cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Comparison Of Digital Image Filters And A Hybrid Smoother

In the recent past considerable attention has been devoted to the application of Kalman filtering to smoothing out observation noise in image data. Optimal two-dimensional Kalman filtering algorithms require large amounts of storage and computation. Thus, the study of suboptimum estimators that require less computation is of importance. A comparison of some suboptimum image filters against the optimum non-recursive interpolator is accomplished. A new semi-causal (hybrid) filter is proposed that compensates the suboptimality of a simple two-dimensional recursive filter by means of an optimal combination of its estimate and a few non-causal observations.© (1979) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Detection of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 in Semen: Effects of Disease Stage and Nucleoside Therapy

The effects of clinical stage of infection and antiviral therapy on the detection of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) nucleic acids in semen were investigated by the polymerase chain reaction. HIV-1 was detected in 45 (87%) of 52 semen specimens from 29 (81%) of 36 men. Seventeen (77%) of 22 stage II or III subjects and 12 (86%) of 14 stage IV subjects had positive specimens. The CD4+ lymphocyte count was not significantly different comparing subjects with positive and negative semen. Moreover, 6 (67%) of 9 untreated men had positive specimens compared with 23 (85%) of 27 men treated with zidovudine, 2',3'-dideoxyinosine, or both for a mean of 20 months. Thus, the detection of HIV-1 in semen was independent of both stage of infection and long-term treatment. In a semiquantitative analysis of 6 men followed for 8 weeks after the start of nucleoside therapy, a decrease in HIV-1 RNA in seminal plasma was demonstrated in 2.
Food Coping Strategies Used by Food Pantry Clients at Different Levels of Household Food Security Status

ABSTRACT Food coping strategies are integral to the development of food insecurity and hunger. Clients (n = 103) with children were surveyed at two food pantry sites in a metropolitan area to identify food coping strategies used at different levels of household food security status. Clients at higher levels of food insecurity used increasingly more drastic and risky ways to limit food given out in the household and to get more money for food. Suggestions for staff at food pantries and related services include reinforcing “teachable” coping strategies already used (e.g., stock up on food on sale) and lowering barriers to other strategies to help stretch food and food dollars.
Effect of exogenous chicken growth hormone (cGH) administration on insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) gene expression in domestic fowl

Abstract The effects of chicken growth hormone (cGH) infusion on insulin-like growth factor (IGF-I) gene expression in rapidly-growing, meat-type chickens was investigated. Chicken GH was infused either continuously or in a pulsatile fashion to 8-week-old birds during a 7-day period. Following cGH infusion, both IFG-I peptide and IGF-I mRNA content were measured in selected tissues. Steady-state IGF-I mRNA abundance was determined by a solution hybridization nuclease protection assay using total cellular RNA obtained from liver, heart, kidney, spleen, epiphyseal growth plate cartilage, gastrocnemius and pectoralis muscles. Continuous infusion of cGH elicited a two-fold increase in IGF-I peptide concentration in the kidney (P
Give me a sign, any sign

For clinical progress to occur in lung cancer, advances must be made in many inter-related areas. Advances in chemoprevention will be most useful if testing is able to identify those at greatest risk of developing lung cancer. Advances in surgical and ablative therapies will be most useful if testing is able to identify lung cancer at the earliest possible stage. Advances in systemic, targeted and individualised therapies will be most useful if testing is able to predict the nature of a patient’s lung cancer and the response to specific treatment choices. A new test can improve on currently used tests by being more accurate, less invasive, less expensive and/or novel in its intent. To have a clinical impact, the result of the test must affect a decision to the benefit of the patient. The most recently developed tests that have had this sort of impact in lung cancer are positron emission tomographic imaging,1 advances in diagnostic bronchoscopy (electromagnetic navigation,2 endobronchial ultrasound3) and perhaps epidermal growth factor receptor analysis.4 Progress is occurring on many fronts …
Performance modeling for highly-threaded many-core GPUs

Highly-threaded many-core GPUs can provide high throughput for a wide range of algorithms and applications. Such machines hide memory latencies via the use of a large number of threads and large memory bandwidth. The achieved performance, therefore, depends on the parallelism exploited by the algorithm, the effectiveness of latency hiding, and the utilization of multiprocessors (occupancy). In this paper, we extend previously proposed analytical models, jointly addressing parallelism, latency-hiding, and occupancy. In particular, the model not only helps to explore and reduce the configuration space for tuning kernel execution on GPUs, but also reflects performance bottlenecks and predicts how the runtime will trend as the problem and other parameters scale. The model is validated with empirical experiments. In addition, the model points to at least one circumstance in which the occupancy decisions automatically made by the scheduler are clearly sub-optimal in terms of runtime. Keywords—GPGPU, Performance Model, Threaded Many-core Memory (TMM) Model, All-pairs Shortest Paths (APSP)
Adjoint-operators and non-adiabatic learning algorithms in neural networks

Adjoint sensitivity equations are presented, which can be solved simultaneously (i.e., forward in time) with the dynamics of a nonlinear neural network. These equations provide the foundations for a new methodology which enables the implementation of temporal learning algorithms in a highly efficient manner.
New windows on earth and planetary interiors

Recent diamond-anvil cell experiments are providing windows of unprecedented clarity on the interiors of the Earth, other planets, and their moons from high P-T studies of the materials that comprise these bodies. With recent advances in techniques, the component minerals can be examined with a growing array of in situ methods over an expanding range of conditions that extend to hundreds of gigaspascals in pressure and thousands of degrees in temperature. Such investigations reveal that major, if not profound, changes in physical and chemical properties of these materials occur with depth. This information is crucial for understanding the materials basis of regional to global structure and processes documented by a wealth of recent observational and geophysical data. This paper reviews selected recent studies of major planet-forming minerals, focusing on key examples that illustrate different microscopic origins of macroscopic behaviour. This comparative mineralogical approach provides insight into phenomena occurring over a wide range of length scales. For terrestrial planets, the high-pressure behaviour of representative silicates, oxides and sulphides is examined. This includes the silicate perovskite assemblages that form the bulk of the Earth’s lower mantle, for which a number of new findings concerning effects of non-stoichiometry and defect properties, pressure-induced electronic and magnetic transitions, and rheology have been obtained. High P-T studies of Fe-Ni alloys, together with various light elements, provide constraints on the composition, structure and dynamics of terrestrial planet cores. Water is a key component of many planetary bodies; as ice it undergoes numerous high-pressure transformations and as a volatile component it is involved in potentially important high P-T mineral reactions and is incorporated in dense mineral phases. Striking behaviour is observed in other molecular systems, including CO2 and CH4 and their mixtures with H2O; these form new phases, some relevant at the relatively modest conditions of deep marine sediments, others at the extreme states found in the deepest planetary interiors. Additional high P-T interactions between rare gases and ices and silicates are also documented. For the large planets, the most abundant ‘mineral’ is hydrogen, which has been shown to undergo novel mineral/gas reactions, possibly in cloud decks deep within the dense atmospheres of these bodies.
1628 REMOVAL OF LIQUID FROM THE LUNGS OF LAMBS BEFORE AND AFTER BIRTH

Labor decreases lung water in fetal rabbits (Bland et al, Am J Obstet Gynec 135:364, 1979). To see if labor would have the same effect in lambs, we measured the amount of blood and extravascular water in the lungs of 15 late-term lambs (term=147d) killed either without prior labor (n=6), late in labor (n = 4), or 6 h after spontaneous vaginal birth (n=5). Summary (X± sx): Labor was associated with a 53% increase in lung blood and a 36% decrease in extravascular lung water. These results indicate that the lungs shed 11.6 ± 1.5 ml water/kg body weight before birth, and 6.0±0.5 ml water/kg body weight after birth. In the 5 lambs killed after birth, we measured lung lymph flow before and during labor, and for 6 h after breathing began. Lymph flow was unaffected by labor, but increased transiently after birth, as liquid entered the interstitium from air spaces. The postnatal increase in lymph flow accounted for 13-18% of the liquid removed from the lungs after birth. We conclude that in lambs (1) lung blood increases and lung water decreases before birth, and (2) the pulmonary circulation directly absorbs more than 80% of the liquid expelled from the lungs after birth.
Investigating seed dormancy in switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.): understanding the physiology and mechanisms of coat-imposed seed dormancy

Abstract Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.), a perennial warm-season grass established by seed has been recommended by the US Department of Energy as a model herbaceous biofuel crop. Neoteric seeds may be dormant resulting in delayed and sporadic germination and emergence, jeopardizing establishment of a good plant stand. Switchgrass dormancy may be alleviated by mechanical or chemical scarification, stratification, and after-ripening, suggesting physical and/or physiological dormancy. The underlying mechanisms and physiology of dormancy in these seeds; however, are not well understood. This work investigates the physiology of switchgrass seed dormancy; first by identifying the contribution of the different switchgrass structures (glumes, lemma, palea, pericarp/testa, endosperm) on regulating germination, and then by testing specific mechanisms of coat-imposed dormancy. We sequentially removed structures of freshly harvested seeds of two upland (Cave-in-Rock, Trailblazer) and two lowland (Alamo, Kanlow) cultivars. The main structure inhibiting germination was the pericarp/testa, with the lemma and palea (bracts) having a secondary effect that differed by genotype. Seeds with glumes and bracts removed, and pericarp/testa cut with endosperm either attached or removed just above the embryo, resulted in high germination percentages and rate, indicating no morphological dormancy, and no effect of the endosperm on germination. The lemma, palea, and pericarp/testa were neither a barrier for water uptake nor contained inhibitory compounds. By adjusting the oxygen concentration of the environment and the physical integrity of the covering structures, we found the enclosing structures acted as barriers to oxygen. Puncturing the pericarp/testa of seeds with glumes and bracts removed, enhanced germination at 1, 10, 21 or 100% oxygen. Combined results showed that the structural integrity of the pericarp/testa (primary) and lemma/palea (secondary) influenced germination, suggesting an important mechanical effect of these layers as barriers for radicle protrusion. Therefore, a combination of seed-coat mechanisms regulates germination in switchgrass seeds.
Isolation of a rat S100α cDNA and distribution of its mRNA in rat tissues

Abstract In order to clarify the reported discrepancies in S100α protein and mRNA distribution in rat tissues, a rat S100α cDNA has been isolated and this species homologous probe along with a rat S100β cDNA probe has been used to examine S100 mRNA expression in rat tissues. Although the rat S100α cDNA was missing approximately 30 nucleotides of coding sequence, only 4 conservative changes in amino acid sequence were observed when the deduced amino acid sequence was compared to the bovine S100α amino acid sequence. Thus, S100α proteins, like S100β proteins, are highly conserved among species. All nineteen of the tissues examined (including cerebrum and cerebellum) contained S100α mRNA. In addition, S100β mRNA was detected in thirteen of the nineteen tissues examined. These results are in agreement with previous protein distribution studies and further demonstrate that S100 proteins are not brain-specific and are expressed in a large number of tissues. Although S100α and S100β mRNAs were detected in rat tissues which had previously been reported to contain S100α and S100β protein, a direct correlation between the protein and mRNA levels were not observed, suggesting that different mechanisms regulate S100 expression in various tissues. S100α exhibited a single similar size mRNA species (0.5 Kb) in all tissues examined, as did S100β (1.5 Kb), suggesting that the individual S100 proteins are expressed as single mRNA and protein products in rat tissues.
Standardizing privacy notices: an online study of the nutrition label approach

Earlier work has shown that consumers cannot effectively find information in privacy policies and that they do not enjoy using them. In our previous research we developed a standardized table format for privacy policies. We compared this standardized format, and two short variants (one tabular, one text) with the current status quo: full text natural-language policies and layered policies. We conducted an online user study of 764 participants to test if these three more-intentionally designed, standardized privacy policy formats, assisted by consumer education, can benefit consumers. Our results show that standardized privacy policy presentations can have significant positive effects on accuracy and speed of information finding and on reader enjoyment of privacy policies.
Exception from informed consent requirements for emergency research.

CLINICAL INVESTIGATION of potentially life-threatening interventions for emergent conditions, by definition, can not be achieved with traditional informed consent as defined originally by the Nuremberg Code in 1947. International consensus to codify regulations for such exceptions to informed consent is outlined in the Helsinki Declaration of 1964. This Declaration emphasized that specific reasons exist justifying the inclusion of research subjects with a condition that renders them unable to provide informed consent. In the United States, deliberation by a number of federal agencies providing oversight for research culminated ultimately in the 1996 regulations from Food and Drug Administration (FDA) defining ‘‘Exception from Informed Consent Requirements for Emergency Research’’ (commonly referred to as Title 21, Code of Federal Regulations, Section 50.24, or 21 CFR 50.24). Clinical investigation in postinjury resuscitation provides compelling evidence for the importance of this regulation. Acute blood loss and secondary coagulopathy remain a leading cause of death after both civilian and military trauma. A subset of injured patients survive the initial insult but develop decompensated shock and succumb within the first 24 hours. Moreover, a substantial number of those critically injured who survive this phase of care develop multiple organ failure (MOF) associated with costly morbidity and mortality. These adverse manifestations
The Boston Scleral Lens in the treatment of pediatric patients.

Purpose To report the use of a custom-designed, fluid-ventilated, gas-permeable scleral lens in the treatment of patients under 13 years of age. Methods We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of all patients under 13 years of age who were fitted with the Boston Scleral Lens at the Boston Foundation for Sight from January 1996 through June 2006. Age, sex, ophthalmic diagnosis, systemic diagnosis, prior surgical intervention, complications, lens fit and wearing failures, and duration of lens use are reported. Results Boston Scleral Lenses were fitted in 47 eyes of 31 patients referred after failure of conventional therapy. Patients ranged in age from 7 months to 12.92 years (mean, 7.75 years) at time of fitting. There were 16 girls and 15 boys in this group. The mean duration of documented scleral lens use was 24 months (range, 0-85 months). A broad range of refractive and ocular surface disorders was treated with this modality, with the vast majority of patients having ocular surface disease (27/31, 87%) rather than refractive disorders (4/31, 13%). Congenital corneal anesthesia syndromes and Stevens-Johnson syndrome each accounted for over one-third of the patients. Conclusions The Boston Scleral Lens is a custom-designed, fluid-ventilated, rigid gas-permeable scleral lens that vaults the cornea retaining a pool of oxygenated artificial tears over the corneal surface. The Boston Scleral Lens is a treatment option, after failure of conventional therapy, for a broad range of ocular surface and refractive disorders in the pediatric age group. Pediatric ophthalmologists should be aware of this treatment modality, particularly in the management of severe ocular surface disease.
Simulation study to control solids flow rate in a pilot scale cold flow circulating fluidized bed

Controller scaling that is used to frequency-scale an existing PID controller for a large class of plants, eliminates the repetitive controller tuning process for plants that differ mainly in gain and bandwidth. Controller parameterization makes the controller parameters a function of a single variable, the loop-gain bandwidth, and greatly simplifies the tuning process. The controller is scaled according to the gain and frequency scales of the given plant transfer function and the bandwidth parameter whose initial value is set based on the bandwidth requirement from the transient response. This single parameter is required to be gradually adjusted according to a controller performance.
Agrarian Transformation and Health Care in the Dominican Republic

L'etude menee en Republique dominicaine montre comment les reformes agraires (passage des cooperatives aux proprietes) ont modifie les comportements envers les soins medicaux. Devenant proprietaires, ou entrepreneurs, les « parceleros » ont acquis une nouvelle situation sociale qui se traduit dans leur consommation medicale
Acquisition context and the use of causal rules

Judgmental asymmetries in using causal knowledge (e.g., for prediction or diagnosis) have been attributed to the inherent directionality of causal knowledge. The present study examines the effect of acquisition context—representations used for initial instruction, and the type of judgment required during acquisition—on judgments using causal rules. In contrast to traditional concept formation research, this paradigm examined the development of procedures for using rules, rather than rule induction. College-student subjects learned to use causal rules describing digital logic gates, receiving instruction with either verbal rules or truth tables, and practicing either predicting or verifying logic-gate outputs. After 200 trials of practice with each rule, subjects were transferred to the untrained judgment task. Transfer was strongly asymmetrical. Subjects trained to make prediction judgments were slowed substantially by transfer to the verification task, while subjects trained to make verification judgments had little difficulty with transfer to the prediction task. Truth-table representations resulted in superior performance, especially for verification judgments. Contrary to prediction, verification judgments always required more time. The results demonstrate that acquisition context may be partly responsible for judgmental asymmetries, and imply that examining conditions of acquisition is important for understanding how causal knowledge is used.
Feasibility of transoral robotic-assisted supraglottic laryngectomy.

Background We aimed to describe our experience with transoral robotic-assisted supraglottic laryngectomy. Methods We retrospectively reviewed the records of patients who underwent transoral robotic-assisted supraglottic laryngectomy at our institution between May 2007 and November 2008. Results During the study period, 7 patients with malignancy underwent the procedure (4 men, 3 women; average age, 61 years). All tumors were completely resected, with clear margins on pathologic analysis. Six patients underwent neck dissection at the time of transoral surgery. One intraoperative complication occurred: thermal injury to the anterior cervical skin. Four patients underwent primary tracheotomy tube placement, 3 of whom were decannulated without difficulty. Two patients required long-term gastrostomy tubes while receiving adjuvant radiotherapy. Conclusions Supraglottic malignancies can be successfully resected transorally with robotic assistance. The potential benefits of this method are improved access and visualization. Further long-term follow-up is needed to compare oncologic and functional outcomes with those of current approaches. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck, 2012
Coherent Exciton Waves

Excitons are electrically neutral energetic pairs of electrons and holes, created by the absorption of photons in a solid. These energy-carrying pairs can be used to produce light for microscopes and are used by plants to collect sunlight for photosynthesis. In his Perspective, Snoke describes work carried out at Ecole Polytechnique in Palaiseau, France, and the University of Ottawa, Canada, in which excitons were produced by stimulated emission. Such processes may someday be used to create a laserlike source of excitons.
Coordinate systems for the radiative transfer equation in curvilinear media

Abstract Spatial/directional coordinate systems are presented on which general directional boundary conditions may be satisfied for the solution of the radiative transfer equation in curvilinear, participating media. The general directional boundary conditions described herein may be applied to curvilinear media without regard to spatial symmetry, although their application depends upon use of a local coordinate system, defining the intensity direction, which has a polar axis directed normal to any nearby surfaces. In the most commonly used spatial/directional coordinate systems for cylindrical and spherical media, the orientation of the directional polar axis indicates that the non-symmetric boundary conditions may be applied only to, respectively, parallel disk and spherical annulus boundary geometries. Application of the general directional boundary conditions to non-symmetric curvilinear media of these geometries, referred to only partially or obliquely in previous works, is demonstrated completely and consisely in the paper. Also, new spatial/directional coordinate systems are derived, based on reorientation of the local directional coordinate system in spatially cylindrical and spherical geometries. These new coordinate systems allow application of the general directional boundary conditions to other curvilinear geometries, such as a cylindrical annulus, cylindrical wedge, conical annulus, and spherical wedge. For each coordinate system, expressions for the pathlength derivative of radiation intensity are given in simple, conservative, and discrete ordinates form. The techniques illustrated in the derivation of these spatial/directional coordinate systems for non-symmetric curvilinear media may be applied to other, more complicated boundary geometries as well.
An Introduction to Single-Sideband Communications

The elements of the SSB communication system and its advantages over the AM system are discussed. These advantages include benefits to the individual user, generally in the form of reduced size and weight of equipment or more effective communication when conditions limit the size of the installation, and benefits to the radio environment which include spectrum conservation and reduction in the total radiated power required to accomplish a given communication function. Particular attention is devoted to the areas in which problems still remain in the use of SSB techniques in hf communication. Many of these problems arise from the necessity of having a suitable demodulating carrier at the receiver, and include the desirability of having highly accurate and stable frequency control of the transmitter and receiver, complex techniques for frequency synthesis, and techniques for carrier transmission and receiver afc. Other problems include compatibility between AM and SSB systems during the transition period, and standardization of SSB practices.
Theoretical insights into the hydrogen evolution activity of layered transition metal dichalcogenides

Abstract A thermodynamic descriptor-based approach using density functional theory calculations was used to investigate the activity and stability of 26 different transition metal dichalcogenide catalysts for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). We considered variations in the transition metal (Ti, V, Nb, Ta, Mo, W, Pd, Pt), the chalcogen (S and Se), the crystal structure (1T and 2H), and the surface termination (basal plane or edge). We find that the HER activity is strongly related to the stability of the catalyst, setting practical limitations on their potential application in HER. For the basal planes, the metallicity is found to be the most important parameter in determining the activity rather than structure or composition. However, systematic improvements in activity are strongly limited by a decrease in stability. For the edges, the activity and stability relationship are similar regardless of structure or chalcogen, and it is possible to achieve optimal hydrogen binding with a stable surface. Nudged elastic band calculations were carried out to probe the possible mechanisms for HER; the insurmountably high barrier for the Tafel mechanism suggests that HER may occur solely via the Volmer–Heyrovsky route for these materials.
Elevated Hyaluronan Production Induces Mesenchymal and Transformed Properties in Epithelial Cells

During carcinoma progression, tumor cells often undergo changes similar (but not identical) to epithelialmesenchymal transitions in embryonic development. In this study, we demonstrate that experimental stimulation of hyaluronan synthesis in normal epithelial cells is sufficient to induce mesenchymal and transformed characteristics. Using recombinant adenoviral expression of hyaluronan synthase-2, we show that increased hyaluronan production promotes anchorage-independent growth and invasiveness, induces gelatinase production, and stimulates phosphoinositide 3-kinase/Akt pathway activity in phenotypically normal Madin-Darby canine kidney and MCF-10A human mammary epithelial cells. Cells infected with hyaluronan synthase-2 adenovirus also acquired mesenchymal characteristics, including up-regulation of vimentin, dispersion of cytokeratin, and loss of organized adhesion proteins at intercellular boundaries. Furthermore, we show that the transforming effects of two well described agents, hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) and beta-catenin, are dependent on hyaluronan-cell interactions. Perturbation of endogenous hyaluronan polymer interactions by treatment with hyaluronan oligomers is shown here to reverse the transforming effects of HGF and beta-catenin in Madin-Darby canine kidney and MCF-10A human mammary epithelial cells. Also, HGF and beta-catenin induced assembly of hyaluronan-dependent pericellular matrices similar to those surrounding mesenchymal cells. Thus, increased expression of hyaluronan is sufficient to induce epithelial-mesenchymal transition and acquisition of transformed properties in phenotypically normal epithelial cells.
Puzzles: Slot Machines, Zomepirac, Squash, and More

This issue of puzzles can only be described as eclectic. The topics range from medical statistics to TV game shows to Las Vegas slot machines to squash to running around in squares. As usual, most puzzle answers are at the back. However, the first and last puzzles are unsolved. I offer a conjecture for one-the right answer could prove quite valuable. The column ends with a few comments on previous column and reader mail. We continue to award T-shirts for the best new puzzles and most innovative answers. The standards for winning a T-shirt are quite high, but not impossible-the new winners are Avinash Dixit, John Geanakoplos, Dwight Jaffee, and David Lane. Keep sending your answers, comments, favorite puzzles and T-shirt size to me directly: Barry Nalebuff, "Puzzles," Yale School of Organization and Management, Box IA, New Haven, CT 06520.
The Comparative Ontogeny of Social Interactions in Two Species of Cockroach

The ontogeny of social behaviour in two species of cockroach, Shawella couloniana and Eublaberus posticus, was investigated and compared. 1) All acts were recorded in each of 5 age classes per species and the frequencies of each act were calculated and compared. 2) Agonistic intensity increased in Shawella and decreased in Eublaberus with age. 3) Clumping was observed until the last instar in Eublaberus, but never in Shawella, at which time the spacing became regular. 4) Numbers of acts per encounter increased in Shawella and decreased in Eublaberus as a function of age. 5) Initiator-terminated encounters were more frequent in Shawella adults, while responder-terminated encounters were characteristic of all nymphal interactions. In Eublaberus adult males, responder-terminated encounters were most common, but no difference between initiator- and responder-terminated encounters was found in the nymphs. 6) These data were correlated with environmental and life-history parameters in the two species.
HUMAN TEAMING CHANGES DRIVEN BY EXPECTATIONS OF A SYNTHETIC TEAMMATE

Current automation that behaves as a teammate may be rejected by human teammates due to a lack of hu-man-like mental models, a sense of self, essential communication and coordination abilities, and...
The relationship between Holland's SDS differentiation scale and psychological adjustment

Abstract The study examined the relationship between Holland's SDS differentiation scales and indices of psychological adjustment on the MMPI. The independent variables were: degree of differentiation as calculated with an Iachan Index, and level of differentiation derived from averaging the six SDS summary profile scores. Two indices of the dependent variable, psychological adjustment, were used: the ego-strength score and the average elevation of eight clinical scales on the MMPI. Fifty-one subjects were recruited. Two multiple regression. analyses revealed a nonsignificant R2 of 0.01. The results indicated that the SDS career interest differentiation scales were not related to the MMPI indices, and do not appear useful in predicting degree of psychological adjustment. This finding challenges Holland's theoretical contention that individuals who are undifferentiated may be in need of personal counseling. A second finding was the successful use of the SDS with residential psychiatric patients.
Crystal structure of the protease‐resistant core domain of Yersinia pestis virulence factor YopR

Yersinia pestis, the causative agent of the plague, employs a type III secretion system (T3SS) to secrete and translocate virulence factors into to the cytoplasm of mammalian host cells. One of the secreted virulence factors is YopR. Little is known about the function of YopR other than that it is secreted into the extracellular milieu during the early stages of infection and that it contributes to virulence. Hoping to gain some insight into the function of YopR, we determined the crystal structure of its protease-resistant core domain, which consists of residues 38–149 out of 165 amino acids. The core domain is composed of five α-helices that display unexpected structural similarity with one domain of YopN, a central regulator of type III secretion in Y. pestis. This finding raises the possibility that YopR may play a role in the regulation of type III secretion.
Effect of gelation temperature on PLA-PEO-PLA physical hydrogel morphology

Poly(lactic acid)-poly(ethylene oxide)-poly(lactic acid) (PLA-PEO-PLA) triblock copolymer hydrogels are a promising biomaterial, with applications to drug delivery and cell scaffolds for tissue engineering. Using L-lactic acid gives PLLA-PEO-PLLA, which has stereoregular end blocks. The resulting system forms lamellae with hydrophobic semi crystalline domains of PLLA with hydrophilic domains of PEO connecting them. Gelation is achieved by raising the temperature of the polymer/water mixture, and this study focuses on the effect on the nano- and microscale structures of the gel that the gelation temperature has. By confocal microscopy, we determine the average particle size on the microscale increases from 2.3 µm to 3 µm from an increase in gelation temperature of 40°C to 80°C. Meanwhile, small angle x-ray scattering indicates that the nanoscale structures, the lamellae, are unchanged over the same range. This implies that an annealing effect is occurring. The lamellae align to a greater degree with a higher temperature, increasing the size of the semi-crystalline domains.
A prospective study of cognitive fluency and originality in children exposed in utero to carbamazepine, lamotrigine, or valproate monotherapy

Abstract Objective To investigate the differential effects of fetal exposure to antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) on cognitive fluency and flexibility in a prospective sample of children. Methods This substudy of the Neurodevelopmental Effects of Antiepileptic Drugs investigation enrolled pregnant women with epilepsy on AED monotherapy (carbamazepine, lamotrigine, and valproate). Blinded to drug exposure, 54 children were tested for ability to generate ideas in terms of quantity (fluency/flexibility) and quality (originality). Forty-two children met inclusion criteria (mean age = 4.2 years, SD = 0.5) for statistical analyses of drug exposure group differences. Results Fluency was lower in the valproate group (mean = 76.3, SD = 7.53) versus the lamotrigine (mean = 93.76, SD = 13.5, ANOVA P Conclusion Children prenatally exposed to valproate demonstrate impaired fluency and originality compared with children exposed to lamotrigine and carbamazepine.
A Unified Explanation of Quantum Phenomena? The Peer-to-Peer Simulation Hypothesis

In my 2013 article in The Philosophical Forum, “A New Theory of Free Will”, I argued that several serious hypotheses in philosophy and modern physics jointly entail that our reality is structurally identical to a peer-to-peer (P2P) networked computer simulation. The present paper shows that quantum phenomena emerge naturally from the computational structure of a P2P simulation. §1 explains the P2P Hypothesis in detail. §2 then shows how it explains quantum superposition and wave-function collapse (§2.1.), quantum indeterminacy (§2.2.), wave-particle duality (§2.3.), and quantum entanglement (§2.4.).
Fluorescent protein-based molecular beacons by zinc finger protein-guided assembly

Molecular beacons (MBs) are stem-loop structured oligonucleotides capable of sensitive and specific nucleic acid detection. However, large-scale usage of MBs for high throughput applications has been hindered by the many expensive and tedious chemical modifications. In this paper, we reported a new class of fluorescent protein-based molecular beacons (FP-MBs) based on zinc finger protein-guided assembly. The design consisted of a single oligonucleotide which forms a hairpin structure with an extending arm on both ends for the attachment of two different fluorescent proteins upon simple mixing. This new design allows for simplified MB assembly and modifications for a wide range of applications.
Integrating Workflow and Forum via Event Management

Workflows have been widely used for coordinating structured processes, whereas group support systems are used to facilitate ad hoc and unstructured collaboration activities. In many business settings, it is beneficial to use both workflows and group support systems. However, how to integrate workflow systems and group support systems have not been well studied in the literature. In this paper, we propose a scalable middleware framework, namely event management system, which can support high-degree decoupling between workflow and groupware. The event management architecture and its main functionalities as well as the implementation techniques are presented. We delineate the applicability of event-based integration by comparing with other integration paradigms.
A neuro-fuzzy approach for monitoring global snow and ice extent with the SSM/I

A neuro-fuzzy approach for classification of snow cover and sea ice from the Special Sensor Microwave/Imager (SSM/I) satellite data is presented. The fuzzy c-means algorithm was used as a supervised clustering method for mapping the SSM/I data of known classes into fuzzy c-partitions from which to determine the fuzzy c-means for each class. A single-hidden-layer neural network was implemented to learn the fuzzy c-means and desired responses in terms of fuzzy memberships. After training, the neural network was applied as a fuzzy membership function to fuzzify any inputs of unknown SSM/I data and defuzzify the outputs into crisp classes for mapping snow and ice extent. Weekly snow and sea ice extent was tested and compared with the one derived from the National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC).
A Novel Approach for Target Detection and Classification Using Canonical Correlation Analysis

We present a novel detection approach, detection with canonical correlation (DCC), for target detection without prior information on the interference. We use the maximum canonical correlations between the target set and the observation data set as the detection statistic, and the coefficients of the canonical vector are used to determine the indices of components from a given target library, thus enabling both detection and classification of the target components that might be present in the mixture. We derive an approximate distribution of the maximum canonical correlation when targets are present. For applications where the contributions of components are non-negative, non-negativity constraints are incorporated into the canonical correlation analysis framework and a recursive algorithm is derived to obtain the solution. We demonstrate the effectiveness of DCC and its nonnegative variant by applying them on detection of surface-deposited chemical agents in Raman spectroscopy.
Contraction of protoplasm. II. Theory: Anodal vs. Cathodal in relation to calcium

It has been known for over 100 years that when the protoplasm of protozoan cells respond to electrical stimulation by contraction, contraction always starts at the anodal end (e.g., Spirostomum, Jones, Jahn and Fonseca, 1965). It also is known that the cell membrane of protozoa does not have a self-propagating depolarizing action potential of the type found in axons and muscle cells. If we assume that contraction of the cytoplasmic protein is caused by an increased association of calcium with the protein, as known for muscle, these antithetical facts can easily be explained. Another necessary assumption is that all of the anionic sites on the protein have associated counterions, in accordance with the theories of Debye-Huckel, Ling, and Eisenman. On the basis of known ionic electrical mobilities it can be predicted for cells with non-excitable membranes that calcium (1) is removed from both the inside and the outside of the membrane at the cathodal end and is added to both sides at the anodal end, (2) is added to cytoplasmic protein throughout the cell, but is added more rapidly at the anodal end, and (3) is made available for addition to cytoplasmic protein at the cathodal end, as it is released from the membrane. In a cell with an excitable membrane the above will be true, and furthermore (4) the action current will release larger quantities of calcium than those resulting directly from the stimulus. For these reasons it is predictable that in cells with a non-excitable membrane, contraction should start at the anodal end, whereas in cells with excitable membranes, it should start at the cathodal end, and that is exactly what occurs.
Voltage Regulator Optimization Using Multiwinding Coupled Inductors and Extended Duty Ratio Mechanisms

This paper examines design optimization of voltage regulators (VRs) for microprocessor applications. Optimality of competing VR topologies, such as conventional (Conv) buck, coupled inductor, and extended duty ratio converters, is examined using efficiency norms and a new cost-per-watt metric to compare the amount of output capacitance (which is strongly correlated to the VR cost) to the efficiency. Coupled inductors provide a higher steady-state inductance than transient inductance. Lower transient inductance allows for smaller output capacitance. However, lower output capacitance requires a higher switching frequency and thus yields greater switching losses and lower efficiency. Extended duty ratio mechanisms reduce the switching voltage, and hence, reduce switching losses and increase efficiency. Experimental data are provided that the coupled inductor extended duty ratio converter has the same average efficiency, has higher light-load efficiency, and uses one-third of the output capacitance as the Conv multiphase buck converter. Hence, the combination of multiwinding coupled inductors and extended duty ratio mechanisms is shown to be the optimal VR configuration. The optimality concepts contributed in this paper resolve the ambiguity between VR cost and efficiency, and are essential for selecting the best solution among several competing VR designs.
CD154 for the dragon: a promising development for pancreatic islet transplantation and cure for type 1 diabetes mellitus.

Zeus looked down from the top of Mount Olympus and laid his eyes on Thurma, the beautiful princess of the small island kingdom of Styconos in the Aegean Sea. Smitten with desire, he instantly transformed himself into a white dove and flew down to win her affections. Thurma, delighted and utterly charmed by the sweet bird, easily succumbed to the god and soon thereafter found herself pregnant with a child. Hera, Zeus’ sister and first wife had been watching, and, in her jealousy, had turned the son into a dragon while he was still in the womb of his mother. In her rage, Hera devised that the monster would grow evil and turn against the people of the kingdom. Meanwhile the King had received an oracle prophesying that his kingdom would be devastated by a dragon born from his daughter. Upon finding her pregnant, he immediately banished her to an isolated cave at the edge of the island, forbidding her to return until she had given birth and all was declared safe. Though she was visited daily by a royal attendant, Thurma was quite lonely in the dim light of the grotto, and spent countless hours singing to herself and her child. She sang of the pleasantries of the outside world, which she missed, as well as of the follies of famous heroes, and so, when her son was finally born among the shadows, while still dragon in form, his mind and spirit were gentle. Such was the King’s despair at birth of the first dragon prince ‐ seeing the fulfilment of the oracle ‐ he abandoned Styconos and left with the disheartened Queen on a rough sea never to return. But Thurma loved her childdragon Hesperon (whose name means the son of a god and a beautiful princess), who at birth was so beautiful and gentle that the people of the island took him into their hearts. Even jealous Hera, who had come to see the fate of the island, was taken by Hesperon’s looks. She regretted what she had done and took the evil spirit from the dragon so that now he would not harm the people of the island but protect them from intruders. Hesperon would catch an intruder but do him no further harm unless the people of the island signalled that they did not recognize the intruder as friendly. Then only would Hesperon devour the intruder. We find the myth of the dragon Hesperon reflected in our present understanding of how the immune system distinguishes self (native) from non-self (intruder). Knowledge of how the immune system is kept from turning against itself has allowed the induction of specific tolerance even towards transplanted tissue. This Highlight summarizes the pertinent molecular mechanisms involved in the discrimination of self and non-self by the immune system and outlines exciting new studies in transplant tolerance. Until the mid-1960s it was thought that the immune system discriminated between self molecules and those belonging to pathogens by deleting all self-reactive
SHORT COMMUNICATION Transient Thermal Boundary Layer in Heating of Droplet with Internal Circulation: Evaluation of Assumptions

Abstract The importance of liquid thermal boundary layer in the transient heating of a liquid droplet with internal circulation is examined. The thermal boundary layer quasi-steadiness assumption is also studied. The results show that, unless the thermal boundary layer is extremely thin (extremely large Peclet numbers), the thermal inertia term is important and the quasi-steadiness assumption is invalid. The results also tend to suggest that the elimination of the thermal boundary layer may still give solutions with acceptable degree of accuracy.
Integrating sheep grazing into wheat-fallow systems: Crop yield and soil properties

a b s t r a c t The two predominant systems for weed management in summer fallow are tillage with a field cultiva- tor or multiple applications of broad spectrum herbicides with zero tillage. Both systems are based on substantial use of off farm resources. Our objective was to determine if strategic grazing of sheep may allow grain growers to more sustainably manage crop residues, volunteer crop, and other weeds dur- ing fallow periods. We conducted a study near Bozeman, Montana, USA, comparing three fallow weed management systems in two crop rotations from 2005 to 2008. Fallow weed management systems were conventional tillage, chemical-fallow (herbicide application), and sheep grazing. The crop rotations were summer fallow-spring wheat and summer fallow-winter wheat. In late fall, chemical-fallow treatment had greater residue cover and soil water content than did tilled- or grazed-fallow. At 0-15-cm depth, soil had lower bulk density in chemical- and tilled-fallow than in grazed fallow. Similarly, soil NO3-N, Ca, SO4-S concentrations and EC were lower following grazed-fallow than tilled-fallow, but Na concen- tration was higher following grazed-fallow than tilled- or chemical-fallow. Following spring and winter wheat, soil properties were not influenced by treatments. Grain yield was greater in winter wheat than in spring wheat but the trend reversed in protein concentration. Although soil properties varied among treatments, fallow management system had little influence on yield or quality of spring and winter wheat. Sheep grazing during fallow periods had limited impact on subsequent wheat yield and quality, and is a suitable practice for weed and residue management in wheat-fallow systems.