cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Generic Controller For Manufacturing Workcells

Many manufacturing companies are studying how the systematic use of computers throughout their operation can improve productivity, with the goal of achieving computer-integrated manufacturing (CIM). It is now realized that computer control should be applied to systems as a whole in addition to individual processes. A manufacturing workcell is composed of a number of stations that perform value-adding processes linked by a material-handling system and computer control. Although the cellular approach to factory automation is widely accepted, there is a shortage of commercial software for controlling cells. The cell control problem involves high level functions of production scheduling and resource management, as well as the monitoring and control of real-time processes. An intelligent control algorithm is presented that can be applied to manufacturing workcells. Since it is easier to add cell-specific knowledge to a knowledge base than to modify a conventional program, a knowledge-based implementation supports the goal of a generic controller. Results from implementing such a controller for a simulated workcell indicate that this approach merits further development.
On algebraically special perturbations of black holes

Algebraically special perturbations of black holes excite gravitational waves that are either purely ingoing or purely outgoing. Solutions, appropriate to such perturbations of the Kerr, the Schwarzschild, and the Reissner-Nordstrom black-holes, are obtained in explicit forms by different methods. The different methods illustrate the remarkable inner relations among different facets of the mathematical theory. In the context of the Kerr black-hole they derive from the different ways in which the explicit value of the Starobinsky constant emerges, and in the context of the Schwarzschild and the Reissner-Nordstrom black-holes they derive from the potential barriers surrounding them belonging to a special class.
Construction of a simple representation for the Green's function of a crystalline film

For a one-dimensional Hamiltonian, $H=\ensuremath{-}(\frac{{\ensuremath{\hbar}}^{2}}{2m})(\frac{{d}^{2}}{d{z}^{2}})+V(z)$, it is well known that the Green's function $G(z,{z}^{\ensuremath{'}};E)$ may be written in the simple form $G(z,{z}^{\ensuremath{'}};E)=\frac{{\ensuremath{\psi}}^{+}({z}_{g};E){\ensuremath{\psi}}^{\ensuremath{-}}({z}_{l};E)}{W(E)}$, where ${\ensuremath{\psi}}^{\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}}(z;E)$ are the solutions to the Schr\"odinger equation, $(E\ensuremath{-}H)\ensuremath{\psi}(z;E)=0$, which satisfy outgoing boundary conditions, respectively, at $z\ensuremath{\rightarrow}\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}\ensuremath{\infty}$, and where $W(E)$ is the Wronskian. Here, an analogous expression is derived for the Green's function of a crystalline film, i.e., of a solid whose one-electron potential $V(\stackrel{\ensuremath{\rightarrow}}{\ensuremath{\rho}},z)$ has the translational periodicity of a lattice in $\stackrel{\ensuremath{\rightarrow}}{\ensuremath{\rho}}\ensuremath{\equiv}(x,y)$, and vanishes as $z\ensuremath{\rightarrow}\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}\ensuremath{\infty}$.
Parity in computer-based health education: designing culturally relevant Alzheimer’s disease information:

Disparities that exist for racial and ethnic minority groups in healthcare status and access are compounded in the presence of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Recent improvements in the diagnosis and care of persons with AD need to be paralleled in minority communities with early recognition and timely evaluation. Innovative information technologies can help reduce health disparities. A qualitative study was conducted with 48 participants: to understand how cultural values influence responses to signs of memory loss and to critique a CD-ROM memory loss educational program for the purpose of tailoring it to better meet the needs and preferences of African American and Chinese American users. Traditions of close family relationships, respect for elderly and the commitment to care, central to both groups, provided the basis for the frequently parallel recommendations for a revised program. Principles of adult education and web-based program design proved essential in developing a culturally relevant program.
Eliminating conditionally independent sets in factor graphs: A unifying perspective based on smart factors

Factor graphs are a general estimation framework that has been widely used in computer vision and robotics. In several classes of problems a natural partition arises among variables involved in the estimation. A subset of the variables are actually of interest for the user: we call those target variables. The remaining variables are essential for the formulation of the optimization problem underlying maximum a posteriori (MAP) estimation; however these variables, that we call support variables, are not strictly required as output of the estimation problem. In this paper, we propose a systematic way to abstract support variables, defining optimization problems that are only defined over the set of target variables. This abstraction naturally leads to the definition of smart factors, which correspond to constraints among target variables. We show that this perspective unifies the treatment of heterogeneous problems, ranging from structureless bundle adjustment to robust estimation in SLAM. Moreover, it enables to exploit the underlying structure of the optimization problem and the treatment of degenerate instances, enhancing both computational efficiency and robustness.
Study of pentyl-cyanobiphenyl nematic doped with gold nanoparticles

We studied the dispersion of up to 20 wt% gold nanoparticles (GNP) in a room temperature nematic: cyanobiphenyl homologue 4′-pentyl-4-biphenylcarbonitrile (PBPCN or 5CB). At 15% GNP, the threshold voltage decreases to 1.2 times its value for the pure nematic and the switching-off time decreases by a factor of three. We show that this decrease of display parameters is caused by a 1.8 times decrease in dielectric anisotropy, a 1.3 times change in the average elastic parameter, and a change of about 4.6 times the rotational viscosity. The doped GNP did not affect the thermal stability of the material's nematic phase and the material parameters behaviour versus gold concentration was different from the reported earlier analogical behaviour for another cyanobiphenyl homologue, 4′-hexyl-4-biphenylcarbonitrile (HBPCN or 6CB). We propose that these observed differences between the properties of two homologues doped with gold are due to differences in the number of carbon atoms in the alkyl fragment of liquid crys...
INTRASPECIFIC VARIATION IN STRESS‐INDUCED HYDROGEN PEROXIDE SCAVENGING BY THE ULVOID MACROALGA ULVA LACTUCA1

We investigated the presence and kinetics of the oxidative stress response in intertidal and subtidal individuals of the ulvoid macroalga Ulva lactuca L. Stress responses, as measured with both enzymatic and fluorescent-based antioxidant assays, differed between individuals collected from a subtidal and an intertidal habitat. Subtidal individuals secreted significantly more hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) than intertidal individuals when subjected to osmotic stress or desiccation. The activity of reactive-oxygen-scavenging enzymes and the ability to scavenge exogenous H2O2 were lower in subtidal than in intertidal individuals, suggesting that subtidal individuals are less stress tolerant. In vitro experimentation demonstrated that millimolar concentrations of dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP) and its breakdown products could efficiently scavenge H2O2, with DMSP being a less-effective scavenger than dimethyl sulfide (DMS), acrylic acid, and acrylate. The addition of H2O2 at concentrations of 2.5 mM or greater induced the cleavage of DMSP into DMS and acrylic acid in subtidal individuals. Intertidal individuals were affected in the same manner with the addition of 5 mM H2O2. There were no differences in the amounts of DMSP cleavage in subtidal and intertidal algae when the algae were subjected to hyposaline conditions. Our data suggest that the oxidative-stress-induced cleavage of DMSP affords products with efficient H2O2-scavenging abilities. In addition, U. lactuca individuals growing in intertidal habitats are better acclimatized to changing environments and thus have a higher threshold for oxidative stress than conspecifics in subtidal habitats.
Competency in chest radiography. A comparison of medical students, residents, and fellows.

BACKGROUND: Accurate interpretation of chest radiographs (CXR) is essential as clinical decisions depend on readings. OBJECTIVE: We sought to evaluate CXR interpretation ability at different levels of training and to determine factors associated with successful interpretation. DESIGN: Ten CXR were selected from the teaching file of the internal medicine (IM) department. Participants were asked to record the most important diagnosis, their certainty in that diagnosis, interest in a pulmonary career and adequacy of CXR training. Two investigators independently scored each CXR on a scale of 0 to 2. PARTICIPANTS: Participants (n=145) from a single teaching hospital were third year medical students (MS) (n=25), IM interns (n=44), IM residents (n=45), fellows from the divisions of cardiology and pulmonary/critical care (n=16), and radiology residents (n=15). RESULTS: The median overall score was 11 of 20. An increased level of training was associated with overall score (MS 8, intern 10, IM resident 13, fellow 15, radiology resident 18, P<.001). Overall certainty was significantly correlated with overall score (r=.613, P<.001). Internal medicine interns and residents interested in a pulmonary career scored 14 of 20 while those not interested scored 11 (P=.027). Pneumothorax, misplaced central line, and pneumoperitoneum were diagnosed correctly 9%, 26%, and 46% of the time, respectively. Only 20 of 131 (15%) participants felt their CXR training sufficient. CONCLUSION: We identified factors associated with successful CXR interpretation, including level of training, field of training, interest in a pulmonary career and overall certainty. Although interpretation improved with training, important diagnoses were missed.
Autologous fat grafting for the refractory patulous eustachian tube

The patulous eustachian tube (pET) presents a challenging management problem. Patients with the pET disorder are disturbed to the point of mental illness by their symptoms of aural fullness and autophony, especially the echo of their own voice. Thus far, described treatment methods are often temporary or ineffective. Here, we describe a minimally invasive method for the treatment of pET that involves cauterization with autologous fat graft plugging of the ET at its nasopharyngeal orifice, in conjunction with myringotomy and ventilation tube placement. This procedure has been successful for the treatment of refractory pET in 2 patients at the House Ear Clinic with at least 1-year follow-up and we propose that it may accomplish relief of symptoms by permanent stenosis of the ET.
Social Class and the Daily Lives of Children: A Study from the United States.

Using ethnographic data of US white and African-American children 7-10 years of age, this study examines the role of social class in shaping the contours of childhood, pace and rhythm of life, and the amount of interweaving between parents' and children's lives. Focusing on middle-class and working-class boys, the results show that middle-class children spend time in activities organized by adults stressing public performance and skill development. Working-class children's lives tend to revolve around informal play, visiting kin and `hanging out'. Middle-class children's activities, while formally leisure, were similar to school activities. There are also parallels between middle-class children's activities and the nature of their parents' work.
Decyl Decanoate: A Major Component of the Tergite Glands of Honeybee Queens (Apis Mellifera L.)

SummaryDecyl decanoate and longer chain-length esters of decanoic acid were dominant components of the extracts of abdominal tergite glands of virgin honeybee queens, 3–10 days old. The esters were either absent or else present in very small amounts in queens which were 0–2 days old. The cuticular lipids of honeybee queens were predominantly n-alkanes and alkenes with n-heptacosane and hentriacontene being major components.
Transanal surgery for cT1 rectal cancer: Patient selection, technique, and outcomes

Abstract Although evidence has repeatedly shown transanal excision (TAE) to be an oncological compromise compared with standard resection for early rectal cancers, the use of TAE and other local approaches has steadily increased over the past decade. This trend is especially evident for cT1 tumors. An increased risk of local recurrence and worse disease-free survival and overall survival are balanced by the markedly decreased surgical risk associated with TAE, as well as its potential benefit with respect to patient values and priorities. The most pressing questions when considering TAE for early-stage rectal cancers revolve around patient selection. How accurate is our clinical staging? How do we weigh the relative risks and benefits of transanal approaches for each patient? How does a local excision alter the subsequent clinical course and options in managing early rectal cancer? In case of recurrence, how successful is salvage surgery? In this review, we provide an update on the use of transanal surgery for patients with cT1 rectal cancer, focusing on patient selection, technique, and outcomes.
Utility of ancillary stains for Helicobacter pylori in near-normal gastric biopsies

Documentation of Helicobacter pylori infection and eradication is important, prompting some clinicians and pathologists to request ancillary stains on all gastric samples that do not demonstrate H. pylori on initial histologic review. Studies evaluating the utility of ancillary stains in patients with minimal inflammation are lacking. We used Giemsa, Warthin-Starry, acridine orange, and immunohistochemical stains to search for organisms in 56 patients with biochemical evidence of H. pylori infection (positive Campylobacter-like organism test) and gastric mucosal samples interpreted to be H pylori negative by hematoxylin and eosin (H&E). We correlated the findings with severity of inflammation and patients' histories of medication use. Nineteen (34%) patients had histologically normal mucosae, 22 (39%) had chronic inflammation with or without focal activity, and 15 (27%) had chemical gastropathy. Fifty (89%) cases were negative for H. pylori with additional stains, and 6 contained bacteria that were detected with all 4 ancillary stains and on retrospective review of H&E-stained sections that also showed chronic inflammation. Eleven (20%) patients were taking proton pump inhibitors, and 4 (7%) had previously received H. pylori eradication therapy. We conclude that H&E stains demonstrate H. pylori in most infected patients, so preemptive stain requests are largely unnecessary. Failure to identify bacteria by H&E evaluation generally reflects their absence in biopsy material, even among Campylobacter-like organism test--positive patients. However, organisms may be overlooked in patients with mild inflammation and in those receiving proton pump inhibitor or antibiotic therapy, so one should consider ordering ancillary stains to enhance detection of bacteria in these settings.
Some results on error control for burst-error channels under delay constraints

This paper considers the problem of designing an error control scheme under delay constraints and presents some new results. In particular, the performance of some error-correction block codes and of the Go-Back-N retransmission scheme is investigated, when a packetized stream of bits is to be transmitted across a burst-error channel. The presence of a delay constraint causes degraded the error-correction performance (due to nonideal interleaving) and block dropping in Go-Back-N (due to retransmission delay). An approximate characterization of the residual bit error rate at the output of the error-control scheme is presented, and the effect of the channel burstiness, type of codes used, and channel data rate on the tradeoffs between the residual bit error rate and delay, and between the delay and achievable information rate is examined.
T-cell-directed cancer vaccines: mechanisms of immune escape and immune tolerance

Recent clinical trials using vaccines directed toward tumour-associated antigens (TA) have shown the increasing capacity of vaccines to cause immunologic responses. In fact, strongly reactive TA-specific cytolytic T-lymphocytes and tumour-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) can be identified and expanded ex vivo from patients with metastatic melanoma vaccinated with melanoma-associated antigens. Paradoxically, this strong immunological response does not correlate with clinical tumour regression. Proposed mechanisms responsible for this glaring inconsistency are numerous and varied; systemic immunosuppressive as well as local mechanistic factors are implicated. In this review we will critically evaluate the possible mechanisms that allow tumours to escape immune destruction and be tolerated by the immune system. In addition, strategies that may allow further insight into the biology of tumour rejection are discussed, in the hope of deepening the understanding of this phenomenon and enhancing its therapeutic potential.
Programmed Cell Death in Cerebral Ischaemia

Programmed cell death (PCD) is the process by which redundant neurons delete themselves during embryonic development in the nervous system. Recent data indicate that a cellular suicide process similar to PCD also contributes to the death of neurons during stroke. This suggests that pharmacological approaches that interrupt PCD may have utility in stroke. Three of these approaches are neurotrophins, endonuclease inhibitors and calpain inhibitors.
Control of nonstationary LPV systems

This paper considers control of nonstationary linear parameter-varying systems, and is motivated by interest in the control of nonlinear system along prespecified trajectories. In the paper, synthesis conditions are derived for such systems using an operator theoretic framework with the /spl Bscr/ induced norm as the performance measure. These conditions are given in terms of structured operator inequalities. In general, evaluating the validity of these conditions is an infinite dimensional convex optimization problem; however, if the initial system is eventually periodic, they reduce to a finite dimensional semi-definite programming problem, and are thus readily verified.
Phase I clinical trial of pyrazoloacridine NSC366140 (PD115934)

The pyrazoloacridine (PZA) analogue NSC366140 (PD115934) entered clinical trial based on unique preclinical characteristics including solid tumor selectivity in vitro, marked antitumor activity in vivo against murine solid tumors, selectivity against noncycling cells, and activity against multidrug-resistant tumor cells. After identification of the pre-clinical efficacy and an acceptable toxicity profile, a Phase I study of PZA was carried out. A total of 28 patients was entered and received a total of 67 treatment courses. The drug was administered via a 1-h infusion every 21 days. The starting dose was 30 mg/m2 with 2-fold dose escalations through 480 mg/m2. The next dose escalation was 50%, to 720 mg/m2. Grade I through grade IV toxicities were observed. Since no dose-limiting toxicities were observed at 480 mg/m2, and up to grade IV toxicities were observed at 720 mg/m2, an intermediate dose, 600 mg/m2, was evaluated. Dose-limiting toxicities at 720 mg/m2 were hematological (grade III and IV neutropenia) in four of six patients and neurological (up to grade III cerebral toxicities, including restlessness, dizziness, agitation/anxiety, personality changes, and nightmares, as well as myoclonus) in three of six patients treated. The pharmacokinetic parameters which helped predict these toxicities included area under the curve and peak plasma level. Pharmacokinetic studies showed interpatient variations in all parameters studied. The mean area under the curve levels of PZA at the highest two dose levels in patients were near the level detected in mice at their maximum tolerated total dose. The recommended starting dose for Phase II trials using this schedule is 600 mg/m2.
Pulmonary diffusing capacity and pulmonary capillary blood volume in normal subjects and in cardiac patients

Abstract 1.1. Pulmonary diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide (D L CO ) was determined in 27 normal subjects and in 59 patients with cardiac lesions. The respective mean values of D L CO (milliliters per millimeter of mercury per minute) were as follows: (a) in normal subjects, 29.3; (b) in patients with aortic valvular lesions, 30.9; (c) in patients with mitral insufficiency, 26.3; (d) in patients with Class II mitral stenosis, 25.6; (e) in patients with Class III and Class IV mitral stenosis, 22.0; and (f) in patients with interatrial septal defect, 30.9. In general, D L CO was within normal limits in patients with mild or moderately severe cardiac lesions, irrespective of the magnitude of pulmonary blood flow, and it was significantly reduced in those with severe mitral stenosis and pulmonary congestion or edema. 2.2. Pulmonary capillary blood volume (V C ) was estimated in 13 normal subjects and in 44 cardiac patients. The respective mean values of V C (milliliters per square meter of body surface area) were as follows: (a) in normal subjects, 43.0; (b) in patients with aortic valvular lesions, 47.3; (c) in patients with mitral insufficiency, 47.6; (d) in patients with Class II mitral stenosis, 57.4; (e) in patients with Class III or Class IV mitral stenosis, 72.0; (f) in patients with interatrial septal defect, 88.3. 3.3. There was an increase in V C in patients with mitral stenosis who had markedly elevated pulmonary wedge pressure but normal or reduced pulmonary blood flow. A significant increase in V C was also demonstrated in patients with interatrial septal defect who had an increased pulmonary blood flow but normal pulmonary wedge pressure. It appears that both pulmonary blood flow and pulmonary wedge pressure are important factors which govern the pulmonary capillary bed.
Osteoblastoma: A Mimic of Osteosarcoma

Osteoblastoma, a bone-forming neoplasm without metastatic potential, can be mistaken histologically for various benign and malignant primary neoplasms of bone or mimic nonneoplastic conditions, including osteoid osteoma, giant cell tumor of bone, aneurysmal bone cyst, and chondroblastoma [1]. The most important diagnostic distinction is to distinguish osteoblastoma from osteosarcoma. Although both lesions usually have characteristic clinical, radiologic, and histologic findings, in certain cases the distinction between both can be difficult. This is complicated by lesions that morphologically and biologically appear to exist at the interface between the two. In this review, we describe the characteristics of osteoblastomas and review criteria that can prove helpful in the distinction among the various pathologic entities.
SHIPYARD WORKERS, NEW ORLEANS, AND U.S. DEMOCRACY

This project explores the civic engagement of workers in the Avondale shipyard on the outskirts of New Orleans. Avondale workers earn decent incomes, patronize local businesses, join associations and support those organizations with their leadership, contributions, and civic engagement. This engagement creates the social capital that holds the community together, training people to take an interest in the public good, and driving them to seek political information. As leaders in the community, Avondale workers share that information with family, friends, and fellow workers, and build the sense that they can participate effectively in public life. They are politically engaged, vote at high rates, and participate in democratic life. The workers themselves are clear on where their civic activism comes from – the struggle and victory of securing union representation in the workplace. That struggle was difficult, and it taught workers to intertwine their civic future with that of the community. It also secured the material benefits of income and stability that allowed workers to plan for a lifetime of increasing productivity, income, and generational advancement.
Early adopters: Playing new literacies and pretending new technologies in print-centric classrooms

In this article, semiotic analysis of children's practices and designs with video game conventions considers how children use play and drawing as spatializing literacies that make room to import im...
Pharmacokinetics of Highly Ionized Drugs III: Methylene Blue—Blood Levels in the Dog and Tissue Levels in the Rat following Intravenous Administration

Plasma concentrations following rapid intravenous injection of 2-, 5-, 7.5-, 10-, and 15-mg./kg. doses of methylene blue in a dog were obtained. The single-dose data were fit to both a nonlinear heterogeneous one-compartment open model with binding to one type of tissue and the classical linear two-compartment open model. Fitting to the nonlinear model showed no systematic trends in the estimated parameters in relation to dose. Fitting of the concentration data to the classical linear two-compartment open model did show systematic trends in the estimated parameters in relation to dose. Rats were injected intravenously with 2-, 5-, 7.5-, 10-, 15-, and 25-mg./kg. doses of methylene blue and were then decapitated 3 min. later. The lungs, liver, kidneys, and heart were removed and assayed. An average of 29.8% of the dose (range 25.2–35.8%) was recovered in those four tissues, indicating very rapid uptake and extensive uptake of methylene blue by tissues. A plot of the average amount taken up by those tissues against the milligrams per kilogram dose was fit by the equation appropriate to the nonlinear model.
Corrections to "Finite-precision analysis of the pipelined ADPCM coder"

In the original paper [see ibid., vol. 41, no. 5, 1994] the last page was omitted. The missing text is now given. >
The Effect of Variation in Male Sexually Dimorphic Traits on Female Behaviour in Pronghorn (Antilocapra americana)

Several sexually dimorphic morphological, behavioural, and territory characteristics of male pronghorn, Antilocapra americana, are highly variable. To test the hypothesis that females respond to variation among males for mate choice, I examined the relationship between these male characteristics and female congregation size and variability. Increased movement up to and during rut and differential female congregation on the territories of males with favoured characteristics were detected as predicted. Individual females increased their home ranges nearly fourfold from summer to rut and visited 88% of the territories in the study area. Female congregation size was related to male phenotype but not to territory characteristics. A canonical correlation analysis revealed that not only were several male traits simultaneously related to female congregation size and variability, but the importance of these traits varied across years. However, male courtship, cheek-patch size, and scent marking behaviours were consistently correlated to female congregation patterns across years. Female congregation was significantly related to male courtship, but there was no correlation between former territory owner's and newcomer's attraction of females. This finding is consistent with the hypothesis that females were primarily assessing males instead of territories.
Fast 3D model acquisition from stereo images

We propose a fast 3D model acquisition system that aligns intensity and depth images, and reconstructs a textured 3D mesh. 3D views are registered with shape alignment based on intensity gradient constraints and a global registration algorithm. We reconstruct the 3D model using a new cubic ray projection merging algorithm which takes advantage of a novel data structure: the linked voxel space. Finally, we present experiments to test the accuracy of our approach on 3D face modeling using real-time stereo images.
Change in family income-to-needs matters more for children with less.

Hierarchical linear modeling was used to model the dynamics of family income-to-needs for participants of the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Study of Early Child Care (N = 1,364) from the time that children were 1 through 36 months of age. Associations between change in income-to-needs and 36-month child outcomes (i.e., school readiness, receptive language, expressive language, positive social behavior, and behavior problems) were examined. Although change in income-to-needs proved to be of little importance for children from nonpoor families, it proved to be of great importance for children from poor families. For children in poverty, decreases in income-to-needs were associated with worse outcomes and increases were associated with better outcomes. In fact, when children from poor families experienced increases in income-to-needs that were at least 1 SD above the mean change for poor families, they displayed outcomes similar to their nonpoor peers. The practical importance and policy implications of these findings are discussed.
Selecting Optimal Alternatives and Risk Reduction Strategies in Decision Trees

In this paper we conduct a quantitative analysis for a strategic risk management problem that involves allocating certain available failure-mitigating and consequence-alleviating resources to reduce the failure probabilities of system safety components and subsequent losses, respectively, together with selecting optimal strategic decision alternatives, to minimize the risk or expected loss in the event of a hazardous occurrence. Using a novel decision tree optimization approach to represent the cascading sequences of probabilistic events as controlled by key decisions and investment alternatives, the problem is modeled as a nonconvex mixed-integer 0-1 factorable program. We develop a specialized branch-and-bound algorithm in which lower bounds are computed via tight linear relaxations of the original problem that are constructed by utilizing a polyhedral outer-approximation mechanism in concert with two alternative linearization schemes having different levels of tightness and complexity. We also suggest three alternative branching schemes, each of which is proven to guarantee convergence to a global optimum for the underlying problem. Extensive computational results and sensitivity analyses are presented to provide insights and to demonstrate the efficacy of the proposed algorithm.
The Triple Threat of Cryptococcosis: It’s the Body Site, the Strain, and/or the Host

ABSTRACT Cryptococcosis is the leading invasive fungal infection in the world today. Over the past century, the causative agents, Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii, have risen from the status of medical curiosities to common but life-threatening central nervous system pathogens. In an elegant experimental pathobiology study of these two organisms carried out by Ngamskulrungroj et al., there are three matters that merit further discussion. First is the question of whether there is a variable specific pathobiology for each yeast strain. Does it make biological and clinical sense to designate C. neoformans and C. gattii as two separate species? Second is the matter of how the organisms differ pathologically at the site of infection. Finally, there is the possibility that the human immune system responds differently to each species. Although no single study can provide definitive mechanistic answers to the important questions, this experimental pathology study and its discussion clearly frame the issues to be dissected.
Effect of Organic Anions on Biliary Lipids in the Rat

Abstract Bile salts enhance the biliary secretion of phospholipid and cholesterol. Other amphipilic molecules, organic anions, are secreted into bile as well. We studied the effects of bilirubin and iodipamide, two chemically dissimilar organic anions, on biliary lipid secretion in the rat. We infused bile salt pooldepleted rats with a stepwise infusion of taurocholate and a constant infusion of organic anion. Both organic anions markedly inhibited the biliary secretion of phospholipid and cholesterol without affecting bile salt secretion. This inhibition, at least with iodipamide, was dose-dependent and fully reversible. Using tritiated water as a precursor, we measured hepatic and biliary cholesterol synthesis in the presence or absence of an iodipamide infusion to see if decreased lipid synthesis could explain decreased secretion. Despite the marked reduction in biliary cholesterol secretion, the specific activity of biliary cholesterol was unchanged during an iodipamide infusion. We suggest that organic anions interfere with the assembly of the biliary mixed micelle resulting in micelles that are deficient in phospholipid and cholesterol.
Undertreatment of Cardiac Risk Factors in Adolescents with Renal Failure

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the most common cause of death in adults with end-stage renal disease and after renal transplantation, and the relative excess of mortality is greatest in the young. The most likely explanation is the dramatic accumulation of both classical and uremic risk factors leading to atherosclerosis, uremic vasculopathy, and uremic cardiomyopathy. Prospective studies have established the significance of classical and uremic risk factors for the occurrence of CVD in the normal population and in the population with chronic renal disease alike. However, whether and to what degree modification of risk factors by therapeutic intervention can lower morbidity and mortality rates is as yet unknown.
Effect of maternal exposure to high altitude upon fetal oxygenation

Abstract Acute exposure to high altitude of 6 pregnant ewes in the last third of pregnancy produced a significant decrease in oxygen content in the umbilical vein in the first 48 hours. With continued exposure to high altitude there was an increase in oxygen content in the umbilical vein toward normal values. Two of 6 animals attained normal values in about 2 weeks. This process of adaptation was detectable as early as the fourth day of exposure to low barometric pressure. The rise in oxygen content in the umbilical vein was due in part to an increased umbilical vein oxygen tension and in part to an increased oxygen capacity. The rise of oxygen tension in the umbilical vein was parallel to a rise of oxygen tension in the uterine vein.
Insights into centromeric transcription in mitosis

The major role of RNA polymerase II (RNAP II) is to generate mRNAs. I recently uncovered a novel function of RNAP II in chromosome segregation in mitosis, installing the cohesin protector, Shugoshin, at centromeres. Here I will discuss the current understanding of RNAP II-dependent centromeric transcription in mitosis.
Relativistic Quantum Cryptography with Optical Storage

Using a low-loss optical storage loop and polarization entangled photons, we demonstrate a quantum cryptography protocol in which the sifting step is eliminated and every photon may contribute to the final key.
Lone Star Tick: Mating Behavior of Gamma-Irradiated Males

The mating capacity of ♂ lone star ticks, Amblyomma americanum (L.), from nymphs irradiated at 11–12 days after engorgement with 1250, 1500, and 2500 rad from a 137Cs source did not exceed 2.5 ♀/♂, even at 1250 rad; also, as the dose increased, weight and numbers of detached engorged ♀ diminished, which indicated an adverse effect of irradiation on mating capacity. When 10, 20, or 50 irradiated ♂ and 10 normal ♂ competed for 10 normal ♀, the production of larvae was only slightly reduced, which indicated lack of successful competition by irradiated males.
Nociceptin Augments K+ Currents in Hippocampal CA1 Neurons by Both ORL-1 and Opiate Receptor Mechanisms

We previously reported (see also the accompanying paper) that dynorphin A significantly enhanced the voltage-dependent K+ M-current (I M) in CA3 and CA1 hippocampal pyramidal neurons (HPNs). Becaus...
Long-Term Survival After Minimal Invasive Direct Coronary Artery Bypass (MIDCAB) Surgery in Patients With Low Ejection Fraction.

ObjectiveThe long-term survival after minimal invasive direct coronary artery bypass (MIDCAB) surgery to any coronary territory in patients with ejection fraction of ≤30% was investigated for the f...
Regulation of blood pressure in pregnancy: pressor system blockade and stimulation

Contributions of the autonomic nervous system (ANS), renin-angiotensin system (RAS), and arginine vasopressin (AVP) to basal mean arterial pressure (MAP) were evaluated in near-term pregnant and virgin rats as follows. MAP and heart rate (HR) were measured before and after ganglionic, alpha-adrenoreceptor, RAS, and/or AVP blockade. In addition, pressor responses to angiotensin II (ANG II), norepinephrine, phenylephrine, or AVP were determined in ganglionic-blocked animals. In both groups decrements in MAP were greatest after ganglionic or alpha-blockade, intermediate after RAS blockade, and negligible after AVP-V1 antagonism ([d(CH2)5Tyr(Me)]AVP). Recovery of MAP was also similar in the two groups except after phentolamine when MAP and HR remained lower in gravid rats. Superimposition of RAS or AVP blockade during phentolamine infusion suggested that ANG II and AVP were less effective in supporting MAP during alpha-blockade in pregnancy. Pressor responses to ANG II and norepinephrine during ganglionic blockade were markedly blunted during pregnancy; however, those to phenylephrine and AVP were unchanged. We conclude that contributions of ANS, RAS, and AVP to basal MAP are similar in pregnant and virgin rats; neural mechanisms dominating in both groups. However, recovery during alpha-blockade is impaired during gestation, apparently due to blunted HR responses and decreased pressor contributions of ANG II and AVP. This may be explained, in part, by decreased vascular reactivity to ANG II, although a similar mechanism cannot be invoked for AVP.
Auto-tuning active queue management

Active queue management (AQM) algorithms preemptively drop packets to prevent unnecessary delays through a network while keeping utilization high. Many AQM ideas have been proposed, but none have been widely adopted because these rely on pre-specification or pre-tuning of parameters and thresholds that do not necessarily adapt to dynamic network conditions. We develop an AQM algorithm that relies only on network runtime measurements and a natural threshold, the knee on the delay-utilization curve. We call our AQM algorithm Delay Utilization Knee (DUK) based on its key characteristic of keeping the system operating at the knee of the delay-utilization curve. We implement and evaluate DUK in the Linux kernel in a testbed, that we build, and in the ns-3 network simulator. We find that DUK can attain reduced queuing delay and reduced flow completion times compared to other algorithms with virtually no reduction in link utilization under varying network conditions.
Capitalizing on live variables: new algorithms for efficient Hessian computation via automatic differentiation

We revisit an algorithm [called Edge Pushing (EP)] for computing Hessians using Automatic Differentiation (AD) recently proposed by Gower and Mello (Optim Methods Softw 27(2): 233–249, 2012). Here we give a new, simpler derivation for the EP algorithm based on the notion of live variables from data-flow analysis in compiler theory and redesign the algorithm with close attention to general applicability and performance. We call this algorithm Livarh and develop an extension of Livarh that incorporates preaccumulation to further reduce execution time—the resulting algorithm is called Livarhacc. We engineer robust implementations for both algorithms Livarh and Livarhacc within ADOL-C, a widely-used operator overloading based AD software tool. Rigorous complexity analyses for the algorithms are provided, and the performance of the algorithms is evaluated using a mesh optimization application and several kinds of synthetic functions as testbeds. The results show that the new algorithms outperform state-of-the-art sparse methods (based on sparsity pattern detection, coloring, compressed matrix evaluation, and recovery) in some cases by orders of magnitude. We have made our implementation available online as open-source software and it will be included in a future release of ADOL-C.
Study of the vegetation index-meteorological factor correlation adjusted by accumulated growing degree days

In previous studies, the correlation between the vegetation index and meteorological factors were investigated with in intervals defined by the day-of-year. Compared with the day-of-year, the accumulated growing degree days (AGDD) more effectively reflect vegetation growing stage, which serves as important references in agricultural management and disaster prediction. From this end, it is also worth to investigate vegetation-meteorological factor correlation within intervals defined by the AGDD. In this paper, pixel-wise VCI-meteorological factor (i.e. precipitation and temperature) correlation was analyzed in grass/pasture land by different intervals adjusted by the AGDD. According to results, variances of VCI-meteorological factor correlation were unveiled across different intervals. Summarily, the temperature serves as the dominant factor on VCI dynamics before the heating accumulation necessary for grass growing is achieved. Within these intervals, the precipitation is weakly correlated with the VCI. As excessive heating is received after necessary heating condition is met, the precipitation replaces the temperature as the controlling factor and shows increasingly positive correlation with the VCI. Within the same intervals, VCI-temperature correlation coefficient decreases to negative level. The work in this paper is helpful to better understand intra-annual variances of VCI-meteorological factor correlation. Results from this paper will also serve as the reference for agricultural practices and management.
Eliminating Gender Bias in Computer Science Education Materials

Low female participation in Computer Science is a known problem. Studies reveal that female students are less confident in their CS skills and knowledge than their male counterparts, despite parallel academic performance indicators. While prior studies focus on limited, apparent factors causing this lack of confidence, our work is the first to demonstrate how, in CS, instructional materials may lead to the promotion of gender inequality. We use a multidisciplinary perspective to examine profound, but often subtle portrayals of gender bias within the course materials and reveal their underlying pedagogical causes. We examine three distinct samples of established CS teaching materials and explain how they may affect female students. These samples, while not a complete display of all gender inequalities in CS curriculum, serve as effective representations of the established trends of male-centered representation, imagery, and language that may promote gender inequality. Finally, we present easily implementable, alternative gender equitable approaches that maximize gender inclusion.
Motives and examples of human love for God and the neighbour according to Saint Basil the Great

This article addresses the issue of the motivation of the fundamental order of love for God and the neighbour which Saint Basil the Great used in his doctrine. Based on an analysis of the texts of Saint Basil, this article demonstrates the intimate relationship that should exist between the love for God and the love for man. The ideal of this relationship is represented, according to the analysis, by Jesus Christ, the only Saviour of the world.
Twin-screw extrusion of sustained-release oral dosage forms and medical implants

Most of published reviews of twin-screw extrusion focused on its application for enhancing the bioavailability of amorphous solid dispersions while few of them focused on its use for manufacturing sustained-release oral dosage forms and medical implants, despite the considerable interest and success this process has garnered both in academia and in the pharmaceutical industry. Compared to conventional batch processing, twin-screw extrusion offers the advantages of continuous processing and the ability to prepare oral dosage forms and medical implants that have unique physicochemical and drug release attributes. This review provides an in-depth analysis of the formulation composition and processing conditions of twin-screw extrusion and how these factors affect the drug release properties of sustained-release dosage forms. This review also illustrates the unique advantages of this process by presenting case studies of a wide variety of commercial sustained-release products manufactured using twin-screw extrusion.
Crowdsensing sub-populations in a region

Crowdsensing refers to an approach for collecting of data from a large number of smart devices and sensors carried by many individuals and has been employed for numerous applications, which include pollution monitoring, traffic monitoring and noise sensing. It is an important mechanism for building applications in the smart environments enabled by the internet-of-things. However, often a given problem may dictate that samples are drawn from a defined sub-population of participants, for example based on characteristics of the participant such as location, demographics or other profile attribute, rather than from any possible member of the whole population. In this article we introduce an approach for crowdsensing with a consideration for how to sample from specific sub-populations in a region, delineated in a dimension-based way analogous to the multi-dimensional data model used in data warehousing. Simulation and performance results are provided demonstrating the approach’s ability to maintain active participants, provide coverage of the region of interest, and to be able to scalably sample the variable of interest in relation to the sub-population. This is the first work to our knowledge to address and propose an approach to the specific problem of crowdsourcing from specific attribute-defined sub-populations.
End-of-life trends and patterns among children in the US foster care system: 2005-2015

Drawing on national, longitudinal Adoption and Foster Care Analysis, and Reporting System data (2005–2015), demographic, health, foster care, and geographic characteristics of decedents (N = 3653) ...
Plant Biotechnology: Achievements and Opportunities at the Threshold of the 21st Century

The IXth IAPTC Congress has great symbolism in that it is the last one to be held in the 20th century and the 2nd millenium. As such, it provides a valuable opportunity to pause and to assess the contributions of plant biotechnology to the advancement of science and human welfare, and to gain a perspective for the future. It is a particularly significant time for such an assessment because the first products of plant biotechnology for human use have now been introduced into the marketplace, and there is much debate and concern about the uses and impact of this technology on our lives and the environment.