cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Use of Ice‐Water and Salt Treatments to Eliminate an Exotic Snail, the Red‐Rim Melania, from Small Immersible Fisheries Equipment

Abstract Ice-water and salt treatments were evaluated for disinfection of small immersible fisheries equipment contaminated with a nonindigenous tropical snail, the red-rim melania Melanoides tuberculatus. This introduced species can displace native snails and transmit trematodes directly to fish and indirectly to other animals, including humans. The red-rim melania has a well-developed operculum that protects it from desiccation and allows it to remain viable for days on dry fisheries equipment. Treatments were produced by adding 10 kg of salt and 33.3 kg of ice to 66.6 L of water (salt–ice-water [SIW]) or by adding 40 kg of ice to 32 L of water (ice-water only [IW]) and were tested for various periods (0.17 min to 24 h) to find exposures that would kill 100% of the treated snails. Temperatures produced in the test containers ranged from −6.3°C to −2.4°C for SIW and from 0°C to 4.9°C for IW. The survival of snails in saltwater-only (SW) treatments (10 kg of NaCl in 100 L of water) was also tested. Three ...
Gas dynamics in the impulsive phase of solar flares. I. Thick-target heating by nonthermal electrons

A numerical investigation is carried out of the gas dynamical response of the solar atmosphere to a flare energy input in the form of precipitating nonthermal electrons. Rather than discussing the origin of these electrons, the spectral and temporal characteristics of the injected flux are inferred through a thick-target model of hard X-ray bremsstrahlung production. It is assumed that the electrons spiral about preexisting magnetic field lines, making it possible for a one-dimensional spatial treatment to be performed. It is also assumed that all electron energy losses are due to Coulomb collisions with ambient particles; that is, return-current ohmic effects and collective plasma processes are neglected. The results are contrasted with earlier work on conductive heating of the flare atmosphere. A local temperature peak is seen at a height of approximately 1500 km above the photosphere. This derives from a spatial maximum in the energy deposition rate from an electron beam. It is noted that such a feature is not present in conductively heated models. The associated localized region of high pressure drives material both upward and downward.
An Unusual Variant of Popliteal Artery Entrapment

A 43-year-old woman presented with incapacitating exertional pain in the right foot, ankle, and lower calf of 1 years' duration following a minor ankle sprain. Evaluation by several physicians had been inconclusive. Physical examination identified normal pedal pulses at rest but obliteration of pulses with active plantar flexion. Segmental pressures were normal at rest and duplex scanning showed occlusion of the popliteal artery with active plantar flexion. The findings were confirmed by arteriography despite a normal course of the popliteal artery. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed no muscular abnormality. At exploration entrapment was noted to be the result of compression by branches of the sural nerve and vein as they coursed medially inserting into the medial head of the gastrocnemius muscle. Division of the neurovascular bundle resulted in complete resolution of symptoms and arterial compression on duplex examination postoperatively. This case was unusual because of the patient's age, sex, and the pathologic findings that had not been previously reported. In this case MRI was not useful in demonstrating a muscular or neurovascular bundle abnormality, supporting the use of duplex scanning as the noninvasive diagnostic modality of choice.
Experimental approach for the evaluation of neural network classifier algorithms

The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate a new benchmark for comparing the rate of convergence in neural network classification algorithms. The benchmark produces datasets with controllable complexity that can be used to test an algorithm. The dataset generator uses the concept of random numbers and linear normalization to generate the data. In a case of a one-layer perceptron, the output datasets are sensitive to weight or bias of the perceptron. A Matlab implemented algorithm analyzed the sample datasets and the benchmark results. The results demonstrate that the convergence time varies based on some selected specifications of the generated dataset. This benchmark and the generated datasets can be used by researchers that work on neural network algorithms and are looking for a straightforward and flexible dataset to examine and evalluate the efficiency of neural network classification algorithms.
Toward a molecular description of pheromone perception.

Successful sexual courtship depends on complex multimodal sensory integration. In this issue of Neuron, Bray and Amrein identify a male-specific gustatory receptor gene, Gr68a, expressed in leg chemosensory neurons. Genetic ablation of these Gr68a neurons suggests that they are intimately involved in perceiving female pheromone cues necessary for mating.
Crystal structures of phenyl-substituted cyclopropanes. IV. the crystal structure (at 21‡C and −100‡C) and the phenyl ring conformation in 4-cyclopropylacetanilide

The crystal structure of 4-cyclopropylacetanilide was investigated at room temperature (21‡C) and at −100‡C in order to determine the orientation of the phenyl ring with respect to the cyclopropane moiety and the effect of this substituent on the stereochemistry of the three-membered ring. The compound was chosen because it is one of the few species containing a simple phenyl ring as the sole cyclopropane ring substituent and whose crystals are suitable for X-ray diffraction at room temperature. The substance crystallizes in space groupP2l/c at either temperature (no phase transitions) with cell constants: (at 21‡C)a=9.725(2),b=10.934(3), andc=9.636(2) a,Β=106.13(1)‡;V=984.21 a3 andd(calc;z=4)=1.182 g cm−3. The relevant parameters for the −100‡C structure area=9.557(4),b=10.980(2), andc=9.641(2) a,Β=106.34(3)‡;V=970.76 a3 and d(calc;z=4)=1.199 g cm−3. Final values wereR(F)=0.042, Rw=0.035, using unit weights, and its nonhydrogen atoms were used to phase the low-temperature data, whose final discrepancy indices wereR(F)=0.051,R w =0.061. The phenyl substituent is almost exactly in the bisecting conformation with respect to the C-C-C angle at the point of attachment to cyclopropane and conjugative effects are clearly evident in the lengths of the cyclopropane ring [1.494(3), 1.498(3), and 1.474(4) a, the later being the distal bond]. If one omits the terminal methylene fragments at C10 and C11, the atoms comprising the acetanilide fragment and the substituted carbon of the cyclopropane ring lie in a nearly perfect plane. Molecular mechanics as well as semiempirical (AM1) calculations were carried out in order to determine the structure of the energy-minimized configurations in the two computational environments. The molecular conformations thus obtained are close to that experimentally observed from the X-ray diffraction experiment. In both theoretical models, the lowest energy conformation is that in which the plane of the phenyl ring bisects the cyclopropane C-C-C angle as was experimentally observed. Finally, the shape of the conformational barrier as a function of the orientation of the plane of the phenyl ring was computed, giving a maximum barrier to rotation of 2.2 kcal/mol. Similar calculations were carried out for two other aryl cyclopropanes, whose rings (naphthalene and anthracene) cannot adopt the bisecting position. Comparisons of experimental geometrical parameters as well as of the barriers to rotation are presented.
A model-driven emulation approach to large-scale TCP performance evaluation

Small-scale experiments are insufficient for a comprehensive study of congestion control protocols. Similarly, results obtained from pure simulation platforms without exercising real protocols and applications lack realism. Motivated by these reasons, we developed scalable virtualised evaluation environment for TCP (SVEET), a TCP performance evaluation testbed where real implementations of TCP variants can be accurately evaluated under diverse network configurations and workloads from real applications in large-scale network settings. It is our purpose to provide the research community a standard environment through which quantitative assessment regarding TCP behaviour can be drawn from large-scale experiments. In order to accomplish our goal, we adopted a novel model-driven emulation approach combining real-time simulation, machine and time virtualisation techniques. We validate the testbed via extensive experiments to assess its potentials and limitations. Additionally, we performed case studies involving real web, streaming and peer-to-peer applications. Our results indicate that SVEET can accurately model the behaviour of the TCP variants and support large-scale network scenarios.
Implementation of enhanced guided notes to promote students' metacognitive self-regulated learning strategies while learning electric circuit concepts

The current study was part of activities in a Work in Progress paper presented at the 41st Frontiers in Education Conference that focused on activity Phase 2. This study evaluated students' metacognition using the Self-Regulated Learning (SRL) framework while learning electric circuit concepts. Two research questions guided this study: (1) Was there any improvement in metacognitive self-regulation skills while learning using the enhanced guided notes (EGN) throughout the semester?, and (2) To what degree were students' monitoring strategies reflected in regulating strategies at the beginning and end of the semester? The subjects for this study were engineering students enrolled in the Fundamental Electronics for Engineers course at Utah State University during the fall 2011. Thirteen sets of EGN were developed and used in the semester. A survey instrument developed using Butler and Cartier's SRL model was used to capture students' metacognitive self-regulated learning strategies. Participants were asked to complete the survey twice; at the beginning and end of semester. Descriptive statistics and mean differences of SRL features were used to analyze survey data. Mean differences were conducted in two ways: (1) comparing mean values of the same SRL items, and (2) comparing the level/quality between SRL features for two themes (i.e., knowledge acquisition and problem solving) at the beginning and end of the semester. The findings suggested that there were improvements in some aspects of monitoring and regulating strategies. Comparison of SRL item mean values revealed that there was increasing awareness on specific SRL items. Students did a good job in monitoring and regulating strategies for knowledge acquisition and problem solving. They successfully improved the quality of SRL feature in knowledge acquisition and maintained the quality level in problem solving. This article will also discuss the potential implications for electric circuit concepts instruction.
Planning load-effective dynamic motions of highly articulated human model for generic tasks

The robotic motion planning criteria has evolved from kinematics to dynamics in recent years. Many research achievements have been made in dynamic motion planning, but the externally applied loads are usually limited to the gravity force. Due to the increasing demand for generic tasks, the motion should be generated for various functions such as pulling, pushing, twisting, and bending. In this paper, a comprehensive form of equations of motion, which includes the general external loads applied at any point of branched tree structures, is implemented. An optimization-based algorithm is then developed to generate load-effective motions of redundant tree-structured systems for generic tasks. A highly articulated dual-arm human model is used to generate different effective motions to sustain different external load magnitudes. The results also provide a new scientific insight of human motion.
Core test connectivity, communication, and control

This paper describes work at TI on a scan test architecture that provides test connectivity, communication, and control of embedded cores within system ICs. Low power scan testing and hierarchical reuse are also provided by the test architecture.
Additional In Vitro and In Vivo Evidence for SecA Functioning as Dimers in the Membrane: Dissociation into Monomers Is Not Essential for Protein Translocation in Escherichia coli

SecA is an essential component in the Sec-dependent protein translocation pathway and, together with ATP, provides the driving force for the transport of secretory proteins across the cytoplasmic membrane of Escherichia coli. Previous studies established that SecA undergoes monomer-dimer equilibrium in solution. However, the oligomeric state of functional SecA during the protein translocation process is controversial. In this study, we provide additional evidence that SecA functions as a dimer in the membrane by (i) demonstration of the capability of the presumably monomeric SecA derivative to be cross-linked as dimers in vitro and in vivo, (ii) complementation of the growth of a secA(Ts) mutant with another nonfunctional SecA or (iii) in vivo complementation and in vitro function of a genetically tandem SecA dimer that does not dissociate into monomers, and (iv) formation of similar ring-like structures by the tandem SecA dimer and SecA in the presence of lipid bilayers. We conclude that SecA functions as a dimer in the membrane and dissociation into monomers is not necessary during protein translocation.
Perceptual Segmentation: Combining Image Segmentation With Object Tagging

Human observers understand the content of an image intuitively. Based upon image content, they perform many image-related tasks, such as creating slide shows and photo albums, and organizing their image archives. For example, to select photos for an album, people assess image quality based upon the main objects in the image. They modify colors in an image based upon the color of important objects, such as sky, grass or skin. Serious photographers might modify each object separately. Photo applications, in contrast, use low-level descriptors to guide similar tasks. Typical descriptors, such as color histograms, noise level, JPEG artifacts and overall sharpness, can guide an imaging application and safeguard against blunders. However, there is a gap between the outcome of such operations and the same task performed by a person. We believe that the gap can be bridged by automatically understanding the content of the image. This paper presents algorithms for automatic tagging of perceptual objects in images, including sky, skin, and foliage, which constitutes an important step toward this goal.
Multiantenna-Assisted Spectrum Sensing for Cognitive Radio

In this paper, we consider the problem of detecting a primary user in a cognitive radio network by employing multiple antennas at the cognitive receiver. In vehicular applications, cognitive radios typically transit regions with differing densities of primary users. Therefore, speed of detection is key, and so, detection based on a small number of samples is particularly advantageous for vehicular applications. Assuming no prior knowledge of the primary user's signaling scheme, the channels between the primary user and the cognitive user, and the variance of the noise seen at the cognitive user, a generalized likelihood ratio test (GLRT) is developed to detect the presence/absence of the primary user. Asymptotic performance analysis for the proposed GLRT is also presented. A performance comparison between the proposed GLRT and other existing methods, such as the energy detector (ED) and several eigenvalue-based methods under the condition of unknown or inaccurately known noise variance, is provided. Our results show that the proposed GLRT exhibits better performance than other existing techniques, particularly when the number of samples is small, which is particularly critical in vehicular applications.
A finite-element ballooning model for 2D eddy current open boundary problems for aerospace applications

A combined finite-element (FE) ballooning method is described for electromagnetic field problems in 2-D cases with open boundaries, in which eddy currents may exist everywhere, including the exterior ballooning region. Solutions using this combined 2-D-FE ballooning model are shown to be in close agreement with analytical solutions for a simple eddy current example with an open boundary. The method is applied to the computation of fields surrounding two-wire parallel-pair transmission lines, one with a magnetic shielding and one with a conductive shielding. Quantification of such leakage fields surrounding aerospace power transmission system components is of importance in space station electromagnetic compatibility considerations. >
Regularized Least Absolute Deviations Regression and an Efficient Algorithm for Parameter Tuning

Linear regression is one of the most important and widely used techniques for data analysis. However, sometimes people are not satisfied with it because of the following two limitations: 1) its results are sensitive to outliers, so when the error terms are not normally distributed, especially when they have heavy-tailed distributions, linear regression often works badly; 2) its estimated coefficients tend to have high variance, although their bias is low. To reduce the influence of outliers, robust regression models were developed. Least absolute deviation (LAD) regression is one of them. LAD minimizes the mean absolute errors, instead of mean squared errors, so its results are more robust. To address the second limitation, shrinkage methods were proposed, which add a penalty on the size of the coefficients. The LASSO is one of these methods and it uses the L1-norm penalty, which not only reduces the prediction error and the variance of estimated coefficients, but also provides an automatic feature selection function. In this paper, we propose the regularized least absolute deviation (RLAD) regression model, which combines the nice features of the LAD and the LASSO together. The RLAD is a regularization method, whose objective function has the form of "loss + penalty." The "loss" is the sum of the absolute deviations and the "penalty" is the L1-norm of the coefficient vector. Furthermore, to facilitate parameter tuning, we develop an efficient algorithm which can solve the entire regularization path in one pass. Simulations with various settings are performed to demonstrate its performance. Finally, we apply the algorithm to solve the image reconstruction problem and find interesting results.
EFFECTS OF LARGE ORGANIC MATERIAL ON CHANNEL FORM AND FLUVIAL PROCESSES

\ SUMMARY Stream channel development in forested areas is profoundly influenced by large organic debris (logs, limbs and rootwads greater than 10 cm in diameter) in the channels. In low gradient meandering streams large organic debris enters the channel through bank erosion , mass wasting, blowdown, and collapse of trees due to ice loading. In small streams large organic debris may locally influence channel morphology and sediment transport processes because the stream may not have the competency to redistribute the debris. In larger streams flowing water may move large organic debris, concentrating it into distinct accumulations . (debris jams). Organic debris may greatly affect channel form and process by: increasing or decreasing stabilty of stream banks; influencing development of midchannel bars and short braided reaches; and faciltating, with other favourable circumstances, development of meander cutoffs. In steep gradient mountain streams organic debris may enter the channel by all the processes mentioned for low gradient streams. In addition, considerable debris may also enter the channel by way of debris avalanches or debris torrents. In small to intermediate size mountain streams with steep valley walls and little or no floodplain or flat valley floor, the effects of large organic debris on the fluvial processes and channel form may be very significant. Debris jams may locally accelerate or retard channel bed and bank erosion and/or deposition; create sites for significant sediment storage; and produce a stepped channel profile, herein referred to as ' organic stepping , which provides for variable channel morphology and flow conditions. The effed of live or dead trees anchored by rootwads into the stream bank may not only greatly retard bank erosion but also influence channel width and the development of small scour holes along the channel beneath tree roots. Once trees fall into the stream , their influence on the channel form and process may be quite different than when they were defending the banks , and, depending on thesize of the debris , size of the stream , and many other factors, their effects range from insignificant to very important.
Reduced Neutrophil Count in People of African Descent Is Due To a Regulatory Variant in the Duffy Antigen Receptor for Chemokines Gene

Persistently low white blood cell count (WBC) and neutrophil count is a well-described phenomenon in persons of African ancestry, whose etiology remains unknown. We recently used admixture mapping to identify an approximately 1-megabase region on chromosome 1, where ancestry status (African or European) almost entirely accounted for the difference in WBC between African Americans and European Americans. To identify the specific genetic change responsible for this association, we analyzed genotype and phenotype data from 6,005 African Americans from the Jackson Heart Study (JHS), the Health, Aging and Body Composition (Health ABC) Study, and the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Study. We demonstrate that the causal variant must be at least 91% different in frequency between West Africans and European Americans. An excellent candidate is the Duffy Null polymorphism (SNP rs2814778 at chromosome 1q23.2), which is the only polymorphism in the region known to be so differentiated in frequency and is already known to protect against Plasmodium vivax malaria. We confirm that rs2814778 is predictive of WBC and neutrophil count in African Americans above beyond the previously described admixture association (P=3.8610 25 ), establishing a novel phenotype for this genetic variant.
Hardware/Software Partitioning of Operating Systems

We present a few specific hardware/software partitions for real-time operating systems and a framework able to automatically generate a large variety of such partitioned RTOSes. Starting from the traditional view of an operating system, we explore novel ways to partition the OS functionality between hardware and software. We show how such partitioning can result in large performance gains in specific cases involving multiprocessor System-on-a-Chip scenarios.
Effect of current drought upon water supplies in Cedar City Valley, Utah

The ground water in the pumping district in Cedar City Valley, Utah is considered by the Utah State Engineer to be fully appropriated, and he has not authorized drilling of irrigation wells there since 1942 except as replacements for wells having established rights. In spite of this regulation, the water levels in representative wells in 1954 were the lowest of record, and four to ten feet lower than the minima recorded during the drought of the 1930's. This recession is attributed in large part to the current drought in the southwestern United States. In the five years ended October 1, 1954, precipitation at Cedar City was markedly less than in any other five-year period in the past 50 years, and stream runoff was likewise far below average. Ground-water withdrawal has exceeded replenishment in these drought years, but it cannot yet be concluded that the ground-water resources are overdeveloped in the sense that pumpage exceeds the long-term average replenishment to the reservoir.
Forests and trees in firearm injury research.

In this issue of Injury Prevention , Hootman and colleagues present the latest information on non-fatal, non-gunshot injuries related to guns in the United States.1 The report is the latest in a series of snapshots that investigators at the United States Centers for Disease Control (CDC) have added to the ever-so-slowly evolving panoramic picture of our country's unique burden of gun injury (see http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc). The paper is of interest both for what it says and what it does not say. The authors set the stage by reminding readers of the large, albeit recently falling, number of gunshot deaths and injuries in the United States each year. Then, using carefully constructed emergency department based estimates, they focus on the 16% of all medically treated gun related injuries due to mechanisms other than gunshot wounds. The authors observe that the risk for these injuries parallels that of gunshot wounds (males, youth, African-Americans) and identify possible prevention approaches for the unintentional injuries. This study involved the development of two potentially important new coding schemes, that detail both mechanism of injury and activity at the time of injury . This research is based on data from the Consumer Product Safety Commission's National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS). The authors acknowledge the limitations of the data, which exclude non-medically attended injuries, does not permit local incidence estimates, relies for injury history on (often incomplete) medical recording, and suffers from missing information. Other factors also limit the accuracy of the information presented. Non-powder firearms (airguns, “BB guns”), were excluded, though in terms of non-gunshot events are more like powder guns than not.2 This was due to small NEISS counts for these (J Mercy, personal communication, 15 August 2000). Injuries related to military contexts were excluded. Delayed deaths due to the non-gunshot wound injuries could …
Evidence for interleukin‐1β production by cultured normal human osteoblast‐like cells

To determine if bone cells produce interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta), a potent bone resorption-stimulating agent, we studied well-characterized, nearly homogeneous cultures of normal human osteoblast-like (hOB) cells. With four strains of such cells, vehicle-treated cultures produced minimal IL-1 beta (mean +/- SEM, 1.3 +/- 0.3 pg/ml per 10(6) cells per 24 h) and showed dose-dependent (r = 0.99) increases to 2.2 +/- 0.7, 5.0 +/- 0.9, or 17.8 +/- 6.7 pg/ml, respectively, after treatment with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) at 3, 10, or 30 micrograms/ml (for increases after 10 and 30 micrograms/ml treatments, P less than 0.05). After treatment with tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) at 10 U/ml, IL-1 beta increased to 16.2 +/- 3.7 pg/ml (P less than 0.05). Neither 17 beta-estradiol nor bovine parathyroid hormone(1-34) (each at 10 nM), alone or in combination with LPS or TNF-alpha, affected IL-1 beta release. Northern blot analysis of total cellular RNA preparation revealed a single hybridization band at 1.9 kb when probed with a partially deleted cDNA for human IL-1 beta. The steady-state IL-1 beta mRNA levels showed a significant increase with LPS treatment and a lesser increase with TNF-alpha treatment in hOB cells. Moreover, TNF-alpha produced an even greater increase in IL-1 mRNA in HOBIT cells, a well-differentiated clonal cell line derived from normal hOB cells transfected with the SV40 large T antigen. We conclude that human cells of the osteoblast lineage produce IL-1 beta in response to well-recognized stimuli for IL-1 release from responsive tissue.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Uncertainties in extracted parameters of a Gaussian emission line profile with continuum background

We derive analytical equations for uncertainties in parameters extracted by nonlinear least-squares fitting of a Gaussian emission function with an unknown continuum background component in the presence of additive white Gaussian noise. The derivation is based on the inversion of the full curvature matrix (equivalent to Fisher information matrix) of the least-squares error, χ2, in a four-variable fitting parameter space. The derived uncertainty formulas (equivalent to Cramer-Rao error bounds) are found to be in good agreement with the numerically computed uncertainties from a large ensemble of simulated measurements. The derived formulas can be used for estimating minimum achievable errors for a given signal-to-noise ratio and for investigating some aspects of measurement setup trade-offs and optimization. While the intended application is Fabry-Perot spectroscopy for wind and temperature measurements in the upper atmosphere, the derivation is generic and applicable to other spectroscopy problems with a Gaussian line shape.
Hydrologic Sensitivities of Colorado River Runoff to Changes in Precipitation and Temperature

The Colorado River is the primary water source for much of the rapidly growing southwestern United States. Recent studies have projected reductions in Colorado River flows from less than 10% to almost 50% by midcentury because of climate change—a range that has clouded potential management responses. These differences in projections are attributable to variations in climate model projections but also to differing land surface model (LSM) sensitivities. This second contribution to uncertainty—specifically, variations in LSM runoff change with respect to precipitation (elasticities) and temperature (sensitivities)—are evaluated here through comparisons of multidecadal simulations from five commonly used LSMs (Catchment, Community Land Model, Noah, Sacramento Soil Moisture Accounting model, and Variable Infiltration Capacity model) all applied over the Colorado River basin at 1/88 latitude by longitude spatial resolution. The annual elasticity of modeled runoff (fractional change in annual runoff divided by fractional change in annual precipitation) at Lees Ferry ranges from two to six for the different LSMs. Elasticities generally are higher in lower precipitationand/orrunoffregimes;hence,the highestvaluesare formodelsbiasedlow in runoffproduction,and the range of elasticities is reduced to two to three when adjusted to current runoff climatology. Annual temperature sensitivities (percent change in annual runoff per degree change in annual temperature) range from declines of 2% to as much as 9% per degree Celsius increase at Lees Ferry. For some LSMs, small areas, primarily at midelevation, have increasing runoff with increasing temperature; however, on a spatial basis, most sensitivities are negative.
Rheology of the Cytoskeleton

The cytoskeleton is the primary internal structure of the cell, providing its structural integrity. The rheology and mechanics of the cytoskeleton, therefore, are key to the cell's ability to accomplish its diverse functions in health and disease. Although the importance of the cytoskeleton is well established, the relationship between the microstructural details and the macroscopic rheological behavior of the cytoskeleton remains elusive. A wide range of computational and phenomenological models as well as experimental techniques have been proposed over the past two decades to describe the cytoskeleton, giving rise to several, often contradictory, theories for describing its rheology. This concise review attempts to bring together the key experimental methods and theoretical and computational models regarding cytoskeletal rheology and mechanics.
Determining model accuracy of network traces

Accurate network modeling is critical to the design of network protocols. Traditional modeling approaches, such as Discrete Time Markov Chains (DTMC) are limited in their ability to model time-varying characteristics. This problem is exacerbated in the wireless domain, where fading events create extreme burstiness of delays, losses, and errors on wireless links. In this paper, we describe the data preconditioning modeling technique that is capable of capturing the statistical characteristics of wired and wireless network traces. We revise our previous developed data preconditioning modeling algorithm, the Markov-based Trace Analysis (MTA), and present the Multiple states MTA (MMTA) algorithm. Our main contributions are methodologies created to quantify the accuracy of network models, methodology to choose the most accurate model for a given network and characteristic of interest (e.g., delay, loss, or error process), and the validation of our data preconditioning modeling algorithms.
The government and ethics of health promotion: the importance of Michel Foucault

A debate about the ethics of health promotion recently appeared in this journal. While the papers involved provided a number of new insights into this area, they appeared to stop short of many possibilities. In particular, the dismissal of the relevance of the work of Foucault in this area prevented another line of inquiry opening up. This paper provides a fuller explication of Foucault's relevance to ethics and health promotion. It draws attention to the way health promotion produces subjects, especially choosing subjects. Using nutrition promotion as an example, it highlights the way that various positions in health promotion—which on the surface appear to be at odds with each other—can in fact be seen to be part of the same project: that of producing self-regulating subjects. The paper concludes by stressing that health promotion provides an ethics, in a Foucauldian sense, by producing the means by which subjects assess their own desires, attitudes and conducts in relation to those set out by health promotion expertise.
Period Modulation of the Stratospheric Quasi-biennial Oscillation

Abstract The period of the stratospheric quasi-biennial oscillation (QBO) in zonal wind is studied with the aid of rocket observations at Kwaialein (9°N, 168°N) for altitudes 25–35 km and rawinsonde observations for Balboa (9°N, 80°W) for pressure levels 50–10 mb, the latter for 1951–79. Since 1951, the period has varied between 21 and 34 months, with an average value near 28 months (2.3 years) at any height, but with slightly greater variability in the lower stratosphere. While the expected downward propagation of easterly and westerly phase was clearly observed, a downward propagation of period is not evident, consistent with the variable structure of the phase descent rates. A systematic modulation of QBO period occurred approximately and inversely in accord with the level of solar activity. Physical mechanisms that might account for the observed variation in QBO period are identified, within the context of assumed dynamical forcing by tropospheric waves. Comprehensive insight into the actual process a...
Snow retention for increased water supply of shallow Arctic lakes

Abstract Throughout the year, water availability in the Arctic is marginal because of the cold climate, presence of permafrost, and low precipitation. Recent resource development and improvements in living conditions of the expanding population have placed additional stresses on the annual local water supply of communities and industry located in this region. This study implemented a snow control practice to enhance snowdrift growth as a local water source at a shallow Arctic lake located on Alaska's Coastal Plain, 50 km south of Prudhoe Bay, USA. A 130 m long and 3 m tall snow fence was placed next to a lake for the winters of 2009–2010 and 2010–2011. This snow fence retained large quantities of snow transported by wind during the winter, forming a sizable snowdrift. In this region of the Arctic, lakes receive most of their water from seasonal snowpack melt in late May and early June, with subsequent drying of the lakes after snowmelt. The artificially created snowdrift at the experimental lake contributed meltwater until early July during both summers of the study period and effectively offset summer lake drying. At summer's end, the additional lake volume from the fence snowdrift was 21% and 29% in 2010 and 2011, respectively. While techniques such as snow fences can be used to address existing needs for enhanced water supplies, they can also serve as a tool for assessing lake response to a future climate scenario in which summers are warmer and both evaporation and winter precipitation increase.
Using Expert SystemsTo Check Building Applications

After a short period of enthusiasm for the potentials of ESs, the myths and legends surrounding this technology clearly emerged, together with the difficulties connected to their building and maintenance. Really, in the field of planning, a prudent attitude seems to prevail also in the first overview contributions on the potentials of ESs. However, Development Control is commonly seen as a good application for ESs, as it is sufficiently defined, rule-based, and repetitive, furthermore the related decisions seem to be clearly founded on expert heuristics, especially during building-application inspection, when project admissibility is checked for compliance to the laws and planning regulations in force. The paper illustrates the work our research team has been carrying out on designing an Urban Information System called ‘SITU’, including an ES module dealing with buildingapplication inspection in local Town Planning Departments. The project aims to help the inspecting authorities and the designers by assisting them to overcome problems of shortages of skilled staff, and ensuring better compliance and savings in time and cost. 1 Problem description The local government is the responsible authority for granting building approvals. Applicants for building approvals are normally requested to submit their projects for the proposed building. At present, a long period of time passes from the building application to the permission grant, due to the fact that the Planning Departments in the south of Italy are 'chronically' understaffed. This circumstance, of course, has a negative impact on the attitudes of developers, owners and private citizens towards the local government. Furthermore, we lack planners with an adequate experience to handle numerous, complex, and often confusing, building and zoning regulations effectively and to get through the amount of building applications usually piling up on the department desks. Finally, we have to consider that:
Impact of Gums on the Growth of Probiotic Microorganisms

Probiotics are increasingly being used as dietary supplements in functional food products. The ingredients in food contribute to maintaining the growth of probiotics in food products. Gums are polysaccharides used as stabilizers and emulsifiers in foods and could also be used to enhance the growth of probiotics. Thus, the objective of this study was to determine the impact of different gums on the growth of Lactobacillus reuteri in laboratory media. Modified M17 media was prepared with 0.5 % (w/v) of one of the following gums: locust bean, carrageenan-locust bean-guar, guar, guar-pectin, carrageenan-maltodextrin, pectin, pectin-carrageenan, and inulin pectin-dextrose. Two liters of modified M17 medium was prepared and divided into ten portions. Batches of 200 ml samples with 1 g of each gum were sterilized at 110 °C for 10 min. Sterilized samples were allowed to cool to 42 °C and then inoculated with L. reuteri strains at a final inoculum level of 3 log CFU/mL. The inoculated samples were incubated at 37 °C for 16 h, serially diluted, and plated on lactobacilli MRS agar to obtain final bacterial counts. The results showed higher bacterial counts in samples with gums compared to the control. The bacterial population in the control sample increased from initial counts of 2.78 to 7.16 log CFU/mL whereas samples with pectin increased from 3.3 to 9.0 log CFU/mL. The bacterial population in samples with carrageenan also increased from 3.1 to 8.9 log CFU/mL. The average pH samples at the end of incubation ranged from 5.62 (for sample with pectin) to 6.47 (for control without gum). These findings could lead to the use of pectin and carrageenan-maltodextrin as microbial growth enhancers that could subsequently improve the therapeutic quality of functional food.
Two-Sided Market Competition in Electronic Textbook Markets: An Economic Model

This paper applies a Hotelling model of two-sided markets in analyzing an emergent approach to marketing textbooks. In this approach, a platform provides the content of electronic textbooks for free. This free content spurs sales of complementary products such as a print version of the textbook. The approach accords with the practice whereby a business makes a product freely available on the Internet as a way to generate sales of other products or services.The model developed below ascribes a role to brand loyalty. The price equilibrium equations that result show the critical importance of fostering brand loyalty as a way to leverage internetwork effects in two-sided markets for electronic textbooks. Moreover, the paper challenges whatever tendency there is among writers to extend two-sided market analysis only to markets in which there are buyers and sellers, as opposed to markets in which both sides consist of buyers or consumers.
Some characteristics of SSPE measles virus.

SummaryThe in vitro comparison of two SSPE measles virus isolates and conventional measles virus demonstrated antigenic identity between these viruses. However, neutralization tests showed an avidity of the SSPE patient's neutralizing antibody towards the wild measles virus rather than to the virus isolated from diseased brain. The cytopathology and plaque formation of these measles virus strains revealed greater resemblance between the SSPE measles and the vaccine strain of the virus than between SSPE measles and wild virus. Differences were found in the growth characteristics of the two SSPE virus isolates as measured by tissue culture assays.
Use of donor lymphocytes in extramedullary relapse of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukaemia following bone marrow transplantation

Relapse is the commonest cause of treatment failure following bone marrow transplantation for malignant haematological disease. Treatment options are limited and often unsuccessful, with remissions, if achieved, being short-lived. Donor lymphocyte infusions have been used in the treatment of relapsing CML for several years, with good results being obtained. Use of this form of adoptive immunotherapy however, has been much less successful in patients with acute leukaemias, with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia appearing to be particularly resistant. We report the successful use of a donor lymphocyte infusion in a patient with isolated extramedullary relapse of acute lymphoblastic leukaemia post bone marrow transplantation.
Horizontally acquired genes in early-diverging pathogenic fungi enable the use of host nucleosides and nucleotides

Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) among bacteria, archaea, and viruses is widespread, but the extent of transfers from these lineages into eukaryotic organisms is contentious. Here we systematically identify hundreds of genes that were likely acquired horizontally from a variety of sources by the early-diverging fungal phyla Microsporidia and Cryptomycota. Interestingly, the Microsporidia have acquired via HGT several genes involved in nucleic acid synthesis and salvage, such as those encoding thymidine kinase (TK), cytidylate kinase, and purine nucleotide phosphorylase. We show that these HGT-derived nucleic acid synthesis genes tend to function at the interface between the metabolic networks of the host and pathogen. Thus, these genes likely play vital roles in diversifying the useable nucleic acid components available to the intracellular parasite, often through the direct capture of resources from the host. Using an in vivo viability assay, we also demonstrate that one of these genes, TK, encodes an enzyme that is capable of activating known prodrugs to their active form, which suggests a possible treatment route for microsporidiosis. We further argue that interfacial genes with well-understood activities, especially those horizontally transferred from bacteria or viruses, could provide medical treatments for microsporidian infections.
Mirrored boundaries: how ongoing homeland-hostland contexts shape Bangladeshiimmigrant collective identity formation

ABSTRACTLargely overlooked in the international migration literature, migration from the Muslim world can reveal how the combination of globalization and ongoing homeland tensions shapes immigrants’ collective identity formation in the hostland. Using the case of Bangladeshi Muslims in Los Angeles, this article ethnographically traces how ongoing and historic homeland, hostland, and global political–religious contexts shape immigrants’ everyday struggles over identity categories through two distinct but overlapping processes: (1) the immigrants’ exposure to a more expanded, diverse range of people in the hostland; (2) their import of homeland cleavages to the receiving society. It argues that through international migration, migrants both produce and experience globalization, consequently both reiterating and reconstructing their identity categories in the hostland. It also shows how the immigrants’ cross-border ties to not only their homeland and hostland but also to nation-states beyond shape their iden...
Kaiser Permanente's innovation on the front lines

The Innovation Consultancy, a small team within the health care provider Kaiser Permanente, practices an expansive, service-focused version of innovation that is both rapid and economical in comparison with the conventional version. The team's members observe how health care providers interact with one another, with technology, and with patients, and how the patients respond. They take photographs, draw pictures, write stories, and try to capture experiences from the point of view of everyone involved. During KP MedRite, a project to reduce the error rate in dispensing medication to hospital patients, the team asked nurses what they thought was wrong with the dispensing process. The nurses usually replied, "Nothing". But when given a chance to make self-portraits, they would draw themselves with sad faces and frazzled hair. Interruptions appeared to be the leading cause of errors-so one of the resulting innovations was a bright-yellow sash signaling that its wearer was not to be disturbed. KP's Chris McCarthy founded the Innovation Learning Network to accelerate knowledge transfer among peers in the nonprofit health care industry. One promising process that has emerged, Inflection Navigator, helps patients who've received a frightening diagnosis handle the consequent urgent tasks-follow-up tests, visits to specialists, decision making about treatment and care--with the aid of care coordinators. This innovation and others like it arise from a brand of creativity that transcends the media version of the health care debate.
Healing and restoration of fertility following microsurgical transection and anastomosis of the rabbit oviduct

The postoperative time course of healing following tubal microsurgery was examined in the rabbit by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and was correlated with changes in fertility. Groups of animals were bred or used for morphologic studies on days 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, and 14 after surgery. During the first 4 postoperative days, a major loss of ciliary and secretory activity occurred and was characterized by disruption of subcellular organelles. Tissue damage was restricted to within several millimeters of the anastomosis. Healing was well advanced by day 7 and was largely complete by day 14. Corresponding changes in fertility were observed. A significant decline in fertility was noted on the first postoperative day. Thereafter, fertility progressively improved and was normal by day 14.