimer's disease (AD) and healthy community volunteers received computed tomographic (CT) brain scans and cognitive tests. The CT scans were quantitatively analyzed with a semiautomated thresholding technique to derive volumetric measures of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)-to-tissue ratios in six regions of interest (ROIs): lateral ventricles; vertex sulci, frontal sulci, Sylvian fissures, parieto-occipital sulci, and third ventricle. Regression analysis was performed on CT data from 85 older volunteers (ages 51-82) to generate age norms for each ROI. Within this group, tissue loss, as measured by the % CSF in each ROI, was highly correlated with age, although each ROI showed different rates of change over age. For all ROIs, the AD group had significantly more tissue loss than expected in normal aging. In addition, AD patients with a presenescent onset (before age 65) tended to have greater vertex sulcal and frontal sulcal tissue reduction than AD patients with a senescent onset (age 65 or after). When regional tissue reduction, corrected for age, was correlated with cognitive test scores, two sets of double dissociations emerged within the AD group: large CT z scores (i.e., decreased tissue and increased CSF) of frontal sulci, but not of the third ventricle, correlated with low Comprehension and Boston Naming Test scores, whereas large CT z scores of the third ventricle, but not of the frontal sulci, correlated with low scores on Digit Symbol and Picture Arrangement. These results suggest that heterogeneity of structural and functional integrity exists among patients with AD.
The Mechanism of Discharge Pattern Formation in Crayfish Interneurons

Excitatory and inhibitory processes which result in the generation of output impulses were analyzed in single crayfish interneurons by using intracellular recording and membrane polarizing techniques. Individual spikes which are initiated orthodromically in axon branches summate temporally and spatially to generate a main axon spike; temporally dispersed branch spikes often pace repetitive discharge of the main axon. Hyperpolarizing IPSP's sometimes suppress axonal discharge to most of these inputs, but in other cases may interact selectively with some of them. The IPSP's reverse their polarity at a hyperpolarized level of membrane potential; they sometimes exhibit two discrete time courses indicating two different input sources. Outward direct current at the main axon near branches causes repetitive discharges which may last, with optimal current intensities, for 1 to 15 seconds. The relation of discharge frequency to current intensity is linear for an early spike interval, but above 100 to 200 impulses/sec. it begins to show saturation. In one unit the current-frequency curve exhibited two linear portions, suggesting the presence of two spike-generating sites in the axon. Current threshold measurements, using test stimuli of different durations, showed that both accommodation and "early" or "residual" refractoriness contribute to the determination of discharge rate at different frequencies.
Solute Segregation and Grain-Boundary Impedance in High-Purity Stabilized Zirconia

Solute segregation at grain boundaries has been correlated with grain-boundary conductivity in high-purity 15-mol%-CaO-stabilized ZrO2. STEM measurements of solute coverage show that the segregation of impurity silicon (present at bulk levels 103 at 500°C. At the lowest levels of segregation achieved, <0.1 monolayer, σspgb remains ∼102 less, and possibly represents an “intrinsic” limiting value for the grain boundary. Comparison with Y2O3-doped ZrO2 suggests similar behavior in this system. The control of grain-boundary segregation through purity, microstructure, and thermal history is discussed from the objective of engineering the grain-boundary impedance of polycrystalline ionic conductors.
The Religious and Medicinal Uses of Cannabis in China, India and Tibet

(1981). The Religious and Medicinal Uses of Cannabis in China, India and Tibet. Journal of Psychoactive Drugs: Vol. 13, No. 1, pp. 23-34.
Actuated Slip Model of Human Running With an Elastically-Suspended Load

An elastically-suspended load can reduce the peak forces acting on the body and the energetic cost of human walking compared to a rigidly-attached load. However, limited knowledge exists on how elastically-suspended loads affect the biomechanics of human running. We develop a variant of an Actuated SLIP (Spring Loaded Inverted Pendulum) model to analyze human running with an elastically-suspended load. This model consists of a suspended load attached to the body mass of an Actuated SLIP model with approximate human parameters. The model enables the investigation of the coupled dynamics of the load and the human body and shows that the stride frequency of running is affected by the load suspension stiffness. The model also shows that the peak forces of the load acting on the body are reduced compared to a rigidly-attached load when the load suspension stiffness is minimized. However, the energetic cost of running with an elastically-suspended load is shown to increase compared to a rigidly-attached load. Further, the peak forces and the energetic cost of running are maximized when the natural frequency of the load suspension is tuned near the stride frequency. This model could lead to a better understanding of human running with elastically-suspended loads and may enable the design of load suspension systems that are optimized to reduce stress on the human body while running with a load.Copyright © 2013 by ASME
On the construction of robustly stable large-scale dynamic systems

Abstract First, certain results on the stability robustness aspects of linear (large-scale) systems with corresponding numerical issues are discussed. Next, several robust structures are introduced which are used to construct the coupling blocks for the robustly stable large-scale systems.
Solving the N -bit parity problem using neural networks

In this letter, a constructive solution to the N-bit parity problem is provided with a neural network that allows direct connections between the input layer and the output layer. The present approach requires no training and adaptation, and thus it warrants the use of the simple threshold activation function for the output and hidden layer neurons. It is previously shown that this choice of activation function and network structure leads to several solutions for the 3-bit parity problem obtained using linear programming. One of the solutions for the 3-bit parity problem is then generalized to obtain a solution for the N-bit parity problem using left floor N/2 right floor hidden layer neurons. It is shown that through the choice of a "staircase" type activation function, the left floor N/2 right floor hidden layer neurons can be further combined into a single hidden layer neuron.
Condition Monitoring of Check Valves in Reciprocating Pumps

Techniques to condition monitor check valves in reciprocating pumps that are used to load pressure tanks (300 bar) in a high pressure system are described. Currently the condition of the pumps is monitored by the operator using indicators such as the extra time taken to load a pressure tank and changes in the audible sound radiated from the pumps. During a period of several months vibration measurements have been taken on cylinder heads of several pumps. The pumps were all of the same type, a seven cylinder reciprocating pump built by a single major manufacturer and installed in the plant in the 1960s. The vibration signal typically shows transients which are caused by the closing impacts of the check valve plates. The frequency spectrum of the entire signal is very complicated and due to crosstalk of neighboring cylinders it is not possible to draw conclusions from spectral information about a particular valve's condition. To isolate particular valve signatures, transients in the vibration time histories...
Market Frictions and Overpriced Favorites: Evidence from Arena Football

Prior academic studies find that bets on underdogs persistently win more often than expected in NFL and NCAA football gambling markets. We extend this stream of literature by examining this ‘underdog bias’ in the market for Arena Football League (AFL) bets, a setting in which both betting limits and bettor sophistication are comparatively low. Results show that the underdog bias is significantly stronger in the AFL, suggesting that smaller and less liquid markets are more heavily influenced by this, and perhaps other, behavioral biases.
Electrical probing of surface and bulk traps in proton-irradiated gate-assisted lateral PNP transistors

The effects of 46 MeV proton irradiation-induced trap generation and its impact on the electrical characteristics of gate assisted lateral PNP transistors (GLPNP) are investigated for the first time. At proton fluence as high as 10/sup 12/ p/cm/sup 2/ the devices show a negligible current gain degradation, and at 10/sup 13/ p/cm/sup 2/ the devices are still functional. The excellent radiation hardness is attributed to the much thinner gate oxide than in conventional lateral PNPs and its gate assisted operation. By changing the gate bias, and modulating the surface status from accumulation to inversion, the surface traps can be electrically probed from the I-V characteristics. A base current peak is observed after radiation, and is understood using 2D device simulation to be a result of the increase in oxide charge and surface trap density, in conjunction with the different SRH recombination rate limiting mechanism in presence of high density traps. The inverse mode operation is shown to be a useful tool for probing the bulk traps.
Two-electron, one-photon transitions in nickel

Abstract The two emission lines, Kα 1 α 3 h and Kα 2 α 3 h resulting from the two-electron transitions 1s −2 → 2s −1 2p 3 2 −1 and 1s −2 → 2s −1 2p 1 2 −1 were resolved for elemental nickel. Their measured energies agree well with calculations. Their relative intensity I(Kα 1 α 3 h )/I(Kα 2 α 3 h ) ≈ 3 4 and their intensity relative to that of the Kα diagram lines is about 10 −4 . This is some 10 4 times larger than both theoretical results and the results of ion-atom collision experiments.
Cytotoxic Proteins and Therapeutic Targets in Severe Cutaneous Adverse Reactions

Severe cutaneous adverse reactions (SCARs), such as Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS) and toxic epidermal necrosis (TEN), are rare but life-threatening conditions induced mainly by a variety of drugs. Until now, an effective treatment for SJS/TEN still remains unavailable. Current studies have suggested that the pathobiology of drug-mediated SJS and TEN involves major histocompatibility class (MHC) I-restricted activation of cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) response. This CTLs response requires several cytotoxic signals or mediators, including granulysin, perforin/granzyme B, and Fas/Fas ligand, to trigger extensive keratinocyte death. In this article, we will discuss the cytotoxic mechanisms of severe cutaneous adverse reactions and their potential applications on therapeutics for this disease.
Effect of different foods on development, reproduction and survival of Phytoseiulus longipes [Acarina: Phytoseiidae]

The effect of different prey mite species on development of the immature stages and on survival and oviposition of adult predator femalePhytoseiulus longipes Evans was studied.P. longipes completed its development onTetranychus pacificus McGregor,Oligonychus punicae (Hirst), andPanonychus citri (McGregor), but not onPetrobia harti (Ewing). Females oviposited while feeding onT. pacificus andO. punicae, but not onP. citri orP. harti. The highest percent survival was observed onT. pacificus, followed byO. punicae andP. citri. The longevity ofP. longipes onP. harti (vial arenas) and on pollen (leaf arenas) was the same as that on leaves with no food. The provision of 10% sucrose solution and clover honey doubled the longevity ofP. longipes females compared with no food.
Increasing Applied Business Ethics Courses in Business School Curricula

Business schools have a responsibility to incorporate applied business ethics courses as part of their undergraduate and MBA curriculum. The purpose of this article is to take a background and historical look at reasons for the new emphasis on ethical coursework in business schools. The article suggests a prescription for undergraduate and graduate education in applied business ethics and explores in detail the need to increase applied business ethics courses in business schools to enhance the ethical development of students.
Case report: HIV-related rapidly progressive carcinoma of the cervix (AIDS) — CT and MRI findings

The computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings of a case of a large rapidly progressive invasive carcinoma of the cervix in an HIV-positive woman are presented. It produced retroperitoneal and lymph node metastases that were large, necrotic and rapidly growing. These findings are now recognized as being diagnostic of AIDS.
Semantic specificity in cued recall

In three cued recall experiments, extralist retrieval cues that were congruous in meaning to an encoded target pair of words produced better recall of the targets than wh6n the cuetarget relation was incongruous. However, this result, which differs from that of other experiments, depended in some cases on scoring recall of a target pair when either member of the pair was recalled. It is argued that (1) pairs of words are typically stored as higher order units, (2) the best test procedure is to request recall of both members of the pair when an extralist cue is presented, and (3) semantic features provide an important dimension in the mnemonic representation of word events.
Evidence for NMDA receptor involvement in environmentally induced dentate gyrus plasticity.

Research has demonstrated environmentally induced plasticity of hippocampal dentate gyrus-evoked potentials. Other research has shown a role of the NMDA receptor in dentate gyrus long-term potentiation (LTP). The authors tested the role of the NMDA receptor in one form of environmentally induced plasticity, in which transferring animals from their home cages to another environment results in significant excitatory postsynaptic potential (EPSP) enhancement and concomitant depression of the population spike. Rats were chronically implanted with stimulating electrodes in the perforant path and recording electrodes in the dentate gyrus bilaterally. Evoked potentials were recorded from freely behaving rats for four 20-minute sessions (1/wk), which took place immediately following an environmental transfer. Rats received 0.00, 0.05, 0.08, or 0.10 mg/kg MK-801 s.c. 30 minutes prior to recording sessions in either an ascending- or descending-dose series. Results showed that MK-801 produced a reduction of the EPSP enhancement, which takes place over the 20-minute session. The effects of MK-801 on spike depression varied as a function of dose series and time within a session, suggesting a long-term effect of MK-801 on spike depression. There was no detected effect of MK-801 on behavior. Results suggest a role of the NMDA receptor in this form of environmentally induced plasticity with different effects of NMDA receptor antagonism on EPSP enhancement and spike depression.
Critical points in three dimensions

Abstract Critical points of the E (κ) function that defines constant energy surfaces in crystals are of importance in the problem of electronic state densities in solids, spin wave theory, lattice dynamics, and other problems. Thus, the critical points of the function defining frequency in wave number space cause singularities in the frequency spectrum of a crystal. In this note, the difference between the number of three dimensional saddle points and the number of three dimensional maxima and minima of such a function of three variables contained in a region is computed from the number of two dimensional saddle points, maxima and minima on the boundary surface of the region. It is shown that this is the maximum information obtainable about three dimensional critical points from such knowledge of the function on the boundary.
Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension: New Insights Into the Optimal Role of Current and Emerging Prostacyclin Therapies

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), which is a subset of pulmonary hypertension, is a group of diseases distinguished by vascular remodeling of the small pulmonary arteries with associated elevated pulmonary arterial pressure and right ventricular failure. This progressive and sometimes fatal disease occurs as an idiopathic disease or as a component of other disease states. Estimates of the incidence of PAH have varied from 5 to 52 cases/1 million population. Symptoms begin with shortness of breath with exertion and progress to dyspnea with normal activities and, finally, dyspnea at rest. Untreated patients with PAH have a 1-, 3-, and 5-year survival rate of 68%, 48%, and 34%, respectively. Treated, the survival rates improve to 91% to 97% after 1 year and 84% to 91% after 2 years. The current definition of PAH consists of 3 specific hemodynamic assessments confirmed by right heart catheterization findings. One of several important pathophysiologic mechanisms involved in PAH is pulmonary vascular remodeling, which is caused by endothelial and smooth muscle cell hyperproliferation. This is coincident with overexpression of the vasoconstrictor endothelin-1 and a reduction in the vasodilators nitric oxide and prostacyclin, which further impedes proper vasomotor tone, among other effects. Prostacyclin therapies augment the decreased prostacyclin levels in patients with PAH. The currently approved prostacyclins for the treatment of PAH include epoprostenol, iloprost, and treprostinil. Among the 3 medications, the delivery options include intravenous infusion, subcutaneous infusion, and inhaled formulations. Epoprostenol has been shown to have a positive effect on survival in patients with PAH. All prostacyclins have demonstrated improvements in functional class, exercise tolerance, and hemodynamics in patients with PAH. Intravenously and subcutaneously administered formulations of prostacyclins require continuous infusion pump administration, which presents clinical challenges for both the patient and the care provider. Dosing must be individualized and also presents a clinical challenge. Inhaled formulations seem efficacious in moderately symptomatic patients with PAH and might be appropriate when combined with an oral medication. Combination therapies are commonly used in clinical practice, with the decision to do so based on randomized controlled trial data and case study evidence. The present report provides an overview of PAH, the scientific rationale for treatment with prostacyclin therapy, and the benefits and risks of prostacyclin therapy, both as monotherapy and combined with other medications approved for the treatment of PAH.
Signal-Based Adaptive Optics Optimization for in-vivo Two-Photon Microscopy of the Brain

Implementation of an adaptive optics system for in-vivo two-photon microscopy with a liquid crystal phase modulator is presented. A novel optimization scheme will be shown along with system performance improvements for sample-induced aberrations.
Quantitative Production of H2 by Pyrolysis of Gas Chromatographic Effluents

Hydrogen gas can be produced quantitatively from nanomole amounts of organic H in continuously flowing gas streams. The system described here is suitable for use in isotope-ratio-monitoring mass spectrometric systems and is based on a pyrolysis reactor consisting of a graphitized alumina tube heated to 1450 °C. Methane forms as an intermediate product at temperatures above 750 °C, but, for all tested analytes, yields of H2 were quantitative at temperatures between 1430 and 1460 °C, provided residence times in the reactor were greater than 300 ms. Quantitative yields of H2 were obtained for all components of a homologous series of n-alkanes (C15 to C30). Analyses of low-molecular-weight alcohols demonstrated that O-bound H was also quantitatively converted to H2 and, thus, that H2O, if formed, was quantitatively reduced to H2.
Demonstration of amylase from the zoophytophagous anthocorid Orius insidiosus.

To better understand facultative phytophagy in the zoophytophagous anthocorid, Orius insidiosus, tests for amylase were conducted and the enzyme was partially purified. Three activity bands were detected with polyacrylamide-starch gel electrophoretic analysis of amylase in O. insidiosus. The major amylase was found to have a mean isoelectric point (pI) of 4.53. The presence of amylase indicates the ability of O. insidiosus to use starch, a nutrient, derived from plants, either by direct ingestion or by ingestion of plant material from the digestive system of their prey. The presence of amylase suggests that these predators are more committed to plant feeding than other species of predators that lack this enzyme. Arch. Insect Biochem. Physiol. 44:136–139, 2000. Published 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Post-prandial EEG synchronization in normal and hypothalamically lesioned rats

Abstract Electrical activity of the anterior cortex of rats was recorded following injection of nutritive or non-nutritive material directly into the stomach. In normal animals, significantly more EEG synchronization was observed following injections of nutritive eggnog, than following an equal volume of isotonic saline. This nutrient-specific EEG synchronization response was studied in subsequent experiments to evaluate the motivational state of rats with ventromedial and lateral hypothalamic lesions. Rats with VMH lesions continued to show nutrient-specific EEG synchronization which was not significantly different from that seen in normal rats. Rats with LH lesions failed to show nutrient-specific EEG synchronization. It was proposed that LH contains structures which are critical to the rats' ability to show nutrient-specific EEG synchronization, whereas VMH does not. Further, it was noted that nutrient-specific EEG synchronization did not reappear with the recovery of voluntary feeding. It was hypothesized that destruction of a receptor, or related mechanism, resulted from LH lesions.
Metabonomic assessment of vasculitis in rats.

The vasculitides are a heterogeneous group of lesions, characterized by inflammation and necrosis of the vascular wall and have proven to be a disconcerting dilemma in the development of several classes, of therapeutics. Metabonomics is an emerging technology having great potential for rapid noninvasive assessment of toxicity in vivo and providing identification of peripheral surrogate markers of toxicity. Metabonomic evaluation of CI-1018, a selective type 4 phosphodiesterase inhibitor associated with vasculitis in rats, was undertaken. Two experiments were performed in which CI-1018 was administered for up to 4 d to groups of male Wistar rats at doses up to 3000 mg/kg. Urine was collected from all animals pretest and daily for metabonomic analysis. Eleven of 38 CI-1018-treatment animals were found to have vascular injury of varying severity at doses ≥750 mg/kg. Principal component analysis produced a clear pattern separation among 8 of 11 animals with lesions and 36 of 37 animals without lesions in samples collected on d 3 or 4. These data demonstrate that the metabonomics approach has significant potential for developing a noninvasive method for identifying, vasculitis in rats. It remains to be seen if urinary analyte patterns identified in this study are reproducible and wheter a biomarker pattern for vasculitis can be established.
Between the Lines: the Story of Machsom Watch

This article tells the story of Machsom Watch, a group that was founded in January 2001 in response to repeated reports in the press about human rights abuses of Palestinians crossing army checkpoi...