cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Mass Customization and Manufacturing

The concept of mass production was introduced in the 1800s and reached its full development in the 1920s. However, craft production, where artisans built products to a customer’s specifications continued catering to some select market niches. In the 1970s the competition intensified among producers and at the same time the variety of products proliferated. As a result, lean production which combines the advantages of craft and mass production, while avoiding the high cost of the former and the inflexibility of the latter, was born (Womack et al, 1990). In the 1990s, while some markets are reaching their saturation limits for products and customers are becoming more demanding, we see the rise of mass-customized production (Anderson, 1998; Davis, 1987; ICM Conferences Inc., 1996; Kotha, 1995; Lau, 1995; Preiss, 1995; Roos, 1995).
The Room Where It Happens: A Skeptic's Analysis of the New Heart Failure Guidelines

New heart failure guidelines have been issued during the past several months, both in the United States and in Europe, in response to recent advances in and the approval of new drugs for the treatment of heart failure. Although guidelines documents are often viewed as authoritative and purely evidence-based, there are replete with meaningful (and inexplicable) inconsistencies, which derive from a review of the same body of scientific data by different groups. This satirical review highlights several examples of the entertaining foolishness of recent guideline documents in the good-natured hope that physicians will understand what the guidelines are, and more importantly, what they are not. Specifically, this paper describes the emergence of a new nonexistent disease; the strange battle between 2 bradycardic drugs (digoxin and ivabradine); the confusion that reigns over the positioning and dosing of inhibitors of the renin-angiotensin system; and the special recommendations that have been issued for certain special populations. As Otto von Bismarck remarked, guideline deliberations are like sausages; it is better not to see them being made. Yet, even after they are ready for public view, we should be cautious. Practitioners who rely on them for clinical decision-making engage in an unnecessary form of self-deception; those who read them literally and adhere to them strictly do not practice evidence-based medicine; and those who delve into them in a search for the truth are destined to be disappointed.
Reporting Guidelines for Health Care Simulation Research: Where Is the learning?

STATEMENT This is a commentary on the reporting guidelines article and offers some food for thought on the need to include learning and instructional feature variables in the reporting process.
Build system with lazy retrieval for Java projects

In the modern-day development, projects use Continuous Integration Services (CISs) to execute the build for every change in the source code. To ensure that the project remains correct and deployable, a CIS performs a clean build each time. In a clean environment, a build system needs to retrieve the project's dependencies (e.g., guava.jar). The retrieval, however, can be costly due to dependency bloat: despite a project using only a few files from each library, the existing build systems still eagerly retrieve all the libraries at the beginning of the build. This paper presents a novel build system, Molly, which lazily retrieves parts of libraries (i.e., files) that are needed during the execution of a build target. For example, the compilation target needs only public interfaces of classes within the libraries and the test target needs only implementation of the classes that are being invoked by the tests. Additionally, Molly generates a transfer script that retrieves parts of libraries based on prior builds. Molly's design requires that we ignore the boundaries set by the library developers and look at the files within the libraries. We implemented Molly for Java and evaluated it on 17 popular open-source projects. We show that test targets (on average) depend on only 9.97% of files in libraries. A variant of Molly speeds up retrieval by 44.28%. Furthermore, the scripts generated by Molly retrieve dependencies, on average, 93.81% faster than the Maven build system.
Fissure and Discontinuity in U.S. Labor Management Relations

The industrial relations system of the United States has, in the last several years, come under significant pressure. The central role of unions and collective bargaining in the determination of wages and employment conditions is for the first time in the postwar period being called into question. There has been a rapid growth in the nonunion sector. Employers have become increasingly aggressive in their efforts to establish and maintain nonunion establishments. With the election of Ronald Reagan, the federal government turned hostile toward unions and to the social and economic programs of the trade union movement, and most of those programs have been cut back or eliminated. The union membership base was further eroded by the 1981–1982 recession that has been especially severe in the areas of greatest union strength, like autos, steel, and rubber, and the declining membership base has strained labor’s financial resources and made it increasingly difficult to defend itself. Finally, a large number of unions have been forced to engage in concession bargaining and to relinquish contract provisions that had been won gradually over the postwar period.
MHD nanofluid flow over a rotating disk with partial slip effects: Buongiorno model

Abstract In this article, Von Karman problem of infinite rotating disk is extended for the case where the space above the rough disk is equipped by an electrically conducting nanofluid. Buongiorno model is employed to incorporate Brownian motion and thermophoresis effects due to nanoparticles. Mass transfer process is accompanied with zero normal flux condition. Additionally, heat transfer mechanism is inspected through more general temperature jump conditions. Accurate similarity solutions are developed for full range of slip coefficients by means of standard shooting procedure. Also, a collocation based MATLAB routine is used for findings the solutions. The impact of parameters on the flow fields is depicted by plotting graphs. It is predicted that velocity distributions are inversely proportional to the magnetic field parameter. Velocity slip effect also presents opposition to the momentum transport and reduces hydrodynamic boundary layer thickness. It is also found that Brownian motion has negligible influence on the heat flux at rotating disk. Further, thermal and concentration boundary layer thicknesses are increased due to the existence of thermophoretic force. Axial velocity is negative due to the downward fluid motion caused by the disk rotation. The analysis for no-slip boundary can also be retrieved as a special case of the present model.
Hip external rotation strength predicts hop performance after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction

Purpose Quadriceps strength and single-leg hop performance are commonly evaluated prior to return to sport after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR). However, few studies have documented potential hip strength deficits after ACLR, or ascertained the relative contribution of quadriceps and hip strength to hop performance.
Transcatheter and Surgical Management of Mitral Paravalvular Leak: Long-Term Outcomes

Objectives The aim of this study was to report the use trends and immediate and long-term outcomes of a large cohort of patients who underwent redo surgery or transcatheter repair of paravalvular leaks (PVLs) at a tertiary referral center. Background Percutaneous treatment of mitral PVL has emerged as an alternative to surgical treatment in high-risk surgical candidates. There are limited data on the utilization trends, safety, and efficacy of both procedures in the management of mitral PVL. Methods Patients who underwent treatment of mitral PVL at the Mayo Clinic between January 1995 and December 2015 were enrolled. Utilization trends, procedural details, technical success, and in-hospital and long-term outcomes were assessed. Results Three hundred eighty-one patients underwent percutaneous (n = 195) or surgical (n = 186) treatment of mitral PVLs. The mean age was 66 ± 12 years, and 37% of patients had bioprosthetic valves. Technical success was higher in the surgical group (95.5% vs. 70.1%; p Conclusions In contemporary practice, patients with symptomatic mitral PVLs are best treated with an integrated team approach incorporating both surgical and percutaneous techniques. Patient selection and timing of intervention are critical to achieve optimal results.
Lower Extremity Intervention

Angioplasty with or without stenting remains the mainstay of interventional therapy for arterial occlusive disease of the aortoiliac and femoropopliteal systems. Mortality in patients with peripheral arterial disease, however, derives primarily from systemic cardiovascular events. As such, all patients should have aggressive control of relevant risk factors (e.g., hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidemia). Decisions regarding revascularization for patients with claudication must be individualized in contrast to patients with critical limb ischemia, who should routinely undergo revascularization. Noncomplex lesions of the iliac arteries may be treated with angioplasty alone; stenting should be reserved for special cases. Stent placement should be more liberal in complex aortoiliac lesions. Stent placement for femoropopliteal disease is more controversial. Techniques for conventional and subintimal angioplasty of both aortoiliac and femoropopliteal segments along with stent placement are described along with outcomes and postprocedural care.
One Population Hypothesis Testing

The only relevant test of the validity of a hypothesis is comparison of its predictions with experience.
Molecular and conformational properties of hemicellulose fiber gum from dried distillers grains with solubles

Abstract Hemicellulose fraction from dried distillers grains with solubles (DDGS) was isolated and its molecular structural and conformational properties were elucidated by using partial acid hydrolysis, methylation analysis and NMR spectroscopy. Using 0.3 M sodium hydroxide (120 °C), a purified water soluble hemicellulose molecules (HFG) was isolated from de-oiled and de-starched DDGS. The yield of HFG was up to 27% (w/w). Results from monosaccharide composition, methylation analysis indicated that HFG comprised three types of sugar residues: arabinose based sugar residues including t-Araf (28.6 mol%) and 1,3-Araf (4.9 mol%); xylose based sugar residues including t-Xylp (14.1 mol%), 1,4-Xylp (18.6 mol%), 1,3, 4-Xylp (20.8 mol%), and 1,2,3,4-Xylp (6.8 mol%); and galactose based sugar residue including t-Galp (6.1 mol%). Partial acid hydrolysis combined with high performance size exclusion chromatography (HPSEC) indicated that protein (4.69%) was covalently linked with carbohydrate portion in HFG, which can be potentially used as food emulsifiers. Although HFG had a high substitution degree (75%), it was a more rigid molecule compare to gum arabic, indicating a shorter branching chain of HFG. 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopy confirmed the presence of t-xylp, 2,3,4-β-D-xylp, t-α-L-araf, 3-α-L-araf and 4-β-D-xylp and several linkage fragments were deduced: t-araf→2-araf→2-O-(1,2,3,4-xyl), t-araf→2-araf→3-O-(1,2,3,4-xyl), t-araf→2-araf→3-araf and t-gal→2-ara. The information gained from this study could help us to better understand the properties of hemicellulose and its performance in applications.
Middle turbinate manipulation and postoperative sinus obstruction after endoscopic endonasal skull-base surgery.

BACKGROUND Inadvertent lateralization of the middle turbinate (MT) after endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS) is cited as a common complication that results in both outflow tract obstruction and recurrent symptoms. In endoscopic endonasal skull-base surgery, the MT is frequently lateralized during the parasagittal approach. Little is known about whether this strategy has unintended consequences on the adjacent paranasal sinuses. Intentional lateralization vs surgical resection of the MT were compared for radiographic evidence of sinus obstruction in this patient population. METHODS A retrospective evaluation was conducted of pre- and postoperative Lund-MacKay (LM) scores in patients who underwent an endoscopic endonasal approach (EEA) for resection of a pituitary tumor or craniopharyngioma (transsellar or suprasellar approach) between 2012 and 2014. Side-specific LM scores were calculated at 0-3 months, 3-6 months, and >6 months. MT lateralization vs resection sides were compared. RESULTS Of the cases reviewed, 122 met the inclusion criteria. There were no statistically significant differences in LM scores of the adjacent paranasal sinuses between resected MTs as compared with surgically lateralized MTs at 3-6 months or >6 months (p = 0.551) postoperatively. Time-point of assessment was statistically significant with regard to the outcome of LM = 0 (p < 0.001), with earlier postoperative imaging correlating with higher LM scores. CONCLUSION Unlike after ESS, MT lateralization does not appear to be correlated with higher LM scores after EEA. Postoperative radiographic sinus outflow obstruction was similar in patients at all measured intervals despite differences in technical management of the MT.
Vaccines against tumor antigens.

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses vaccines against tumor antigens. An emerging group of carcinogens are tumor viruses such as the hepatitis B virus and several members of the retrovirus and herpes virus families of viruses. However, it should be possible to produce safe and effective vaccines against these tumor-inducing viruses and so prevent their infection of the host. A successful vaccine for Marek's disease in chickens, caused by a herpes virus, has been employed for some time. Vaccines against tumor-causing retroviruses are also being developed. Recently, the involvement of both DNA and RNA tumor viruses in cancers of animals and humans has been clearly demonstrated. Given the success achieved in preventing infection of the host by vaccines derived from tumor viruses, the chapter reviews several important examples of these types of viruses, including feline leukemia virus, hepatitis B virus, and the recently discovered human T-cell leukemia virus.
Expressive Language Development of Children Exposed to Cocaine Prenatally: Literature Review and Report of a Prospective Cohort Study.

It was hypothesized that prenatal exposure to cocaine and other substances would be related to delayed expressive language development. Speech and language data were available for 458 6-year olds (204 were exposed to cocaine). No significant univariate or multivariate differences by cocaine exposure group were observed. Classification and regression tree modeling was then used to identify language variable composites predictive of cocaine exposure status. Meaningful cut points for two language measures were identified and validated. Children with a type token ratio of less than 0.42 and with fewer than 97 word types were classified into a low language group. Low language children (n = 57) were more likely to be cocaine exposed (63.1%), with cocaine-exposed children 2.4 times more likely to be in the low language group compared with control children after adjustment for covariates. Prenatal cigarette, but not alcohol exposure, was also significantly related to expressive language delays.
Multiple sclerosis and gene expression profiling.

In gene microarray studies on MS brain, my lab has been studying mRNA from active MS brain lesions from MS brains, and comparing them to three control brains, as well as four brains with Huntington’s Disease, and four brains with Parkinson’s Disease.1, 2 Using a 6800 gene Affymetrix microarray, large increases in transcription of genes encoding key components of the immune response have been seen.1, 2, 3
Adaptive optimization of point cloud grids for SPECT imaging

339 Objectives: Finding an optimal image representation is an effective way of improving performance of reconstruction algorithms in SPECT. Increasing sparseness of the 3D image representation reduces computation time, relaxes memory requirements, and improves the stability of the solution to the optimization problem in image reconstruction. Most SPECT studies are reconstructed onto a standard 3D voxel grid. In this work, we use an adaptive point cloud approach and focus on methods for optimization of the grid geometry by optimizing the number of sampling points and their positioning. Methods: An image is sampled at a grid of points (point cloud) irregularly distributed in space. The points serve as vertices of a tetrahedral mesh formed using the Delaunay tessellation algorithm. Inside each tetrahedron, a continuous function is represented by the linear interpolation of the vertex values. The original reconstruction is performed on a coarse Cartesian grid. Then a random cloud of points is generated so that their density is proportional to the second directional derivative of the Cartesian image. The number of points is increased artificially in the regions where high resolution is desired. The point cloud is allowed to deform and increase in density to achieve optimal correspondence with the Cartesian image. A final image is reconstructed directly from projections onto the irregular grid. Small deformations of the grid are also allowed during the reconstruction. Results: Point cloud-based SPECT reconstruction was performed from human and canine projection data acquired dynamically. Application of the new method significantly improved visual perception of the reconstruction of dynamic frames (low SNR projections of 1 sec). For long acquisition times (summing dynamic data to obtain projections of 23 sec), the number of points in the representation was reduced by a factor of 10 comparing with the Cartesian case. Reduction by a factor of 100 was achieved when only the heart was reconstructed with high spatial resolution. Conclusions: Point clouds constitute a convenient representation of SPECT images, which allows significant reduction in the number of unknowns without loss in image resolution and SNR. Research Support (if any): NIH R01-HL71253,R01-EB00121,R01-HL50663; DOE Contract DE-AC02-05CH11231
Neutral Current Elastic Scattering and the Strange Spin Structure of the Proton

Neutrinos can be used as a unique and informative probe of the structure within nucleons. This thesis presents the tools and methodology for studying the strange quark spin in the nucleon through neutral current elastic neutrino-proton scattering in the MicroBooNE experiment located at the Fermi National Accelerator Lab. An automated boosted decision tree based proton identification algorithm is used to select proton in liquid argon TPC data with a 70\% efficiency. After a set of protons are selected, a logistic regression model is used to select neutral current elastic proton interactions in MicroBooNE. Neutral current elastic proton interactions are selected with an 11\% efficiency and 30\% purity. The number of selected events measured in MicroBooNE data as a function of $Q^2$ is compared directly to the number of selected events in MicroBooNE simulation. An event reweighting scheme is used to vary the expected number of eventsin MicroBooNE simulation based on the values o f the physics parameters of interest. The likelihood for any given value of the physical parameters can then be easily calculated and the probability distributions of the physics parameters can be sampled using Markov Chain Monte Carlo. Future improvements to the detector physics models in MicroBooNE are required for a precise determination of the strange quark spin structure in the proton. With the current level of uncertainty on the detector physics models, we are only able to constrain the net strange quark spin, $\Delta s$ to the range $-1.8 < \Delta s < 3.8$ with 95\% confidence.
A model-based approach for targeted neurophysiology in the behaving non-human primate

Acute neurophysiology in the behaving primate typically relies on traditional manufacturing approaches for the instrumentation necessary for recording. For example, our previous approach consisted of distributing single microelectrodes in a fixed plane situated over a circular patch of frontal cortex using conventionally-milled recording grids. With the advent of robust, multisite linear probes, and the introduction of commercially-available, high-resolution rapid prototyping systems, we have been able to improve upon traditional approaches. Here, we report our methodology for producing flexible, MR-informed recording platforms that allow us to precisely target brain structures of interest, including those that would be unreachable using previous methods. We have increased our single-session recording yields by an order of magnitude and recorded neural activity from widely-distributed regions using only a single recording chamber. This approach both speeds data collection, reduces the damage done to neural tissue over the course of a single experiment, and reduces the number of surgical procedures experienced by the animal.
Judd on Phenomena

Donald Judd’s 1964 essay 'Specific Objects' probably remains his most well-known. In it, he described new artworks characterized by, among other features, 'a quality as a whole' instead of conventional 'part-by-part structure,' the 'use of three dimensions' and 'real space' as opposed to depiction, 'new materials [that] aren’t obviously art,' and the unadorned appearance and 'obdurate identity' of materials as they are. Judd held that the 'shape, image, color and surface' of these objects were more 'specific,' that is to say, 'more intense, clear and powerful,' than in previous art. While these positions demonstrate Judd’s subjective preferences as an artist and art critic, they also convey some of the wider debates driving American avant-garde practices in the 1960s, such as the supposed 'insufficiencies of painting and sculpture' as mediums. Art historians tend to find such breadth appealing of course - sweeping statements bring retrospective order to what was actually haphazard and unruly. But Judd knew that you lose much in eliminating complexity for the sake of clarity. He emphasized this point in his earlier essay 'Local History' so as to qualify the more general of his own arguments. 'The history of art and art’s condition at any time are pretty messy,' he declared. 'They should stay that way.'
A Machine Learning Approach for Classifying Faults in Microgrids using Wavelet Decomposition

In this paper, we propose a machine learning approach for fault identification and protection of microgrid circuits. We model a representative microgrid architecture found in an industrial facility in simulation to motivate and demonstrate our approach. In particular, we formulated a 5-class classification problem to identify 5 different fault scenarios. Three-phase voltage and current waveforms corresponding to each fault type were analyzed using 5-level wavelet decomposition. Statistical features were calculated for the resulting wavelet coefficients. Significant features were selected using the Wilcoxon rank-sum test while the classification performances of linear discriminant analysis (LDA), support vector machines (SVM) and Naive Bayesian classifiers were compared. Experimental results showed that SVM has the highest performance and the 5 fault types can be identified with overall accuracy of 98.76% within 0.15 seconds from fault onset.
Fluoropolymers by initiated chemical vapor deposition (iCVD)

Abstract Starting from low-molecular weight reactants in the vapor phase, initiated Chemical Vapor Deposition (iCVD) synthesizes fluoropolymer chains and forms thin films in a single step. Copolymerization results from simply flowing more than one type of monomer into the iCVD vacuum chamber. If any of the monomers has more than one vinyl bond, a crosslinked film is directly obtained without the need for a post-treatment step. Additionally, a pretreatment step with in the iCVD reactor chamber can be used for in situ grafting without the need to break vacuum before commencing film growth.
Presenting characteristics and clinical outcome of patients with COVID-19 in South Korea: A nationwide retrospective observational study

Abstract Background More than 13,000 cases were reported to be infected with COVID-19 by RT-PCR in South Korea. Most studies report clinical characteristics of hospitalized patients with COVID-19; the full spectrum of disease severity has thus not yet been well described. Methods Using retrospective observational methods, this study analyzed factors affecting early clinical symptoms, clinical progress, and severity of disease for COVID-19 positive patients released from quarantine to provide information on establishing optimized care for new patients. The medical data of 7803 laboratory-confirmed patients who had been discharged or died by April 30, 2020 were analyzed using multivariate logistic regression analysis. Findings On admission, 7383 (94•5%) patients were asymptomatic or showed mild illness, and 372 (4•8%) patients were severe illness. Also, 48 (0 0•6%) were hospitalized with critically ill when diagnosed. Most patients with asymptomatic or mild illness on admission remained mild until discharge, 253 (3•4%) progressed to severe illness, and 83 (1•1%) died in hospital. However, the case fatality were 29•8% and 62•5% in severe and critically ill patients, respectively. At admission, 73•0% of hospitalized patients had symptoms; most common were cough (42•5%), sputum (28•8%), and fever (20•1%). Only 35•2% of laboratory confirmed patients admitted to the temporary care facility complained of symptoms. Increasing odds of being critically ill was associated with older age (OR 28•93, 95% CI 13•34–62•75 for age >70y, vs. age Interpretation Most cases were discharged as asymptomatic or recovered from mild illness, and only 9•7% developed severe disease requiring oxygen therapy or more. Case fatality rate was 2•9%, and markedly increased in those over age 50. Risk factors such as age, sex, fever, shortness of breath, and underlying disease can be useful in predicting future clinical severity. Additionally, the number of confirmed asymptomatic COVID-19 patients significantly contribute to continued spread. Funding none.
Augmented Spanish-Persian Neural Machine Translation.

Neural Machine Translation (NMT) performs training of a neural network employing an encoder-decoder architecture. However, the quality of the neural-based translations predominantly depends on the availability of a large amount of bilingual training dataset. In this paper, we explore the performance of translations predicted by attention-based NMT systems for Spanish to Persian low-resource language pairs. We analyze the errors of NMT systems that occur in the Persian language and provide an in-depth comparison of the performance of the system based on variations in sentence length and size of the training dataset. We evaluate our translation results using BLEU and human evaluation measures based on the adequacy, fluency, and overall rating.
Effect of receptors on the resonant and transient harmonic vibrations of Coronavirus

The paper is concerned with the vibration characteristics of the Coronavirus family. There are some 25-100 receptors, commonly called spikes protruding from the envelope shell of the virus. Spikes, resembling the shape of a hot air balloon, may have a total mass similar to the mass of the lipid bi-layer shell. The lipid proteins of the virus are treated as homogeneous elastic material and the problem is formulated as the interaction of thin elastic shell with discrete masses, modeled as short conical cross-sectional beams. The system is subjected to ultrasonic excitation. Using the methods of structural acoustics, it is shown that the scattered pressure is very small and the pressure on the viral shell is simply the incident pressure. The modal analysis is performed for a bare shell, a single spike, and the spike-decorated shell. The predicted vibration frequencies and modes are shown to compare well with the newly derived closed-form solutions for a single spike and existing analytical solutions for thin shells. The fully nonlinear dynamic simulation of the transient response revealed the true character of the complex interaction between local vibration of spikes and global vibration of the multi-degree-of-freedom system. It was shown that harmonic vibration at or below the lowest resonant modes can excite large amplitude vibration of spikes. The associated maximum principal strain in a spike can reach large values in a fraction of a millisecond. Implications for possible tearing off spikes from the shell are discussed. Another important result is that after a finite number of cycles, the shell buckles and collapses, developing internal contacts and folds with large curvatures and strains exceeding 10%. For the geometry and elastic properties of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, these effects are present in the range of frequencies close to the ones used for medical ultrasound diagnostics.
Sickle Cell Disease

Sickle cell disease is a genetic disorder of red blood cells that predisposes patients to acute and chronic pain. Acute pain crises, or vaso-occlusive crises, should be treated expeditiously to avoid other complications of sickle cell disease. Management of crises includes supportive care as well as multimodal analgesia.
Fifty-Seven Tracts: Shaybānī’s (d. 189/805) Aṣl/Mabsūṭ, Twelve Centuries On

In Muḥammad b. al-Ḥasan Shaybānī’s (d. 189/805) al-Mabsūṭ, it is taken for granted that different nations (Jews, Zoroastrians, Christians, Muslims) may live inside a single moral-legal structure known as an abode (dār, pl. dūr). When a community of nations is governed by Islamic moral and legal norms, theirs would be known as the Islam-abode, Dār al-Islām. Islamic moral and legal norms have a strong, though not unlimited, presence in this abode. The norms and forms of consent dominant in the Islam-abode are not presumed to be politically and socially respected outside of it. Each one of these ‘religious nations’ were granted collective rights as ‘protected groups.’ To bring what I hope will be a helpful comparison, consider the following. In the United States, only in areas where rights can be granted to individuals based on these individual’s ‘sincerely held beliefs’ may an individual receive relief because of their affiliation with a religious group. No rights are afforded to religious ‘groups’ per se. A class certification (an acknowledgment that an individual Muslim who suffered discrimination did so for belonging to that class) may benefit the individual’s cause in a religious freedom case; yet religious groups don’t have rights as a group. In contrast, in Shaybānī’s world, even if the doctrines and practices of a group are abhorrent to Muslim beliefs (for example, incest, practiced by Shaybānī’s eighth-century Zoroastrians), the group’s religion is protected, and the individuals belonging to the religious group would be acknowledged in a manner unavailable to today’s American Muslim minority. Against that benefit, however, we will see that an individual’s freedom to move about from one religious group to another, while not an infrequent occurrence, was not celebrated (to say the least). And the jurist, who held a degree of power in shaping his society’s norms, had his limits.
Acoustic and Photoacoustic Microscopy

The acoustic microscope [1] has some features in common with the optical microscope such as the wavelength of radiation (0.5 micrometers) - and some in common with the electron microscope - such as scanning. But, there are others that are distinct from conventional microscopes and those are the features that ill be emphasized in this presentation.
Dissecting microRNA-mediated gene regulation and function in T-cell development.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are abundant ∼22‐nucleotide regulatory RNAs encoded in animal genomes. They are thought to exhibit diverse biological functions in animals by targeting messenger RNAs (mRNAs) for degradation or translational repression. Here we use T‐cell development as a model to illustrate methods and strategies for dissecting the post transcriptional gene regulatory networks controlled by miRNAs and their roles in the differentiation of T‐cell precursors. The process involves the identification of miRNA genes in rare T‐cell progenitors, determining miRNA expression during T‐cell development, characterizing miRNA function in T‐cell development using an in vitro assay, and identifying functionally relevant gene(s) regulated by miRNAs.
Telerobotics, Automation, and Human Supervisory Control

Theory and models of supervisory control - frameworks and fragments supervisory control of anthropomorphic teleoperators for space, undersea, and other applications supervisory control in transportation, process, and other automated systems social implications of telerobotics, automation, and supervisory control.
What I Don’t Believe

It may disarm the gentle reader to learn that I am not a trained theologian. Although once religious, and a serious student of ‘The Arguments’ for the existence of God, the writer has had no explicit academic preparation for an essay like this one. These pages, then, must be construed as the good natured testament of a reluctant disbeliever — whose studies in logic, analytical philosophy and philosophy of science have ground the lenses through which he looks at life and death, perhaps never again with the innocence once possible.
Reliability analysis of structures under periodic proof tests in service

A reliability analysis of structures subjected to random service loads and periodic proof tests treats gust loads and maneuver loads as random processes. Crack initiation, crack propagation, and strength degradation are treated as the fatigue process. The time to fatigue crack initiation and ultimate strength are random variables. Residual strength decreases during crack propagation, so that failure rate increases with time. When a structure fails under periodic proof testing, a new structure is built and proof-tested. The probability of structural failure in service is derived from treatment of all the random variables, strength degradations, service loads, proof tests, and the renewal of failed structures. Some numerical examples are worked out.
Oleocanthal Enhances Amyloid-β Clearance from the Brains of TgSwDI Mice and in Vitro across a Human Blood-Brain Barrier Model

Numerous clinical and preclinical studies have suggested several health promoting effects for the dietary consumption of extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO) that could protect and decrease the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Moreover, recent studies have linked this protective effect to oleocanthal, a phenolic secoiridoid component of EVOO. This protective effect of oleocanthal against AD has been related to its ability to prevent amyloid-β (Aβ) and tau aggregation in vitro, and enhance Aβ clearance from the brains of wild type mice in vivo; however, its effect in a mouse model of AD is not known. In the current study, we investigated the effect of oleocanthal on pathological hallmarks of AD in TgSwDI, an animal model of AD. Mice treatment for 4 weeks with oleocanthal significantly decreased amyloid load in the hippocampal parenchyma and microvessels. This reduction was associated with enhanced cerebral clearance of Aβ across the blood-brain barrier (BBB). Further mechanistic studies demonstrated o...
Energy density of foods affects energy intake across multiple levels of fat content in lean and obese women

Background: The results of previous studies indicated that energy density, independent of fat content, influences energy intake. In most studies, however, both fat content and energy density were lower than in typical American diets. Objective: We examined the influence of energy density on intake when fat content was above, below, or similar to the amount of fat typically consumed and when energy density was closer to that of American diets. Design: Lean (n = 19) and obese (n = 17) women consumed all meals daily in our laboratory during 6 experimental sessions. The main entrees, consumed ad libitum, were formulated to vary in fat content (25%, 35%, and 45% of energy) and energy density (5.23 kJ/g, or low energy density, and 7.32 kJ/g, or high energy density) but to have similar palatability. Results: Energy density influenced energy intake across all fat contents in both lean and obese women (P < 0.0001). Women consumed less energy in the low (7531 kJ) than in the high (9414 kJ) energy density condition. Despite this 20% lower energy intake, there were only small differences in hunger (7%) and fullness (5%). Women consumed a similar volume, but not weight, of food daily across conditions. Differences in intake by weight, but not volume, occurred because for some versions of manipulated foods, weight and volume were not directly proportional. Conclusions: Energy density affected energy intake across different fat contents and at levels of energy density comparable with those in typical diets. Furthermore, our findings suggest that cues related to the amount of food consumed have a greater influence on short-term intake than does the amount of energy consumed. Am J Clin Nutr 2001;73:1010-8.
A Test: Hume's Missing Shade of Blue

This paper discusses a possible test of Hume's ‘missing shade of blue’ and whether it might be possible to make some empirical progress on the question. Towards this end seventy-two students were tested to see if they could determine the correct color ratios of missing black and white shades ranging from a consecutive gap of two out of 236 possible combinations, to a consecutive gap of ten of out of 236 possible combinations. On the most difficult test, four of the seventy-two students correctly determined a missing shade, though these same four all claimed to have above-average experience with art.
Conjugated Linoleic Acid Persistently Increases Total Energy Expenditure in AKR/J Mice without Increasing Uncoupling Protein Gene Expression

AKR/J mice fed a high fat diet were treated with a 1% (1 g/100 g) admixture of conjugated linoleic acids (CLA) for 5 wk and compared with control mice. Body weights, energy intakes and energy expenditure (EE) determined by indirect calorimetry were measured weekly. CLA treatment reduced adipose depot weights by approximately 50% but had no significant effects on either body weight or energy intake. CLA increased EE persistently by an average of 7.7% throughout the 5-wk experiment. This greater EE, despite no difference in energy intake, was sufficient to account for the lower body fat stores in the CLA-treated mice. De novo fatty acid biosynthesis in adipose tissue, measured by incorporation of deuterium-labeled water, was not decreased by CLA treatment and therefore did not explain the lower adipose lipid in these mice. Expression of uncoupling protein (UCP) in skeletal muscle, white adipose tissue and kidney was not affected by CLA treatment. In brown adipose tissue, UCP1 expression was not affected by CLA treatment. However, UCP2 expression, although quite low, was significantly greater in CLA-fed mice. We conclude that CLA acts to reduce body fat stores by chronically increasing metabolic rate. This effect on metabolic rate is likely not due to increased UCP gene expression. Furthermore, the reduced body fat is not due to decreased de novo fatty acid synthesis in white adipose tissue.
Admissible fibers and T-admissibility in hyperspaces

Abstract We prove that: 1. (1) A metric continuum X is T-admissible if and only if the admissible fiber A (x) is path-connected for each x ϵ X. 2. (2) The metric continuum X is T-admissible if and only if C(X) is T-admissible. An example of noncontractible metric continuum X having noncontractible hyperspace C(X) without any Ri-continuum is given.
Extended Producer Responsibility for E‐Waste: Individual or Collective Producer Responsibility?

We investigate the implications of collective and individual producer responsibility (CPR and IPR, respectively) models of product take-back laws for e-waste on manufacturers’ design for product recovery (DfR) choices and profits, and on consumer surplus in the presence of product competition. We show that IPR offers superior DfR incentives as compared to CPR, and provides a level competitive ground. CPR may distort competition and allow free-riding on DfR efforts to reduce product recovery costs. Thus, manufacturer preferences for IPR or CPR may differ because of the free-riding implications under CPR, with even high-end manufacturers having incentives to free-ride under certain competitive conditions. The policy choice between IPR and CPR is not clear cut from an economic welfare perspective. This choice involves a comparison between the effects of superior recovery cost reduction through improved DfR under IPR and the operational cost-efficiency under CPR.
Muscle temperature alters the EMG power spectrum of the canine diaphragm

Electromyogram (EMG) power spectral analysis has been widely used to detect muscle fatigue. Non-fatigue factors that influence the EMG power spectrum must be well understood to ensure accurate interpretation. We explored the effect of muscle temperature on the EMG power spectrum in an isolated canine diaphragm preparation with intact neuro-vascular supply. In 5 animals, diaphragm temperature was continuously recorded with an intramuscular thermocouple, and the EMG signal was recorded with intramuscular wire electrodes. Data were obtained from spontaneous isometric diaphragm contractions while the diaphragm underwent passive cooling from 40 to 30 degrees C. The EMG power spectrum was determined using fast Fourier transform and each spectrum was characterized by its center frequency (fc). A direct linear relationship was found between diaphragm temperature and the EMG fc. The mean slope of the temperature-EMG fc relationship was 2.9% fc.degree C-1. In conclusion, diaphragm temperature is a major determinant of the diaphragmatic EMG power spectrum, and should be controlled when this index is employed in the investigation of muscle fatigue.
Computational Parameterization Simplicity and Filtering of Data-Driven Inverse Analysis for Heat Deposition Processes

This paper underscores two important computational aspects associated with algorithms for data-driven inverse analysis and characterization of heat deposition processes. The first involves the fact that the mathematical foundation of these algorithms suggests that a very large class of temperature fields, associated with different types of heat deposition processes and different domain geometries can be represented parametrically by a relatively small set of functions. They include linear combinations of solutions to the heat conduction equation. Issues concerning the use of algorithms based on different types of parametric representations related to different types of heat deposition processes are discussed. A prototype analysis is presented to demonstrate many characteristics of these algorithms that are significant for their practical application. The second aspect relates to the filtering property of inversion itself due to the nature of the kernel function involved with the description of the heat source. Both of these aspects are crucially beneficial to developing methodologies that effect the real-time dynamic data-driven production parameter adjustments of manufacturing processes involving heat deposition.Copyright © 2006 by ASME
Nutrition Programs for Lightweight Calves

As long as beef farms have orphaned calves and late-calving cows and as long as many small beef herds continue year-round calving,large numbers of lightweight calves are likely to be presented to the marketplace. In addition, dairies produce male calves that must be grown for beef production as well as heifers that need to be developed for milking replacements. All require specialized growing programs. With proper planning, nutritional programs for these calves can be designed for drylot- and pasture-based systems. Special considerations include the reduced feed intake that can occur at the time of weaning, which occurs at young ages in these calves, as well as shipping stress and unfamiliarity with manufactured feed. Diets must provide more protein and energy than needed for older and heavier cattle. Feed form, palatability, and avoidance of digestive upset are critical.
Characterization of functional T-cell lines derived from MRL mice.

Abstract In an effort to characterize further the role of T cells in the autoimmune disease of MRL Mp - lpr lpr (lpr) mice, continuous cell lines were established from spleen and lymph nodes using EL-4 lymphoma supernatants as a source of T-cell growth factor(s). Five lines were derived from lpr spleen and lymph nodes, and an equal number from MRL Mp -+/+ (+/+). All of the lines lost their alloreactivity after a short time in culture. Surprisingly, every line manifested marked proliferation in response to autologous irradiated spleen cells. This response was restricted to I-Ak, as it was blocked with monoclonal anti-I-Ak antibodies, and as B10.A(4R) accessory cells were stimulatory while B10.A(3R) were not. There was no difference in the degree of stimulation from lpr accessory cells compared to that in those from +/+ or other H-2k mice. The T-cell lines bore Thy-1, Ly-1, L3T4, and 7D4 (interleukin 2 (IL-2) receptor), but lacked Ly-2 and surface Ig. They proliferated in response to both conventional and recombinant DNA-derived IL-2. When cocultured with Ia-identical B cells, the T-cell lines provoked B-cell division and antibody production. The cells also caused intense proliferation when cultured with freshly isolated lpr (but not +/+) lymph node cells. The results indicate that lpr lymphoid tissue contains functional T cells reactive to autologous la molecules and capable of inducing both B-cell activation and the proliferation of lpr lymphocytes. Such cells may be of importance in inducing hypergammaglobulinemia, autoantibody producton, and lymphoproliferation in these SLE mice.
Energy Minimizers for Curvature-Based Surface Functionals

We compare curvature-based surface functionals by comparing the aesthetic properties of their minimizers. We introduce an enhancement to the original inline curvature variation functional. This new functional also considers the mixed cross terms of the normal curvature derivative and is a more complete formulation of a curvature variation functional. To give designers an intuitive feel for the preferred shapes attained by these different functionals, we present a catalog of the minimum energy shapes for various symmetrical, unconstrained input surfaces of different genera.
Biotechnology and Biological Weapons: Challenges to the U.S. Regional Stability Strategy

Throughout military history, some changes in technology have provided new weapons and capabilities to military commanders. Some of those changes were so significant, as in the case of nuclear weapons, that they modified the strategic positions of the countries that possessed them within the international system. Although biological weapons cannot destroy civilian or military infrastructure, they can kill people in large numbers. Because the effects of the dissemination of biological weapons are invisible, delayed, and uncertain, genetically modified biological weapons can acquire a deterrence capability that would present serious challenges to United States policymakers.