cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Stem cells in the injured spinal cord: reducing the pain and increasing the gain.

Stem cells transplanted after spinal cord injury mostly generate astrocytes, which can promote aberrant sprouting of sensory neurons, leading to allodynia. Making cells produce more oligodendrocytes reduces allodynia and improves functional recovery.
Comparative effects of dichlobenil and its phenolic alteration products on photo- and oxidative phosphorylation☆

Abstract Effects of dichlobenil (2,6-dichlorobenzonitrile) and its phenolic degradation products (2,6-dichloro-3-hydroxybenzonitrile and 2,6-dichloro-4-hydroxybenzonitrile) were compared on electron transport and phosphorylation in isolated spinach ( Spinacia oleracea L.) chloroplasts and mung bean ( Phaseolus aureus Roxb.) mitochondria. In chloroplasts, the hydroxylated derivatives inhibited both photoreduction and coupled photophosphorylation with water as the electron donor and with ferricyanide as oxidant, and cyclic photophosphorylation with phenazine methosulfate as the electron mediator under an argon gas phase. In mitochondria, the phenolic derivatives acted as uncouplers of oxidative phosphorylation as evidenced by the stimulation of ADP-limited respiration, circumvention of oligomycin-inhibited non-ADP-limited respiration, and the induction of ATPase activity. Treatment of excised mung bean hypocotyls by the phenolic derivatives also resulted in a very rapid and drastic lowering of ATP levels. In all assays, only limited, if any, interference was expressed by dichlobenil even at relatively high molar concentrations. Inhibition of oxidative and photophosphorylation by the phenolic degradation products, but not by dichlobenil, suggests that if there is a delay between the formation of the hydroxylated compounds and their conjugation, photosynthesis and respiration will be inhibited. Because biochemical and physiological processes depend on oxidative and photophosphorylation for the energy (ATP) needed to drive the reactions, interference with ATP production could be one of the major mechanisms through which phytotoxicity is expressed by the phenolic degradation compounds of the herbicide, if they should accumulate in the free from. Species selectivity may be related to the rate of formation of the phenolic products in different plants and the rapidity of conjugate formation.
Health-Related Quality of Life in Overweight/Obese Children Compared With Children With Inflammatory Bowel Disease:

Purpose. This study examined the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) of pediatric patients with overweight/obesity compared with that of patients with inflammatory bowel disease. Methods. Differences between disease groups in their PedsQL 4.0 HRQOL survey scores were analyzed using unpaired t tests and analyses of variance. Results. Scores of patients with overweight/obesity were as low as scores of patients with inflammatory bowel disease. Parent/guardian-proxy social functioning scores of the overweight/obese group were statistically significantly lower than scores of the inflammatory bowel disease group, and the parents/guardians reported significantly lower HRQOL scores than the patients. Conclusions. Overweight/obese children have HRQOL scores as impaired as those of children with inflammatory bowel disease. According to proxy-reported scores, overweight/obesity is associated with lower social functioning. Thus, it is important for health care providers to recognize obesity’s relationship to patie...
Distributed Control of Large‐Scale Structural Systems

This article develops a methodology for the distributed active control of large structural systems. The central idea is to use a set of active members in a structural system, each {locally} controlled. The method relies on an understanding of (1) the peculiar interaction of force feedback and velocity feedback in an active member and (2) the interaction between such active members, as well as that between active and passive members in a structural system. Using a commonly occurring MDOF model of a structural system, we show that the distributed-local-control design is robust. Locating the active members so that all the eigenvalues of the damping and stiffness matrices of the controlled system are assuredly increased leads to several results on where and how active members might be located in such a structure.
Net CO2 exchange of Pinus taeda shoots exposed to variable ozone levels and rain chemistries in field and laboratory settings

Net CO2 exchange rates (CERs) were measured in seedlings of two loblotly pine (Pinus taeda L.) families following 6- or 13-week exposures to ozone (charcoalfiltered or ambient air + O3) and acid rain treatments (pH 3.3, 4.5 and 5.2). Ozone exposures (14 or 170 nl l−1) were made in open-top chambers, and in continously stirred tank reactors (14, 160 or 320 nl l−1) located in the field and laboratory, respectively. The CERs of whole shoots were measured in an open infrared gas analysis system at 6 levels of photosynthetic photon flux density (0, 33, 60, 410, 800 and 1660 μmol m−2 s−1). Treatment effects were not consistent between field- and laboratory-exposed seedlings. Ozone-treated field seedlings exhibited statistically significant reductions in light-saturated CER of 12.5 and 25% when measured at 6 and 13 weeks, respectively. Laboratory seedlings exhibited mixed responses to O3, with one family showing reduced CER only after 6 weeks of O3 exposure and the other only after 13 weeks (O3 >160 nl l−1 for both). After 13 weeks of exposure, pH 3.3, and 4.5 rain treatments enhanced light-saturated CER by an average of 52% over that observed in seedlings exposed to the pH 5.2 treatment. Enhanced CERs due to acid rain were of the same magnitude (3–5 μmol CO2g−1 s−1) as ozone-induced CER reductions. No differences in dark respiration were detected between treatments. Although ozone and acid rain treatments altered seedling CER, the differences were not translated into altered final plant dry weights over the 13-week exposure period.
SU‐FF‐T‐207: Linac QA Using a Computed Radiography System

Purpose: The computed radiography(CR) is replacing film for linacquality assurance (QA) checks in our clinic. A few tools and methods were developed to facilitate this transition. Method, Materials and Results: A right‐triangular prism phantom was used for electron beam quality verification. The phantom was centered along the beam axis, and placed on top of a CR cassette with 110 cm source to image distance (SID). The image was processed to obtain a percentage exposure vs. wedge thickness curve, which was sensitive to electron energy changes. This method demonstrated good reproducibility. A method using a diamond‐shaped template for the light and radiation field congruence test had been previously developed. This method was analyzed and modified. In the modified version, the template was put right above the CR cassette to reduce the systematic error due to the penumbra effect. An IDL program was developed to compute the discrepancies between the light field and the radiation field. The jaw alignment was checked with a device similar to that of Lutz et al: a CR cassette sandwiched between two pairs of L‐shaped Cerrobend blocks. Each pair was embedded diagonally in a piece of foam. The pair above the cassette was at an angle of 90 degrees to the pair beneath the cassette. The radiation was delivered at collimator angles of 0 and 90 degrees to verify the x‐jaw and y‐jaw alignment, respectively. For each collimator angle, two gantry rotations ‐ 0 and 180 degrees ‐ were used, with equal monitor units delivered at an SID of 100 cm. The radiation field flatness, symmetry and penumbra were tested using CR combined with the RIT software solution. The results were consistent with those collected using films. Conclusion: QA checks using CR systems are more convenient and yield results comparable to those from film.
1,5-Dibromo-2,4-bis[(2-bromophenyl)-ethynyl]benzene

In the title compound, C22H10Br4, the two outer aromatic rings are offset from the plane occupied by the central ring.
Amide-Linked Indoleacetic Acid Conjugates May Control Levels of Indoleacetic Acid in Germinating Seedlings of Phaseolus vulgaris

We have shown that amide-linked IAA (indole-3-acetic acid) conjugates accumulated to high levels during maturation of bean seeds (K. Bialek and J.D. Cohen [1989] Plant Physiol 91: 775-779). In the present study, we were interested in the fate of these and other IAA conjugates during seed germination. The content of amide-linked conjugates of IAA in cotyledons declined dramatically during the first hours of imbibition. The rate of decline slowed markedly during the period of the resumption of axis growth. The level of amide-linked IAA conjugates in cotyledons remained relatively high after almost 1 week of germination. The decline of IAA conjugates in cotyledons was followed by a steady increase in the content of both free and amide-linked IAA in the embryonic axes. Amide-linked IAA conjugates were also present in the axes cultured on agar after the cotyledons were removed, which suggests that de novo production of these IAA conjugates occurs in the axis of germinating bean seedlings. A comparison of relative amounts of free and conjugated IAA in the axes of intact seedlings and axes cultured on agar showed lower levels of free IAA and higher levels of conjugated IAA in much slower growing isolated axes. These results suggest a more general role for IAA conjugates in the control of seedling growth than simply to serve as a seed storage form of auxin.
The Development of Personal Space in Primary School Children.

Personal space in school cafeteria queues was observed for 1,047 children in kindergarten through sixth grade in seven public schools. It was found that children segregate themselves both racially and sexually in the queues. In three of the schools that were racially mixed, the children stood closer in the lower grades than in the higher grades, they stood closer to same-sex children than to other-sex children, but there was no racial difference. In three of the schools where all of the children were white, there was an increase in personal space across grades for all sex combinations except male to male. In two of the schools where all of the children were black, there was no significant increase in personal space across grades. The children in the white schools had greater queue distances than children in the black schools throughout the upper grades. In general, the results were similar to those obtained in other studies involving observation in natural settings and different from results obtained using simulated interaction.
Replication of flock house virus in three genera of medically important insects

Flock House Virus (family Nodaviridae, genus Alphanodavirus, FHV) was originally isolated from grass grubs Costelytra zealandica (White) (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) in New Zealand and belongs to a family of divided genome, plus-sense RNA insect viruses. FHV replicates in insects, a nematode, plants, and yeast. We previously reported replication of FHV in four genera of mosquitoes and expression of green fluorescent protein in Aedes aegypti (L.) produced by an FHV-based vector. We report here that FHV multiplies vigorously in vivo in the malaria vectors Anopheles gambiae Giles and An. stephensi Liston and in vitro in a cell line derived from An. gambiae. In addition, FHV multiplies extensively in two other medically important insects, the tsetse fly, Glossina morsitans morsitans Westwood, and the reduviid bug Rhodnius prolixus Stal, extending its host range to four orders of insects (Coleoptera, Lepidoptera, Diptera, and Hemiptera). The virus disseminates in all the major tissues of the insects studied. Anopheles and Glossina show mortality when FHV is injected at a dose above 10(4) plaque-forming units (pfu) or the virus accumulates to titer above 10(8) pfu. A lower dose (10(3) pfu) promotes more extensive virus multiplication and reduces mortality to < 10%. No adverse effects are observed in Ae. aegypti, Culex pipiens pipiens L., and Armigeres subalbatus (Coquillett), when injected with a dose of up to 10(7) pfu. Mosquitoes orally fed with FHV exhibited slower virus growth rate with lower mortality. Our results indicate that FHV has uniquely broad insect host range and that the virus can be used to study virus host interactions in a variety of medically important insects.
Secretion of cholesteryl ester transfer protein-lipoprotein complexes by human HepG2 hepatocytes.

Abstract We have employed immunoaffinity chromatography to characterize the distribution of cholesteryl ester transfer activity in particles secreted by HepG2 hepatocytes. HepG2-secreted cholesteryl ester transfer activity is associated with apoprotein (apo) A-1 (58%) as well as apo A-II (55%), and is not associated with apo B or E. In contrast, our previous studies have shown that most (88%) cholesteryl ester transfer activity in human plasma is associated with apo A-I whereas very little (7%) is associated with apo A-II. Thus, the distribution of cholesteryl ester transfer activity in plasma particles likely reflects active remodeling of nascent particles in the plasma compartment. Further data suggested that HepG2 cells secrete a lipid transfer inhibitor activity which is associated with apo E-containing lipoprotein particles. This inhibitory activity is heat labile.
Evidence that F plasmid transfer replication underlies apparent adaptive mutation

An Escherichia coli K12 strain, FC40, has been used extensively in the analysis of adaptive mutability. This strain carries a revertible mutant lac allele on an F plasmid and accumulates Lac+ (lactose utilizing) revertants, but not unselected mutants, when placed on selective medium. These adaptive mutations are a subset of spontaneous types and their formation depends on the RecABC functions. Data presented here suggest that this phenomenon depends on transfer functions of the F factor. Fertility inhibition eliminates RecA-dependent adaptive reversion. Thus, "adaptive" revertants may form during replication from the transfer origin, whereas loci in the nonreplicating chromosome show little mutation.
Gendered Responses to Serious Strain: The Argument for a General Strain Theory of Deviance

This paper expands and builds on newer avenues in research on gender and general strain theory (GST). I accomplish this by focusing on serious strains that are relevant for males and females, including externalizing and internalizing forms of negative emotions, and including multiple gendered deviant outcomes. Using the Add Health dataset, I find strong support for the impact of serious strains on both types of negative emotions and different forms of deviance for males and females. However, the experience of serious strain, emotionally and behaviorally, is gendered. Depressive symptoms are particularly important for all types of deviance by females. Including multiple types of deviant outcomes offers a fuller understanding of both similarities and differences by gender. These results support the utility of GST as a theory of deviance in general and support greater connections between GST, feminist theorizing, and the sociology of mental health.
Targeted depletion of Polo-like kinase (Plk) 1 through lentiviral shRNA or a small-molecule inhibitor causes mitotic catastrophe and induction of apoptosis in human melanoma cells.

Melanoma, one of the most lethal forms of skin cancer, remains resistant to currently available treatments. Therefore, additional target-based approaches are needed for the management of this neoplasm. Polo-like kinase 1 (Plk1) has been shown to be a crucial regulator of mitotic entry, progression, and exit. Elevated Plk1 level has been associated with aggressiveness of several cancer types and with poor disease prognosis. However, the role of Plk1 in melanoma is not well established. Here, we show that Plk1 is overexpressed in both clinical tissue specimens and cultured human melanoma cells (WM115, A375, and HS294T) when compared with normal skin tissues and cultured normal melanocytes, respectively. Furthermore, Plk1 gene knockdown through Plk1-specific shRNA or its activity inhibition by a small-molecule inhibitor resulted in a significant decrease in the viability and growth of melanoma cells without affecting normal human melanocytes. In addition, Plk1 inhibition resulted in a significant (i) decrease in clonogenic survival, (ii) multiple mitotic errors, (iii) G2/M cell-cycle arrest, and (iv) apoptosis of melanoma cells. This study suggests that Plk1 may have a functional relevance toward melanoma development and/or progression. We suggest that the targeting of Plk1 may be a viable approach for the treatment of melanoma.
A Life in Political Science

Political science has been a central part of my life for over half a century. This essay records thoughts about the discipline, what it has given me, and what I hope I have given it. It records my entrance into the field and the direction of my work, and offers a personal view of the nature of political science. Using my own work as the examples, it traces the evolution of comparative survey research as a method. And it outlines a list of works on citizen voice and political equality. It focuses as well on the openness and breadth of the discipline, two of its finest virtues.
Mentoring Medical Students in Academic Emergency Medicine

Mentoring is an important aspect of career development for medical students, residents, and junior faculty. It is vital to the professional growth and maturation of individuals early in each phase of their careers. Additionally, mentoring has a critical role throughout all career stages, because the mentor-mentee relationship provides mutual benefit to both participants. This article will describe the role of the mentor, suggest ways to increase the likelihood of successful mentoring, and identify pitfalls in the mentoring process predominantly related to medical students. In contrast to role models, mentors play an active part in the development of a young physician's career. This difference will be discussed. Finally, this article will describe the responsibilities of career guidance and recommendation letter authorship that mentors assume for medical students.
Computing the duration of motion transitions: an empirical approach

This paper develops methods for determining a visually appealing length for a motion transition, i.e., a segue between two sequences of character animation. Motion transitions are an important component in generating compelling animation streams in virtual environments and computer games. For reasons of efficiency and speed, linear interpolation is often used as the transition method, where the motion is blended between specified start and end frames. The blend length of a transition using this technique is critical to the visual appearance of the motion. Two methods for determining an optimal blend length for such transitions are presented. These methods are suited to different types of motion. They are empirically evaluated through user studies. For the motions tested, we find (1) that visually pleasing transitions can be generated using our optimal blend lengths without further tuning of the blending parameters; and (2), that users prefer these methods over a generic fixed-length blend.
Proton Monte Carlo in the clinic

Proton Monte Carlo dose calculation has been implemented clinically for use in parallel to a commercial treatment planning system at Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, USA. Treatment heads were modeled in detail and a software link was created between the treatment machine control system and the Monte Carlo program to transfer information about the treatment head settings. To describe the patient anatomy, Hounsfield Units were converted into materials with explicit element composition and density. A link of the Monte Carlo program to the departmental patient database and the commercial planning system was established to import treatment information. This presentation gives a roadmap to clinical implementation of Monte Carlo dose calculation covering all relevant aspects.
Learning From Gus

A coalescence of life events highlighted thoughts about dealing with loss as doctors, as patients, and as parents. The unfairness of death is mourned as well as the inability to prevent it. Perhaps in medicine, as in parenthood, people move on, taking memories along for the ride.
Hands on home care: The family with Alzheimer's disease

Managing dementia of the Alzheimer's type at home is bewildering, exhausting and chaotic at best. Support from home health professionals is often critically essential for the family as the patient deteriorates with the disease's progression. Yet, limited and scarce resources risk precluding desired professional assistance. Teaching the family the Strategic Coping Technique (SCT) is one way to help them live with the disease and to best utilize existing personal, family, and community resources. A case study helps to illustrate key steps in SCT.
Extreme heterogeneity in populations of vesicular stomatitis virus.

Vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) sequence evolution and population heterogeneity were examined by T1 oligonucleotide mapping. Individual clones isolated from clonal pools of wild-type Indiana serotype VSV displayed identical T1 maps. This was observed even after one passage at high concentrations of the potent viral mutagen 5-fluorouracil. Under low-multiplicity passage conditions, the consensus T1 fingerprint of this virus remained unchanged after 523 passages. Interestingly, however, individual clones from this population (passage 523) differed significantly from each other and from consensus sequence. When virus population equilibria were disrupted by high-multiplicity passage (in which defective interfering particle interference is maximized) or passage in the presence of mutagenic levels of 5-fluorouracil, rapid consensus sequence evolution occurred and extreme population heterogeneity was observed (with some members of these population differing from others at hundreds of genome positions). A limited sampling of clones at one stage during high-multiplicity passages suggested the presence of at least several distinct master sequences, the related subpopulations of which exhibit at least transient competitive fitness within the total virus population (M. Eigen and C.K. Biebricher, p. 211-245, in E. Domingo, J.J. Holland, P. Ahlquist, ed., RNA Genetics, vol. 3, 1988). These studies further demonstrate the important role of selective pressure in determining the genetic composition of RNA virus populations. This is true under equilibrium conditions in which little consensus sequence evolution is observed owing to stabilizing selection as well as under conditions in which selective pressure is driving rapid RNA virus genome evolution.
Prolactin levels in umbilical cord blood of human infants: Relation to gestational age, maternal complications, and neonatal lung function

The ontogeny of serum prolactin and its relation to several variables, especially lung function, in 543 neonates was studied. Umbilical cord serum prolactin levels rose between 24 and 42 weeks' gestation, correlating significantly (p less than 0.001) with gestational age (r = 0.44) and birth weight (r = 0.32). Among infants of similar ages, however, there was no variation in serum prolactin level as a function of birth weight, sex, Apgar scores, or delivery method. Infants of women with pregnancy-induced hypertension had higher than normal prolactin levels; infants of diabetic women had normal prolactin levels. At 31.5 to 37 weeks' gestation, infants who developed respiratory distress syndrome had lower serum prolactin levels than those whose lung function was normal or else was abnormal from causes other respiratory distress syndrome. The risk for respiratory distress syndrome was higher in newborns whose prolactin level was low (10th percentile) than in infants whose prolactin level was high (90th percentile). These results are suggestive that prolactin may play a role in fetal lung maturation.
Analysis of transmission characteristics of a circular pipe with two open ends

The backscattering from circular pipes open at one end has been extensively studied by the radar signature community [1–5]. It serves as a simple model for open cavities and inlet-type structures on a complex target. For the pipe rim scattering, the Wiener-Hopf method can be applied to compute an exact solution [1]. For backscattering from the pipe interior, the waveguide modal approach is a well established method [3]. Despite the extensive studies done on circular pipes with one open end, there is little information in the literature on the backscattering and transmission characteristics of circular pipes with two open ends.
Threatened endemic artiodactyls of the Philippines: status and future priorities

Paphos forest, Cyprus. Unpublished PhD thesis, University of Edinburgh. McPHe, H. C., RUSSEL, E. Z. & ZELLER, J. (1931): An inbreeding experiment with Poland China swine. J. Hered. 2 2 393403. OBRIEN, S. J., WILDT, D. E. & BUSH, M. (1986): The cheetah in genetic peril. Sci. Am. 252(3): 84-92. PEVET, P. (1987): Environmental control of the annual reproductive cycle in mammals. In Comparaitve physiology of environmental adaptations: adaptations to climatic changes: 92-100. Pevet, P. (Ed.). Basel, Miinchen: Karger. F’FEFFER, P. (1967): Le mouflon de corse (Ovis ammon musimon Schreber, 1762): position systematique ecologie et ethologie comparbes. Mammalia 31 Suppl.: 1-262. SCHALLER, G. B. (1977): Mountain monarchs: wild sheep and goats of the Himalaya. Chicago, London University of Chicago Press. SCHALLER, B. G. & MIRZA, Z. B. (1974): On the behaviour of Punjab urial (Ovis orientalis ouniabiensis). IUCN Pubis (N.S.) No. 24: 306323. . . . . Morges: IUCN. Sou~k. M. E. (1980): Threshold for survival: ~I
A new species of megalobatrachonema (Nematoda: Kathlaniidae) in Fojia bumui (Squamata: Scincidae) from Papua New Guinea

Abstract: Megalobatrachonema papuaensis n. sp. (Ascaridida: Kathlaniidae) from the small intestine of Fojia bumui (Squamata: Scincidae) collected in Papua New Guinea is described and illustrated. Megalobatrachonema papuaensis represents the first species from the Australian realm and the third species assigned to the genus. It is distinguished from other species of Megalobatrachonema by the distribution pattern of caudal papillae (8 precloacal, 10 postcloacal, and 1 median), length of spicules (201–226 µm), and absence of a pseudosucker.
Gender-Segregated Education in Saudi Arabia: Its Impact on Social Norms and the Saudi Labor Market.

This article examines the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's gender-segregated higher education system and how it is used to transmit the Kingdom's traditional societal expectations to the employment sector. With Saudi Arabia's current need for economic change, the education system is retarding instead of accelerating reform. A background consisting of Saudi Arabian history, governing laws, religious beliefs and women's roles is examined. I then discuss the education system's preservation goal by considering segregation, women's mobility, videoconferencing courses, and the roles of professors. I attempt to explain how the current education system fails to prepare its students for the global economy: by limiting women's access to the labor market, and by not preparing men for the realities of the global market and therefore creating the need for migrant workers. In conclusion, conserving culture is significant, but for economic change to occur, the extent of cultural conservatism
Utility of GATA3, mammaglobin, GCDFP-15, and ER in the detection of intrathoracic metastatic breast carcinoma

Introduction Breast carcinoma (BC) metastatic to the intrathoracic cavity is difficult to diagnose due to low sensitivity of current immunohistochemical (IHC) stains. Mammaglobin, gross cystic disease fluid protein-15 (GCDFP-15), and estrogen receptor (ER) immunomarkers show variable results. GATA3 is a recently described marker for detecting urothelial and breast cancers. Our goal is to test the utility of GATA3 in cell blocks from thoracic cytology specimens. Materials and methods We retrieved cases of BC that metastasized to the thoracic cavity from January 1, 2005 to September 30, 2013. IHC was performed on the cell blocks for the presence of GATA3, ER, GCDFP-15, and mammaglobin. Stains were scored quantitatively and qualitatively. Results Fifty cases of metastatic BC found in pleural effusions and endobronchial ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspirates were identified in 48 patients. Thirty-four cases had sufficient material for IHC (19 pleural effusions, 15 endobronchial ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspirates). GATA3 showed strong nuclear positivity in 31 of 34 cases (91.2%). ER (25 of 34, 73.5%), mammaglobin (23 of 34, 67.6%) and GCDFP-15 (11 of 34, 32.6%) were positive in fewer cases. GATA3 and ER were concordant in 26 of 34 cases (76.5%) (24 ER/GATA3–positive, 2 ER/GATA3–negative). Discordant results were found in 8 of 34 cases (23.5%). Of these, GATA3 was positive and ER was negative in 7 cases. GATA3 was negative and ER was positive in 1 case. Conclusions GATA3 is more sensitive than ER, mammaglobin, or GCDFP-15 in detecting metastatic BC in cytologic specimens. GATA3 may be positive when ER is negative. In cytologic specimens with limited diagnostic material, GATA3 may be used as a first-line marker in a limited IHC panel to support metastatic BC.
Dynamic Data Rectification by Recurrent Neural Networks vs. Traditional Methods

Recurrent neural networks are used to demonstrate the dynamic data rectification of process measurements containing Gaussin noise. The performance of these networks is compared to the traditional extended Kalman filtering approach and to published results for model-based nonlinear programming techniques for data reconciliation. The recurrent network architecture is shown to provide comparable, if not superior, results when compared to traditional methods. The networks used were trained using conventional nonlinear programming techniques in a batch fashion.
Privacy and security in the Digital Age

A serious problem of security has developed because of the popularity in the use of the Internet for all kinds of communications by both individuals and companies. This potential security issue has forced many to evaluate the need for even connecting to the Internet. Connecting has many benefits, but is it worth the risk of possible loss of confidential information, damage to files and systems, hackers and viruses? The goal of this paper is to examine the implications of rapidly expanding Internet technology on society's desire to maintain privacy and security of information. This is accomplished by discussing a variety of issues, including: (1) an overview of privacy and security issues; (2) encryption as one potential solution to the privacy and security issues; and (3) congressional legislation affecting privacy and security.
Polyhedral visual hulls for real-time rendering

We present new algorithms for creating and rendering visual hulls in real-time. Unlike voxel or sampled approaches, we compute an exact polyhedral representation for the visual hull directly from the silhouettes. This representation has a number of advantages: 1) it is a view-independent representation, 2) it is well-suited to rendering with graphics hardware, and 3) it can be computed very quickly. We render these visual hulls with a view-dependent texturing strategy, which takes into account visibility information that is computed during the creation of the visual hull. We demonstrate these algorithms in a system that asynchronously renders dynamically created visual hulls in real-time. Our system outperforms similar systems of comparable computational power.
Performance of a speculative transmission scheme for scheduling-latency reduction

Low latency is a critical requirement in some switching applications, specifically in parallel computer interconnection networks. The minimum latency in switches with centralized scheduling comprises two components, namely, the control-path latency and the data-path latency, which in a practical high-capacity, distributed switch implementation can be far greater than the cell duration. We introduce a speculative transmission scheme to significantly reduce the average control-path latency by allowing cells to proceed without waiting for a grant, under certain conditions. It operates in conjunction with any centralized matching algorithm to achieve a high maximum utilization and incorporates a reliable delivery mechanism to deal with failed speculations. An analytical model is presented to investigate the efficiency of the speculative transmission scheme employed in a non-blocking N times NR input-queued crossbar switch with R receivers per output. Using this model, performance measures such as the mean delay and the rate of successful speculative transmissions are derived. The results demonstrate that the control-path latency can be almost entirely eliminated for loads up to 50%. Our simulations confirm the analytical results.
Identification of Fusarium solani f. sp. cucurbitae Race 1 and Race 2 with PCR and Production of Disease-Free Pumpkin Seeds

Mehl, H. L., and Epstein, L. 2007. Identification of Fusarium solani f. sp. cucurbitae race 1 and race 2 with PCR and production of disease-free pumpkin seeds. Plant Dis. 91:1288-1292. Fusarium solani f. sp. cucurbitae causes a fruit rot of cucurbits and is classified into two races that are actually distinct species: F. solani f. sp. cucurbitae race 1 (Fsc1) and race 2 (Fsc2). Because Fsc1 and Fsc2 are not easily distinguished morphologically, we developed a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay for rapid identification. Taxon-specific primers were designed from translation elongation factor 1-α sequences. Because clean seed is critical for disease control, we conducted experiments to determine if we could predict whether seed would be infected based on a visual rating of the fruit at harvest. In two trials in commercial pumpkin fields, eight fruit in each of four categories were selected: asymptomatic fruit, mildly infected fruit, severely infected fruit but without lesions extending into the seed cavity, and severely infected fruit with at least one lesion extending into the seed cavity. Isolates from both lesions and seed were identified as Fsc1 based on the PCR assay. No infected seed were recovered from fruit in which the surface was lesion-free or in which a lesion extended less than midway through the fruit flesh. Consequently, a rapid, visual inspection and exclusion of symptomatic fruit should be sufficient to obtain uninfected seed, even in infested fields.
Maximizing stochastic robustness of static resource allocations in a periodic sensor driven cluster

This research investigates the problem of robust static resource allocation for distributed computing systems operating under imposed Quality of Service (QoS) constraints. Often, such systems are expected to function in an environment where uncertainty in system parameters is common. In such an environment, the amount of processing required to complete a task may fluctuate substantially. Determining a resource allocation that accounts for this uncertainty-in a way that can provide a probability that a given level of QoS is achieved-is an important area of research. We have designed novel techniques for maximizing the probability that a given level of QoS is achieved. These techniques feature a unique application of both path relinking and local search within a Genetic Algorithm. In addition, we define a new methodology for finding resource allocations that are guaranteed to have a non-zero probability of addressing the timing constraints of the system. We demonstrate the use of this methodology within two unique steady-state genetic algorithms designed to maximize the robustness of resource allocations. The performance results for our techniques are presented for a simulated environment that models a heterogeneous cluster-based radar data processing center.
TABLET COMPUTERS IN THE UNIVERSITY CLASSROOM OF 2012: OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES

Educational institutions face pressure to incorporate the latest technologies into their offerings. Many U.S. K-12 school districts have embraced SMART boards, tablet computers, and “bring your own device” (BYOD) implementations so precollege students can become accustomed to technology-rich learning. U.S. higher education, in general, has been slower to adopt computers use as part of the in-class learning experience. Anecdotally, it appears that technology has taken hold in project-focused or problem-solving-oriented small classes rather than in large lecture classes. To better understand the use of tablet devices in a large urban research institution, classes that used tablet devices at Boston University were observed and faculty members who taught the classes were interviewed. Tablets were used in a number of small engineering, medicine, business, fine arts, and hospitality classes. Faculty members reported that maintaining students’ focus on the course material was a challenge. They also bore the costs of teaching with technology- whether it was in the time to teach themselves the technology and evaluate alternatives, the need to arrive early or stay late in order to set up and put away the technology, or the negative comments about technological failures that surfaced on course evaluations. These findings may be generalizable to other higher education settings.
Current Situation of and Propositions for Legislation on Light Pollution in China

The light pollution is a new kind of environmental pollution and is causing increasingly serious damage to environment. But, unfortunately, the existing laws could not provide an effect remedy to victims who suffered from the new pollution. Therefore, it is of great practical significance to formulate a Law of the Prevention and Control of Light Pollution, to strengthen legal regulation of light pollution. And the Law of the Prevention and Control of Light Pollution should include system of light-environmental standards, controlling management system of light pollution, system of responsibility and other relevant systems.
Implications of Intraoperative Vascular Surgery Assistance for Hospitals and Vascular Surgery Trainees

Importance Vascular surgeons possess a skill set that allows them to assist nonvascular surgeons in the operating room. Existing studies on this topic are limited in their scope to specific procedures or clinical settings. Objective To describe the broad spectrum of cases that require intraoperative vascular surgery assistance. Design, Setting, and Participants A retrospective medical record review of patients undergoing nonvascular surgery procedures that required intraoperative vascular surgery assistance between January 2010 and June 2014 at a single urban academic medical center (Northwestern Memorial Hospital, Chicago, Illinois). Trauma patients and inferior vena cava filter placements were excluded. Exposures Intraoperative vascular surgery assistance stratified by need for vascular reconstruction, anatomic location, urgency of consultation, and timing of consultation. Main Outcomes and Measures A composite primary end point of death, myocardial infarction, or unplanned return to the operating room within 30 days of the index operation. Results We identified 299 patients involving 12 different surgical subspecialties that met the study criteria. The cohort included 148 men (49.5%) and had a mean (SD) age of 56.4 (15) years. Most consultations occurred preoperatively (n = 224; 74.9%; odds ratio, 0.04; 95% CI, 0.02-0.08; P P P = .01). These cases resulted in an additional 1371.46 work relative value units per year. Conclusions and Relevance Vascular surgeons provide crucial operative support across multiple specialties. Although vascular reconstruction is not needed in most patients, it may be associated with increased risk of death, myocardial infarction, or unplanned return to the operating room. The high proportion of emergent cases that require vascular repair demonstrates the importance of having vascular surgeons immediately available at the hospital. To continue providing this valuable service, vascular surgery trainees need to continue to learn the full breadth of open anatomic exposures and vascular reconstruction.
PROMs for Polymyalgia Rheumatica

Patient reported outcomes (PROs) are being increasingly recognized as important measures by rheumatologists. In this chapter, we review the use of PROs in published studies of patients with polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) and the inclusion of these measures as part of diagnostic criteria and disease activity composite indices. In addition, an evaluation of the performance of a multidimensional health assessment questionnaire (MDHAQ) to document improvement in patients with PMR is presented.
Network Adaptive Interference Aware routing metric for hybrid Wireless Mesh Networks

Wireless Mesh Networks provide a reliable, robust and resilient platform for broadband access. Main benefits of using Wireless Mesh Networks are their low cost, robustness, self healing, and self configuring properties. In Wireless Mesh Networks, routing metric determines the path from source to destination. Wireless link conditions can be affected by a number of factors including interference, congestion, mobility, and network topology. Routing metric needs to consider all these factors while making routing decisions. In addition, wireless link conditions do not remain static with time requiring the routing metric to be adaptive. Interference in Wireless Mesh Networks are of two types: inter-channel and intra-channel interference. Existing routing metrics for Wireless Mesh Networks either consider only one of the two interference types or do not capture changing network conditions. In this paper, we propose a new routing metric for Wireless Mesh Networks which takes into account both inter and intra-channel interference and is adaptive to changing network conditions. Our proposed metric is compared with the state of the art and shows throughput improvement of up to 20 percent and latency reduction of 25 percent.
When body mass index fails to measure up: perinephric and periumbilical fat as predictors of operative risk.

Abstract Background Obesity has been associated with worse outcomes and increased surgical technical difficulty. Perinephric fat (PNF) and periumbilical fat (PUF) are alternative metrics to body mass index. We hypothesized that PUF and PNF would offer improved prediction of perioperative risk. Methods 249 patients were retrospectively reviewed after elective, pelvic colorectal resections. PNF and PUF were collected using axial imaging. Operative risk measurements included estimated blood loss (EBL) and operative time (OT). Results In multivariate analyses of women, PUF and PNF were significant predictors of EBL; PNF was a significant predictor of OT. A 4.7-mm increase in PNF predicted a 15-minute increase in OT and 55-cc increase in EBL. An 8.6-mm increase in PUF predicted a 55-cc increase in EBL. In men, no metric was predictive. Conclusions In women, PNF and PUF may offer improved metrics for risk stratification, which can have important clinical and financial implications.
A One-Hole Cu4S Cluster with N2O Reductase Activity: A Structural and Functional Model for CuZ

During bacterial denitrification, two-electron reduction of N2O occurs at a [Cu4(μ4-S)] catalytic site (CuZ*) embedded within the nitrous oxide reductase (N2OR) enzyme. In this Communication, an amidinate-supported [Cu4(μ4-S)] model cluster in its one-hole (S = 1/2) redox state is thoroughly characterized. Along with its two-hole redox partner and fully reduced clusters reported previously, the new species completes the two-electron redox series of [Cu4(μ4-S)] model complexes with catalytically relevant oxidation states for the first time. More importantly, N2O is reduced by the one-hole cluster to produce N2 and the two-hole cluster, thereby completing a closed cycle for N2O reduction. Not only is the title complex thus the best structural model for CuZ* to date, but it also serves as a functional CuZ* mimic.
Life Skill Influence of Consumer Decision Making Program: Intensity and Breadth

The study presented in this paper focuses on an important aspect of life-event decision making: Consumer Decision Making. The purpose of the reported research was to ascertain if there is correlation between participating in the 4-H Consumer Decision Making (CDM) Program and life skill development. The study identified twelve life skills. The research hypothesis was that participants involved in multiple opportunities of the CDM program will report higher levels of positive life skill development than individuals reporting minimal involvement. Participants reported the 4-H CDM Program influenced development of decision making, critical thinking, and useful/ marketable life skills. The study investigated the relationship between member participation in eight core CDM program opportunities in Minnesota 4-H and life skill development. The study found that county fair project exhibit, county day camp, state consumer decision making educational activity/field trip, and consumer decision making judging contests have significant influence on life skills. It was determined that participants involved in more opportunities (6-8) reported greater influence on life skill development than participants in only 1-2 program opportunities.
Of Prostitutes and Parchments: Sex, Immigration, and a Poetics of Skin in Lourdes Ortiz’s "Fátima de los naufragios"

La preocupacion cultural por la inmigracion y sus consecuencias para la identidad espanola en las ultimas decadas han proliferado en textos literarios que convierten la superficie del cuerpo inmigrante, y en particular el cuerpo inmigrante femenino, en un pergamino para la re-inscripcion del discurso espanol y patriarcal. La coleccion Fatima de los naufragios (1998) de Lourdes Ortiz cuenta con dos relatos que se enfocan en el cuerpo femenino marginado por intersecciones de raza, nacionalidad, clase y genero. A la mujer inmigrante se la ve como virgen/puta, objetivo de los deseos y las ansiedades de los personajes espanoles. Al explorar la perspectiva dominante de los espanoles, Ortiz critica el sometimiento sexual y cultural inscrito problematicamente en la membrana de la piel en general y del himen en particular. En lugar de eclipsar el cuerpo inmigrante, Lourdes Ortiz rastrea la superficie de la piel para destapar la politica de la identidad espanola. Su ficcion plantea una poetica de la piel como un acercamiento tactil y etico a la representacion cultural de la inmigracion y la identidad en Espana.
Causal inference based fault localization for numerical software with NUMFL

Summary This paper presents NUMFL, a value-based causal inference technique for localizing faults in numerical software. NUMFL combines causal and statistical analyses to characterize the causal effects of individual numerical expressions on output errors. Given value-profiles for an expression's variables, NUMFL uses generalized propensity scores or covariate balancing propensity scores to reduce confounding bias caused by evaluation of other, faulty expressions. It estimates the average failure-causing effect of an expression using statistical regression models fit within generalized propensity score or covariate balancing propensity score subclasses (strata). This paper also reports on an empirical evaluation of NUMFL involving components from four Java numerical libraries, in which it was compared with five alternative statistical fault localization metrics. The results indicate that NUMFL is more effective than competitive statistical fault localization techniques. The results also indicate NUMFL that works surprisingly well with data from failing runs alone. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.