cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Consumers' Responses to Positive and Negative Comparative Advertisements: The Moderating Effect of Current Brand Usage

Recognizing the increased popularity of “attack” advertising in the media today, this study empirically examines consumers' responses to negatively and positively framed comparative advertisements, while controlling for brand usage (i.e., users versus nonusers of the compared-to brand). Using researcher-developed ads as experimental stimuli, measures were taken of consumers' attitudes toward the advertisement and brand-attribute beliefs (comparative beliefs). Results indicate that individuals' responses to negative/positive comparative ads are differentially influenced by whether or not the consumer uses or does not use the compared-to brand. Brand users responded more favorably to the positively framed ad and, importantly, were more inclined to believe message claims about the ad sponsor when presented in a positive frame. Nonusers, on the other hand, responded no more (or less) favorably to a positively framed ad than to a negatively framed one. However, consistent with the “negativity bias” hypothesis,...
Model updating based on sensitivities of system matrices

A new approach, which allows the physical parameters to be adjusted and preserves the structural connectivity condition, is developed in this paper. This approach is based on the sensitivities of the mass and stiffness matrices with respect to physical parameters in an attempt to use test data to correct the analytical model. The analytical mass and stiffness matrices can be corrected simultaneously. The modal data of the updated model dramatically converges to that of the test model. A numerical example is presented to illustrate the feasibility of this approach. Comparisons with the other methods are also given.
Risk factors for splenectomy in children with blunt splenic trauma

Background/Purpose: Nonoperative management and splenic preservation have become standards of care for management of pediatric blunt splenic trauma. However, review of the Pennsylvania Trauma Outcome Study (PTOS) registry found that 15% of children with blunt splenic injury still underwent splenectomy. The authors sought to determine the factors that predisposed to splenectomy in this population. Methods: Between 1993 and 1997, 754 children, ages 0 to 16 years, who sustained blunt splenic trauma were entered in the PTOS database. These patients were stratified into groups according to the mode of management: nonoperative, splenorrhaphy, or splenectomy. Logistic regression was performed to determine factors associated with splenectomy. Results: Overall, 15.1% of patients underwent splenectomy, 7.4% underwent splenorrhaphy, and 77.5% were treated nonoperatively. Spleen injury grade, nonspleen abdominal injuries, Glasgow Coma Scale 3 to 8, and age 15 to 16 years were significant determinants of splenectomy by multivariate analysis. Children treated at pediatric trauma centers (PTC) underwent significantly fewer splenectomies. Conclusions: Injury grade, but not hemodynamic instability, was a significant independent determinant of splenectomy in children with blunt splenic trauma. Children treated at PTC are less likely to undergo splenectomy. Ongoing analysis of the management of blunt pediatric splenic injury and reduction of unnecessary splenectomies are needed to optimize care for injured children.
Predictably tuning the frontier molecular orbital energy levels of panchromatic low band gap BODIPY-based conjugated polymers

Here we report the synthesis, electrochemical properties, and optical properties of five novel π-conjugated alternating copolymers based on the BODIPY core. These polymers were synthesized via the Sonogashira polymerization reaction and contain BODIPY units alternating with comonomers such as 9,9-bis(2-ethylhexyl)-9H-fluorene (FL), 9-(2-ethylhexyl)-9H-carbazole (CBz), 2,2′-bithiophene (BT), 4,4-bis(2-ethylhexyl)-4H-cyclopenta[2,1-b:3,4-b']dithiophene (CPDT) and 4-(2-ethylhexyl)-4H-dithieno[3,2-b:2',3'-d]pyrrole (DTP). These comonomers were rationally chosen based on their gas phase ionization potential (IP) values estimated by density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Cyclic voltammetry on drop-cast thin films, as well as solutions of these polymers, revealed that the highest occupied molecular orbitals (HOMOs) of the resulting polymers correlated well with the ionization potentials (donor strength) of the comonomers. On the contrary, the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) energy levels of all copolymers were fairly invariant, independent of the comonomer used. This suggests that the BODIPY moiety provides the primary influence on the LUMO levels of the polymer. In addition to the experimentally determined HOMO/LUMO energy levels bearing good correlation with theoretical estimates, all polymers were found to possess broad absorption spectra covering the entire visible range, thus making them truly panchromatic. These polymers provide us with a toolset to tune the frontier molecular orbital energy levels, while retaining the low band gap and broad absorption of these polymers.
Simultaneous in vivo imaging of melanin and lipofuscin in the retina with multimodal photoacoustic ophthalmoscopy

We combined photoacoustic ophthalmoscopy (PAOM) with autofluorescence imaging for simultaneous in vivo imaging of dual molecular contrasts in the retina using a single light source. The dual molecular contrasts come from melanin and lipofuscin in the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE). Melanin and lipofuscin are two types of pigments and are believed to play opposite roles (protective vs. exacerbate) in the RPE in the aging process. We successfully imaged the retina of pigmented and albino rats at different ages. The experimental results showed that multimodal PAOM system can be a potentially powerful tool in the study of age-related degenerative retinal diseases.
An enzymic approach to the analysis of microbial activity during plant litter decomposition

Abstract The microbial degradation of plant litter is mediated by extracellular enzymes. Their specificity makes enzyme assays useful for comparing microbial communities, monitoring community succession, evaluating the effects of disturbance or ecosystem variables on microbial processes and for studying microbial processes at the molecular level. Thus far, the application of enzymic techniques to ecological studies of plant litter decomposition has been limited. Applied in combination with general indices of microbial biomass and activity, taxonomic analyses and process rate measurements, enzyme assays offer a mechanistic approach to decomposition studies. This potential is illustrated by discussing the role of cellulase in leaf litter degradation and by proposing a conceptual model of plant litter degradation from an enzymic perspective.
Development Effort of the Lunar Orbiter Laser Altimeter Laser Transmitter

The Lunar Orbiter Laser Altimeter (LOLA) is one of six instruments on the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) with the objectives to determine the global topography of the lunar surface at high resolution, measure landing site slopes and search for polar ices in shadowed regions. The LOLA laser transmitter is a passively q-switched cross-Porro resonator. The flight laser beryllium bench houses two oscillators (a primary oscillator and a cold spare). The two oscillators are designed to operate sequentially during the mission. The secondary laser will be turned on if the primary laser can no longer provide adequate scientific data products. All components used in the laser have space flight heritage. In this paper we will summarize the development effort of the LOLA laser including the material choice, design criteria and contamination control as applied to the flight laser build.
Improving protocols for protein mapping through proper comparison to crystallography data.

Computational approaches to fragment-based drug design (FBDD) can complement experiments and facilitate the identification of potential hot spots along the protein surface. However, the evaluation of computational methods for mapping binding sites frequently focuses upon the ability to reproduce crystallographic coordinates to within a low RMSD threshold. This dependency on the deposited coordinate data overlooks the original electron density from the experiment, thus techniques may be developed based upon subjective—or even erroneous—atomic coordinates. This can become a significant drawback in applications to systems where the location of hot spots is unknown. On the basis of comparison to crystallographic density, we previously showed that mixed-solvent molecular dynamics (MixMD) accurately identifies the active site for HEWL, with acetonitrile as an organic solvent. Here, we concentrated on the influence of protic solvent on simulation and refined the optimal MixMD approach for extrapolation of the me...
Kinetic Study of the Nucleophilic Addition of Diethyl Phosphonate to Benzylideneanilines

The kinetics of the base-catalyzed addition of diethyl phosphonate to some substituted benzylideneanilines were measured by observing the disappearance of the Schiff bases spectrophotometrically. A first-order dependence of the rate on diethyl phosphonate, Schiff base, and ethoxide ion concentration was observed. An atypical Hammett relationship was obtained and a hypothesis advanced which explained the bending of the Hammett plot. The reaction mechanism proposed is discussed in relationship to the spectra and other experimental data.
Tree-Like Structure in Large Social and Information Networks

Although large social and information networks are often thought of as having hierarchical or tree-like structure, this assumption is rarely tested. We have performed a detailed empirical analysis of the tree-like properties of realistic informatics graphs using two very different notions of tree-likeness: Gromov's d-hyperbolicity, which is a notion from geometric group theory that measures how tree-like a graph is in terms of its metric structure, and tree decompositions, tools from structural graph theory which measure how tree-like a graph is in terms of its cut structure. Although realistic informatics graphs often do not have meaningful tree-like structure when viewed with respect to the simplest and most popular metrics, e.g., the value of d or the tree width, we conclude that many such graphs do have meaningful tree-like structure when viewed with respect to more refined metrics, e.g., a size-resolved notion of d or a closer analysis of the tree decompositions. We also show that, although these two rigorous notions of tree-likeness capture very different tree-like structures in worst-case, for realistic informatics graphs they empirically identify surprisingly similar structure. We interpret this tree-like structure in terms of the recently-characterized "nested core-periphery" property of large informatics graphs, and we show that the fast and scalable k-core heuristic can be used to identify this tree-like structure.
Skin in the spotlight: Cosmetic treatments

Gynecologists are faced with an increasing number of questions from patients regarding the latest in cosmetic treatments—from energy-based ones that are used to treat spider veins, acne, acne scarring, and wrinkles to foam sclerotherapy. Each treatment type carries inherent risks and benefits.
Chemotherapy for low-grade gliomas

Low-grade gliomas are the most common histological type of pediatric brain tumor. They can arise in any part of the nervous system. Although low-grade gliomas are slow growing, they often recur or progress, especially in areas such as the diencephalon or brain stem, where resection is limited by proximity to vital and eloquent structures. Radiation has been used to treat progressive low-grade gliomas, but it is not clear that it improves long-term outcome. Radiotherapy also has potential significant cognitive, endocrine, and vascular side- effects. There is a growing body of evidence to suggest that chemotherapy can delay and may obviate the need for radiation therapy or aggressive surgery. This chapter reviews the published chemotherapeutic trials. Chemotherapy appears to have a major role in the management of children with progressive low-grade gliomas.
High-Level Ab Initio Electronic Structure Calculations of Water Clusters (H2O)16 and (H2O)17: A New Global Minimum for (H2O)16

The lowest-energy structures of water clusters (H2O)16 and (H2O)17 were revisited at the MP2 and CCSD(T) levels of theory. A new global minimum structure for (H2O)16 was found at both the MP2 and C...
Signaling pathway puts the break on fat cell formation.

Obesity is approaching epidemic proportions in the western industrialized world, and is also becoming a major problem among young people in eastern and developing countries [1,2,3]. Unfortunately, excess fat or adipose tissue is associated with a wide array of health problems, including increased incidence of type II diabetes, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, sleep apnea, and skeletomuscular problems [4,5,6]. Obesity is the second leading cause of death from “unnecessary” causes in the U.S. (after smoking), and costs individuals and society billions of dollars worldwide to treat. Despite common wisdom that “one just needs to eat less and exercise more” and a multi-billion-dollar diet industry, epidemiological data indicate that the incidence of obesity will continue to rise. This alarming trend is, in part, due to the unprecedented availability of energy-dense foods and an increasingly sedentary lifestyle. These environmental factors may be complicated in some individuals by an unfavorable genetic predisposition. Pharmaceutical companies lead active research programs to identify drugs that target weight control centers in the body and which may help individuals control their weight; however, no satisfactory magic bullet to fight obesity has yet come through the pipeline [7,8].
Superfluidity in Quantum Crystals

The speculations of Chester, Andreev and Lifshitz, and Leggett concerning the possibility of Bose-Einstein condensation and/or superfluidity in quantum crystals are examined. The existing body of experimental data on these systems places extremely strong constraints on the experimental realization of these speculations.
Religion, religiosity, and South Korean consumer switching behaviors

This study investigated the relationship between religious affiliation and level of religiosity and consumer product- and store-switching behavior among South Korean consumers. Comparisons in switching behavior are reported for three different denominational groups prevalent in South Korea (Buddhism, Catholicism, and Protestantism), non-religious affiliated respondents, and among persons exhibiting different levels of religiosity. Religious affiliation, including non-affiliation, was not found to be significantly related to switching behavior. However, consumers reporting high levels of religiosity were found to be significantly less likely to engage in product purchase- and store-switching behaviors than those reporting lower levels of religiosity. Consumers reporting high levels of religiosity are also less likely to engage in product purchase switching behavior than non-religious affiliated consumers (i.e., no religiosity consumers). This pattern held across denominations. Statistically significant differences in switching behavior were not obtained between consumers reporting low levels of religiosity and those respondents who expressed no religious affiliation. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Control schemes for VLSI microprocessors

As microprocessors move into the VLSI era, the number and complexity of the functions they are expected to perform increases beyond the capability of conventional control schemes. This paper discusses the fundamental requirements of such a control system, and explores the possibility of using external microcode control.
Electron impact induced fragmentations and rearrangements of some phenyl substituted phosphine oxides

Electron impact induced fragmentations and rearrangements of 1-phenyl-2,2,3-trimethylphosphetane 1-oxide, 1-phenylphospholane 1-oxide and 1-phenylphosphorinane 1-oxide were investigated. A process common to all of these phosphine oxides was electron impact induced formation of new carbon-carbon bonds involving the phenyl rings. Evidence for such rearrangements included observation of hydrocarbon fragment ions containing seven or more carbons.
A collaborative fuzzy expert system for the Web

A convergence of Internet and fuzzy logic technologies provides an opportunity for experts and end users to collaborate in developing, refining, and testing knowledge-based systems. Internet technology removes geographical and time-based restraints, and fuzzy rule bases are easier to understand and maintain. This paper describes an architecture and a prototype for developing, delivering, and maintaining expert systems on the World Wide Web.The system's collaboration components allowed experts to monitor user consultations remotely, view summaries of responses, and trace-rule inference chains. Experts and users participated in real-time chat sessions or posted questions on extended discussion lists. The system allowed experts and users to experiment with real-time enhancements of knowledge bases. Fuzzy rules resulted in semantically richer knowledge bases that flexibly handled complex and uncertain knowledge. A fuzzy inference engine supported hedges and partial matching to assist users in applying knowledge and exploring Web-based data.
Deadly plague versus mild-mannered TLR4.

Yersinia pestis evades lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammation and establishes deadly infection mediated by myriad virulence factors. Virulence can be completely neutralized, however, if Y. pestis expresses a Toll-like receptor 4–stimulating LPS.
Concrete temperature monitoring using passive wireless surface acoustic wave sensor system

Abstract In this paper, a novel nondestructive method for detecting temperature variations of concrete using a passive wireless surface acoustic wave (SAW) sensor system is described. Performance of the SAW orthogonal frequency coded (OFC) temperature sensors was evaluated in air, liquid, and concrete. To verify the response of the SAW sensor, temperature was also measured using commercially available thermocouples and compared with the extracted temperature in all environmental conditions. Analysis of the measured data showed that the SAW temperature sensor system was successful in detecting temperature over a wide range in all tested conditions with a high degree of accuracy and short interrogation time. When the sensors were embedded within a 2-in. thick concrete cover, the maximum read distance was approximately 4 m.
Customer - Focused Patient Meal Service Delivering Patient Meals With Service Innovation

Abstract LEARNING OUTCOME: To examine the components of the Patient Host Program, an innovative customer focused model for patient meal service delivery, implemented to improve customer satisfaction. The Patient Host Program was developed to improve customer service while increasing efficiency. This model includes six major components. 1) A team was formed and the department was restructured into teams by job functions. All team members are crosstrained within their team. 2) A one week, rotating spoken menu was implemented. Recipies were developed, preparing the food one way for all diet modifications. The alternate menu contains short order and individually portioned items. 3) The Patient Hosts have direct accountability to customers, taking meal orders before each meal, assembling and passing trays. 4) The diet office and menu printing costs were eliminated. Current diet lists and nourishment labels are computer generated prior to each meal. 5) Staffing is adjusted according to patient census and Ten hour shifts assure continuity of care through all three meals. 6) Constant communication within the department and interdepartmentally assures the success of the program. The success of the program is measured by patient satisfaction with a 10 question survey vehicle. Satisfaction measured 87% prior to implementation. After one year, satisfaction consistently exceeds 96%.
Traveling waves and competitive exclusion in models of resource competition and mating interference

Abstract In this article, we study reaction–diffusion models for two closed related biological species ( u and v ) under resource competition and mating interference from v -species to u -species. The effect of one-sided sexual competition makes the trivial state and u -dominance state both unstable, while the v -dominance state is shown to be asymptotically stable with attraction regions and convergent rates depending on the biological parameters. Using the upper–lower solution method, we further prove that for a family of wave speeds, there exist traveling wave solutions connecting the u -dominance state and the v -dominance state at ξ → ∓ ∞ . This confirms an earlier conjecture that unbalanced mating interference will lead to competitive exclusion. These results can also be obtained on an extended model with instantaneous effects of resource competition and temporal delay on mating interference. Through a transformation into three-equation system, we prove that the temporal delay does not affect the stability of the steady states and the existence of the traveling waves, but causes changes on the attraction regions and convergence rates. Finally, numerical simulations are also presented to illustrate the theoretical results.
Alternative therapies for tension-type headache

Treatment of tension-type headache remains very challenging. In addition to conventional therapies, alternative methods such as physical therapy, acupuncture, and botulinum toxin have been studied. In this article, recent literature is reviewed and discussed and challenges for the evaluation of these approaches are considered. Although the clinical evidence is still incomplete, certain treatments are promising and the active ongoing research hopefully will soon yield more answers. Of note, the specific issue of psychologic therapy is dealt with elsewhere in this issue.
Development of a scale to measure pharmacists' self-efficacy in performing medication therapy management services.

Abstract Background Measuring community pharmacists' self-efficacy in performing medication therapy management (MTM) services can be useful for tailoring interventions and predicting participation. Objective To identify relevant survey constructs related to the Wisconsin Pharmacy Quality Collaborative (WPQC) MTM program and to evaluate scale validity. Methods The 31-item MTM self-efficacy scale was developed using previous research, identifying critical program components, and beta testing. After administration to pharmacists in the 53 WPQC pilot sites, summary statistics and exploratory factor analysis (EFA) were conducted. Parallel analysis was used to determine the optimal number of factors. Internal consistency reliabilities were calculated. Results Baseline participation rate was 94% (N = 76). The 11-point scale (0-10) item means ranged from 2.83 ± 3.05 to 7.82 ± 2.19. Parallel analysis produced a 3-factor solution, accounting for 56% of the variance. Low-factor loadings or unacceptably high cross loadings resulted in 17-item deletions. The final EFA on the remaining 14 items retained the original 3-factor solution and increased the proportion of explained variance (72%). The factors relate to MTM tasks (alpha = 0.92), personal interactions (alpha = 0.86), and goal setting (alpha = 0.84). Overall Cronbach's alpha = 0.90. Conclusion Constructs for measuring self-efficacy were identified that may aid in future research predicting whether pharmacists engage in and persist in providing MTM services.
Predicting Attack-prone Components

Limited resources preclude software engineers from finding and fixing all vulnerabilities in a software system. This limitation necessitates security risk management where security efforts are prioritized to the highest risk vulnerabilities that cause the most damage to the end user. We created a predictive model that identifies the software components that pose the highest security risk in order to prioritize security fortification efforts. The input variables to our model are available early in the software life cycle and include security-related static analysis tool warnings, code churn and size, and faults identified by manual inspections. These metrics are validated against vulnerabilities reported by testing and those found in the field. We evaluated our model on a large Cisco software system and found that 75.6% of the system's vulnerable components are in the top 18.6% of the components predicted to be vulnerable. The model's false positive rate is 47.4% of this top 18.6% or 9.1% of the total system components. We quantified the goodness of fit of our model to the Cisco data set using a receiver operating characteristic curve that shows 94.4% of the area is under the curve.
Impact of gate placement on RF power degradation in GaN high electron mobility transistors

We have investigated the RF power degradation of GaN high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) with different gate placement in the source–drain gap. We found that devices with a centered gate show different degradation behavior from those with the gate placed closer to the source. In particular, centered gate devices degraded through a mechanism that has a similar signature as that responsible for high-voltage DC degradation in the OFF state and is likely driven by electric field. In contrast, offset gate devices under RF power stress showed a large increase in source resistance, which is not regularly observed in DC stress experiments. High-power pulsed stress tests suggest that the combination of high voltage and high current stress maybe the cause of RF power degradation in these offset-gate devices.
The plague virulence protein YopM targets the innate immune response by causing a global depletion of NK cells.

Yersinia pestis, the etiologic agent of plague, delivers six Yersinia outer proteins (Yops) into host cells upon direct bacterial contact. One of these, YopM, is necessary for virulence in a mouse model of septicemic plague, but its pathogenic function is unknown. We report here the immune processes affected by YopM during infection. To test whether the innate or adaptive immune system is targeted by YopM, C57BL/6 (B6) and B6 SCID mice were infected with either the conditionally virulent Y. pestis KIM5 or a yopM deletion mutant and evaluated for bacterial growth in spleen and liver. Both B6 and SCID mice succumbed to infection with Y. pestis KIM5, whereas both mouse strains survived infection by the YopM− mutant. These data showed that YopM counteracts innate defenses present in SCID mice. The YopM− strain grew more slowly than the parent Y. pestis during the first 4 days of infection in both mouse strains, indicating an early pathogenic role for YopM. In B6 mice, populations of cells of the immune system were not differentially affected by the two Y. pestis strains, with one major exception: the parent Y. pestis KIM5 but not the YopM− mutant caused a significant global decrease in NK cell numbers (blood, spleen, and liver), beginning early in infection. NK cells and macrophages isolated early (day 2) from livers and spleens of mice infected with either Y. pestis strain contained comparable levels of cytokine mRNA: interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-12, IL-15, IL-18, and tumor necrosis factor alpha in macrophages and gamma interferon in NK cells. However, by day 4 postinfection, cells from mice infected with the parent Y. pestis expressed lower levels of these messages, while those from mice infected with the mutant retained strong expression. Significantly, mRNA for the IL-15 receptor α chain was not expressed in NK cells from Y. pestis KIM5-infected mice as early as day 2 postinfection. These findings suggest that YopM interferes with innate immunity by causing depletion of NK cells, possibly by affecting the expression of IL-15 receptor α and IL-15.
The Inevitability of Teaching Online

It seems clear that online teaching will be a growing proportion of teaching overall, both in the form of completely online courses and blended courses with significantly reduced face-to-face interaction.
Epidemiology of Escherichia coli O157:H7 outbreaks, United States, 1982-2002.

Escherichia coli O157:H7 causes 73,000 illnesses in the United States annually. We reviewed E. coli O157 outbreaks reported to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to better understand the epidemiology of E. coli O157. E. coli O157 outbreaks (>2 cases of E. coli O157 infection with a common epidemiologic exposure) reported to CDC from 1982 to 2002 were reviewed. In that period, 49 states reported 350 outbreaks, representing 8,598 cases, 1,493 (17%) hospitalizations, 354 (4%) hemolytic uremic syndrome cases, and 40 (0.5%) deaths. Transmission route for 183 (52%) was foodborne, 74 (21%) unknown, 50 (14%) person-to-person, 31 (9%) waterborne, 11 (3%) animal contact, and 1 (0.3%) laboratory-related. The food vehicle for 75 (41%) foodborne outbreaks was ground beef, and for 38 (21%) outbreaks, produce.
Paths of Effects From Preschool to Adult Well-Being: A Confirmatory Analysis of the Child-Parent Center Program

The current study investigated the contribution of 5 hypotheses to the estimated effects of preschool in the Child-Parent Centers on occupational prestige, felony arrest, and depressive symptoms in adulthood in the Chicago Longitudinal Study. An alternative-intervention, quasi-experimental design included over 1,400 low-income participants (93% of whom were Black) who attended preschool for 1–2 years or the usual early educational intervention and were traced to age 24. LISREL analysis of 5 hypotheses (cognitive advantage, family support, school support, motivational advantage, and social adjustment) indicated that while each individually accounted for part of the estimated direct effect of preschool on adult well-being, the best fitting model across outcomes included indicators of all 5 hypotheses. The full model completely accounted for the direct effect of preschool on occupational prestige and official felony arrest, and 79% on depression symptoms. Key mediators included cognitive skills at school entry, school quality in the elementary grades, juvenile arrest, and school completion. The identified processes may help establish, strengthen, and sustain effects in other programs and settings.
Petri net modelling of buffers in automated manufacturing systems

This paper presents Petri net models of buffers and a methodology by which buffers can be included in a system without introducing deadlocks or overflows. The context is automated manufacturing. The buffers and models are classified as random order or order preserved (first-in-first-out or last-in-first-out), single-input-single-output or multiple-input-multiple-output, part type and/or space distinguishable or indistinguishable, and bounded or safe. Theoretical results for the development of Petri net models which include buffer modules are developed. This theory provides the conditions under which the system properties of boundedness, liveness, and reversibility are preserved. The results are illustrated through two manufacturing system examples: a multiple machine and multiple buffer production line and an automatic storage and retrieval system in the context of flexible manufacturing.
Identification of Hedgehog pathway responsive glioblastomas by isocitrate dehydrogenase mutation.

Abstract The Hedgehog (Hh) pathway regulates the growth of a subset of adult gliomas and better definition of Hh-responsive subtypes could enhance the clinical utility of monitoring and targeting this pathway in patients. Somatic mutations of the isocitrate dehydrogenase ( IDH ) genes occur frequently in WHO grades II and III gliomas and WHO grade IV secondary glioblastomas. Hh pathway activation in WHO grades II and III gliomas suggests that it might also be operational in glioblastomas that developed from lower-grade lesions. To evaluate this possibility and to better define the molecular and histopathological glioma subtypes that are Hh-responsive, IDH genes were sequenced in adult glioma specimens assayed for an operant Hh pathway. The proportions of grades II–IV specimens with IDH mutations correlated with the proportions that expressed elevated levels of the Hh gene target PTCH1 . Indices of an operational Hh pathway were measured in all primary cultures and xenografts derived from IDH -mutant glioma specimens, including IDH -mutant glioblastomas. In contrast, the Hh pathway was not operational in glioblastomas that lacked IDH mutation or history of antecedent lower-grade disease. IDH mutation is not required for an operant pathway however, as significant Hh pathway modulation was also measured in grade III gliomas with wild-type IDH sequences. These results indicate that the Hh pathway is operational in grades II and III gliomas and glioblastomas with molecular or histopathological evidence for evolvement from lower-grade gliomas. Lastly, these findings suggest that gliomas sharing this molecularly defined route of progression arise in Hh-responsive cell types.
The Learning-to-Learn Strategies of Adolescent Students With Disabilities Highlighting, Note Taking, Planning, and Writing Expository Texts

This study focuses on an examination of the learning-to-learn strategies of seventh-grade students as they highlight, takenotes, plan, organize, and write expository texts. Participants consist of 125 students, 41 with disabilities and 84 withoutdisabilities. The results reveal that the students with disabilities have more difficulties in using the learning-to-learn strategiesas they read, study, and write expository texts, although neither group is judged to be highly proficient. The implicationspoint to a renewed emphasis on preparing content-area teachers to teach the literacy and learning strategies thatsupport the development of learners who know how to read to learn and how to write to learn.
Direct models for phoneme recognition

This paper presents the theoretical framework of a new statistical model for phoneme recognition. In contrast with traditional HMMs, the posterior probability of a state sequence given an observation sequence is computed directly with the new model. The development of this paper is based on Maximum Entropy Markov Models (MEMMs[5]), appearing as a result of the application of Maximum Entropy principle to sequential processes. The main contributions of our work include modifying the MEMM to large-scale speech recognition problem and introduction of another direct model (NOM), which overcomes the shortcome of the MEMM of poor representation of contextual information. Direct comparison of direct model phoneme recognizers with HMM-based recognizers demonstrates the superiority of the new models, particularly on smaller training sets.
Muscle hypertrophy in heavy weight Japanese quail line: Delayed muscle maturation and continued muscle growth with prolonged upregulation of myogenic regulatory factors

Abstract The objective of this study was to compare the temporal expression of myosin heavy chain (MyHC) isoforms, Pax7, and myogenic regulatory factors (MRF) between heavy weight (HW) and random bred control (RBC) Japanese quail lines during muscle development to better understand the mechanisms leading to increased skeletal muscle mass in the HW quail line selected for a greater BW at 4 wk of age separated from RBC quail. Expression of neonatal MyHC isoform began at 3 and 7 d posthatch in RBC and HW quail lines, respectively. In the RBC quail line, adult MyHC isoform, as a marker for muscle maturation, was expressed at 28 d posthatch with sustained expression through 75 d posthatch, whereas this protein was detected only at 75 d posthatch in the HW quail line. Moreover, Pax7 expression continued from embryonic ages to 14 d posthatch in the HW quail line and to 7 d posthatch in the RBC quail line. These expression patterns of MyHC isoforms and Pax7 in the HW quail line were accompanied by delayed muscle maturation and prolonged growth compared with the RBC quail line. Temporal expressions of the primary MRF showed that higher expression levels of MyoD and Myf-5 were observed at 9 and 11 d embryo in the HW quail line compared with the RBC quail line (P
Tools for in-circuit testing of on-line content processing hardware

Tools have been developed that enable in-circuit testing of content processing hardware. The tools automate test and verification of new circuits using data from a predefined test-bench or with live traffic sent over the Internet. The tools integrate with existing, open-source, Web-based groupware software. Content is processed with field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) on an open hardware platform.
Effect of odorant pre-exposure on domestic dogs' sensitivity on an odorant detection task

Abstract Although dogs are widely trained and deployed for odor detection work, relatively little research has investigated procedures that may more efficiently train or increase detection performance. Prior research in rodents and humans suggests that odorant exposure may enhance sensitivity to that odorant; however, other research has suggested that exposure may have the opposite effect. Our aim was to assess whether exposure to odorants influences dogs' sensitivity to those odorants on a subsequent operant task. We specifically tested whether simply being non-contingently exposed to an odorant or being exposed to an odorant in an appetitive Pavlovian conditioning paradigm influenced dogs' sensitivity to that odorant. In a pre- post-test design we assessed changes in dogs' sensitivity to two odorants. In the first phase, dogs' sensitivity to both odorants was assessed using a descending series of half (binary) dilutions presented using a liquid-dilution olfactometer. Then half the dogs were non-contingently exposed or Pavlovian conditioned to one odorant while the second odorant remained an unexposed control. Sensitivity to both odorants was then re-assessed using the same procedures as during baseline. Dogs showed a significant increase in sensitivity to the Pavlovian conditioned odorant compared to both the control odorant ( p p
2D Thue-Morse array of optical cavities: tight-binding model

Tight-binding model is employed to investigate size scaling of the coexisting localized and delocalized states in a two-dimensional array of optical micro-cavities spatially arranged according to Thue-Morse sequence.
Leading edge noise

One of the most important noise sources in low Mach number flows is the result of a blade moving through a region of unsteady flow or turbulence. The mechanism that causes the sound that radiates to the acoustic far field is referred to as leading edge noise. There are many examples where this sound source occurs including fans of all types, helicopter rotors and propellers. This chapter discusses the mechanisms of leading edge noise and shows how it can be calculated for a stationary blade in a uniform flow.
Learn CS1/2 by Playing and Building Commercial Grade Casual Games (Abstract Only)

Designed specifically for instructors of university or high school Introductory Java Programming Classes (CS1/2) with no background in videogames or computer graphics, and based on our original casual game designs, this workshop will: (1) lead participants through structured gameplay sessions; (2) analyze how game mechanics contribute to player engagement; (3) map core game logic and mechanics to programming constructs taught in CS1/2 classes (e.g., conditionals, loops); (4) guide participants to develop simplified versions of these games based on our custom APIs and using CS1/2 programming constructs; (5) present sample teaching materials based on the games that are being used in our own classrooms, including: lecture materials, hands-on worksheets, and programming assignments; and (6) discuss our experiences using the materials, including what worked and what to avoid. Our games are innovative twists on popular casual genres (e.g., a Breakout variant using the z-plane, and a Zuma variant with user-movable paths) and we're currently enhancing the educational versions for commercial release. We've developed custom APIs for our games that are readily accessible to new programmers based on the successful Game-Themed CS1/2 project. Participants of this workshop will gain the confidence to build similar games, examine approaches to developing teaching materials based on the games and APIs, and understand the challenges inherent to this approach. Students will have the unique opportunity to play with commercial-quality game demos while using CS1/2 concepts to build games that are fun and appropriate for all ages.
The social role of imitation in autism: Implications for the treatment of imitation deficits

Individuals with autism exhibit significant deficits in imitation skills. This article reviews the importance of imitation in typical development, focusing on the social function of imitation and its role in the development of social communication skills. Second, it reviews evidence suggesting an as
Platinum Availability for Future Automotive Technologies

Platinum is an excellent catalyst, can be used at high temperatures, and is stable in many aggressive chemical environments. Consequently, platinum is used in many current industrial applications, notably automotive catalytic converters, and prospective vehicle fuel cells are expected to rely upon it. Between 2005 and 2010, the automotive industry used approximately 40% of mined platinum. Future automotive industry growth and automotive sales shifts toward new technologies could significantly alter platinum demand. The potential risks for decreased platinum availability are evaluated, using an analysis of platinum market characteristics that describes platinum's geophysical constraints, institutional efficiency, and dynamic responsiveness. Results show that platinum demand for an automotive fleet that meets 450 ppm greenhouse gas stabilization goals would require within 10% of historical growth rates of platinum supply before 2025. However, such a fleet, due largely to sales growth in fuel cell vehicles, will more strongly constrain platinum supply in the 2050 time period. While current platinum reserves are sufficient to satisfy this increased demand, decreasing platinum ore grade and continued concentration of platinum supply in a single geographic area are availability risk factors to platinum end-users.
New Develpment of the Inculcation in Universities in the Internet Time

Inculcation is the basic principle of ideaology and politics education. In the Internet time, Internet provides both opportunities and challenges. To build an inculcation's team of good qualities and technical abilities, to open the new field by using Internet to improve the way of inculcation, to develop the good morals of internet by deepening the education of the students are the effective methods to the inculcation's new development of the universities in the Internet time.
Satiated and Satisfied? Bismarckian Germany

The conclusion of the Franco-Prussian War marked a further shift in the representation of Germany by British cartoonists. However there is little sense of the supposed turn towards apprehension at the new nation of ‘Blood and Iron’ — and away from older views of Germany — which is supposedly apparent to historians with the benefit of hindsight. Just as in cartographic and literary sources of this period, any sense of 1870–1 being a watershed is far more subtle, and less laden with judgements regarding Germany as a potential threat or enemy. The perceptible shift is rather one regarding the characters representative of the new Germany, away from Wilhelm I and towards the man of ‘Blood and Iron’. No longer actively exercising the right of military command which had raised his profile in wartime, the Kaiser soon faded to become something of a Schattenkaiser (shadow-emperor), as he was firmly replaced as the personification of Germany by his nominal servant, Bismarck.1 Yet the image of Bismarck was not a straightforward one. In the 1870s and 1880s, Bismarck was often seen as the arch-troublemaker, the puppet master par excellence, who stage-managed Great Power politics with ease. Normally, this led to him being portrayed as a cynical, distasteful figure, yet when such manipulations served British interests (or accorded with British ideals), Bismarck could be seen as an overwhelmingly positive character, even a partner for John Bull.
Atomic mix synthetic acceleration of dose computations in binary statistical media

An iterative solution of coupled standard model equations arising in electron transport in binary statistical mixtures is considered. Convergence degradation is observed in certain energy groups and is attributed to chunk sizes appearing optically thin in the higher energy groups. Fourier analysis shows that the spectral radius approaches unity for the zero wave-number error mode as the chunk sizes become vanishingly small. It is shown that the atomic mix model accurately approximates transport under these circumstances and moreover provides a suitable low-order approximation to the iteration error. Fourier analysis and numerical implementation confirm that atomic mix acceleration is unconditionally effective for the application considered here. Our computations also demonstrate the inaccuracy of the atomic mix model for electron dose, especially for materials with strongly contrasting physical properties.
Genetic variation near IRS1 is associated with adiposity and a favorable metabolic profile in U.S. Hispanics/Latinos.

Objective Associations of IRS1 genetic variation with adiposity and metabolic profile in U.S. Hispanic/Latino individuals of diverse backgrounds were examined. Methods Previously genome-wide association study-identified IRS1 variants (rs2943650, rs2972146, rs2943641, and rs2943634) as related to body fat percentage (BF%) and multiple metabolic traits were tested among up to 12,730 adults (5,232 men; 7,515 women) from the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos. Results The C-allele (frequency = 26%) of rs2943650 was significantly associated with higher BF% overall (β = 0.34 ± 0.11% per allele; P = 0.002) and in women (β = 0.41 ± 0.14% per C-allele; P = 0.003), but not in men (β = 0.28 ± 0.18% per C-allele; P = 0.11), though there was no significant sex difference. Using the inverse normal-transformed data to compare effect sizes, it was found that the association with BF% was stronger in Hispanic/Latino women than that previously reported in European women (β = 0.054 ± 0.018SD vs. β = 0.008 ± 0.011SD per C-allele; P = 0.03). The BF%-increasing allele of rs2943650 was significantly associated with lower levels of fasting insulin, homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance, hemoglobin A1c, and triglycerides and higher high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (P < 0.05). Conclusions This study confirmed and extended previous findings of IRS1 variation associated with increased adiposity but a favorable metabolic profile in U.S. Hispanics/Latinos, with a relatively stronger genetic effect on BF% in Hispanic/Latino women compared with European women.
Magnetizing roast and magnetic separation of iron in rare-earth tailings

Magnetic separation of iron in rare-earth tailings was achieved by magnetizing roast process with coal as reductant. Effects of the temperature, carbon to oxygen ratio, and cooling type on magnetic susceptibility and composition of rare-earth tailings were investigated. The results show that roast conditions with the temperature of 650 °C, carbon to oxygen ratio of 3.85, and holding time of 2.5 h are in favor of reduction of Fe2O3 to Fe3O4 when the roasted rare-earth tailings is cooled along with furnace. Under these roast conditions, magnetic susceptibility of rare-earth tailings is 2.36 that is very close to theoretical value (2.33). However, magnetic separation results of iron in rare-earth tailings cooled along with furnace are not satisfactory. Through comparing magnetic separation results of iron in rare-earth tailings cooled by different ways, it is found that water cooling is more favored of magnetic separation of iron in the roasted rare-earth tailings than furnace cooling and air cooling. Grade and recovery of iron in concentrate from rare-earth tailings cooled by water are 45.00%-49.00% and 65.00%-77.50%, respectively.