cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A reconfigurable stick-n-play modular microfluidic system using magnetic interconnects

A reconfigurable “stick-n-play” modular microfluidic system that can be assembled, disassembled, reconfigured and assembled again for building different integrated microfluidic systems is presented. Magnetic interconnects, comprising ring magnets and sealing gaskets, are integrated into each microfluidic module's inlet(s) and outlet(s) for both module-to-module and world-to-chip fluidic interconnects. The magnetic interconnects reversibly “stick” each individual microfluidic module together and provide leak-free fluidic communication between connected microfluidic modules in order to form a larger integrated microfluidic system. Because of the magnetic interconnects, connected microfluidic modules can be easily disconnected, reconfigured and connected again to form a different integrated microfluidic system. Using a fused deposition modeling (FDM)/fused filament fabrication (FFF)-based 3D printer, a reconfigurable stick-n-play modular microfluidic system, comprising a serpentine channel base platform and various microfluidic modules as well as inlet/outlet modules for world-to-chip fluidic interconnects, was first 3D printed. Magnetic interconnects were then integrated into each 3D printed module. Finally, the stick-n-play modular microfluidic system was used to demonstrate its reconfigurability to build various integrated microfluidic systems by simply and reversibly sticking various modules together. Based on the magnetic interconnects, customized multi-dimensional stick-n-play modular microfluidic systems can be easily designed and built providing a convenient platform for designing large scale microfluidic systems.
Automatic Analysis of Organic Pollutants in Water via a Calculator-controlled GC/MS

ABSTRACT A low cost microcomputer-controlled gas chromatograph/mass spectrometer (GC/MS) has been programmed to automatically carry out the routine analysis of water samples or extracts of water samples. This greatly simplifies the analysis and reduces the need for operator attention. Routine time consuming operations have been eliminated or reduced through computer control. The U.S. EPA (1977) has defined 114 compounds as chemical indicators of organic pollution in water. These indicators are divided into two groups: 30 purgeable organic compounds and 84 semi-volatile and nonvolatile organic compounds. The latter compounds may be analyzed via liquid/liquid extraction and subsequent direct injection into a GC/MS. The purgeable compounds, may be separated from the water substrate by a technique known as vapor stripping (Bellar and Lichtenberg (1974)). To carry out these analyses, the calculator-controlled GC/MS can be programmed to automatically tune itself and set up proper gas Chromatograph and mass spectrometric conditions. The instrument will accept raw water samples for the analysis of purgeable organic compounds. Subsequent sampling, analysis and data reduction can be carried out under control of the calculator. It is thus possible to make GC/MS analysis of purgeable organic compounds in water semi-automatic. Indeed, the operator need only insert his water sample, and answer four questions asked by the calculator. The sampling process and analysis is completely controlled by the calculator. The analysis of non-purgeable organic compounds can be carried out in this manner, however the liquid/liquid sampling procedure has not been automated. A Final Report containing qualitative and quantitative results is automatically printed out at the end of each analysis.
Mental Health Concerns of Students on the Autism Spectrum

This chapter introduces the reader to the autism spectrum and discusses the characteristics, traits, common concerns, and potential supports for this population. The chapter also provides some recommendations for proactive and collaborative support efforts for students with both an autism spectrum disorder and mental health issues.
Product line competition

This paper studies product line competition in a simple model of a duopoly. There are two identical firms each of whom must choose a line of product qualities and supply quantities for each product in the line. They face consumers who prefer a higher quality product to a lower quality product but differ in how much they are willing to pay for quality. For the firms, a higher quality product is more costly to produce than a lower quality product. The basic question analyzed is the nature of product line competition. Will the firms choose to segment the market — one firm producing a line of lower quality products and the other firm producing a line of higher quality products — or will they interlace their products? Also, how is consumer welfare affected by these alternative ways of product line competition?
To Carry or not to Carry: Predictors of Support for Allowing Probation/Parole Officers to Carry Firearms

The purpose of this article is to explore predictors of community corrections staff’s opinions on allowing probation/parole officers to carry firearms on the job. Using a sample of nearly 300 proba...
Trajectory design of formation flying constellation for space-based solar power

The concept of collecting solar power in space and transmitting it to the Earth using a microwave beam has appealed to the imagination of numerous researchers in the past. The Space Solar Power Initiative at Caltech is working towards turning this idea into reality, by developing the critical technologies necessary to make this an economically feasible solution. The proposed system comprises an array of ultralight, membrane-like deployable modules with high efficiency photovoltaics and microwave transmission antennas embedded in the structure. Each module is 60 m χ 60 m in size and in the final configuration, ∼2500 of these modules form a 3 km χ 3 km array in a geosynchronous orbit. As the constellation orbits the Earth, the orientation and position of each module has to be changed so as to optimize the angle made by the photovoltaic surface with respect to the sun and by the antenna surface with respect to the receiving station on Earth. We derive the optimum orientation profile for the modules and find that modules with dual-sided RF transmission can provide 1.5 times more orbit-averaged power than modules with single-sided RF transmission. To carry out the corresponding orbital maneuvers, an optimization framework using the Hill-Clohessy-Wiltshire (HCW) equations is developed to achieve the dual goal of maximizing the power delivered, while minimizing the propellant required to carry out the desired orbital maneuvers. Results are presented for a constellation with modules in fixed relative positions and also for a constellation where the modules execute circularized periodic relative motion in the HCW frame. We show that the use of these periodic relative orbits reduces the propellant consumption from ∼150 kg to ∼50 kg. This drastic reduction makes the propellant mass a significantly smaller fraction of the module's dry mass (370 kg), thereby solving a major technical hurdle in the realization of space-based solar power.
The Role of Trade Costs in the Surge of Trade Imbalances

This paper shows that the decline in trade costs that underlies the increase in observed global bilateral gross trade flows has notably contributed to the surge in the size of net trade imbalances over the past four decades. To show this, I propose a framework that embeds a quantitative multi-country general equilibrium model of international trade based on Ricardian comparative advantages into a dynamic framework in which trade imbalances arise endogenously. I identify and describe two mechanisms through which declines in trade costs lead to larger imbalances in the model. By exploiting the information in bilateral trade flows, among other data, I calibrate the model and provide a decomposition that shows that 69 percent of the increase in the size of world trade imbalances can be explained by the decline in trade costs across countries. In other words, lower trade costs have not only allowed for more trade across countries in a particular point in time, but also for more trade over time. Moreover, the effect of lower trade costs on trade imbalances is heterogeneous across countries. In particular, trade imbalances in countries like the United States and China have been significantly affected by the decline in trade costs. I also show that the welfare gains from lower trade costs can differ substantially from those that are obtained when changes in trade imbalances are not taken into account.
Rapid yield ramp using closed loop DFM and overlay process window qualification flow

At advanced nodes (sub 28nm), it has become a major challenge to design and verify integrated circuits to achieve high yield. The complex interactions of design and manufacturing process need to be bridged by Design for Manufacturability (DFM) / Design for Yield (DFY). With further shrinking of process technology, the on-chip variation worsens for each technology node. As a result, traditional defect detection methodologies also become more challenging. Interlayer and/or overlay driven defects have begun to plague lithography patterning. Traditional Process Window Qualification (PWQ) (focus and dose modulation) alone may not define the true process window. Overlay has become an additional factor to aid in determining the complete process window. DFM brings manufacturing variability awareness into the design to address the yield limiting configurations using pattern matching and recommended rules. In this paper, we propose a closed loop DFM and Overlay Process Window (OPW) qualification flow to identify yield-limiting configurations and address them early in the product yield ramp for faster time-to-market (TTM).
Wnt/β-catenin signaling regulates ependymal cell development and adult homeostasis

In the adult mouse spinal cord, the ependymal cell population that surrounds the central canal is thought to be a promising source of quiescent stem cells to treat spinal cord injury. Relatively little is known about the cellular origin of ependymal cells during spinal cord development, or the molecular mechanisms that regulate ependymal cells during adult homeostasis. Using genetic lineage tracing based on the Wnt target gene Axin2, we have characterized Wnt-responsive cells during spinal cord development. Our results revealed that Wnt-responsive progenitor cells are restricted to the dorsal midline throughout spinal cord development, which gives rise to dorsal ependymal cells in a spatially restricted pattern. This is contrary to previous reports that suggested an exclusively ventral origin of ependymal cells, suggesting that ependymal cells may retain positional identities in relation to their neural progenitors. Our results further demonstrated that in the postnatal and adult spinal cord, all ependymal cells express the Wnt/β-catenin signaling target gene Axin2, as well as Wnt ligands. Genetic elimination of β-catenin or inhibition of Wnt secretion in Axin2-expressing ependymal cells in vivo both resulted in impaired proliferation, indicating that Wnt/β-catenin signaling promotes ependymal cell proliferation. These results demonstrate the continued importance of Wnt/β-catenin signaling for both ependymal cell formation and regulation. By uncovering the molecular signals underlying the formation and regulation of spinal cord ependymal cells, our findings thus enable further targeting and manipulation of this promising source of quiescent stem cells for therapeutic interventions.
Creating an Affective Design Typology for Basketball Shoes Using Kansei Engineering Methods

Research has shown that for athletic shoes, visual attributes such as color and style can be more important than ergonomic or technical attributes in consumer purchase decisions. Previous studies have also shown that psychological feelings and emotions are in fact tied to products based on individual design characteristics that create a ‘gestalt’ feel for the product. Kansei engineering is one method commonly used in product development to gain a better understanding of emotions and their linkages with specific design characteristics, which can then be used to design products that communicate the desired ‘feel’. The current study posits that the design characteristics of shoes and the emotions that they elicit can be statistically grouped together, creating Kansei/affective design types that have applications for product development, marketing, and mass customization. An exploratory study using male millennial athletes revealed four affective design types for basketball shoes, which are associated with differing design characteristics.
Muscular Dystrophy: Emery–Dreifuss, Facioscapulohumeral, Scapuloperoneal, and Bethlem Myopathy

This article discusses several of the regional muscular dystrophies including facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD), scapuloperoneal muscular dystrophy, Emery–Dreifuss muscular dystrophy (EDMD), and Bethlem myopathy (BM). The significant advances made in genetics and molecular biology enable more precise classifications of these dystrophies and the development of more disease-specific treatments. FSHD, EDMD, and BM are associated with particular genetic mutations. Scapuloperoneal distribution of weakness, however, can be seen in many muscular dystrophies, and controversy exists as to whether scapuloperoneal muscular dystrophy exists as a distinct clinical entity.
Frictional contact formulation using quadratic programming

A new solution procedure for contact problems in elasticity with prescribed normal tractions on contact surface has been proposed in this paper. The procedure is based on the boundary element method and quadratic programming. It is next used in a two step solution algorithm for the analysis of contact problems with friction. Several numerical examples are presented and compared with results obtained using alternative solution methods.
Cognitive Functions (Normal) and Neuropsychological Deficits, Models of

Researchers interested in human cognitive processes have long used computer simulations to try to identify the principles of cognition, by building computational models that embody a set of principles and then examining how well the models capture human performance in cognitive tasks. Early models were based on information-processing diagrams in which cognitive processing is carried out by a series of discrete stages. However, formalisms based more closely on neural computation—including connectionist or neural-network models—have proven more effective at capturing the effects of brain damage on cognition. In such models, cognitive processes take the form of cooperative and competitive interactions among large numbers of simple, neuron-like processing units. Many such models use distributed representations in which cognitive entities like words, objects and concepts, are encoded by alternative, overlapping patterns of activity. On this approach, the internal representations needed to perform various tasks are not stipulated in advance but are learned though feedback and interaction with the environment. Connectionist models have been applied successfully to a wide range of neuropsychological domains, including perception, attention, language, memory, executive control, and action. Considerable work remains, however, in extending such models to address more complex temporal phenomena.
Pain severity as a mediator of the association between depressive symptoms and physical performance in knee osteoarthritis

Summary Objective Depressive symptoms in knee osteoarthritis (OA) are associated with increased pain severity and declines in physical performance. This study examined whether pain severity mediates the association between depressive symptoms and physical performance in persons with radiographic knee OA. Method Three years of annual data from participants (n = 1,463) with radiographic knee OA in the Osteoarthritis Initiative (OAI) were analyzed. Depressive symptoms were measured using the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression (CES-D) scale. Pain severity was evaluated with the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis Index. Physical performance was assessed via standardized gait speed. Marginal structural models were used to assess the direct (unmediated) effects of depressive symptoms on physical performance and indirect (mediated) effects through pain severity. Results Direct and indirect effects for a difference in CES-D score of 0–1 were −0.0051 (95% confidence intervals (CI): −0.0053, −0.0049) and −0.0016 (95% CI: −0.0024, −0.0007) standard deviations in gait speed, respectively. Higher depressive symptom severity exhibited diminishing, incremental, direct and indirect effects and for a difference in CES-D score of 15–16 were −0.0045 (95% CI: −0.0047, −0.0042) and −0.0009 (95% CI: −0.0014, −0.0004) standard deviations in gait speed, respectively. Therefore, the magnitude of the mediated, indirect effect, was never larger than 24%. Conclusion Pain severity mediated approximately one-fifth of the association between depressive symptoms and physical performance in persons with radiographic knee OA, and the diminishing incremental effects may explain why unimodal treatment strategies with a single disease target are often ineffective in depressed OA patients.
The role of adjuvant therapy for atypical bronchopulmonary carcinoids

Abstract Background Atypical bronchopulmonary carcinoid tumors are rare but carry high recurrence rates following resection. The role of adjuvant therapy remains unclear owing to a lack of high-volume data. To address this knowledge gap, we examined predictors of adjuvant therapy and effects on outcome. Methods We queried the National Cancer Database for patients with resected stage I-III atypical carcinoid. Adjuvant therapy was defined as chest radiation, chemotherapy, or a combination thereof. Multivariable logistic regression identified predictors of adjuvant therapy. Multivariable Cox regression evaluated predictors of survival. Propensity matching accounted for indication biases. Results Overall, 533 stage I/II and 129 stage III patients were identified. Predictors for adjuvant therapy in stage I/II disease were stage II, positive margins, lymph node ratio (LNR) of 1–25%, and more remote year of treatment. Predictors for adjuvant therapy in stage III were female gender and LNR of 26–50%. Median overall survival in stage I/II and III was 116 months and 61 months, respectively. Predictors for survival in stage I/II were age, margins, comorbidity score, and LNR; factors for stage III disease were LNR and more remote year of treatment. Delivery of adjuvant therapy was not independently associated with survival in either stage I/II or III patients. Furthermore, propensity matched analysis did not reveal a benefit to adjuvant therapy. Conclusions This study shows no clear survival benefit with adjuvant radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy, even in stage III disease. Although this implies that adjuvant therapy should not be routinely delivered, individualized judgment is still recommended.
Ewing's sarcoma of the mandible: A case report

Ewing's sarcoma is an uncommon malignancy that usually occurs in childhood and is rare in the mandible. A case of Ewing's sarcoma of the mandible is presented and discussed.
Age and Birth Cohort-Adjusted Rates of Suicide Mortality Among US Male and Female Youths Aged 10 to 19 Years From 1999 to 2017.

Importance Strategic planning to curb increasing suicide rate among US youths requires unbiased measures of suicide mortality, as the unadjusted suicide mortality rates conventionally used in describing time trends and sex patterns are confounded by the differences in chronological age and year of birth. Objective To measure time trends and sex differences in suicide mortality among US youths using age and birth cohort (age-cohort)–adjusted rates. Design, Setting, and Participants This population-based multiyear cross-sectional study of US youths aged 10 to 19 years was a secondary analysis of the suicide data for January 1, 1999, to December 31, 2017, derived from the Wide-Ranging Online Data for Epidemiologic Research, a database prepared by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to promote research. Data analysis was conducted from May 24 to May 27, 2019. Main Outcomes and Measures Age-cohort–adjusted suicide mortality rates by year and sex were used as the main outcomes. These adjusted rates were calculated based on the period effect estimated with the age-period-cohort (APC) modeling method. Participants’ age, year of birth, and the year when suicide occurred were used as time-related risk factors. Results Age-cohort–adjusted suicide mortality rates were estimated successfully by year and by sex. The adjusted rates were obtained after controlling for a V-shaped cohort effect and a curved age effect that also differed by sex. The unadjusted suicide mortality rate for male youths increased from 7.4 per 100 000 in 1999 to 10.7 per 100 000 in 2017, while the adjusted rate increased from 4.9 per 100 000 in 1999 to 8.7 per 100 000 in 2017. The unadjusted suicide mortality rates for female youths were 1.6 per 100 000 in 1999 and 3.5 per 100 000 in 2017, while the adjusted rates were 1.7 per 100 000 in 1999 and 4.2 per 100 000 in 2017. Conclusions and Relevance Findings of this study indicate a more rapid increase and smaller male-female difference in suicide rates among US youths since 1999 than those shown by the unadjusted suicide mortality rates. The adjusted rates provide unbiased data that are needed for evidence-based decision-making and strategies to curb the increasing suicide rates among US youths.
Research Viewpoint: India's Human Spaceflight Program: Underlying Rationales

ABSTRACTIndian Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced support for a human spaceflight program during his 2018 Independence Day speech. The target year of 2022 is when India plans to realize its fir...
Corporate Social Responsibility Disclosures and Investor Judgments in Difficult Times: The Role of Ethical Culture and Assurance

We conduct an experiment with 459 nonprofessional investors to examine whether they evaluate companies differently based on management’s stated purpose for undertaking corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities in the presence versus absence of a company-specific negative event. Specifically, we vary whether or not management intends to achieve financial returns from CSR activities in addition to promoting social good. We address investors’ decision processes by investigating whether their judgments are mediated by perceptions of future cash flows and/or the underlying ethical culture of the company. Results show that absent a negative event, investment judgments are stronger when CSR activities are intended to achieve financial returns, through expectations of higher future cash flows. However, when a negative event occurs, we find a moderating effect of independent assurance of CSR disclosures. When disclosures are not assured, investors prefer CSR undertaken only for societal benefit, mediated by perceptions of a stronger ethical culture. However, when disclosures are assured, ethical culture is viewed similarly regardless of management’s intention to achieve financial returns from CSR activities. This suggests that management’s willingness to obtain independent assurance on disclosures is viewed as a positive ethical signal. Thus, assurance complements disclosure of CSR activities by contributing to protection against the impact of negative events.
General Software Architecture

Having discussed the general VLSI System Planning methodology in Chapters 2 and 3, we now discuss the software architecture required to automate the methodology. This chapter will focus on the salient features from a conceptual or functional point of view. Supporting details on how the features are implemented are given in Appendix B.
The Family Gap in Pay: Evidence from Seven Industrialised Countries

In this paper we use microdata on employment and earnings from a variety of industrialised countries to investigate the family gap in pay - the differential in hourly wages between women with children and women without children. We present results from seven countries: Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom, the United States, Germany, Finland, and Sweden. We find that there is a good deal of variation across our sample countries in the effects of children on women's employment. We also find large differences in the effects of children on women's hourly wages even after controlling for differences between women with children and women without children in characteristics such as age and education. Among the seven countries we study here, the United Kingdom displays the largest wage penalties to children. The family gap in pay is larger in the U.K. than in other countries because of the higher propensity of U.K. mothers to work in low-paid part-time jobs but also because even among full-timers, women with children in the U.K. are lower paid relative to other women than are mothers in other countries. Why does the family gap in pay vary so much across countries? We find that the variation in the family gap in pay across countries is not primarily due to differential selection into employment or to differences in wage structure. We therefore suggest that future research should examine the impact of family policies such as maternity leave and child care on the family gap in pay.
Predictors of unplanned drinking in daily life: The influence of context, impulsivity, and craving in those with emotion dysregulation.

Abstract Objective Unplanned drinking, or drinking that violates intentions, has been linked to significant alcohol-related consequences; however, little is known about what factors within individuals’ daily lives predict whether unplanned drinking occurs. This study examines the influence of daily-life impulsivity, alcohol craving, and interpersonal contexts on unplanned drinking. Method Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) data were collected from 32 moderate drinkers. Participants were prompted six times per day for up to 21 days. Each morning participants reported whether they planned to drink that day. Multilevel and GEE models predicted drinking behaviors on days without intent to drink from daily-life interpersonal contexts, and pre-drinking ratings of impulsivity and craving. Results Spending time in a bar and spending relatively more time with other people on days with no intention to drink was associated with drinking. Individuals who experienced higher craving prior to drinking were relatively more likely to engage in unplanned drinking. When participants reported relatively greater difficulties with premeditation, they were more likely to subsequently report initiating an unplanned drinking episode. Results also suggest that individuals generally higher on negative urgency may be less likely to engage in unplanned drinking but drink more when they do. Conclusion These results indicate the influence of daily-life contexts, craving, and impulsivity on unplanned drinking behavior. We highlight several possible avenues for intervention and prevention efforts including modifying social and interpersonal environments, screening for craving patterns, and targeting cognitive deficits in planning.
A Methodology for Updating Prognostic Models via Kalman Filters

Prognostic models are built to predict the future evolution of the state or health of a system. Typical applications of these models include predictions of damage (like crack, wear) andestimation of remaining useful life of a component. Prognostic models may be data based, based on known physics of the system or can be hybrid, i.e., built through a combination of data and physics. To build such models, one needs either data from the field (i.e., real-world operations) or simulations/ tests that qualitatively represent field observations. Often, field data is not easy to obtain and is limited in its availability. Thus, models are built with simulation or test data and then validated with field observations when they become available. This necessitates a procedure that allows for refinement of models to better represent real-world behavior without having to run expensive simulations or tests repeatedly. Further, a single prognostic model developed for an entire fleet may need to be updated with measurements obtained from individual units. In this paper, we describe a novel methodology, based on the Unscented Kalman Filter, that not only allows for updating such “fleet” models, but also guarantees improvement over the existing model.
Reproduction of "evaluating adversarial evasion attacks in the context of wireless communications" and "convolutional radio modulation recognition networks"

In this work, we reproduce several findings from references [1] and [2] which possess the same title. The authors of [2] trained a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) to classify In-phase/Quadriture (IQ) signals to one of 11 possible modulation classes, while the authors of [1] performed a detailed analysis of the trade-off between disrupting an eavesdropper using the CNN from [2] and maintaining a low Bit Error Rate (BER) in a wireless transmit-receive chain. We found that 6 out of the 11 classes presented in the data set generated by [2] experience significant amounts of multicollinearity, even in zero-noise scenarios, due in part to the relatively small size of the input signals. Additionally, the SNR is computed with an error of approximately 6 dB for the BPSK class, which is an amount that varies for other classes in the data set. Finally, we determine there exists a need for greater variety in the data set channels, dimensions, and oversampling to enable further investigate trade-offs. We found the CNN used in [1] does indeed require dither to generate the BPSK signals reported due to zero-valued gradients being computed for the signals' quadrature components. Alternatively, bias terms may be used, although this significantly impairs training. The energy and SNR issues present in [2] could potentially be mentioned when utilized by [1], since there is a mismatch for both axis, which occurs when reproducing the eavesdropper classifier accuracy plots shown in [1].
Abstract P158: Work-related Exertion And Standing/walking Are Associated With Leisure-time Physical Activity In Latinos

Introduction: Latinos engage in higher levels of occupational physical activity, yet lower levels of leisure-time physical activity (LTPA), than other racial/ethnic groups. Limited research has exa...
Tap to Togetherness: A Program for Parents and Children Together

Tap dancing is for all ages and offers a fun way to be physically active for a lifetime. The purpose of this paper is to describe a parent-and-child tap dance program, the physical activity that oc...
The Pro Se Phenomenon

Why would anyone choose to go to court without a lawyer? It is a simple question. In the varied host of television dramas, attorneys, not the parties, are always arguing the cases. Only on reality/entertainment oriented shows like “Judge Judy” and the like do people argue their own cases. Such pro se appearances typically result in the parties being mocked, berated, and the law ignored. These examples hardly show any positive aspects of going to court without counsel. Attorneys’ own lexicon even encourages against proceeding pro se with the adage that “one who is his own lawyer has a fool for a client.” The answer to the simple question of why people proceed pro se, however, is not quite so straightforward. While there is a great deal of anecdotal evidence as to why people represent themselves in court, there has been relatively little substantive research into the issue. While it may not be understood why people go to court without counsel, it is certainly perceived by many commentators that more are doing so now than ever before. Another perception is that people litigating their own
Adjuvants and the Initiation of T-Cell Responses

Despite extensive study and use of adjuvants that promote initiation of T-cell responses, we are only now beginning to understand the mechanistic basis for the adjuvant effect. This rapidly increasing understanding is a result of several factors including advances in our fundamental understanding of the requirements of T-cell activation, a developing appreciation of the importance of innate immunity in T-cell activation, and realization that dendritic cells (DCs) play the central role as antigen-presenting cells (APCs) to activate T cells. Furthermore, previous studies of adjuvants were largely empirical although new approaches are allowing much more detailed and quantitative studies of the in vivo activation of antigen (Ag)-specific T cells. Impetus for studying the mechanisms by which adjuvants influence T-cell responses is provided by their tremendous importance in developing vaccination strategies to prevent and treat diseases. In addition to the classical adjuvant formulations, most of which include bacterial cell wall components, numerous other substances with adjuvant effects have been described and the list continues to grow. The ability to activate DCs and induce production of inflammatory cytokines is emerging as a critical feature shared by most if not all adjuvants, and recent studies are beginning to suggest ways in which these cytokines contribute to T-cell proliferation and differentiation. This chapter examines the requirements for effective activation of T-cell responses and discusses how adjuvants and their effects on DCs can or might contribute at each stage.
Availability of a Hexachlorobiphenyl Isomer to Benthic Amphipods from Experimentally Contaminated Natural Sediments

The present study was designed to determine the availability of radiolabeled 2.4,5,2',4',5'-hexachlorobiphenyl (HCBP) to benthic amphipods from experimentally contaminated natural sediments. Amphipods accumulated HCBP primarily by direct uptake from water as a function of exposure time. However, organisms that were directly exposed to the sediments had consistently higher (2.3 to 10.8X) HCBP concentrations than did organisms exposed only to the sediment-desorbed residues in the water. Experimental results demonstrated that the substrate organic matter content and particle size affected the concentrations of HCBP in the water and, in turn, in the organisms. The removal of sediment organic matter enhanced HCBP accumulation by both substrate-exposed and water-exposed organisms. Amphipods accumulated the least HCBP when exposed to silt-clay particle size fractions which contained organic matter. The substrate particle size was less important than the organic content in determining HCBP availability to the amphipods.
Virtual machine dispatching under fairness constraints

The paper analyzes the problems of low level dispatching under predictability constraints, with good responsiveness and low overhead. It is shown that nonpreemptive and/or round-robin disciplines fail for the general case. A novel algorithm is proposed based on sorting at time slice intervals. Simulation results are used to discuss the properties of the new dispatching algorithm.
Critical composition regions and the feasibility of extractive distillation

Abstract This article addresses the feasibility of double-feed extractive distillation columns using V/L equilibrium information. Critical composition regions and material balance constraints are used to evaluate feasibility. A double-feed column is feasible if the composition profile lies outside the critical composition region and approaches the binary edge connecting the desired top product and the extractive agent vertices of the composition space while going up the column. For given phase equilibrium data, we calculate upper and lower limits of the possible reflux ratios at that binary edge by using material balance constraints. If the range of the two reflux ratios at the binary edge overlaps other reflux ratio ranges over a continuous region in composition space, then a double-feed extractive distillation column can feasibly produce the desired product.
Pfaff Revisited: How the Federal Circuit Has Elaborated on the “Ready for Patenting” Standard

In Pfaff v. Wells Electronics, Inc., the Supreme Court established a twopart test to determine when an invention is “on sale” for purposes of Title 35 U.S.C. § 102(b). In addition to being the subject of a commercial offer for sale, an invention must be “ready for patenting” in order to be considered “on sale.” Since Pfaff, the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit has had numerous opportunities to expound upon how inventors can fulfill the latter condition. This iBrief will discuss the factors the Federal Circuit has determined are indicative of an invention’s “ready for patenting” status.
Chicken egg white cystatin. Molecular cloning, nucleotide sequence, and tissue distribution.

Abstract A lambda gt11 chicken oviduct cDNA library was screened with a mixed synthetic oligonucleotide corresponding to amino acid residues 81-90 of chicken egg white cystatin, a cysteine proteinase inhibitor. Two initial cDNA clones of 367 and 431 bases were isolated. Both clones contained coding sequences for cystatin from amino acid residue 82 to the carboxyl end plus 3'-untranslated region and a poly(A)+ tail. The two clones utilized different polyadenylation signals located 55 nucleotides apart. Further screening of the library yielded a full-length cystatin cDNA. Sequence analysis indicated that cystatin contains an NH2-terminal extension of 23 amino acids which is probably a signal sequence. The cystatin cDNA hybridized to an mRNA of approximately 0.95 kilobase and was present in varying amounts in all chicken tissues examined. The highest concentration was found in the lung. Gizzard, brain, and heart contained lesser amounts of cystatin mRNA but considerably higher than oviduct. Among a limited number of embryonic tissues examined, significantly higher levels of the mRNA were found in liver and heart tissues when compared with the corresponding adult tissues. These results suggested that the expression of the chicken cystatin gene is tissue-dependent and under developmental control.
On-chip decoupling capacitor optimization for high-performance VLSI design

This paper describes the on-chip power bus modeling and switching noise analysis for high performance circuit design, and the methodology to optimize the placement of on-chip decoupling capacitors. The switching noise is analyzed at both the package level and the chip level. An equivalent circuit which consists of time-varying resistors, loading capacitors, and decoupling capacitors, is used to simulate the switching activities of functional blocks. Both the resistive and inductive voltage drops on the power bus are modelled to identify the hot spots on the chip and /spl Delta/V across the chip. Based on the noise analysis results, a decoupling capacitor insertion algorithm is proposed to determine the amount of decoupling capacitance needed to keep the power supply voltage within specification, and optimize the final size and location of on-chip decoupling capacitors.
Energy Expenditure in Lean and Obese Prepubertal Children

The relationship between energy expenditure and obesity was examined in prepubertal children. Consenting fifth graders underwent Tanner Staging, weight, height and skinfold measurements. Subjects were selected for further study to obtain equal numbers of girls and boys with a wide range of body composition. Weight, total daily energy expenditure (TDEE) by doubly labeled water (DLW), resting metabolic rate (RMR), and body composition were measured. Children were grouped into level of obesity based on tertiles of subscapular plus triceps skinfolds. The skinfold tertiles did quite well in grouping subjects by degree of obesity, as differences in percent fat in each tertile were significantly different. There were no differences in fat-free mass between the groups, while the highest tertile group weighed 14 kg more than the lowest. For DLW, energy expenditure was calculated using day 8 and day 9 urine samples as the final time point to examine precision. Mean energy expenditure using either day was nearly identical (2220 +/- 400 vs 2300 +/- 370 kcal/d), with a CV of the difference of 5.5%. No differences in RMR, energy expended in activity, or TDEE between the three groups were observed. A reduction in RMR or TDEE could not explain differences in obesity in these prepubertal children. However, the fact that the heaviest children expended the same amount of energy in activity and had the same TDEE as the leanest, while weighing 14 kg more, indicates that the obese children had a reduced activity level.
The Social-Psychological Measurement of Partisanship

This article undertakes a comprehensive examination of the social-psychological theory behind the concept of partisanship and addresses how well contemporary measures, especially the ubiquitous NES/Michigan measure, accord with contemporary theories of measurement, attitudes, and group identification. A number of shortcomings with the NES measure are discovered and more recent, psychologically informed measures that address these shortcomings are explored. After a brief empirical demonstration of the utility of these newer measures, recommendations are made for using new theory and new measures to improve our understanding of the role of partisanship in influencing political behavior.
La société esclavagiste cubaine et la révolution haïtienne

Cet article etudie les repercussions de la revolution haitienne (1791-1804) a Cuba. Il vise a aller au-dela des generalisations sur la peur et la terreur engendrees par les societes d’esclaves avoisinantes en revolution et a comprendre ainsi les multiples references a Haiti. A Cuba, la revolution haitienne a eu des effets paradoxaux: elle a, d’une part, propose un exemple de la revolution des esclaves et, d’autre part, contribue a la consolidation d’un systeme base sur la traite des Africains. En etudiant les reactions des esclavagistes et de l’Etat colonial espagnol sur la revolution, l’auteur prete une attention particuliere a une conspiration presumee d’esclaves en 1806, dans laquelle l’exemple de la revolution haitienne semble avoir inspire a un groupe d’esclaves la volonte de recouvrer leur liberte par la rebellion.
Extending the pseudo-stuck-at fault model to provide complete IDDQ coverage

Since its inception, the pseudo-stuck-at fault model has demonstrated its usefulness in generating IDDQ patterns, calculating coverage, and diagnosing defects. However, the model's definition has lacked rigor, which has resulted in multiple, incompatible, interpretations. This paper provides a complete definition for the model and demonstrates how variations will cause a loss of defect coverage. The covering relationship between the pseudo-stuck-at (PSA) model and leakage faults is proven for all combinational CMOS cells. This relationship is extended to show the effect that undetectable PSA faults have on leakage fault coverage. It is shown how to apply the model to sequential cells such as flip-flops and latches. The PSA model is also extended to cover both short and open faults in chip interconnect. A weighting function is introduced to tie the coverage more closely to process defect statistics. Finally, experimental results are given to show the effectiveness of the model on actual ASICs.
Statistical identification of delayed repolarization: Applicability in long QT syndrome (LQTS) population

The objectives of this study were: to establish normal standards for QT intervals, based on a large normal population, using high-quality digitized electrocardiogram recordings, and a statistical probabilistic approach adjusting for heart rate, age, and gender, and to apply this approach to the LQTS international registry. Based on digitized electrocardiogram recordings and multiregression methods adjusting the QT interval for RR interval, age, and gender, in normal population (N=578) a measurement called adjusted QT (QTa) was determined. QTa is expressed in normal population standard deviation units, and in percentiles (%QTa). The QTa was applied to the LQTS multicenter registry (N=2000), treating probands (N=326), and family members (N=1674) separately. >
On the convex hull of the union of certain polyhedra

We consider a finite collection of polyhedra whose defining linear systems differ only in their right hand sides. Jeroslow [5] and Blair [4] specified conditions under which the convex hull of the union of these polyhedra is defined by a system whose left hand side is the common lefthand side of the individual systems, and whose right hand side is a convex combination of the individual right hand sides. We give a new sufficient condition for this property to hold, which is often easier to recognize. In particular, we show that the condition is satisfied for polyhedra whose defining systems involve the node-arc incidence matrices of directed graphs, with certain righ hand sides. We also derive as a special case the compact linear characterization of the two terminal Steiner tree polytope given in Ball, Liu and Pulleyblank [3].
Transglutaminase and histamine incorporation in vivo

Abstract Incorporation of histamine into liver protein of mice was investigated; the activity of transglutaminase, the enzyme that catalyzes the incorporation in vitro of amines into protein was determined simultaneously. Although the amount of histamine bound to liver protein is negligible in untreated control mice, after the administration of Salmonella typhosa endotoxin and Haemophilus pertussis vaccine, agents which increase transglutaminase activity in mouse liver, a definite fixation of histamine in liver proteins was found. The increase in enzyme activity and the amount of proteinbound histamine showed a significant correlation. When the incorporation of the amine was studied with 14 C, the relatively low radioactivity of the incorporated histamine suggested an extensive dilution of the labeled amine by unlabeled histamine. Methods for the determination of small amounts of protein-bound unlabeled histamine and of labeled histamine from 14 C-labeled proteins are described.
Coherence between surface electromyograms is influenced by electrode placement in hand muscles

Abstract We used multi-channel surface electromyograms (EMGs) to examine if electrode location influences coherence measures derived from pairs of EMGs recorded from two hand muscles during a pinch task. A linear probe of 16 electrodes was used to estimate the location of the innervation zone in first dorsal interosseous (FDI) and abductor pollicis brevis (APB). Four electrodes were then placed on the skin overlying each muscle and three bipolar electrode configurations were constructed with their center points directly over the innervation zone, and 15 mm distal and proximal to the innervation zone. Ten subjects performed two force-matching tasks for 120 s at 2 N and 3.5 N by pressing a force sensor held between the thumb and index finger. Coherence spectra were calculated from pairs of EMGs recorded from the two muscles. Maximal coherence from 1 to 15 Hz and 16 to 32 Hz was calculated at both force levels from the EMGs with electrodes centered over the innervation zones of FDI and APB. These values were compared to the maximal coherence from all other EMG comparisons across muscles recorded with electrodes that avoided the innervation zones. ANOVA revealed significant main effects only for electrode location, with a 58.1% increase ( p = 0.001) in maximal coherence for EMGs detected from pairs of electrodes that avoided the innervation zone (from 0.11 ± 0.02 to 0.18 ± 0.03; mean ± 95% confidence interval). These results indicate that electrode location relative to the innervation zone influences EMG–EMG coherence and should be carefully considered when placing EMG electrodes on hand muscles.