cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Group and Individual-level Change on Health-related Quality of Life in Chiropractic Patients With Chronic Low Back or Neck Pain.

Study Design.A prospective observational study.Objective.The aim of this study was to evaluate group-level and individual-level change in health-related quality of life among persons with chronic low back pain or neck pain receiving chiropractic care in the United States.Summary of Background Data.C
Instruments and methods: a case study of ice core bubbles as strain indicators

Measurements of a sample from ~580 m depth in the WAIS Divide (WDC06A) ice core reveal that bubbles are preferentially elongated in the basal plane of their parent grain, as expected if bubble shape preserves the record of dominant basal glide. This suggests that a method using bubbles as strain gauges could provide insights to grain-scale ice deformation. We introduce a technique using fabric and image analyses of paired thin and thick sections. Comparison of the crystallographic orientations of 148 grains and the shape orientations of 2377 intragrain bubbles reveals a strongly preferred elongation of bubbles in the grain basal planes (R2 = 0.96). Elongation magnitudes are consistent with a balance between ice flow deformation and diffusive restoration, with larger bubbles more elongated. Assuming bubbles record ice strain, grains with greater resolved stress on their basal planes from the far-field ice flow stresses show greater deformation, but with large variability suggesting that heterogeneity of the local stress field causes deformation even in unfavorably oriented grains. A correlation is also observed among bubble elongation, grain size, and bubble size, explaining a small but significant fraction of the variance ( P< 0.05), with implications for controls on ice deformation, as discussed here.
The Influence of Technology on Presidential Primary Campaigns

There is no doubt that the American people object to the high cost of election campaigns. For example, a 2018 Pew poll found that 77 percent of Americans would support laws to restrict the total amount of campaign spending. Support for spending caps crosses partisan lines. The idea of legal restraints on campaign spending receives the support of 85 percent of Democrats and 71 percent of Republicans. Many blame the high cost of American elections on the Supreme Court's decisions in Buckley v. Valeo and Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, which deregulated aspects of federal campaign finance law. Ultimately, however, the origins of skyrocketing campaign costs long predate Buckley and Citizens United. More than any other single factor, innovations in communication technology have shaped presidential campaign spending since 1912. First radio, then television, and more recently the internet emerged as indispensable means of political communication. But the technological innovations have come with a high price for candidates and campaigns, driving costs relentlessly higher. This chapter examines how technology has shaped the presidential nomination process, making the pursuit of the White House an ever more expensive proposition. This work is a chapter in a forthcoming 2020 book entitled The Best Candidate: Presidential Nomination in Polarized Times.
Rhizomelic chondrodysplasia punctata: Role of EEG as a biomarker of impending epilepsy.

Abstract Progressive deterioration of neuroimaging and electroencephalography (EEG) had been described in rhizomelic chondrodysplasia punctata (RCDP); however, serial EEG data showing sequential EEG changes(before and after seizure onset) is lacking. We report a child with a diagnosis of type 1 RCDP, who had a progressive decline in EEG and radiologic findings over a 5 year period. Her first EEG was normal at the age of 8 months. Follow-up EEG at the age of 2 years showed a mild background slowing as well as frequent 1–2 Hz central-parietal spike wave with midline involvement. Just before 3 years of age, she started to seizures, when the EEG showed further worsening with frequent multifocal spikes and bursts of generalized high amplitude spike and spike-wave discharges. The transition of EEG from normal background to the appearance of focal epileptiform abnormality before the seizure onset followed by further deterioration at the seizure onset had not been reported as per our knowledge. This study emphasizes that serial EEGs may provide valuable information about impending seizure activity. Further studies are needed to calculate the lag time between the detection of epileptiform activities and the onset of clinical seizure activities. In addition, research studies are warranted to determine if early (before or at the onset of epileptogenesis rather than after seizure onset) use of replacement therapy or antiepileptic therapy (antiepileptic drugs or diet) can modify epilepsy severity and neurologic prognosis in this devastating disease.
Tricomponent Amphiphilic Poly(oligo(ethylene glycol) methacrylate) Brush-Grafted Poly(lactic acid): Synthesis, Nanoparticle Formation, and In Vitro Uptake and Release of Hydrophobic Dyes

Tricomponent amphiphilic brush-grafted copolymers of poly(lactic acid)-graft-poly(oligo(ethylene glycol) methacrylate) (PLA-g-POEGMA) were prepared by atom-transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) of...
Muslim Societies in African History

Muslim Societies in African History. By David Robinson. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2004, Pp. xx, 220, 15 b/w illustrations. $55.00 cloth, $19.00 paper. Recent tragedies have pushed Islam to the forefront of our collective consciousness. In his Introduction, David Robinson writes that the complex histories of African Muslims "are critical to an understanding of the variety as well as the, aspiration for unity of the Islamic world and serve as an antidote to many interpretations of September 11" (p, xviii). This last goal may be out of reach, but the book does meet an acute need for teachable works on Muslim societies in Africa and elsewhere, and the author's sensitivity to the diversity, complexity, and commonality of Islamic experience make it uniquely valuable. Robinson's thirtyyear publication record has greatly advanced scholarship on the histories of West Africa and Islam; in this most recent work he has targeted an undergraduate audience. The book is cohesive, reasonably comprehensive, and approachable in cost, length, and style. It is divided into three parts Historical and Institutional Background, General Themes, and case Studies. Part I rapidly surveys the life and works of Muhammad, the early caliphates, and Islamic institutions. Any such endeavor is necessarily selective, and Robinson's choices highlight the personages and events that served as reference points for the actors in the case studies to follow. Some instructors will want to complement these chapters with more comprehensive treatments of the foundations of Islam and its spread to North Africa. Part II is intellectually ambitious, tackling both historical and historiographical themes. Robinson argues that conventional academic frameworks narrating the progressive adoption of Islam in sub-Saharan Africa-first by merchants, then by kings, and lastly by the people-are often useful but "do not begin to capture the complexity of Islamic practice in African history. They do not get at the ways in which Islamic practice was useful and used, nor the particular classes and vocations with which it was associated.... Nor do they show ... the ways in which African societies made Islam their own" (p. 28-32). Robinson reminds us that processes of Africanizing Islam were context specific but not fundamentally different from-or more exotic than-the domestication of religion in other places. "There is nothing pejorative about the africanization of Islam," he writes, but "there is something pejorative about the way that European and many Mediterranean-based Muslims have perceived 'African Islam' and the africanization of Islam" (p. 42). Those negative perceptions are associated with the history of the "European" and "Arab" slave-trading in Africa, a topic that Robinson treats deftly, but perhaps lightly, before moving on to Western perceptions of Islam and Africa. …
Public provision of health insurance and aggregate saving in an overlapping generations model with endogenous health risk: The South Korean case

Abstract This paper examines the effect of expanding public health insurance in South Korea on medical expenditures and aggregate saving using an overlapping generations model with endogenous health risk. South Korea had a substantial underinsured population, which is aging rapidly. Higher public health insurance benefits reduce individual medical expenditure and health risks but lead to a modest decline in individual and aggregate saving. Even after the expansion, the medical care coverage remains incomplete, and the elderly face a substantial risk of out-of-pocket medical expenditures.
Multi-Site Redox Activities in Chemically Complex Sodium Layered Oxide Cathode Materials

Sodium layered oxide cathode materials with high specific capacity, energy density, and long cycle life have been the bottleneck for the widespread market implementation of sodium-ion batteries. Even though sodium layered oxide materials share many similarities with their Li-ion counterpart, there are many dissimilarities between the two which can be utilized to design high performance sodium layered oxide cathode materials. Sodium layered oxide materials can incorporate almost all of the first row transition metals in the transition metal oxide layer. Herein, we have synthesized a sodium layered oxide material with five transition metals to demonstrate such concept. The material is synthesized following a simple co-precipitation method and is a mixture of P2 and P3 type crystal structures (P2/P3=1). The material has good electrochemical performance with excellent stability on long term cycling. It delivers a specific capacity in the range of 95 mAh/g at C/10 with no capacity fading after 100 cycles, 72 mAh/g at 1C with 95% capacity retention after 500 cycles, and 55 mAh/g at 5C with 85% capacity retention after 1000 cycles. We further demonstrate the surprisingly good performance of the material at low temperatures. For example, the material delivers a 60 mAh/g capacity at 1C and 0°C with no capacity fading after 100 cycles. We further studied the structural evolution and redox reaction mechanism of the cathode material at different states of charge. The reversibility of the Na (de)insertion is evident from the reversibility of the XRD pattern upon cycling. Hard XAS study has revealed that most transition metals contribute to some degree towards the redox reaction of the cathode material, with most energy derived from the redox of Ni2+ and Co3+. This study has demonstrated that selecting the ideal transition metal hosts and building up the compositional complexity can be a path towards further improving sodium cathode materials.
Establishing Shared Purpose: Developing Unit Specific Mission, Vision, and Values in an Academic Library

In a large, public university library, the leadership team for Public Services wanted to provide a solid foundation for communication, collaboration, and shared decision making. In pursuit of that goal, the two groups within Public Services undertook to develop mission, vision, and values statements to highlight their unique purpose and provide direction for their work. Each group developed a unique and self-directed process of brainstorming and consensus building workshops and meetings; respecting and honoring the differences between the groups was an essential step in establishing shared values and successful cross-unit communication. These smaller group processes will later come to inform the work and collaborations of the unit as a whole and have already led to productive conversations and improvements in group communication. Reflecting on the process and products has allowed the unit as a whole to find and focus on commonalities in their values and work. This experiential report will provide definitions and guiding questions to serve as models for those working in academic libraries that wish to guide the development of these defining statements within their own particular context.
The Role of Incomplete Measurement Behavior as a Part of a Package of Control Practices Mediating Between Exploitation and Exploration

This paper examines the use of incomplete accounting measures as a control practice to align strategy with exploration and exploitation (March, 1991). We examine empirically relationships between Incomplete Measurement Behavior (IMB), Formal Controls, and Organic Innovative Culture for both internal- and market-facing activities. IMB is a control practice that allows managers to mediate the tension between exploration and exploitation using other sources of information. We find evidence suggesting formal completeness acts as a substitute for IMB for market-facing activities. Further organic innovative cultures complement formal controls and indirectly substitute for IMB. Using equifinality as a criterion, we conclude there are indications that market-facing activities use interdependent management control systems (MCS) to mediate between exploitation and exploration strategies. We find indications that a reductionist approach of examining incomplete measures alone, without consideration of control practices, may lead to under specification.
Characterization of the impact of mixing and droplet volumes on the behavior of microfluidic ion-selective droptodes

Droplet microfluidic optodes, or “droptodes”, have emerged as a powerful technology for rapid detection of small ions in complex matrices. While using segmented aqueous phases provides the benefits of sample isolation, the influence of the liquid nature of the oil carrier phase has not yet been explored. In this paper, we examine the influence of microfluidic parameters on droptode efficiency, using potassium-sensitive droptodes as a model system. We found that while changing flow rates on device does not change droptode performance, both channel geometry and droplet size significantly impact droptode efficiency. Specifically, enhanced mixing of the droplets leads to faster equilibration on device and lowers limits of detection by about one order of magnitude. We also found that increasing the size of the sample droplet, at the expense of the size of the oil carrier/sensing phase, leads to higher sensitivity in the linear region of the droptode. These easily manipulated properties will allow one device to potentially be adapted for several different applications, based upon the type and concentration range of measurement required.
Crisis Applications: An Empirical Analysis of Organizational Performance under Stress

In the previous chapter we have described the DYCORP framework for studying organizational performance under dynamic and interactive environment. This formal framework is powerful and enables us to systematically examine, from a theoretical perspective, the effect of multiple important factors including stress, organizational design, and task environment on the performance of organizations as discussed in the organizational literature. The formal framework can also generate a series of internally consistent propositions that can be later tested in the real world.
Biosynthesis of Cyanobacterial Tetrapyrrole Pigments: Hemes, Chlorophylls, and Phycobilins

Cyanobacteria are versatile tetrapyrrole synthesizers that are able to produce end products representing all major branches of the tetrapyrrole biosynthetic pathway: hemes, chlorophylls, phycobilins, and siroheme. Although tetrapyrrole biosynthesis has not been characterized as extensively in cyanobacteria as in plants and anoxygenic photosynthetic bacteria, recent studies of the biochemistry and molecular genetics of this pathway have begun to exploit the advantages of these oxygenic procaryotic organisms. The results of these studies are increasing our understanding of the biosynthetic enzyme reaction mechanisms, the physical properties of the enzymes, modes of metabolic regulation, the evolution of the pathway, and the phylogenetic relationships among cyanobacteria, other bacteria, algae, and plants. In this article, emphasis is placed on the individual enzymatic steps of tetrapyrrole biosynthesis in cyanobacteria, the natures of substrates, reaction intermediates, and products, the physical, kinetic, and regulatory properties of the enzymes, and the identification of genes that encode the enzymes. Because of the limited amount of available information that has been directly derived from cyanobacteria, results obtained from other organisms is discussed wherever it is likely to be applicable to cyanobacteria.
TE waves in cylindrical waveguides clad by periodic dielectric in the propagation direction

This paper reports on the analytical study of TE waves propagating in a cylindrical dielectric waveguide clad by periodic dielectric. The results suggest that waves propagating in such system are characterized by the features of the waves propagating in the periodic dielectric in which stopped and allowed bands are present.
Unified dark matter model in a singlet extension of the universal extra dimension model

We propose a dark matter model with standard model singlet extension of the universal extra dimension model to explain the recent observations of ATIC, PPB-BETS, PAMELA, and DAMA. Other than the standard model fields propagating in the bulk of a five-dimensional space, one fermion field and one scalar field are introduced and both are standard model singlets. The zero mode of the new fermion is identified as the right-handed neutrino, while its first Klein-Kaluza (KK) mode is the lightest KK-odd particle and the dark matter candidate. The cosmic ray spectra from ATIC and PPB-BETS determine the dark matter particle mass and hence the fifth dimension compactification scale to be 1.0--1.6 TeV. The zero mode of the singlet scalar field with a mass below 1 GeV provides an attractive force between dark matter particles, which allows a Sommerfeld enhancement to boost the annihilation cross section in the Galactic halo to explain the PAMELA data. The DAMA annual modulation results are explained by coupling the same scalar field to the electron via a higher-dimensional operator. We analyze the model parameter space that can satisfy the dark matter relic abundance and accommodate all the dark matter detection experiments. We also consider constraints from the diffuse extragalactic gamma-ray background, which can be satisfied if the dark matter particle and the first KK mode of the scalar field have highly degenerate masses.
Collective motion in many-particle systems: Part 1. The violation of conservation laws

Abstract A method for treating collective motion is proposed which allows the use of wave functions violating conservation laws which are valid for the system. The reasons for the use of such wave functions is discussed and a simple physical interpretation is given. The method is illustrated by applications to center-of-mass motion, the electron gas in the random phase approximation, nuclear rotation, and the violation of the conservation of the number of particles.
Words Were All We Had: Becoming Biliterate Against the Odds, edited by María de la Luz Reyes

Words Were All We Had: Becoming Biliterate Against the Odds, edited by Maria de la Luz Reyes, is a rare and precious collection of autobiographical narratives centered around biliteracy development...
Parallel Processing Methodologies for Image Processing and Computer Vision

Publisher Summary This chapter highlights parallel processing methodologies for image processing and computer vision. Providing machines with comparable visual capabilities is the goal of modern computer vision. However, a major obstacle in the development and widespread use of computer vision has been the enormous data throughput and processing requirements. Parallel processing has been perceived as the solution, and this perception has led to the conception, design, and the subsequent analysis of a number of parallel architectures for image processing and computer vision. The chapter also discusses the characteristics of image processing and computer vision algorithms and outlines the essential elements of both the architecture- and application-driven methodologies. It reviews image processing as a prelude to computer vision. Image processing algorithms operate on images, extracting and representing scene information. Therefore, in this chapter, the term “computer vision” is implicitly assumed to include the lower-level functions of image processing. The chapter provides an overview of the future of parallel processing and examines emerging areas of research that can affect the development of parallel processing methodologies for computer vision.
Impacts of Salmonella enteritidis infection on liver transcriptome in broilers

Salmonella enterica serovar enteritidis is an enteric bacterium that can contaminate chicken eggs and meat, resulting in production losses and consumer illness. To provide insight into the systemic metabolic effects of S. enteritidis infection, liver samples were harvested 10-days postinfection from broiler hens. Hepatic global gene expression levels were assessed using a chicken 44K Agilent microarray. Forty-four genes were differentially expressed at a significance level of q value < 0.05. One hundred eighty-three genes were differentially expressed at a suggestive significance level of q value < 0.1. A predominance of downregulation existed among significantly differentially expressed genes. Cell cycle and metabolism networks were created from the differentially expressed genes. Mitochondria-mediated apoptosis, electron transport, peptidase activity, vein constriction, cell differentiation, IL-2 signaling, Jak-Stat signaling, B-cell receptor signaling, GDP/GTP exchange, and protein recycling were among the functions of the differentially expressed genes that were down-regulated in response to S. enteritidis. The effects of S. enteritidis infection on the liver transcriptome profiles of broilers reflect a predominance of downregulation of genes with cell cycle and metabolic functions. The most pronounced response was the downregulation of genes that function in metabolic pathways, inflammation, and mitochondria-mediated apoptosis. These results provide insight into important systemic metabolic mechanisms that are active in the chicken liver in response to S. enteritidis infection at 10-days postinfection. genesis 51:357–364, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Conditional Lethal Mutants of Adenovirus 2-Simian Virus 40 Hybrids I. Host Range Mutants of Ad2+ND1

Human adenovirus type 2 (Ad2) grows poorly in monkey cells, although this defect can be overcome by co-infection with simian virus 40 (SV40). The nondefective Ad2-SV40 hybrid virus, Ad2(+)ND1, replicates efficiently in both human and African green monkey kidney cells, presumably due to the insertion of SV40 sequences into the Ad2 DNA. Several mutants of Ad2(+)ND1 have been isolated that grow and plaque poorly in monkey cells, although they retain the ability to replicate and plaque efficiently in HeLa cells. One of these mutants (H39) has been examined in detail. Studies comparing the DNA of the mutant with Ad2(+)ND1 either by the cleavage patterns produced by Escherichia coli R.RI restriction endonuclease digestion or by heteroduplexing reveal no differences. The pattern of protein synthesis of Ad2(+)ND1 and H39 in monkey cells is quite different with the mutant resembling Ad2, which is defective in the synthesis of late proteins. However, in human cells, the proteins synthesized by H39 and the parent Ad2(+)ND1 are very similar. The production of SV40 U antigen in H39-infected cells is different from that in Ad2(+)ND1-infected cells. Finally, the growth of H39 in monkey cells can be complemented by SV40.
The early inflammatory response after flexor tendon healing: A gene expression and histological analysis

Despite advances in surgical techniques over the past three decades, tendon repairs remain prone to poor clinical outcomes. Previous attempts to improve tendon healing have focused on the later stages of healing (i.e., proliferation and matrix synthesis). The early inflammatory phase of tendon healing, however, is not fully understood and its modulation during healing has not yet been studied. Therefore, the purpose of this work was to characterize the early inflammatory phase of flexor tendon healing with the goal of identifying inflammation-related targets for future treatments. Canine flexor tendons were transected and repaired using techniques identical to those used clinically. The inflammatory response was monitored for 9 days. Temporal changes in immune cell populations and gene expression of inflammation-, matrix degradation-, and extracellular matrix-related factors were examined. Gene expression patterns paralleled changes in repair-site cell populations. Of the observed changes, the most dramatic effect was a greater than 4,000-fold up-regulation in the expression of the pro-inflammatory factor IL-1β. While an inflammatory response is likely necessary for healing to occur, high levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines may result in collateral tissue damage and impaired tendon healing. These findings suggest that future tendon treatment approaches consider modulation of the inflammatory phase of healing.
APPLIED BEHAVIOR ANALYSIS: AUTISM AND BEYOND

Over the past 60 years, applied behavior analysis (ABA) has made notable contributions to the literature involving populations with developmental disabilities. Practitioners and researchers have made impressive advances in addressing challenges posed by autism spectrum disorder (ASD), in particular. The focus on autism has resulted in an improved public image of ABA and, in turn, has helped highlight the need for increased awareness surrounding ASD. A summary of relevant research contributions is provided, and although the advances in autism are impressive, individuals with ASD constitute a minority portion of the educational system. A review of the existing literature, as well as a novel literature search, supports the suggestion that ABA has narrowed its focus to issues affecting populations with ASD, while concurrently being less attentive to problems faced by society as a whole, particularly general education. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Nonlinear viscoelastic behavior of plasticized poly(vinyl chloride)

This paper shows how an empirical nonlinear creep relation suggested by Leaderman might be justified on the basis of an approximate nonlinear viscoelastic constitutive equation. In addition, experimental evidence is presented which tends to support the proposed theory.
Flumazenil in children after esophagogastroduodenoscopy

Abstract OBJECTIVE: Our aim was to evaluate if the routine use of the benzodiazepine antagonist flumazenil would shorten postprocedure recovery times after esophagogastroduodenoscopy in pediatric patients receiving standard intravenous conscious sedation with the benzodiazepine diazepam in combination with meperidine. METHODS: Upper endoscopy was performed using intravenous conscious sedation with standardized doses of diazepam and meperidine on 29 children, age range 6–18 yr. Patients were randomized in a double-blind fashion to receive either intravenous normal saline (placebo) or 0.01 mg/kg (maximum, 1.0 mg) flumazenil within 5 min of procedure completion. Evaluation of the degree of sedation using a modified Observer’s Assessment of Alertness/Sedation Scale was performed presedation, immediately before reversal solution administration, and serially over 60 min after reversal solution injection. RESULTS: Fifteen patients received flumazenil and 14 received placebo; patient group composition did not vary significantly in age and weight. Fifty-four percent of flumazenil patients and 30% of control patients achieved full alertness within 10 min of reversal solution injection. However, this difference between groups was not significant ( p > 0.45). Resedation or side effects directly attributable to flumazenil were not observed. CONCLUSIONS: A single postsedation dose of flumazenil is well-tolerated in children >6 yr old. However, its routine use after esophagogastroduodenoscopy is of questionable benefit in shortening recovery time in this age group.
A Young Man with Pyomyositis and Bullous Disease

Diagnosis: linear IgA bullous dermatosis (LABD). Direct immunofluorescence staining of the skin biopsy specimen obtained from the left thigh, the predominant site of the outbreak of multiple small bullae (figures 1 and 2), revealed the presence of linear IgA deposits along the basement membrane (figure 3) consistent with the diagnosis of LABD related to vancomycin therapy. LABD is an autoimmune subepidermal vesiculobullous disease characterized by IgA deposition in a linear pattern along the basement membrane zone [1]. The disease is mediated by autoantibodies directed against several components of the basement membrane zone [2, 3]. Among antimicrobial drugs, vancomycin is the agent that is most frequently involved in cases of drug-induced LABD. Vancomycin-induced LABD is not dose dependent and has heterogenous presentation, ranging from benign erythema multiforme to toxic epidermal necrolysis [4–6]. The lesions appear 1–15 days after initiation of vancomycin therapy. Spontaneous and complete healing occurs after withdrawal of vancomycin therapy. However, new lesions could still appear up to 2 days after withdrawal of treatment with the drug. The use of steroids and dapsone do not seem to improve the outcome [4]. Rechallenge reproduces the disease with more-rapid and moresevere onset; however, successful rechallenge has been reported [7]. In our patient, vancomycin therapy was switched to daptomycin therapy, and the patient’s bullous rash resolved several days later.
The Discipline of Economics

This is the text of the first Morishima Lecture at the LSE, and it investigates in particular two distinct priorities that are both important for the discipline of economics. One priority is that of "separation" with a focus on segregating distinct questions sharply, and then analyzing them separately. A very different priority is that of "integration" which looks particularly for interrelations between distinct issues. It is argued, with illustrations, that some of the major battles within the methodology of economics have been connected with the conflicting priorities of the two. The discipline, however, needs both.
Monocytes differentiated with IL-15 support Th17 and Th1 responses to wheat gliadin: implications for celiac disease.

Interleukin (IL)-15 contributes to the immunopathogenesis of Celiac disease (CD). However, it is not clear how IL-15 affects APC that shape adaptive immune responses to the dietary antigen, gliadin. Using PBMC from healthy individuals, we show that monocytes differentiated with IL-15 (IL15-DC) produced IL-1β, IL-6, IL-15, IL-23, TNFα and CCL20 in response to pepsin-trypsin digested gliadin (PTG) and activated contact-dependent Th17 and Th1 responses from autologous CD4+ T cells. Lower concentrations of IL-15 augmented IFNγ responses to PTG in PBMC from CD patients compared to controls. Thus, IL-15 supports Th17 and Th1 responses to a dietary antigen that is normally well-tolerated in healthy individuals by generating IL15-DC. These potentially pathogenic immune responses may result in CD patients and not healthy individuals as a consequence of IL-15 hypersensitivity. Therefore, genetic and/or environmental factors that control IL-15 expression and responsiveness in the intestine likely participate in the pathogenesis of CD.
Effect of Treatment on Morbidity in Hypertension. Veterans Administration Cooperative Study on Antihypertensive Agents: Effect on the Electrocardiogram

Electrocardiographic (ECG) data are presented from the Veterans Administration Cooperative Study of 143 nontreated and 137 treated male patients with initial diastolic blood pressures averaging 90-114 mm Hg. Average follow-up was 2.9 years and longest follow-up was 5 years. Significant differences were observed with respect to the ECG signs of left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH). In the patients not meeting criteria for LVH prior to randomization, the incidence of abnormal QRS voltage, ST-segment depression or T wave flattening or inversion developing in the treated patients was approximately one-fourth that found in the control group. In the patients with ECG evidence of LVH prior to randomization, the reversion to normal of QRS voltage or ST-segment depression was approximately 2.5 times greater in the treated than in the control patients. Although no significant effect of treatment was observed on other ECG changes such as Q and QS patterns, A-V or ventricular conduction defects or arrhythmias, the inci...
Process-dependent kinoform performance

Proces s-dependent kinoform performanceJ.A. Cox, B. Fritz, T. WernerHoneywell Systems & Research Center10701 Lyndale Avenue SouthBloomington, MN 55420ABSTRACTWe present results of an on-going experimental program to charac-terize the effects of processing errors on kinoform performance.Diffraction efficiency and modulation transfer function data aregiven for various types of processing errors present in staircasekinoforms of a f/10 Fresnel phase lens having two and four 1ev-els. Processing errors include etch depth, linewidth, and maskalignment. Processing errors, especially mask alignment, areshown to have the greatest impact on diffraction efficiency andvery little effect on image quality.1. INTRODUCTIONThe use of lithographic and etching techniques to fabricatekinoforms was first demonstrated by d'Auria et a11 and has nowbecome very popular following the great improvements in thetechnology driven by the microelectronics industry. In the usualapproach described by Veldkamp and Swanson2, a staircase approxi-mation to the ideal continuous phase profile is implemented inthe substrate using a binary mask-and-etch sequence in which thenumber of phase levels generated is a power of two. Kinoformperformance is usually discussed in terms of diffraction effi-ciency and image quality, and Dammann3 first showed how to calcu-late diffraction efficiency for the staircase structures usingthe Fourier theory. Subsequently, Petit et al.4 and Gaylord andMoharam5 applied rigorous vector-field theory to calculate theefficiency of general periodic structures and treated the stair-case profiles as special cases. Image quality, for those kino-forms which form images, has been modeled either using raytracecodes with an infinite index approximation6'7'8 or using brute-force integration of the scalar Kirchhoff equation8'9.In all of the cases cited above, kinoform performance was calcu-lated only for geometrically perfect profiles without consideringthe unavoidable effects of processing errors. Such predictionsthus represent an upper limit on the performance expected forreal kinoforms. The effects of processing errors on diffractionefficiency have been investigated both theoretically and experi-mentally by the authors10, and an independent theoretical treat-ment has been given at the same time by Farn and Goodman11. Thekinoforms in both cases were the staircase type. Cox et al.'°showed conclusively that mask alignment error was the most sig-1W
Object-based crop identification using multiple vegetation indices, textural features and crop phenology

Abstract Crop identification on specific parcels and the assessment of soil management practices are important for agro-ecological studies, greenhouse gas modeling, and agrarian policy development. Traditional pixel-based analysis of remotely sensed data results in inaccurate identification of some crops due to pixel heterogeneity, mixed pixels, spectral similarity, and crop pattern variability. These problems can be overcome using object-based image analysis (OBIA) techniques, which incorporate new spectral, textural and hierarchical features after segmentation of imagery. We combined OBIA and decision tree (DT) algorithms to develop a methodology, named Object-based Crop Identification and Mapping (OCIM), for a multi-seasonal assessment of a large number of crop types and field status. In our approach, we explored several vegetation indices (VIs) and textural features derived from visible, near-infrared and short-wave infrared (SWIR) bands of ASTER satellite scenes collected during three distinct growing-season periods (mid-spring, early-summer and late-summer). OCIM was developed for 13 major crops cultivated in the agricultural area of Yolo County in California, USA. The model design was built in four different scenarios (combinations of three or two periods) by using two independent training and validation datasets and the best DTs resulted in an error rate of 9% for the three-period model and between 12 and 16% for the two-period models. Next, the selected DT was used for the thematic classification of the entire cropland area and mapping was then evaluated applying the confusion matrix method to the independent testing dataset that reported 79% overall accuracy. OCIM detected intra-class variations in most crops attributed to variability from local crop calendars, tree-orchard structures and land management operations. Spectral variables (based on VIs) contributed around 90% to the models, although textural variables were necessary to discriminate between most of the permanent crop-fields (orchards, vineyard, alfalfa and meadow). Features extracted from late-summer imagery contributed around 60% in classification model development, whereas mid-spring and early-summer imagery contributed around 30 and 10%, respectively. The Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) was used to identify the main groups of crops based on the presence and vigor of green vegetation within the fields, contributing around 50% to the models. In addition, other VIs based on SWIR bands were also crucial to crop identification because of their potential to detect field properties like moisture, vegetation vigor, non-photosynthetic vegetation and bare soil. The OCIM method was built using interpretable rules based on physical properties of the crops studied and it was successful for object-based feature selection and crop identification.
Single clock partial scan

Existing partial-scan designs use a separate scan clock to simplify scan flip-flop selection and test generation methods. Such designs require multiple clock trees and create clock-signal routing problems that, in general, require tight control of clock skew. The author examines using the system clock for the scan operation and includes experimental results based on ISCAS89 benchmark circuits. >
Costs of and benefits resulting from public library e-government service provision: Findings and future directions from an exploratory study

As the public trusts the library to provide access and support to use computers and the Internet, much of the burden of e-government service provision has shifted from government agencies to public libraries. This unfunded mandate contributes to libraries’ financial burdens in a time of radical public library funding cuts. Public libraries need to be able to identify the precise costs of this service provision, as well as its benefits, in order to justify additional financial or other resources to support these services, especially high-speed broadband connections to facilitate access to and use of e-government services. This paper present the findings of an exploratory study designed to identify the range of costs Indiana public libraries incur in their provision of e-government services, as well as the benefits of that service provision. The multi-method research design employed in this study offers one possible approach by which other states might develop a comprehensive perspective, including costs, of their public libraries’ e-government service provision.
Foraging tactics of a terrestrial salamander: Costs of territorial defence

Red-backed salamanders, Plethodon cinereus, established territories in laboratory chambers. Their foraging tactics, on two types of prey differing in caloric profitability and defence behaviour, were observed under a series of experimental conditions in which competitive threat was increased: no competitor present < familiar conspecific's pheromones present < unfamiliar conspecific's pheromones present < familiar conspecific intruder present < unfamiliar conspecific intruder present. As the degree of competitive threat increased, more time was devoted to territorial defence (displays and biting) at the expense of foraging. Simultaneously, the territorial residents gradually shifted from a specialized diet on the more profitable prey type to an indiscriminate diet, even though prey densities and the residents' encounter rates with each prey did not change. The presence of unfamiliar pheromones and both intruders led to approximately a 50% decrease in the residents' rates of net energy gain, about 80% of which was due to the time withdrawn from foraging and 20% due to change in diet. Changes in foraging time and diet both reflected the costs of territorial defence.
The linearly tapered transmission line as a matching section&#8212;High- and low-frequency behavior

The linearly tapered transmission line is very attractive as a matching section because it is the simplest and easiest to fabricate. It is shown that the high- and low-frequency behavior of the reflection coefficient is strongly frequency dependent.
Hydroxy and normal fatty acid distribution in stigmas of Nicotiana and other plants

Abstract The ω-hydroxy and normal fatty acid distribution in stigmas of 51 Nicotiana species and 25 other plant species is presented. All Nicotiana species studied had high proportions of ω-hydroxy fatty acids (C18: 1 -ω-OH and C18: 2-ω)-OH), constituting from 22 to 83% of the total fatty acid content. In most Nicotiana species, the percentage of C18: 1-ω-OH was higher than that of C18: 2-ω-OH and the percentage of C18: 1 was higher than that of C18: 2. The reverse pattern of this fatty acid composition was observed in the self-incompatible Nicotiana species. Many plant species with wet type stigma and a relatively few species with dry type stigma contained considerable amounts of C18: 1-ω-OH and C18: 2-ω-OH. The ω-hydroxy fatty acids were contained not only in the triacylglycerol and diacylglycerol fractions but also in the polar fraction of stigma lipids.
Structural features of polysaccharides that induce intra-abdominal abscesses

The capsular polysaccharide complex from Bacteroides fragilis promotes the formation of intra-abdominal abscesses--a pathologic host response to infecting microorganisms. This complex consists of two distinct polysaccharides, each with repeating units that have positively charged amino groups and negatively charged carboxyl or phosphate groups. Analysis of these polysaccharides as well as other charged carbohydrates before and after chemical modification revealed that these oppositely charged groups are required for the induction of intra-abdominal abscesses in a rat model.
Hazard-Rate Modelling of Store-Switching Behaviour

In marketing science, hazard-rate models have shown great promise for investigating the dynamics of brand choice. In this paper, the value of hazard-rate models in geographic research is illustrated by the estimation of proportional hazards models and accelerated failure-time models for a well-defined spatial choice problem. These hazard-rate models produce satisfactory results and provide insights into the state and temporal dependencies of the spatial choice situation being investigated.
Sublytic Membrane-Attack-Complex (MAC) Activation Alters Regulated Rather than Constitutive Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) Secretion in Retinal Pigment Epithelium Monolayers

Uncontrolled activation of the alternative complement pathway and secretion of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) are thought to be associated with age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Previously, we have shown that in RPE monolayers, oxidative-stress reduced complement inhibition on the cell surface. The resulting increased level of sublytic complement activation resulted in VEGF release, which disrupted the barrier facility of these cells as determined by transepithelial resistance (TER) measurements. Induced rather than basal VEGF release in RPE is thought to be controlled by different mechanisms, including voltage-dependent calcium channel (VDCC) activation and mitogen-activated protein kinases. Here we examined the potential intracellular links between sublytic complement activation and VEGF release in RPE cells challenged with H2O2 and complement-sufficient normal human serum (NHS). Disruption of barrier function by H2O2 + NHS rapidly increased Ras expression and Erk and Src phosphorylation, but had no effect on P38 phosphorylation. Either treatment alone had little effect. TER reduction could be attenuated by inhibiting Ras, Erk and Src activation, or blocking VDCC or VEGF-R2 activation, but not by inhibiting P38. Combinatorial analysis of inhibitor effects demonstrated that sublytic complement activation triggers VEGF secretion via two pathways, Src and Ras-Erk, with the latter being amplified by VEGF-R2 activation, but has no effect on constitutive VEGF secretion mediated via P38. Finally, effects on TER were directly correlated with release of VEGF; and sublytic MAC activation decreased levels of zfp36, a negative modulator of VEGF transcription, resulting in increased VEGF expression. Taken together, identifying how sublytic MAC induces VEGF expression and secretion might offer opportunities to selectively inhibit pathological VEGF release only.
Monitoring commuter congestion on surface streets in real time

As public agencies focus on optimized signal timing to reduce congestion, few have the ability to monitor network operations in real time. Little work has been done to provide a graphic presentation of surface street congestion. A way is introduced here to identify and monitor commuter congestion on surface street arterials without using specialized equipment. Existing system detectors have been combined with the signal timing information to classify traffic congestion levels. The Utah Department of Transportation Traffic Operation Center is incorporating the results to provide a real-time arterial congestion map. Occupancy, flow, and signal information are reported to the traffic operation center every 5 min. Then, a commuter congestion algorithm compares the actual measured volume with an estimated approach capacity. It is inappropriate to assume a fixed-green time per cycle because the network's signalized intersections operate on coordinated-actuated control. The algorithm compares the estimated appro...
Static vs. dynamic populations in genetic algorithms for coloring a dynamic graph

We studied the performance of genetic algorithms for coloring dynamic graphs under a variety of experimental conditions, focusing on the relationship between the dynamics of the graph and that of the algorithm. Graph coloring is a well-studied NP-hard problem, while dynamic graphs are a natural way to model a diverse range of dynamic systems. Dynamic graph coloring can be applied to online scheduling in a changing environment, such as the online scheduling of conflicting tasks. As genetic algorithms (GAs) have been effective for graph coloring and are adaptable to dynamic environments, they are a promising choice for this problem. Thus, we compared the performance of three algorithms: a GA that maintained a single population adapting to the dynamic graph (DGA), a GA that restarted with a fresh population for the static graph of each time-step (SGA), and DSATUR, a well-known heuristic graph coloring algorithm re-applied at each time-step. We examined the relative performance of these algorithms for dynamic graphs of different sizes, edge densities, structures, and change rates, using different amounts of evolution between time-steps. Overall, the DGA consistently outperformed the SGA, being particularly dominant at low change rates, and under certain conditions was able to outperform DSATUR.