cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Experimental Learning of a Lift-Maximizing Central Pattern Generator for a Flapping Robotic Wing

In this work, we present an application of a policy gradient algorithm to a real-time robotic learning problem, where the goal is to maximize the average lift generation of a dynamically scaled robotic wing at a constant Reynolds number (Re). Compared to our previous work, the merit of this work is two-fold. First, a central pattern generator (CPG) model was used as the motion controller, which provided a smooth generation and transition of rhythmic wing motion patterns while the CPG was being updated by the policy gradient, thereby accelerating the sample generation and reducing the total learning time. Second, the kinematics included three degrees of freedom (stroke, deviation, pitching) and were also free of half-stroke symmetry constraint, together they yielded a larger kinematic space which later explored by the policy gradient to maximize the lift generation. The learned wing kinematics used the full range of stroke and deviation to maximize the lift generation, implying that the wing trajectories with larger disk area and lower frequencies were preferred for high lift generation at constant Re. Furthermore, the wing pitching amplitude converged to values between $45^{\circ}-49^{\circ}$ regardless of what the other parameters were. Notably, the learning agent was able to find two locally optimal wing motion patterns, which had distinct shapes of wing trajectory but generated similar cycle-averaged lift.
An Intelligent Decision Support System for Stroke Rehabilitation Assessment

Assessment of rehabilitation exercises is important to determine an adequate rehabilitation intervention. However, this assessment is costly as it requires the presence of a therapist. This paper presents an interactive multimodal approach that automatically assesses exercise performance, identifies salient features of assessment, and iteratively present user-specific analysis to support therapist's decision making on personalized rehabilitation assessment. This approach can achieve good agreement level with therapist's evaluation (i.e. an average of 0.8565 F1-scores on three upper-limb exercises), which is higher than non-interactive, unimodal models.
Growth models and growing degree-days: assessment of young-of-year Alewife and Blueback Herring in Potomac River tributaries

Geography and nursery-specific dynamics guide environmental drivers of growth for young-of-year (YOY; larval and juvenile) Alewife (Alosa pseudoharengus) and Blueback Herring (Alosa aestivalis), two species collectively termed river herring; of these factors, temperature is considered one of the most influential. To better understand future YOY growth relative to climate change, this study was designed to determine the site-specific growth rates of YOY river herring in Potomac River tributaries, and determine if temperature was a driving factor of growth. Daily ages were ascertained from YOY otoliths and used to calculate growth rates using nine growth models. Weighted Akaike information criterion (AICw) determined the best-fit model for both species was the von Bertalanffy growth model. Von Bertalanffy growth parameters differed between species (p < 0.0001), between years for both species (p < 0.0001), and between locations for Blueback Herring (p = 0.0002), emphasizing the need for species-specific assessments. Standard length and cumulative growing degree-days were highly correlated within each year for both species, but significantly different between species and years for each species (Pearson’s r = 0.740–0.913, p < 0.0001). Estimating site-specific growth rates and drivers of growth can help managers determine the potential of Potomac River tributaries as viable nurseries in future climates.
Recovery of Cathode Materials and Aluminum Foil Using a Green Solvent

Effective separation of cathode materials and current collectors is one of the most enabling steps, yet a very challenging step, in recycling electrode scraps and spent Li-ion cells. Here, a green ...
Construction payment automation using blockchain-enabled smart contracts and robotic reality capture technologies

Abstract This paper introduces an autonomous payment administration solution, integrating blockchain-enabled smart contracts and robotic reality capture technologies. The construction progress is captured, analyzed, and documented respectively using sensing, machine intelligence, and as-built building information models (BIM). The progress data is stored in a distributed manner using content addressable file sharing; it is then broadcasted to a smart contract which administers payments and transfers lien rights respectively using crypto currencies/tokens and non-fungible tokens (NFT). The method was successfully implemented for payments to 7 subcontractors in two real-world commercial construction projects in Canada and United States where progress was captured using a camera-equipped unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and an unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) equipped with a laser scanner. The method eliminates reliance on today's heavily intermediated payment applications and showed promise for achieving accurate, efficient, and timely payment administration. Future work should further explore the connections between off- and on-chain realities.
Fusion of somatic and gametic cells with lysoleithin.

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the fusion of somatic and gametic cells with lysolecithin (LL). Sendai virus-induced fusion between somatic cells and between somatic cells and gametic cells has become an established procedure in biological studies of mammalian cells. Problems occur, however, because the “fusion factors” in the Sendai virus preparation are unknown and, therefore, cannot be quantitatively determined. As stocks of Sendai virus vary considerably in their ability to fuse cells, it has been impossible to devise a standard method for the production of such stocks. This also applies to the preservation of Sendai virus stocks, as it has not been possible to relate the occasional loss of ability to fuse cells directly to the condition under which the virus was preserved. The possible introduction of virus particles in a somatic cell during the fusion process may cause alterations in the host cell. Related to this, is the fact that Sendai virus may interfere with the rescue of a virus which may be present in cells participating in the fusion experiment. The lysolecithin (LL), a phospholipid, is capable of fusing somatic cells, and the viable heterokaryocytes and hybrid cells are produced through fusion in the presence of LL. It is found that lysolecithinase (phospholipase B), which acts specifically on LL, inhibits the fusion and hemolytic activity of Sendai virus.
Generating directions for persuasive technology design with the inspiration card workshop

Participatory design methods may help account for the ethical implications of persuasive technology. But how can participatory design methods both address ethical issues and lead to effective persuasive technologies? This paper presents the early stages of participatory design with a college EcoHouse. I discuss concepts resulting from an Inspiration Card Workshop [1], finally considering further development of participatory methods for designing persuasive technology.
Plato and the Dove Commercial: Practical Applications of Political Philosophy and Feminism in the Classroom

During the Fall 2009 semester, ‘Gender and Political Theory’ was offered for only the second time on the Sam Houston State University campus. The goal of the course was to elaborate the linkages between the canon of political philosophy, feminist theory and contemporary practice. Because there are no ‘Introduction to Women’s Studies’ courses at Sam Houston State University, this iteration of the course contained more introductory material than would be typical in a similar upper-level elective, and was specifically introduced to the students with a strong emphasis on practical contemporary applications. In the second week of classes, unprompted, a student emailed in a link to the Dove film called ‘Evolution’. This both proved that application as a way of thinking was taking place and illustrated both the need for, and success of, courses and assignments that challenge students to elaborate applications.This project focuses on setting the tone and designing assignments for an undergraduate class in a manner that will foster practical applications regardless of requirements. While it has long been the ambition of feminist courses to change the way students exist in the world, this particular course contributes to that endeavor in a peculiar way: it invites students to find practical applications of the political philosophy – feminist theory relationship. The specific points of focus in this invitation and in this course were: Use of introductory material at the start of the course; Assignment design (open-ended paper assignments, elaboration of original research questions, progression of assignments, workshops); Practical applications (this area involved students as contributors and also stretched beyond the course).
Genetic fuzzy fusion of SVM classifiers for biomedical data

Combining multiple classifiers is a natural way to discover useful information and improve the performance of individual classifiers. In this paper, we propose one approach to combine multiple SVMs and improve the generalization ability of SVM classifiers. One fuzzy system is constructed based on SVM accuracies and distances of data examples to SVM hyperplanes. The output fuzzy membership functions of the fuzzy system are tuned by a genetic algorithm (GA). The established model is applied on an ovarian cancer dataset and the experiment shows the proposed genetic fuzzy model performs more stable and more reliable than individual SVMs
Assessing power of large river fish monitoring programs to detect population changes: the Missouri River sturgeon example

Summary In 2003, the US Army Corps of Engineers initiated the Pallid Sturgeon Population Assessment Program (PSPAP) to monitor pallid sturgeon and the fish community of the Missouri River. The power analysis of PSPAP presented here was conducted to guide sampling design and effort decisions. The PSPAP sampling design has a nested structure with multiple gear subsamples within a river bend. Power analyses were based on a normal linear mixed model, using a mixed cell means approach, with variance estimates from the original data. It was found that, at current effort levels, at least 20 years for pallid and 10 years for shovelnose sturgeon is needed to detect a 5% annual decline. Modified bootstrap simulations suggest power estimates from the original data are conservative due to excessive zero fish counts. In general, the approach presented is applicable to a wide array of animal monitoring programs.
Alteration of metabolic activities by modulation of PI3K/AKT and mTOR pathways in ovarian cancer cells (766.10)

Ovarian cancer accounts for three percent of all cancers that affect women world-wide and it is regarded at the deadliest form of gynecological cancer. Alteration in cellular metabolism is a manifestation of cancer that typically results in a shift from oxidative phosphorylation to aerobic glycolysis. This change is defined as the Warburg Effect. In this study, we used cell culture techniques to investigate the metabolic behavior of an ovarian cancer cell line, CaOV3. We determined metabolic activity through XF Cell Mito Stress and XF Glycolysis stress tests using a Seahorse Bioscience XFe96 Analyzer. After titrations were completed for optimal cell number and concentration of Oligomycin, we pretreated CaOV3 cells with PI3K/AKT and mTOR inhibitors and repeated stress tests. We found that under the influence of Rapamycin (mTOR inhibitor) and LY294002 (PI3K/AKT inhibitor), the cells exhibited an increase in oxygen consumption by OCR (pMoles/min) and ECAR (mpH/min) analysis, suggesting an increase in capacit...
On the Problem of Measurement of Non-observable Economy in Georgia

The share of non-observable economy in Georgia is great enough. According to various estimations it differs from 30 up to 40% of total output in the economy as a whole and more than 50% - in the business sphere. The major tool of estimation of scales of non-observable economy are employment surveys of population. In 1995-2001 special surveys of some sectors of the Georgian economy within the framework of TACIS program were carried out. Their results have allowed to correct, for instance, indicators of production and import of tobacco, volumes of construction and services in health and educational spheres.
Emerging market multinationals' location choice: The role of firm resources and internationalization motivations

Purpose – Location choice made by emerging market multinationals (EMMs) constitutes an important yet somewhat neglected topic in business research. The purpose of this paper is to develop a research framework that elucidates the role of EMM‐specific resources and internationalization motivations on the location choice of EMMs.Design/methodology/approach – The literature pertaining to firm‐specific resources and internationalization motivations as determinants of location choice is reviewed. This leads to the development of a research framework that takes into account various combinations of resources and motivations in explaining the location choice of EMMs. The paper offers research propositions by linking resources, motivations, and the appropriate choice of locations.Findings – The paper illustrates that location choices of EMMs are determined by the interplay of various resources (relationship‐based, home experiences‐based, and country created assets‐based) and internationalization motivations (market...
3D numerical modeling of parametric speaker using finite-difference time-domain

Parametric speakers produce sound by emitting ultrasound, and using the small nonlinearity in air to demodulate it back to audible sound. The use of ultrasound allows for producing very narrow audio beams, which finds application in a number of military and consumer scenarios. However, designing better parametric speakers has been hard: closed-form solution of the nonlinear wave equation for generic geometries is nearly impossible, and the only existing solution was derived for the simple case of a cylindrical beam. FDTD methods were considered not practical since the desired (audible) signal is orders of magnitude weaker than the ultrasound signal, and thus the noise floor (from the numerical approximation) will dwarf the audible signal. In this paper, we introduce a novel FDTD scheme that models nonlinear sound propagation for parametric speakers. By taking the difference between linear and nonlinear FDTD simulations, we successfully suppress the numerical noise floor and extract the audible signal. Both spectrum and radiation pattern of simulation match the measurements well. This offers a simulation tool for further research in creating advanced parametric speakers.
Dissociation of Therapeutic and Toxic Effects of Polyinosinic-Polycytidylic Acid Admixed with Poly-l-lysine and Solubilized with Carboxymethyl Cellulose in Tumor-bearing Mice

In this paper, we describe a study of the therapeutic parameters (dose and schedule) and immunomodulatory activity (macrophage, natural killer cell, and T-cell number and function) of polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid admixed with poly-l-lysine and solubilized with carboxymethyl cellulose [poly(I,C)-LC] in the treatment of MBL-2 tumor ascites. Tumor-bearing mice received an optimal therapeutic protocol [100 µg poly(I,C)-LC administered twice a wk], a maximum tolerated dose [50 µg poly(I,C)-LC administered daily], or the optimal immunomodulatory protocol for normal mice [10 µg poly(I,C)-LC administered daily]. The percentage of tumor-associated macrophages and their cytotoxic activity correlated with host survival. In addition, splenic T-cell activity correlated with host survival, and splenic natural killer cell function had a near significant correlation with host survival. These results indicate that the optimal dose and schedule of poly(I,C)-LC for immunomodulation in tumor-bearing animals are also the optimal therapeutic protocol but have less toxicity than the maximum tolerated dose.
A Cross-Sectional Study of Business Service Profitability Some Implications for Strategy

A cross-sectional study has been made of the Business Service Sector in the U.S. Relative market share, revenue/employee, and perhaps investment were found to be contributors to pre­tax profitability in this sector. Consequently, strategies directed toward optimizing revenue/employee, growth, and investment may be effective in determining firm performance. The opportunities provided to small business in this sector, the importance of this sector in the economy, and the importance of strategy to small businesses would appear to make the study of interest to small business managers.
La carnalidad del amor: percepción e historia

This essay endeavors to develop at heory of erotic love based on Merleau-Ponty's thesis of the reversibility of flesh. It is specitically directed toward the cognitive aspects of sex love in the attempt todistinguish authentic love from romantic love, and to elaborate the role of camal knowledge in responding to erotic anxiety. The ancient Greek themes of mimesis and nobility (to kalon) are redefined through the concepts of reversibility and transfer of corporeal schema to generate a theoretical understanding of the roles of perception and embodimentin the historical unfolding oferotic incorporeity and reveal the values implicit therein.
Robust image registration in the gradient domain

In many real-world applications of image registration, the images have significantly different appearances due to the intensity variations. Many existing intensity based methods may fail to solve these challenging problems. In this paper, we propose a novel method based on the differential total variation (DTV) for image registration. It is inspired by the fact that the image gradients are much more stationary than the intensities, especially when there exist severe intensity distortions. Therefore, we prefer to register the images in the gradient domain, which intuitively leads to more accurate registration results. An efficient algorithm is presented to solve the DTV minimization problem. The proposed method is scalable and has no regularization parameter to be tuned, both of which are desired properties for image registration. We show the accuracy and efficiency of our method through extensive non-rigid registration experiments, on synthetic MR images and real retina and iris images.
Undergraduate microelectronics education in engineering and technology programs at Minnesota State University, Mankato

This paper describes the microelectronics education in engineering and technology programs at Minnesota State University, Mankato. Laboratory facilities, the curriculum for electrical engineering and electronic engineering technology programs, and Web deliverable interactive multimedia modules are discussed. The courses in integrated circuit engineering and technology are electives for senior students interested in microelectronics fabrication. The laboratory courses have experiments which are designed to complement the theory discussed in the lectures. The students' feedback showed that through laboratory experiments, students gain further understanding of the theory of processing parameters, manufacturing issues, and the final electrical testing of the chip, helping them to appreciate the impact of processing parameters on IC chips. The students are required to design and simulate the processing schedule. The electrical test results of metal gate n-MOS transistors which were fabricated in a student laboratory project are presented. Some issues relating to the teaching and success of the fabrication laboratory are described.
Child acquisition of Quechua causatives and change-of-state verbs

This paper uses data concerning the acquisition of Quechua causatives to explore the development of morphological features that reflect variation in argument structure: (1) case-marking on the causees of morphological causatives, and (2) transitivity permutations for change-of-state verbs. Quechua speakers assign to the causee varying degrees of volitional control through use of different case inflections. As to Quechua change-of-state verbs, those corresponding to verbs that participate in the causative alternation in other languages, such as English ‘break’ and ‘boil’, pose a particular challenge. According to Levin & Rappaport Hovav (1994, 1995), these verbs tend to be basically transitive across languages, with the intransitive variant formed morphologically, and they express eventualities that are externally caused. In Quechua, many such verbs are basically intransitive, with the transitive variant constructed morphologically. Naturalistic data from five Quechua-speaking children aged 2;4 through 3;5...
Providing moisture passively to enhance start up and maintain biofilm activity in an intermittently loaded reactor

Abstract This research investigated techniques to passively add and maintain moisture during flow interruptions by the selection of the support media and the addition of a water holding amendment to the media. The specific application studied was the treatment of storm water contaminated with ethylene glycol originating from airport deicing operations by a bench‐scale subsurface microbiological contactor located at an outfall to a receiving stream. The use of a media with a high water holding capacity and slow drying time, such as lava chips, was found to greatly decrease the time required for reactor start up. The addition of a water holding amendment, such as a cross‐linked polyacrylamide (Soil Moists), improved the recovery of the biofilm reactor after periods of no flow. The media, however, did not appear to offer a significant benefit once an established biofilm developed in this regard.
Joint lexicon, acoustic unit inventory and model design

Although most parameters in a speech recognition system are estimated from data by the use of an objective function, the unit inventory and lexicon are generally hand crafted and therefore unlikely to be optimal. This paper proposes a joint solution to the related problems of learning a unit inventory and corresponding lexicon from data. On a speaker-independent read speech task with a 1k vocabulary, the proposed algorithm outperforms phone-based systems at both high and low complexities. Obwohl die meisten Parameter eines Spracherkennungssystems aus Daten geschatzt werden, ist die Wahl der akustischen Grundeinheiten und des Lexikons normalerweise nicht automatisch und deshalb wahrscheinlich nicht optimal. Dieser Artikel stellt einen kombinierten Ansatz fur die Losung dieser verwandten Probleme dar - das Lernen von akustischen Grundeinheiten und des zugehorigen Lexikons aus Daten. Experimente mit sprecher-unabhangigen gelesenen Sprachdaten mit einem Vokabular von 1000 Wortern zeigen, da?s der vorgestellte Ansatz besser ist als ein System niedriger oder hoherer Komplexitat, das auf Phonemen basiert ist. Bien que la plupart des parametres dans un systeme de reconnaissance de la parole soient estimes a partie des donnees en utilisant une fonction objective, l'inventaire des unites acoustiques et le lexique sont generalement crees a la main, et donc susceptibles de ne pas etre optimeux. Cette etude propose une solution conjointe aux problemes interdependants que sont l'apprentissage a partir des donnees d'un inventaire des unites acoustiques et du lexique correspondant. Nous avons teste l'algorithme propose sur des echantillons lus, en reconnaissance independantes du locuteur avec un vocabulaire de 1k: il surpasse les systemes phonetiques en faible ou forte complexite.
In vivo volumetric imaging of subcutaneous microvasculature by photoacoustic microscopy

Photoacoustic microscopy was developed to achieve volumetric imaging of the anatomy and functions of the subcutaneous microvasculature in both small animals and humans in vivo with high spatial resolution and high signal-to-background ratio. By following the skin contour in raster scanning, the ultrasonic transducer maintains focusing in the region of interest. Furthermore, off-focus lateral resolution is improved by using a synthetic-aperture focusing technique based on the virtual point detector concept. Structural images are acquired in both rats and humans, whereas functional images representing hemoglobin oxygen saturation are acquired in rats. After multiscale vesselness filtering, arterioles and venules in the image are separated based on the imaged oxygen saturation levels. Detailed structural information, such as vessel depth and spatial orientation, are revealed by volume rendering.
Papillon-Lefevre syndrome: report of two cases in the same family

Two cases of Papillon-Lefevre syndrome in the same family are given. Two cases of Papillon-Lefevre syndrome (hyperkeratosis palmoplantaris) in the same family are given. The classical features of the syndrome—hyperkeratosis of the hands and feet and destruction of the periodontium of both the deciduous and the permanent teeth—are seen in both children.
Brachial plexus injury from CT-guided RF ablation under general anesthesia.

Brachial plexus injury in a patient under general anesthesia (GA) is not uncommon, despite careful positioning and, particularly, awareness of the possibility. The mechanism of injury is stretching and compression of the brachial plexus over a prolonged period. Positioning the patient within the computed tomography (CT) gantry for abdominal or chest procedures can simulate a surgical procedure, particularly when GA is used. The potential for brachial plexus injury is increased if the case is prolonged and the patient’s arms are raised above the head to avoid CT image degradation from streak artifacts. We report a case of profound brachial plexus palsy following a CT-guided radiofrequency ablation procedure under GA. Fortunately, the patient recovered completely. We emphasize the mechanism of injury and detail measures to combat this problem, such that radiologists are aware of this potentially serious complication.
Ross Sea polynyas: Response of ice concentration retrievals to large areas of thin ice

For a 3-month period between May and July of 2005, we examine the response of the Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer (AMSR-E) Enhanced NASA Team 2 (NT2) and AMSR-E Bootstrap (ABA) ice concentration algorithms to large areas of thin ice of the Ross Sea polynyas. Coincident Envisat Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) coverage of the region during this period offers a detailed look at the development of the polynyas within several hundred kilometers of the ice front. The high-resolution imagery and derived ice motion fields show bands of polynya ice, covering up to approximately 105 km(sup 2) of the Ross Sea, that are associated with wind-forced advection. In this study, ice thickness from AMSR-E 36 GHz polarization information serves as the basis for examination of the response. The quality of the thickness of newly formed sea ice (<10 cm) from AMSR-E is first assessed with thickness estimates derived from ice surface temperatures from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) instrument. The effect of large areas of thin ice in lowering the ice concentration estimates from both NT2/ABA approaches is clearly demonstrated. Results show relatively robust relationships between retrieved ice concentrations and thin ice thickness estimates that differ between the two algorithms. These relationships define the approximate spatial coincidence of ice concentration and thickness isopleths. Using the 83% (ABA) and 91% (NT2) isopleths as polynya boundaries, we show that the computed coverage compares well with that using the estimated 10-cm thickness contour. The thin ice response characterized here suggests that in regions with polynyas, the retrieval results could be used to provide useful geophysical information, namely thickness and coverage.
Risk Factors Associated with Children Missing the Fourth Dose of DTaP Vaccination.

Background In 2012, reported pertussis reached the highest number of cases (48,277) in the United States since 1955. Objectives Estimate the prevalence of children who missed the fourth dose of DTaP (Diphtheria and Tetanus toxoids and acellular Pertussis vaccine) by parents' confidences in vaccines and influences from providers, the timeliness of the first through the third dose of DTaP, and selected socio-demographic characteristics; identify the significant risk factors for non-receipt of the fourth dose of DTaP; and evaluate the unadjusted and adjusted risk ratios for missing the fourth dose of DTaP. Methods Data from 16,919 children 19-35 months living in the United States included in the 2011 National Immunization Survey were analyzed. Weighted categorical data analysis and multivariable regression in the context of complex sample survey were applied to assess the prevalence and to determine the independent risk factors. Results Overall, 14.7% of children missed the fourth dose of DTaP. Children who were late in receiving the third dose of DTaP had significantly higher risk of missing the fourth dose of DTaP than children who were on-time in receiving the third dose of DTaP (adjusted risk ratio (RR) 2.48; 95%CI (1.92, 3.20)). The risk of missing the fourth dose of DTaP was 62% higher among children whose parents reported they didn't have a good relationship with their child's health-care providers than children whose parents reported having good relationship. Compared with the risk of missing the fourth dose of DTaP among children whose parents were confident in the value of vaccines, the risk was significantly higher for the children whose parents lacked confidence (adjusted RR 1.41; 95%CI (1.05, 1.89)). Conclusions Timeliness in receiving the first through the third dose of DTaP, influences from providers, and parents' confidence in the value of vaccines are the five significant risk factors for missing the fourth dose of DTaP vaccination. They are all modifiable. Future interventions to improve parental relationships with providers and attitudes toward vaccines could help improve pertussis vaccination coverage.
Tidal acceleration of the moon deduced from observations of artificial satellites

DOUGLAS et al.1 demonstrated the existence of an apparent latitude dependence of tidal friction by determining disparate values of the second degree Love number (k2) from perturbations of the inclinations of the GEOS-1 and GEOS-2 satellites. Lambeck et al.2 correctly explained this phenomenon as being due to neglect of ocean tide perturbations. Parameter values for some ocean tide components have been obtained from several satellites3, but parameter values for the M2 tide, the dominant (85%) effect of the oceans on the tidal acceleration of the Moon, have not been published. Using an improved method for computing mean elements, we4 obtained an observation equation for the M2 tide from the satellite 1967-92A. Applying this technique to the satellite GEOS-3, we now obtain an additional observation equation for the M2 tide. As shown in ref. 2, solid and fluid tide effects on satellites cannot be separated, requiring assumption of the solid tide amplitude and phase parameters for a fluid tide solution. Assuming k2 = 0.30, δ2 = 0°, and using the values of Lambeck5 for the minor O1 and N2, contributions to ṅt, our fluid tide parameters for the M2 ocean tide yield the value of the tidal acceleration ṅt = −27.4±3 arc s (100 yr)−2, in excellent agreement with the value ṅt = −27.2±1.7 arc s (100 yr)−2 obtained by Muller6 from a combination of ancient and modern observations. These two values are lower than the value ṅt = −35±4 arc s (100 yr)−2 obtained from numerical ocean tide models5. Our assumption of a negligible solid tide phase angle is supported by a recent determination by J. T. Kuo (personal communication) that the phase angle obtained from a transcontinental network of tidal gravimetric stations is < 1°. Changes ⩽ 0.5° in solid tide phase angle change our result for the combined solid/fluid ṅt by no more than 1 arc s per (100 yr) (ref. 2).
Pivots of pluripotency: The roles of non-coding RNA in regulating embryonic and induced pluripotent stem cells

Abstract Background Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) derived from reprogrammed patient somatic cells possess enormous therapeutic potential. However, unlocking the full capabilities of iPSC will require an improved understanding of the molecular mechanisms which govern the induction and maintenance of pluripotency, as well as directed differentiation to clinically relevant lineages. Induced pluripotency of a differentiated cell is mediated by sequential cascades of genetic and epigenetic reprogramming of somatic histone and DNA CpG methylation marks. These genome-wide changes are mediated by a coordinated activity of transcription factors and epigenetic modifying enzymes. Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), including microRNAs (miRNAs) and long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), are now recognized as an important third class of regulators of the pluripotent state. Scope of review This review surveys the currently known roles and mechanisms of ncRNAs in regulating the embryonic and induced pluripotent states. Major conclusions Through a variety of mechanisms, ncRNAs regulate constellations of key pluripotency genes and epigenetic regulators, and thus critically determine induction and maintenance of the pluripotent state. General significance A further understanding of the roles of ncRNAs in regulating pluripotency may help assess the quality of human iPSC reprogramming. Additionally, ncRNA biology may help decipher potential transcriptional and epigenetic commonalities between the self renewal processes that govern both ESC and tumor initiating cancer stem cells (CSC). This article is part of a Special Issue entitled Biochemistry of Stem Cells.
The Value and Size Effect — Are There Firm-Specific-Risks in China’s Domestic Stock Markets?

The Fama-French three-factor asset pricing formula is applied to the Chinese A-share markets: Shanghai and Shenzhen Stock Exchanges (SSE and SZSE). The benchmark explanatory returns—value and size premiums are constructed and adopted in the cross-sectional regressions. Market beta has no explanatory power. There are some evidences of the value effect only for the SSE. No significant size effect was found. The results are robust with or without the influences of the exchange rate reform and the recent financial crisis. The model works better in general for the SSE than for the SZSE, regardless of the specifications. There may well be different fundamental forces in the two markets. The pricing regularities pervasive in most equity markets do not explain the Chinese markets sufficiently well.
Is There an Indian Intellectual History? Introduction to “Theory and Method in Indian Intellectual History”

playful and profound in a way unique to him, entitled ‘‘Is There an Indian Way of Thinking?’’ According to the possible emphases, this sentence could express at least four different questions (‘‘Is,’’ present/past; ‘‘an,’’ singular/plural; ‘‘Indian,’’ local/general; ‘‘thinking,’’ familiar/alien), to which Ramanujan supplies at least eight equally reasonable answers. In the end, he seems to have come down on the side that there is and indeed had long been a particular and in many ways specifically though not exclusively Indian way of doing what most rational beings would recognize as thinking (something he sought to characterize as context-sensitive rulemaking). In the same spirit of openness toward the multiplicity of possible answers to a complex question, the contributors to this special number of the Journal of Indian Philosophy hope to inaugurate a discussion about Indian intellectual history as a challenge in respect to problems both of method and of theory. Is there now, or has there ever been, an intellectual history of India? If yes, is it Indian in any particular way, shaped by and specific to the realities of India? What does intellectual here mean and how is intellectual history to be differentiated from other kinds of history—of philosophy, ideas, science, literature, culture, or whatever those forms of knowledge might be named in India? And what in fact is history, or better put, what is the pertinence of that category to a world that Europe, self-proclaimed homeland of history, constructed as its conceptual counterpositive in order to define itself? The very idea of intellectual history, as the contributors to this collection generally conceive of the practice, seems to be new to Indology (to be sure, one
Modelling the effects of electric fields on nerve fibres: Influence of the myelin sheath

The excitation and conduction properties of computer-based cable models of mammalian motor nerve fibres, incorporating three different myelin representations, are compared. The three myelin representations are a perfectly insulating single cable (model A), a finite impedance single cable (model B) and a finite impedance double cable (model C). Extracellular stimulation of the three models is used to study their strength-duration and current-distance (I-X) relationships, conduction velocity (CV) and action potential shape. All three models have a chronaxie time that is within the experimental range. Models B and C have increased threshold currents compared with model A, but each model has slope to the I-X relationship that matches experimental results. Model B has a CV that matches experimental data, whereas the CV of models A and C are above and below the experimental range, respectively. Model C is able to produce a depolarising afterpotential (DAP), whereas models A and B exhibit hyperpolarising afterpotentials. Models A and B are determined to be the preferred models when low-frequency stimulation (< approximately 25 Hz) is used, owing to their efficiency and accurate excitation and conduction properties. For high frequency stimulation (approximately 25 Hz and greater), model C, with its ability to produce a DAP, is necessary accurately to simulate excitation behaviour.
Success And Challenges In Dual Language Education

This article presents research that highlights the success of dual language education for student participants, both native English speakers and English language learners, from a variety of demographic backgrounds at both the elementary and secondary levels. However, there are a number of challenges that can impede the quality of implementation in dual language programs. This article identifies and discusses some of these important challenges facing dual language programs, including issues related to program design, accountability, curriculum and instruction related to biliteracy, and bilingual language development. In addition, implications for practice are presented to address some of these challenges.
Effects of physical and chemical treatments on chloroplast manganese. NMR and ESR studies

Abstract Measurements were made of the water proton relaxation rate (T−12 = R2), electron spin resonance (ESR) six-line signal of ‘free’ Mn2+, and O2-evolution activity in thylakoid membranes from pea leaves. The main results are: (1) Aging of thylakoids at 35°C causes a parallel decrease in O2-evolution activity, in R2 and in the content of bound Mn, suggesting that R2 may be related to the loosely bound Mn involved in O2 evolution. (2) Treatment of thylakoids with tetraphenylboron (TPB) at [TPB] > 2 mM produces a 2-fold increase in R2, without release of Mn2+. The titration curve exhibits three sharp end points. The first end point occurs at a [ TPB ] [ chlorophyll ] of 1.25, at which the O2 evolution is completely inhibited. (3) Treatment of thylakoids with NH2OH also increases R2 by nearly 2-fold, either by the reduction of the higher oxidation states of Mn to Mn2+ and / or by exposing the Mn to solvent protons. Also, progressive release of bound Mn occurs at [NH2OH] ≥ 1 mM as shown by an increase increase in the Mn2+ ESR signal and a decrease in R2. (4) Addition of H2O2 (0.1–1.0%) to thylakoids causes an enhancement of R2 similar to that by NH2OH, but without the release of Mn2+. (5) Heat treatment of thylakoids at 40–50°C releases Mn2+ and increases R2. Conversely, pH values of 7 to 4 release Mn2+ without changing R2 while pH values of 7–9 increase R2 without releasing Mn2+. Thus, both high and low pH values as well as the heat treatment cause structural changes enhancing the relaxivity of the bound Mn or of other paramagnetic species.
An Attempt to Force Molt Small Egg-Type Pullets

Abstract Small 1.1 kg. egg-type pullets having the sex-linked dw dwarfing gene were more resistant to a force molting program started at 11 months of age than were their 1.4 kg. non-dwarf counterparts. Water deprivation appeared to prevent egg production sooner in the dwarfs than in the non-dwarfs but egg production eight weeks after initiation of the force molt program was 46% versus 64% for the non-dwarf pullets.
Synthesis, structure, and physical properties of Ln(Cu,Al,Ga)(13-x) (Ln = La-Pr, and Eu) and Eu(Cu,Al)(13-x).

Ln(Cu,Al,Ga)13–x (Ln = La–Pr, and Eu; x ∼ 0.2) were synthesized by a combined Al/Ga flux. Single crystal X-ray and neutron diffraction experiments revealed that these compounds crystallize in the NaZn13 structure-type (space group Fm3c) with lattice parameters of a ∼ 12 A, V ∼ 1600 A, and Z ∼ 8. Our final neutron models led us to conclude that Cu is occupationally disordered on the 8b Wyckoff site while Cu, Al, and Ga are substitutionally disordered on the 96i Wyckoff site of this well-known structure-type. The magnetic susceptibility data show that Ce(Cu,Al,Ga)13–x and Pr(Cu,Al,Ga)13–x exhibit paramagnetic behavior down to the lowest temperatures measured while Eu(Cu,Al,Ga)13–x displays ferromagnetic behavior below 6 K. Eu(Cu,Al)13–x was prepared via arc-melting and orders ferromagnetically below 8 K. The magnetocaloric properties of Eu(Cu,Al,Ga)13–x and Eu(Cu,Al)13–x were measured and compared. Additionally, an enhanced value of the Sommerfeld coefficient (γ = 356 mJ/mol-K2) was determined for Pr(Cu,Al...
Oscillator strength spectrum of hydrogen in strong magnetic and electric fields with arbitrary mutual orientation

We present oscillator strength spectra of the hydrogen Balmer $\ensuremath{\alpha}$ series in crossed strong magnetic and electric fields. Field strength regimes of interest ($\ensuremath{\gamma}\ensuremath{\le}0.02\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{a}.\mathrm{u}.$ and $F\ensuremath{\le}1\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{8}\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{V}∕\mathrm{m}$) are the characteristic strengths observed on the surface of white dwarf stars. Based on the pseudospectral discretization technique, two independent methods have been developed to achieve reliable oscillator strengths in crossed fields. The effect of relative orientation between the magnetic and electric fields is clarified. Compared to the parallel configuration, we have observed that for the field strength regimes of interest, the perpendicular component of electric fields only results in a weaker coupling between the states belonging to the different subspaces of magnetic quantum numbers. This observation explains why the spectrum of oscillator strengths in crossed electric and magnetic fields with arbitrary mutual orientation shows similar behavior compared to that in parallel fields. However, a careful analysis shows that the two stronger transition lines at $5546$ and $5620\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{\AA{}}$ previously attributed to the Balmer $\ensuremath{\alpha}$ series are now identified to belong to the Balmer $\ensuremath{\beta}$ series. An effective scheme has also been suggested to calculate the bound-free opacities of hydrogen atoms in crossed fields.
Immigrants and Strangers: From Cosmopolitanism to Confucian Universalism in Tang China

A n immigrant monk from northern India named Amoghavajra ^ S H j i c (705-774) served as Preceptor of State for three midTang dynasty emperors, held ministerial court rank, and enjoyed lavish honors. Earlier, in 638, a Nestorian Christian church was erected at the Tang capital by imperial decree, w i th the explanation that "the Tao has no constant name, the Sage has no constant form, and religions are established according to their [different] places." Over the course of the entire dynasty the top executive office of Grand Councilor was filled by no fewer than forty-three persons of traceably nomadic (and therefore, in some eyes, not Chinese) H u £E descent. One recent study reveals that at least
Intermittent and continuous ceftazidime infusion for critically ill trauma patients

Abstract Background: The adequacy of intermittent and continuous infusion ceftazidime for the treatment of nosocomial pneumonia in critically ill trauma patients was assessed by analyzing ceftazidime pharmacokinetics in relation to the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and treatment outcome. Methods: Serial blood samples were obtained during ceftazidime therapy in 31 trauma patients. Ceftazidime pharmacokinetics were compared with that of previously studied healthy volunteers. Ceftazidime pharmacokinetics were analyzed according to the time above the MIC and treatment outcome. Results: Critically ill trauma patients had a significantly increased volume of distribution and clearance (0.32 ± 0.14 L/kg and 2.35 ± 0.89 mL · min −1 · kg −1 , respectively) compared with healthy volunteers (0.21 ± 0.03 and 1.58 ± 0.23 mL · min −1 · kg −1 ). The time above the MIC was ≥92% of the dosing interval for all patients and treatment outcomes were similar between the two treatment groups. Conclusions: Ceftazidime pharmacokinetics are significantly altered in critically ill trauma patients. Both intermittent and continuous ceftazidime regimens were equally effective for the treatment of nosocomial pneumonia caused by less virulent bacteria.