cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Experimental and theoretical investigations of energy transfer and hydrogen-bond breaking in the water dimer

The hydrogen bonding in water is dominated by pairwise dimer interactions, and the predissociation of the water dimer following vibrational excitation is reported here. Velocity map imaging was used for an experimental determination of the dissociation energy (D0) of (D2O)2. The value obtained, 1244 ± 10 cm–1 (14.88 ± 0.12 kJ/mol), is in excellent agreement with the calculated value of 1244 ± 5 cm–1 (14.88 ± 0.06 kJ/mol). This agreement between theory and experiment is as good as the one obtained recently for (H2O)2. In addition, pair-correlated water fragment rovibrational state distributions following vibrational predissociation of (H2O)2 and (D2O)2 were obtained upon excitation of the hydrogen-bonded OH and OD stretch fundamentals, respectively. Quasi-classical trajectory calculations, using an accurate full-dimensional potential energy surface, are in accord with and help to elucidate experiment. Experiment and theory find predominant excitation of the fragment bending mode upon hydrogen bond breaking...
Quantitative proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy detects abnormalities in dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and motor cortex of patients with frontotemporal lobar degeneration

Frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD) is a neurodegenerative disease of the frontal and temporal neocortex. The single most common pathology underlying FTLD is neuronal degeneration with ubiquitin-positive but tau-negative inclusions consisting of Tar DNA binding proteins (TDP-43). Inclusions containing TDP-43 in neurons are also the most common pathology underlying motor neuron disease (MND). The present study tested the hypothesis that abnormal metabolite patterns within the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) as well as the motor cortex (MC) may be observed in FTLD patients without motor disorders, using proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H MRS). Twenty-six FTLD patients with cognitive damage and ten controls underwent multivoxel 1H MRS. Absolute concentrations of N-acetyl aspartate (NAA), creatine (Cr), choline (Cho) and myo-inositol (mI) were measured from the DLPFC, the MC and the parietal cortex (PC, an internal control). Statistical analyses were performed for group differences between FTLD patients and controls. Comparisons were also made across brain regions (PC and DLPFC; PC and MC) within FTLD patients. Significant reductions in NAA and Cr along with increased Cho and mI were observed in the DLPFC of FTLD patients compared to controls. Significantly lower NAA and higher Cho were also observed in the MCs of patients as compared to controls. Within the FTLD patients, both the MC and the DLPFC exhibited significantly decreased NAA and elevated Cho compared to the PC. However, only the DLPFC had significantly lower Cr and higher mI. Abnormal metabolite pattern from the MC supports the hypothesis that FTLD and MND may be closely linked.
The distribution of polymer fractions

Systems which obey the Flory-Scott equation are discussed, and it is shown that the molecular-weight distribution of increasingly small fractions taken from a polymer solution of the same initial concentration becomes constant. Means of calculating this limiting distribution of an incipient fraction are presented, and it is shown that, in a practical sense, all fractions smaller than the order of one-sixth the polymer present have nearly the same distribution. To obtain sharp fractions it is more efficacious to take a small number of cuts per stage and refractionate a number of times.
Selection in a Subdivided Population With Dominance or Local Frequency Dependence

The interplay between population structure and natural selection is an area of great interest. It is known that certain types of population subdivision do not alter fixation probabilities of selected alleles under genic, frequency-independent selection. In the presence of dominance for fitness or frequency-dependent selection these same types of subdivision can have large effects on fixation probabilities. For example, the barrier to fixation of a fitter allele due to underdominance is reduced by subdivision. Analytic results presented here relate a subdivided population that conforms to a finite island model to an approximately equivalent panmictic population. The size of this equivalent population is different from (larger than) the actual size of the subdivided population. Selection parameters are also different in the hypothetical equivalent population. As expected, the degree of dominance is lower in the equivalent population. The results are not limited to dominance but cover any form of polynomial frequency dependence.
Using Functional Behavior Assessment to Develop Behavior Interventions for Students in Head Start

A withdrawal design repeated across three children enrolled in two Head Start classrooms was used to investigate the effectiveness of functional assessment-based interventions to decrease inappropriate behavior. The two questions addressed in the study were (a) Will a behavior intervention plan based on functional behavior assessment conducted in the natural setting be effective in reducing inappropriate classroom behavior for young children? and (b) Will teachers perceive assessment-based interventions to be acceptable and feasible? Results indicated that the procedure yielded effective behavior interventions and teachers found the interventions socially valid. The use of functional assessment as a preventive and proactive strategy is discussed.
Probability Models for Multiprogramming Computer Systems

A probabilistic model is developed for a multiprogramming computer configuration, i.e., one in which several program segments are simultaneously in main memory (core). The model relates speed and number of input-output devices, core size, and central processor speed to central processor and system productivity. Incorporated in the model are parameters describing the statistical variability of input-output and central processor activities. Thus the model permits comparisons between systems loaded with different mixtures of job types (“scientific” vs. “business” applications). Numerical comparisons of various systems are provided.
Magnetic resonance imaging diagnosis of brain tumors in dogs

A great deal of information is now available regarding the range of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) features of many primary and secondary brain tumors from dogs. In this review, these canine neoplasms are grouped into meningeal masses, ventricular masses, intra-axial enhancing lesions, intra-axial mildly to non-enhancing lesions, and multifocal lesions. For each of these patterns, the major and sporadic neoplastic differential diagnoses are provided, and guidance on how to rank differential diagnoses for each individual patient is presented. The implication of MRI features such as contrast-enhancement, signal intensities and location is discussed. However, the information garnered from MRI must be correlated with all available clinical information and with epidemiological data before creating a differential diagnosis.
Structure-Function Analysis of Peptide Signaling in the Clostridium perfringens Agr-Like Quorum Sensing System

ABSTRACT The accessory growth regulator (Agr)-like quorum sensing (QS) system of Clostridium perfringens controls the production of many toxins, including beta toxin (CPB). We previously showed (J. E. Vidal, M. Ma, J. Saputo, J. Garcia, F. A. Uzal, and B. A. McClane, Mol Microbiol 83:179–194, 2012, http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2958.2011.07925.x) that an 8-amino-acid, AgrD-derived peptide named 8-R upregulates CPB production by this QS system. The current study synthesized a series of small signaling peptides corresponding to sequences within the C. perfringens AgrD polypeptide to investigate the C. perfringens autoinducing peptide (AIP) structure-function relationship. When both linear and cyclic ring forms of these peptides were added to agrB null mutants of type B strain CN1795 or type C strain CN3685, the 5-amino-acid peptides, whether in a linear or ring (thiolactone or lactone) form, induced better signaling (more CPB production) than peptide 8-R for both C. perfringens strains. The 5-mer thiolactone ring peptide induced faster signaling than the 5-mer linear peptide. Strain-related variations in sensing these peptides were detected, with CN3685 sensing the synthetic peptides more strongly than CN1795. Consistent with those synthetic peptide results, Transwell coculture experiments showed that CN3685 exquisitely senses native AIP signals from other isolates (types A, B, C, and D), while CN1795 barely senses even its own AIP. Finally, a C. perfringens AgrD sequence-based peptide with a 6-amino-acid thiolactone ring interfered with CPB production by several C. perfringens strains, suggesting potential therapeutic applications. These results indicate that AIP signaling sensitivity and responsiveness vary among C. perfringens strains and suggest C. perfringens prefers a 5-mer AIP to initiate Agr signaling. IMPORTANCE Clostridium perfringens possesses an Agr-like quorum sensing (QS) system that regulates virulence, sporulation, and toxin production. The current study used synthetic peptides to identify the structure-function relationship for the signaling peptide that activates this QS system. We found that a 5-mer peptide induces optimal signaling. Unlike other Agr systems, a linear version of this peptide (in addition to thiolactone and lactone versions) could induce signaling. Two C. perfringens strains were found to vary in sensitivity to these peptides. We also found that a 6-mer peptide can inhibit toxin production by some strains, suggesting therapeutic applications.
Poroelastic model for acoustic land mine detection

Acoustic waves can be a viable tool for the detection and identification of land mines and unexploded ordnance. Design of acoustic instruments and interpretation and processing of acoustic measurements call for accurate numerical models to simulate acoustic wave propagation in a heterogeneous soil with buried objects. Compared with the traditional seismic exploration, high attenuation is unfortunately ubiquitous for shallow surface acoustic measurements because of the loose soil and the fluid in its pore space. To adequately model such acoustic attention, we propose a comprehensive model to simulate the acoustic wave interactions with land mines and soils based on the Biot theory for poroelastic media. The finite-difference time-domain method is then used to solve the Biot equations. For the truncation of the computational domain in the FDTD method, we extend the acoustic and elastic perfectly matched layer (PML) to poroelastic media. Numerical experiments show that, with only 10 cells of PML medium, a high attenuation of about 50 dB can be achieved for outgoing waves. The numerical model is validated by comparison with analytical solutions. Unlike the pure elastic wave mode, this efficient PML-FDTD model for poroelastic media incorporates the interactions of waves and the fluid-saturated variation with offset in three different ground media: dry sand, fully water saturated sand and partly water saturated sand. The interaction of elastic wave with a plastic mine buried in dry sand ins simulated. The results show that the surface wave is significantly influenced by the existence of a mine-like object. The diffraction of the surface wave can serve as an acoustic target signature.
Adaptive Caching by Refetching

We are constructing caching policies that have 13-20% lower miss rates than the best of twelve baseline policies over a large variety of request streams. This represents an improvement of 49-63% over Least Recently Used, the most commonly implemented policy. We achieve this not by designing a specific new policy but by using on-line Machine Learning algorithms to dynamically shift between the standard policies based on their observed miss rates. A thorough experimental evaluation of our techniques is given, as well as a discussion of what makes caching an interesting on-line learning problem.
Seismic behavior of high strength concrete beams

Experimental and analytical studies on the seismic performance of high strength concrete beams in moment resisting frame structures are described. Two large-scale high strength concrete and two counterpart normal strength concrete model beams with a length-to-depth ratio of 6·0 (i.e. shear span ratio of 3·0) have been tested under cyclic shear and double bending. The beams were heavily reinforced in the longitudinal direction to study beam performance under high seismic shear demand. Transverse reinforcement was designed following the seismic design provisions of current ACI 318–95 code. Both high and normal strength concrete beams developed ductile flexural responses. High strength concrete beams exhibited increased capacity and improved hysteretic performance compared to normal strength concrete beams. A simple analytical approach based on the moment curvature characteristics of critical sections has also been developed to predict the flexural behavior of structural beams. Comparison of analytical and test results indicates that behavior of high strength concrete beams can be satisfactorily predicted. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Correlates of Pain Intensity in Community-Dwelling Individuals With Mild to Moderate Dementia

Objectives:To identify correlates of participant-reported pain in community-dwelling individuals with mild to moderate dementia.Methodology:Associations among participant-reported pain intensity and depressive symptoms, mental health diagnoses, pain diagnoses, pain medications, level of functional ability, and cognitive impairment were assessed in 136 community-dwelling veterans with mild to moderate dementia and pain. Univariate and multiple regressions were used to assess relationships among the independent variables and participant-reported pain.Results:Pain diagnoses (β = .23, t132 = 2.65, P < .01) and pain medications (β = .21, t132 = 2.48, P < .05) were correlated with participant-reported pain intensity in univariate regression models. Only pain diagnoses (β = .20, t132 = 2.17, P < .05) remained a significant predictor in adjusted models.Conclusion:Participant-reported pain in individuals with dementia appears to be a unique construct for which other psychosocial indicators cannot be substituted. T...
Robust location detection in emergency sensor networks

We propose a new framework for providing robust location detection in emergency response systems, based on the theory of identifying codes. The key idea of this approach is to allow sensor coverage areas to overlap in such a way that each resolvable position is covered by a unique set of sensors. In this setting, determining a sensor-placement with a minimum number of sensors is equivalent to constructing an optimal identifying code, an NP-complete problem in general. We thus propose and analyze a new polynomial-time algorithm for generating irreducible codes for arbitrary topologies. We also generalize the concept of identifying codes to incorporate robustness properties that are critically needed in emergency networks and provide a polynomial-time algorithm to compute irreducible robust identifying codes. Through analysis and simulation, we show that our approach typically requires significantly fewer sensors than existing proximity-based schemes. Alternatively, for a fixed number of sensors, our scheme can provide robustness in the face of sensor failures or physical damage to the system.
Hybrid electric vehicle with permanent magnet traction motor: a simulation model

A simulation model for a hybrid electric vehicle is developed. A permanent magnet synchronous motor is considered for the drive part of the hybrid electric vehicle which comprises three energy sources: (i) a fuel cell, (ii) a battery bank, and (iii) a supercapacitor. A rotor-oriented speed controller is designed, and also verified by simulation results, to achieve trajectory tracking requirements of the hybrid electric vehicle within the inverter voltage and current limits.
Vegetation Change After 65 Years of Grazing and Grazing Exclusion

The Nevada Plots exclosure system was constructed in 1937 following passage of the Taylor Grazing Act to assess long-term effects of livestock grazing on Nevada rangelands. A comparison of vegetation characteristics inside and outside exclosures was conducted during 2001 and 2002 at 16 sites. Data analysis was performed with a paired t test. Out of 238 cover and density comparisons between inside and outside exclosures at each site, 34 (14% of total) were different (P 4 species at any site. Few changes in species composition, cover, density, and production inside and outside exclosures have occurred in 65 years, indicating that recovery rates since pre-Taylor Grazing Act conditions were similar under moderate grazing and grazing exclusion on these exclosure sites.
Optimal Policies for Security Patch Management

Effective patch management is critical to ensure the security of information systems that modern organizations count on today. Facing numerous patch releases from vendors, an information technology IT manager must weigh the costs of frequent patching against the security risks that can arise from delays in patch application. To this end, we develop a rigorous quantitative framework to analyze and compare several patching policies that are of practical interest. Our analyses of pure policies-policies that rely on a single metric such as elapsed time or patch severity level-show that certain policies are never optimal and no single policy may fit all information systems uniformly well. Depending on the context parameters, particularly the setup and business disruption costs for patching, either a time-based approach or an approach based on the cumulative severity level may be effective. To develop a more complete guideline for policy selection, we decipher hybrid policies that combine multiple metrics. Finally, we conduct extensive numerical experiments to verify the robustness of our analytical results. Overall, our paper establishes a comprehensive framework for analyzing various patching policies and furnishes useful insights for IT managers.
Earth stations on moving platforms

Earth stations on moving platforms (ESOMPs) are a new generation of satellite terminals designed to provide on-the-move broadband communication services to land vehicles, aircraft, and ships. ESOMPs use very small antennas and require tracking systems to maintain accurate pointing to the target satellite. Because they operate while moving, there may be instances when antenna mispointing may produce interference to other satellites or other radio systems. To account for pointing errors and other time-varying characteristics of a network of ESOMPs, it is necessary to use statistical approaches for interference analysis. This paper provides an overview of ESOMPs, their technical and operational characteristics, statistical approaches for interference analysis, and the standards and regulatory challenges that must be addressed for their successful operation.
Structural and electrolyte properties of Li4P2S6

Abstract Experiment and simulations are used to investigate the structural and electrolyte properties of Li4P2S6. Compared with other thiophosphate materials, Li4P2S6 is quite stable, maintaining its crystal structure up to temperatures as high as 950 °C in vacuum and up to 280 °C in air. While its ionic conductivity is small, 2.38 × 10− 7 S/cm at 25 °C and 2.33 × 10− 6 S/cm at 100 °C, its Arrhenius activation energy of 0.29 eV is similar to technologically viable electrolytes. Computer simulations provide insight into the causes and effects of disorder in this material and also indicate that the mechanism of the ion conduction is dominated by interstitial sites.
You Write, but Others Read: Common Methodological Misunderstandings in PLS and Related Methods

PLS and related methods are currently enjoying widespread popularity in part due to the availability of easy to use computer programs that require very little technical knowledge. Most of these methods focus on examining a fit function with respect to a set of free or constrained parameters for a given collection of data under certain assumptions. Although much has been written about the assumptions underpinning these methods, many misconceptions are prevalent among users and sometimes even appear in premier scholarly journals. In this chapter, we discuss a variety of methodological misunderstandings that warrant careful consideration before indiscriminately applying these methods.
Altering the Enantioselectivity of Tyrosyl-tRNA Synthetase by Insertion of a Stereospecific Editing Domain

Translation of mRNAs by the ribosome is stereospecific, with only l-amino acids being incorporated into the nascent polypeptide chain. This stereospecificity results from the exclusion of d-amino acids at three steps during protein synthesis: (1) the aminoacylation of tRNA by aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases, (2) binding of aminoacyl-tRNAs to EF-Tu, and (3) recognition of aminoacyl-tRNAs by the ribosome. As a first step toward incorporating d-amino acids during protein synthesis, we have altered the enantioselectivity of tyrosyl-tRNA synthetase. This enzyme is unusual among aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases, as it can aminoacylate tRNA with d-tyrosine (albeit at a reduced rate compared to l-tyrosine). To change the enantioselectivity of tyrosyl-tRNA synthetase, we introduced the post-transfer editing domain from Pyrococcus horikoshii phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetase into the connective polypeptide 1 (CP1) domain of Geobacillus stearothermophilus tyrosyl-tRNA synthetase (henceforth designated TyrRS-FRSed). We show that the...
Binary phase gratings in liquid crystal-polymer composites using anisotropic phase separation method

Liquid crystals (LCs) are useful for constructing a variety of diffractive optical elements owing to their pure-phase modulation properties and large anisotropic optical characteristics. In this work, using anisotropic phase separation method, the LC/polymer binary grating is fabricated and analyzed.
An Analysis of 113 ADR Induced by Ceftezole Sodium in Our Hospital

Objective:To probe into the general pattern and features of adverse drug reactions(ADR)caused by ceftezole sodium so as to provide reference for clinical rational medication.Methods:A total of 113 ADR reports of intravenous ceftezole sodium reported in Shenzhen Children's Hospital from 2007 to 2009 were analyzed statistically.Results:The ADR rate was significantly higher in boys(74.34%)than that in girls(25.66%).The younger children were,the more prone they were to ADR.The ADR were mainly manifested as lesions of skin and its appendages(90.27%).Conclusions:It is advisable to strengthen the rational use of medicines management and improve the skin test methods to reduce the incidence of ADR.
Mathematical Modeling for the Impulse Signal of Automobile Crash

This paper studies the acceleration shock pulses during cars collision.In order to solve the problem of crash energy and complex acceleration curve that is hard to express,it proposes a method of making complex acceleration curve,establishes the mathematical relational model,and offers their estimated formulas by analyzing the time domain and frequency domain of crash pulses.The experiment results show that it can analyze parameters on the domain of both time and frequency from the energy point,compare to the energy of impact,be easy for simulation analysis,and also evaluate the process and characteristics of the collision impact.This method provides a very good reference value of the creation and control of acceleration curves for practical automobile collision impacts,as well as the analysis of finite element analysis simulation.
The prevalence of hemorrhoids and chronic constipation: An epidemiologic study

Hemorrhoids are a frequently occurring disorder widely believed to be caused by chronic constipation. In the present study, the epidemiology of hemorrhoids was evaluated and compared with the epidemiology of constipation. The analysis was based on 4 data sources: from the United States, the National Health Interview Survey, the National Hospital Discharge Survey, and the National Disease and Therapeutic Index; from England and Wales, the Morbidity Statistics from General Practice. Results showed that 10 million people in the United States complained of hemorrhoids, corresponding to a prevalence rate of 4.4%. In both sexes, a peak in prevalence was noted from age 45-65 yr, with a subsequent decrease after age 65 yr. The development of hemorrhoids before age 20 yr was unusual. Whites were affected more frequently than blacks, and increased prevalence rates were associated with higher socioeconomic status. This was in contrast to the epidemiology of constipation, which demonstrated an exponential increase in prevalence after age 65 yr and was more common in blacks and in families with low incomes or low social status. The data presented illustrate differences in the epidemiologic behavior of hemorrhoids and constipation, calling the presumption of causality between constipation and hemorrhoids into question.
An Exploratory Study of the Relations Between Perceived Emotion Strength and Articulatory Kinematics.

Acoustic and articulatory behaviors underlying emotion strength perception are studied by analyzing acted emotional speech. Listeners evaluated emotion identity, strength and confidence. Parameters related to pitch, loudness and articulatory kinematics are associated with a 2-level (strong/weak) representation of the emotion strength. Two-class discriminant analyses show averaged leave-one-out accuracies of 65.8% and 63.8% in the acoustic and articulatory domains, respectively. Two-factor ANOVA (emotion type/strength) indicates that the listeners assess the emotion strength based on the nature of perceived emotions in the arousal dimension. Only hot anger and happiness show significant differences in pitch use in the strength contrast. Such contrasts are also observed in tongue lowering and/or advancing. The strength contrast by listeners may mainly rely upon pitch and loudness. However, interactions between the acoustic and articulatory parameters in strength perception are complex.
Conception rate in Bos taurus and Bos indicus crossbred heifers after postweaning energy manipulation and synchronization of estrus with melengestrol acetate and fenprostalene.

Conception rate in heifers after synchronization of estrus with melengestrol acetate (MGA) and fenprostalene (a prostaglandin F2 alpha analogue; PGF) was determined in pubertal Bos taurus and Bos indicus crossbred yearling heifers. Angus x Hereford (AH, n = 137) and Brahman x Hereford (BH, n = 97) heifers were sorted by body weight after weaning into light (LW) and heavy (HW) weight blocks. Heifers were assigned by age to diets to reach a target weight of 55% (LE) or 65% (HE) of their projected mature weight by the start of breeding. Heifers that exhibited estrus and had serum progesterone greater than or equal to 1 ng/ml (0 or 10 d before estrous synchronization treatment) were assigned randomly within breed and nutritional groups to either an estrous synchronization (S) or control (C) group. Heifers in the S group were fed .5 mg of MGA for 7 d and injected s.c. with 2 mg PGF on d 7 of MGA. All heifers were inseminated 12 h after first detected estrus. A greater proportion of AH (P less than .01) than of BH heifers were in estrus within 6 d after PGF, and more S heifers than C heifers (P less than .01) were in estrus. Conception rate at first service was proportionately higher (P less than .001) in AH than in BH heifers and lower (P less than .02) in S than in C heifers. There was a breed x energy level interaction (P less than .01) for conception rate at first service. Stage of the estrous cycle at the time treatment with MGA was initiated influenced (P less than .05) conception rate at first service in the S, AH heifers, with lower conception rates among heifers beginning treatment late in their estrous cycles (greater than or equal to d 12). Pregnancy rates after 21 d were higher (P less than .01) in AH than in BH heifers and higher (P less than .01) in HW than in LW heifers. More HE than LE heifers (P less than .02), and more AH than BH heifers were pregnant after 45 d. Pregnancy rates at the end of 21 d were higher among HE, BH heifers than among LE contemporaries. A higher (P less than .02) percentage of HE, HW, BH heifers were pregnant at the end of 45 d compared with other BH groups. Results indicated that a 7-d MGA-PGF treatment reduced conception rates at first service in pubertal yearling heifers. Pregnancy rate was affected by prebreeding nutrition in BH yearling heifers at the end of 45 d.
Management of uterine fibromyomas.

In cases in which pain, backache, vaginal bleeding, constipation, dyspareunia and numerous other symptoms are attributed to a fibromyoma of the uterus, one should analyze and treat the symptoms before recommending surgical intervention. If a thorough study does not reveal any other cause for these symptoms or for sterility, the surgeon should evaluate the fibromyoma and treat the patient as indicated.
The Representation Theory of Finite Groups

This chapter discusses the representation theory of finite groups. Every irreducible representation of a group G occurs as an irreducible constituent of the regular representation. The number of irreducible representations of G is the same as the number of principal indecomposable representations. The chapter presents a theorem regarding the number of inequivalent irreducible representations of the group G in an algebraically closed field F. The degree of a character is defined as the degree of the corresponding representation. In linear characters, the characters of degree one is called linear. As a representation of degree one is a number, it coincides with its character.
Trying to Understand Waiting for Godot: An Adornian Analysis of Beckett’s Signature Work

AbstractAdorno had such an affinity for Beckett that he dedicated his posthumously published work, Aesthetic Theory, to him. In 1961, he wrote a thoughtful—if dizzyingly complex—tribute to Beckett’s play, Endgame, a work that models many aspects of Adorno’s cultural criticism. My aim, accordingly, is to offer an Adornian reading of Beckett’s Waiting for Godot by drawing upon his critiques of music, aesthetics, and the culture industry. My goal is twofold: to offer a refreshing analysis of one of the most significant dramatic achievements of the twentieth century, and, in doing so, to demonstrate Adorno’s relevance to contemporary cultural studies by deploying multiple elements of his oeuvre.
Scintillation recording and playback in free-space optical links

The performance of a free-space optical (FSO) communication system is strongly affected by optical scintillation. Scintillation fades can cause errors when the power on a detector falls below its noise floor while surges can overload a detector. The very long time scale of scintillation compared to a typical bit in an FSO link means that error-correcting protocols designed for fiber optic links are inappropriate for FSO links. Comparing the performance effects of different components, such as photodetectors or protocols, such as forward error correction, in the field is difficult because conditions are constantly changing. On the other hand, laboratory-based turbulence simulators may not really simulate the effects of long-range propagation through the atmosphere. We have investigated a different approach. Scintillation has been measured during field tests using FSO terminals by sending a continuous wave beam through the atmosphere. A high dynamic range photodetector was digitized at a 5-KHz rate and files of the intensity variations were saved. Many hours of scintillation data under different environmental conditions and at different sites have been combined into a library of data. A fiber-optic-based scintillation playback system was then used in the laboratory to test modems and protocols with the recorded irradiance files. This enabled comparisons using the same atmospheric conditions allowing optimization of such parameters as detector dynamic range. It also allowed comparison and optimization of different error correcting protocols.
Individualized education programmes and parental behaviours for children with disabilities: moderation effects of head start on children's developmental outcomes

This study examined associations among Head Start attendance, individualized education programmes (IEPs), parental behaviours and child outcomes in a sample of five-hundred and seventy 3- to 4-year-old children with disabilities. Home language, number of disabilities and Head Start enrollment were associated with having an IEP. Parents of children with IEPs and those who participated in Head Start used more social services, while social support was more prevalent for parents of non-Head Start children with IEPs. For all children, frequent parental book reading, greater number of books in the home and greater perceived social support among parents were associated with favourable cognitive and social–emotional outcomes. Greater social service use was adversely associated with reading scores only for non-Head Start children. Findings highlight the need for inclusive IEP policies and Head Start programmes for parents regarding access to special education supports for children who demonstrate developmental concerns. Participation in Head Start may buffer negative effects of social service use on children's reading skill development, although more research is needed to uncover the specific mechanisms responsible for this association.
Evaluation of Wettability from Capillary Rise between Filaments

Measurements of the liquid capillary rise between filaments mounted in the form of a vertical “V” are reported and their consequences discussed. At a critical spacing between the filaments, there is a configurational change in the rise, analogous to the onset of wicking action in parallel horizontal filaments. This critical spacing may be used as a relative index of wettability. The wettability of nylon and polypropylene filaments in a series of liquids is compared to illustrate the method. A thermodynamic derivation of the relation between capillary rise and spacing at less than the critical spacing is discussed.
Disruption of the Crosstalk CXCL12/CXCR4 Chemotactic Pathway To Enhance Melphalan-Induced Apoptosis in Multiple Myeloma Cell Lines.

INTRODUCTION: Multiple myeloma cells display functional CXCR4 chemokine receptor that stimulates the migration of these cells toward their natural ligand, CXCL12 (stromal-derived factor, SDF-1a). CXCL12 is secreted by bone marrow stroma. Consistent with their CXCR4 expression, myeloma cells home to the marrow microenvironment, where adhesive interactions promote growth, survival, and confer cell adhesion-mediated drug resistance. METHODS U266-B1 cells (ATCC myeloma cell line) were pre-treated with recombinant CXCL12 for 30 minutes prior to the addition of melphalan for up to 72 hours. Both melphalan and CXCL12 were added at 24 hour intervals. Cell lines alone and cell lines with only melphalan or only CXCL12 were used as controls. We have also tested the influence of adding AMD3100, a reversible inhibitor of CXCR4, on myeloma cell survival. U266-B1 cells in media alone were pre-treated with AMD3100 for 24 hours prior to treatment with melphalan for 16 hours. Cell viability following treatment was quantified by flow cytometry assay using Annexin-V-FITC staining. Western blot analysis was used to quantify the apoptotic activity of the cell lines using 4 apoptotic markers: PARP (poly ADP-ribose polymerase), caspase-3, Bcl-2, and Mcl-1. RESULTS: Recombinant CXCL12 conferred a protective effect to myeloma cell lines during melphalan treatment. This effect was more pronounced at 72 hours of treatment. Western blot analysis showed diminished expression of the apoptotic markers, cleaved PARP (poly ADP-ribose polymerase) and active caspase-3 in the melphalan-treated cell lines with prior exposure to CXCL12. Additionally, pretreatment with AMD3100 resulted in enhanced apoptosis following melphalan treatment. CONCLUSION: Our data showed that CXCL12, a naturally occurring cytokine secreted by bone marrow stromal cells confers a protective effect on myeloma cells against apoptosis. Disruption of this effect by AMD3100 resulted in enhanced melphalan-induced apoptosis of myeloma cells. We are continuing to study this effect with the potential future utility of AMD3100 as a melphalan chemo-sensitizer in the treatment of multiple myeloma.
Abstract IA10: DNA repair mutations in ovarian carcinoma and relationship to therapeutic response

Ovarian carcinomas with germline or somatic mutations in BRCA1 and BRCA2 are sensitive to platinum chemotherapy and to PARP inhibitors. The therapeutic role of damaging mutations in other homologous recombination genes is less certain. We will review various measures of homologous recombination deficiency in ovarian cancer and their correlation with efficacy of PARP inhibitor therapy in the relapsed setting. Citation Format: Elizabeth M. Swisher. DNA repair mutations in ovarian carcinoma and relationship to therapeutic response [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on DNA Repair: Tumor Development and Therapeutic Response; 2016 Nov 2-5; Montreal, QC, Canada. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Mol Cancer Res 2017;15(4_Suppl):Abstract nr IA10.
Association of Glaucoma-Related, Optical Coherence Tomography-Measured Macular Damage With Vision-Related Quality of Life.

Importance Little is known about the association between structural macular damage and self-reported visual function of people with glaucoma. Objective To determine the association between vision-related quality of life among patients with primary open-angle glaucoma with structural macular retinal ganglion cell plus inner plexiform layer (RGC+IPL) loss identified by spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) machine-generated deviation maps and thickness measurements. Design, Setting, and Participants This cross-sectional prospective study was conducted from March 1, 2014, to March 30, 2015, at the Department of Ophthalmology at Columbia University Medical Center. The participants were 107 patients who were enrolled in the study and represented the entire range of glaucomatous damage. All 214 eyes of the 107 participants underwent 10-2 visual field tests and SD-OCT scans, and all participants completed the 25-item National Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire (NEI VFQ-25). They also received ophthalmologic examination, including medical history review, best-corrected visual acuity, slitlamp biomicroscopy, intraocular pressure measurement, gonioscopy, dilated ophthalmoscopy, and standard automated perimetry. Macular RGC+IPL loss was determined by diffuse or focal patterns on SD-OCT–generated deviation maps (probability map that compared patients with aged-matched normative database) and thickness measurements. Main Outcomes and Measures Regression analyses to assess the association of NEI VFQ-25 scores (score range: 41.9-99.5; higher scores indicate better functioning) with patterns of RGC+IPL loss and with RGC+IPL thickness measurements. Results Of the 107 patients, 48 (45%) were men and the mean (SD) age was 65 (11) years. The self-reported race/ethnicity of participants consisted of 45 (46%) black, 47 (48%) white, and 6 (6%) “other” individuals. In the univariable analyses, patients with diffuse macular RGC+IPL loss had mean composite Rasch-calibrated NEI VFQ-25 scores that were 6.15 points lower than the scores of patients with focal damage (β = −6.15; 95% CI, −11.7 to −0.59; P = .03). The effect remained significant even after controlling for mean RGC+IPL thickness (β = −7.64; 95% CI, −14.2 to −1.03; P = .02). Conclusions and Relevance Characteristic patterns of glaucoma-related macular RGC+IPL loss appeared to be more important predictors of vision-related quality of life than thickness measures, with diffuse RGC+IPL loss as an indicator for diminished vision-related quality of life.
Measuring suitability of soybean products for early-weaned pigs with immunological criteria.

Two trials were conducted to determine the suitability of soybean products for baby pigs. Weanling pigs (n = 40 and 48 in Trials 1 and 2, respectively) were infused orally (6 g/d) with dried skim milk, soybean meal (SBM, 48% CP); soy protein concentrate, moist extruded soy protein concentrate, or soy protein isolate from d 7 to 12 of age. Pigs were then fed a diet containing the same protein source for 1 (Trial 1) or 2 (Trial 2) wk after weaning (d 21 of age). To avoid exposure of pigs to soybean proteins, the dams of pigs were fed a corn-corn gluten meal-based diet supplemented with lysine and tryptophan from d 109 of gestation. All pigs in Trial 1 were killed at 28 d of age, and samples of ileal digesta and small intestine were obtained. In Trial 2, the soy protein isolate was not included, and all pigs were fed a diet containing 4% soybean oil and 1.25% lysine for the last 3 wk of the trial. Growth performance, skin-fold thickness, after intradermal injection of extracts of the corresponding proteins, and anti-soy immunoglobulin G (IgG) titers were measured. Results indicated that pigs fed diets containing SBM had lower (P less than .05) villus height and xylose absorption but higher (P less than .05) serum anti-soy IgG titers and increased skin-fold thickness compared with the mean of pigs given milk and all other soy treatments.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Admission for COPD Exacerbation Is Associated with the Clinical Diagnosis of Pulmonary Hypertension: Results from a Retrospective Longitudinal Study of a Veteran Population

Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and pulmonary hypertension (PH-COPD) have an increased risk of hospitalizations and death compared to COPD alone. Identifying PH in COPD is challenging because performing right heart catheterization, the gold standard for PH diagnosis, is invasive and not routinely performed. Clinical characterization of COPD patients at risk who are progressing toward PH will aid therapeutic development at earlier stages of progressively fatal PH-COPD. We studied the records of 5,45,086 patients in a large Veterans Affairs healthcare network (2000-2012) with a primary discharge diagnosis of COPD based on encounters' ICD-9 codes and further stratified into those who received an additional ICD-9 code for a PH diagnosis. Patients with PH-COPD were assigned to one of the four subgroups: those with (a) no history of exacerbation or hospital admissions, (b) history of exacerbations but no hospital admissions, (c) hospital admissions unrelated to COPD and (d) history of COPD exacerbation-related hospital admissions. We also examined the COPD and COPD-PH cohorts for associated comorbidities such as cardiac disease and the presence of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). A regression analysis revealed that patients with COPD exacerbation-related hospital admissions had 7 × higher risk of having a concomitant clinical diagnosis of PH compared to non-hospitalized patients. COPD-PH patients had higher rates of cardiac comorbidities (89% vs. 66%) and OSA (34% vs. 16%) compared to COPD alone. We conclude that COPD patients hospitalized for COPD exacerbations are at a higher risk for developing PH, and hospitalized COPD patients with cardiac comorbidities and/or OSA should be screened as at-risk population for developing PH.
Ultrastructure of the extracorporeal tube and “cement glands” in the sessile rotifer Limnias melicerta (Rotifera: Gnesiotrocha)

Rotifers are common aquatic microscopic invertebrates. Most rotifers are planktonic but several gnesiotrochan species are sessile and produce tubular sheaths around their bodies. These tubes have a variable morphology and may be produced by different glands. Here, we applied scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) to study the ultrastructure of the tube and its potential origin of secretion in Limnias melicerta. Results from SEM confirm earlier observations that juvenile rotifers first secrete a segment-less tube and then add segments as they grow. Tubes consist of two distinct secretions: an inner mucus-like layer that extends from the base to the foot region of the adult, and an external layer that is secreted by “cement cells” sensu Wright. The external layer consists of a series of thickened rings and elongated girdles, both of which are somewhat fibrous in appearance and occasionally show differences in electron density. The ultrastructure of the “cement cells” indicates that these secretory regions are not cellular but rather a modified region of the syncytial integument that forms a belt-like gland around the animal. This gland is highly papillated due to localized folding of the intracytoplasmic lamina of the integument. The ultrastructure of the gland shows a voluminous swelling of the syncytium with abundant endoplasmic reticulum and secretion vesicles. At least three types of membrane-bound secretion vesicles are present based on electron density. We hypothesize that the gland is constitutively active but secretions are only released when a threshold level is reached.
The Effects of Residual Air and Viscosity on the Rate of Heat Penetration of Retort Food Simulant in Pouch When Using Static and Oscillating Motions.

The objectives of this work were to determine the effect of 3 levels of residual air and 2 different retort motions on the value of the average heating slope of the rate of heat penetration of 3 different viscosities of a food simulant in flexible retort pouches. Pouches were thermally processed in a water spray automated batch retort system using 2 different methods of motion: static and oscillating continuously at a speed of 10.5 rotations per min (RPM) with an angle of 15°. Nine residual air and viscosity combinations were processed during each experimental run: low viscosity with no residual air (LV-NRA), medium viscosity with no residual air (MV-NRA), high viscosity with no residual air (HV-NRA), low viscosity with medium residual air (LV-MRA), medium viscosity with medium residual air (MV-MRA), high viscosity with medium residual air (HV-MRA), low viscosity with high residual air (LV-HRA), medium viscosity with high residual air (MV-HRA), and high viscosity with high residual air (HV-HRA). As the amount of residual air in the pouches increased, the average heating slope value decreased in both static and oscillating motions. As the viscosity of the product increased the amount of residual air affected the average heating slope less in static and oscillating motions. Overall, the oscillating motion resulted in faster rates of heat penetration in all viscosities compared to static mode. The oscillating motion reduced processing times up to 27% compared to static mode. This research can be applied to food manufacturers that are retorting foods in pouches. Residual air in pouches has been studied previously; however, with the development of new retort motions, more research needs to be conducted about the effect of residual air in a pouch using the different motions. Food manufacturers can use this information to optimize their amount of residual air based on their product viscosity and retort motion. This could dramatically lower processing time which would save money and increase output as well as potentially increases product quality. This research is aimed at influencing food manufacturers, process authorities, and product developers.