cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Interpolations of Groundwater Table Elevation in Dissected Uplands

The variable elevation of the groundwater table in the St. Louis area was estimated using multiple linear regression (MLR), ordinary kriging, and cokriging as part of a regional program seeking to assess liquefaction potential. Surface water features were used to determine the minimum water table for MLR and supplement the principal variables for ordinary kriging and cokriging. By evaluating the known depth to the water and the minimum water table elevation, the MLR analysis approximates the groundwater elevation for a contiguous hydrologic system. Ordinary kriging and cokriging estimate values in unsampled areas by calculating the spatial relationships between the unsampled and sampled locations. In this study, ordinary kriging did not incorporate topographic variations as an independent variable, while cokriging included topography as a supporting covariable. Cross validation suggests that cokriging provides a more reliable estimate at known data points with less uncertainty than the other methods. Profiles extending through the dissected uplands terrain suggest that: (1) the groundwater table generated by MLR mimics the ground surface and elicits a exaggerated interpolation of groundwater elevation; (2) the groundwater table estimated by ordinary kriging tends to ignore local topography and exhibits oversmoothing of the actual undulations in the water table; and (3) cokriging appears to give the realistic water surface, which rises and falls in proportion to the overlying topography. The authors concluded that cokriging provided the most realistic estimate of the groundwater surface, which is the key variable in assessing soil liquefaction potential in unconsolidated sediments.
MR imaging of sports-related injuries

Musculoskeletal injuries are common in both elite athletes and the general population. These days magnetic resonance (MR) imaging is used extensively to assess abnormalities of the osseous and soft tissues. Ultrasound, which has taken off in countries where MR imaging is less accessible, is also being employed on an increasing level in the United States. The information gained from imaging can be helpful in making a diagnosis, determining the severity of an injury, and guiding therapy. This issue of Radiologic Clinics of North America focuses on the use of imaging in sports injuries. To play a useful role in the diagnosis and therapy of athletic injuries, it is important for the imager to be familiar with normal musculoskeletal anatomy and the pitfalls. Drs. Pfirrmann and colleagues have put together a unique review of normal variants and pitfalls inMRI that relate to sports imaging.MRI of the knee is bread-and-butter for sports imaging. Dr. Carrino has given the reader an overview of imaging of sportsrelated knee injuries. Dr. Chung gives us new insight into the patterns of knee injury that can help us predict injuries and understand the reason that they co-exist. The shoulder is still one of the most difficult joints for the MR imager to evaluate. Drs. Fritz and Farber have each contributed articles on different aspects of shoulder MRI that clarify this subject in a concise manner. Dr. Sofka has elucidated the role of ultrasound and MRI for evaluation of sports-related elbow injuries. Hip disorders are common in athletes, and Dr. Bencardino has written a review that includes all of the important lesions associated with athletic injury and provides a guide to evaluation of the acetabular labrum, which is increasingly being found as a culprit for hip pain in the athlete. Of course, there are many types of injuries that are seen in the ankle and foot, and these are fully discussed by Dr. Dunfee. Dr. Spitz has done an admirable job of reviewing the different types of stress fractures in the athlete and how they are viewed by different imaging techniques. These are often mistaken for tumors and other pathology, so it is important to become familiar with their typical location and appearance. Muscle injuries are extremely common in the athlete. Dr. Boutin comprehensively reviews the subject with special attention to specific common musculotendinous injuries. Last, but not least, the expertise of Dr. Jacobson shines through when it comes to a review of the use of ultrasound for diagnosing and treating certain athletic injuries. It is accessible, real-time, and relatively inexpensive, and interventional procedures are quick and easy with this technique. I am grateful to all of the authors who contributed articles to this issue. The efforts of these leaders in the field have resulted in an outstanding overview of this subject.
Detection of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 by a highly sensitive and specific polymerase chain reaction method

Abstract A sensitive and specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based assay was developed for detection of a single copy of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) sequence. The different methodologies for preparation of clinical DNA samples were evaluated. The DNA extracted by the Ficoll-Histopaque method gave the best quality for PCR. DNA samples equivalent to 18 μl or less of blood from HIV-1 seropositive individuals were positive by this assay. This procedure should be suitable for early diagnosis of HIV-1 infection in many clinical situations.
Percutaneous permeation of the meta, ortho and para isomers of N,N-diethyltoluamide

Abstract Ortho - and para -DEET occur as minor by-products in the synthesis of N , N -diethyl- m -toluamide ( meta -DEET). Meta -DEET, however, is formulated into many commercial mosquito repellents without further purification. Therefore, commercial mosquito repellents may have small amounts of the ortho and para isomers of meta -DEET as impurities. A review of toxicological studies performed with N , N -diethyltoluamide show that the ortho isomer is twice as toxic as both the meta and para isomers when comparing the oral lethal dose 50% (LD 50 ) values. Reports of individuals exhibiting adverse reactions after topical use of DEET-containing products warrant further investigation of the dermal permeation of meta -, ortho - and para -DEET to determine the extent of permeation of each isomer and determine if the ortho isomer may be responsible for the observed toxicity. Therefore, the objective of the present study was to evaluate the permeation of meta -, ortho - and para -DEET across human skin from an aqueous vehicle, solutions in 45 and 90% ethanol, and as the neat isomer. Studies were conducted using the infinite dose technique with a Franz diffusion cell, and parameters such as steady-state flux ( J ss ), permeability ( P ), and skin/vehicle partition coefficient ( K ), were obtained from the permeation profiles. No real significant difference ( p >0.05) in the flux was observed between the neat isomers, or the isomers when applied as an aqueous solution, and when applied as a solution in 90% ethanol. At a level of 45% ethanol, however, the J ss , P and K values for the ortho and para isomers were significantly higher ( p J ss , P and K for meta -DEET. Although the flux values were significantly higher, it appears that the toxic effects seen after topical use of DEET-containing products cannot be directly attributed to the presence of the ortho isomer in small quantities in the commercial repellents, and further purification of meta -DEET prior to formulation is not suggested.
Peptides and Psychoneuroendocrinology: A Perspective

• Research indicates that brain peptides exert both behavioral and endocrinologic effects in humans and animals. This review summarizes the best known behavioral actions of four endogenous peptides: luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH), adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH), vasopressin, and angiotensin. The hypothalamic-releasing hormones play a role in modulating pituitary-end organ systems. Behavioral disorders may, in the future, be susceptible to formulation in terms of changes in brain peptides. Peptide research in psychiatry may be approached in several ways.
Price, Quality and Welfare Effects of European VERs on Japanese Autos

This paper examines the impact of the VERs negotiated by the U.K., France and Germany with Japanese car makers. Market share analysis shows that the VERs did not arrest the declines in apparent consumption by local producers. Further analysis from a sample of Japanese (and other) cars sold on the French and German markets indicates quality upgrading between 1981 and 1983. The data also suggest that the VER was strictly binding in France starting around 1984 but not in Germany until 1985, the end of the sample period. Finally, the paper shows that the French, German and Japanese car producers supplied an increasingly similar product mix on the French market throughout the sample period (1979–1985) but the Italian producers shifted towards a lower (fiscal) horsepower mix.
The Extramural Division of Cardiovascular Sciences of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.

The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) Strategic Plan describes an ambitious agenda in cardiovascular disease research, with most of it implemented via grants and contracts to extramural scientists. There are over 85 NHLBI program scientists, who work to initiate, catalyze, evaluate, and oversee cardiovascular research efforts. These scientists are divided into 8 branches within an overarching Division of Cardiovascular Sciences (DCVS). The DCVS represents the union of 2 previously existing divisions, the Division of Cardiovascular Disease and the Division of Prevention and Population Sciences; both divisions recently prepared detailed strategic plans (1,2). DCVS provides leadership and supports basic, clinical, population, and health services research on the causes, prevention, and treatment of cardiovascular diseases. The Division fosters research in disease areas, such as atherothrombosis, heart attack and heart failure, high blood pressure, stroke, atrial and ventricular arrhythmias, sudden cardiac death, adult and pediatric congenital heart disease, cardiovascular complications of diabetes and obesity, and other cardiovascular disorders. Research also includes a number of well-known epidemiological cohort studies that describe disease and risk factor patterns in populations; clinical trials of interventions to prevent disease and to prevent or modulate risk factors; studies of genetic, behavioral, sociocultural, health systems, and environmental influences on disease risk and outcomes; and studies of the application of prevention and treatment strategies to determine how to improve clinical care and public health. The Division supports training and career development for these areas of research. DCVS is organized operationally into 8 scientific branches, a career development office, and an Office of Biostatistics Research.
Autonomous OSNR Monitoring and Cross-Layer Control in a Mixed Bit-Rate and Modulation Format System Using Pilot Tones

Modulation-format and bit-rate awareness is realized in DLI-based OSNR monitor using pilot-tones. Autonomous signal quality decisions are made in presence of crosstalk, facilitating scalable crosslayer impairment-aware-routing in mixed-signal network
Research incentive program for clinical surgical faculty associated with increases in research productivity

Objective To develop a research productivity scoring program within an academic department of surgery that would help realign incentives to encourage and reward research. Although research is highly valued in the academic mission, financial incentives are generally aligned to reward clinical productivity. Methods A formula assigning points for publications and extramural grants was created and used to award a research incentive payment proportional to the research productivity score, beginning July 2007. Publication points reflect journal impact factor, author role, and manuscript type. Grant points reflect total funding and percentage of effort. Publication data were gathered from Web of Science/PubMed/Medline and grants data from the departmental grants office. An annual award is presented to the person with the greatest improvement. The research productivity score data after July 2007 were compared with control data for the 2 preceding years. A 33-question survey to 28 clinical faculty was conducted after the first year to measure satisfaction and solicit constructive feedback. Results The mean annual point scores increased from the preresearch productivity score to the postresearch productivity score academic years (2180 vs 3389, respectively, P = .08), with a significant change in the grant component score (272 vs 801, P = .03). Since research productivity score implementation, the operative case volumes increased 4.3% from 2006 to 2011. With a response rate of 89%, the survey indicated that 76% of the faculty wished to devote more time to research and 52% believed 1 or more research-related behaviors would change because of the research productivity score program. Conclusions An objective, transparent research incentive program, through both monetary incentives and recognition, can stimulate productivity and was well-received by faculty.
Call center service process analysis: Bayesian parametric and semi-parametric mixture modeling

Abstract The main focus of the call center research has been on models that assume all input distributions are known in queuing theory which gives birth to staffing and the estimation of operating characteristics. Studies investigating uncertainty of the input distributions and its implications on call center management are scarce. This study attempts to fill this gap by analyzing the call center service distribution behavior by using Bayesian parametric and semi-parametric mixture models that are capable of exhibiting non-standard behavior such as multi-modality, skewness and excess kurtosis motivated by real call center data. The study is motivated by the observation that different customer profiles might require different agent skill sets which can create additional sources of uncertainty in the behavior of service distributions. In estimating model parameters, Markov chain Monte Carlo methods such as the Gibbs sampler and the reversible jump algorithms are presented and the implications of using such models on system performance and staffing are discussed.
Making Connections in Math and Science: Identifying Student Outcomes

A three-phase Collaborative Science Education Research Project (CSERP) has been established between the AIMS Education Foundation and The National Center for Science Teaching and Learning. The goal of Phase I is to identify student outcomes as perceived by classroom teachers to be related to participation in a hands-on, integrated mathematics science program called AIMS, Activities Integrating Math and Science. The raw data were then summarized and interpreted by the principal investigators. Data collection procedures involved seven Research Team Leaders; 45 teacher-researchers; and 2,025 students in Grades 4, 5, and 6 located in six states. The teacher-researchers identified 423 cognitive, 234 affective, and 188 social outcomes that were coded and classified by the principal investigators. An unanticipated teacher outcome also emerged. Teacher involvement in the research project greatly contributed to their own sense of professionalism. These outcomes will be used to develop, pilot (Phase II), and field test (Phase III) prototypic assessment items in the subsequent phases of the CSERP.
Dynamic tumor growth patterns in a novel murine model of colorectal cancer.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) often arises from adenomatous colonic polyps. Polyps can grow and progress to cancer, but may also remain static in size, regress, or resolve. Predicting which progress and which remain benign is difficult. We developed a novel long-lived murine model of CRC with tumors that can be followed by colonoscopy. Our aim was to assess whether these tumors have similar growth patterns and histologic fates to human colorectal polyps to identify features to aid in risk-stratification of colonic tumors. Long-lived ApcMin/+ mice were treated with dextran sodium sulfate to promote colonic tumorigenesis. Tumor growth patterns were characterized by serial colonoscopy with biopsies obtained for immunohistochemistry and gene expression profiling. Tumors grew, remained static, regressed, or resolved over time with different relative frequencies. Newly developed tumors demonstrated higher rates of growth and resolution than more established tumors that tended to remain static in size. Colonic tumors were hyperplastic lesions (3%), adenomas (73%), intramucosal carcinomas (20%), or adenocarcinomas (3%). Interestingly, the level of β-catenin was higher in adenomas that became intratumoral carcinomas as compared to those that failed to progress. In addition, differentially expressed genes between adenomas and intramucosal carcinomas were identified. This novel murine model of intestinal tumorigenesis develops colonic tumors that can be monitored by serial colonoscopy, mirror growth patterns seen in human colorectal polyps, and progress to CRC. Further characterization of cellular and molecular features are needed to determine which features can be used to risk-stratify polyps for progression to CRC and potentially guide prevention strategies.
Agency and communion attributes in adults’ spontaneous self-representations

This study investigated agency and communion attributes in adults' spontaneous self-representations. The study sample consisted of 158 adults (80 men, 78 women) ranging in age from 20 to 88 years. Consistent with theorising, significant age and sex differences were found in terms of the number of agency and communion attributes. Young and middle-aged adults included significantly more agency attributes in their self-representations than older adults; men listed significantly more agency attributes than women. In contrast, older adults included significantly more communion attributes in their self-representations than young adults, and women listed significantly more communion attributes than men. Significant Age Group x Self-Portrait Display and Sex x Self-Portrait Display interactions were found for communion attributes, indicating that the importance of communion attributes differed across age groups and by sex. Correlational analyses showed significant associations of agency and communion attributes with personality traits and defence mechanisms. Communion attributes also showed significant correlations with four dimensions of psychological well-being.
Use of moderate-length hot wires to survey a hypersonic boundary layer.

Transition region of hypersonic boundary layer on flat plate surveyed with hot wires, giving analysis for limited wire calibration
Abstract 1984: The Ikaros tumor suppressor regulates transcription of genes involved in cell signaling in human leukemia.

Proceedings: AACR 104th Annual Meeting 2013; Apr 6-10, 2013; Washington, DC The IKZF1 gene encodes Ikaros, a DNA binding zinc finger protein that is essential for normal hematopoietic differentiation. Deletion or mutation of Ikaros has been associated with a both T and B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), as well as acute and chronic myelogenous leukemias (AML and CML). Deletion of an Ikaros allele has also been identified as a poor prognostic marker in childhood B-ALL. Thus, Ikaros is established as a major tumor suppressor in hematopoietic malignancies. The Ikaros protein can activate or repress target gene expression via chromatin remodeling. The specific mechanisms by which Ikaros exerts its tumor suppressor activities are unknown. We have defined genome-wide occupancy of Ikaros in human leukemia using ChIP-SEQ and identified a large number of potential Ikaros target genes. The quantitative Chromatin Immunoprecipitation assay (qChIP) was used to identify genes whose expression is directly regulated by Ikaros. Using this technique we show that Ikaros binds to the promoter region of a gene that is part of a pro-oncogenic pathway, as well as a tumor suppressor gene. Both genes are essential components of cell signaling pathways. The promoter regions of the two novel target genes were cloned into luciferase reporter constructs and used to transiently transfect HEK 293T cells that were co-transfected with Ikaros or empty vector (as a control). Luciferase reporter assays demonstrate that Ikaros suppresses transcription of the gene that is involved in oncogenic transformation, while it positively regulates transcription of the tumor suppressor gene. In summary, we have identified two novel Ikaros target genes. Our results suggest that Ikaros exerts its tumor suppression function by regulating the expression of target genes involved in pro-oncogenic and tumor suppressor signaling in leukemia cells. These data identify mechanisms of the tumor suppressor activity of Ikaros in leukemia. Citation Format: Jonathon L. Payne, Justin Sloane, Rebekka M. Bamert, Elanora Dovat, Hui Li, Marie Bulathsinghala, Chandrika Gowda, Chunhua Song, Sinisa Dovat. The Ikaros tumor suppressor regulates transcription of genes involved in cell signaling in human leukemia. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 104th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2013 Apr 6-10; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 1984. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-1984
Cosmological neutrinos and other dark matter

Abstract Throughout most of its history, the Universe has been expanding isentropically. If, however, thermal equilibrium were always maintained, then all memory would be erased. The most significant cosmological events must, therefore, be the irreversible processes, since these are the ones that leave cosmological relics we can attempt to observe today. In this lecture, we will discuss (I) The decoupling of β-decay neutrinos freezing the neutron-proton ratio and leading to the cosmological synthesis of the light elements; (II) Other hot and cold thermal relics remaining from the freezing of massive particles out of equilibrium and leading to closure bounds on the masses of stable neutrinos; (III) Mass and lifetime bounds for unstable neutrinos obtained from cosmology and astrophysics; (IV) The growth of density fluctuations producing the large scale structure observed in the Universe. The lectures owe a great deal to the Kolb and Turner reviews in references 1, 2, 5.
A case report of a patient with hyperparathyroidism and presumed sellar/parasellar brown tumor.

OBJECTIVE This is a report of an 18 year old black female patient with primary hyperparathyroidism and a sellar/parasellar brown tumor and unusual nonresponsiveness to 1,25 vitamin D administration post parathyroidectomy but responsiveness postoperatively to 25 vitamin D administration. METHOD Report the history, physical exam, laboratory, and radiological findings of the patient with a possible sellar/parasellar brown tumor and review the pertinent literature. RESULTS Female patient presented with hyperparathyroidism and brown tumors of the ribs and sternum which have disappeared one and one-half years post parathyoidectomy with resolution of postoperative hypocalcemia. She was found, on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), to have a 3.4 x 4.7 cm sellar mass which appeared to be a brown tumor as it has decreased over a twelve month period of normal calcium. Postoperatively, she had an unusual response to 1,25 vitamin D in that her calcium did not increase with massive doses (2 mcg) but with 25 vitamin D only. CONCLUSIONS A patient is reported with a probable sellar/parasellar brown tumor and hyperparathyroidism. After initial parathyroidectomy the sellar/parasellar brown tumor still persisted and did not respond to 1,25 vitamin D but did respond to 25 vitamin D administration.
Role of Cigarette Sensory Cues in Modifying Puffing Topography

Background Human puffing topography promotes tobacco dependence by ensuring nicotine delivery, but the factors that determine puffing behavior are not well explained by existing models. Chemosensory cues generated by variations in cigarette product design features may serve as conditioned cues to allow the smoker to optimize nicotine delivery by adjusting puffing topography. Internal tobacco industry research documents were reviewed to understand the influence of sensory cues on puffing topography, and to examine how the tobacco industry has designed cigarettes, including modified risk tobacco products (MRTPs), to enhance puffing behavior to optimize nicotine delivery and product acceptability.
Detection of parasitised fly puparia using near infrared spectroscopy

Near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy was used to identify house fly (Musca domestica L.) puparia that contained viable parasitoids. Results derived from a partial least squares analysis of NIR spectra showed that about 80–90% of puparia containing parasitoids could be identified correctly. Difference spectra and beta coefficients indicated that absorption differences between parasitised and unparasitised puparia may have been due to moisture content and/or differences in composition of chitin or lipid components. Detection of viable hymenopterous parasitoids within puparia could assist commercial insectaries in delivering known quantities of parasitised puparia for biological control of house flies and other filth flies and in rapidly determining levels of parasitisation of these flies in confined livestock and poultry operations.
Extratemporal quantitative MR volumetrics and neuropsychological status in temporal lobe epilepsy.

Neuropsychological studies of temporal lobe epilepsy have focused heavily on the nature and extent of memory dysfunction and its relationship to the neuropathological status of the hippocampus and related mesial temporal lobe structures. In this study, we examined whole brain and lobar quantitative MRI volumes and comprehensive neuropsychological performance in 58 patients with temporal lobe epilepsy and 62 healthy controls in order to determine (1) the nature and degree of extratemporal structural abnormalities in localization-related temporal lobe epilepsy; (2) the nature and degree of cognitive abnormalities outside of anterograde memory function; and (3) the relationship of volumetric abnormalities to neuropsychological status. Temporal lobe epilepsy patients exhibited significant reduction in the volume of adjusted (age, gender, height) total cerebral tissue (−5.8%), more evident in white (−9.8%) compared to gray matter (−3.0%) tissue volumes. Significant volumetric reductions were evident across frontal, temporal and parietal but not occipital lobe regions. Subarachnoid but not total ventricular CSF was significantly increased in epilepsy patients. Neuropsychological abnormality was generalized in nature, consistent with the generalized nature of the morphometric abnormalities, and reductions in cerebral tissue volumes were directly associated with poorer cognitive performance. In summary, patients with temporal lobe epilepsy exhibited clinically significant structural and functional abnormalities that extended outside the epileptogenic temporal lobe. The degree to which these structural and cognitive abnormalities are due to factors that cause the epilepsy, as opposed to reflecting the consequences of chronic epilepsy (e.g., duration and severity of epilepsy), remain to be determined. (JINS, 2003, 9, 353–362.)
Radar control for automotive collision mitigation and headway spacing

A small solid-state radar combined with a microprocessor makes possible collision-mitigation braking and automatic headway control in cars of the future. The collision-mitigation function involves the application of antiskid brakes under conditions where, based on radar and other sensor inputs, it is certain that a severe collision will take place. The decision-making algorithm is optimized to prevent the unjustified application of the brakes from false alarms. The automatic headway-control function keeps the car at a safe distance with respect to other vehicles on the road ahead. In the absence of other cars the system operates as a conventional cruise control.
A theoretical evaluation of the performance of the Dartmouth IMAAH system to heat cylindrical and ellipsoidal tumour models.

The Dartmouth interstitial microwave antenna array hyperthermia (IMAAH) system was evaluated based on its ability to heat idealized three-dimensional cylindrical and ellipsoidal tumour models with lengths between 2 and 16 cm. The evaluation was based on computer simulations of the three-dimensional temperature distributions produced by the explicit theoretical power deposition pattern of resonant dipole antenna arrays driven at 433, 915 and 2450 MHz. The theoretical calculations were performed using three-dimensional tumour models with constant thermal and dielectric tissue properties. Each 2 × 2 cm antenna array was evaluated on the basis of its ability to heat a specified tumour volume with various blood flow patterns. The bioheat transfer equation was solved in three dimensions using a Galerkin finite-element method. In general, under the conditions of this study, in all cases examined larger percentages of the ellipsoidal tumour volumes were heated to therapeutic temperatures (±43°C) than the cylindri...
A comprehensive agricultural system simulation model: the case of broiler growers

CHICKSIM is a comprehensive whole-farm dynamic and stochastic simulation model for contract broiler growers. The model simulates annual production, farm policy, marketing, financial management, growth and income tax aspects of a typical or representative broiler farm over a multiple year planning horizon. Several options are available in the model to simulate various regional production practices and contractual arrangements characterizing the broiler industry. KEYWORDS: Simulation, Broiler Growers, Economics, Profitability.
An example of switched system analysis via symbolic dynamics and Petri nets

Hybrid systems consist of interacting decision makers/supervisors and continuous/discrete system dynamics. The decision-maker monitors the continuous/discrete-time system and supervises/controls its behavior. This paper illustrates the control and modeling of the macroscopic behavior of a 3-switched system (3 possible system structures) via the supervisory control of a symbolic dynamics representation of the underlying system. By partitioning the system state space into regions compatible with a topologically conjugate set of symbolic dynamics, a Petri net model is developed for reachability analysis of the system; finally a Petri net based supervisor is developed for moving the system from one region of the state space to another. >
Some Weyl Modules of the Algebraic Groups of Type E_6

Let \(G\) be a simple algebraic group of type \(E_6\) over an algebraically closed field of characteristic \(p>0\). We determine the submodule structure of the Weyl modules with highest weight \(r\omega _1\) for \(0\le r\le p-1\), where \(\omega _1\) is the fundamental weight of the standard \(27\)-dimensional module. In the process, the structures of other Weyl modules with highest weights linked to \(r\omega _1\) are also found.
Investigation of Damage to Solid-Armature Railguns at Startup

This paper describes work investigating a rail damage mechanism observed in solid-armature railguns at the Institute for Advanced Technology, The University of Texas at Austin. The damage occurs in the starting section of rails and is not associated with high-speed phenomena such as hypervelocity gouging or transition to arcing contact. The damage, which we call grooving, is localized to the region of the rails adjacent to the insulators. In this paper, we describe grooving damage observed in multiple tests using copper rails. In one series, in which we tested up to 20 shots on one pair of copper rails, we obtained grooves on the order of a millimeter deep and several millimeters wide. We present evidence that grooving is caused by liquid erosion and is not a result of plasma heating or mechanical deformation
A general nonlinear theory of sandwich panels

Abstract The present work can be considered as an extension to sandwich panels of the moderately large deflection theory of plates formulated by the author in [1, 2] and as a refinement of the contributions to the theory of sandwich panels by Eringen in [3] and by Yu in [4, 5]. Variational integrals of the stress equations of motion and boundary conditions (23) consistent with the simplified nonlinear strain-displacement relations (1) are obtained from the Hamilton principle. Each layer of the sandwich panel is of different thickness and of a different anisotropic material having one plane of elastic symmetry. Transverse shear and transverse normal strain as well as the inertia and thermal effects are included in the analysis. Four special cases of practical importance are considered. Finally the equilibrium equations in terms of displacement functions are obtained and compared with the equilibrium equations obtained by Eringen in [3].
CASCADE: A Standard Supercell Design Methodology With Congestion-Driven Placement for Three-Dimensional Interconnect-Heavy Very Large-Scale Integrated Circuits

In this paper, CASCADE, a standard supercell-based design methodology, its supporting automated design flow, and associated design tools, are presented for 3D implementations of a class of interconnect-heavy application-specific very large-scale integrated circuits. In CASCADE, a system is first partitioned and synthesized using standard 2D design tools to a set of supercells with the same height and varying widths. With this, the 3D design is reduced to 3D supercell placement and 3D-via assignment. A congestion-driven simulated-annealing method is used to find a 3D placement of supercells to minimize the total wire length, the longest wire length, and the number of 3D vias and routing density. To efficiently estimate the routing density of a 3D grid space within the optimization loop, a simple probabilistic congestion model with an incremental congestion computation has been developed. Once the supercell placement is fixed, the problem of assigning 3D vias to accomplish minimal 2D routing densities and uniform 3D-via distribution is solved by an efficient min-cost-max-flow method. The proposed methods have been implemented and tested on a set of ISPD98 circuit benchmarks. Experimental results have shown that the proposed congestion-driven 3D supercell placement and flow-based 3D-via-assignment tools have yielded satisfactory placement with small-area, low-congestion, short-wire-length, few, and uniformly distributed 3D vias. Furthermore, an excellent correlation between routing-density estimation by our model and the actual routing performed by a commercial router has been observed. We have applied the proposed 3D design methodology, tools, and flows to tape out an over 4-million-gate low-density parity-check decoder in a three-tier 0.18- fully depleted silicon-on-insulator 3D CMOS process manufactured by MIT Lincoln Laboratory. The postlayout simulation of this DRC-clean layout design showed an about ten times improvement on the power-delay-area product compared to a 2D implementation in the same process.
Role of Pharmacist Counseling in Preventing Adverse Drug Events After Hospitalization

Background Hospitalization and subsequent discharge home often involve discontinuity of care, multiple changes in medication regimens, and inadequate patient education, which can lead to adverse drug events (ADEs) and avoidable health care utilization. Our objectives were to identify drug-related problems during and after hospitalization and to determine the effect of patient counseling and follow-up by pharmacists on preventable ADEs. Methods We conducted a randomized trial of 178 patients being discharged home from the general medicine service at a large teaching hospital. Patients in the intervention group received pharmacist counseling at discharge and a follow-up telephone call 3 to 5 days later. Interventions focused on clarifying medication regimens; reviewing indications, directions, and potential side effects of medications; screening for barriers to adherence and early side effects; and providing patient counseling and/or physician feedback when appropriate. The primary outcome was rate of preventable ADEs. Results Pharmacists observed the following drug-related problems in the intervention group: unexplained discrepancies between patients' preadmission medication regimens and discharge medication orders in 49% of patients, unexplained discrepancies between discharge medication lists and postdischarge regimens in 29% of patients, and medication nonadherence in 23%. Comparing trial outcomes 30 days after discharge, preventable ADEs were detected in 11% of patients in the control group and 1% of patients in the intervention group ( P = .01). No differences were found between groups in total ADEs or total health care utilization. Conclusions Pharmacist medication review, patient counseling, and telephone follow-up were associated with a lower rate of preventable ADEs 30 days after hospital discharge. Medication discrepancies before and after discharge were common targets of intervention.
Type III secretion needle proteins induce cell signaling and cytokine secretion via Toll-like receptors.

ABSTRACT Pathogens are recognized by hosts by use of various receptors, including the Toll-like receptor (TLR) and Nod-like receptor (NLR) families. Ligands for these varied receptors, including bacterial products, are identified by the immune system, resulting in development of innate immune responses. Only a couple of components from type III secretion (T3S) systems are known to be recognized by TLR or NLR family members. Known T3S components that are detected by pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) are (i) flagellin, detected by TLR5 and NLRC4 (Ipaf); and (ii) T3S rod proteins (PrgJ and homologs) and needle proteins (PrgI and homologs), detected by NAIP and the NLRC4 inflammasome. In this report, we characterize the induction of proinflammatory responses through TLRs by the Yersinia pestis T3S needle protein, YscF, the Salmonella enterica needle proteins PrgI and SsaG, and the Shigella needle protein, MxiH. More specifically, we determine that the proinflammatory responses occur through TLR2 and -4. These data support the hypothesis that T3S needles have an unrecognized role in bacterial pathogenesis by modulating immune responses.
TREN versus Me6‐TREN as ligands in SET‐LRP of methyl acrylate

The commercially available tris(2-aminoethyl)amine (TREN) was used as ligand to mediate the single-electron transfer-living radical polymerization (SET-LRP) of methyl acrylate in dimethyl sulfoxide initiated with the bifunctional initiator bis(2-bromopropionyl)ethane and catalyzed by both nonactivated and activated Cu(0) wire. A comparative study between TREN and tris(2-dimethylaminoethyl)amine (Me6-TREN) ligand, that is more commonly used in SET-LRP, demonstrated that TREN provided a slower polymerization but the chain-ends functionality of the resulting bifunctional poly(methyl acrylate) was near quantitative and comparable to that obtained when Me6-TREN was used as a ligand. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2012.
Spatial Association of Marine Dockage with Land-Borne Infestations of Invasive Termites (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae: Coptotermes) in Urban South Florida

Marine vessels have been implicated in the anthropogenic dispersal of invasive termites for the past 500 yr. It has long been suspected that two invasive termites, the Formosan subterranean termite, Coptotermes formosanus Shiraki, and Coptotermes gestroi (Wasmann) (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae), were introduced to and dispersed throughout South Florida by sailboats and yachts. We compared the distances between 190 terrestrial point records for Formosan subterranean termite, 177 records for C. gestroi, and random locations with the nearest marine dockage by using spatial analysis. Results show that the median distance to nearest docks associated with C. gestroi is significantly smaller than for the random points. Results also reveal that the median distance to nearest docks associated with Formosan subterranean termite is significantly smaller than for the random points. These results support the hypothesis that C. gestroi and Formosan subterranean termite are significantly closer to potential infested boat locations, i.e., marine docks, than random points in these urban areas. The results of our study suggest yet another source of aggregation in the context of exotic species, namely, hubs for pleasure boating.
Consumer Expectations, Product Performance, and Perceived Product Quality:

This study experimentally investigated the effects on product ratings of both overstatement and understatement of product quality. Results support common marketing practice in that overstatement re...
A Performance Optimization Framework for the Simultaneous Heterogeneous Computing Platforms

Heterogeneous computing platforms with multicore host system and many-core accelerator devices have taken a major step forward in the mainstream HPC computing market this year with the announcement of HP Apollo 6000 System's ProLiant XL250a server features the Intel® Xeon Phi™ coprocessors. Although many application developers attempt to use it in the same way as GPGPU acceleration platforms, doing so forfeits the processing capability of multicore host processors and introduces power inefficiency in business operations. In this paper, we propose an application optimization framework to turn sequential legacy applications into highly parallel applications that make use of the hardware resources both on the host CPU and on the accelerator devices to enable simultaneous heterogeneous computing. As a case study, we look at how to apply this framework and adopt a structured methodology to develop option pricing applications to take advantages of a heterogeneous computing environment.
Comprehensive Assessment Planning: Developing and Managing Multiple Types of Assessments

Assessment is not a new concept. However, “the current education system treats assessment as a function largely separated from teaching” (Council of Chief State School Officers, Interstate Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium (InTASC) model core teaching standards: A resource for state dialogue. Washington, DC: Author, 2011, p. 4). The revised In TASC Model Core Teaching Standards advocate for the real integration of “assessment, planning, and instructional strategies in coordinated and engaging ways” (Council of Chief State School Officers, Interstate Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium (InTASC) model core teaching standards: A resource for state dialogue. Washington, DC: Author, 2011, p. 9). The consistent collection, review, and use of data from multiple types of assessments have been difficult for teachers, schools, and districts to manage. With the increase of cost-effective computing devices and applications that include features for the collection and reporting of data, the development of meaningful and manageable assessment plans that meet the expectations outlined in the InTASC Model Core Teaching Standards are becoming practical to implement.
Hybrid Views on Endogenous and Exogenous Influences in Economics: The Case of International Economic Development

Economists debate whether influences on their work are external (“exogenous”) to it or reflect dynamics internal (“endogenous”) to their discipline.This paper argues that a hybrid view that recognizes both types of influence most accurately describes the activity of economists engaged in practical sub-disciplines. To support the hybrid approach, we discuss three generations of the debate -- primarily sociological in approach -- on the relative roles of endogenous and exogenous influences, each generation improving on the previous. The post-WWII history of international economic development theory provides a case study.This debate has important implications for the practice of economics. Economists need awareness of the historical forces and philosophical assumptions that influence their work. This helps them avoid undue reliance on endogenously-developed theoretical and mathematical models.We conclude that an explicit turn from sociology to philosophy will enrich understanding of the debate, especially by showing the proper scope of economics compared to other disciplines.
Caught in Uncertain Futures, Now: A Reflexive Moment

This reflexive vignette reveals the emotional risks of ethnographic work by a Chicano researcher, educator, and advocate doing work in the Texas-Mexico Borderlands, caught at the intersection of vulnerable Latina/o youth and their possible futures. Data in this creative piece are derived from field notes of one classroom observation from an ethnographic case study on the communal construction and practice of a college-going culture experienced by marginalized, middle school, Mexican-American and Central American emergent bilinguals.
Implementation of a Rapidly Deployable, Mobile Communications System Prototype for Disadvantaged Environments

Abstract Large-scale natural disasters present complex challenges for disaster relief communications. Fixed infrastructures, such as cell towers or radio base stations, may be completely destroyed during a disaster or this infrastructure may never have existed. In a disaster situation, having unreliable communications systems can put a relief personnel's safety at risk as well as make the effort much less effective. Furthermore, emergency situations require time-sensitive communications that could mean the difference between life and death. The communications system described in this paper provides a rapidly deployable, data-centric mobile communications system for all organizations engaged in disaster relief: first responders, search-and-rescue, emergency medical and health services, etc. Utilizing the IEEE 802.11b/g standard, this system creates a mobile wireless local area network through a series of “wearable routers”. The routers provide local Wi-Fi access to all users within of their respective ranges, and then all of these routers are connected to each other through an ultra-high-frequency backhaul network. Ultimately, from the user's perspective the network appears to be a standard Wi-Fi network with enhanced range. The purpose of this network is to provide communications between both local and widespread users until more traditional communications systems are restored. A proof-of-concept prototype using commercial-off-the-shelf components has been realized, and the real-world performance of the system has been characterized in Boston, MA and Pittsburgh, PA. The results show that this system provides a viable solution, but requires further attention to antenna design and in-band interference.
Abstract TP155: Robotic Retraining of Finger Movements After Stroke

Background: Robots aid motor rehabilitation, but there has been limited attention to recovery of finger movements. This study evaluated robotic assistance during finger movement training. Functional MRI (fMRI) was acquired at baseline to understand predictors of treatment gains. Methods: Patients with chronic stroke underwent a baseline fMRI scan, alternating rest with affected-side finger movements similar to those made during robotic therapy. Next, subjects received therapy 3 hr/wk for 3 weeks using FINGER (Finger Individuating Grasp Exercise Robot), with which subjects moved their paretic index and middle fingers to play a musical game similar to GuitarHero. FINGER used an assistance-as-needed algorithm to facilitate completion of grasping movements, which increased sensory feedback without altering voluntary motor output. Participants were randomized to receive High Assistance (to insure 85% success) or Low Assistance (55% success). Results: 30 subjects (mean age 58 yr; baseline Fugl-Meyer 46 out of 66; 37 mo post-stroke) completed the study. Significant gains were found in the primary outcome measure, change in Box & Blocks (BB laterality index in primary motor cortex lacked predictive value. Conclusions: Significant motor gains were found with a robotic device that targets finger movements. Sensory factors appear key: treatment content emphasized augmented sensory feedback, and the hemispheric balance of fMRI activation within sensory but not motor cortex predicted treatment gains. Together these findings suggest Hebbian rules of sensorimotor cortex plasticity during finger robotic therapy after stroke.