cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Punch Card Patterns Designed with GAN

Knitting punch cards codify different stitch patterns into binary patterns, telling the machine when to change color or to generate different stitch types. This research utilizes Neural Networks (NN) and image-based Generative Adversarial Networks (GAN), with an image database of knitting punch cards, to generate new punch card designs. The hypothesis is that artificial intelligence will learn the basic underlying structures of the punch cards and the pattern makeup that is inherent across patterns of different styles and cultures. Different neural networks were utilized throughout the research, such as Neural Style Transfer (NST), AdaIN Style Transfers, and StyleGAN2. The results from these explorations offer different insights into pattern design and various outcomes of the different neural networks. Ultimately physically testing these punch card designs, these patterns were knit on a domestic knitting machine, resulting in novel fabrication and design techniques that are both digital and craft-based.
Length-weight relationship and condition factor of freshwater crab Barytelphusa gurini, (Decapoda, Brachyura).

The length-weight relationship and condition factor of Barytelphusagurini was studies. The exponent ‘b’, value for males 2.83 and for females it is2.03, and combined crabs is 2.35. Growth generally shows negative allometry in all crabs. The condition factor (K) for male is 0.000802, for female is 0.000669 and for combined sexes is 0.000214. The regression revealed high correlation andthe coefficient of determination (r2) for male is 97.8%, in female it is 98.6%, which is very close to 1, and in combined crabs it is 93.7%.
41Ca in Presolar Graphite of Supernova Origin

Five low-density graphite grains from the Murchison meteorite have large 41K excesses that can be attributed to the decay of 41Ca. The inferred 41Ca/40Ca ratios, which range up to 1.7 × 10-2, and other isotopic signatures,15N,18O, and 28Si excesses and high 26Al/27Al ratios, indicate a Type II supernova origin for these grains and are evidence for heterogeneous mixing of supernova ejecta.41Ca seems to mainly originate from neutron capture in the C-rich and O-rich supernova zones, with only minor contributions from the O-burning zone. Admixture of material from the O-rich zone to outer C-rich layers is required to explain the abundance patterns of the stable Ca isotopes. In contrast, the Ti isotopic compositions reflect that of the C-rich zone and do not require substantial amounts of material from the O-rich zone.
Long-term antibody synthesis in vitro. V. Conditions for prolonging the response, selection of different cell types and interculture transfer of functional structures.

Abstract Rabbit lymph nodes produce in vitro more antibodies over longer periods if the culture medium is supplemented with a mixture of horse and fetal bovine serum rather than rabbit serum. Medium RPMI 1640 sustains longer antibody responses and promotes a greater expansion of the cultures than medium 199, both media being supplemented with the serum mixture. Propagation of fast-growing, antibody-producing cultures fed with RPMI 1640 was accomplished by interculture transfer of lymphoid tissue. Round, mostly nonadherent cells grow in RPMI 1640 and medium 199 but in the former a striking proliferation of fibroblast-like cells takes place. This proliferation does not occur in medium 199. Preliminary results indicate that although the fibroblast-like cells do not produce antibodies, they contribute to the response in vitro.
“The Diamond Pipeline”: Between Africa and the Arab World

The term “diamond pipeline” (used in the diamond industry) is the medium through which discourses characterizing Afro-Arab relations have been rendered. Through journalistic and human rights narratives, framed by discourses of security and containment characterizing the “War on Terror,” blood diamonds have highly profiled the relationship between Africa and the Arab world. This article argues that the logic of containment is exclusionary in casting Lebanese migration as a threat. It analyzes two novels on Lebanese migration to Africa in order to address the logic of containment, also in the form of Lebanese nationalism. The novels and the rhetoric of journalism and human rights reporting are analyzed to show how one discourse promotes containment and the other disrupts it, as well as to delineate the scope of discourses that bind and unify Africa and the Arab world.
A Comparison of Retrograde and Conventional N-Wells for Sub-Micron CMOS Circuits

A general and direct comparison of retrograde and conventional n-well CMOS technologies is reported. The advantages of the retrograde structures in terms of packing density, isolation and short channel PMOS characteristics are demonstrated. The conventional wells offer slightly better circuit performance due to lower p + to n-well junction capacitance. However, the major difference between the well types lies in their latchup susceptibility: here the retrograde wells have a significant advantage due to their lower sheet resistance and greater tolerance to very thin p-on-p + epitaxial layers.
Analysis of genomic tiling microarrays for transcript mapping and the identification of transcription factor binding sites

The recently developed technology of genomic tiling microarrays, which can be used for genome annotation, has required the development of new methodologies [Royce et.al] for their design and analysis. Genomic tiling arrays use PCR amplicons or short oligonucleotide probes to tile the non-repetitive DNA sequence of a genome in an unbiased fashion for the purposes of detecting novel genomic features. Specifically, they can be used for the identification of novel transcripts, distinguishing between different splice isoforms and for finding transcription factor binding sites using Chromatin-Immunoprecipitation on chip experiments (ChIP-chip).
Significance of meconium during labor

Abstract Continuous fetal heart rate (FHR) monitoring and routine fetal scalp blood sampling was utilized in the evaluations of 366 fetuses during labor. One hundred and six patients had meconium in the amniotic fluid at some time during labor. A total of 26,110 uterine contractions were monitored during these 366 labors. The incidence of FHR patterns as a percentage of uterine contractions was calculated for the meconium and nonmeconium groups. Although there was a 3½ increase in the incidence of low five-minute Apgar scores (less than 7) in the meconium group, signs of fetal distress were, with rare exception, not significantly different from those in the nonmeconium group. The presence of meconium in the amniotic fluid without signs of fetal asphyxia (late decelerations and acidosis) is not a sign of fetal distress and need not be an indication for active intervention. The combination of fetal asphyxia and meconium staining of the amniotic fluid, however, does enhance the potential for meconium aspiration and a poor neonatal outcome. Universal fetal heart rate monitoring and appropriate fetal acid-base evaluation is recommended for following patients with meconium in the amniotic fluid during labor.
Loose Canons: Statutory Construction and the New Nondelegation Doctrine

This article asks whether courts or administrative agencies have constitutional authority to narrowly construe statutes to save them from truly serious nondelegation claims. It explains why the Court correctly rejected administrative saving construction in American Trucking Ass'ns v. Whitman, and why the rationale supporting this rejection applies to courts as well as to agencies. This article also questions recent arguments that the nondelegation doctrine has found a new and appropriate home among canons of statutory construction. Judicial saving construction could lead to great expansion of judicial authority to make public law at the expense of the more democratic branches of government. A proper understanding of the role delegated authority plays in establishing the federal common law making authority of courts and agencies shows that grave doubt about the constitutionality of a statute under the nondelegation doctrine should create equally grave doubt about the constitutionality of administrative or judicial saving construction.
Testing ThumbPod: Softcore bugs are hard to find

We present the debug and test strategies used in the ThumbPod system for Embedded Fingerprint Authentication. ThumbPod uses multiple levels of programming (Java, C and hardware) with a hierarchy of programmable architectures (KVM on top of a SPARC core on top of an FPGA). The ThumbPod project teamed up seven graduate students in the concurrent development and verification of all these programming layers. We pay special attention to the strengths and weaknesses of our bottom-up testing approach.
Electrophotographic patterning of a-Si:H

We report the patterning of thin films of amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) using electrophotographically applied toner as the etch mask. Using a conventional xerographic copier, a toner pattern was applied to 0.1 /spl mu/m thick a-Si:H films deposited on /spl sim/50 /spl mu/m thick glass foil. The toner then served as the etch mask for a-Si:H, and as the lift-off material for the patterning of chromium. This technique opens the prospect of roll-to-roll, high-throughput patterning of large-area thin-film circuits on glass substrates.
Properties of bases in acetonitrile as solvent—III1: Hydrogen bonding between protonated and free nitrogen bases

Abstract In acetonitrile as solvent, the stronger nitrogen bases, B, form 1:1 and also higher hydrogen-bonded complexes with their conjugate acids, BH+. Formation constants for these complexes have been determined by glass-electrode measurements in buffer solutions consisting of a constant concentration of the perchlorate or picrate of the base and varying concentrations of free base. The results show that the degree of complexation increases with increasing strength of the base and increasing number of hydrogen atoms in the ammonium group of the conjugate acid, and also that it has severe steric requirements, as expected. Thus, complexation is most extensive for the lower aliphatic primary amines and aliphatic cyclic secondary amines, such as piperidine, and does not occur with non-cyclic tertiary amines, except trimethylamine. The significance of these complexation reactions in potentiometric and conductimetric titrations and in studies concerned with the relative strength of bases is discussed.
Chronic exposure to short photoperiod inhibits free thyroxine index and plasma levels of TSH, T4, triiodothyronine (T3) and cholesterol in female Syrian hamsters.

1. 1. Chronic exposure of female Syrian hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus) for 9 weeks to a short photoperiod (10L:14D) depressed the pituitary-thyroid axis as indicated by a drop in circulating titers of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), thyroxine (T4), triiodothyronine (T3) and the free thyroxine index (FT4I) compared to animals maintained under long photoperiodic conditions (14L:10D). 2. 2. Short day treatment also reduced plasma cholesterol levels. 3. 3. Neither plasma triglycerides, glucose nor growth hormone (GH) levels differed between hamsters exposed to short or long daily photoperiods.
Analysis of antimicrobial resistance among gram-negative bacilli and antimicrobial use in intensive care unit patients for 5 years in a veterans affairs medical center***

Abstract Background: Gram-negative bacilli antimicrobial resistance remains a significant problem for patients in the intensive care unit (ICU). Patterns of antimicrobial use may be a contributing factor. Methods: Gram-negative bacilli from ICU patients of a Veterans Affairs (VA) medical center were tested to determine in vitro antimicrobial susceptibility (205 isolates in 1995 and 209 in 1999). Antimicrobial use was calculated from 1995 through 1999. Results: For Pseudomonas aeruginosa , significant declines in susceptibility to ciprofloxacin (medical ICU [MICU] individually and all units) and aztreonam (all units) were noted. For gram-negative bacilli that was non- P aeruginosa , significant increases in susceptibility to ceftazidime (MICU, surgical ICU, and all units), gentamicin (all units), and ticarcillin/clavulanate (MICU) were noted. The most notable trends in antimicrobial usage were sharp increases in fluoroquinolone use in the MICU and surgical ICU and substantial decreases in the use of third-generation cephalosporins, monobactams, and aminoglycosides. In each instance of significant change in the susceptibility of a group of organisms to an antibiotic, there was a corresponding inverse change in the use of the antibiotic and/or its antimicrobial category (except for aztreonam). Conclusions: Significant changes in antimicrobial use may affect certain gram-negative bacilli antimicrobial susceptibilities in ICUs. (Am J Infect Control 2002;30:411-6.)
Extreme Binning: Scalable, parallel deduplication for chunk-based file backup

Data deduplication is an essential and critical component of backup systems. Essential, because it reduces storage space requirements, and critical, because the performance of the entire backup operation depends on its throughput. Traditional backup workloads consist of large data streams with high locality, which existing deduplication techniques require to provide reasonable throughput. We present Extreme Binning, a scalable deduplication technique for non-traditional backup workloads that are made up of individual files with no locality among consecutive files in a given window of time. Due to lack of locality, existing techniques perform poorly on these workloads. Extreme Binning exploits file similarity instead of locality, and makes only one disk access for chunk lookup per file, which gives reasonable throughput. Multi-node backup systems built with Extreme Binning scale gracefully with the amount of input data; more backup nodes can be added to boost throughput. Each file is allocated using a stateless routing algorithm to only one node, allowing for maximum parallelization, and each backup node is autonomous with no dependency across nodes, making data management tasks robust with low overhead.
Electroproduction of π 0 — a Crucial Test of Dip Mechanisms

Dips in differential cross sections of inelastic hadronic reactions may be caused by nonsense zeros or by geometrical effects. A direct way of resolving this question is to change the interaction radius in a reaction, while keeping all other parameters fixed, and to see whether the dips move. The "radius" of a virtual spacelike photon has been predicted to change with its mass. If this is verified (e.g., in ${\ensuremath{\rho}}^{0}$ electroproduction), a study of the dip in ${\ensuremath{\pi}}^{0}$ electroproduction should decide between the two schools of dip mechanisms.
Sequencing technology does not eliminate biological variability

RNA sequencing has generated much excitement for the advantages offered over microarrays. This excitement has led to a barrage of publications discounting the importance of biological variability; as microarray publications did in the 1990s. By comparing microarray and sequencing data, we demonstrate that expression measurements exhibit biological variability across individuals irrespective of measurement technology. Our analysis suggests RNA-sequencing experiments designed to estimate biological variability are more likely to produce reproducible results.
Tyrosine phosphorylation of the insulin receptor is not required for receptor internalization: studies in 2,4-dinitrophenol-treated cells.

Abstract The relation between insulin-stimulated autophosphorylation of the insulin receptor and internalization of the receptor was studied in Fao rat hepatoma cells. Treatment of Fao cells with 2,4-dinitrophenol for 45 min depleted cellular ATP by 80% and equally inhibited insulin-stimulated receptor autophosphorylation, as determined by immunoprecipitation of surface-iodinated or [32P]phosphate-labeled cells with anti-phosphotyrosine antibody. In contrast, internalization of the insulin receptor and internalization and degradation of 125I-labeled insulin by 2,4-dinitrophenol-treated cells were normal. These data show that autophosphorylation of the insulin receptor is not required for the receptor-mediated internalization of insulin in Fao cells and suggest that insulin receptor recycling is independent of autophosphorylation.
Analytic dependence of riemann mappings for bounded domains and minimal surfaces

In this paper, we prove that the functional which takes a closed Lavrentiev curve to the corresponding Riemann mapping is locally Lipl on the set Ω of all closed Lavrentiev curves. This set is a subset of BMO(T). It is, however, not open in BMO(T). We also prove that the previous functional is analytic for certain classes of closed Lavrentiev curves, including the class of curves which have some symmetry with respect to the unit circle. These classes of curves are submanifolds of BMO(T). Finally, we consider the functional which takes a Lavrentiev curve (closed or not) in n-dimensional Euclidean space to the corresponding minimal surface, and we study the differentiability and analyticity of this functional on certain function spaces. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Correction of some nomenclatural, typification, and other discrepancies in neotropical Pavonia (Malvaceae)

The recent publication of two major works on neotropical species of the genusPavonia at almost the same time has resulted in discrepancies needing either correction or clarification. These items result from priority considerations, conflicting typifications, and typographical and other errors in a few cases.
Suppression of gray leaf spot (blast) of perennial ryegrass turf by Pseudomonas aeruginosa from spent mushroom substrate

Abstract Bacteria isolated from spent mushroom substrate (SMS) were evaluated for the suppression of Pyricularia grisea, the causal agent of gray leaf spot of perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne) turf. Thirty-two of 849 bacterial isolates (3.8%) from SMS significantly inhibited the mycelial growth of P. grisea in vitro. Six bacterial isolates that afforded maximum inhibition of P. grisea were also refractory to Rhizoctonia solani, Rhizoctonia cerealis, Sclerotinia homoeocarpa, and Fusarium culmorum. Each of the six isolates was identified as Pseudomonas aeruginosa by fatty acid profile analysis. The biocontrol activity of the bacterial isolates was not compromised by a prolonged exposure to UV radiation in vitro. In controlled-environment chamber experiments, all 32 bacterial isolates were tested for suppression of gray leaf spot on Pennfine perennial ryegrass when applied as seed treatment or foliar sprays. Foliar applications of the bacteria (108 cfu/ml 0.1% carboxymethylcellulose), but not the seed treatment, significantly reduced disease severity and incidence. The three most efficient isolates from foliar application treatments, which were among the six bacterial isolates identified as P. aeruginosa, were further evaluated for suppression of gray leaf spot as a function of timing of application. The three isolates of P. aeruginosa suppressed gray leaf spot in perennial ryegrass in Cone-tainers when applied at 1, 3, and 7 days prior to inoculation with P. grisea both in controlled-environment chamber experiments, and in potted ryegrass plants maintained in the field. All application intervals, regardless of the bacterial isolate, provided significant reduction of gray leaf spot severity. Suppression of gray leaf spot by isolates of P. aeruginosa under controlled-environment chamber conditions was not different from that observed in potted ryegrass plants maintained in the field. In field experiments, an isolate of P. aeruginosa provided significant suppression of gray leaf spot when applied at 1, 7, and 14 days prior to inoculation with P. grisea. The bacterium proved effective against gray leaf spot of perennial ryegrass maintained as fairway and rough heights. These results indicate that P. aeruginosa may be a potential biocontrol agent for gray leaf spot of perennial ryegrass turf.
On the probabilities of the mutual agreement match

A set of n men is to be matched to a set of n women in marriage, subject to the mutual agreement of the individuals to be married. Each agent lists the available members of the opposite sex in descending order of preference and accepts to marry only the member ranked as his (resp. her) first choice. Whenever all these agents match on their own, the resulting match is called a mutual agreement match. We calculate the probability pn that such a match occurs by deriving a recursion equation which the pn's satisfy, n = 1, 2, …, provided certain stochastic assumptions on the preferences of the agents are satisfied, and show that pn → 0 as n → ∞.
Do altmetrics follow the crowd or does the crowd follow altmetrics

Changes are occurring in scholarly communication as scientific discourse and research activities spread across various social media platforms. In this paper, we study altmetrics on the article and journal levels, investigating whether the online attention received by research articles is related to scholarly impact or may be due to other factors. We define a new metric, Journal Social Impact (JSI), based on eleven data sources: CiteULike, Mendeley, F1000, blogs, Twitter, Facebook, mainstream news outlets, Google Plus, Pinterest, Reddit, and sites running Stack Exchange (Q&A). We compare JSI against diverse citation-based metrics, and find that JSI significantly correlates with a number of them. These findings indicate that online attention of scholarly articles is related to traditional journal rankings and favors journals with a longer history of scholarly impact. We also find that journal-level altmetrics have strong significant correlations among themselves, compared with the weak correlations among article-level altmetrics. Another finding is that Mendeley and Twitter have the highest usage and coverage of scholarly activities. Among individual altmetrics, we find that the readership of academic social networks have the highest correlations with citation-based metrics. Our findings deepen the overall understanding of altmetrics and can assist in validating them.
Adaptation of Nitrogen Fixation by Intact Soybean Nodules to Altered Rhizosphere pO2

The N2-fixing legume nodule requires O2 for ATP production; however, the O2 sensitivity of nitrogenase dictates a requirement for a low pO2 inside the nodule. The effects of long term exposures to various pO2s on N2[C2H2] fixation were evaluated with intact soybean (Glycine max [L.] Merr., var. Wye) plants. Continuous exposure of their rhizosphere to a pO2 of 0.06 atmospheres initially reduced nitrogenase activity by 37 to 45% with restoration of original activity in 4 to 24 hours and with no further change in tests up to 95 hours; continuous exposure to 0.02 atmosphere of O2 initially reduced nitrogenase activity 72%, with only partial recovery by 95 hours. Similar exposures to a pO2 of 0.32 atmospheres had little effect on N2[C2H2] fixation; a pO2 of 0.89 atmospheres initially reduced nitrogenase activity by 98% with restoration to only 14 to 24% of that of the ambient O2 controls by 95 hours. Re-exposure to ambient pO2 of plants adapted to nonambient pO2s reduced N2[C2H2] fixation to similar magnitudes as the reductions which occurred upon initial exposure to variant pO2 conditions, and a time period was required to readapt to ambient O2. It is concluded that the N2[C2H2]-fixing system of intact soybean plants is able to adapt to a wide range of external pO2s as probably occur in soil. We postulate that this occurs through an undefined mechanism which enables the nodule to maintain an internal pO2 optimal for nitrogenase activity.
Fluid and electrolyte shifts in the hydrated adrenalectomized rat

IT IS a well established fact that the normal diuresis which follows the ingestion of large amounts of water is impaired in the adrenalectomized animal (references cited by Gaunt et al, 1949). It has been shown in the rat that this retention of water is due for the most part to an increased sensitivity of the renal tubules to an antidiuretic substance in the blood which accumulates after adrenalectomy. Also, the adrenal cortical hormones themselves are apparently necessary for a high rate of water excretion. (Gaunt et al, 1949; Birnie et al, 1950). The experiments here reported were conducted in order to determine the sites of the retained fluid in hydrated adrenalectomized rats and what role shifts in electrolytes might play in this regard. It seemed advisable to use the sodium space, as measured with radiosodium 22, rather than the thiocyanate space, as an index of extracellular fluid volume.
The extend CIM for MicroGrid

This paper analyzes modeling demands of microgrid common information model (CIM), sums up detailed features of microgrid, and proposes branch concept. Depending on branch concept, it sets up different branch models for PV, wind power, energy storage equipment, etc. Microgrid CIM, which is known as high-efficient and low-carbon, was established based on these models. Microgrid CIM constructs integrated microgrid information model and applies to the design of microgrid energy management system (EMS) based on IEC61970, which provides unified interface to establish microgrid energy management system platform and lays solid foundation to develop further advanced application software of microgrid energy management system.
Perspective on Dietary Risk Assessment of Pesticide Residues in Organic Food

Previous studies have shown that organically produced food has lower risks of pesticide contamination than food that is not organically produced. However, organically produced food is not entirely free of pesticide residues. A large, high-quality U.S. Department of Agriculture database reports pesticide residues in several dozen organic and conventionally grown foods on an annual basis, and supports detailed analyses of the frequency of residues in conventional and organic food, the number of residues found in an average sample of food, residue levels, and potential dietary risk. These data are used to estimate pesticide dietary exposures and relative risk levels, and to assess the impacts of the current pesticide-related provisions of the National Organic Program (NOP) rule. Fraud appears to be rare based on the available data. Most prohibited residues found in organic produce are detected at levels far below the residues typically found in food grown with pesticides. Relatively high-risk residues are more common in imported foods—both organic and conventional—compared to domestically grown food. The authors conclude that incorporating relative dietary risk into the organic standard would be a more precautionary, risk-based approach than targeting enforcement to organic foods found to contain 5% or more of the applicable Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) tolerance.
Role of sea ice in global climate change pondered

Large changes in Arctic sea ice cover have occurred in the last few years, though whether they are part of a long-term natural variability or are related to increased radiative forcing from anthropogenic greenhouse gases is unclear. Knowing how sea ice changes have affected, and will continue to affect, climate (through changes to the surface albedo and through alterations to the ocean-atmospheric exchange of freshwater and heat) may be crucial for making future climate predictions. Processes in the Arctic that affect climate include melt-ponds, lead fractions, brine rejection, and ice-ice interactions. Quite a number more may exist. But, however many, they operate at relatively small scales that cannot be directly incorporated into current climate models. The high latitudes are expected to be the most sensitive regions to possible anthropogenically forced climate changes, yet observations of polar climate and understanding of polar processes have not proceeded as fast as our appreciation of their importance.
Phase behaviour of blends of homopolymers with α-methylstyrene/acrylonitrile copolymers

Abstract This paper examines in detail the phase behaviour of blends of α-methylstyrene/acrylonitrile copolymers (α-MSAN) with poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), tetramethylbisphenol A polycarbonate (TMPC), poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC), poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene oxide) (PPO), poly(ϵ-caprolactone) (PCL) and bisphenol A polycarbonate (PC), and compares these with the corresponding behaviour of blends based on styrene/acrylonitrile copolymers (SAN). Replacement of styrene with α-methylstyrene widens the miscibility window with PMMA and PVC but narrows the miscibility window with TMPC. In addition, the phase separation temperatures for α-MSAN blends with PVC are higher while those with PMMA and TMPC are lower compared to similar SAN-based blends. PPO, PCL and PC were found to be not miscible with any of the α-MSAN copolymers. Interaction parameters for these systems were evaluated where possible from their lower critical solution temperature type phase boundary using the lattice fluid theory of Sanchez and Lacombe. The interactions between various monomer unit pairs were deduced using a binary interaction model for copolymers. The interaction parameters obtained are translatable from one system to another. The results are discussed in terms of interactions between monomer unit pairs and equation-of-state or compressibility effects.
Immunomodulators for Asthma

New information regarding the molecular mechanisms of allergic disorders has led to a variety of novel therapeutic approaches. This article briefly reviews the pathogenesis of asthma and allergic diseases, discusses the rationale behind using immunomodulators in these diseases; and examines the therapeutic effects of immunomodulators on allergic diseases. There are a number of immunomodulators that have been developed for the treatment of allergic disorders. Some have looked very promising in pre-clinical trials, but have not shown significant benefits in human clinical trials thus indicating the disparity between mouse models and human asthma. This review focuses on immunomodulators that are in human clinical trials and not molecules in pre-clinical development.
Transcriptional control during mammalian anterior pituitary development

The mammalian anterior pituitary gland is a compound endocrine organ that regulates reproductive development and fitness, growth, metabolic homeostasis, the response to stress, and lactation, by actions on target organs such as the gonads, the liver, the thyroid, the adrenals, and the mammary gland. The protein and peptide hormones that control these physiological parameters are secreted by specialized pituitary cell types that derive from a common origin in the early ectoderm. Collectively, the broad physiological importance of the pituitary gland, its intriguing organogenesis, and the clinical and agricultural significance of its actions, have established pituitary development as an excellent model system for the study of the gene-regulatory cascades that guide vertebrate cell determination and differentiation. We review the transcriptional pathways that regulate the commitment of the individual pituitary cell lineages and that subsequently modulate trophic hormone gene activity in the differentiated cells of the mature gland.
Overlay excursion management through sample plan optimization and cycle time reduction

As fabs transition from 200 to 300mm wafers with shrinking design rules, the risk and cost associated with overlay excursions become more severe. This significantly impacts the overall litho-cell efficiency. Effective detection, identification, and reduction of overlay excursions are essential for realizing the productivity and cost benefits of the technology shifts. We have developed a comprehensive overlay excursion management method that encompasses baseline variation analysis, statistical separation and characterization of excursion signatures and their frequencies, as well as selection of sampling plans and control methods that minimize material at risk due to excursion. A novel baseline variance estimation method is developed that takes into account the spatial signature and temporal behavior of the litho-cell overlay correction mechanisms. Spatial and temporal excursion signatures are identified and incorporated in a cost model that estimates the material at risk in an excursion cycle. The material at risk associated with various sampling plans, control charts, and cycle times is assessed considering various lot disposition and routing decisions. These results are then used in determining an optimal sampling and control strategy for effective excursion management. In this paper, we describe and demonstrate the effectiveness of the methods using actual 300mm fab overlay data from several critical layers. With a thorough assessment of the actual baseline and excursion distributions, we quantify the amount of wafer-to-wafer and within-wafer sampling necessary for detecting excursions with minimal material at risk. We also evaluate the impact of shorter cycle time and faster response to excursion, which is made possible through automation and alternative metrology configurations.
Active learning for sampling in time-series experiments with application to gene expression analysis

Many time-series experiments seek to estimate some signal as a continuous function of time. In this paper, we address the sampling problem for such experiments: determining which time-points ought to be sampled in order to minimize the cost of data collection. We restrict our attention to a growing class of experiments which measure multiple signals at each time-point and where raw materials/observations are archived initially, and selectively analyzed later, this analysis being the more expensive step. We present an active learning algorithm for iteratively choosing time-points to sample, using the uncertainty in the quality of the currently estimated time-dependent curve as the objective function. Using simulated data as well as gene expression data, we show that our algorithm performs well, and can significantly reduce experimental cost without loss of information.
Reference question analysis and search strategy development by man and machine

Question analysis and search strategy development, two major components in the process of answering reference questions, were characterized as nine decision making steps. Twenty-eight reference questions were analyzed in terms of these nine steps. The answers to each step were examined to determine whether rules for performing the individual steps by machine could be developed. Reasons are given for concluding that it would be very difficult, if not impossible, to have these reference process steps performed by machine.
The effects of thermoplastic poly(olefin) (TPO) morphology on subsequent paintability and thermal shock performance

Adhesion to thermoplastic olefin (TPO) substrates is strongly influenced by the type and amount of solvent contained within paint applied. Morphological changes in the TPO substrate are accomplished in the presence of solvent from the topcoat and vary depending upon paint bake times and temperatures. These morphological changes at and near the surface of TPO affect not only the paint adhesion to the substrate but also the cohesive integrity of the painted plastic composite. This paper attempts to delineate the influence of paint and paint processes on the adhesion/cohesion and mechanical properties of coated TPO parts, in particular, the performance of 2K topcoated TPO substrates under thermal shock conditions. It was found that the most important attribute contributing to thermal shock resistance of painted TPO parts was the bake temperature of the topcoat. A temperature of 250 °F in either the adhesion promoter bake or the topcoat bake is necessary to afford acceptable thermal shock performance. It is postulated that the rearrangement of poly(propylene) crystallites at the uppermost surface of the TPO under a 250 °F bake accounts for the increased cohesive strength of the painted composite.
Disposition of atrazine metabolites following uptake and degradation of atrazine in switchgrass.

Extensive use of the agricultural herbicide atrazine has led to contamination of numerous ground and surface water bodies. Research has shown that it can have a variety of negative impacts on numerous non-target organisms in the environment. Phytoremediation is one strategy that has been studied to remove atrazine contamination. This paper investigates the hypothesis that switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) can exude metabolites of atrazine after uptake and degradation, which has been suggested by prior research. Pots planted with switchgrass were treated with a 4 ppm solution of atrazine spiked with [14C]atrazine. After 4 days, switchgrass plants were transplanted to new pots with fresh sand. Four days later, the pots were sacrificed, and sand and plant samples were extracted. Plant and sand samples were analyzed for the presence of atrazine and its major metabolites. The percentage of radiotracer remaining as the parent atrazine was observed to decrease over the course of the study while the percentages of t...
Dynamical Tropical Cyclone 96- and 120-h Track Forecast Errors in the Western North Pacific

Abstract The Joint Typhoon Warning Center has been issuing 96- and 120-h track forecasts since May 2003. It uses four dynamical models that provide guidance at these forecast intervals and relies heavily on a consensus of these four models in producing the official forecast. Whereas each of the models has skill, each occasionally has large errors. The objective of this study is to provide a characterization of these errors in the western North Pacific during 2004 for two of the four models: the Navy Operational Global Atmospheric Prediction System (NOGAPS) and the U.S. Navy’s version of the Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory model (GFDN). All 96- and 120-h track errors greater than 400 and 500 n mi, respectively, are examined following the approach developed recently by Carr and Elsberry. All of these large-error cases can be attributed to the models not properly representing the physical processes known to control tropical cyclone motion, which were classified in a series of conceptual models by Carr ...
Modeling and simulation of photo-CVD reactors

Processes for deposition of thin films at low temperatures are needed in the microelectronics industry because of the increasing miniaturization of electronic devices. Laser-induced chemical vapor deposition (LICVD) has been used to deposit Si and Ge films from silane and germane. However, despite the importance of these processes, the various mechanisms that lead to the deposition are not well understood yet. In this paper we have developed a simple mathematical model to obtain better design of LICVD reactors. In the model, the active chemical species within the gas phase are selected using experimental information. Boundary layer equations are used to calculate the temperature and flow profiles, and mass balances are derived for all of the active species. A simplified surface kinetics is proposed, and a finite-difference scheme is employed to solve for the two-dimensional fluid active species concentration distributions. The model captures the main physical phenomena of LICVD. Results for silicon thin f...
Text and the Body in a Poem by Simin Behbahani

This paper is a phenomenological study of one of Simin Behbahani's better known poems, “Raqqaseh,” which is about the nightly ritualized dance of a dancing girl in a tavern. It will argue that the tavern in this poem could be viewed as a cultural container for socially dangerous representations and impulses, like the metaphoric sexualized body of the dancing girl. The tavern could also be viewed as a semiotic register for the symbolic representation of the dominant normative social discourse. By viewing the dance as performance, the communicative association of the symbolic significance of the dancing girl's body and the tavern and its audience will also be discussed. This paper will argue that the reader too is implicated in the performative function of the text.
Behavioural effects and supersensitivity following nigral dopamine receptor stimulation

Nigrostriatal dopamine (DA)-containing neurones have the potential to modulate neostriatal output at two levels. First, DA released from the terminals of the DA-containing pars compacta neurones can act on striatal DA receptors. In addition, these pars compacta cells can release DA from their dendrites within the nigra1–3. Dendritically released DA could act at receptors located on these same cells (‘autoreceptors’)4,5 or at receptors which are located on other nigral elements, especially strionigral afferent fibres4,6,7. However, although the stimulation of striatal DA receptors produces clear behavioural effects, no behavioural consequence of nigral DA receptor stimulation has been shown8,9. We report here that nigral DA receptor stimulation can produce clear behavioural effects in the appropriate circumstances. Unilateral intranigral injections of the DA receptor stimulant, apomorphine, produce clear contralateral turning in animals that (1) had been previously given intracerebral 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) injections, which extensively damage the ipsilateral nigral DA-containing cells, or (2) had been pretreated for 1 week with the DA receptor blocker, haloperidol. In addition, the turning produced by intranigral apomorphine in 6-OHDA-treated animals was much greater when the drug was given 14–17 days after the intracerebral neurotoxin than when it was given 4–7 days after, suggesting the development of supersensitivity to apomorphine in the nigra. These results suggest that the nigra must be considered as a site of action for drugs whose main effect is on the dopaminergic system.
Perceptions of globalisation by non-traditional adult students in the USA

This study investigated the perceptions of globalisation by non-traditional students in the USA through an intercultural and interdisciplinary perspective. The study involved non-traditional American and international students at several US colleges and universities. A qualitative approach, including interviews and focus group techniques, was used to collect the data. The participants acknowledged some positive effects as well as their discontents about globalisation. However, the meanings of the discontents about globalisation differed based on the students’ intercultural backgrounds and discipline of study. Non-traditional adult American students saw the offshore outsourcing practices of US businesses as a threat for the US economy and hegemony in the world. Non-traditional international students in the US perceived globalisation as a transnational exploitation of working class in developing countries. Students in business related programmes had more favourable views of globalisation compared to those in human and social sciences. This underscores the implication that discontents about globalisation may not be properly understood exclusively in terms of industrialised versus developing countries, but also in the context of an intercultural and cross-disciplinary frame.
Evidence for a phase separation in metal-rich alkali-halide cluster anions.

We report photoelectron spectra of metal-rich alkali-halide cluster anions (NaCl${)}_{3}$${\mathrm{Na}}_{\mathit{m}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}}$ and (${\mathrm{KI}}_{3}$${\mathrm{K}}_{\mathit{m}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}}$) (m=0 to 5) which show evidence of phase separation within the clusters. The spectra are remarkably similar to those observed in pure alkali metal clusters and include such metal-like features as a highest-occupied\char21{}lowest-unoccupied molecular orbit gap that decreases with increasing m and an even-odd alternation in the electron verticle binding energies. These results suggest that the metal-rich alkali-halide clusters consist of metal anions, ${\mathrm{Na}}_{\mathit{m}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}}$ or ${\mathrm{K}}_{\mathit{m}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}}$, weakly attached to neutral alkali halides, (NaCl${)}_{3}$ or (KI${)}_{3}$
MATERNAL THYROID FUNCTION : INTERPRETATION OF THYROID FUNCTION TESTS IN PREGNANCY

Thyroid status is frequently assessed during pregnancy, both to evaluate suspected thyroid abnormalities, and to monitor the status, of pre-existing thyroid disease. However, the production, circulation, and disposal of thyroid hormone are all altered in pregnancy. Interpretation of thyroid function studies in the pregnant patient must be performed based on an understanding of the normal physiologic changes at each stage of pregnancy. Examples of pregnancy-associated changes include, estrogen-stimulated increase in serum thyroxine binding globulin, chorionic gonadotropin stimulated T4 and T3 production from the thyroid gland, and accelerated degradation of thyroid hormone by the placenta. The serum-TSH alone is usually not adequate to assess thyroid status in pregnancy, and the various conditions that can effect this measurement are described. The pattern of thyroid studies in pregnancy is important in diagnosing thyroid disease, and it may indicate physiologic adaptations to optimize maternal thyroid status for fetal development.
A preparation for the experimental analysis of human cigarette smoking behavior

A preparation for the experimental analysis of cigarette smoking is described in detail. The preparation permits the intensive study of cigarette smoking in individual subjects under controlled laboratory conditions. A variety of behavioral and physiological measures used include rate and pattern of puffing, duration of each puff, time spent smoking cigarettes, expired air carbon monoxide levels, cigarette butt weights, and subjective rating scales of various aspects of smoking. The preparation is reliable and permits relatively unobtrusive monitoring of smoking performance. Cigarette smoking occurs in orderly patterns, within subjects; it varies as a function of number of cigarettes provided and hours of smoking deprivation.
High quality optical cavity with a tiny mirror on an AFM cantilever

We demonstrate a high quality optical cavity with a 30 micron mirror on a micromechanical resonator. An optical finesse of 2100 is measured via cavity ring-down. High mechanical quality of the resonator is also observed.
Nocturnal enuresis and the use of desmopressin: is it helpful?

Summary We assessed the outcome of the use of an enuretic alarm and desmopressin according to conventional guidelines and investigated the reasons for resistance to desmopressin. Children were given a 4 month course using an enuretic alarm if they had not previously used one; 12 out of 21 were dry (57%) after 4 months and one relapsed 1 month later. Those who had previously failed with an alarm or were considered poorly motivated to use it, were given a 4 month course of intranasal desmopressin. Of these 26 children, 10 (38%) were dry at the end of 4 months but only two (7%) remained dry after this was withdrawn. After the initial treatment with alarm or desmopressin, 27 children were still enuretic and attending the clinic. They were shown how to use the alarm and eight also used the dry bed training technique: 15 had become dry after a further 6 months. Of the 12 children who made no response to intranasal desmopressin, nine were given this medication under supervision in hospital; seven of these children still wet the bed despite producing small amounts of concentrated urine overnight. They also had small measured diurnal bladder capacities. We conclude that if a 4 month course with an enuretic alarm is unsuccessful, rather than using desmopressin, the alarm should be continued with relearning and consideration given to additional use of the dry bed training technique. The major factor causing nocturnal enuresis in children is likely to be a small nocturnal bladder capacity.