cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A framework for meta-level control in multi-agent systems

Sophisticated agents operating in open environments must make decisions that efficiently trade off the use of their limited resources between dynamic deliberative actions and domain actions. This is the meta-level control problem for agents operating in resource-bounded multi-agent environments. Control activities involve decisions on when to invoke and the amount to effort to put into scheduling and coordination of domain activities. The focus of this paper is how to make effective meta-level control decisions. We show that meta-level control with bounded computational overhead allows complex agents to solve problems more efficiently than current approaches in dynamic open multi-agent environments. The meta-level control approach that we present is based on the decision-theoretic use of an abstract representation of the agent state. This abstraction concisely captures critical information necessary for decision making while bounding the cost of meta-level control and is appropriate for use in automatically learning the meta-level control policies.
Epidemiologic evidence for asthma and exposure to air toxics: linkages between occupational, indoor, and community air pollution research.

Outdoor ambient air pollutant exposures in communities are relevant to the acute exacerbation and possibly the onset of asthma. However, the complexity of pollutant mixtures and etiologic heterogeneity of asthma has made it difficult to identify causal components in those mixtures. Occupational exposures associated with asthma may yield clues to causal components in ambient air pollution because such exposures are often identifiable as single-chemical agents (e.g., metal compounds). However, translating occupational to community exposure-response relationships is limited. Of the air toxics found to cause occupational asthma, only formaldehyde has been frequently investigated in epidemiologic studies of allergic respiratory responses to indoor air, where general consistency can be shown despite lower ambient exposures. The specific volatile organic compounds (VOCs) identified in association with occupational asthma are generally not the same as those in studies showing respiratory effects of VOC mixtures on nonoccupational adult and pediatric asthma. In addition, experimental evidence indicates that airborne polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) exposures linked to diesel exhaust particles (DEPs) have proinflammatory effects on airways, but there is insufficient supporting evidence from the occupational literature of effects of DEPs on asthma or lung function. In contrast, nonoccupational epidemiologic studies have frequently shown associations between allergic responses or asthma with exposures to ambient air pollutant mixtures with PAH components, including black smoke, high home or school traffic density (particularly truck traffic), and environmental tobacco smoke. Other particle-phase and gaseous co-pollutants are likely causal in these associations as well. Epidemiologic research on the relationship of both asthma onset and exacerbation to air pollution is needed to disentangle effects of air toxics from monitored criteria air pollutants such as particle mass. Community studies should focus on air toxics expected to have adverse respiratory effects based on biological mechanisms, particularly irritant and immunological pathways to asthma onset and exacerbation.
Hope and personal growth initiative: A comparison of positive, future-oriented constructs

Abstract As new measures are added to the increasingly crowded positive psychology field, they must be juxtaposed with existing instruments to assess their relative utility and guide applied psychology researchers and clinicians in choosing appropriate measures. One such new measure is the Personal Growth Initiative Scale (PGIS; Robitschek, 1998). Comparing the PGIS with Synder et al.’s (1991) Hope Scale in a college-student sample (N = 378) with latent variable analyses using LISREL-8 revealed that PGI and hope are distinct yet related constructs (zero order r = 0.65; latent r = 0.84). Both constructs related to a selected set of outcome measures (optimism, psychological distress and well-being) but only hope accounted for a significant proportion of the variance in predicting these outcomes when hope and PGI were entered simultaneously in the model.
Does type of mesh used have an impact on outcomes in laparoscopic inguinal hernia

Abstract Background Theoretically, a lighter and softer mesh may decrease nerve entrapment and chronic pain by creating less fibrosis and mesh contracture in laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair. Methods We performed a telephone survey of patients who underwent laparoscopic inguinal hernia surgery between 2001 and 2007. We recorded patient responses for chronic pain, foreign body sensation, recurrence, satisfaction, and return to work, and then studied the effect of type of mesh (polypropylene vs polyester) on these factors. Results Of 109 consecutive patients surveyed (mean age, 54.5 y), 67 eligible patients underwent 84 transabdominal extraperitoneal procedures and 2 transabdominal preperitoneal procedures. Patients with polypropylene mesh had a 3 times higher rate of chronic pain ( P = .05), feeling of lump ( P = .02), and foreign body perception ( P = .05) than the polyester mesh group. Our overall 1-year recurrence rate was 5.9%. The recurrence rate was 9.3% for the polypropylene group and 2.9% for the polyester group ( P = .26). Conclusions A lightweight polyester mesh has better long-term outcomes for chronic pain and foreign body sensation compared with a heavy polypropylene mesh in laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair. We also saw a trend toward higher recurrence in the polypropylene group.
Translating the hemoglobin A1C with more easily understood feedback: a randomized controlled trial.

Previous work has indicated that for patients with diabetes, there is value in understanding glycemic control. Despite these findings, patient understanding of the hemoglobin A1C value (A1C) is notably poor. In this study, we test the effect of two alternative communication formats of the A1C on improving glycemic control among patients with poorly controlled diabetes. 177 patients with poorly controlled diabetes were randomized to one of three study arms that varied in the information they received: (1) a “diabetes report card” containing individualized information about glycemic control for each participant with letter grades ranging from A to F; (2) a “report card” containing a face whose emotion reflected current glycemic control; or (3) a “report card” with glycemic control expressed with the A1C value (standard arm). The primary study outcome was change in A1C at 6 months. Secondary outcomes included changes in participant perceptions of their glycemic control. The average A1C for enrolled participants was 9.9 % (S.D. 1.7) and did not differ significantly among study arms. We noted no significant differences in change in A1C at 6 months between the standard and experimental arms. Using multiple imputation to account for missing A1C values, the changes in A1C for the letter grade, face, and standard arms were -0.55 % (-1.15, 0.05), -0.89 % (-1.49, -0.29), and -0.74 % (-1.51, 0.029), respectively (p = 0.67 for control vs. grade, p = 0.76 for control vs. face). Feedback to patients with poorly controlled diabetes in the form of letter grades and faces did not differentially impact glycemic control at 6 months or participant perceptions of current control. These efforts to improve communication and patient understanding of disease management targets need further refinement to significantly impact diabetes outcomes. NCT01143870
HLA-DR expression on cytotoxic T lymphocytes.

A DR-null and DO-null mutant lymphoblastoid cell line (LCL) was used to generate cytotoxic T cells (CTL) to investigate DR expression on CTL. Effector T cells generated in human allogeneic mixed Ivmphocyte culture (MLC) were separated on a fluorescence-activated cell sorter (FACS) into DR-positive and DR-negative subsets. The great majority of delectable cytolytic activity, anti-class 1 and anti-class II (presumably anti-DP) CTL, as well as natural killer (NK)-like activity, resided within the DR-positive population.
The longwave radiation estimated from NOAA polar orbiting satellites: An update and comparison with Nimbus-7 ERB results

The planetary outgoing longwave radiation has been estimated since 1974 from two different series of NOAA operational polar spacecraft. The first series provided data from June 1974 through February 1978 and was designated “SR” for the scaning radiometers used at that time. This data set has been used in a variety of radiation budget and climate studies, such as that by Ohring and Gruber, 1983. The second satellite system is the currently operational TIROS-N series of satellites. Data from this series began in January 1979 and are continuing. In both systems, estimates of the outgoing longwave radiation are obtained from narrow spectral interval (10–12 μm) window radiances. A comparison is made of the estimates from the two different series of satellites in order to arrive at an assessment of their compatibility. This is important since the SR observations were taken at approximately 0900 and 2100 local times, while the TIROS-N data alternate between 0730-1930 and 0300-1500 local times. In addition, there is a period of overlap between the TIROS-N data and the broad band (5–50 μm) Nimbus 7 EArth radiation budget data. A comparison of those two data sets indiciate excellent agreement generally within about 1–2 Wm−2 on the monthly means on global and hemispherical scales. Comparisons of zonal averages indicate maximum differences as large as 9 Wm−2. Evidence is presented to suggest that observations taken at different local observing times may be biased by the diurnal variation of emitted flux, even on global scales.
Integrated-optical Device Modules in LiNbO3 for Computing and Signal Processing

Abstract Continuing progress in the fabrication and performance of passive and active components including optical waveguides, waveguide lenses, diode laser arrays, acousto-optic (AO) Bragg cells, electro-optic (EO) Bragg modulator arrays, and photodetector arrays, and their integration has significantly advanced the technology for the realization of integrated optical device modules and circuits. In this paper some of the most recent advances in the realization of integrated AO, EO, and AO-EO device modules in LiNbO3 substrate that are being made in the author's laboratory are reported. Emphasis is placed on the realization and measurement of titanium-indiffusion proton-exchange (TIPE) microlens-based integrated Bragg modulator modules in LiNbO3 channel-planar composite waveguides. These integrated optical modules have been shown to take up a small substrate dimension (up to 2·0 cm) along the optical path and are also, inherently, of high modularity and versatility. Some applications of such device modul...
Emission and Absorption Bands of Carbon Dioxide in the Infrared

The absorption spectrum produced by a 12 cm cell of C${\mathrm{O}}_{2}$ gas, and the Bunsen flame emission spectrum, to ${3}_{\ensuremath{\mu}}$ were recorded by means of a new self-registering infrared quartz prism spectrograph of an auto-collimation type. A new weak absorption band was found at ${2.02}_{\ensuremath{\mu}}$ which forms a linear, though not a harmonic, frequency series with known bands at ${2.73}_{\ensuremath{\mu}}$ and ${4.25}_{\ensuremath{\mu}}$. This was identified with a ${1.99}_{\ensuremath{\mu}}$ flame emission band, which had been assigned by Paschen to water vapor. The ${2.7}_{\ensuremath{\mu}}$ emission region was widely resolved into two components of practically equal intensities, with maxima at ${2.58}_{\ensuremath{\mu}}$ and ${2.76}_{\ensuremath{\mu}}$, corresponding to maxima identified by Paschen with water vapor and C${\mathrm{O}}_{2}$, respectively. When the quartz prisms were replaced by a similar rock salt pair the ${4.4}_{\ensuremath{\mu}}$ emission occurred as a nearly symmetrical band, although Barker's measurements with high dispersion showed it to be double. Calculations of the Bunsen flame temperature from his observed separations gave 2000\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} K, in rough agreement with previous pyrometer determinations.
Abstract 2875: NF-κB signaling in myeloid cells limits urethane-induced lung tumorigenesis.

The transcription factor Nuclear Factor κB (NF-κB) is a master regulator of inflammation, and its activation is associated with tumorigenesis in a variety of cancers. Our group has shown that NF-κB signaling in lung epithelial cells is critical for lung tumor formation. However, the role of NF-κB in other cell types, such as myeloid cells, during lung carcinogenesis is uncertain. We hypothesized that NF-κB signaling in myeloid cells (macrophages, monocytes, and neutrophils) promotes lung tumorigenesis by facilitating lung inflammation. Surprisingly, we found that mice with myeloid cell-targeted IKKβ deletion (IKKβΔmye mice) developed significantly more tumors than wild-type (WT) mice 4 months following a single intraperitoneal (IP) injection of the lung carcinogen urethane (1g/kg). IKKβΔmye mice exhibited a paradoxical increase in the proinflammatory cytokines IL-1β, TNFα, and CXCL1 at 1 and 2 weeks after urethane treatment, and a more than 3-fold higher influx of CD11b+Ly-6G+ cells into IKKβΔmye lungs compared to WT lungs was observed by flow cytometry 1 week post-urethane. By 6 weeks after urethane, IKKβΔmye mice developed more lung inflammation than WT mice, which was accompanied by an increased burden of atypical adenomatous hyperplasia lesions. Flow cytometric analysis of inflammatory cell populations at this time point revealed a sustained increase in granulocytic cells, indicated by significantly higher numbers of CD11b+Gr-1hi cells in the lungs of IKKβΔmye mice compared to WT mice. Depletion of granulocytic cells using Ly-6G antibody treatment (50ug/weekly IP injection) during the first 6 weeks of urethane-induced lung carcinogenesis reduced lung NF-κB activation and lung tumor incidence in IKKβΔmye mice to levels observed in urethane-treated WT mice, indicating that granulocytic cells play an important role in lung tumorigenesis during early tumor development and may do so by limiting NF-κB activation in lung epithelial cells. Together, our data suggest that the impact of NF-κB signaling on lung tumorigenesis is cell type specific and that myeloid NF-κB signaling limits urethane-induced inflammation and lung tumorigenesis. Granulocytes are important players during early lung tumor promotion, and we propose that they promote lung carcinogenesis through interactions that increase survival and/or proliferation of mutated lung epithelial cells. Citation Format: Allyson McLoed, Rinat Zaynagetdinov, Taylor Sherrill, Fiona Yull, Timothy Blackwell. NF-κB signaling in myeloid cells limits urethane-induced lung tumorigenesis. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 104th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2013 Apr 6-10; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 2875. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-2875
Empirical relationship between aerosol scattering phase function and optical thickness of atmosphere above the ocean

This paper presents a statistical analysis of aerosol phase functions measured under marine conditions with the total atmospheric optical thickness. The result of the analysis is an empirical equation that expresses the aerosol phase function of scattering in the visible region through two tabulated empirical functions and a total aerosol optical thickness at 745 nm. The extrapolation of the atmospheric optical thickness to the visible spectrum is accomplished via an Angsrom-type empirical equation that includes the wavelength of light and the aerosol optical thickness at 745 nm.
The value of post-void radiographs in excretory urography

For years, urologists and radiologists have had differing opinions on the value of post-void radiographs in excretory urography. This report is based on a questionnaire sent to the members of the Association of University Urologists and the Society of Uroradiologists. Satisfactory evaluation of bladder function by the use of post-void radiographs is not always possible. Nevertheless, such radiographs have value in selected cases and often play a major role in determining future therapy.
Mechanical alloying of Fe and Mg

Abstract We performed mechanical alloying of Fe and Mg powders with a wide range of compositions and characterized the as-milled alloys with X-ray powder diffractometry, rotating sample magnetometry, density measurements, and Mossbauer spectrometry. Alloys with less than 20 at.% Mg were single phase bcc with enlarged lattice parameters, indicating that Mg atoms were substitutional on the bcc lattice. Mossbauer spectrometry showed these alloys to have large chemical heterogeneties, however. Likewise, it appears that the Mg-rich hcp phase contains some Fe, but the Fe atoms are probably clustered together.
High temperature pyrolysis of methyl (and ethyl) nitrate

The decomposition of methyl nitrate (0.25–1.75% in argon) has been studied behind incident shock waves by spectroscopically monitoring visible and u.v. absorptions in the reacting gas. The principal experiments covered the following temperature, density, and pressure ranges: T=880–1250 K, ρ=2.8×10−5−2.4×10−4 mol/cc, P=2.8–18.6 atm. The pyrolysis under these conditions was observed to occur in two distinct stages: the initial dissociation, and subsequent fast reactions of the methoxy radical, occurred almost instantaneously at the shock front; this was then followed by a much slower stage of reaction involving decomposition of formaldehyde in the presence of nitrogen oxides. The kinetics of this second stage reaction were determined; it is characterized by a total order slightly less than 2.0, and an apparent activation energy of about 24 kcal/mol. Second stage rates for ethyl nitrate (1.0% in argon) were virtually identical to those for methyl nitrate, even though much less NO2 is present in the case of ethyl nitrate. Second stage reactions did not occur below about 800 K. Modeling calculations show that at these temperatures, methoxy radicals will dissociate in the first reaction stage, rather than disproportionate as at lower temperatures. In the second stage of reaction, NO2 interrupts the normal chain decomposition of formaldehyde to produce OH radicals, which then propagate the chain by hydrogen abstraction from formaldehyde. It is proposed that direct attack of formyl radicals on formaldehyde, i.e., HCO+HCHO →H2+CO+HCO or HCO+HCHO→CO+CH3O may be the dominant pathway for formaldehyde decomposition (in the absence of NO2) for temperatures too low for fast unimolecular dissociation of HCO.
Radiating Barotropic Instability

Abstract The linear stability of zonal, parallel shear flow on a beta-plane is discussed. While the localized shear region supports unstable waves, the far-field can support Rossby waves because of the ambient potential-vorticity gradient. An infinite zonal flow with a continuous cross-stream velocity gradient is approximated with segments of uniform flow, joined together by segments of uniform potential vorticity. This simplification allows an exact dispersion relation to be found. There are two classes of linearly unstable solutions. One type is trapped to the source of energy and has large growth rates. The second type is weaker instabilities which excite Rossby waves in the far-field: the influence of these weaker instabilities extends far beyond that of the most unstable waves.
Calorimetric measurements on He3 near the melting curve

The heat capacity of liquid and liquid-solid He/sup 3/ is measured at 0.1 to 0.6 deg K and 20 to 31 atm, The He/sup 3/ melting curve is found from 0,05 to O.S K. The data indicate that there is no phase transition in the liquid within the temperature range studied. (T.F.H.)
Complexity and Approximability of Quantified and Stochastic Constraint Satisfaction Problems

Let D be an arbitrary (not necessarily finite) nonempty set, let C be a finite set of constant symbols denoting arbitrary elements of D, and let S be an arbitrary finite set of finite-arity relations on D. We denote the problem of determining the satisfiability of finite conjunctions of relations in S applied to variables (to variables and symbols in C) by SAT(S) (by SAT{sub c}(S)). Here, we study simultaneously the complexity of and the existence of efficient approximation algorithms for a number of variants of the problems SAT(S) and SAT{sub c}(S), and for many different D, C, and S. These problem variants include decision and optimization problems, for formulas, quantified formulas stochastically-quantified formulas. We denote these problems by Q-SAT(S), MAX-Q-SAT(S), S-SAT(S), MAX-S-SAT(S) MAX-NSF-Q-SAT(S) and MAX-NSF-S-SAT(S). The main contribution is the development of a unified predictive theory for characterizing the the complexity of these problems. Our unified approach is based on the following basic two basic concepts: (i) strongly-local replacements/reductions and (ii) relational/algebraic representability. Let k {ge} 2. Let S be a finite set of finite-arity relations on {Sigma}{sub k} with the following condition on S: All finite arity relations on {Sigma}{sub k} can be represented as finite existentially-quantified conjunctionsmore » of relations in S applied to variables (to variables and constant symbols in C), Then we prove the following new results: (1) The problems SAT(S) and SAT{sub c}(S) are both NQL-complete and {le}{sub logn}{sup bw}-complete for NP. (2) The problems Q-SAT(S), Q-SAT{sub c}(S), are PSPACE-complete. Letting k = 2, the problem S-SAT(S) and S-SAT{sub c}(S) are PSPACE-complete. (3) {exists} {epsilon} > 0 for which approximating the problems MAX-Q-SAT(S) within {epsilon} times optimum is PSPACE-hard. Letting k =: 2, {exists} {epsilon} > 0 for which approximating the problems MAX-S-SAT(S) within {epsilon} times optimum is PSPACE-hard. (4) {forall} {epsilon} > 0 the problems MAX-NSF-Q-SAT(S) and MAX-NSF-S-SAT(S), are PSPACE-hard to approximate within a factor of n{sup {epsilon}} times optimum. These results significantly extend the earlier results by (i) Papadimitriou [Pa851] on complexity of stochastic satisfiability, (ii) Condon, Feigenbaum, Lund and Shor [CF+93, CF+94] by identifying natural classes of PSPACE-hard optimization problems with provably PSPACE-hard {epsilon}-approximation problems. Moreover, most of our results hold not just for Boolean relations: most previous results were done only in the context of Boolean domains. The results also constitute as a significant step towards obtaining a dichotomy theorems for the problems MAX-S-SAT(S) and MAX-Q-SAT(S): a research area of recent interest [CF+93, CF+94, Cr95, KSW97, LMP99].« less
New constraints on the motion of the Fairweather fault, Alaska, from GPS observations

[1] GPS velocities from sites near to the Fairweather fault in southern Alaska are combined with line length data from geodetic surveys by the U. S. Geological Survey (USGS) to estimate the slip rate and locking depth of the Fairweather fault using dislocation theory. We perform a weighted least-squares inversion of the geodetic data and obtain a best-fitting slip rate of 45.6 ± 2.0 mm/yr and locking depth of 9.0 ± 0.8 km. The slip rate we estimate is one of the highest observed across any strike slip fault. We also include the Dalton Creek segment of the Denali fault in our model and estimate a slip rate of 3.8 ± 1.4 mm/yr for this section of the fault. This is substantially lower than the rate observed for the Denali fault segment to the northwest, which ruptured in the November 3, 2002 MW 7.9 Denali fault earthquake.
Ethics and Foreign Policy: Structured Debates for the International Studies Classroom

Debates about humanitarian intervention, foreign and defense policy priorities, and the ethics of the use of force have become highly politicized in the post-Cold War era. This article explores the value of structured classroom debates on ethical dimensions of international relations as active teaching and learning tools for introductory and advanced international studies courses. Specifically, this article presents design information for structured debates on the ethics of the use of military force, humanitarian interventions, and U.S. foreign policy toward international institutions such as the International Criminal Court (ICC). Building on the literature on active teaching and learning, the article describes the development of these exercises and assesses their effectiveness through ten years of classroom application.
High critical current density Y Ba2Cu3O7−δ thin films fabricated by ex situ processing at low pressures

There is interest in probing the feasibility and possible advantages of making uniform and cost-effective long-length coated conductors through a low-pressure processing approach. The low-pressure approach, eliminating the boundary layer and gas flow considerations, consumes much less of the processing gases and offers the possibility of improved uniformity and faster growth rate of superconducting films. Here, we have fabricated Y Ba2Cu3O7?? (YBCO) epitaxial films of thickness 0.1?1.0??m on SrTiO3 single crystal substrates using ex situ post-deposition processing of co-evaporated Y, BaF2 and Cu precursors in a controlled low-pressure gas mixture of oxygen and water vapour. Partial pressures of oxygen (PO2) and water vapour (PH2O) as low as 10 and 0.1?mTorr, respectively, were used. X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy inspection were conducted for structure characterization of the films. High critical current densities (Jc) of at 77?K in self-field were obtained, yielding properties comparable to those of in situ films and ex situ films processed under atmospheric pressure condition.
Monastrol inhibition of the mitotic kinesin Eg5

Monastrol is a small, cell-permeable molecule that arrests cells in mitosis by specifically inhibiting Eg5, a member of the Kinesin-5 family. We have used steady-state and presteady-state kinetics as well as equilibrium binding approaches to define the mechanistic basis of S-monastrol inhibition of monomeric human Eg5/KSP. In the absence of microtubules (Mts), the basal ATPase activity is inhibited through slowed product release. In the presence of microtubules, the ATPase activity is also reduced with weakened binding of Eg5 to microtubules during steady-state ATP turnover. Monastrol-treated Eg5 also shows a decreased relative affinity for microtubules under equilibrium conditions. The Mt·Eg5 presteady-state kinetics of ATP binding and the subsequent ATP-dependent isomerization are unaffected during the first ATP turnover. However, monastrol appears to stabilize a conformation that allows for reversals at the ATP hydrolysis step. Monastrol promotes a dramatic decrease in the observed rate of Eg5 association with microtubules, and ADP release is slowed without trapping the Mt·Eg5·ADP intermediate. We propose that S-monastrol binding to Eg5 induces a stable conformational change in the motor domain that favors ATP re-synthesis after ATP hydrolysis. The aberrant interactions with the microtubule and the reversals at the ATP hydrolysis step alter the ability of Eg5 to generate force, thereby yielding a nonproductive Mt·Eg5 complex that cannot establish or maintain the bipolar spindle.
A Case Study Analysis of the Role of Instructional Design in the Development of Teaching Expertise

This research study examined the role of instructional design knowledge in the development of teaching expertise for university teaching assistants (TAs). ID theoretically supports the development of systematic and meaningful patterns of cognitive organization that characterize teaching expertise. Therefore, it should support TAs in developing more expert-like methods for their teaching design and performance. We utilized a case-study approach to understanding the internal processes and external behaviors that unfold as TAs respond to ID as supportive of their teaching goals. TAs indicated increased self-awareness and metacognitive reflection about their teaching, and increased in satisfaction with their knowledge and skills. TAs' individual difference characteristics influenced their tendencies to adopt and implement various elements of the ID process and principles, with perceived utility emerging as particularly important. Implications for research and TA professional development are discussed.
Changes in vertebral bone marrow fat and bone mass after gastric bypass surgery: A pilot study

Bone marrow fat may serve a metabolic role distinct from other fat depots, and it may be altered by metabolic conditions including diabetes. Caloric restriction paradoxically increases marrow fat in mice, and women with anorexia nervosa have high marrow fat. The longitudinal effect of weight loss on marrow fat in humans is unknown. We hypothesized that marrow fat increases after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) surgery, as total body fat decreases. In a pilot study of 11 morbidly obese women (6 diabetic, 5 nondiabetic), we measured vertebral marrow fat content (percentage fat fraction) before and 6 months after RYGB using magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Total body fat mass declined in all participants (mean ± SD decline 19.1 ± 6.1 kg or 36.5% ± 10.9%, p<0.001). Areal bone mineral density (BMD) decreased by 5.2% ± 3.5% and 4.1% ± 2.6% at the femoral neck and total hip, respectively, and volumetric BMD decreased at the spine by 7.4% ± 2.8% (p<0.001 for all). Effects of RYGB on marrow fat differed by diabetes status (adjusted p=0.04). There was little mean change in marrow fat in nondiabetic women (mean +0.9%, 95% CI -10.0 to +11.7%, p=0.84). In contrast, marrow fat decreased in diabetic women (-7.5%, 95% CI -15.2 to +0.1%, p=0.05). Changes in total body fat mass and marrow fat were inversely correlated among nondiabetic (r=-0.96, p=0.01) but not diabetic (r=0.52, p=0.29) participants. In conclusion, among those without diabetes, marrow fat is maintained on average after RYGB, despite dramatic declines in overall fat mass. Among those with diabetes, RYGB may reduce marrow fat. Thus, future studies of marrow fat should take diabetes status into account. Marrow fat may have unique metabolic behavior compared with other fat depots.
A national mineral policy as a regulatory tool

Abstract Since 1985, over 90 nations have introduced, or are now working on, new or major revisions to legislation pertinent to the mining industry. In many of these nations, including developed, developing and transition economy nations, efforts to reform mineral regulatory systems have been slow to proceed. The author argues that to facilitate such regulatory reform, it can be useful to undertake changes within the framework of a comprehensive, consensually derived and articulated national mineral policy. To illustrate the types of subject matter that might be addressed in such a policy, a list of possible policy issues are presented in a tabular form. The author does not attempt to prioritise or recommend any particular policy goals and objectives, rather he concludes that a national mineral policy must be tailored to reflect the individual requirements of each nation.
The potential of in vivo vascular tissue engineering for the treatment of vascular thrombosis: A preliminary report

Current gene therapy and tissue engineering protocols suffer from a number of inherent limitations. In this study, we examine the feasibility of a new approach for the treatment of vascular thrombosis: in vivo tissue engineering.Rabbit femoral veins were transfected in situ with either a previously characterized adenoviral-construct-expressing tissue plasminogen activator or a viral (adenoviral-construct-expressing beta-galactosidase) or nonviral (buffer) control and used as cross sections (n = 3). Treated veins were then harvested and grafted into the ipsilateral common femoral artery as an interposition vein graft. A potent stimulus for thrombus formation was then introduced into the recipient artery downstream of the graft. Six days later, the rabbits were sacrificed, and the grafts and downstream arteries were harvested. Vessel segments were then examined for thrombus according to defined anatomic zones. Transfection efficiency and presence of smooth muscle cells in the vein graft were also evaluated....
Total prompt energy release in the neutron-induced fission of 235 U, 238 U, and 239 Pu

Abstract This study addresses, for the first time, the total prompt energy release and its components for the fission of 235 U, 238 U, and 239 Pu as a function of the kinetic energy of the neutron inducing the fission. The components are extracted from experimental measurements, where they exist, together with model-dependent calculation, interpolation, and extrapolation. While the components display clear dependencies upon the incident neutron energy, their sums display only weak, yet definite, energy dependencies. Also addressed is the total prompt energy deposition in fission for the same three systems. Results are presented in equation form. New measurements are recommended as a consequence of this study.
High-breakdown-voltage MESFET with a low-temperature-grown GaAs passivation layer and overlapping gate structure

GaAs MESFETs were fabricated using a low-temperature-grown (LTG) high-resistivity GaAs layer to passivate the doped channel between the gate and source and between the gate and the drain. The gate was fabricated such that the source and drain edges of the metal gate overlapped the LTG GaAs passivation layer. The electric fields at the edges of the gate were reduced by this special combination of LTG GaAs passivation and gate geometry, resulting in a gate-drain breakdown voltage of 42 V. This value is over 60% higher than that of similar MESFETs fabricated without the gate overlap. >
INTERACTION OF PRESERVATIVES WITH MACROMOLECULES. V. BINDING OF CHLOROBUTANOL, BENZYL ALCOHOL, AND PHENYLETHYL ALCOHOL BY NONIONIC AGENTS.

Possible interaction of chlorobutanol and two aromatic alcohols, benzyl and phenylethyl, with polysorbate 80, polyvinylpyrrolidone, and methylcellulose was investigated by equilibrium dialysis studies. All these common alcoholic preservatives were found to exhibit reversible association with polysorbate 80. Only chlorobutanol was bound by polyvinylpyrrolidone, and none of the alcohols interacted with methylcellulose.
Compensating for the Initialization and Sampling of EWMA Run-to-Run Controlled Processes

The exponentially weighted moving average (EWMA) filter is commonly used for state estimation of run-to-run controllers in semiconductor manufacturing. It is widely known that, when at steady state, the EWMA filter provides the minimum mean square error (MSE) forecast for an integrated moving average (IMA) process. The forecast, however, is optimal if and only if every output of the IMA process is measured. If an EWMA controller is implemented utilizing sampled process data, then it is necessary to retune the controller to maintain optimal performance. Furthermore, in practice, the complex interacting selection criteria of advanced sampling applications often cause measurement frequency to be highly irregular. In this paper, a sampling compensation algorithm (SCA) is derived based on the minimum-norm IMA (MNIMA) forecast. The algorithm provides the minimum mean-square-error (MMSE) forecast of an IMA process for irregularly sampled processes and is robust to initialization.
Conflicting Demands of No Child Left Behind and State Systems: Mixed Messages about School Performance

An ever-increasing reliance on student performance on tests holds schools and educators accountable both to state accountability systems and also to the accountability requirements of the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act of 2001. While each state has constructed its own definition of Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) requirements within the confines of NCLB, substantial differences between the accountability requirements of many state systems and NCLB still have resulted in mixed messages regarding the performance of schools. Several features of NCLB accountability and state accountability systems contribute to the identification of a school as meeting goals according to NCLB but failing to do so according to the state accountability system, or vise versa. These include the multiple hurdles of NCLB, the comparison of performance against a fixed target rather than changes in achievement, and the definition of performance goals. The result of these features is a set of AYP measures that is inconsistent both with existing state accountability systems and also with state NAEP performance. Using existing achievement to set the cut-score measured by AYP and using the highest-performing schools to set the year-to-year improvement standards would improve the NCLB accountability system.
Resonance Raman spectra of the nickel, cobalt, and copper chelates of mesoporphyrin IX dimethyl ester

Resonance Raman spectra have been obtained for the Ni, Co, and Cu chelates of mesoporphyrin IX dimethyl ester in solution using the tunable Rhodamine 6G dye and Ar+ lasers. Several bands show variation of intensity and depolarization ratio with exciting wavelength. Excitation profiles for some isolated bands peak at the maxima of the corresponding α electronic absorption bands. The variation of depolarization ratio for some anomalously polarized bands (ρl > 3/4) has been interpreted in terms of lowering of the symmetry of metalloporphyrins from D4h. The rigorous symmetry of these chelates is proposed as Cs because of the effect of peripheral substituents. A vibrational assignment is suggested for some of the metal sensitive modes.
A CONVENIENT METHOD FOR THE PREPARATION OF N-SUBSTITUTED 2(1H)-PYRIDONES

(1977). A CONVENIENT METHOD FOR THE PREPARATION OF N-SUBSTITUTED 2(1H)-PYRIDONES. Organic Preparations and Procedures International: Vol. 9, No. 1, pp. 5-8.
Making Socially Responsible Decisions

Effective decision making requires a clear understanding of ends. The profit maximizer has a single end, but the socially responsible manager must choose between alternative ends. He must determine...
Application of Enantioselective Radical Reactions: Synthesis of (+)-Ricciocarpins A and B

Enantioselective synthesis of (+)-ricciocarpins A and B has been achieved in 41 and 45% overall yields, respectively, starting from a β-substituted oxazolidinone. The key steps in the strategy are an enantioselective conjugate radical addition and the addition of a furyl organometallic to a key aldehyde intermediate.
Selecting and Supporting the Use of Mathematics Curricula at Scale

This article begins to unravel the question, “What curricular materials work best under what kinds of conditions?” The authors address this question from the point of view of teachers and their ability to implement mathematics curricula that place varying demands and provide varying levels of support for their learning. Specifically, the authors focus on how teacher capacity (their level of education, experience, and knowledge) and their use of curriculum influence instruction. The study sample is 48 teachers implementing two standards-based mathematics curricula—Everyday Mathematics and Investigations—in two school districts. The data include interviews and surveys with teachers, as well as observations of instruction, over a 2-year period. Findings indicate that teachers’ implementation of Investigations was considerably better than teachers’ implementation of Everyday Mathematics in terms of maintaining high levels of cognitive demand, attention to student thinking, and mathematical reasoning. These im...
Observations on Systematics in Paleolithic Archaeology

The intellectual traditions that frame Paleolithic research in Europe and the United States are reviewed, and the European Middle Paleolithic archaeological record is examined for patterns that contradict the “textbook generalizations” embodied in Paul Mellars’ “human revolution”. The fact that different typologies are used to describe the Middle and Upper Paleolithic respectively emphasizes differences between them (especially if typology “trumps” any other systematic investigation of pattern), effectively precluding the perception of continuity in retouched stone tool form over the Middle-to-Upper Paleolithic transition. The proliferation of “transition industries” over the past 20 years has made the picture much more complicated than it was before ca. 1990, and the identification of ca. 20 Mousterian “facies” since 1985 strongly suggests that the west Eurasian Mousterian is more complex and variable than previously thought. We conclude that there is much under-acknowledged formal convergence in the kinds and frequencies of chipped stone artifacts, that patterns in lithic industries are mostly determined by rawmaterial package size, quality and forager mobility, that changes in lithic technology are only “historical” at the macroscale (i.e., over evolutionary time), and that formal convergence likely overrides any “cultural” component supposedly present in the form of retouched stone tools.
Internalizing Emission Externality on Road Networks

This paper addresses issues relevant to internalizing traffic emission externality on road networks with fixed travel demands. In addition to marginal social cost pricing (MSC) congestion pricing schemes are considered that yield a traffic flow distribution with minimum total travel time as first-best. We give a counterexample showing that MSC and other first-best congestion pricing schemes do not necessarily lead to less traffic emissions. Without using any subsidy, we indicate that there always exists a charging scheme that induces a traffic flow distribution with minimum emissions. We also provide a bound on the percent reduction in traffic emissions achievable by any charging scheme, and then offer methods for computing charges in a manner that allows decision makers to trade-off between two conflicting objectives, alleviating congestion versus reducing traffic emissions.
The Modern Foreign Languages and the Social Sciences in Harmony: A Dialogue

This article attempts to indicate some ways in which the Modern Foreign Languages and the Social Sciences may contribute together to the education of children in a rapidly changing world
Effects of Tool Positions in Accumulated Double-Sided Incremental Forming on Part Geometry

In Accumulated Double-Sided Incremental Forming (ADSIF), two hemispherical tools impart the local deformation to the sheet via their programmed in-plane spiral motion and the depth of the part is achieved via rigid body motion of the already formed part. Unlike Single Point Incremental Forming (SPIF) and Double-Sided Incremental Forming (DSIF), ADSIF does not impose forces on the already-formed part and therefore, has the potential of achieving higher geometric accuracy. A systematic method is proposed in this work to study the influences of the relative tool positions on the local formed shape and the final geometry, which is essentially the accumulation of all previously formed local deformations. Meanwhile, the concepts of the stable angle and the peak angle are introduced to better describe the cross-sectional geometry of a formed part with a constant wall angle at that particular cross-section. It is recommended, while multiple combinations of the relative positions of two forming tools may achieve the same stable angle, that the positioning parameters should be chosen such that the resultant forming force or the wall angle variation between the stable and peak angles is minimized.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
How Self-help in the American West Solves the Current Problems of Space Law

The promotion and legitimization of the legal framework and policy in space is at a standstill. In order for commercial exploration of space to move forward, a scheme for establishing laws must be created. Pioneers in the American west in the 1800s found solutions through the creation of associations which developed laws and customs later adopted by the states and the United States government that protected the property of the pioneers and resolved disputes over property. This acceptance of customary law is an accepted means of developing law at the international level and can serve as a model for the development of property rights in space.
Clinical feature of five cases with bronchiliotis obliterans

Objective To recognize the clinical features of the bronchiolitis obliterans(BO)and summary the experiences of the diagnosis and treatment of BO.Methods Clinical manifestation,chest X-ray,computed tomography(CT)of 5 patients with BO from August 2008 to December 2010 were reviewed and analyzed retrospectively.Results Two cases were after Stevens-Johnson syndrome(SJS);the other 3 were after severe pneumonia,including one was found positive adenovirus in sputum culture,Klebsiella pneumonia and Acinetobacter baumannii were found in other 2 cases,respectively.Among these 3 cases,bronchoalveolar lavage fluid culture was found negative in the first 2 cases and ESBL-colon bacillus was found in the third case.All 5 cases suffered from persistent cough,wheezing and three depressions sign.In the course of 3 BO after severe pneumonia,they all suffered heart failure,2 of them suffered respiratory failure and used mechanical ventilation.All 5 cases suffered repeat lower respiratory infection and small airway lesion presented by pulmonary CT.Bronchiectasis was seen in 2 after severe pneumonia cases and one of them was with atelectasis.Flexible bronchofiberscope examination was operated in 4 cases,only endotracheitis was found.Prednisone and Azithromycin were given orally in all the cases,but the clinical symptoms were persistent in the course of treatment though there was no death occurs.Conclusions Clinical symptoms of BO are cough and wheezing.Small airway lesions present in pulmonary CT.Repeated lower respiratory infection is common in the BO.Prednisone is widely used in treatment of BO,but the therapeutic effect is uncertain.
Determination and extraction of rutin from asparagus

The optimum extraction conditions of rutin from asparagus were investigated by using orthogonal design.Quantitative analysis of rutin content was achieved by spectrophotometry and qualitative analysis of rutin was achieved by ultra violet spectro photometry.The result shows that 75℃,25:1 of 75% ethanol to asparagus extraction for 5h was the optimal condition.The extraction rate was 78.7%.The average recovery rate was 97.83%.The standard deviation was 5.273×10-3and the variation coefficient was 1.25%.
Studies of Two-Level Atoms Identically Prepared by a Phase- and Amplitude-Controlled Excitation Field

While the response of two-level atoms to nearly resonant driving fields is in principle well known, experimental studies of such responses are generally limited to statistical systems where signals from atoms in widely different states relative to the driving field are observed. We have performed a series of experiments in a collimated beam of atomic 174Yb (which constitutes a nearly-ideal two-level system), designed to probe the response of a small sample of nearly-identically prepared two-level atoms to resonant excitation.
Integration of Assistive Technologies into 3D Simulations: An Exploratory Study

Currently, there are limited, commercially available video games for people with disabilities. Sim-Assist is a software system that aims to allow people with disabilities to interface with a three-dimensional simulation game of Air Hockey. This is accomplished through various integrated assistive technologies, such as brain-computer interfacing, voice commands, and speech-to-text capabilities. With Sim-Assist, users are able to play Air Hockey without depending on sight, and in a hands-free manner. We conducted an exploratory study to provide the foundation for integrating assistive technologies in 3D simulations, including scientific simulations and serious games. In this paper, we introduce the research and development of assistive technologies, focusing more on the BCI software component; outline our system design and implementation; provide a short walkthrough of the interface; and briefly discuss our preliminary results.