cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Collaborative Ad Hoc Aerial Reconnaissance Platform

This paper describes the protocols surrounding a collaborative multi-node unmanned aerial system (UAS) for autonomous aerial reconnaissance. The system utilizes readily-available hardware and extends existing ad hoc communications techniques to provide a method of assembling a secure Mobile Ad hoc Network (MANET) to act as a framework for inter-node communications. The MANET framework facilitates the development of distributed software algorithms for coordinating dynamic, fault tolerant group navigation, allowing the nodes to arrange themselves autonomously into flight formations that provide nearly a three-fold greater range of coverage than that achieved by manual operation of individual aircraft.
Effect of LV positional variations on detection of perfusion changes in serial studies

Abstract Background: We evaluated the effect of LV positional differences on detection of serial perfusion changes. Methods: We used the NCAT software phantom to simulate three different shaped LVs based on actual patient studies. A small (∼10% of the myocardium) single defect was simulated for each of the three patients; the severity of each defect was varied in 5% increments from .5 of LV maximum perfusion for 6 steps, with each severity repeated. This provided a total of 12 simulations for each patient. Random LV rotations (stdev=2.5°), translations (stdev=0.5cm), and small scaling factors ( Results: In the repeated studies, where no difference in defect severity should be detected, a mean difference of 1.3% of LV maximum was seen; this difference was significant (p Conclusion: Current perfusion quantification methods may underestimate actual perfusion changes in serial studies. Noise, detector response, and orientation differences may make small changes in small defects difficult to detect with statistical significance.
Softeners and Anti-softeners

Abstract In the manufacture of rubber goods various materials are incorporated with the rubber in order to produce a mixture that will process more easily. Such materials are usually called fluxes or softeners. A simple method of determining the relative effects of such materials is described. This consists in mixing the material in rubber under standardized conditions and determining the plasticity of the product by the Williams method. Some materials show stiffening instead of softening action and both types are shown in the results reported in this paper. Benzidine and p-amidophenol are examples of materials which stiffen rubber. MANY materials used in the compounding of rubber exert an influence on the plasticity. Usually a material is specifically added to increase the plasticity and is called a softener, but in some cases the effect on plasticity is purely incidental to some more important function, such as acceleration or protection against deterioration on aging. The effect of this class of materi...
Feeling the Heat: Effects of Stress, Commitment, and Job Experience on Job Performance

We examine the relationships between bank branch employees' felt job stress, organizational commitment, job experience, and performance. Our findings are consistent with the attention view of stress. Employees with higher levels of affective commitment and higher levels of job experience channeled felt stress more effectively into sales performance. Felt stress had neutral to negative effects on performance for employees with lower levels of commitment and job experience. Commitment, like stress, was more strongly related to performance when employees had more job experience. The results suggest that consideration of moderators of the stress-performance relationship is important both theoretically and practically.
The photonic integration of non-solid media using optofluidics

Photonics has long been used to study non-solid materials such as liquids, gases and plasmas, but these fluidic media have traditionally not comprised a functional part of the photonic device or system. The emerging field of optofluidics seeks to create new ways of uniting solid and non-solid materials in a single photonic system whose optical properties are typically defined by the fluidic component. This Review summarizes the current state of optofluidics from a photonics perspective. First, we describe a new class of photonic elements based on the combination of fluidic media and integrated optical structures. We then discuss the applications of optofluidic principles to particle sensing and manipulation in fluids, and finally assess current challenges and potential directions for future developments.
Borings in Quartzite Surf Boulders from the Upper Cambrian Basal Deadwood Formation, Black Hills of South Dakota

Shallow, semi-spherical borings occur in clusters with densities of 1–3.5/cm2 in quartzite boulders and in vein quartz from the localized basal conglomerate of the Cambrian-Ordovician Deadwood Formation in the east-central Black Hills of South Dakota. Some borings are superimposed on primary but enigmatic semi-circular structures, 2.5–5 cm in diameter, which are soft-sediment trace fossils formed prior to lithification. The macroborings are the first to be recorded from quartzite and vein quartz. Host boulders were eroded from near vertically dipping Paleoproterozoic quartzites from several different stratigraphic units. The thin boulder conglomerate grades were abruptly changed to sandstone through a layer ≤2 m thick in the Marjuman transgression (regionally correlated to the Cedarina dakotaensis trilobite zone). This transgression occurred prior to the start of the globally recognized Upper Cambrian Paibian Stage. Physically similar rocky-shore settings are widely known from quartzite islands of Cambria...
Ionization-detected rotational coherence spectroscopy of mass selected clusters

We report the first application of a multiphoton ionization based, mass selective implementation of psec time resolved rotational coherence spectroscopy (RCS) to molecular clusters. This implementation of rotational coherence spectroscopy retains all of the advantages of fluorescence based implementations of RCS and also allows determination of the moments of inertia of molecular species which cannot be size selected via excitation energy or which do not fluoresce. The method is described and rotational coherence transients obtained are presented.
Targeted cytotoxic therapy: adapting a rapidly progressing anticancer paradigm for depletion of persistent HIV-infected cell reservoirs.

Purpose of reviewHIV-infected cells persisting in the face of highly active antiretroviral therapy are arguably the greatest hurdle to eradication of the virus from the body. Complementary strategies aimed at selective killing of infected cells are described.Recent findingsPioneered by research in t
Decreased herpes simplex viral immunity and enhanced pathogenesis following stressor administration in mice

Mild electric footshock stress was delivered during the dark portion of a 12:12 h light:dark cycle to C57BL/6 female mice that were infected with herpes simplex virus-type 1 (HSV). The studies were designed to correlate viral titer with both humoral and cell-mediated immune responses to HSV infection. Footshock was observed to result in decreased HSV-specific immunity. The numbers of leukocytes in spleens and draining popliteal lymph nodes of footshocked mice were depressed compared to both apparatus control and home cage control mice. A significant suppression of the HSV-specific cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) response was observed in both the spleen and popliteal lymph nodes of footshocked mice. Serum IgM anti-HSV antibody titers were also depressed in footshocked mice. These changes were shown to be correlated with significantly increased viral titers in footshocked mice compared to control mice. These data demonstrate that administration of a relatively mild stressor is associated with depressed HSV-specific cellular and humoral immunity and is associated with increased pathogenicity.
Segmenting Dynamic Human Action via Statistical Structure.

Human social, cognitive, and linguistic functioning depends on skills for rapidly processing action. Identifying distinct acts within the dynamic motion flow is one basic component of action processing; for example, skill at segmenting action is foundational to action categorization, verb learning, and comprehension of novel action sequences. Yet little is currently known about mechanisms that may subserve action segmentation. The present research documents that adults can register statistical regularities providing clues to action segmentation. This finding provides new evidence that structural knowledge gained by mechanisms such as statistical learning can play a role in action segmentation, and highlights a striking parallel between processing of action and processing in other domains, such as language.
Fragmentierung des α-(Benzylidenhydrazono)benzylnitrens

Sowohl die Photolyse des α-(Benzylidenhydrazono)benzylazids (1) als auch die Zersetzung des Ions PhC(N-NCHPh)-N⊖OSO2C6H4-NO2(p) (13) liefern Benzonitril und Phenyldiazomethan In hohen Ausbeuten. Die Ergebnisse werden durch die Annahme erklart, das PhC(N-NCHPh)-N-X [X = N2 oder eOSAr] in das Nitren PhC(N-NCHPh)-N (3) ubergeht, welches fragmentiert, ehe es andere intra- oder intermolekulare Reaktionen eingehen kann. Fragmentation of u-(Benzylidenehydrazono)benzylnitrene Both the photolysis of u-(benzylidenehydrazono)benzylazide (1) and the decomposition of the ion PhC(N-N-CHPh)-NG-oS0∼C6H4-No2(p)(13) give benzonitrile and phenyldiazomethane in high yields. The results are explained by the assumption that the species PhC(N-NCHPh)-N-X
Coexistence in Ge isotopes and two-neutron transfer

Generalized two-state model wave functions are used to fit the cross section ratio sigma(0/sub 2//sup +/)/sigma(g.s.) for two-nucleon transfer reactions, in particular, /sup 70,72,74/Ge(t,p) and /sup 72,74,76/Ge(p,t). We fit these ratios with just one parameter which is restricted to lie within a narrow range. We also are able to calculate the ground state and 0/sub 2//sup +/ state wave functions for /sup 68/Ge and /sup 78/Ge.
Functional Heterogeneity of Colony-Stimulating Factor : Induced Human Monocyte-Derived Macrophages

Macrophages have various functions and play a critical role in host defense and the maintenance of homeostasis. However, macrophages are heterogeneous and exhibit a wide range of phenotypes with regard to their morphology, cell surface antigen expression, and function. When blood monocytes are cultured in medium alone in vitro, monocytes die, and colony-stimulating factors (CSFs) such as macrophage (M)-CSF or granulocyte-macrophage (GM)-CSF are necessary for their survival and differentiation into macrophages. However, M-CSF-induced monocyte-derived macrophages (M-MΦ) and GM-CSF-induced monocyte-derived macrophages (GM-MΦ) are distinct in their morphology, cell surface antigen expression, and functions, including Fcγ receptor mediated-phagocytosis, H2O2 production, H2O2 sensitivity, catalase activity, susceptibility to human immunodeficiency virus type 1 andMycobacterium tuberculosis, and suppressor activity. The characteristics of GM-MΦ resemble those of human alveolar macrophages.
Brain Feedback and Adaptive Resonance in Speech Perception

The brain contains ubiquitous reciprocal bottom-up and top-down intercortical and thalamocortical pathways. These resonating feedback pathways may be essential for stable learning of speech and language codes and for context-sensitive selection and completion of noisy speech sounds and word groupings. Context-sensitive speech data, notably interword backward effects in time, have been quantitatively modeled using these concepts but not with purely feedforward models.
Cdc2-like Kinase 2 is an Insulin Regulated Suppressor of Hepatic Gluconeogenesis

Dynamic regulation of insulin signaling and metabolic gene expression is critical to nutrient homeostasis; dysregulation of these pathways is widely implicated in insulin resistance and other disease states. Though the metabolic effects of insulin are well established, the components linking insulin signal transduction to a metabolic response are not as well understood. Here, we show that Cdc2-like kinase 2 (Clk2) is an insulin-regulated suppressor of hepatic gluconeogenesis and glucose output. Clk2 protein levels and kinase activity are induced as part of the hepatic refeeding response by the insulin/Akt pathway. Clk2 directly phosphorylates the SR domain on PGC-1alpha, resulting in repression of gluconeogenic gene expression and hepatic glucose output. In addition, Clk2 is downregulated in db/db mice, and reintroduction of Clk2 largely corrects glycemia. Thus, we have identified a role for and regulation of the Clk2 kinase as a component of hepatic insulin signaling and glucose metabolism.
Effect of surgical technique for unilateral orchiectomy on subsequent testicular function in Miniature Horse stallions

Summary Reasons for performing study Management decisions on unilateral orchiectomy are often influenced by the potential for post operative return to successful breeding. The effects of 2 surgical methods (first intention [FI] vs. second intention [SI] incision healing) for unilateral orchiectomy on resulting semen quality and scrotal temperature were evaluated. Objective To evaluate the effects of 2 surgical unilateral orchiectomy techniques on scrotal healing, size of the remaining testis and post operative sperm quality. Materials and methods Unilateral orchiectomy was performed on mature Miniature Horse stallions. Semen was collected prior to and up to 60 days after, unilateral orchiectomy. Semen parameters, scrotal and body temperatures, testis volume and days to incision healing were evaluated. Results There was no effect of treatment or time on percent total sperm motility. Total sperm numbers were higher (P<0.05) 60 days after unilateral orchiectomy compared with 14 and 30 days. Percent viable sperm were higher (P<0.05) 30 and 60 days compared with pre- and 14 day post unilateral orchiectomy. Scrotal temperatures were lower after unilateral orchiectomy compared with preoperative values (P≤0.003). Higher scrotal temperatures were recorded in Group FI, as compared with Group SI, during recovery from anaesthesia and at 1 and 2 h after surgery (P = 0.02). Mean time to incision healing was less in Group FI (10.0 days) than in Group SI (21.5 days; P = 0.05). Conclusion In this study, total sperm motility was maintained and size of the remaining testis, total sperm numbers and percent viable sperm increased after unilateral orchiectomy. Incision healing time was shorter in Group FI; however, surgical technique did not have an effect on semen quality at 30 and 60 days post unilateral orchiectomy. Potential relevance These data suggest that surgical technique for unilateral orchiectomy may not dramatically influence function of the remaining testis.
Predicting Problems on Campus: An Analysis of College Student Veterans

In 2009, the post-9/11 GI bill went into effect, broadly expanding higher education benefits to military service members and veterans in proportion to their time served since September 10, 2001. Since then, hundreds of thousands of troops have returned to the United States from the wars in the Middle East and have chosen to use their earned benefits to attend college. As of 2012 at least one-half million veterans have used their post-9/11 GI bill benefits (Sander, 2012) and these numbers are expected to increase as the United States continues to draw down its forces in Afghanistan. However, a fair number of students who matriculate into higher education postmilitary service are suffering from unhealed wounds of war, both physical and mental (Church, 2009). In addition, 30–40% of student veterans do not complete their postsecondary programs (Cate, 2013), and they tend to have lower grade point averages (GPAs) than their nonveteran student counterparts (Durdella & Kim, 2012). A growing number of articles (e.g., Ackerman, DiRamio, & Mitchell, 2009) and reports (e.g., American Council on Education, 2013; DiRamio & Jarvis, 2011; Steele, Salcedo, & Coley, 2010) in the academic literature examine the transition from military service to school. Nonetheless, more research is needed to document the problems that student veterans report having on campus, and to examine how these problems might be influenced by their military experiences and its consequences. The objective of this study is to investigate what predicts student veterans’ frequent reports of troubling experiences on campus such as feeling unfairly judged by their professors or sensing that they do not fit in (Elliott, Gonzalez, & Larsen, 2012), problems that could impede academic success. According to Astin (1993),
Present Values with Renewals

Expected present values can be calculated in the presence of a sequence of events that cause the cash flow process to restart after each one. Methods are derived and illustrated by examples.
Using nurses to identify HAART eligible patients in the Republic of Mozambique: results of a time series analysis.

The most pressing challenge to achieving universal access to highly active anti-retroviral therapy (HAART) in sub-Saharan Africa is the shortage of trained personnel to handle the increased service requirements of rapid roll-out. Overcoming the human resource challenge requires developing innovative models of care provision that improve efficiency of service delivery and rationalize use of limited resources. We conducted a time-series intervention trial in two HIV clinics in central Mozambique to discern whether expanding the role of basic-level nurses to stage HIV-positive patients using CD4 counts and WHO-defined criteria would lead to more rapid information on patient status (including identification of HAART eligible patients), increased efficiency in the use of higher-level clinical staff, and increased capacity to start HAART-eligible patients on treatment. Overall, 1,880 of the HAART-eligible patients were considered in the study of whom 48.5% started HAART, with a median time of 71 days from their initial blood draw. After adjusting for time, expanding the role of nurses to stage patients was associated with more rational use of higher-level clinical staff at one site (Beira OR 1.9, 95% CI 1.1–3.3; Chimoio OR 0.2, 95% CI 0.1–0.5). In multivariate analyses, the rate of starting HAART in patients with CD4 counts of less than 200/mm3 increased over time (HR = 1.07, 95% CI 1.02–1.13), as did the total number of new patients initiating HAART (β = 7.3, 95% CI 1.3–13.3). However, the intervention was not independently associated with either of these outcomes in multivariate analyses (HR = 0.9, 95% CI 0.7–1.2) for starting HAART in patients with CD4 counts of less than 200/mm3; (β = -5.2, p = 0.75) for the total number of new patients initiating HAART per month. No effect of the intervention was found in these outcomes when stratifying by site. The CD4 nurse intervention, when implemented correctly, was associated with a more rational use of higher-level clinical providers, which may improve overall clinic flow and efficient use of the limited supply of human resources. However, this intervention did not lead to an increase in the number of patients starting HAART or a reduction in the time to HAART initiation. Study month appears to play an important role in all outcomes, suggesting that general improvements in clinic efficiency may have overshadowed the effect of the intervention. The lack of observed effect in these outcomes may be due to additional health systems bottlenecks that delay the initiation of treatment in HAART-eligible patients.
Geriatric Depression Scale short form and zung self-rating Depression scale: A study of homebound elders

Abstract This study investigates the correlation between the Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale and the short form of the Geriatric Depression Scale. A convenience sample of 118 homebound, ill, elderly persons was used. The age range was 65-93 and the mean was 78.3; 47% of the sample was between the ages of 75-84. The two scales were correlated (r = .76, p < .01) and internal reliability of the GDS was .825. For the GDS short form, 37% of the sample had scores of 8 or higher; for the SDS 20% had scores higher than 50, falling within the range of persons with probably depressive symptomatology. Results are discussed in terms of screening for depressive symptomatology in ill, elderly persons residing in the community.
Effects of resource saturation in real-time computing on data flow architectures

The authors discuss resource saturation in dataflow architectures operating in real time. Resource saturation is created by excessive concurrency in the computational problem and can make real-time system performance unpredictable. A computational model for dataflow architectures, called ATAMM, is described and used for achieving the best possible time performance for a given number of resources while retaining predictability and periodic steady state operation. Concurrency control measures are developed. Simulation results are presented to validate the ATAMM model and to illustrate that an uncontrolled execution of a dataflow graph can easily lead to unpredictable and degraded performance. >
Advances in encapsulation technologies for the management of mercury-contaminated hazardous wastes ☆

Although industrial and commercial uses of mercury have been curtailed in recent times, there is a demonstrated need for the development of reliable hazardous waste management techniques because of historic operations that have led to significant contamination and ongoing hazardous waste generation. This study was performed to evaluate whether the U.S. EPA could propose treatment and disposal alternatives to the current land disposal restriction (LDR) treatment standards for mercury. The focus of this article is on the current state of encapsulation technologies that can be used to immobilize elemental mercury, mercury-contaminated debris, and other mercury-contaminated wastes, soils, sediments, or sludges. The range of encapsulation materials used in bench-scale, pilot-scale, and full-scale applications for mercury-contaminated wastes are summarized. Several studies have been completed regarding the application of sulfur polymer stabilization/solidification, chemically bonded phosphate ceramic encapsulation, and polyethylene encapsulation. Other materials reported in the literature as under development for encapsulation use include asphalt, polyester resins, synthetic elastomers, polysiloxane, sol-gels, Dolocrete, and carbon/cement mixtures. The primary objective of these encapsulation methods is to physically immobilize the wastes to prevent contact with leaching agents such as water. However, when used for mercury-contaminated wastes, several of these methods require a pretreatment or stabilization step to chemically fix mercury into a highly insoluble form prior to encapsulation. Performance data is summarized from the testing and evaluation of various encapsulated, mercury-contaminated wastes. Future technology development and research needs are also discussed.
The Nuclear Car Wash: Neutron interrogation of cargo containers to detect hidden SNM☆

Abstract LLNL is actively involved in the development of advanced technologies for use in detecting threats in sea-going cargo containers, particularly the presence of hidden special nuclear materials (SNM). The “Nuclear Car Wash” (NCW) project presented here uses a high-energy (En ≈ 3.5–7.0 MeV) neutron probe to scan a container and then takes high-energy (Eγ ⩾ 2.5 MeV), β-delayed γ-rays emitted during the subsequent decay of any short-lived, neutron-induced fission products as a signature of fissionable material. The components of the proposed system (e.g. neutron source, gamma detectors, etc.) will be discussed along with data processing schemes, possible threat detection metrics and potential interference signals. Results from recent laboratory experiments using a prototype system at LLNL will also be presented.
High sensitivity Si-based backward diodes for zero-biased square-law detection and the effect of post-growth annealing on performance

High-sensitivity Si-based backward diodes were realized that are monolithically integratable with transistor circuitry. Potential applications include large area focal plane arrays. The Si-based backward diodes exhibit a high zero-biased curvature coefficient, /spl gamma/, of 31 V/sup -1/ and a low zero biased junction capacitance, C/sub j/, of 9 fF//spl mu/m/sup 2/, all at room temperature. The predicted low frequency voltage sensitivity, /spl beta//sub V/, for a 50 /spl Omega/ source is 3100 V/W. The high sensitivity, low junction capacitance, and Si/SiGe heterojunction bipolar transistor compatibility of the Si-based backward diodes make them very attractive for zero-bias square-law detector applications.
Performance evaluation of an IEEE 802.11n Access Point antenna system

Multiple external antennas are typically used on Access Points (APs) to combat and, indeed, exploit multipath via the spatial diversity they provide. However, external antennas are not aesthetically pleasing and are prone to reliability failures. This paper presents a study of a MIMO internal antenna system and compares its performance to that of a traditional external dipole array. The MIMO performance of the two antenna systems considered is assessed using tools that combine the active E-field radiation patterns with appropriate channel models. The studies properly treat the effect of the product box on the antenna system via an electromagnetics exact formulation. It is shown that the proposed internal antenna system performs comparably to the external dipoles.
Regulation of Actin Filaments During Neurite Extension and Guidance

Behavior and other neural functions are based on neural circuits that develop over a prolonged period, which lasts in humans from the second fetal month through postnatal years. These circuits develop as neurons extend complex cytoplasmic processes, long axons and highly branched dendrites, expressing intrinsic morphogenetic behaviors while interacting with other cells and molecules of the developing organism. Actin-based motility dominates this morphogenetic process of developing neural circuits. Actin, always one of the most abundant intracellular proteins in neurons, is expressed at its highest levels during neuronal morphogenesis (Santerre and Rich 1976). An analysis of the actin content of embryonic sympathetic neurons indicated that actin comprises up to 20% of total cell protein (Fine and Bray 1971). Much of this actin is used in the motility that drives the formation of axons and dendrites. This chapter describes the roles of actin in the intrinsic mechanisms of morphogenesis of axons and dendrites and the extrinsic environmental features that regulate where and when axons and dendrites grow.
The pancreas allograft donor: current status, controversies, and challenges for the future

The pancreas allograft is a scarce resource that is currently underutilized. The selection of appropriate deceased donors for pancreas procurement is of paramount importance for minimizing technical failure and optimizing long-term outcomes in pancreas transplantation. Despite the increasing demand for pancreas transplantation, increases in overall organ donation rates and the evolution of criteria that constitute an "acceptable" pancreas donor, the number of deceased donor pancreas transplants being performed in the United States has actually declined in recent years. Although there are many factors that must be considered during evaluation of the potential pancreas allograft donor to minimize morbidity and graft loss, it is evident that there are transplantable organs that are not used. In this review, deceased donor pancreas identification, management, selection, allocation, assessment, preservation, and the problem of pancreas underutilization will be discussed.
Pesticides and Human Cancers

The potential for human carcinogenicity of almost all pesticides currently on the market has been poorly evaluated and is inadequately understood. Generating mechanistic data in both animal studies and epidemiology will play an increasingly important role in the future. Improved exposure assessment, in large prospective studies that generate reliable exposure-response data that focus on individual pesticide exposures are needed. One of the greatest opportunities to make more rapid progress will be to foster more multi-disciplinary collaborations between toxicologists and epidemiologists. Collaborations on molecular epidemiology investigations offers such opportunities to both toxicologists and epidemiologists that were not possible even a decade ago.
Determinants of Income Differentials: Comparing Asians with Whites and Blacks

Census 2000 data are used to examine the determinants of income level of six Asian groups as compared with whites, the majority group, and blacks, another minority group. Results of descriptive and multivariate analysis lend support to both human capital investment and structural barriers as explanation for income differentials among the various racial groups. All else equal, Asian Indians did not have significantly different income levels as compared with white, whereas Chinese, Filipinos, Korean and Vietnamese had significantly less household income than whites and Japanese households had significantly more. All Asian groups had significantly more household income than black households.
The nematode fauna of a deep-sea site exposed to strong near-bottom currents

Abstract Nematodes are the most abundant metazoans in marine soft-bottom habitats, yet little is known of their role in deep-sea communities. We describe the nematode fauna from 4626 m depth in the North Atlantic (40°24.0′N, 63°07.4′W) at the family and genus level and compare our findings to previous reports on deep-sea nematodes. The results of covariance studies between nematodes and environmental parameters are also given. At the species level, there is no evidence of association between small-scale variation in nematode abundance and variation in abundance of bacteria or several classes of biogenous structures, but there is evidence of an association with pebbles. At the functional-group level, feeding groups show no correlation with environmental variables, nor do groups based on tail morphology. However, four of the tail-morphology groups are significantly disproportionately abundant in either the 0 to 1 or the 1 to 2 cm sediment layer. Individuals of one group may use their long, retractable tails to escape into the sediment to avoid resuspension by noncatastrophic erosive flows, which are common at this hydrodynamically active deep-sea locality.
External-cavity semiconductor laser with 1000 GHz continuous piezoelectric tuning range

A 1000-GHz continuous tuning range is achieved using a single piezoelectric transducer to orient a diffraction grating in an external-cavity semiconductor laser. The laser output power ripple versus wavelength is 15%, and the linewidth is less than 500 kHz. Large-amplitude piezoelectrically controlled wavelength modulation can be done at modulation frequencies on the order of 100 Hz. The maximum modulation frequency, continuous electrical tuning range, and linewidth are limited by the mechanical design of the external cavity. This device should have wide application in spectroscopy, metrology, and remote sensing. >
MoDB: database system for synthesizing human motion

Enacting and capturing real motion for all potential scenarios is prohibitively expensive; hence, there is a great demand to synthetically generate realistic human motion. However, it is a central challenge in character animation to synthetically generate a large sequence of smooth human motion. We present a novel, database-centric solution to address this challenge. We demonstrate a method of generating long sequences of motion by performing various similarity-based "joins" on a database of captured motion sequences. This article illustrates our system (MoDB) and showcases the process of encoding captured motion into relational data and generating realistic motion by concatenating sub-sequences of the captured data according to feasibility metrics. The demo features an interactive character that moves towards user-specified targets; the character 's motion is generated by relying on the real time performance of the database for indexing and selection of feasible sub-sequences.
Automated metrology for increased throughput and reliability

The increasing capacity of modern wafer fabrication facilities requires automated metrology methods. Automation provides a significantly improved measurement capability, coupled with increased manufacturing throughput, compared to standard methods. Successful integration of automated metrology into the factory measurement system requires that automated functions, such as pattern recognition, display a high degree of reliability. Data is required on automation, and can be collected on every part measured, along with the collection of measurement data. Reliability data analysis permits rapid identification of automation weaknesses, leading to rapid improvements. This analysis can be applied to such in-line measurements as CD (critical dimension), overlay, particle and film thickness. Results are presented for the CD SEM (Scanning Electron Microscope).
Whole Body Vibration Alters Proprioception in the Trunk

Abstract Occupational whole-body vibration has long been associated with low back injuries. However, the mechanism of these injuries is not well understood. In this paper, the effect of whole-body vibration on proprioception and dynamic stability was examined. Subjects exposed to 20 min of vertical, seated, whole-body vibration were found to have a 1.58-fold increase in position-sense errors after vibration relative to controls exposed to 20 min of the same seated posture without vibration exposure. To understand the potential effect of a sensory loss on dynamic low back stability, a lumped parameter model of the trunk and neuromotor response was created. Using this model, an increase in the threshold of the sensory system was predicted to increase trunk flexion and delay neuromotor response with a sudden, unexpected perturbation. These predictions were demonstrated in a second experiment where subjects exhibited both an 11.9% increase in trunk flexion and an 11.2% increase in time to peak paraspinal muscle response (measured using integrated electromyographic activity) after exposure to 20 min of vertical, seated, whole-body vibration. Relevance to Industry For workers exposed to whole-body vibration (WBV), this research suggests that a loss in the ability to sense and control lumbar posture may occur. After exposure, unexpected perturbations during manual materials handling could lead to injury. Reducing vibration exposure or a break between exposure and manual materials handling could be used to reduce this risk.
Human epicardial cell-conditioned medium contains HGF/IgG complexes that phosphorylate RYK and protect against vascular injury

Aims The aim of this study was to evaluate the paracrine activity of human epicardial-derived cells (hEPDCs) to screen for secreted vasoprotective factors and develop therapeutics to treat vascular reperfusion injury. Methods and results Epicardial cells support cardiac development, repair, and remodelling after injury in part, through paracrine activity. We hypothesized that secreted ligands from hEPDCs would protect vascular integrity after myocardial infarction (MI) with reperfusion. During simulated ischaemia in culture (24–48 h), concentrated hEPDC-conditioned medium (EPI CdM) increased survival of primary cardiac endothelial cells. In a rat MI model, EPI CdM treatment reduced vascular injury in vivo after reperfusion. By phospho-receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) arrays, ELISA, and neutralizing antibody screens, we identified hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) as a key vasoprotective factor in EPI CdM. Unexpectedly, we observed that some of the HGF in EPI CdM formed complexes with polyclonal IgG. Following reperfusion, preparations of HGF/IgG complexes provided greater vascular protection than free HGF with IgG. HGF/IgG complexes localized to blood vessels in vivo and increased HGF retention time after administration. In subsequent screens, we found that ‘related to tyrosine kinase’ (RYK) receptor was phosphorylated after exposure of cardiac endothelial cells to HGF/IgG complexes, but not to free HGF with IgG. The enhanced protection conferred by HGF/IgG complexes was lost after antibody blockade of RYK. Notably, the HGF/IgG complex is the first ‘ligand’ shown to promote phosphorylation of RYK. Conclusion Early treatment with HGF/IgG complexes after myocardial ischaemia with reperfusion may rescue tissue through vasoprotection conferred by c-Met and RYK signalling.
Relapsed Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

Treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia in children is one of the great success stories of combination chemotherapy. Unfortunately, adults fare much worse and the majority of adult patients ultimately fail their initial treatment program. Most current induction regimens obtain complete responses (CRs) in 65–90% of newly diagnosed adult patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Early deaths account for some of the induction failures, but in most studies 10–25% of patients have disease resistant to vincristine/prednisone-based regimens. In addition to these primary refractory patients, 60–70% of patients who achieve a CR relapse. Treatment of relapsed and refractory patients is therefore an important and common problem. Numerous regimens have been reported in the setting of relapsed ALL. There are two widely tested approaches to reinduction therapy for adult patients with recurrent or refractory ALL. One option is to treat the patient with a regimen that is similar to their original induction therapy (this strategy is obviously not used for primary refractory patients).
Divergent fates: company unions and employee involvement committees under the railway labor and national labor relations acts

Well known is that the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA, 1935) in the United States places a largely per se ban on nonunion employee representation (ER) groups which deal with employers over a term or condition of employment. Much less well known is that America’s other labor law, the Railway Labor Act (RLA, 1926), takes a different approach and permits employers to operate such councils and committees as long as they do not perform a collective bargaining function or interfere with workers’ free choice of a bargaining agent. Thus, under the RLA Delta Air Lines is able to operate what is today the closest living approximation to a 1920s-style ER plan while hundreds of other companies (e.g. Polaroid) under the jurisdiction of the NLRA have been forced over the years to disband similar groups on grounds they are a proscribed company union. No study to date has explored the history behind the RLA and NLRA’s divergent treatment of nonunion ER groups so this article takes a first look. The main part of the s...
Fighting to Educate Our Own: Teachers of Color, Relational Accountability, and the Struggle for Racial Justice

AbstractResearch demonstrates that many teachers of Color enter schools committed to challenging injustice, yet often face barriers to accomplishing this goal. This article presents emergent themes from a qualitative study with 218 self-identified, racial justice-oriented teachers of Color. Using Wilson's (2008) indigenous cultural framework of relationality and relational accountability to analyze our data, we introduce the concept of community-oriented teachers of Color to describe the accountability these teachers have towards students of Color and their communities. We found that despite their connections, insights, and successes with students, hierarchies of ontology (ways of being) and epistemology (ways of knowing) within schools that promote individualism served to isolate and marginalize community-oriented teachers of Color and, thus, limited their ability to advance racial justice.
Incremental Harmonic Balance Method for Coupled Bending and Torsional Vibration in Planetary Gear System

Incremental harmonic balance(IHB) method could not solve the coupled bending and torsional vibration equation of positive semi-definite in planetary gear transmission mechanism directly,and micro-relative displacement was applied to describe relative motion between the parts in the planetary gear system.The motion transfer matrix was used to transform positive semi-definite equation into positive definite equation.Meanwhile,considering the time-varying nonlinear characteristics of gear mesh stiffness,the IHB method was used to analyze the nonlinear dynamics response in the planetary gear system.The correctness and efficiency of the proposed method were verified by comparison with Newmark-β method.
Influence of precommercial thinning and fertilization on total stem volume and lower stem form of loblolly pine

Two cultural treatr7zents were applied in an overstocked loblolly pirze (Pinus taeda L.) plantation (2,900 trees/ha after eight growing seasorzs): precom~nercial tlzinning (Yes or No) to 747 tt-ees/lza after the eighth growing season and broadcast fertilizatiorz (Yes or No) with diamrrzonium phosphate (150 kg/ha of P and 135 kg/ha of N) early in the ninth growing season. Total height and diameter at breast height (dbh) measurenzents were taken periodically through the 14th growing season. Fertilization increased tree volume more than thinning in the 9th through 10th growing seasons, but thinning was most eflective by the 13th growing season. Over the 6-year period, thinning was the most eflective cultural practice: check, I10 dm2; fertilized only, 135 dm'; thinned only, 165 dm'; and thinned and fertilized, 220 dm-'/loblolly pine tree. After the 14th growing season, the fir-st 5 m of bole was divided into five sections beginning at a 15-cm stump height: 15-30, 30-60, 60-125, 125-250, nrzd 250-500 cm, and the volume for each section was calculated. Outside-bark volume per section increased consistently with thinning and fertilization; therefore, cultural practices did not change stern form in the lower bole. South. J. Appl. For. 29(4):215-220.
Determination of antimony in environmental samples by hydride generation-inductively coupled plasma spectrometry

Total antimony was determined by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP AES) using hydride vapor generation. A 1 g wet, 0.25 g dry, or 10 mL water sample was digested by one of 2 distinct methods in a 10 mL graduated Kimax culture tube on a programmed heating block by heating with nitric acid and then boiling in a mixture of sulfuric acid and perchloric acid. For soils, a 0.25 g sample was digested in a 10 mL volumetric culture tube with hydrochloric acid. After digestion, the samples were treated with hydrochloric acid and potassium iodide. The antimony was then reduced by sodium borohydride to stibine (SbH 3 ) in a simplified, continuous-flow manifold
Spiritual Discernment in The Dialogue of Saint Catherine of Siena

The article is divided into two parts. The first deals with the subject of spiritual discernment in Christian tradition: its nature, importance in the spiritual life, and the aspects of the spiritual life on which it bears. The second part deals with Catherine of Siena's particular approach to the subject of discernment: an explanation of the three images she uses to illuminate the meaning and operation of discernment and an exploration of the theological sources of her teaching on this subject.
Effect of Surface Roughness on the Bond Between Ultrahigh-Performance and Precast Concrete in Bridge Deck Connections

This study investigated the performance of the bond between ultrahigh-performance concrete (UHPC) and precast concrete by the use of three bond test methods: the slant shear test, the third-point flexural bond test, and the pull-off test. The influence of the degree of surface roughness—prepared by sandblasting—on the bond between UHPC and the precast concrete was also studied. The test results showed that the third-point flexural bond test was a convenient and a more realistic test of the bond. The increase in the duration of sandblasting increased the roughness of the precast concrete surface, which was quantified by the sand-spread test. A duration of sandblasting of as short as 10 s was enough to achieve an adequate bond between UHPC and precast concrete at 7 days of age after casting of the UHPC, which was indicated by a failure in the precast concrete part. The ultimate flexural load of those specimens was about the same as the ultimate flexural load of a monolithic precast concrete specimen. Specim...
Monitoring and Evaluation of Patients with Cystic Fibrosis

The monitoring of individuals with cystic fibrosis (CF) has become increasingly complex, as the benefits of screening for complications and proactive early intervention have been realized. The era of newborn screening (NBS) has provided a wealth of information that has demonstrated the importance of optimal nutrition early in life. The prognosis of an individual patient is closely tied to his or her nutritional status and, therefore necessitates close attention to growth parameters. Lung disease is an overwhelming cause of morbidity and mortality, and monitoring of lung disease is an essential component of CF care.
Factors associated with the accuracy of self-reported osteoporosis in the community

We examined the agreement between self-reported osteoporosis and bone mineral density (BMD) results through dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) using data from a national representative sample taken from the US communities. Six-year data from the continuous National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2005–2006, 2007–2008, and 2009–2010 were merged. Participants included adults 50 years of age or older whose data appeared in both questionnaire and medical examination data files. Self-reported osteoporosis was defined by an affirmative response to a question in the osteoporosis questionnaire then compared with BMD-defined osteoporosis, defined by BMD values taken from the examination data. Agreement between self-reported osteoporosis and DXA results were low. Kappa was only 0.24 (95 % confidence interval = 0.21–0.27), and sensitivity and positive predictive value were 28.0 and 40.8 %, respectively. When stratified by gender or age group, agreement remained poor. Self-report of osteoporosis would not be suitable for accurate prevalence estimates for osteoporosis regardless of gender or age group.
Detecting Methemoglobinemia in Animals with a Drop of Blood.

A major concern during pesticide development and use is the impact on non-target species, such as raptors or domestic cats and dogs. Sodium nitrite and para-aminopropiophenone (PAPP) are two toxicants currently being studied for the control of invasive species, such as starlings and feral swine. When given to an animal these compounds oxidize hemoglobin, which renders it unable to carry oxygen resulting in methemoglobinemia. This study developed a method to estimate methemoglobin levels in mammals and birds by examining the efficacy of sodium nitrite to induce the conversion of hemoglobin to methemoglobin. Varying concentrations of sodium nitrite were added to aliquots of coyote, vole, feral swine, starling, and duck blood, collected from captive animals. The blood samples were analyzed spectrophotometrically to determine percent methemoglobin and digitally to determine red color values (RCV) associated with different methemoglobin levels. The avian and mammalian blood reached 100% methemoglobin levels at 200 mM and 15 mM sodium nitrite, respectively. All animals had similar RCV for a given percent methemoglobin. In conclusion, this study developed a procedure to quickly determine methemoglobin levels in mammals and birds. Furthermore, percent methemoglobin can be estimated with one standard curve from any animal species and an image of a blood spot. The technique will be useful during field studies, in agricultural areas, or in a veterinarian’s office for the rapid diagnosis of methemoglobinemia in non-target animals that have eaten toxicants/baits or baited animals.