cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effect of catecholamine on fetal breathing activity in rhesus monkeys

Abstract The effect of various catecholamines on fetal breathing movements (FBM) was studied in 10 established chronic fetal rhesus monkey preparations. Norepinephrine, epinephrine, isoproterenol (all 1:10 5 [w/v] in concentration), or saline was infused intravenously to the fetus, each on five separate occasions. The infusion of the catecholamines was started at 0.02 ml/min and increased in a stepwise fashion until the fetus exhibited cardiovascular responses. The infusion rate was then maintained for 30 minutes to observe FBM. The incidence of FBM was determined for each 5-minute period and also expressed as a percentage of preinfusion values. Statistical analysis revealed that the incidence of FBM was significantly increased by isoproterenol and decreased by norepinephrine. Epinephrine did not consistently alter the incidence of the FBM.
The Sims as a Catalyst for Girls’ IT learning

This paper describes how The Sims was used as a starting point for developing girls’ interests in and capabilities with information technology. One girl’s learning trajectory is used to illustrate how the game served as a catalyst for fostering her passion for computing, engaged her in sustained, proactive learning, and changed her view of computing as a potential career choice. The role of public recognition, fan communities, and changing family ecologies for IT learning are discussed. The paper ends with identification of several strategies for further use of games for girls’ IT learning.
Tree-like continua do not admit expansive homeomorphisms

A homeomorphism h: X → X is called expansive provided that for some fixed c > 0 and every x, y ∈ X there exists an integer n, dependent only on x and y, such that d(h n (x), h n (y)) > c. It is shown that if X is a tree-like continuum, then h cannot be expansive.
Study of the pseudoternary compounds Sn1.2−xErxMo6S8 and SnMo6S8−xSex and their superconducting critical temperatures

Abstract The solid solutions Sn1.2−xErxMo6S8 and SnMo6S8−xSex are examined crystallographically and correlations between lattice parameters and superconducting transition temperatures are discussed.
On computing the distribution function for the Poisson binomial distribution

The Poisson binomial distribution is the distribution of the sum of independent and non-identically distributed random indicators. Each indicator follows a Bernoulli distribution and the individual probabilities of success vary. When all success probabilities are equal, the Poisson binomial distribution is a binomial distribution. The Poisson binomial distribution has many applications in different areas such as reliability, actuarial science, survey sampling, econometrics, etc. The computing of the cumulative distribution function (cdf) of the Poisson binomial distribution, however, is not straightforward. Approximation methods such as the Poisson approximation and normal approximations have been used in literature. Recursive formulae also have been used to compute the cdf in some areas. In this paper, we present a simple derivation for an exact formula with a closed-form expression for the cdf of the Poisson binomial distribution. The derivation uses the discrete Fourier transform of the characteristic function of the distribution. We develop an algorithm that efficiently implements the exact formula. Numerical studies were conducted to study the accuracy of the developed algorithm and approximation methods. We also studied the computational efficiency of different methods. The paper is concluded with a discussion on the use of different methods in practice and some suggestions for practitioners.
Measuring Children's self-Assessment of Pain

This exploratory study examined children's self-assessment of the pain experience. Using a 10-cm scale, children rated the severity of their pain and the ratings were related to physiologic parameters; body, facial, and vocal indicators of pain; and word descriptions of pain while controlling for the effects of current medications. Both the magnitude of x2 values and the measures of association supported the validity of the pain scale as an indicator of the distress level of the children.
Microwave studies of 4-methyl-1-pentyne

Abstract The gas-phase structures of 4-methyl-1-pentyne have been characterized by microwave spectroscopy, supplemented by ab initio calculations. C s and C 1 conformers are identified and assigned. These structures exhibit approximately equal energies, although the C 1 is twice as abundant by virtue of degenerate forms. Both conformers display evidence of stabilizing γ-CH/π interactions. Computationally, this stability is only seen if electron correlation is explicitly included in the model. A small energetic benefit is calculated for the interaction of a second γ-hydrogen atom with one triple bond.
Performance evaluation of anisotropic diffusion simulation based tractography on phantom images

White matter tractography using diffusion tensor MR images is a promising method for estimating the pathways of white matter tracts in the human brain. The success of this method ultimately depends upon the accuracy of the white matter tractography algorithms. In this study, a central database of simulated common fiber tract trajectories was used to investigate the impact of SNR, tensor anisotropy, and diffusion tensor encoding directions on the accuracy of our fiber tracking method. The accuracy was assessed in six kinds of tracts and tract geometrics with divergence properties. In general the tract dispersion increases with distance and decreases with SNR and anisotropy. The tract orientation with respect to the encoding scheme also influences tract dispersion. Divergent tract geometries enhance tract dispersion, whereas convergent tract geometries reduce dispersion.
Towers of surfaces dominated by products of curves and elliptic curves of large rank over function fields

Abstract With the goal of producing elliptic curves and higher-dimensional abelian varieties of large rank over function fields, we provide a geometric construction of towers of surfaces dominated by products of curves; in the case where the surface is defined over a finite field our construction yields families of smooth, projective curves whose Jacobians satisfy the conjecture of Birch and Swinnerton-Dyer. As an immediate application of our work we employ known results on analytic ranks of abelian varieties defined in towers of function field extensions, producing a one-parameter family of elliptic curves over F q ( t 1 / d ) whose members obtain arbitrarily large rank as d → ∞ .
Anticardiolipin Antibodies: A Review of the Literature

Repeated fetal loss may be a result of a variety of causes. Immunological factors have been implicated in fetal loss, intrauterine growth retardation, preeclampsia, and thrombocytopenia. Anticardiolipin antibodies (ACAs) belong to a family of autoantibodies known as antiphospholipid antibodies. Platelet aggregation and increased coagulation results from the presence of these antibodies, and is believed to contribute to the fetal complications. This article is a review of the physiological implications of ACAs, screening criteria for the presence of ACAs, prevalence rates, diagnostic measures, treatment options, and possible postpartum effects of ACAs. When women with recurrent pregnancy losses present for care, the nurse-midwife needs to be able to discuss possible causes, aspects of diagnosis, and treatment options available. With a better understanding of what these are, the nurse-midwife will be better able to plan care that will promote a positive pregnancy outcome.
An improved synthesis of UDP-3-O-acyl-N-[3H-acetyl]glucosamine: a probe for inhibitors of LpxC in gram-negative bacteria

UDP-3-O-(R-3-hydroxydecanoyl)-N-[3H-acetyl]glucosamine, was prepared using a modified procedure for the preparation of carboxamides reported by Kunishima et al. using [3H]CH3CO2Na, 4-(4,6-dimethoxy-1,3,5-triazin-2-yl)-4-methylmorpholinium chloride, N-methylmorpholine and UDP-3-O-(R-3-hydroxydecanoyl)glucosamine in 26% overall yield. Full details of the synthesis and the analysis of the product are presented. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Directed Differentiation of Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells Toward Bone and Cartilage: In Vitro Versus In Vivo Assays

Theabilitytodifferentiateinducedpluripotentstemcells(iPSCs)intocommittedskeletalprogenitors could allow for an unlimited autologous supply of such cells for therapeutic uses; therefore, we attempted to create novel bone-forming cells from human iPSCs using lines from two distinct tissue sources and methods of differentiation that we previously devised for osteogenic differentiation of humanembryonicstemcells,andassuggestedbyotherpublications.Theresultingcellswereassayed using in vitro methods, and the results were compared with those obtained from in vivo transplantationassays.OurresultsshowthattruebonewasformedinvivobyderivativesofseveraliPSClines, but that the successful cell lines anddifferentiation methodologies werenot predicted bythe results of the in vitro assays. In addition, bone was formed equally well from iPSCs originating from skin or bonemarrowstromalcells(alsoknownasbonemarrow-derivedmesenchymalstemcells),suggesting that the iPSCs did not retain a “memory”of their previous life. Furthermore, one of the iPSC-derived celllinesformedverifiablecartilageinvivo,whichlikewisewasnotpredictedbyinvitroassays. STEM CELLS TRANSLATIONAL MEDICINE 2014;3:1–12
A study in machine learning from imbalanced data for sentence boundary detection in speech

Abstract Enriching speech recognition output with sentence boundaries improves its human readability and enables further processing by downstream language processing modules. We have constructed a hidden Markov model (HMM) system to detect sentence boundaries that uses both prosodic and textual information. Since there are more nonsentence boundaries than sentence boundaries in the data, the prosody model, which is implemented as a decision tree classifier, must be constructed to effectively learn from the imbalanced data distribution. To address this problem, we investigate a variety of sampling approaches and a bagging scheme. A pilot study was carried out to select methods to apply to the full NIST sentence boundary evaluation task across two corpora (conversational telephone speech and broadcast news speech), using both human transcriptions and recognition output. In the pilot study, when classification error rate is the performance measure, using the original training set achieves the best performance among the sampling methods, and an ensemble of multiple classifiers from different downsampled training sets achieves slightly poorer performance, but has the potential to reduce computational effort. However, when performance is measured using receiver operating characteristics (ROC) or area under the curve (AUC), then the sampling approaches outperform the original training set. This observation is important if the sentence boundary detection output is used by downstream language processing modules. Bagging was found to significantly improve system performance for each of the sampling methods. The gain from these methods may be diminished when the prosody model is combined with the language model, which is a strong knowledge source for the sentence detection task. The patterns found in the pilot study were replicated in the full NIST evaluation task. The conclusions may be dependent on the task, the classifiers, and the knowledge combination approach.
Burn patients' pain and anxiety experiences.

The purpose of this study was to examine burn patients' pain and anxiety experiences during resting conditions and procedures. The relationship of contextual factors and interventions to pain and anxiety were also explored. Procedural pain was significantly higher than resting pain (P = .02); however, there were no significant differences in anxiety between resting conditions and procedures (P = .16). There was a significant difference between burn patients' acceptable level of pain, resting pain, and procedural pain (P = .01). Resting pain was significantly lower than patients' acceptable level of pain (P = < .01). Procedural pain was slightly lower than patients' acceptable level of pain, but these results were not statistically significant (P = .37). Percent of total body surface burned was associated with increased procedural anxiety (P = .022). Family presence correlated with decreased procedural pain (P = .011) and midazolam use (P = .047). Prior experience with the procedure was associated with increased morphine(P = .003) and midazolam use (P = .029). These findings support the multifactorial nature of burn pain and anxiety and provide guidance for practice.
Probabilistic Modeling of a Sales Funnel to Prioritize Leads

This paper shows how to learn probabilistic classifiers that model how sales prospects proceed through stages from first awareness to final success or failure. Specifically,we present two models, called DQM for direct qualification model and FFM for full funnel model, that can be used to rank initial leads based on their probability of conversion to a sales opportunity, probability of successful sale, and/or expected revenue. Training uses the large amount of historical data collected by customer relationship management or marketing automation software. The trained models can replace traditional lead scoring systems, which are hand-tuned and therefore error-prone and not probabilistic. DQM and FFM are designed to overcome the selection bias caused by available data being based on a traditional lead scoring system. Experimental results are shown on real sales data from two companies. Features in the training data include demographic and behavioral information about each lead. For both companies, both methods achieve high AUC scores. For one company, they result in a a 307% increase in number of successful sales, as well as a dramatic increase in total revenue. In addition, we describe the results of the DQM method in actual use. These results show that the method has additional benefits that include decreased time needed to qualify leads, and decreased number of calls placed to schedule a product demo. The proposed methods find high-quality leads earlier in the sales process because they focus on features that measure the fit of potential customers with the product being sold, in addition to their behavior.
Clinical‐neuropathologic correlation in HIV‐associated dementia

The structural abnormalities that correlate with the clinical manifestations of HIV-associated dementia (HIVD) are unclear. In a prospectively categorized group of patients with and without HIVD who were followed to autopsy, we correlated HIV-related neuropathologic changes with the presence and severity of HIVD. We also assessed the effect of antiretroviral therapy on the neuropathologic changes. Finally, using reverse transcriptase-poly-merase chain reaction on homogenized brain tissue, we correlated the relative expression of mRNA for tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) with cognitive impairment and with the patterns of neuropathologic changes. The presence of multinucleated giant cells and diffuse myelin pallor were specific for HIVD, but these pathologic changes occurred in only 50% of patients with dementia. Patients treated with antiretroviral agents for >12 months were less likely to show multinucleated giant cells or diffuse myelin pallor. Levels of mRNA for TNF-α from frontal subcortical white matter were significantly greater in patients with HIVD than in AIDS patients without dementia or in seronegative controls. We conclude that routine histopathologic examination of the brain fails to detect multinucleated giant cells and diffuse myelin pallor in 50% of patients dying with HIVD. This suggests that more subtle neuropathologic correlates for the clinical manifestations of HIVD exist. Our observations of elevated levels of TNF-α mRNA in HIVD indicate that indirect mechanisms of brain dysfunction, such as abnormal cytokine expression, may contribute to the pathogenesis of HIVD.
Modeling Adenovirus Type 1-Induced Otitis Media in the Chinchilla: Effect on Ciliary Activity and Fluid Transport Function of Eustachian Tube Mucosal Epithelium

Previous studies have shown that viral upper respiratory tract (URT) infection predisposes to the development of bacterial otitis media (OM). The mechanisms underlying this phenomenon have been well defined for influenza A virus in the chinchilla model of experimental OM but have not been for adenovirus because of the heretofore lack of an appropriate model. In this study, chinchillas were inoculated intranasally or transbullarly with type 1 adenovirus to assess whether or not the chinchilla could serve as a suitable model for future investigation of adenovirus predisposition to bacterial OM. Data indicated that the chinchilla readily supported an active infection by and responded serologically to this agent and that route of inoculation markedly influenced otoscopic findings, elicitation of middle ear fluids, onset and location of histopathology, and progression of disease. The time course of disease onset and recovery and an assessment of the effect of this virus isolate on the mucosal epithelial integrity and on both the ciliary activity and transport function of the eustachian tube epithelium for both routes of inoculation are presented.
Distribution of elements in sea water

The purpose of this report is to provide a basis for predicting the composition of elements at any depth or location in the world oceans. Our aim is not to assess the importance of variations in elemental concentrations but only to provide a method of estimating them. The method, however, provides no entry into the problem of estimating the effects of local releases from sediments or of human activity. The salinity of the open ocean ranges between 33‰ and 38‰ Dittmar [1884] showed that despite this variation in total salt concentration the proportions of the different ions making up most of the salt content were remarkably constant. In that sense these ions are identified as being ‘conservative’; that is, their variation is ascribed exclusively to the addition or subtraction of pure water to a saline solution of fixed elemental proportions. The concentrations of certain trace elements also have been shown to correlate with chlorinity within analytical errors and these too can be classified as behaving conservatively.
“Do-it-yourself” lock-in amplifiers - radio and audio frequencies

Abstract We describe two specific lock-in amplifiers, one designed for radio frequencies (rf), and the other for audio frequencies (af). Both have been built and tested by chemists with limited electronics backgrounds. The af unit, which uses commercial circuit modules, was designed for an electron-spin-resonance spectrometer locking a klystron's frequency to that of a resonant cavity. The lock-in amplifier has been adapted to nuclear-magnetic-resonance work by combining it with a marginal oscillator. The frequency range is 40 to 20 000 Hz, but this is easily extended. The rf unit, designed for measuring differential pressures on the order of 0.1 μ with an accuracy of several percent, can detect capacitance changes on the order of 10 −18 F. Although designed for 2.7 MHz, it can be adapted to other radio frequencies. The rf unit uses Nuvistor tubes to minimize the instability problems normally encountered at radio frequencies.
The diagnosis of the Sanfilippo C syndrome, using monosaccharide and oligosaccharide substrates to assay acetyl-CoA: 2-amino-2-deoxy-α-glucoside N-acetyltransferase activity

Glucosamine, galactosamine, mannosamine, several disaccharides and a tetrasaccharide were evaluated as substrates for the N-acetyltransferase involved in the pathogenesis of the Sanfilippo C syndrome. Glucosamine and alpha-D-glucosaminide disaccharides and a tetrasaccharide derived from heparin were exo-N-acetylated by homogenates of cultured skin fibroblast from normal individuals at pH 6.0 in the presence of acetyl-CoA, whereas fibroblast homogenates prepared from a Sanfilippo C patient failed to catalyse the N-acetyltransferase from acetyl-CoA to these substrates. The apparent Km values of the glucosamine and alpha-glucosaminide disaccharide N-acetyltransferase were 98 and 200 mumol/l respectively; the corresponding V values were 200 and 180 nmol.min-1.g-1 fibroblast whole cell homogenate protein respectively. Incubation of homogenates from normal individuals or the Sanfilippo C patient with glucosamine 6-phosphate and acetyl-CoA at pH 6.0 produced N-acetylglucosamine 6-phosphate. Acetyltransfer to glucosamine or glucosamine 6-phosphate in homogenates of normal fibroblasts was not inhibited by the addition of arylamines. It is proposed that N-acetyltransferase to glucosamine, glucosamine 6-phosphate and arylamines is carried out by separate enzymes. Glucosamine is a suitable substrate for the diagnostic assay of the enzyme involved in the exo-N-acetylation of alpha-glucosaminide residues at the non-reducing end of the heparan sulfate stored and excreted by Sanfilippo C patients.
Autoimmune murine thyroiditis VII: Induction of the thyroid lesions by passive transfer of immune serum

Abstract Early granulocytic and later mononuclear infiltration of the thyroid was produced in mice by injection of mouse antisera to mouse thyroid extract. The lesions were first seen 4 days after injection and persisted as long as 40 days. Similar effects resulted from injection of antigen-antibody mixtures produced in antigen excess. The biphasic cellular response to immune serum suggests a two-phase mechanism in the induction of passive autoimmune thyroiditis in the mouse.
Antagonism of metabotropic glutamate receptor 4 receptors by (RS)-α-cyclopropyl-4-phosphonophenylglycine alters the taste of amino acids in rats.

T1R1/T1R3, taste-metabotropic glutamate receptor (mGluR) 4 and other taste receptors have been implicated in umami taste perceptionT1R1/T1R3 has also been identified as an L-amino acid receptor. We investigated the possibility that taste-mGluR4 receptors may also play a role in the taste of amino acids in Sprague-Dawley rats using conditioned taste aversion methods. Specifically, we examined whether a taste aversion generalized between L-monosodium glutamate (MSG) and one of three amino acids (glycine, L-serine, and L-arginine), and whether (RS)-alpha-cyclopropyl-4-phosphonophenylglycine (CPPG), a group III mGluR selective antagonist with a strong binding affinity for mGluR4 receptors, can impact stimulus generalization. Rats showed cross-generalization between MSG and all three amino acids (all mixed with amiloride to block the taste of sodium), although less so for L-arginine than the other two amino acids, suggesting that all of the amino acids shared at least some taste qualities with MSG. However, when 1 mM CPPG was mixed with these amino acids, the strength of the learned taste aversions and cross-generalization for all but glycine were either decreased or increased. The increase in generalization induced by CPPG indicated that the antagonist did not simply reduce the intensity of the stimulus experience but also changed the qualities of the sensory experience. These findings suggest that multiple receptors are involved in amino acid taste and that taste-mGluR4 receptors contribute to the taste of MSG and at least some l-amino acids.
173 Autologous Bone Marrow-Derived Cells for Accelerating the Healing of Human Chronic Wounds

We have previously shown that resident fibroblasts from human chronic wounds are phenotypically abnormal, displaying an impaired response to TGF-beta 1, decreased TGF-beta Type II receptor expression, and decreased phosphorylation of Smad2, Smad3, and p42/44 MAPK. We now report that these human cells delay healing by approximately 30% when implanted in mouse incisional wounds and in a dorsal flap model. These new findings point to the need for the transplantation of new healthy cells in human chronic wounds. Bioengineered living skin constructs can deliver new cells to chronic wounds, at least for a limited period of time. However, most available bioengineered skin constructs consist of already differentiated allogeneic cells, which do not allow for the possibility of engraftment and reconstitution of wound structures. Recently, in a preliminary report, we have shown that autologous bone marrow-derived cells can dramatically enhance the healing of recalcitrant chronic wounds when all other treatments have failed. Our present efforts are now focused on characterizing the bone marrow cells involved in this stimulation of wound healing and in developing better ways for their topical delivery to the wound. Here we present evidence that a fibrin construct may be an ideal way of applying bone marrow-derived cells to human chronic wounds. Autologous bone marrow cells are allowed to grow in culture under conditions favoring the survival and proliferation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSC), as shown by surface markers and functional studies. This usually requires two weeks after bone marrow harvesting. The cellular component is then placed in a fibrinogen solution which, when simultaneously combined with thrombin through a CO2 driven flow, delivers a fine cell-containing fibrin polymer film to the wound. In vitro and in vivo experiments, both in mouse models and in human wounds, show the feasibility of this approach.
‘New Americans’ in a ‘New-South’ city? Immigrant and refugee politics in the Music City

Since the early 1990s, many cities and towns in the US South have witnessed dramatic transformations in their racial and ethnic composition. Although these changes largely reflect spectacular Latino population growth, refugee resettlements (including Kurdish, Sudanese, Somalian and Bosnian settlers) for the last two decades have also increased ethnic diversity across the region. In some southern American cities, the combination of Latino populations and refugee communities is transforming urban geographies of race, ethnicity and cultural belonging and, in the process, reworking the ways that such cities understand and approach issues of ‘diversity’. This article examines these changes in a case study of Nashville, Tennessee—a refugee relocation site since the early 1980s and a popular destination for Latino/as since the mid-1990s. Through an analysis of the social spaces and institutional contexts within which Latino/as and refugees encounter each other, it shows how the presence of politically visible re...
Apparent waveform distortions in field modulation studies of the de Haas-van Alphen effect in beryllium

Abstract At large values of d M d H , skin depth changes can produce a distortion of the dHvA waveform. This effect, in the presence of a beat pattern between two dHvA frequencies explains the appearance of a previously reported frequency in Be.
Designing a Dynamic Data-Driven Application System for Estimating Real-Time Load of Dissolved Organic Carbon in a River

Understanding the dynamics of naturally occurring dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in a river is central to estimating surface water quality, aquatic carbon cycling, and global climate change. Currently, determination of DOC in surface water is primarily accomplished by manually collecting samples for laboratory analysis, which requires at least 24 h. In other words, no effort has been devoted to monitoring real-time variations of DOC in a river due to the lack of suitable and/or cost-effective wireless sensors. However, when considering human health, carbon footprints, effects of urbanization, industry, and agriculture on water supply, timely DOC information may be critical. We have developed here a new paradigm of a dynamic data-driven application system (DDDAS) for estimating the real-time load of DOC into a river. This DDDAS was validated with field measurements prior to its applications. Results show that the real-time load of DOC in the river varied over a range from −13,143 to 29,248 kg/h at the selected site. The negative loads occurred because of the back flow in the estuarine reach of the river. The cumulative load of DOC in the river for the selected site at the end of the simulation (178 h) was about 1.2 tons. Our results support the utility of the DDDAS developed in this study for estimating the real-time variation of DOC in a river ecosystem.
Negative Experiences in Physical Education and Sport: How Much Do They Affect Physical Activity Participation Later in Life?

People's feelings toward physical activity are often influenced by memories of their childhood experiences in physical education and sport. Unfortunately, many adults remember negative experiences, which may affect their desire to maintain a physically active lifestyle. A survey that asked 293 students about recollections from their childhood or youth physical education and sport experiences revealed that participants who had been picked or chosen last for a team had a significant reduction in physical activity later in life. Long recognized as an “inappropriate” instructional practice by NASPE, “captains picking teams” still occurs in some physical education and sport settings. With the increase in sedentary lifestyles and related health problems, teachers and coaches must consider the long-term effects of their use of potentially negative practices with children and youths in physical education and sport settings.
On Methods of Germ-line Transformation and RNA Interference in African Malaria Mosquito, Anopheles gambiae

Germ-line transformation and RNA interference (RNAi) are useful molecular tools that make functional genetic studies feasible because through these techniques target genes can be altered in vivo and their phenotypes can be investigated. Germ-line transformation allows establishment of a stable transformed line while injected double-stranded RNAi (dsRNAi) transiently knocks out an endogenous gene of interest by post-transcriptionally silencing its transcripts. Recently, both these techniques have been demonstrated workable in Anopheles gambiae, a most deadly African malaria mosquito. Availability of these techniques in A. gambiae is highly expected to help researchers gain more insight into gene functions in A. gambiae. As a result, attempts to control malaria transmission by genetically manipulating A. gambiae can be made in the future. In particular, dsRNAi should be useful to elucidate biological functions of those conceptually predicted genes in the A. gambiae genome as suggested in other organisms such as Caenorhabditis elegans and Drosophila melanogaster. Therefore, we provide the technical details of these two experimental procedures so that they will become accessible to more vector biologists.
Digital Agriculture: Learning to Feed a Hungry World

A synthesis framework integrates data from multiple sources, enables on-demand execution of scientific workflows, and associates data outputs with multiple visualization and analysis widgets in a dynamically generated Web application. This poster presents animplementation of NCSA's digital synthesis framework (DSF) that incorporates a state-of-the-artgeneric crop growth simulation model and historicweather data for the purposes of designing educational activities for young learners. The work is the result ofa collaboration between NCSA and local 4-H curriculum specialists.
Pricing Options on Foreign Currency with a Preset Exchange Rate

This paper presents a new option that can be used by agents for managing foreign exchange risk. Unlike the Garman Kolhagen model [1], (GK), this paper presents a new model with a preset exchange rate (PE), that allows the agent to take advantage of the his/her view on both the direction and magnitude of rate movement and as such provides this agent with more choices. The model has a provision for an automatic exchange of the payoff at a preset exchange rate, and upon expiration gives the agent the choice of keeping the payoff in the foreign currency or exchanging it back to the pricing currency. At the time of writing, the buyer selects the preset exchange rate. Depending on the value selected, the PE option’s price and payoff will be equal to, greater than or less than those of the GK model. A decision rule for choosing between the PE and GK models is developed by determining the expiration spot rate that equates the two models’ returns. The range of spot rates that makes the PE option’s return greater than the GK’s return is the PE preferred range. If the agent expects the expiration spot rate will be within the preferred range, the PE option is purchased. The size of the preferred range is a decreasing function of time to expiration, a decreasing function of spot rate volatility and an increasing function of the basis point spread between foreign and domestic interest rates.
Heterogeneous initiation and growth of sample-scale shear bands during necking of Al-Mg sheet

Abstract Microstructural studies of Al-4.4% Mg-0.4% Mn polycrystalline sheet show that zones of intense shearing flow develop across large dimensions of microstructure during plane strain extension. These bands initiate heterogeneously at free surfaces in specific locations of a through-thickness neck. During continued sheet extension they grow in volume and move relative to a coordinate system fixed to microstructure. Geometric models are introduced to describe these spatially nonuniform processes and the sample-scale flow localization which accompanies them. There exists a geometric barrier to initiation of sample-scale shearing. Initiation takes place heterogeneously where the barrier is minimum.
Electron-microscopic observations on the human mast cell

Abstract Biopsy specimens of human skin and stomach were prepared for light and electron microscopy. Two cell types, both identifiable in stained preparations as tissue mast cells, are described. One cell type consisting of spindle-shaped cells is found in large numbers in the dermis and subcutis, and less frequently in the tunica propria and submucosa of the stomach. These cells are often found in association with small blood vessels. The granules of such cells are nearly homogeneous, but some of them contain one or more centrally located dense bodies. The second cell type consists of ovoid or spherical cells. These cells are found in only small numbers in the skin but are more numerous in the stomach wall. The granules of these cells are made up of two components: (1) a finely granular substance and (2) groups of lamellae. The lamellae are sometimes in the form of scrolls. A possible relationship of the two components of the granules to secretion is discussed.
The lateral migration of solid particles in Poiseuille flow — I theory

Abstract The general time independent problem concerning the motion of solid particles of arbitrary shape at low Reynolds numbers is considered. The effects of a basic flow, of solid boundaries and of inertia are jointly included in a theory which is used to examine the behaviour of spheres in laminar tube flows. Thus formulae are obtained for the lateral migration of spheres in laminar flows through vertical tubes of circular and non-circular cross-section. Cases of neutrally and non-neutrally buoyant particles are considered as is also the case of zero flow along the tube. Also given is a general discussion of some of the qualitative aspects of the results.
Exact matching of boundary conditions and incorporation of semiquantitative solution characteristics in initial approximations to boundary value problems

Abstract Methods are described and illustrated which permit the analyst to construct initial approximations which match virtually any type of boundary condition exactly while also permitting the specification of certain auxiliary constraints such as convexity or the satisfaction of a maximum principle. These methods are based upon transfinite or blending-function interpolation. Such initial approximations are then used to substantially improve the computational efficiency of iterative solution techniques.
Pre-Incan agricultural activity recorded in dust layers in two tropical ice cores

In South America, no documentary records survive from before the incursion of the Spaniards in the mid-sixteenth century. Knowledge of pre-Hispanic civilizations in this region comes largely from archaeological excavations, which may now be supplemented by information recorded in two ice cores drilled in the Quelccaya ice cap in southern Peru (Fig. 1)1,2. A 1,500-year record of particle concentrations and conductivity in these cores shows two major dust episodes, each lasting about 130 years, centred at AD 920 and 600. Here we examine these dust events in the light of oxygen isotope and net accumulation records, and suggest a correlation with pre-Incan agricultural activity. The annual net accumulation record for AD 1915–1984 compares well with annual changes in Lake Titicaca water levels and with annual precipitation at El Alto (LaPaz, Bolivia), suggesting that the 1,500-year net accumulation record from Quelccaya may serve as a proxy for water level changes in Lake Titicaca. The ice-core record suggests that climatic variability, reflected in lake level changes, has strongly influenced fluctuations in agricultural activity in southern Peru.
License Mapping for ERM Systems: Existing Practices and Initiatives for Support

In the process of analyzing and/or mapping license agreements into their electronic resource management (ERM) systems or in developing services to support the license mapping process, library professionals were interviewed to provide a status report of license mapping in academic libraries. Areas discussed include existing practices, challenges, and support for and benefits of the mapping process. These conversations from the trenches should help professionals in the early stages of ERM implementation better conceptualize resource needs and effective practices for license mapping.
Musculoskeletal adaption to surgical advancement of the mandible

Abstract This study was carried out in order to evaluate musculoskeletal adaption to surgical advancement of the deficient mandible. 10 adult individuals with mandibular deficiency were studied before and 3 months after surgical advancement of the mandible via lateral cephalometric radiography, ki-nesiometry, and electromyographic instrumentation. 10 adult controls were studied at the same intervals, but underwent no surgery. The data was entered into a DEC System-10 computer for morphometric comparison and statistical analysis. The results of this investigation demonstrate that musculoskeletal adaptions occur within the stomatognathic system following surgical advancement of the mandible. 3 months following surgery, the clinical and physiological rest positions of the mandible as well as the masticatory electromyographic activity were unchanged in both the control and the surgery groups. The rapid, functional adaptions that occurred in the surgery group are apparently due to changes in posterior ramus-mandibular body relations and neuromuscular adaption within the masticatory and suprahyoid musculature.
Singularity threshold of the nonlinear sigma model using 3D adaptive mesh refinement

Numerical solutions to the nonlinear sigma model, a wave map from $3+1$ Minkowski space to ${S}^{3},$ are computed in three spatial dimensions using adaptive mesh refinement. For initial data with compact support the model is known to have two regimes: one in which regular initial data forms a singularity and another in which the energy is dispersed to infinity. The transition between these regimes has been shown in spherical symmetry to demonstrate threshold behavior similar to that between black hole formation and dispersal in gravitating theories. Here, I generalize the result by removing the assumption of spherical symmetry. The evolutions suggest that the spherically symmetric critical solution remains an intermediate attractor separating the two end states.
Artificial neural networks and statistical modeling for electronic stress prediction using thermal profiling

Electronic components are constantly under stress due to factors such as signal density, temperature, humidity, and high current and voltage. Relatively little research has emphasized stress-level prediction under voltage stress. The purpose of this paper was to develop an electronic thermal profile model for stress-level prediction utilizing neural network (NN) and statistical approaches, such as multivariate regression models. Electronic components were removed from boards, subjected to different levels of stress, then replaced. An infrared camera was then used to capture information about component temperature changes over time under normal operating and stress conditions. Statistical analysis of the captured images suggests a strong correlation between thermal profiles and voltage stress levels. Artificial neural network (ANN) and statistical approaches were used to model temperature change profiles for components that had been stressed at different levels, and their predictive ability was compared. Separate data sets were used for model development and model verification. ANN prediction rates were around 70%, compared to 30% for the statistical approach. Experiments were also conducted to evaluate the robustness of the ANN model to the presence of noise in the data. Results suggested that the ANN model was able to accommodate the presence of noise. Various backpropagation (BP) learning algorithms were also evaluated and yielded similar average error rates. A 3-2-1 ANN topology performed better than 3-3-1 or 3-2-2-1 topologies, perhaps because the 3-2-1 topology has a higher data sample to nodes ratio than the other topologies.
Magnetostrictive Motor Development

This paper reviews the history and present state of magnetostrictive devices capable of controlled motion over large linear distances. Magnetostriction imparts the most force per unit weight of any technology however, the successful development of practical devices requires a multi-disciplinary effort involving materials science, magnetics, innovative mechanical design, electrical power engineering, and system control engineering. Advances to date have included demonstrations linear motors capable of 115 Newtons of force at 2.54 centimeters/second.
Factors affecting outcomes after radical cystectomy in African Americans

BACKGROUND. Previous studies indicate that African Americans with bladder cancer have a worse outcome than Caucasians. Delay in seeking care and higher stage at presentation have been cited as possible reasons for the observed differences. The authors hypothesized that differences in hospital volume where patients undergo radical cystectomy may be responsible for race-based differences in outcomes after the procedure. METHODS. The authors analyzed data from the Health Care Cost and Utilization Project and identified 4862 patients who had undergone radical cystectomy between 1998 and 2002. In-hospital mortality, complications, and length of stay (LOS) in hospital were compared between patients grouped by race. Hospitals were categorized into tertiles by the average number of radical cystectomies performed per year (1–4 radical cystectomies, 5–10 radical cystectomies, and >10 radical cystectomies). Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to determine predictors of mortality, complications, LOS, and the likelihood that patients would undergo cystectomy at a high/medium-volume hospital. RESULTS. African Americans had the highest in-patient mortality, complications, and LOS after radical cystectomy. They also were the least likely to undergo radical cystectomy at a high/medium-volume hospital. When the analyses were controlled for potential confounding factors, there was no difference in in-hospital mortality by race, but differences persisted in the other 3 outcome variables. African Americans had higher odds of complications (odds ratio [OR], 1.57; P = .001), longer LOS (25%; P = .001), and lower odds of undergoing cystectomy at a high/medium-volume hospital (OR, 0.74; P = .03) compared with Caucasians. CONCLUSIONS. Race was an important factor in determining outcomes after radical cystectomy for bladder cancer. African Americans were less likely to undergo cystectomy at a high-volume hospital, thereby placing them at a higher risk of postoperative complications which ultimately may affect their survival. Cancer 2007;109:542–549. © 2007 American Cancer Society.
The design of a high power solid state automotive switch in CMOS-VDMOS technology

This paper presents the design of a solid state automotive switch. The design criteria for choosing a VDMOS power device and a charge pump drive circuit are discussed. The performance of the fabricated device is discussed.
Second order sequential estimation of the mean exponential survival time under random censoring

Abstract This paper proposes a sequential estimator θ of the parameter θ of an exponential distribution when the data is censored. Without any further conditions, second order expansions are provided for the expectation of the stopping time and for the risk when the loss is measured by the squared error loss of estimation of θ plus a linear cost function of the number of observations. Also the asymptotic normality of the stopping time is asserted. Generalization to the proportional model is also discussed.
Henoch's purpura based on food allergy

Abstract 1.1. Two cases of purpura associated with gastrointestinal and joint symptoms have been described in detail. The symptom syndrome in these cases has been induced at will by the feeding of certain foods. 2.2. Roentgenograms of the entire gastrointestinal tract of a patient with Henoch's purpura, taken when the patient was symptom free and also during an attack of Henoch's purpura induced by the feeding of milk, show gastric retention, hypermotility, and spasm of the colon as a result of the ingestion of milk. 3.3. In cases of purpura of the Henoch's type, when drugs and possibly bacterial allergy can be eliminated as etiological factors, food allergy should be considered. 4.4. The use of nonantigenic foodstuffs, such as amino acids, administered by tube feedings, offers a method of removing offending allergens and of maintaining proper nutrition at the same time.
The effect of parasitism and starvation on carbohydrate reserves of Biomphalaria glabrata.

Abstract In Biomphalaria glabrata parasitized by Schistosoma mansoni there was an increase in relative weight of the digestive gland-gonad complex and a decrease in glycogen in that complex and in the remainder of the carcass by day 25. Glycogen levels further decreased close to zero and remained at this low level for the duration of the experiment. Relative weight of the digestive gland-gonad reached a peak at day 30 and decreased toward normal by day 40. Galactogen levels in the albumen gland, although decreased slightly, were not significantly lower than in normal snails. In starved snails, glycogen and galactogen decreased significantly below normal at day 21 and remained at a low level until the experiment ended. This study raises the possibility that starvation of the host by the parasite may play a significant role in the pathology observed in this infection.
Separation and analysis of nanomole quantities of heparin oligosaccharides using on-line capillary isotachophoresis coupled with NMR detection.

Glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) are important in a number of biological processes and are structurally altered in many pathological conditions. The complete determination of GAG primary structures has been hampered by the lack of sensitive and specific analytical techniques. Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR) is a powerful tool for GAG structure elucidation despite its relatively poor limits of detection. Solenoidal microcoils have greatly enhanced the mass limits of detection of NMR, enabling the on-line coupling of microseparation and concentration techniques such as capillary isotachophoresis (cITP), which can separate and concentrate analytes by 2−3 orders of magnitude. We have successfully used cITP coupled with on-line NMR detection to separate and concentrate nanomole quantities of heparin oligosaccharides. This sensitive on-line measurement approach has the potential to provide new insights into the relationships between biological function and GAG microstructures.