cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Predicting online media effectiveness based on smile responses gathered over the Internet

We present an automated method for classifying “liking” and “desire to view again” based on over 1,500 facial responses to media collected over the Internet. This is a very challenging pattern recognition problem that involves robust detection of smile intensities in uncontrolled settings and classification of naturalistic and spontaneous temporal data with large individual differences. We examine the manifold of responses and analyze the false positives and false negatives that result from classification. The results demonstrate the possibility for an ecologically valid, unobtrusive, evaluation of commercial “liking” and “desire to view again”, strong predictors of marketing success, based only on facial responses. The area under the curve for the best “liking” and “desire to view again” classifiers was 0.8 and 0.78 respectively when using a challenging leave-one-commercial-out testing regime. The technique could be employed in personalizing video ads that are presented to people whilst they view programming over the Internet or in copy testing of ads to unobtrusively quantify effectiveness.
Insights into the MCM functional mechanism: lessons learned from the archaeal MCM complex

The helicase function of the minichromosome maintenance protein (MCM) is essential for genomic DNA replication in archaea and eukaryotes. There has been rapid progress in studies of the structure and function of MCM proteins from different organisms, leading to better understanding of the MCM helicase mechanism. Because there are a number of excellent reviews on this topic, we will use this review to summarize some of the recent progress, with particular focus on the structural aspects of MCM and their implications for helicase function. Given the hexameric and double hexameric architecture observed by X-ray crystallography and electron microscopy of MCMs from archaeal and eukaryotic cells, we summarize and discuss possible unwinding modes by either a hexameric or a double hexameric helicase. Additionally, our recent crystal structure of a full length archaeal MCM has provided structural information on an intact, multi-domain MCM protein, which includes the salient features of four unusual beta-hairpins from each monomer, and the side channels of a hexamer/double hexamer. These new structural data enable a closer examination of the structural basis of the unwinding mechanisms by MCM.
The wave expansion neural network

Abstract In the potential field approach to path planning, artificial potential fields are utilized for path planning and obstacle avoidance. However, the development of such fields is computationally intensive. This paper describes a neural network called the Wave expansion neural network (WENN) that is capable of developing artificial potential fields over discretized representations of a moving object's environment. WENN dynamics are analyzed and techniques for efficient emulation in conventional processing systems are described. The process of artificial potential field development by the WENN is examined and the methodologies which use these fields for path planning are briefly discussed.
Angiotensin II and extracellular matrix homeostasis.

Abstract As a circulating hormone, endocrine properties of angiotensin (Ang) II are integral to circulatory homeostasis. Produced de novo its autocrine/paracrine properties contribute to biologic responses involving various connective tissues (e.g. extracellular matrix, adipose tissue, bone and its marrow). In this brief review, we develop the concept of extracellular matrix homeostasis, a self regulation of cellular composition and structure, wherein fibroblast-derived AngII regulates elaboration of TGF-β1, a fibrogenic cytokine responsible for connective tissue formation at normal and pathologic sites of collagen turnover.
Exegesis and Double Justice in Calvin's Sermons on Job

Medieval exegetes contributed distinguished commentaries on the Book of Job that had far-reaching influence. When, in 1554, Calvin ascended the pulpit in Geneva to deliver a series of sermons on Job, his listeners heard not only the Genevan Reformer but echoes of that medieval tradition. In Job's story Calvin saw a God whose providence held sovereign sway over nature, history, and Satan. Having undertaken these sermons, however, Calvin soon confronted Job's question: Why do the righteous suffer? Calvin did not answer Job alone. He turned to both medieval Joban commentaries and Scotist-nominalist categories to resolve this book's central issue of divine justice. But we will see that despite all these resources the exegetical difficulties posed by the text itself forced Calvin to realize that his central hermeneutical device brought with it implications with which he was ultimately uncomfortable. That device was double justice.
Layer-by-layer assembled smectite-polymer nanocomposite film for rapid fluorometric detection of aflatoxin B1

Abstract Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) is a potent biological toxin produced by fungi Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus. Current quantification methods for AFB1 are mostly established on immunoaffinity columns which are both costly and labor intensive. Inspired by smectites’ high AFB1 adsorption capacity and affinity, we report the synthesis of a smectite-polyacrylamide (PAM) nanocomposite film for AFB1 detection and prove the feasibility of such a film for AFB1 quantification. A layer-by-layer assembly process was developed to achieve uniform morphology and thickness of the nanocomposite films on flat silicon substrates. Positive correlations between the peak fluorescence intensity of the adsorbed AFB1 and its concentration in the test solutions were obtained. The smectite-PAM nanocomposite film has shown similar AFB1 adsorption capabilities as the smectite, while exhibiting excellent structural stability in aqueous solutions. Our results suggest the feasibility of using the smectite-PAM nanocomposite film as a simple biosensor to achieve rapid fluorometric quantification of AFB1.
On the application of Exploratory Data Analysis for characterization of space weather data sets

Abstract This paper presents an overview of the mathematical foundations for techniques in Exploratory Data Analysis (EDA) for the purpose of investigating the relationships among the numerous variables in large sets of multivariate space weather data. Specifically, we cover techniques in Principal Components Analysis (PCA) and Common Factor Analysis (CFA). These techniques are illustrated using space weather activity indices collected during the year 2002 and the corresponding noon-time hmF2 data from the International Reference Ionosphere (IRI). A CFA is used to categorize the activity indices, and a PCA is used to derive two macro-indices of activity to ascertain the strength of solar and geomagnetic activity. These macro-indices are then used to compare and contrast IRI’s noon-time hmF2 values at six different geographic stations. It was found that the correlation between hmF2 and the macro-indices more accurately represented the variation of this correlation with latitude found in previous studies than if we used an isolated conventional index, such as SSN and AE. We also found that the daily maximum value of the Polar Cap Index was dependent on both solar and geomagnetic activity, but the closely-related cross-Polar Cap Potential was solely associated with elevated levels of geomagnetic activity, which is a unique result compared to previous studies. We argue that the discrepancy can be explained by the difference in experiment designs between the two studies. This paper demonstrates the usefulness of EDA in space weather studies of large multivariate data sets.
An Economic Overview of Hawaii's Water Institutions

: The problem of allocating scarce water resources among competing uses and users over time in Hawaii is addressed within the context of analytical institutional economics. The nature of this problem has been, in recent years, highly complicated by important institutional changes that control operating decisions for water supply and water pollution. Whereas the imbalance in governmental initiatives regarding changes in the system of water rights (predominantly state) and environmental laws (predominantly federal) are based on U.S. constitutional provisions, the more fundamental roots of the crucial legal doctrines involved have been traced back to the common property concept. This suggests that the more promising opportunities for meeting the water policy challenges of the state are to be found in the historical common property system (ahupua'a) of Hawaii.
Relative roles of acetic acid, dodecyl sulfate and benzotriazole in chemical mechanical and electrochemical mechanical planarization of copper

Abstract The efficiency of chemical mechanical or electrochemical mechanical planarization (CMP or ECMP) carried out in the fabrication of integrated circuits is largely governed by the functional chemicals used in these processes. In this work, we study the individual and combined chemical and electrochemical effects of a selected set of such chemicals that can potentially support both CMP and ECMP of copper. These chemicals include acetic acid (HAc) as a complexing agent, H2O2 as an oxidizer, and ammonium dodecyl sulfate (ADS) as a dissolution inhibitor. Surface passivating effects of ADS under both CMP (open circuit) and ECMP (voltage activated) conditions are compared with those of a standard dissolution inhibitor for Cu, benzotriazole (BTAH), and the combined effects of a BTAH–ADS mixture also are explored. The experiments are performed in the absence of mechanical polishing using static and rotating Cu disc electrodes, and electro-dissolution of Cu for ECMP is activated using a voltage pulse modulation technique. A mechanism of surface reactions is proposed to describe the relative roles of HAc, H2O2, ADS and BTAH as electrolyte components for CMP and ECMP of Cu.
Nuclear magnetic resonance studies of the bonding in aryltrimethylsilanes and germanes, aryldimethylphosphines and arsines, and arylmethylsulfides

Abstract Methyl chemical shifts and 13 C-H coupling constants were measured for the title compounds. Reasonably good (r>0.9) linear correlations between chemical shifts and Hammett σ-constants were found for all series, and the relative slopes of these lines were interpreted in terms of the mode of transmission of substituent effects to the methyl site. The effects of the Si(CH 3 ) 3 , Ge(CH 3 ) 3 , P(CH 3 ) 2 , As(CH 3 ) 2 , and SCH 3 groups on the methyl chemical shifts and coupling constants of toluenes, anisoles, and dimethylanilines were also determined and related to the electronic nature of these groups.
Managing mental health organizations with 25 key performance indicators.

A set of 25 key performance indicators were developed to support managers and policy makers in assessing the performance of their program relative to others. The indicators cover four major areas: Revenue mix, client mix, staff mix, and service mix. Comparisons can be made among programs within or across a state or region, or among programs of similar circumstances (e.g., urban or rural).
Nrf2 Expression Is Regulated by Epigenetic Mechanisms in Prostate Cancer of TRAMP Mice

Nuclear factor-erythroid 2 p45-related factor 2 (Nrf2) is a transcription factor which regulates the expression of many cytoprotective genes. In the present study, we found that the expression of Nrf2 was suppressed in prostate tumor of the Transgenic Adenocarcinoma of Mouse Prostate (TRAMP) mice. Similarly, the expression of Nrf2 and the induction of NQO1 were also substantially suppressed in tumorigenic TRAMP C1 cells but not in non-tumorigenic TRAMP C3 cells. Examination of the promoter region of the mouse Nrf2 gene identified a CpG island, which was methylated at specific CpG sites in prostate TRAMP tumor and in TRAMP C1 cells but not in normal prostate or TRAMP C3 cells, as shown by bisulfite genomic sequencing. Reporter assays indicated that methylation of these CpG sites dramatically inhibited the transcriptional activity of the Nrf2 promoter. Chromatin immunopreceipitation (ChIP) assays revealed increased binding of the methyl-CpG-binding protein 2 (MBD2) and trimethyl-histone H3 (Lys9) proteins to these CpG sites in the TRAMP C1 cells as compared to TRAMP C3 cells. In contrast, the binding of RNA Pol II and acetylated histone H3 to the Nrf2 promoter was decreased. Furthermore, treatment of TRAMP C1 cells with DNA methyltransferase (DNMT) inhibitor 5-aza-2′-deoxycytidine (5-aza) and histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor trichostatin A (TSA) restored the expression of Nrf2 as well as the induction of NQO1 in TRAMP C1 cells. Taken together, these results indicate that the expression of Nrf2 is suppressed epigenetically by promoter methylation associated with MBD2 and histone modifications in the prostate tumor of TRAMP mice. Our present findings reveal a novel mechanism by which Nrf2 expression is suppressed in TRAMP prostate tumor, shed new light on the role of Nrf2 in carcinogenesis and provide potential new directions for the detection and prevention of prostate cancer.
Influence of False Vocal Folds Gap on the Glottal Jet Flow

Despite the large incidence of speech problems in the modern life, our knowledge about the effect of supraglottic laryngeal structures on human phonation is lacking. These structures are mainly consisting of aryepiglottic folds, epiglottis, arytenoids, and false folds (ventricular folds). Shape and size of these structures depends on several factors including race, gender, age, and laryngeal abnormalities.Copyright © 2012 by ASME
Abstract 980: AMG 511, a potent and selective class I PI3K inhibitor, suppresses the growth of Kras mutant lung tumors in mice

Proceedings: AACR 103rd Annual Meeting 2012‐‐ Mar 31‐Apr 4, 2012; Chicago, IL Background: Somatic activating mutations of KRAS are the most frequent genetic event in lung cancer, occurring in approximately 20% of NSCLC. KRAS activates two major oncogenic signaling pathways, the PI3K pathway and the MAPK pathway. Studies have suggested that blockade of both pathways is required to inhibit the growth of tumors driven by KRAS mutation. In this study, we investigated the effect of inhibiting solely the PI3K pathway on the growth of Kras G12D lung tumors in mice using AMG 511, a potent and selective class I PI3K inhibitor. To track tumor growth in this genetically engineered mouse model of lung carcinoma, we performed longitudinal monitoring of lung tumor burden during treatment using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Methods: Lox-stop-lox (LSL) Kras G12D mice were infected with Ad-Cre by intra-tracheal injection. Eight weeks after administration of virus, mice were randomized into two treatment groups and treated daily with 10 mg/kg AMG 511 or vehicle (N=11 per group). At 8, 11, and 14 weeks post-infection, mice were imaged using ultra-short echo time (UTE) MRI (N=6 vehicle, N=5 AMG 511). UTE MRI was performed with 30, 75, 150, 500, and 1000 αs echo times to visualize lung and tumor tissue. Lung borders were traced manually on MR images, and lung tumor volume was determined within the identified lung region using an intensity threshold to segment denser tumor tissue from normal lung tissue. At 14 weeks, lungs were harvested, weighed, and processed for histological analysis. Lung tissue area fraction was determined histomorphometrically from multiple step sections. UTE MRI images were correlated with histological sections from the same animal. Body weights were recorded. Results: Once daily treatment with AMG 511 at 10 mg/kg significantly inhibited the development of Kras G12D mutant lung tumors. Lung tumor volume, as assessed by UTE MRI, was reduced by 64% at 11 weeks (P<0.05) and 68% at 14 weeks (P<0.0005) post Ad-Cre infection, relative to vehicle-treated animals. The morphometric analysis of the same tissue showed a significant reduction in lung tissue area fraction that was consistent with the imaging results (up to 30% reduction, P<0.005). At the time of harvest, wet lung weights were also significantly reduced after treatment with AMG 511 (60% inhibition; P< 0.0001). AMG 511 had no effect on the bodyweights of the treated animals over the duration of the study. Conclusions: AMG 511 significantly inhibits the growth of Kras mutant lung tumors in mice, supporting the investigation of PI3K inhibition in patients with KRAS mutant tumors. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 980. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-980
Quadratic reciprocity: its conjecture and application

(1988). Quadratic Reciprocity: Its Conjecture and Application. The American Mathematical Monthly: Vol. 95, No. 5, pp. 442-448.
Freeze-fracture characterization of ‘young’ and ‘old’ human erythrocytes

Abstract While ‘young’ and ‘old’ erythrocytes separated by density show differences in various biochemical properties, the membrane ultrastructure as demonstrated by freeze-fracture remains unchanged. This implies that although superficial membrane components may be affected by aging, and whole segments of membrane may be lost, the structural relationship between integral protein and lipid in the remaining membrane is not altered.
Response of agranulocytosis to prolonged antithymocyte globulin therapy

A girl with a history of autoimmune disease developed life-threatening agranulocytosis. A bone marrow biopsy demonstrated selective granulocytic hypoplasia. No antineutrophil antibodies were found. In vitro bone marrow culture of granulocytic progenitor cells suggested T cell-mediated inhibition of colony formation, which was reduced by in vitro treatment of marrow cells with either hydrocortisone or an antibody directed against T-lymphocytes and complement. The patient responded to treatment with antithymocyte globulin after administration of corticosteroids and other immunosuppressants failed to increase her neutrophil count significantly. Attempts to stop ATG treatment resulted in precipitous drops in her neutrophil counts, which reversed with readministration of ATG. She then received weekly ATG infusions for over 24 months until she was able to maintain a normal neutrophil count. A trial of ATG therapy may be indicated in severe neutropenia when in vitro culture results indicate a possible autoimmune basis.
Axioms for Euclidean preferences with a valence dimension

Abstract Recent works on political competition incorporate a valence dimension to the standard spatial model. The goal of this paper is to axiomatize rankings of candidates by voters that are consistent with Euclidean preferences on the policy space and an additive valence dimension. Specifically, we consider the case where only the ideal point in the policy space and the ranking over candidates are known for each voter. We characterize the case where there are policies x 1 , … , x m for m candidates and numbers v 1 , … , v m representing valence scores, such that a voter with an ideal policy y ranks the candidates according to v i − ‖ x i − y ‖ 2 .
1,3-Dimethyl-3-acyltriazenes: synthesis and chemistry of a novel class of biological methylating agents

Preparation et hydrolyse de dimethyl-1,3 diethoxyphosphoryl-3 triazene, dimethyl-1,3 ethoxycarbonyl-3 triazene, dimethyl-1,3 acetyl-3 triazene et dimethyl-1,3 methylcarbamoyl-3 triazene. Ordre de reactivite. Activite biologique
Percutaneous endovascular repair of infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysms: a feasibility study.

Abstract Background: Endovascular grafting has markedly reduced the invasiveness of the treatment of abdominal aortic aneurysms. By using a modification of technique for available closure devices, we have been able to achieve percutaneous repair of aneurysms. This study reviewed our initial experience with this technique. Methods: Demographics and background data from patients undergoing endovascular repair of abdominal aortic aneurysms were reviewed from prospectively collected registry data. Operative notes and angiographic and computed tomography scan data were retrospectively reviewed to assess the success of the percutaneous approach. Results: Fourteen patients have undergone percutaneous placement of the AneuRx (Medtronic, Sunnyvale, Calif) endovascular graft, with a modification of the technique for the Prostar (Perclose, Redwood City, Calif) device for access site closure. Main graft body introduction with a 22F sheath proved successful in nine of 12 (75%) deployments. Contralateral limb deployment through a 16F sheath was successful in 10 of 14 deployments (71.4%). Reasons for conversion to open groin incisions include inadequate percutaneous hemostasis (six cases), iliofemoral dissection (four cases), device failure (one case), and compromised distal flow (one case). Percutaneous deployment success appears to be improved with larger iliac artery dimensions, decreased calcification, and limited tortuosity, because of the limitation of complications related to delivering a larger diameter sheath. Of the 13 percutaneous endograft insertions that were attempted, six (46.2%) were completely successful. Conclusion: Percutaneous deployment of available devices is technically feasible by using modifications of technique with percutaneous closure devices, despite large introducer sizes. Further experience with this technique offers the potential for identifying patients in whom this will prove successful and for even further reducing hospital stay and recovery times for aneurysm repair. (J Vasc Surg 2000;32:770-6.)
Radar cross section of perfectly conducting spheres coated with a certain class of radially inhomogeneous dielectrics

The geometrical optics technique is applied to obtain the reflected electric field from a perfectly conducting sphere coated with a special class of spherically inhomogeneous dielectrics. The result is compared to the second-order approximation which is obtained by asymptotic theory. Numerical computations of the percent error involved in computing the monostatic cross section using the geometrical optics solution instead of the higher order solution have been performed for 50 \leq ka \leq 1000 . Also, the effect of coating a perfectly conducting sphere with a radially inhomogeneous dielectric of the diverging or converging kind is discussed.
High-precision measurement of hydrogen bond lengths in proteins by nuclear magnetic resonance methods.

We have compared hydrogen bond lengths on enzymes derived with high precision (< or = +/- 0.05 A) from both the proton chemical shifts (delta) and the fractionation factors (phi) of the proton involved with those obtained from protein X-ray crystallography. Hydrogen bond distances derived from proton chemical shifts were obtained from a correlation of 59 O--H....O hydrogen bond lengths, measured by small molecule high-resolution X-ray crystallography, with chemical shifts determined by solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) in the same crystals (McDermott A, Ridenour CF, Encyclopedia of NMR, Sussex, U.K.: Wiley, 1996:3820-3825). Hydrogen bond distances were independently obtained from fractionation factors that yield distances between the two proton wells in quartic double minimum potential functions (Kreevoy MM, Liang TM, J Am Chem Soc, 1980;102:3315-3322). The high-precision hydrogen bond distances derived from their corresponding NMR-measured proton chemical shifts and fractionation factors agree well with each other and with those reported in protein X-ray structures within the larger errors (+/-0.2-0.8 A) in distances obtained by protein X-ray crystallography. The increased precision in measurements of hydrogen bond lengths by NMR has provided insight into the contributions of short, strong hydrogen bonds to catalysis for several enzymatic reactions.
Effect of growth hormone and resistance exercise on muscle growth in young men

The purpose of this study was to determine whether growth hormone (GH) administration enhances the muscle anabolism associated with heavy-resistance exercise. Sixteen men (21-34 yr) were assigned randomly to a resistance training plus GH group (n = 7) or to a resistance training plus placebo group (n = 9). For 12 wk, both groups trained all major muscle groups in an identical fashion while receiving 40 micrograms recombinant human GH.kg-1.day-1 or placebo. Fat-free mass (FFM) and total body water increased (P less than 0.05) in both groups but more (P less than 0.01) in the GH recipients. Whole body protein synthesis rate increased more (P less than 0.03), and whole body protein balance was greater (P = 0.01) in the GH-treated group, but quadriceps muscle protein synthesis rate, torso and limb circumferences, and muscle strength did not increase more in the GH-treated group. In the young men studied, resistance exercise with or without GH resulted in similar increments in muscle size, strength, and muscle protein synthesis, indicating that 1) the larger increase in FFM with GH treatment was probably due to an increase in lean tissue other than skeletal muscle and 2) resistance training supplemented with GH did not further enhance muscle anabolism and function.
Finding aluminum foreign bodies.

1. Gregory P. Conners, MD, MPH* 1. 2. *University of Rochester Medical Center Rochester, NY The mother of a previously healthy 2-year-old boy brings him to your office. She explains that yesterday she saw him swallow a “pop top” that his older brother had pried from the top of a soda can. The boy had cried initially and seemed to be in pain, then had drunk some juice and seemed better. Concerned about “metal poisoning,” she had taken him to an after-hours pediatric center, where he had been examined and had a radiograph obtained. The radiograph had been held up to the light to show the mother that there was no metal object noted; she was told that metal shows up clearly on radiography. Based on this finding, she was told that he had not swallowed the object. She is upset because she is sure she saw him swallow the top. You examine the child, who seems to be doing …
Scalable statistical measurement and estimation of a mmWave CML static divider sensitivity in 65nm SOI CMOS

A CML static divider operates up to 82.4 GHz with 90% yield for 0 dBm input is statistically measured and estimated. The proposed method of statistical measurement enables reliable sensitivity curve estimation by 55% of standard variation, based on the analytic model, simulations, and scalable DC and RF measurements for the first time. A 300 mm full wafer is scanned for the validation.
The AGS main magnet power supply upgrade

The AGS is a strong focusing, combined function magnet, particle accelerator. The main parameters of the accelerator are a peak operating energy of 29.4 Gev, a peak magnetic field of 11.5 kG, a typical injection field of 0.9 kg, an injection energy of 1.5 Gev, and a maximum pulse repetition rate of 0.6 Hz. The injection is from a rapid cycling Booster synchrotron, which receives either a proton beam from a 200 Mev Linac, or a Heavy Ion beam from a 15 MV Tandem Van de Graaf Accelerator. Flattops of up to 2 seconds can be added to the AGS cycle for slow extracted beam applications. Particles accelerated include protons (mass=1), both polarized and non-polarized, and fully stripped ions up to gold (mass=197). The maximum proton intensity attained thus far is 60/spl times/10/spl circ/13 particles per pulse. Modes of operation for the AGS are full-turn extraction (2.5 usec), slow extraction (1-2 sec), and bunch-by-bunch extraction. These modes are applicable for both protons and heavy ions. The peak apparent power required during acceleration is approximately 70 MVA while the maximum average power needed is less than 7 MW. In order to isolate this large power swing from the local power grid, a motor-generator (MG) set is used as a buffering source. The MG set stores approximately 315 Kilojoules of energy in its rotating mass. As energy is drawn to charge or discharge the ring magnets, the speed of the rotating mass changes in such a manner as to supply the required load power demand. The input to the motor is controlled by a power regulator that forces the input power to be equal to the average losses during each cycle. The line sees nearly a constant load equal to the system losses. The peak power requirements are met by changes in the stored energy of the rotating mass that translates directly into speed variations. Thus, for a fixed operating cycle, the losses during each cycle are reproducible, and the speed oscillates around an average value and is returned to the same value at the beginning of each supercycle.
Mechanisms of vertebrate synaptogenesis

The formation of synapses in the vertebrate central nervous system is a complex process that occurs over a protracted period of development. Recent work has begun to unravel the mysteries of synaptogenesis, demonstrating the existence of multiple molecules that influence not only when and where synapses form but also synaptic specificity and stability. Some of these molecules act at a distance, steering axons to their correct receptive fields and promoting neuronal differentiation and maturation, whereas others act at the time of contact, providing positional information about the appropriateness of targets and/or inductive signals that trigger the cascade of events leading to synapse formation. In addition, correlated synaptic activity provides critical information about the appropriateness of synaptic connections, thereby influencing synapse stability and elimination. Although synapse formation and elimination are hallmarks of early development, these processes are also fundamental to learning, memory, and cognition in the mature brain.
Detector requirements to curb nuclear smuggling

The problem of stopping nuclear smuggling of terrorist nuclear devices is a complex cone, owing to the variety of pathways by which such a device can be transported. To fashion new detection systems that improve the chances of detecting such a device, it is important to know the various requirements and conditions that would be imposed on them by both the types of devices that might be smuggled and by the requirement that it not overly interfere with the transportation of legitimate goods. Requirements vary greatly from low-volume border crossings to high-volume industrial container ports, and the design of systems for them is likely to be quite different. There is also a further need to detect these devices if they are brought into a country via illicit routes, i.e., those which do not pass through customs posts, but travel overland though open space or to a smaller, unguarded airport or seaport. This paper describes some generic uses of detectors, how they need to be integrated into customs or other law enforcement systems, and what the specifications for such detectors might be.
Lake-Aggregate Mesoscale Disturbances. Part III: Description of a Mesoscale Aggregate Vortex

Abstract The structure of a meso-α-scale vortex that developed over the Great Lakes in late autumn is described. Understanding the structure of this particular vortex is important because 1) it altered local- and regional-scale precipitation, 2) it developed in a complicated fashion, and 3) it represents a class of vortices that develop frequently during cold-air outbreaks over the Great Lakes and whose development is not yet understood. Detailed perturbation analyses of the synoptic-scale and mesoscale conditions over the Great Lakes that led to the vortex development are presented using model output from previous numerical simulations that included all of the Great Lakes (WL) and none of the Great Lakes (NL). The initial thermal perturbation was characterized by an elongated warm plume near the surface that advanced southeastward toward the mid-Atlantic coast as cold air overspread the entire lakes region. The plume then became more circular and deepened as it rotated toward the northeast in response to...
Surface Observed Global Land Precipitation Variations during 1900-88

The authors have analyzed global station data and created a gridded dataset of monthly precipitation for the period of 1900‐88. Statistical analyses suggest that discontinuities associated with instrumental errors are large for many high-latitude station records, although they are unlikely to be significant for the majority of the stations. The first leading EOF in global precipitation fields is an ENSO-related pattern, concentrating mostly in the low latitudes. The second leading EOF depicts a linear increasing trend (;2.4 mm decade21) in global precipitation fields during the period of 1900‐88. Consistent with the zonal precipitation trends identified in previous analyses, the EOF trend is seen as a long-term increase mostly in North America, mid- to high-latitude Eurasia, Argentina, and Australia. The spatial patterns of the trend EOF and the rate of increase are generally consistent with those of the precipitation changes in increasing CO 2 GCM experiments. The North Atlantic oscillation (NAO) accounts for ;10% of December‐February precipitation variance over North Atlantic surrounding regions. The mode suggests that during high-NAO-index winters, precipitation is above normal in northern (.508N) Europe, the eastern United States, northern Africa, and the Mediterranean, while below-normal precipitation occurs in southern Europe, eastern Canada, and western Greenland. Wet and dry months of one standard deviation occur at probabilities close to those of a normal distribution in midlatitudes. In the subtropics, the mean interval between two extreme events is longer. The monthly wet and dry events seldom (probability , 5%) last longer than 2 months. ENSO is the single largest cause of global extreme precipitation events. Consistent with the upward trend in global precipitation, globally, the averaged mean interval between two dry months increased by ;28% from 1900‐44 to 1945‐88. The percentage of wet areas over the United States has more than doubled (from ;12% to .24%) since the 1970s, while the percentage of dry areas has decreased by a similar amount since the 1940s. Severe droughts and floods comparable to the 1988 drought and 1993 flood in the Midwest have occurred 2‐9 times in each of several other regions of the world during this century.
Figure Skating in the Formative Years: Singles, Pairs, and the Expanding Role of Women

It is by now a long-established principle of gender studies, if with dynamic and developing insights, that noting the presence of women does little on its own to advance understanding. Women vary i...
Apparent life-threatening events

Infants who experience apparent life-threatening events (ALTEs) usually generate enormous anxiety among family members and other caretakers and present diagnostic, management, and counseling challenges for the pediatrician. Important considerations for the primary care provider include the following: 1. What is the prognostic significance of the frightening event, particularly in relation to sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)? 2. Which mechanisms and specific diagnoses should be considered as possible causes of ALTEs? 3. Which infants who present after an ALTE require hospitalization, and what diagnostic evaluation is appropriate? 4. What is the role for home cardiorespiratory monitors, and what is appropriate follow-up for infants who have suffered an ALTE? Definition ALTE should be considered a chief complaint rather than a specific diagnosis. In the standard established in 1986 by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Consensus Development Conference on Infantile Apnea and Home Monitoring, ALTE is defined as "an episode that is frightening to the observer and is characterized by some combination of apnea (central or occasionally obstructive), color change (usually cyanotic or pallid but occasionally erythematous or plethoric), marked change in muscle tone (usually marked limpness), choking, or gagging. In some cases the observer fears that the infant has died." Previously used terminology, such as "aborted crib death" or "nearmiss SIDS," should be abandoned because it implies a possibly misleading close association between this type of event and SIDS.
Biopotency of l-α-Tocopheryl Acetate for the Rat.

SummaryThe l epimer of α-tocopheryl acetate, appears to have approximately 20 0/0 of the biological activity of the d epimer in the rat by the criteria of growth and delay in onset of creatinuria as a sign of nutritional muscular dystrophy. The l epimer alone can replace d-a-tocopherol but only if sufficient is supplied. No evidence of synergism or sparing action was observed.We wish to thank Dr. Stanley Ames of Distillation Products Industries for the generous gift of l-α-tocopherol acetate and Una Barnett for performing the creatine and creatinine determinations.
Laboratory and Field Evaluations of an Entomogenous Nematode (Nematoda: Steinernematidae) for German Cockroach (Dictyoptera: Blattellidae) Control

Pads impregnated with the nematode Steinernema carpocapsae (Weiser) and enclosed in a moisture-retaining station were evaluated in field and laboratory experiments with the German cockroach, Blattella gennanica (L.). In continuous exposure tests without harborage, LT50s ranged from 2.06 to 12.64 d for 0.5 × 106 nematodes and 106 nematodes, respectively. LT50s estimated with Ebeling choice boxes were 2.5 to 8.4 times greater than those from the continuous exposure tests. Relative repellency, measured as the mean percentage of live cockroaches in the light side of the choice box, was greatest for stations with 0.5 × 106 nematodes (6.65%) and least (3.70%) for stations containing 2 × 106 nematodes. Movement by cockroaches confined to nematode deposits declined linearly with increasing nematode density. The number of antennal preens by confined cockroaches increased curvilinearly with nematode density. A performance index that combined choice-box repellency and mortality data indicated that stations containing 2 × 106 nematodes had the greatest potential for field effectiveness. Stations containing 2 × 106 nematodes significantly reduced German cockroach trap catch in infested apartments.
The Inspiration of Japan's Industrial Structure Adjustment on China's Industrial Structure Upgrading

Japan makes industrial structure adjustment after the World War Ⅱ,and the adjustment helps Japan's economy recover and develop rapidly.Since 1980s,however,industrial structure adjustment doesn't have positive effect on Japan's economy.At present,China is in the stage of industrial structure upgrading,it's of importance for us to study Japan's experience.
Extra- and intracellular metabolism of platelet-activating factor by cultured mesangial cells

Metabolism of platelet-activating factor (PAF) was examined in cultured mesangial cells from human and rat glomeruli. Human mesangial cells, similar to those from rat, generated PAF after A23187. Both human and rat mesangial cells rapidly hydrolyzed [3H]PAF to lyso-[3H]PAF, and reacylated it into 1-alkyl-2-acyl glycerophosphocholine. Extra- and intracellular metabolism of PAF was then analyzed separately. The majority of [3H]PAF metabolism occurred extracellularly and generated Lyso-[3H]PAF. Intracellularly generated lyso-PAF was rapidly converted to 1-alkyl-2-acyl glycerophosphocholine. Cells prelabeled with [3H]PAF released some [3H]PAF within minutes and then rapidly converted it to lyso-PAF extracellularly. Under control conditions no acetylhydrolase activity was released from cells into the buffer. Acetylhydrolase activity could, however, be released from cell surface into buffer by limited trypsinization, supporting its location on the outer cell membrane. The acetylhydrolase activity was different from phospholipase A2, since phosphatidylcholine was not a substrate for the enzyme. In summary our results show that both rat and human mesangial cells can generate and metabolize PAF. Acetylhydrolase for PAF is present intracellularly, but also and predominantly on the outer cell surface of cells. This ectoenzymatic acetylhydrolase activity may be important in the rapid inactivation of PAF presented to cells, thus protecting cells from deleterious effects of PAF.
Increased jejunal immunoglobulin synthesis in patients with nontropical sprue as measured by a solid phase immunoadsorption technique

Abstract Incorporation of 14 C-leucine into newly synthesized IgA and IgM immunoglobulin by jejunal biopsy specimens in vitro was detected with specific solid phase immunoadsorbants, anti-IgA and anti-IgM antibodies covalently linked to bromacetylcellulose. This method of estimating mucosal immunoglobulin synthesis proved to be rapid, sensitive, and specific. It was used to show that incorporation values of 14 C-leucine into IgA and IgM by mucosal specimens obtained from patients with nontropical sprue were elevated 6- to 7-fold above incorporation values in specimens from normal individuals; conversely, incorporation was diminished in mucosa from patients with serum immunoglobulin deficiencies. Thus, the method can be used to study immunoglobulin or other protein synthesis at mucosal sites in a variety of clinical and experimental circumstances.
The CLABs collaborative: a regionwide effort to improve the quality of care in hospitals.

Article-at-a-Glance Background Each year, nearly 250,000 cases of central line–associated bloodstream infections (CLABs) occur in hospitals in the United States. In 2005, the Greater New York Hospital Association and the United Hospital Fund launched a collaborative initiative to eliminate CLABs in hospital intensive care units (ICUs). Collaborative Design Hospital leadership at 36 hospitals committed to support their staffs' participation in specific activities, including three learning sessions. An infectious disease physician consultant served as an on-call consultant to provide the necessary clinical guidance, real-time feedback, and support. Most hospitals' interdisciplinary CLABs teams met weekly to implement evidence-based practices known collectively as the central line bundle, determine areas for additional focus, and to reassess strategies using the Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) model. Results There was a statistically significant decrease of 54% ( p Summary and Conclusions Each participating hospital sustained implementation of the central line bundle throughout the 33-month intervention, which, along with standardized line maintenance procedures, resulted in reduction in, and sometimes elimination of, CLABs.
Fallacies and the Evaluation of Reasoning (1981)

The Fallacy Approach The evaluation of reasoning is perhaps the central practice in philosophical scholarship, yet theoretical discussions of it are very rare. To be sure, the theory of validity in formal logic is in a sense a theoretical analysis of the evaluation of reasoning, insofar as formal validity is supposedly the fundamental concept expressing a positive, favorable evaluation of an argument, while an argument is supposedly the fundamental unit of reasoning. In the present context, however, the relevance of formal validity does not seem to go very far; moreover, insofar as it is relevant, it faces the difficulty stemming from the well-known fact that formal validity is neither a sufficient nor a necessary condition for the favorable evaluation of an argument. It is not sufficient because it excludes neither question-begging arguments nor self-contradictory ones (i.e., argument with inconsistent premises). It is not necessary partly because of the Toulmin-type objection that most good arguments most of the time (in the empirical sciences, legal contexts, humanities, and everyday life) are not formally valid, and partly because formal validity presupposes fully reconstructed arguments, which in human reasoning are the exception rather than the rule. The theory of fallacies may be interpreted as a more relevant contribution to the evaluation of reasoning. This applies to the somewhat informal accounts of fallacies found in many logic textbooks, rather than to theories of fallacies.
Practical approaches for oxygen flow studies in PET

Two simple regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) models have been proposed and investigated with the ramped infusion injection method: step and scaling. The step model is similar to the Alpert et al.'s (1984) model except that the authors used step-function weights with which they only need to acquire two time frames of images compared to the 18 time frames of images that the authors currently use in their dynamic fitting model. The scaling model is based on the fact that in most patient studies, the rCBF varies around the whole brain CBF. Hence, within a small range of the whole brain CBF, the rCBF can be obtained by linearly scaling the density image corresponding to the whole brain CBF. Both models were evaluated and compared to other conventional models with simulated and patient data. In this study, 10 patients were analyzed. The average percentage errors on rCBF over a large group of regions for the step and the scaling models with respect to the dynamic model are 4.0% and 4.8%, respectively. >
An MSS security primer

The authors explain why computer security is especially important for mass storage systems. He discusses the types of threats that such systems face. A list is presented along with an explanation of some basic rules for protecting mass storage systems. >
Control of an Aerial Manipulator With an On-Board Balancing Mechanism

Multirotor Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) are highly mobile in flight and possess stable hovering capabilities. Because of their unique flight characteristics, the utilization of the platform for active tasks such as aerial manipulation is highly attractive. Much work has been done in recent years towards the implementation of multirotor for aerial manipulation, however, progress in the field has been slow due to the many challenges involved in the implementation of robust rotor control. In an attempt to reduce the effects of the manipulator, a technique for disturbance rejection using a novel balancing mechanism is proposed. In this paper, the dynamic equations of a coupled multirotor and manipulator are analyzed as a single body for use in the attitude control of the platform. By mounting the mechanism, the platform effectively gains marginal control over the positioning of its center of gravity relative to a body fixed frame. It can be shown that the increased mobility can be utilized to reduce rotor saturation for any given flight condition and improve the effectiveness of previously developed rotor control methods.Copyright © 2016 by ASME