cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Autoantigen-responsive T cell clones demonstrate unfocused TCR cross-reactivity toward multiple related ligands: implications for autoimmunity.

It has been suggested that the cross-reaction of a single T cell receptor with multiple different peptide ligands is a mechanism for maintaining a diverse yet compact immune repertoire. In the context of autoimmune disease it is important to understand how this property is balanced against the maintenance of self-tolerance. Specifically, whether the cross-reactivity inherent in the immune system is focused or unfocused will have important consequences for the development of autoimmune disease. If cross-reactivity is "focused," then in an immune response to a foreign antigen all T cell receptors that recognize the foreign antigen will cross-react with a specific autoantigenic peptide. However, if cross-reactivity is "unfocused," an immune response to a foreign antigen will result in the activation of a small number of self-reactive cells within a larger pool of cells specific for the foreign antigen. We have tested whether cross-reactivity is focused or unfocused by generating a panel of T cell clones that respond to two closely related ligands. W144 is an autoantigenic peptide of myelin proteolipid protein, PLP 139-151 (HSLGKWLGHPDKF), and Q144 is an altered peptide of PLP 139-151 bearing a glutamine for tryptophan substitution at position 144. The Q144-responsive clones have a broad degree of cross-reactivity with other position 144 substituted peptides. We find that despite their characteristic responses to Q144 and W144, the patterns of responses of these clones to other structurally related ligands are random, demonstrating that cross-reactivity is unfocused in the absence of selection. Maintaining a diverse range of cross-reactive interactions may limit nonspecific responses to autoantigens.
Mr image‐guided control of cryosurgery

Cryoablation has recently become a useful procedure for the treatment of prostatic and hepatic tumors, primarily because of advances in the ability to monitor visually the freezing process with ultrasound. Success of the procedure depends in large part on how well the ice front can be positioned to destroy pathologic tissue, while sparing healthy tissue. This study describes a cryogen delivery system that can be used in conjunction with magnetic resonance (MR) image-guided cryoablation, and an automatic control system that uses MR image guidance in a feedback loop to control the ice front trajectory. Edge-detected MR images are used to determine the current ice front location at each time interval, providing feedback to an automatic control system that adjusts the flow of cryogen to the cryoprobe. Numerical simulations and experimental results demonstrate that an ice front with cylindrical symmetry can be accurately controlled using this MR image-guided feedback control scheme.
Polymorphic Ventricular Tachycardia From R-on-T Pacing

![Figure][1] A 64-year-old man with 3-vessel coronary artery disease underwent coronary artery bypass surgery. The surgery was uneventful and included placement of temporary epicardial pacing leads to the atrium and ventricle. On the first post-operative day, the patient had multiple episodes
Microwave Assisted Synthesis of Py-Im Polyamides

Microwave synthesis was utilized to rapidly build Py-Im polyamides in high yields and purity using Boc-protection chemistry on Kaiser oxime resin. A representative polyamide targeting the 5′-WGWWCW-3′ (W = A or T) subset of the consensus Androgen and Glucocorticoid Response Elements was synthesized in 56% yield after 20 linear steps and HPLC purification. It was confirmed by Mosher amide derivatization of the polyamide that a chiral α-amino acid does not racemize after several additional coupling steps.
A numerical technique for small-noise stochastic control problems

A numerical technique is described for solving approximately certain small-noise stochastic control problems. The method uses quantities computable from the optimal solution to the corresponding deterministic control problem. Numerical results are given for a two-dimensional linear regular problem with saturation and a time-optimal problem.
The Jovian surface condition and cooling rate

A theory which is almost fully analytic is used to investigate Jupiter's cooling rate. A simple model of contraction with adiabatic interior structure gives a total cooling time to the present in good agreement with the age of the solar system. The interplay between the surface condition and the cooling rate is discussed. The current rate of change of the effective temperature is calculated to be -1 K per 0.145 billion yr. Discrepancies with fully numerical investigations of the Jovian age and cooling rate are noted.
Tribological properties of pulsed laser deposited Mo-S-Te composite films at moderate high temperatures

Abstract Tribological investigations of Mo–S–Te composite films were conducted on films grown at room temperature by pulsed laser deposition. The chemistry and microstructure of the films were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray energy dispersive spectroscopy, and micro Raman spectroscopy. The films showed a granular morphology and a preferred basal plane growth of 2H-MoS 2 parallel to the substrate after annealing at high temperatures. The friction coefficients of the films were 0.05 at 300 °C and 0.10 at 450 °C for more than 10,000 cycles in air. Smeared hexagonal MoS 2 lubricant films were observed inside wear tracks while the tribochemical formation of wear debris occurred both inside and outside the wear tracks. The Te additives for increasing the film durability were proposed to slow oxidation of the lubricants at elevated temperatures by thermally-induced tellurium migration to the surface and the subsequent formation of the Te diffusion barrier. This mechanism could be significantly effective in high-temperature tribotests because of the increased tellurium mobility at high temperatures.
Full thickness burn caused by exposure to giant hogweed: delayed presentation, histological features and surgical management

We report the case of a 10-year-old boy with a full thickness chemical burn on his right pretibial area due to phytophotodermatitis (PPD) following contact with giant hogweed (Heracleum mantegazzianum). Although cutaneous burns due to plants are a well-established cause of chemical burn, previous reports described partial thickness burns that healed with conservative measures. This patient presented to our unit two weeks after the initial injury with an established full thickness burn. Debridement and split thickness skin grafting was required. We presented the histological features of the debrided skin specimen and discussed potential factors leading to this unexpected full thickness injury.
Biodistribution of [14C]PnAO in rats.

Abstract The biodistribution of [14C]3,3′-(1,3-propanediyldiimino)-bis(3-methy 1–2-butanone)-dioxime, ([14C]PnA0) was determined in anesthetized rats. The results of this study show that there is no significant brain accumulation or retention of the uncomplexed ligand in the brain.
Ocular hemodynamics and glaucoma: the role of mathematical modeling.

Purpose.To discuss the role of mathematical modeling in studying ocular hemodynamics, with a focus on glaucoma.Methods.We reviewed recent literature on glaucoma, ocular blood flow, autoregulation, the optic nerve head, and the use of mathematical modeling in ocular circulation.Results.Many studies suggest that alterations in ocular hemodynamics play a significant role in the development, progression, and incidence of glaucoma. Although there is currently a limited number of studies involving mathematical modeling of ocular blood flow, regulation, and diseases (such as glaucoma), preliminary modeling work shows the potential of mathematical models to elucidate the mechanisms that contribute most significantly to glaucoma progression.Conclusion.Mathematical modeling is a useful tool when used synergistically with clinical and laboratory data in the study of ocular blood flow and glaucoma. The development of models to investigate the relationship between ocular hemodynamic alterations and glaucoma progressio...
Towards improving browser extension permission management and user awareness

Browsers have become the de-facto platform for users and their online presence. They have also become a rich environment for 3rd party extensions that enrich the user browsing experience by extending upon the browser's functionalities. Protecting user privacy against malicious or vulnerable extensions is an important task performed by modern browser platforms such as Google Chrome and Safari. To do so, these platforms adopt a per-extension permission model, where each extension is given a set of permissions based on its requirements. These models suffer from coarse-grained access controls and insufficient user awareness. In this paper we implement a runtime framework as a browser extension called REM. REM monitors the accesses made by 3rd party Chrome extensions, informs users of the accesses, and allows them to customize the permissions given to extensions. The custom permission settings are enforced by the framework at runtime. We evaluated our framework on popular Chrome extensions & were successful in monitoring and controlling their accesses with little overhead. We also conducted a user study to evaluate the effectiveness of REM compared to current standard methods.
Solar and wind energy applications in Hawaii.

Abstract The study on solar radiation and wind power applications is a facet of the total State of Hawaii solar assessment program. Engineering consultants, governmental authorities from the Department of Energy, State of Hawaii, and counties, technology assessments specialists, and buinessmen were contacter for input into this paper. The resultant late 1977 survey is a broad implementation plan highlighting seven typical applications—three solar, three wind and one combination. It was not the intention of this study to produce refined engineering/economic analyses. However a principal objective was to stimulate the development of solar energy by assisting in the first crucial steps of the planning process. This investigation selected projects which had potential for immediate implementation in the State of Hawaii. Variety in form of application, type of engineering analysis and location within the State was sought. To a large extent these basic premises were well met, as applications range from agriculture to aquaculture to tourism to education on three islands. In varying degrees, each project is recommended either for further study or immediate implementation. Some of the economics may be dubious, as would be the situation in most original applications. However, with appropriate governmental aid or incentives, these pilot projects could serve to improve economy of scale, spur associated developments, and in the long run, improve Hawaii's balance of trade.
Deep-eutectic solvents as a support in the nonaqueous synthesis of macroporous poly(HIPEs)

This study demonstrates the formation and polymerization of high internal phase emulsions (HIPEs) with (meth)acrylic monomers as a continuous phase and urea–choline chloride deep-eutectic solvent as a favorable nonaqueous internal phase. After recovery of DES, the resultant poly(HIPEs) showed interconnected macroporosity which can be tuned by varying the experimental conditions.
Oxidation kinetics of wet CO in trace concentrations

Abstract The title reaction is observed at temperatures from 1123°K to 1298°K for pressures of 1.22 to 2.44 atm for initial concentrations of CO as small as 3.1 ppm. Sensitivity analysis demonstrates that at these low CO concentrations the kinetics of the overall reaction are effectively sensitive to only one elementary reaction, CO + OH → CO 2 + H. Thus the good agreement between the observed reaction kinetics and the kinetics predicted by computer modeling confirms the literature value for k CO+OH .
The learning curve in pancreatic surgery

Background Pancreatic surgery is technically complex. We hypothesized that a learning curve existed for pancreaticoduodenectomy even for surgeons who had completed their training. Methods During 1990 to 2004, we studied 650 consecutive patients who underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy by 3 surgeons who began their attending careers at 1 center. Operative time, estimated blood loss (EBL), length of hospital stay (LOS), and the status of resection margins (for pancreatic adenocarcinoma) were analyzed. The χ2, independent t test and Mann-Whitney U test were used to evaluate differences in categorical, normally distributed continuous, and non-normally distributed continuous variables, respectively. Using serial groups of 30 cases, median operative time, EBL, and LOS were calculated and the trend over time modeled using third-order polynomial equations. Trends in retroperitoneal margin positivity (R0/R1) were assessed. Results From the first 60 cases per surgeon to the second 60 cases per surgeon, the median EBL dropped (1100 vs 725 mL, P Conclusions Pancreaticoduodenectomy has an inherent learning curve. After 60 cases, surgeons achieved significantly decreased EBL, operative time, and LOS, and carried out more margin-negative resections. Improvement in measured outcomes continues during the operative career.
Active transport of potassium by the giant neuron of the aplysia abdominal ganglion.

We measured the internal potassium activity, aiK, and membrane potential, Em, simultaneously in 111 R2 giant neurons of Aplysia californica. aiK was 165.3 ± 3.4 mM, Em was -47.8 ± 0.9 mv, and EK calculated using the Nernst equation was -76.9 ± 0.05 mv. Such values were maintained for as long as 6 hr of continuous recording in untreated cells, aiK fell exponentially after the following treatments: cooling to 0.5°–4°C, ouabain, zero external potassium, 2,4-dinitrophenol, and cyanide. The effects of cooling and zero potassium were reversible. Potassium permeability was calculated from net potassium flux using the constant field equation and ranged from 2.6 to 18.5 x 10-8 cm/sec. We conclude that potassium is actively transported into this neuron against a 30–40 mv electrochemical gradient.
Empowerment in nursing education: concept analysis and application to philosophy, learning and instruction.

The Walker & Avant strategy is used to complete a concept analysis of empowerment. Empowerment is defined as the interpersonal process of providing the proper tools, resources and environment to build, develop and increase the ability and effectiveness of others to set and reach goals for individual and social ends. Empowerment occurs between two or more people: the person who empowers and the person(s) who is (are) empowered. The Murrell-Armstrong Empowerment matrix, with six categories of empowering behaviours, provides the theoretical framework. References from organizational, nursing, educational and sociological literature provide support for the defining attributes, antecedents and consequences of empowerment. A conceptual map depicts these relationships and demonstration cases serve to make the ideas more apparent. The concept of empowerment is applied to philosophy, learning and instruction. Pragmatism reflects the ideas presented on empowerment because both embrace individual and social goals, the student is active in the learning process, learning is lifelong, and the appropriate environment, tools and resources for learning must be present. Kolb's experimental learning model corresponds with empowerment and pragmatism. The works of Dewey, Lewin, Piaget, Rogers and Freire are used as the basis for the model. Kolb describes learning as a four-step process that includes concrete experience, reflective observation, abstract conceptualization and active experimentation. Transformative instruction is based on Freire's critical pedagogy, Belenky et al.'s connected teaching, Schon's reflection-in-action, and activities that allow students to complete the experimental learning cycle. Several strategies that promote transformative instruction are discussed.
Partner Type, Sexual Double Standard Endorsement, and Ambivalence Predict Abdication and Unprotected Sex Intentions in a Community Sample of Young Women

In-the-moment ambivalence about having sex may influence sexual decisions but has rarely been examined. We investigated how ambivalence about sex might be related to intentions to abdicate sexual d...
Metabolism of azo dyes by human skin microbiota

Reduction of Methyl Red (MR) and Orange II (Or II) by 26 human skin bacterial species was monitored by a rapid spectrophotometric assay. The analysis indicated that skin bacteria, representing the genera Staphylococcus, Corynebacterium, Micrococcus, Dermacoccus and Kocuria, were able to reduce MR by 74-100 % in 24 h, with only three species unable to reduce completely the dye in that time. Among the species tested, only Corynebacterium xerosis was unable to reduce Or II to any degree by 24 h, and only Staphylococcus delphini, Staphylococcus sciuri subsp. sciuri and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were able to reduce completely this dye within 24 h. MR reduction started with early-exponential growth in Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis, and around late-exponential/early-stationary growth in P. aeruginosa. Reduction of Or II, Ponceau S and Ponceau BS started during late-exponential/early-stationary growth for all three species. Using liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization mass spectrometry analyses, MR metabolites produced by Staph. aureus, Staph. epidermidis and P. aeruginosa were identified as N,N-dimethyl-p-phenylenediamine and 2-aminobenzoic acid. Searches of available genomic and proteomic data revealed that at least four of the staphylococci in this study, Staphylococcus haemolyticus, Staph. epidermidis, Staphylococcus cohnii and Staphylococcus saprophyticus, have hypothetical genes with 77, 76, 75 and 74 % sequence identity to azo1 encoding an azoreductase from Staph. aureus and hypothetical proteins with 82, 80, 72 and 74 % identity to Azo1, respectively. In addition, Staphylococcus capitis has a protein with 79 % identity to Azo1. Western analysis detected proteins similar to Azo1 in all the staphylococci tested, except Staph. delphini, Staph. sciuri subsp. sciuri and Staphylococcus auricularis. The data presented in this report will be useful in the risk assessment process for evaluation of public exposure to products containing these dyes.
Long-term security-constrained unit commitment: hybrid Dantzig-Wolfe decomposition and subgradient approach

The solution of a long-term security-constrained unit commitment (SCUC) problem, which often spans several months to a year, may consider multiple long-term fuel and emission constraints in addition to operating constraints embedded in short-term SCUC. The size and the complexity of long-term SCUC are often beyond reasonable computing time and resources. Hence, Lagrangian relaxation is applied in this paper to manage coupling constraints over the entire period. Based on dual relaxation, the large-scale optimization problem is decomposed into many tractable short-term SCUC subproblems without long-term fuel and emission constraints. The resource penalty prices are linking signals for the coordination of subproblems. The short-term SCUC may be solved by any numerical optimization methods, including mixed integer programming and Lagrangian relaxation. A hybrid subgradient and Dantzig-Wolfe decomposition approach is presented for managing Lagrangian multipliers in the large-scale dual optimization of long-term SCUC problem. The proposed hybrid approach is a tradeoff between calculation speed and accuracy of the long-term SCUC solution. A modified IEEE 118-bus system is analyzed to exhibit the effectiveness of the proposed approach.
An open test bed for medical device integration and coordination

Medical devices historically have been monolithic units — developed, validated, and approved by regulatory authorities as stand-alone entities. Modern medical devices increasingly incorporate connectivity mechanisms that offer the potential to stream device data into electronic health records, integrate information from multiple devices into single customizable displays, and coordinate the actions of groups of cooperating devices to realize “closed loop” scenarios and automate clinical workflows. However, it is not clear what middleware and integration architectures may be best suited for these possibly numerous scenarios. More troubling, current verification and validation techniques used in the device industry are not targeted to assuring groups of integrated devices. In this paper, we propose a publish-subscribe architecture for medical device integration based on the Java Messaging Service, and we report on our experience with this architecture in multiple scenarios that we believe represent the types of deployments that will benefit from rapid device integration. This implementation and the experiments presented in this paper are offered as an open test bed for exploring development, quality assurance, and regulatory issues related to medical device coordination.
Blastocyst invasion and the stromal response in primates

One of the most remarkable processes associated with the establishment of pregnancy in the primate is the process of decidualization. This transformation of a stromal fibroblast to a fully differentiated decidual cell is required for implantation and embryo survival in early pregnancy. Although the morphological and biochemical characteristics of the primate decidual cell have been extensively studied, the precise cellular, biochemical and molecular signals required for this transformation have yet to be elucidated. During decidualization, stromal cells first proliferate and then differentiate. Based on our extensive in-vivo and ongoing in-vitro studies, we have suggested that the process of decidualization in the baboon can be divided into two distinct phases. The initial proliferative phase is characterized by the expression of the cytoskeletal protein alpha smooth muscle actin (alphaSMA) in the stromal fibroblasts and is independent of the presence of the conceptus. The second phase of differentiation is characterized by the expression of insulin-like growth factor binding protein-1 (IGFBP-1) and the down-regulation of alphaSMA in the decidualized stromal fibroblast. The expression of IGFBP-1 is dependent on the presence of the conceptus in vivo and is regulated by hormones and cAMP in vitro. We have postulated that, during the initial phase of stromal cell differentiation, alphaSMA expression is regulated by the interaction between stromal cell integrins with the secreted extracellular matrix proteins (ECM). In response to pregnancy a trophoblast 'factor', mediated by cAMP signal transduction, induces IGFBP-1 expression in decidualizing stromal fibroblasts. This induction of IGFBP-1 is associated with the disappearance of alphaSMA and de-novo protein synthesis. Our comparative studies suggest that the process of decidualization in the human and baboon involve similar mechanisms. However, the metabolic pathways required for decidualization in the two species appear to differ in their degree of sensitivity to external stimuli. This review focuses on the cellular events that may potentially regulate decidualization in the primate and its role in regulating trophoblast migration.
Space-time fading correlation functions of a 3-D MIMO channel model

Space-time correlation functions between the links of MIMO Rayleigh fading channels are derived using a new three-dimensional (3-D) cylinder scattering model. Closed form, mathematically tractable formulas are obtained for the space-time correlation functions for general MIMO systems where the base station and mobile station antennas may be arranged in 3-D space. It is shown that the correlation functions computed by the 3-D cylinder model are of significant difference than those of the conventional 2-D Clarke's isotropic scattering model for vertically placed antennas. The general formulas of the correlation functions includes the 2-D Clarke's model and the 3-D SIMO, MISO models as special cases.
Picturing Einstein's Train of Thought

In a recent series of articles in this journal, Michael Cohen and I have had a fundamental disagreement over the construction of Einstein's Gedankenexperiment about the relativity of simultaneity that is found in his famous lay exposition of special and general relativity (hereafter SR and GR, respectively).' I should make it clear from the outset that it appears that we do not disagree significantly over matters of the consistency, coherence, and adequacy of SR and GR themselves as physical theories. Rather, our disagreement is simply about whether Einstein logically and adequately constructed his famous 'train and lightning-bolts' thought-experiment that has figured prominently in countless popular and technical expositions of relativity. Cohen maintains that Einstein did not so construct it-I argue that he did. Given that many secondary references to this thought experiment merely parrot Einstein's account, it does seem to be of some importance to know whether the use of such passages is vindicated. Rather than retrace the course of our particular disagreements, perhaps it would be most profitable to simply and literally see what Einstein says in the disputed passage. What I propose is to illustrate the principal remarks of Einstein's Gedankenexperiment on an appropriate spacetime diagram, and only then examine why Cohen seems to have thought Einstein's presentation to be inadequate. The thought-experiment runs as follows. (I shall attempt to summarize the relevant passage in question concisely but accurately. Readers should consult the original to verify that I have done this.) A moving train on an embankment is struck by two lightning bolts at points A (in the rear of the train) and B (in the front of the train) and which contains a stationary observer M' at a location 1 Albert Einstein, Relativity: The Special and the General Theory (New York: Crown Publishing, 15th edition, 1951), 25-26. Cohen's previous papers are, in order of appearance: Michael Cohen, 'Simultaneity and Einstein's Gedankenexperiment', Philosophy 64, (July 1989), 391-396; 'Einstein on Simultaneity', Philosophy 67, (October 1992), 543-548; 'Simultaneity: A Composite Rejoinder', Philosophy 70, (October 1995), 587-589. My respective replies are: V. Alan White, 'Cohen on Einstein's Simultaneity Gedankenexperiment', Philosophy 66, (April 1991), 245-246; 'Relativity and Simultaneity Redux', Philosophy 70, (July 1993), 401-404.
STEREOCONTROLLED SYNTHESIS OF THE EVERNINOMICIN A1B(A)C RING FRAMEWORK

A strategy based on a ring-closing olefin metathesis was used to convert divinylmethanol into 1, which served as a common precursor to activated derivatives 2 and 3. These in turn serve as precursors to the C and B carbohydrate units of the A1B(A)C ring fragment 4 of everninomicin 13,384-1.
Increased Ethanol Consumption Following Chronic Psychosocial Stress: Do Oxytocin and Baclofen Hold any Therapeutic Promise?

Both chronic stress (1) and anxiety disorders (2) are risk factors for developing alcohol use disorders (AUDs). Conversely, chronic alcohol consumption can increase anxiety via a rebound effect and acute withdrawal symptoms, thus contributing to anxiety-related development of AUDs and their maintenance (3). As such, there is a rationale and growing interest in developing medications with anti-stress and/or anxiolytic properties as putative treatments for AUDs. To this end, animal models that approximate or are relevant to human conditions of chronic stress and anxiety are relevant to test the effect of potential medications on alcohol-seeking behaviors.
Heating energy penalties of cool roofs: the effect of snow accumulation on roofs

Utilizing a cool roof is an efficient way to reduce the cooling energy use of a building. Cool roofs, however, may increase heating energy use in winter. In cold climates, during winter the sun angle is low, days are short, the sky is cloudy, and most the heating occurs early in the morning or in the evening hours when the solar intensity is low. In addition, the roof may be covered with snow for most of the heating season. All these lead to a lower (than what is commonly thought) winter time heating penalties for cool roofs. We used DOE-2.1E to simulate energy consumption in an office building in four cold climate cities in North America: Anchorage (AK), Milwaukee (WI), Montreal (QC), and Toronto (ON). The effect of the sun angle, clouds, daytime duration, and heating schedules can be modelled with existing capabilities of DOE-2. Snow on the roof provides an additional layer of insulation and increases the solar reflectance of the roof. To simulate the effect of snow, we defined a DOE-2 function consisti...
The TI solar energy system development

The Texas Instruments Solar Energy System (TISES) concept and development status is described. Texas Instruments has had the TISES approach under development for several years. This new system concept combines the energy conversion and storage functions in a novel way. Small silicon solar cells are immersed in an electrolyte, and the current generated by the cells is used directly to electrolyze a halogen acid, such as HBr. The hydrogen and bromine produced can be stored separately (hydrogen as a hydride and bromine in solution) until needed and then recombined in a fuel cell to produce electrical energy on demand. The fuel cell HBr product is returned to the solar chemical convertor to complete the closed loop energy cycle. Component and system feasibilities have been demonstrated.
Bispectral analysis and model validation of texture images

Statistical approaches to texture analysis and synthesis have largely relied upon random models that characterize the 2-D process in terms of its first- and second-order statistics, and therefore cannot completely capture phase properties of random fields that are non-Gaussian and/or asymmetric. In this paper, higher than second-order statistics are used to derive and implement 2-D Gaussianity, linearity, and spatial reversibility tests that validate the respective modeling assumptions. The nonredundant region of the 2-D bispectrum is correctly defined and proven. A consistent parameter estimator for nonminimum phase, asymmetric noncausal, 2-D ARMA models is derived by minimizing a quadratic error polyspectrum matching criterion. Simulations on synthetic data are performed and the results of the bispectral analysis on real textures are reported. >
Trajectory optimization for continuous ergodic exploration

An algorithm is presented for generating trajectories for efficient exploration that takes into account a probabilistic representation of information density over a sampling region. The problem is cast as a continuous-time trajectory optimization problem, where the objective function directly involves the relationship between the probability density functions representing the spatial distribution and the statistical representation of the time-averaged trajectory. The difference is expressed using ergodicity. It is shown that the trajectory optimization problem can be solved using descent directions that are solutions to linear quadratic optimal control problems. The proposed method generates continuous-time optimal feedback controllers, demonstrated in simulation for a nonlinear sensor model.
Estimation of glucose kinetics in fetal-maternal studies: potential errors, solutions, and limitations

We investigated whether errors occur in the estimation of ovine maternal-fetal glucose (Glc) kinetics using the isotope dilution technique when the Glc pool is rapidly expanded by exogenous (protocol A) or endogenous (protocol C) Glc entry and sought possible solutions (protocol B). In protocol A (n = 8), after attaining steady-state Glc specific activity (SA) by [U-14C]glucose (period 1), infusion of Glc (period 2) predictably decreased Glc SA, whereas. [U-14C]glucose concentration unexpectedly rose from 7,208 +/- 367 (means +/- SE) in period 1 to 8,558 +/- 308 disintegrations/min (dpm) per ml in period 2 (P less than 0.01). Fetal endogenous Glc production (EGP) was negligible during period 1 (0.44 +/- 1.0), but yielded a physiologically impossible "negative" value of -2.1 +/- 0.72 mg.kg-1.min-1 during period 2. When the fall in Glc SA during Glc infusion was prevented by addition of [U-14C]glucose admixed with the exogenous Glc (protocol B; n = 7), EGP was no longer "negative." In protocol C (n = 6), sequential infusions of four increasing doses of epinephrine serially decreased SA, whereas tracer Glc increased from 7,483 +/- 608 to 11,525 +/- 992 dpm/ml plasma (P less than 0.05), imposing an obligatory underestimation of EGP. Thus a tracer "mixing" problem leads to erroneous estimations of fetal Glc utilization and Glc production via the three-compartment model in sheep when the Glc pool is expanded exogenously or endogenously. These errors can be minimized by maintaining the Glc SA relatively constant.
Adult Size and Distribution of Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae) Associated with Larval Habitats in Iquitos, Peru

Adult mosquito size may be related to longevity, feeding frequency, and other factors that impact vectorial capacity. Various investigations have shown that characteristics of larval mosquito habitats influence adult size. We studied breeding container characteristics in relation to size and abundance of Aedes aegypti larvae and pupae in Iquitos, Peru, and compared these with the size of resulting adult females. During 22 May to 20 July 2000, immature mosquitoes were collected from 12,722 containers in 2,931 houses, of which 424 held > or =1 Ae. aegypti. A subsample of larvae and all 16,433 pupae detected was removed for study. Resting adult mosquitoes were also collected from the same houses as the immatures. Adult mosquito size was determined by measuring the wing lengths of 672 aspirated adults and 2,316 adult females that emerged from container-derived pupae. Immatures were most commonly found in rain-filled containers, located outside of houses, and without lids. The average wing length of females derived from pupae varied considerably (1.67-3.83 mm), with slightly less variation for females captured as adults (1.80-3.23 mm). Linear regression showed that average wing length of pupae-derived females was positively associated with presence of larvae, container-filling method, diameter of container, and density of females. Size of pupae-derived females was correlated with that of females captured in the same houses as adults. The geographic distribution of pupae and adults indicated that the spatial pattern for Ae. aegypti is heterogeneous, with areas of higher and lower abundance. These findings provide insight for more focused control efforts aimed at reducing Ae. aegypti-borne pathogens.
Variable Saturation Infiltration Model for Highly Vegetated Regions

Abstract. Observations have been made in studies that in watersheds with moist soils and lush vegetation, water does not pond on the soil surface, even during significant rainfall events. In these cases, all the water infiltrates into the soil. Furthermore, the water content in the pore space is below saturation. The tools for modeling such situations are limited. A universal method for estimating groundwater in the unsaturated zone is the Richards' equation, a non linear system of 1D or 3D equations based on physical flow principles. While effective, the difficulties in solving Richards' equation can pose a significant problem in a complex system, which may require extensive amounts of calibration and numerical effort in procuring a solution. A second method is based on the idea of approximating the movement of moisture through the soil as a rectangular profile, e.g. assuming that the water moves through a soil column like a piston. Rectangular profile methods have been developed in the past for cases in which ponding occurs at the surface, and the water content inside the column is at saturation. More general rectangular profile methods allow the water in the column to move at sub-saturation. Both of these existing methods involve solving a non linear algebraic equation for the hydrologic system, involving constant flux at the boundary, due to a wetting event such as rainfall. The method proposed in this article may be used for situations in which the soil does not become saturated, and the soil and rainfall properties, specifically the rates of hydraulic conductance and rate of rainfall respectively, are allowed to vary in space or time. The method proposed is based on a simple principle in infiltration hydrology, that the rate at which water will infiltrate through the soil equilibrates with the rate of rainfall, when the rate of rainfall is smaller than the infiltration capacity of the soil. In application, this method does not require the solution of a non linear algebraic (or differential) system of equations, thus affording modelers computational economy. Furthermore, this new method can be made to interact with the saturated profile methods in the event that the rainfall overwhelms the ability of soil to absorb moisture. If this happens, a portion of the field will come to saturation while other parts will be below saturation. The sub-saturation models can be made to interact with the redistribution and evapotranspiration processes by providing the initial and boundary condition for those events.
Cyber and Information Threats to Seaports and Ships

The cost of cyberattacks range from $300 billion a year on the low side to over $1 trillion a year on the more realistic side; and this is expected to soar to $2 trillion a year by 2019. The past several years have evidenced a growing number of cyberattacks on maritime assets and organizations—which has the potential to impact on global trade. In this chapter, we discuss the nature of the cyberthreats specific to the maritime sector and review actual cases and incidents, review why the maritime industry is especially susceptible to cyberattack, and identity the potential actors of cyberthreats to the commercial maritime sector. We also discuss, at a high level, the framework for a cybersecurity plan, one which maritime organizations can utilize to reduce their vulnerabilities to cyber targeting and attacks, and create resiliency within their organization.
Fluid capture by a permanent ring magnet in reduced gravity

Recent advances in magnet technology suggest that magnetic positive positioning of liquids may become a viable technology for future spacecraft systems. Development of a new computational tool for simulating this process is presented as are results from experimental and computational studies of the process. Comparison of simulation predictions to known solutions for simple configurations and to experiment data, support the conclusion that the computational tool provides a good model of magnetic positive positioning. Sequences oFpredicted flow fields that extend the parameter space of the experimental investigation are presented and conclusions are drawn about the expeiiments, the simulation, and magnetic positive positioning.
What Evangelical Pastors Want to Know about Psychology

Increasing attention has been given to psychologist-clergy collaboration in mainstream psychology journals, yet much remains to be considered regarding how these collaborative relationships will be...
Coordination Mode of Day-ahead Generation Schedule Considering Energy Saving and Real-time Control

To solve the complex problem brought by coordination mode between the programming of generation schedule and real-time control,a day-ahead and real-time generation schedule model is developed first based on the basic objectives,guidelines and related constraints for energy-saving generation dispatching.On this basis,four coordination models for day-ahead generation schedule considering energy saving and real-time control are proposed.The four modes are also analyzed with regard to the goal achieving of energy saving,the influence on system security,the demand on scheduling technology,and other aspects.Then,proceeding from the time scale and target dimension,the similarities and differences of four coordination models in the process of generation schedule development are qualitatively explained.Finally,a 10-unit 24-hour system is used as an example for quantitative calculation of the energy saving effect of four coordination models with the load forecast deviation as the starting point.
Anatomy of Income and Wealth Inequality in the United States

Much has been written recently about the current income and wealth gaps in the U.S. and the causes proffered. They are: how U.S. elections are financed; offshoring of well-paid jobs; excessive executive salaries; decrease in private-sector unionization; inadequate education of the U.S. workforce; and the outsize return on capital. The authors assume that these are merely the visible manifestations of a larger underlying cause — "The Iron Law of Oligarchy." They identify the oligarchs, describe how they rule and the consequences, and propose ways to ameliorate the consequences.
Colonizing Consciousness: Culture as Identity in Wordsworth’s Prelude and Walcott’s Another Life

It may seem strange to end a book about Wordsworth’s textual practices with a discussion of a contemporary poet from the Caribbean, but the claims already made in The Revolutionary ‘I’ are finally valuable only if they can carry us beyond Wordsworth into a wider discussion of the genre of autobiographical writing. Literary selves, however we may seek to define or destabilize them, present themselves in complex and richly textured ways. Wordsworth’s ‘politics’ of self-presentation — and the ways he chose to be ‘politic’ in the process of such self-presentation — bear comparison with numerous subsequent autobiographers, those directly influenced by Wordsworth and those related to him in more elusively intertextual ways. Wordsworth’s voice did emerge out of an interplay of voices and forces that we have already explored: his sister Dorothy, his friend Coleridge, his own earlier lyric voices, discourses of the French revolution, Miltonic blank verse. But Wordsworth’s poetic voice went on to shape at least as many voices as it was shaped by; we need only consider Wordsworth’s reputation from 1850 to the present to appreciate the ongoing power of his textual identity in the voices of others. A comparison to one such voice should allow us to conclude that Wordsworth’s autobiographical writings are important not merely for what they say, but for the ways they have continued to have their say over the past two centuries.
Reservoir water quality monitoring using remote sensing with seasonal models: case study of five central-Utah reservoirs

AbstractRemote sensing models estimate chlorophyll concentrations by correlating spectral reflectance and reservoir chlorophyll. Different algal populations have different spectral signatures and thus different correlation models, an issue typically addressed by developing and applying a model using the same satellite image. Here we exploit these population differences by developing seasonal models that can be applied to other images from that season. We rely on algal succession and assume the phytoplankton population is relatively constant over a season, dividing the growth season into 3 parts as substitutes for population measurements. We present seasonal models developed using data from 2 Utah reservoirs, Deer Creek and Jordanelle, which have comprehensive long-term field datasets large enough to provide adequate near-coincident data for model development. We then apply the chlorophyll-estimation models to 5 reservoirs in north-central Utah and present the trends in the average, maximum, and variance o...
Advances in information SEcurity EDucation

This paper examines modern computer security education, the current state of security education materials, and an overview of the relevance. The paper specifically focuses on how computer games, tabletop games, and labs created in virtual environments using virtual machines are beneficial in creating hands-on learning environments for students and educators. A case study on SEcurity EDucation (SEED) Labs is provided to assure the labs are relevant and current to industry, academia, and certification bodies. Finally, additions are created to broaden current SEED Labs to grant students the opportunity to expand their academic knowledge on security topics.
Access Control Policy Verification

To ensure that an access control (AC) system is safe, there must be a reliable means to verify that the specified AC policy model conforms to the safety requirements and policy author's intentions. A general verification approach includes black-box and white-box testing, as well as the generation of sufficient test cases to check the correctness of model implementations.
Business event curation: merging human and automated approaches

We present preliminary work to construct a knowledge curation system to advance research in the study of regional economics. The proposed system exploits natural language processing (NLP) techniques to automatically implement business event extraction, provides a user-facing interface to assist human curators, and a feedback loop to improve the performance of the Information Extraction Model for the automated parts of the system. Progress to date has shown that we can improve standard NLP approaches for entity and relationship extraction through heuristic means and provide indexing of extracted relationships to aid curation.
The Roots of Hinduism: The Early Aryans and the Indus Civilization, by Asko Parpola, New York, Oxford University Press, 2015, xvi + 363 pp., $US99.00 (hardback), ISBN 978 0 1902 2690 9

Aska Parpalo has been on the horizon of South Asian scholars for a good many years. Sometimes dismissed out of hand because of earlier claims to have deciphered the Indus Valley script, his failure...
Mechanics of Texturing Thermoplastic Yarns : Part II: Experimental Observations of Transient Behavior

This paper reports on the transient behavior of the texturing threadline in single heater operation. Twist response and threadline-tension response are shown for disturbances in spindle speed, overfeed, outlet velocity, and entry pretension. The twist response in the texturing zone is exponential in form, with local twist levels shifting without overshoot to new levels consistent with new steady-state values of process parameters. Transient twist response in the post-spindle zone involves a rise, then falling off to zero real twist. Transient-tension behavior is seen as a dual response both to new steady-state process parameter levels and also to threadline contractive effects of changing twists. Twist changes are observed to initiate in the heater entry zone of the threadline and then sweep across to the spindle. This observation suggests the existence of significant differences in torsional rigidity along the threadline and requires modification of analytical models for predicting transient texturing behavior.
Collaborative Economy and Destination Marketing Organisations: A Systems Approach

Destination systems, embedded systems in the larger tourism system, evolve as a result of changes in consumer and stakeholder expectations, social trends and new technologies. New system dynamics necessitate change to traditional supply chains, management practices and relations, and allow the entrance of new players. This chapter examines the changing nature of Destination Marketing Organisations (DMOs) and the challenges they face in providing value to consumers and stakeholders. It also examines the rise of collaborative economy companies and their impact on the destination system. Collaborative economy companies in the destination are leading to new legislative frameworks, a changing competitive landscape, a wider range of product and increased innovation. The chapter also examines the new dynamics developing in the destination system as DMOs and collaborative economy companies respond to the changing system and to each other. Changing DMO roles, new areas of conflict and potential opportunities for collaboration in the collaborative economy are explored.