cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A comparison of two token-passing bus protocols

A well known disadvantage of standard token-passing in ring and bus networks is the waste of channel bandwidth often seen in lightly loaded or asymmetric systems. It is possible to make use of the broadcast mechanism in token bus systems to distribute nearly up-to-date information about the state of individual stations to the entire system. One such scheme involves the determination of a randomly varying set of more active stations. These stations are given a chance to form a second logical ring above the standard logical ring that characterizes the token bus. The transmission cycles of the system can thus be made to alternate between standard token-passing and transmission cycles, and the cycles of token-passing and transmission within the logical ring of more active stations. We assume that each station makes at most one transmission when given the chance to transmit. For Poisson arrivals and otherwise general input distributions, the cycle-time distribution of the token is derived for each kind of cycle. An important random variable is the random token turnaround time seen by individual stations. For lightly loaded stations this time tends to be larger than for heavily loaded stations. The distribution of this random time, simple performance measures, and a comparative measure of stability, showing the adaptive scheme to be more stable than the standard, are obtained.
Sensitivity Training and the Educator

An understanding of oneself and a sensitivity to others form the base of a rare kind of leadership but one in which everyone can share if he chooses to.
Stress‐Induced Phase Transformation in Single Crystal Titanium Carbide

Single-crystal ingots of TiC were cut into wafer substrates for heteroepitaxial growth of SiC films. During wafer sectioning by abrasive machining, a subsurface damage zone was created. TEM observations of the damage zone revealed a stress-induced martensitic transformation from cubic TiC to rhombohedral and hexagonal structures, both involving an 8.0% contraction normal to the {111} habit plane and a shear along . It is proposed that the transformed structure is governed by the Ti sublattice, and that carbon atoms remain in octahedral coordination. The transformed phase coarsened to form a lamellar structure consisting of periodic quadlayer twins. The twins imparted hexagonal symmetry, and the lamellar phase was designated 8H. A strain gradient tensor was employed to describe the mapping of atom coordinates between the two phases. The present account constitutes the first report of this transformation in TiC.
Liberatory, nationalising and moralising by ellipsis: reading and listening to Lhussein Slaoui's song Lmirikan

The popular song of Lhussein Slaoui, Lmirikan, is presented in the larger historical and political contexts of its first appearance. Sung during the American landing in World War II, it records this decisive event in world history but also sings about the social reality of Morocco. A literal reading of the song's lyrics conveys an acute sense of misogyny compounded with colonialism and racism, but a closer reading reveals a complex and highly politicised commentary on the contemporaneous sociopolitical atmosphere. Through his dexterous use of irony and innovation within a closed musical tradition, Slaoui offers by ellipsis a highly liberatory, nationalising and moralising tale. His remarks, then, concerning the implications of an overtly consumerist ethos and the subsequent erosion of social cohesion are even more pertinent today, making Slaoui thus a pioneer and his song prefatory to the social movement wary of American hegemony.
Microstructure in the cubic to monoclinic transition in titanium–nickel shape memory alloys

Abstract Microstructure in the cubic to monoclinic transition in the technologically important Ti–Ni shape memory alloys is considered. Using a geometrically nonlinear theory of martensitic transformations, the twinned martensite, austenite–martensite, wedge, triangle, and diamond microstructures are studied. Specifically, compound, type I, and type II twins are possible for any choice of the lattice parameters; while, non-standard twins may exist with special lattice parameters only. In addition, 192 habit planes are found for a particular Ti–Ni alloy, but only 24 have been unambiguously observed in experiments. Further, the twinned wedge is possible in this alloy, but the triangle and diamond are not. These latter three are special microstructures, which provide a mechanism through which a specimen can easily transform and are possible only for alloys with specific lattice parameters. A complete enumeration of the various microstructures is given, and algorithms are presented so that the calculations can be repeated with different lattice parameters.
One or two hours postprandial glucose measurements: Are they the same?

Objective: This study was undertaken to compare the rate of abnormal glucose levels measured after 1 hour (>140 mg%) with those measured after 2 hours (>120 mg%) postprandially in women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Study Design: Sixty-eight women were included in this study. All had GDM based on the criteria of Carpenter-Coustan. Women with fasting glucose levels of 105 mg% or more were excluded from the study. All women were initially treated by diet. All women measured daily capillary blood glucose levels when fasting as well as 1 hour and 2 hours postprandially for 1 week, immediately after diagnosis of GDM. Glucose levels were obtained by memory-based glucometers. All women were followed in a specialized gestational-diabetes clinic throughout the pregnancy. Insulin therapy was started on an individual basis according to common clinical criteria. Epidemiologic and perinatal data were collected from medical charts. Results: The average age of the women was 30.8 ± 5.4 years. Thirty-five percent of participants were primipara. The mean gestational age at diagnosis was 28.8 ± 5.4 weeks. Glucose measurements included 618 readings during fasting and 2730 either 1 hour or 2 hours postprandial. Rates of abnormal glucose (>95 mg% when fasting; >140 mg% 1 hour or >120 mg% 2 hours after each meal) per person were the following: fasting, 27.1% abnormal glucose measurements; postbreakfast, 22.4% abnormal levels after 1 and 8.5% after 2 hours (P <.01); postlunch, 16.4% abnormal levels after 1 hour and 18.2% after 2 hours (not significant); postdinner, 16.3% abnormal levels after 1 hour and 30.1% after 2 hours (P <.01). Conclusion: The rate of abnormal values was 2.5-fold greater 1 hour postbreakfast than 2 hours postbreakfast, in contrast to an opposite ratio of a 2-fold increase in the rate of abnormal values 2 hours postdinner versus 1 hour postdinner. Therefore, differential measurement (1 hour after breakfast and 2 hours after dinner) might impose stricter criteria for controlling blood glucose levels. Further clinical research should explore whether differential measurements might reduce the rate of diabetes-associated complications. (Am J Obstet Gynecol 2001;185:604-7.)
Inversion for regional 2-D resistivity structure in the presence of galvanic scatterers

SUMMARY Magnetotelluric (MT) field data are often distorted by small-scale, near-surface conductivity anomalies. In this paper, the Occam regularized inversion technique is expanded to solve simultaneously for the galvanic distortion matrix, regional strike, and resistivity parameters that correspond to the smoothest regional 2-D resistivity model fitting the data. This involves fitting all four complex components of the MT impedance tensor. By solving for smooth structure along with the strike and decomposition parameters, rather than the usual two-step decomposition/inversion process, we avoid inferring conductivity features that result only from an erroneous choice of strike and decomposition parameters. Furthermore, we ensure that the recovered regional impedance tensor is physically realistic. A method is presented for determining subsets of the data corresponding to the assumed physical model, that of 2-D structure at inductive scale-lengths, overlain by galvanic scatterers. This method is based on the linear dependence of the elements of the distorted MT tensor. Tests of the extended Occam algorithm are presented for both synthetic data and a subset of the BC87 data. Results show that, for appropriate subsets of the data, the determination of strike and decomposition parameters can be fully automated with the extended Occam algorithm.
An ontology-based support for product conceptual design

The research presented in this paper is a follow-up of our prior work involving the development of a graphical modeling tool to support designers at the conceptual design stage. To close the loop for supporting designers in generating design concepts flexibly, fast, and easily, an ontology-based approach for knowledge management that works along with the graphical modeling tool is discussed. Ontology and databases for the tool are developed to promote the systematic capture of design knowledge and efficient reuse of the design knowledge selection. In order to locate the proper information and query the data from the databases, the relationship between the ontology and databases, the data analysis process, ontology enrichment, and the ontology-based query engine are built to offer users multiple design results according to users' requirements. A tire design example is presented to demonstrate the proposed approach. The ontology-based method described in this paper can help retrieve and save the complex relations, support the reasoning, integrate heterogeneous data resources and offer users more accurate, proper and comprehensive data.
Observation of an Enhanced Magnetic Helicity Injection Mode by a Rotating Plasma Annulus

Coaxial plasma guns are commonly used to inject magnetic helicity in innovative confinement concepts (ICC’s) for magnetic fusion. One of the key issues in magnetic helicity injection is to maximize the magnetic helicity injection rate. We have identified experimentally an alternative way to increase the magnetic helicity injection rate through rotating plasmas by extending the length of the inner electrode of a coaxial plasma gun so that an additional E × B region interweaves the standard J//B configuration. In the so-called “enhanced helicity injection” mode, the gun voltage is larger compared with the “normal” mode and decays more slowly. Another signature of the enhanced mode is increased edge magnetic field in conjunction with larger edge rotation. The results indicate that tuning plasma rotation is another way to enhance magnetic helicity injection using coaxial plasma guns. An alternative ICC is proposed based on the experimental observations.
Does the asymmetry multiplier in the 1991 NIOSH lifting equation adequately control the biomechanical loading of the spine

The aim of this research was to evaluate whether the asymmetry multiplier incorporated in the 1991 National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health lifting equation adequately controls the biomechanical spine loads during asymmetric lifting. Sixteen male subjects lifted a box from four initial locations varying in terms of the angular deviation from the mid-sagittal plane (0, 30, 60 and 90°). From each location, boxes that weighed the recommended weight limit (RWL) and three times the RWL were lifted at two qualitatively defined lifting speeds. Ground reaction forces were combined with kinematic data in a linked-segment model to quantify the 3-D moments at the base of the spine (L5/S1) and the spine compression forces. The results show that the twisting and lateral bending moments increased with task asymmetry despite the lessening of the RWL (p < 0.01). The flexion moment and the spine compression decreased with asymmetry, although at a slower rate than the RWL. When the dynamics were removed from t...
Delayed Neutrons in Plutonium and Uranium Fission

Samples of ${\mathrm{Pu}}^{239}$ and U, enriched in the 235-isotope, were irradiated in the graphite pile at Argonne. The decay of the delayed neutrons following fission was recorded on a magnetic wire recorder. Analysis of the decay data, 18 runs with ${\mathrm{Pu}}^{239}$, and 37 with U, gave the following expression for the decay curves: ${A}_{t}={C}_{\mathrm{Pu}}({1.2e}^{\ensuremath{-}0.660t}+{1.1e}^{\ensuremath{-}0.154t}+{1.0e}^{\ensuremath{-}0.0309t}+{0.10e}^{\ensuremath{-}0.0127t}),$ for ${\mathrm{Pu}}^{239}$, and: ${A}_{t}={C}_{U}({1.65e}^{\ensuremath{-}0.613t}+{1.36e}^{\ensuremath{-}0.156t}+{1.00e}^{\ensuremath{-}0.0308t}+{0.15e}^{\ensuremath{-}0.0126t}),\mathrm{for} {U}^{235}$ when all the periods are irradiated to saturation.
The dielectric behaviour of living cell suspensions

The dielectric permittivity of suspensions of arbitrarily shaped, shelled and charged particles is calculated in the limit of small concentrations and weak applied electrical fields. It is proved that the dielectric behaviour at low frequencies is dominated by the effects of the diffusion of the free charges on the shell surfaces. Our theoretical formula is valid in the low range of frequencies ( dispersion) as well as in the high range of frequencies ( dispersion). It will result that one can measure the membrane electrical potential by a simple investigation of the dielectric properties of living cell suspensions.
White matter hyperintensity burden and susceptibility to cerebral ischemia.

Background and Purpose—White matter hyperintensity (WMH) burden increases risk of ischemic stroke; furthermore, it predicts infarct growth in acute cerebral ischemia. We hypothesized that WMH would be less severe in patients with TIA as compared to those with acute ischemic stroke and completed infarct. Methods—Cases (TIA, n=30) and controls (acute ischemic stroke, n=120) were selected from an ongoing longitudinal cohort study of patients with stroke and matched for age, gender, and race/ethnicity. All subjects had brain MRI within 48 hours of presentation to evaluate for evidence of acute cerebral ischemia. WMH burden on MRI was quantified using a validated computer-assisted program with high inter-rater reliability. Results—Median WMH volume in individuals with TIA was 3.7 cm3 (interquartile range, 1.5- 8.33 cm3) compared to 6.9 cm3 (interquartile range, 3.1–11.9 cm3) in acute ischemic stroke (P<0.04). In multivariable analysis, the odds of completed infarct were higher (OR, 2.19; 95% CI, 1.27–3.77; P<0...
Detection of Serologic Neutralizing Antibodies against HPV-11 in Patients with Condyloma Acuminata and Cervical Dysplasia Using an in Vitro Assay

Abstract This study was designed to investigate if neutralizing antibodies against HPV-11 are detectable in the serum of patients with condyloma acuminata (CA) or cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) using an in vitro infectivity assay for HPV-11. Purified HPV-11 virions were extracted from xenografted condyloma tissues implanted into athymic mice and used to infect cultured neonatal human foreskin keratinocytes (HFK) and an immortalized adult skin cell line (HaCaT). The presence of HPV-11-specific E1 ∧ E4 mRNA as detected by reverse transcriptase–polymerase chain reaction was indicative of early infection. Sera previously characterized for reactivity to HPV-11 and HPV-11 VLP (virus-like particles) by ELISA were tested for the ability to prevent HPV-11 in vitro infectivity. Neutralizing antibodies against HPV-11 were demonstrated when monoclonal antibodies or patient serum preincubated with HPV-11 virions prevented the infection of either of the two cell cultures, as shown by the absence of the E1 ∧ E4 mRNA transcript. Eleven (of 20) patients with CA were strongly ELISA reactive against HPV-11 virus-like particles. Five of these 11 patients also had detectable levels of neutralizing antibodies in their serum. It was also demonstrated that the neutralizing properties of the serum were titratable by endpoint dilution. None of 15 patients with CIN had detectable neutralizing antibodies against HPV-11. Neutralizing antibodies against HPV-11 can be detected in some patients with CA and the neutralizing effects of the patient sera can be titrated by endpoint dilution. The in vitro assay for the detection of neutralizing antibodies against HPV-11 may have utility for investigating the natural history of HPV infection and resolution, as well as assessing the efficacy of any putative HPV vaccine.
Health Care Utilization, Patient Costs, and Access to Care in US Adults With Eczema: A Population-Based Study.

Importance Little is known about the health burden of adult eczema in the United States. Objective To study the out-of-pocket costs, health care access and utilization in adult eczema in the United States. Design, Setting, and Participants Two US population-based studies, the 2010 and 2012 National Health Interview Surveys, surveyed 27 157 and 34 613 adults (ages 18-85 years). Exposures History of eczema. Main Outcomes and Measures The out-of-pocket costs, lost workdays, days in bed, and access to care. Results Adults with eczema had $371 to $489 higher out-of-pocket costs per person-year compared with those without eczema, with higher odds of increased out-of-pocket costs (survey multinomial logistic regression, adjusted odds ratios [ORs] [95% CIs] for NHIS 2012, P Conclusions and Relevance This study demonstrates a large health burden of eczema in adults and suggests substantial out-of-pocket costs, indirect costs from lost workdays and sick days, and increased health care utilization.
Sex difference in olfactory sensitivity to the boar chemosignal, androstenone, in the domestic pig

Sexually dimorphic responses to chemical stimuli involved in reproduction-related communication are widespread, but the possibility that this dimorphism is caused by differences between the sexes in the ability to smell the olfactory cue has seldom been investigated. Sex differences in the ability of domestic pigs, Sus scrofa, to detect 5α-androst-16-en-3-one (androstenone), a steroid produced by boars that modulates the sexual response of sows, were investigated using an operant task. Five normal adult males and five pregnant adult females were trained to discriminate between an odour and a blank (no odour), opening a reward box in the presence of an odour but not in the presence of a blank. All pigs were tested with control odour (pinene or isoamyl acetate) versus blank, androstenone versus blank, and blank versus blank trials. Sows performed equally well with androstenone and the control odour. While boars matched the performance of sows on the control odour, they initially performed no better on androstenone than on blank versus blank trials, indicating that they could not detect its odour. The performance of four of the five boars improved during repeated testing with feedback. The same pattern of improvement occurred when boars were tested with a concentration of pinene that they were initially unable to discriminate from a blank. These results suggest that the concentration of androstenone used in the study was easily detectable for sows, but initially near or below the detection threshold for boars. Thus, sensitivity to a biologically significant chemical cue is sexually dimorphic in this mammal.
Long-Term Management Strategies to Achieve Optimal Function in Patients With Bipolar Disorder

Functional impairment is a problem for people with bipolar disorder. Predictors of poor functional outcome are psychiatric and medical comorbidity, interepisode subsyndromal symptoms, psychosis during a manic or mixed episode, and low premorbid functioning. Cognitive dysfunction may also be a contributory factor in functional impairment. Several psychosocial interventions designed for people with bipolar disorder have demonstrated success in improving syndromal outcomes, but the effects of psychosocial interventions on functioning and cognition have not been examined. Among pharmacologic interventions available for long-term treatment of bipolar disorder, there is a strong clinical trend away from monotherapy and toward combination therapy. Lithium, lamotrigine, olanzapine, and aripiprazole have all shown substantial improvements in relapse rates compared with placebo. Although some of these medications show superior results compared with the others in preventing the recurrence of either depressive or manic episodes, only anecdotal evidence exists regarding their effect on cognition. Combination therapy with antipsychotics or antidepressants has also been shown to produce better syndromal outcomes in people with bipolar disorder, but inadequate evidence is available on cognitive outcomes. Substantial information is needed regarding the prevalence and causes of cognitive dysfunction in bipolar disorder, the effects of existing treatments on cognition, and long-term treatments to improve cognition and functioning.
Rate-distortion optimized motion compensation for video compression using fixed or variable size blocks

The authors describe a method for optimizing in a rate-distortion sense the performance of block matching motion compensation for video compression using fixed or variable size blocks. They apply recent advances in rate allocation theory and optimal tree structures to the choice of motion vector and block size for each region of the prediction image. They show that a variable block size algorithm using an optimized tree structure yields a significant improvement in rate-distortion performance over traditional motion compensation with a fixed block size. The computational complexity of such a system is not significantly higher than that of a fixed block size system. >
Effect of topical corticosteroids on the recovery of histamine releasing factors in nasal washings of patients with allergic rhinitis. A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study.

Nasal washings (NW) have been used by many investigators as a readily available biologic fluid for studying the mechanism of allergic reactions. These fluids have been analyzed for the presence of various mediators, including cytokines. Recently, histamine releasing factors (HRF) have been detected in the NW. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of treatment with topical corticosteroids on the recovery of these cytokines from the NW obtained from patients with allergic rhinitis. A group of 30 patients with ragweed pollen allergy were given either beclomethasone dipropionate (BDP) or placebo for 1 wk in a double-blind randomized manner. NW were performed twice before the start of the treatment period and were repeated twice at the end of the study. HRF activity was measured in the NW. Patients maintained a daily symptom score. The activity of HRF decreased significantly (mean ± SD, pre = 37.2 ± 21.3% versus post = 23.8 ± 20.1%; p < 0.01) in the BDP group, as did the mean symptom score ...
Understanding the impact of open-framework conglomerates on water–oil displacements: the Victor interval of the Ivishak Reservoir, Prudhoe Bay Field, Alaska

The Victor Unit of the Ivishak Formation in the Prudhoe Bay Oilfield is characterized by high net-to-gross fluvial sandstones and conglomerates. The highest permeability is found within sets of cross-strata of open-framework conglomerate (OFC). These cross-strata are preserved within unit-bar deposits and assemblages of unit-bar deposits within compound (braid)-bar deposits, and may form thief zones limiting enhanced oil recovery. We incorporate recent research that has quantified important attributes of preserved sedimentary architecture into high-resolution models. Waterflooding experiments using these models demonstrate the control that such architecture has on oil production rate, water breakthrough time, and spatial and temporal distribution of residual oil saturation. We found that when the pressure gradient is orientated perpendicular to the palaeoflow direction, the total oil production and the water breakthrough time are larger, and the remaining oil saturation is smaller, than when it is orientated parallel to palaeoflow. The pressure difference between production and injection wells does not affect sweep efficiency, although the spatial distribution of oil remaining in the reservoir critically depends on this value. Oil sweep efficiency decreases slightly with increase in the proportion of OFC cross-strata. Whether or not clusters of connected OFC span the domain does not visibly affect sweep efficiency.
Why meaningful automatic tagging of images is very hard

The paper points out that while automatic image tagging is often studied in connection with content-image image retrieval (CBIR), it is actually a much harder problem. Given the difficulty of the latter, the prospects for automatic image tagging do not appear promising. A brief survey of the current state of the art confirms that conclusion. Then the paper discusses an effort to tag images based on nonpixel data and proceeds with the outline of a case where the difficulty of automatic tagging is taken advantage to construct image based CAPTCHA to distinguish human users from web-bots. That has led to certain interesting approaches to achieve reliable human tagging that is needed for the CAPTCHA application.
Negligence, greed and the operation of English charities, 1350–1603

This paper explores the problems that hampered the effective functioning of charitable activities for the English poor during the later medieval years and sixteenth century and examines how the Poor Laws of 1598 and 1601 addressed those issues. It considers four types of challenges stemming from individual negligence or greed as well as the systemic legal obstacles that underlay them. The solutions provided by the Elizabethan Poor Laws placed charitable projects on a more solid legal and administrative footing, facilitating their expansion in the following centuries.
Ultrafast studies of metal nanorod coherent acoustic oscillations

Ultrafast transient absorption spectroscopy was used to characterize coherent acoustic oscillations of a series of nanorods composed of a wide variety of metals. The oscillations provide information on the nanorods' composition, structure and relaxation properties.
A drift-free motion-compensated predictive encoding technique for multiple description coding

Multiple description coding (MDC) is a source coding technique that exploits path diversity to increase the robustness of transmitting a compressed signal over error-prone channels. However, the applicant of MDC to video coding is still problematic because a prediction mismatch problem, called drift, may occur at the decoder when one description is lost. In this paper, we propose a drift free motion-compensated predictive coding method for multiple description scalar quantizers. The proposed method maintains two more prediction loops at the encoder side to produce all possible predictions. Then, the two descriptions are generated from these two additional prediction loops in such a way that the drift can be prevented when only one description is received. By receiving both descriptions, the decoder can still combine these two descriptions in the central prediction loop to improve the video quality. Experimental results show that the proposed method can effectively prevent drift and improve the quality of single-description reconstruction by 0.2-0.8 dB as compared to the method in [A. Reibman et al., 1999].
Shear-induced rupturing of a viscous drop in a Bingham liquid

Abstract Deformation and breakup of a viscous drop in a Bingham liquid is investigated numerically with a volume-of-fluid scheme. Initially, a spherical drop is placed between two moving parallel plates. For our parameters, the matrix liquid has yielded. The competing effects driving the motion are the shear and interfacial tension. When interfacial tension effects dominate, the drop evolves to a steady shape which is elongated compared with the case when the outer liquid is Newtonian. Prior to breakup, stress levels are highest at the ends of the elongated drop. When shearing effects dominate, the drop breaks up, again with features that are elongated compared with the Newtonian counterpart. After the initial breakup, the daughter drops assume steady shapes.
Long Latency Evoked Potential Database for Clinical Applications: Justification and Examples:

We summarize our experience with the clinical utility of long latency evoked potential (EP) data in clinical qEEG studies. In contrast to common wisdom, such EP data are consistent across appropriately chosen age groups. In a healthy adult population, EP data correlate consistently with independently collected psychological variables. In our pediatric referral population, EP data are of greatest and most unique value in the learning disabilities but also augment detection of abnormality in epilepsy and behavioral abnormality. Selection of subjects for a clinical database on the basis of examined medical, neurological and behavioral health, forms adequately consistent groupings for clinical utility. The use of the Z-SPM is essential for detection of EP abnormality. A minimum of three replications within a clinical study protects against chance/false positives. Also, the true data dimensionality within EP data sets is far less than the total number of variables typically collected.
Optimization of p-doping profile of 1.3-/spl mu/m InGaAsP/InP MQW lasers for high-temperature operation

It was shown theoretically and experimentally that an increase of p-doping concentration in the vicinity of a separate confinement heterostructure (SCH) of 1.3-/spl mu/m multiple quantum well (MQW) InGaAsP-InP lasers leads to improvement of the device temperature performance. Tne present work shows that alignment of p-doping profile within the SCH layer allows us to achieve even lower threshold current and to minimize temperature sensitivity of external efficiency.
Personal and Professional Issues for Counseling Center Psychologists: 7-10 Years Postdoctorate

Three key experiences that confront counseling center psychologists 7-10 years postdoctorate include burnout, feeling overwhelmed by commitments, and aging. These experiences prompt counseling center psychologists to reevaluate their career and life goals and to search for a satisfactory resolution to their existential concerns. Factors such as race, gender, and personality, as well as other life circumstances, influence the way in which the reevaluation and action tasks are approached.
What do Students Gain from a Week at Science Camp? Youth perceptions and the design of an immersive, research‐oriented astronomy camp

This study explored American high school students’ perceptions of the benefits of a summer astronomy camp, emphasizing a full cycle of the research process and how the organization of the camp contributed to those perceptions. Semi‐structured interviews with students and staff were used to elicit the specific benefits that campers perceived from their experiences and examine them in relation to the stated goals and strategies of camp staff. Among the perceived benefits that students described were peer relationships, personal autonomy, positive relationships with staff, and deepened science knowledge. These perceived benefits appear to influence the kinds of identities students constructed for themselves in relation to science. Gee’s concept of ‘affinity space’ is used to consider how features of the camp’s design, especially those that promoted student autonomy, contributed to students’ positive perceptions, and to draw implications for the design of informal science learning experiences that can link yo...
HIV Control Is Mediated in Part by CD8+ T-Cell Targeting of Specific Epitopes

ABSTRACT We investigated the hypothesis that the correlation between the class I HLA types of an individual and whether that individual spontaneously controls HIV-1 is mediated by the targeting of specific epitopes by CD8 + T cells. By measuring gamma interferon enzyme-linked immunosorbent spot (ELISPOT) assay responses to a panel of 257 optimally defined epitopes in 341 untreated HIV-infected persons, including persons who spontaneously control viremia, we found that the correlation between HLA types and control is mediated by the targeting of specific epitopes. Moreover, we performed a graphical model-based analysis that suggested that the targeting of specific epitopes is a cause of such control—that is, some epitopes are protective rather than merely associated with control—and identified eight epitopes that are significantly protective. In addition, we use an in silico analysis to identify protein regions where mutations are likely to affect the stability of a protein, and we found that the protective epitopes identified by the ELISPOT analysis correspond almost perfectly to such regions. This in silico analysis thus suggests a possible mechanism for control and could be used to identify protective epitopes that are not often targeted in natural infection but that may be potentially useful in a vaccine. Our analyses thus argue for the inclusion (and exclusion) of specific epitopes in an HIV vaccine. IMPORTANCE Some individuals naturally control HIV replication in the absence of antiretroviral therapy, and this ability to control is strongly correlated with the HLA class I alleles that they express. Here, in a large-scale experimental study, we provide evidence that this correlation is mediated largely by the targeting of specific CD8 + T-cell epitopes, and we identify eight epitopes that are likely to cause control. In addition, we provide an in silico analysis indicating that control occurs because mutations within these epitopes change the stability of the protein structures. This in silico analysis also identified additional epitopes that are not typically targeted in natural infection but may lead to control when included in a vaccine, provided that other epitopes that would otherwise distract the immune system from targeting them are excluded from the vaccine.
Sequence of the structural gene for xanthine dehydrogenase (rosy locus) in Drosophila melanogaster.

We determined the nucleotide sequence of a 4.6-kb EcoRI fragment containing 70% of the rosy locus. In combination with information on the 5' sequence, the gene has been sequenced in entirety. rosy cDNAs have been isolated and intron/exon boundaries have been determined. We find an open reading frame which spans four exons and would encode a protein of 1335 amino acids. The molecular weight of the encoded protein (xanthine dehydrogenase), based on the amino acid translation, is 146,898 daltons which agrees well with earlier biophysical estimates. Characteristics of the protein are discussed. HE rosy locus (ry: 3-52.0) in Drosophila melanoT gaster is of particular interest from two viewpoints. First, it has been the subject of intensive fine structure genetic analysis by those interested in gene structure and regulation (CHOVNICK et al. 1977). Electrophoretic variants and null rosy mutants have served to delimit the structural boundaries of the gene (MCCARRON, GELBART and CHOVNICK 1974; GELBART, MCCARRON and CHOVNICK 1976). Two putative control variant sites have been genetically mapped to the 5' region of the gene (CHOVNICK et al. 1976). Recently this genetic analysis has been extended to the molecular level using molecular mapping of insertion/deletion mutants (COTE et al. 1986) and DNA sequence analysis of putative control mutants (LEE et al. 1987). Quite independently of studies of gene structure and regulation, the rosy locus became a focus of interest for population and evolutionary genetics. The encoded protein, xanthine dehydrogenase, is highly polymorphic in natural populations of all species of Drosophila where it has been studied. BUCHANON and JOHNSON (1983) found 15 electromorphs in 62 genomes sampled from a single population of D. melanogaster. KEITH et al. (1985), in a survey of 184 genomes from two California populations of Drosophila pseudoobscura, revealed 20 electromorphs, and COYNE (1 976) revealed 23 electromorphs in 60 genomes sampled from a single population of D. persimilis.
Virtual I/O caching: dynamic storage cache management for concurrent workloads

A leading cause of reduced or unpredictable application performance in distributed systems is contention at the storage layer, where resources are multiplexed among many concurrent data intensive workloads. We target the shared storage cache, used to alleviate disk I/O bottlenecks, and propose a new caching paradigm to both improve performance and reduce memory requirements for HPC storage systems. We present the virtual I/O cache, a dynamic scheme to manage a limited storage cache resource. Application behavior and the corresponding performance of a chosen replacement policy are observed at run time, and a mechanism is designed to mitigate suboptimal behavior and increase cache efficiency. We further use the virtual I/O cache to isolate concurrent workloads and globally manage physical resource allocation towards system level performance objectives. We evaluate our scheme using twenty I/O intensive applications and benchmarks. Average hit rate gains over 17% were observed for isolated workloads, as well as cache size reductions near 80% for equivalent performance levels. Our largest concurrent workload achieved hit rate gains over 23%, and an over 80% iso-performance cache reduction.
Payments in Lieu of Taxes by the Tennessee Valley Authority

By well established principles of constitutional law, state and local governments may not tax property owned by the United States; Congress, however, has waived this tax immunity in a number of instances and has directed certain federal agencies to pay taxes or to make payments in lieu of taxes. Recent acquisitions of property by various federal agencies together with the constant pressure for additional state and local revenues have directed attention to the practice. During the First Session of the Seventy-sixth Congress more than twenty-five bills were introduced providing for payments related to state and local taxes. The same session of Congress made important changes in the in-lieu payment provisions of the Tennessee Valley Authority Act of 1933.1 The in-lieu payment provisions applicable to a number of federal agencies are outlined in order to show the variety of situations in which they are encountered and the scope of the problems they are designed to meet. The extensive payments now being made by the Tennessee Valley Authority to state and local governments in the area in which it operates are described in some detail.
Beyond the Labor Market Paradigm: A Social Network Perspective on Teacher Recruitment and Retention

This article identifies limits of the dominant labor market perspective (LMP) in research on teacher recruitment and retention and describes how research that incorporates a social network perspective (SNP) can contribute to the knowledge base and development of teacher education, staffing, and professional development approaches. A discussion of current literature on teachers' social networks and a case example of social network perspective research highlight how such research reveals complex social factors that shape teachers' workplace experiences and show the ways in which the labor market perspective tends have a "recruitment-heavy" focus. The article describes how the social network perspective allows researchers to study social workplace concerns from both macro and micro perspectives. This approach can broaden the current focus on recruitment to a more comprehensive understanding of recruitment and retention.
Ageless benefits of transradial access for percutaneous coronary revascularization.

Key Points Radial artery access for PCI is an independent predictor of reduced mortality and lower major bleeding events. In this report, use of radial artery access increased roughly from less than 20% in 2006 to great than 60% in 2012, with the lowest increase among octogenarians. Steadily increasing operator experience and improving equipment should make radial artery access the preferred approach in the overwhelming majority of cases—irrespective of patient age.
On-demand optogenetic control of spontaneous seizures in temporal lobe epilepsy

Temporal lobe epilepsy is the most common type of epilepsy in adults, is often medically refractory, and due to broad actions and long-time scales, current systemic treatments have major negative side-effects. However, temporal lobe seizures tend to arise from discrete regions before overt clinical behaviour, making temporally and spatially specific treatment theoretically possible. Here we report the arrest of spontaneous seizures using a real-time, closed-loop, response system and in vivo optogenetics in a mouse model of temporal lobe epilepsy. Either optogenetic inhibition of excitatory principal cells, or activation of a subpopulation of GABAergic cells representing <5% of hippocampal neurons, stops seizures rapidly upon light application. These results demonstrate that spontaneous temporal lobe seizures can be detected and terminated by modulating specific cell populations in a spatially restricted manner. A clinical approach built on these principles may overcome many of the side-effects of currently available treatment options.
14-3-3 proteins regulate mutant LRRK2 kinase activity and neurite shortening

Mutations in leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2) are the most common known cause of inherited Parkinson's disease (PD), and LRRK2 is a risk factor for idiopathic PD. How LRRK2 function is regulated is not well understood. Recently, the highly conserved 14-3-3 proteins, which play a key role in many cellular functions including cell death, have been shown to interact with LRRK2. In this study, we investigated whether 14-3-3s can regulate mutant LRRK2-induced neurite shortening and kinase activity. In the presence of 14-3-3θ overexpression, neurite length of primary neurons from BAC transgenic G2019S-LRRK2 mice returned back to wild-type levels. Similarly, 14-3-3θ overexpression reversed neurite shortening in neuronal cultures from BAC transgenic R1441G-LRRK2 mice. Conversely, inhibition of 14-3-3s by the pan-14-3-3 inhibitor difopein or dominant-negative 14-3-3θ further reduced neurite length in G2019S-LRRK2 cultures. Since G2019S-LRRK2 toxicity is likely mediated through increased kinase activity, we examined 14-3-3θ's effects on LRRK2 kinase activity. 14-3-3θ overexpression reduced the kinase activity of G2019S-LRRK2, while difopein promoted the kinase activity of G2019S-LRRK2. The ability of 14-3-3θ to reduce LRRK2 kinase activity required direct binding of 14-3-3θ with LRRK2. The potentiation of neurite shortening by difopein in G2019S-LRRK2 neurons was reversed by LRRK2 kinase inhibitors. Taken together, we conclude that 14-3-3θ can regulate LRRK2 and reduce the toxicity of mutant LRRK2 through a reduction of kinase activity.
Elevated water temperature increases the levels of reo-like virus and selected innate immunity genes in hemocytes and hepatopancreas of adult female blue crab, Callinectes sapidus

Seasonal changes in water temperature directly affect the aquatic ecosystem. The blue crab, Callinectes sapidus, inhabiting the Chesapeake Bay has been adapted to seasonal changes of the environmental conditions. In this, the animals halt their physiological process of the growth and reproduction during colder months while they resume these processes as water temperatures increase. We aimed to understand the effect of the elevated temperatures on a disease progression of reo-like virus (CsRLV) and innate immunity of adult female C. sapidus. Following a rise in water temperature from 10 to 23 °C, CsRLV levels in infected crabs rose significantly in hemocytes and multiple organs. However, in hemocytes, the elevated temperature had no effect on the levels of three innate immune genes: Cas-ecCuZnSOD-2, CasPPO and CasLpR three carbohydrate metabolic genes: CasTPS, CasGlyP; and CasTreh and the total hemocyte counts (THC). Interestingly, the hemocytes of CsRLV infected animals exposed to 23 °C for 10 days had significantly elevated levels of Cas-ecCuZnSOD-2 and CasTPS, compared to those of the uninfected ones also exposed to the same condition and compared to hatchery-raised females kept at 23 °C. Despite the lack of changes in THC, the types of hemocytes from the animals with high CsRLV levels differed from those of uninfected ones and from hatchery animals kept at 23 °C: CsRLV-infected crabs had hemocytes of smaller size with less cytosolic complexity than uninfected crabs. It therefore appears that the change in temperature influences rapid replication of CsRLV in all internal tissues examined. This implies that CsRLV may have broad tissue tropism. Interestingly, the digestive tract (mid- and hindgut) contains significantly higher levels of CsRLV than hemocytes while hepatopancreas and ovary have lower levels than hemocytes. Innate immune responses differ by tissue: midgut and hepatopancreas with upregulated Cas-ecCuZnSOD-2 similar to that found in hemocytes. By contrast, hepatopancreas showed a down-regulated CasTPS, suggesting carbohydrate stress during infection.
Pyrazinoporphyrins: Expanding a Pyrrolic Building Block in meso-Tetraphenylporphyrin by a Nitrogen Atom

Application of a variant of our “porphyrin breaking and mending strategy” to free base and NiII complexes of meso-tetraarylporphyrin – dihydroxylation, oxidative diol cleavage and reaction of the resulting seco-chlorin bis(aldehyde) with ammonia – generates pyrazinoporphyrins. Thus, a nitrogen atom was inserted between the two former β-carbon atoms, overall formally replacing a pyrrolic building block by a pyrazine moiety. Treatment of the initially formed pyrazine hemiaminals with alcohols converts them into the corresponding hemiaminal ethers. This stabilizes the chromophores significantly, but the free-base pyrazinoporphyrins still remain sensitive toward (acid-induced) degradation reactions. Free-base pyrazinoporphyrins possess slightly redshifted porphyrin-type UV/Vis spectra, while the spectra of the pyrazinoporphyrin NiII complexes resemble more those of metallochlorins.
A Singular Case of Intracranial Sinus Histiocytosis without Massive Lymphadenopathy: Isolated Rosai-Dorfman Disease of the Hypothalamus.

Background Sinus histiocytosis with massive lymphadenopathy (also known as Rosai-Dorfman disease [RDD]) is a benign but chronic cervical lymphadenopathy associated with systemic inflammation. Although extranodal manifestations of RDD have been described, isolated central nervous system (CNS) involvement is exceedingly rare. Case Description We present the case of a 66-year-old woman who presented with 3 weeks of intermittent headaches, diplopia, and increasing confusion who was found on work-up to have isolated hypothalamic RDD, evidenced by a dense admixture of large histiocytic cells admixed with numerous small mature lymphocytes and some scattered plasma cells and neutrophils on stereotactic brain biopsy. Over 19 months of follow-up, neurologic examination continues to reveal stable bilateral partial abducens nerve palsies without diplopia, and a new gradual onset short-term memory loss. Interim treatment for the histiocytic lesion consisted of 10 cycles of external-beam radiation therapy along with high-dose steroids. The patient currently experiences minimal functional loss from treatment of her intracranial sinus histiocytosis, with a Karnofsky performance status of 80, and she remains without any disease involvement outside of the CNS. Conclusion Because misdiagnosis of a hypothalamic contrast-enhancing lesion could potentially lead to therapeutic mismanagement and poor outcomes, it is important to consider RDD in the differential diagnosis.