cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Observation of temporal behavior in an array of microplasma jet devices with different electrode driving conditions

Summary form only given. Temporally resolved behavior of microplasma jet arrays fabricated in a moldable, and optically transparent polymer have been investigated by shaping the electrical field within the microplasma channel at atmospheric pressure. Attributed to a series of micropatterning process for a moldable plastic, array of microchannels having a diameter less than 355 μm are precisely prepared and stable plasma jet with a He flow at ~800 Torr was obtained by a ac waveform of 800 VRMS at 20 kHz. Optical emission spectra were obtained from the He microplasma jet in air and the gas temperature of the microplasma has been calculated from the emission intensity profile of N2+ first negative system in the spectrum. The temporal propagation of the microjets is significantly dependent on the electrode configuration, geometries and driving waveform. In particular, the spatiotemporal behavior of microplasma jet indicates that a controlled sequence of multiple electrode driving can modulate either plasma propagation and glow mode of the microplasma jet. The ability to modulate plasma performance in the microchannel array promises various potential applications in the future. The characteristics and control of microplasma propagation inside the microcavity with various structural and operational parameters will be discussed.
A -generators for certain polynomial algebras

R. M. W. Wood has proved a conjecture we made about dimensions of A generators of H*(RP∞ × … × RP∞). In this note we give some of the consequences of this conjecture.
Methodological problems associated with a biologically-oriented social science

Abstract Recent advances in biology, particularly in ethology, have created a growing interest among social scientists in exploring the possibility that biological factors may significantly influence human social behavior. This article focuses on the methodological pitfalls of which ethologically oriented social scientists should be aware. It examines some of the conceptual issues from which these methodological problems often stem; the general methodological problems encountered in the ethological study of behavior; and, in conclusion, the special difficulties encountered when Homo sapiens becomes the subject of investigation.
Monopolistic Competition as a Foundation for Keynesian Macroeconomic Models

A general equilibrium macroeconomic model based on monopolistic competition is presented. The model exhibits a traditional multiplier in the short run, but due to free entry, the multiplier disappears in the long run. By construction all agents are fully rational. The Keynesian results are a consequence of the assumption of monopolistic competition, which creates a divergence between optimal private behavior and optimal social behavior.
Salt tolerant triticum x lophopyrum derivatives limit the accumulation of sodium and chloride ions under saline stress

Abstract. Cultivars of hexaploid wheat (Triticum aestivum cvs. Chinese Spring or PI 178704) and derivatives containing chromosomes from both a cultivar and a wild, salt-tolerant species (Lophopyrum elongatum or L. ponticum) were compared to determine differences in growth, ion transport and ion accumulation under salt-stress. Two experiments were conducted in which plants were grown under saline and non-saline conditions and harvested at various lime intervals throughout ontogeny. Under salt-stress the growth rate of the cultivars, as compared to the growth rate of the derivatives, decreased more rapidly later in development. Transport rates from root to shoot of Na+ and Cl− reached higher levels in the cultivars. The cultivars accumulated more Na+ and Cl− and relatively less K+ in the shoot. The K+/Na+ ratio was higher in the derivatives than in the cultivars from which they were derived. The addition of chromosomes from Lophopyrum species into wheat altered ion accumulation, growth rates, and ion transport rates from root to shoot.
Effects of nitrogen and phosphorus enrichement on in vivo symbiotic zooxanthellae of Pocillopora damicornis

The reef coral Pocillopora damicornis (Linnaeus) was grown for 8 wk in four nutrient treatments: control, consisting of ambient, unfiltered Kaneohe Bay seawater [dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN, ∼1.0 μM) and dissolved inorganic phosphate (DIP, ∼0.3 μM)]; nitrogen enrichment (15 μM DIN as ammonium); phosphorus enrichment (1.2 μM DIP as inorganic phosphate); and 15 μM DIN+1.2 μM DIP. Analyses of zooxanthellae for C, N, P and chlorophyll a after the 8 wk experiment indicated that DIN enrichment increased the cellular chlorophyll a and excess nitrogen fraction of the algae, but did not affect C cell-1. DIP enrichment decreased both C and P cell-1, but the decrease was proportionally less for C cell-1. the response of cellular P to both DIN and DIP enrichment appeared to be in the same direction and could not be explained as a primary effect of external nutrient enrichment. The observed response of cellular P might be a consequence of in situ CO2 limitation. DIN enrichment could increase the CO2 (aq) demand by increasing the net production per unit area. DIP enrichment could slow down calcification, thus decreasing the availability of CO2 (aq) in the coral tissue.
Nondestructive room-temperature characterization of wafer-sized III-V semiconductor device structures using contactless electromodulation and surface photovoltage spectroscopy

This paper will review the use of the contactless methods of photoreflectance (PR), contactless electroreflectance (CER), and surface photovoltage spectroscopy (SPS) for the nondestructive, room temperature characterization of a wide variety of wafer-scale semiconductor device structures. Some systems that will be discussed include heterojunction bipolar transistors such as graded emitter GaAlAs/GaAs and AlInAs/InGaAs as well as GaInP/GaAs (including the determination of the built-in fields/doping levels in the emitter and the collector regions, doping level and minority carrier lifetime in the base, alloy composition, and the degree of ordering in the GaInP), pseudomorphic GaAlAs/InGaAs/GaAs high electron mobility transistors (including the determination of the composition, width, and two-dimensional electron gas density in the channel), quantum well edge emitting lasers [InGaAsP/InP (including the detection of p-dopant interdiffusion), graded index of refraction separate confinement heterostructure GaAlAs/GaAs/InGaAs], vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (determination of fundamental conduction to heavy-hole excitonic transition and cavity mode), and InAs/GaAs quantum dot lasers. These methods are already being used by more than a dozen industries world-wide for the production-line qualification of these device structures.
Velocity Modulation Infrared Laser Spectroscopy of HCS? Analysis of Hot Bands and Perturbations

Abstract A total of 468 vibration-rotation transitions have been measured and assigned to the (010)-(110), (001)-(101), (020)-(120), (030)-(130), and (000)-(100) bands of HCS + . A simultaneous least-squares analysis of all available data for this ion has yielded 38 parameters characterizing 12 different vibrational states involving all three normal modes, permitting the equilibrium rotational constant to be obtained, B e (H 12 C 32 S + ) = 0.715205(71) cm −1 . Several Fermi resonance and l -type resonance perturbations have been analyzed. Comparisons with ab initio calculations are presented.
A Comparison of Methods for Filling Gaps in Hourly Near-Surface Air Temperature Data

AbstractNear-surface air temperature observations often have periods of missing data, and many applications using these datasets require filling in all missing periods. Multiple methods are available to fill missing data, but the comparative accuracy of these approaches has not been assessed. In this comparative study, five techniques were used to fill in missing temperature data: spatiotemporal correlations in the form of empirical orthogonal functions (EOFs), time series diurnal interpolation, and three variations of lapse rate–based filling. The method validation used sets of hourly surface temperature observations in complex terrain from five regions. The most accurate method for filling missing data depended on the number of available stations and the number of hours of missing data. Spatiotemporal correlations using EOF reconstruction were most accurate provided that at least 16 stations were available. Temporal interpolation was the most accurate method when only one or two stations were available ...
Medical malpractice and cancer of the skin.

Abstract Background A litigation crisis exists in this country, and it may be better understood through analysis of lawsuits. Verdict summary analysis has been used for this purpose. Methods Ninety-nine jury verdict reviews from 1986 to 2001 were obtained from a computerized database. Reviews compiled data on defendants, plaintiffs, allegations of wrongdoing, cancer cell types, sites, outcomes, and case summaries. Data was entered into a spreadsheet for analysis. Results Failure to diagnose was alleged in 54%; of these, 48% alleged biopsies were inappropriately omitted. Allegations were highest for failure to diagnose in dermatologists and general practice physicians, for misdiagnosis in pathologists, and for complications in surgeons. Young patients and those with poor outcomes received more and larger awards. Trauma appears to have support for a role in causation of skin cancer in some courts. Conclusions The study of skin cancer suits may help develop risk management and prevention strategies.
Assessment of infection control programs in Maryland skilled-nursing long-term care facilities.

Abstract Background: Nosocomial infections cause substantial morbidity adn mortality among residents in long-term care facilities (LTCFs). Although infection control programs now exist in many LTCFs in the United States, little has been published regarding the effectiveness of these programs. The 1976 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Study on the Efficacy of Nosocomial Infection Control (SENIC) established the effectiveness of infection control programs in acute care facilities. However, a limitation of that study was the exclusion of LTCFs. Methods: The purpose of this pilot study was to assess infection control prorams in LTCFs through the use of an Infection Surveillance and Control Questionnaire adapted from SENIC. The samle consisted of 123 skilled-nursing LTCFs in the State of Maryland. The questionnaire was completed by the person responsible for infection control activities in each LTCF. Results: Results of the study show the following: (1) an upward trend in infection control activity in Maryland LTCFs, with the majority having medium activity, and (2) an estimated overall prevalence rate of infection of 4% on the basis of total resident census. Conclusion: The findings indicated that the Infection Surveillance and Control Questionnaire is a reliable instrument to assess infection control programs in LTCFs. A nationwide study is planned to examine the relationship between infection control activity and the risk of nosocomial infection among skilled-nursing LTCFs throughout the United States.
Hierarchical Detection of Strong Unstable Conjunctive Predicates in Large-Scale Systems

In large-scale systems where an on-going monitoring program is needed, the traditional predicate detection algorithms become undesirable due to their high overhead and inability to do repeated detection and to resume the detection after a node failure. This paper presents an on-line decentralized algorithm that detects strong conjunctive predicates in a large-scale system. Our algorithm assumes a preconstructed spanning tree in the system, and detects all satisfactions of the predicate in a hierarchical manner. When a node fails or moves and the structure of the spanning tree is changed, our algorithm is able to recover from this situation and continue the detection of further occurrences of the predicate satisfactions. The hierarchical structure of our algorithm also provides a finer-grained monitoring in those large-scale systems where grouping is established and the monitoring happens at the group level. Comparing with other detection algorithms, our algorithm incurs a low space and time cost, which is distributed across all the nodes in the system, and a low message complexity. Our algorithm is particularly beneficial to resource-constrained systems.
Direct synthesis and self-assembly of silicon nanowires

The direct synthesis and self-assembly of silicon nanowires to yield a two-terminal, nano-to-micro integrated system has been demonstrated. The process takes advantage of localized heating to initiate and sustain a bottom up nanowire synthesis mechanism. As soon as the nanowire synthesis process is complete, the integrated system is ready for characterization of mechanical and electrical properties as well as functionalization for sensing applications. The process is CMOS compatible and eliminates the nano-to-micro contact formation process that is currently required of traditional processes.Copyright © 2004 by ASME
“Let the Children (With Down Syndrome) Come to Me”: God's Shalom and the Radical Hospitality of the Church

This article examines the current selective abortion of fetuses with Down syndrome and understands this phenomenon as a result of late modernity's concept of the good life being grounded in autonomy and a choosing self. In contrast, God's shalom presents a counter-narrative of eschatological hospitality. Ephesians 2:11-22 proclaims a welcome that brings those previously considered outliers into the “new humanity” of the koinonia. This essay argues that the church has an opportunity to witness to society's devaluing of persons with Down syndrome by intentionally seeking to adopt them into their faith communities. This approach not only provides a home for the rejected, but facilitates the church's transformation into a people who personify reconciliation and unity. The communities of L’Arche exist as embodiments of God's eschatological hospitality and potentially stand as mentors for the church in performing this radical act of welcome.
Immobilization of Disc Heart Valves by Unraveled Sutures

Abstract Disc immobilization by a prolapsed suture end was observed in a laboratory animal with a pivoting disc heart valve. An identical occurrence was experienced in a clinical situation by other investigators. These experiences prompted a review of sutures and suturing techniques in implanting disc heart valves, in an effort to ascertain the vulnerability of all disc valves toward disc immobilization by sutures. An attempt was made to immobilize the discs in five currently available heart disc valves with prolapsed sutures under various handling conditions. Variables included the model of disc valve, the location of the prolapsed suture, and the type of suture material used. Our investigation showed that any of the valves studied can be immobilized by prolapsed sutures. However, this complication is avoidable if the implanting surgeon adheres to a few precautionary suturing principles.
The Effect of 80 dB Environmental Noise on Control of Posture in Healthy Young Adults

The ability to control movement of the center of mass COM plays a vital role in control of posture. Traditionally, visual, vestibular, and somatosensory systems are considered sources of information provided to the central nervous system to control posture. Recently, other environmental stimuli that can indirectly affect postural control have been taken into consideration. One in particular is excessive environmental noise that may exist in some working conditions e.g., construction sites, assembly lines, food-processing plants. We examined postural performance of 16 healthy young adults 21 to 26 years old while being exposed to a computer-generated 80-dB intermittent white noise. Participants were tested for their ability to keep their COM static in three conditions of eyes open-static platform SEO, eyes closed-static platform SEC, and eyes open-dynamic platform DYN. Their limits of stability LOS also were tested to identify their ability to shift their COM to the borders of an area representing 50% of their base of support. Our results indicated that white noise at the level of 80 dB does not influence either the ability to hold the COM static or the precision to shift COM toward the borders of the base of support. We concluded that environmental noise at the level of 80 dB does not have a short-term effect on postural control in a normal standing posture. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Effects of tethering on regional spinal cord blood flow and sensory-evoked potentials in growing cats.

The spinal cords of 2-week-old kittens were tethered by fixing the end of the filum terminale to the lower sacrum, to study the effects of tethering and untethering on regional spinal cord blood flow (rSCBF), sensory-evoked potentials (SEPs) and clinical features. Progressive sensorimotor deficits and incontinence were observed in all the tethered cats. Cord tethering induced a reduction of rSCBF in the distal spinal cord close to the tethering (L 3) by 32% of the normal flow 2 weeks after tethering and by 67% 10 weeks after tethering. Untethering of the cord resulted in an increase of rSCBF, restoring it to the normal level in the group untethered 2 weeks after tethering, but rSCBF did not increase in the group untethered 8 weeks after tethering. The changes in SEPs were observed whenever rSCBF was below 14 ml/100 g per minute. Suppression of the early components of SEPs was observed 2 weeks after tethering and the components were progressively altered in amplitude and latency during the experimental period. It is assumed that early untethering can improve the spinal cord blood flow as well as the function of the cord.
Articulator adjustments using the transfer vise.

Summary The transfer vise, a new instrument that is used for the adjustment of articulators, is described. Its application to one articulator, the Simulator, is presented in detail. The technique using the transfer vise is compared to other existing techniques, and its advantages and limitations are discussed. The transfer vise and its technique are recommended for the routine treatment of fixed and removable prosthodontic patients.
Salt excretion in a beach lizard (Ameiva quadrilineata, Teiidae)

The teiid lizardAmeiva quadrilineata has a nasal salt gland that responds to NaCl loading by increasing excretion of Na+ (from 1.12 to 2.63 μM/100 gh), K+ (from 0.14 to 2.43 μM/100 gh), and Cl− (from 1.10 to 5.47 μM/100 gh). For salt-loaded lizards these values represent 47% of the total excretion of Na+, 35% for K+, and 87% for Cl−. The lizards forage on beaches and their diet includes large numbers of amphipods (Talorchestia) which are approximately twice as salty as the lizards' body fluids. All of the ingested Na+ and K+ can be excreted through the cloaca, but extra-renal excretion of Cl− is probably important to the lizards under natural conditions.
The generalized finite element method for Helmholtz equation: Theory, computation, and open problems

In this paper we address the generalized finite element method for the Helmholtz equation. We obtain our method by employing the finite element method on Cartesian meshes, which may overlap the boundaries of the problem domain, and by enriching the approximation by plane waves pasted into the finite element basis at each mesh vertex by the partition of unity method. Here we address the q-convergence of the method, where q is the number of plane waves added at each vertex, for the class of smooth (analytic) solutions for which we get better than exponential convergence for sufficiently small h depending on p. An important observation is that we can monitor the accuracy in any computed solution quantity of interest at negligible cost by using q-extrapolation. Our results assume exact integration of all the employed integrals. Further studies are needed to analyze the effects of the numerical integrations, and also the effect of the roundoff errors.
Investment Performance Analysis on a Tax-Adjusted Basis

Applying his actuarial approach to investment performance Analysis, which defines investment risk as the likelihood and the extent of underperforming a pre-established hurdle rate or return, and recognizes the fundamental significance of the investment holding period, the author determines the after-tax returns and risk-adjusted returns for a decade of the Fidelity Magellan fund, by reinvesting only the net after-tax amount of distributions, after deducting the maximum Federal 1998 tax rates of 20% on long-term capital gains and 39.6% on all other taxable income.
Performance of Bovine Pericardial Valves in the Pulmonary Position

Background The purpose of this study is to determine the outcome and performance of bovine pericardial valves in the pulmonary position. Methods This is a retrospective review of all patients with congenital heart disease who had pulmonary valve replacement using a bovine pericardial valve from 2002 to 2009 at a single institution. Results There were 73 consecutive patients, with a median age of 17.3 years (range, 2.1 to 64.4). Their diagnosis was tetralogy of Fallot (n = 47), pulmonary stenosis (n = 11), or other (n = 15). Sixty-nine patients had 91 previous surgical procedures. The mean time from last surgery was 19.9 ± 11.6 years. Forty-three patients had concomitant surgical procedures. There were no perioperative deaths. Clinical follow-up was available in 68 patients (93%). There were no late deaths, and all patients were in New York Heart Association functional class I during a median follow-up period of 2.6 years (range, 0.2 to 8.0). One patient had endocarditis necessitating valve removal 2 years after surgery. Freedom from pulmonary valve reoperation was 100%, 97.7%, and 97.7% at 1, 3, and 5 years, respectively (95% confidence interval: 93.2% to 100%). Mean pulmonary valve gradient at follow-up was 19 ± 14 mm Hg. Degree of pulmonary insufficiency was less than moderate in 62 patients, moderate in 4, and more than moderate in 2. Freedom from moderate-severe or severe pulmonary insufficiency was 97.7%, 89.1%, and 89.1% at 1, 3, and 5 years, respectively (5-year 95% confidence interval: 77.0% to 100%). Conclusions Pulmonary valve replacement using a bovine pericardial valve can be accomplished with low perioperative morbidity and favorable midterm outcomes. Further follow-up is necessary to evaluate the long-term performance of bovine pericardial valves in the pulmonary position.
Identification and Analysis of Medical Entity Co-occurrences in Twitter

Twitter is an attractive source of data for public health surveillance, as it is less hindered by the legal and technical obstacles associated with data sources such as electronic health records. We present a preliminary co-occurrence analysis based on 10% of all tweets from 2014 annotated with medical entities as a first approach to extract health-related facts from Twitter. In this work, co-occurrence of annotated medical entities are used to provide population-scale information about common health issues and related entities, which has potential applications in areas such as pharmacovigilance.
Empirical Bayes methods for estimating hospital‐specific mortality rates

We present alternative methods for estimating hospital-level mortality rates to those used by the Health Care Finance Administration for Medicare patients. We use an empirical Bayes model to represent the different sources of variation in observed hospital-specific mortality rates and we use a logistic regression model to adjust for severity differences (in patient mix) across hospitals. In addition to providing a principled derivation of a standard error for the commonly used estimator, our fully model-based formulation produces much more accurate estimates and resolves the severe problem of multiple comparisons that arises when extreme estimates are used to identify exceptional hospitals. We estimate models for each of four disease conditions using the national Medicare mortality data base which does not contain patient severity descriptors, and mortality data from national samples which do include patient severity descriptors. We find substantial between-hospital variation in the unadjusted death rates from the national data base. Mortality rates differ substantially with patient severity in our models, but the sample sizes are too small to yield reliable estimates of the between-hospital variation in adjusted mortality rates.
EEG and reaction time in patients with Parkinsonism before and duringl-dopa therapy

Electroencephalograms were performed on 58 of 100 patients treated withl-dopa for Parkinsonism. Half the electroencephalograms were abnormal and, with few exceptions, showed slowing of normal background activity and increased generalized theta activity. The degree of electroencephalographic abnormality paralleled the degree of clinical disability. In twelve patients mean energy content of the electroencephalogram, coefficient of variation and reaction time were studied before and during treatment withl-dopa. Mean energy content of the electroencephalogram did not change during therapy. Coefficient of variation was markedly reduced before and during treatment. Reaction time shortened withl-dopa therapy in patients who improved clinically. It is suggested that reaction time can be used as an objective measure to assess efficacy of treatment in Parkinsonism.
Cloning and characterization of a Drosophila adenylyl cyclase homologous to mammalian type IX

A novel Drosophila adenylyl cyclase (AC) was identified by PCR using degenerate primers specific for the known metazoan ACs. The full-length cDNA predicts a protein displaying significant sequence homology with mammalian Type IX AC (AC9). The abundance and size of the message for the Drosophila AC9 homolog (DAC9) changes through development. Biochemical analysis of DAC9 confirms it encodes a functional enzyme which can be activated by forskolin or G protein. Together with the Drosophila Type I AC homolog encoded by the learning and memory gene, rutabaga, the molecular identification of DAC9 demonstrates there is a family of Drosophila AC isoforms reflecting at least part of the diversity of mammalian AC isoforms.
On the care and feeding of moles or preparing course materials for the World Wide Web

Assesses the potential of the Internet for delivering course material. Believes that the Internet will play a prominent role in education.
Methylphenidate modulates the locus ceruleus neuronal activity in freely behaving rat.

Abstract The electrophysiological properties of the locus coeruleus (LC) neurons in response to acute and chronic administration of methylphenidate (MPD) were investigated. The extracellular LC neuronal activities were recorded from non-anesthetized, freely behaving rats previously implanted bilaterally with permanent semi microelectrodes. The main findings were: (1) On experimental day 1 (ED1), 87% (94/108) of LC units significantly changed their firing rate after initial (acute) MPD (2.5 mg/kg, i.p.) administration. The majority of the responsive units (80%, 75/94) increased their firing rate; (2) Daily MPD (2.5 mg/kg) injection was given on ED2 through ED6 followed by 3 washout days (ED7 to 9). On ED10, all LC units exhibited a significant change of their baseline activity compared to their baseline activity on ED1; (3) MPD rechallenge on ED10 elicits 94% (101/108) of LC units significantly changed their firing rate; the majority of them (78%, 79/101) increased their firing rate; (4) The effect of rechallenge MPD administration on ED10 were compared to the effect of initial MPD on ED1, 98% of the LC units exhibited a significant change in their firing rate. 41% (43/106) of them exhibited a significant increase in their firing rate while 59% (63/106) units significantly decreased their firing rate which can be interpreted as electrophysiological sensitization or tolerance respectively. In conclusion, the majority of LC neurons significantly increased their firing rate after acute and chronic MPD administration. This data demonstrated that enhanced LC neuronal activities play important role in the effect of MPD.
An assay specific for the active form of liver phosphorylase kinase.

Abstract An assay specific for the active form of liver phosphorylase kinase (EC 2.7.1.38) has been developed utilizing inhibition of the inactive form of phosphorylase kinase by β-glycerophos, phate and ethylene glycol bis(β-aminoethyl ether) N,N′ -tetraacetic acid. Following in vitro activation the results compared favorably with those obtained using a less specific assay previously available. (J. R. Vandenheede, S. Keppens, and H. DeWulf, 1977, Biochim. Biophys. Acta. 481, 463–470; D. D. Doorneweerd, A. W. H. Tan, and F. Q. Nuttall, 1978, Diabetes 27, 474) . The in vitro activation of phosphorylase kinase was not associated with the formation of a small-molecular-weight form of the enzyme. The utility of the assay in monitoring in vivo interconversion reactions in response to various physiological stimuli was demonstrated.
Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cells Loaded With an Oncolytic Adenovirus Suppress the Anti-adenoviral Immune Response in the Cotton Rat Model

Oncolytic adenoviral virotherapy is an attractive treatment modality for cancer. However, following intratumoral injections, oncolytic viruses fail to efficiently migrate away from the injection site and are rapidly cleared by the immune system. We have previously demonstrated enhanced viral delivery and replicative persistence in vivo using human bone marrow–derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) as delivery vehicles. In this study, we evaluated the immune response to adenovirus (Ad)-loaded MSCs using the semipermissive cotton rat (CR) model. First, we isolated MSCs from CR bone marrow aspirates. Real-time quantitative PCR analysis revealed that CR MSCs supported the replication of Ads in vitro. Moreover, we observed similar levels of suppression of T-cell proliferation in response to mitogenic stimulation, by MSCs alone and virus-loaded MSCs. Additionally, we found that MSCs suppressed the production of interferon-γ (IFN-γ) by activated T cells. In our in vivo model, CR MSCs enhanced the dissemination and persistence of Ad, compared to virus injection alone. Collectively, our data suggest that the use of MSCs as a delivery strategy for oncolytic Ad potentially offers a myriad of benefits, including improved delivery, enhanced dissemination, and increased persistence of viruses via suppression of the antiviral immune response.
Tillage and rotation effects on Collembola populations and Rhizoctonia infestation

Abstract The use of Collembola as a biocontrol for Rhizoctonia solani has been suggested and the role of these mycophagous insects ion rhizosphere ecology is being investigated. The purpose of this study was monitor Collembola populations and Rhizoctonia infestation throughout the growing season as they were affected by crop management practices. The study was conducted on a Decatur silt loam (Rhodic Paleuult) and a Dothan sandy loam (Plinthic paleudult) and included 7 sample date through the 1985 summer season. Crop-production treatments consisted of tillage (till and no-till) and crop species (corn, cotton, peanut and soybean). Insect numbers were similar between soil types, but sample date and management practices resulted in significant differences, and interactions with soil type occurred. Populations peaked at mid-season in the Decatur silt loam and during early and late sample dates in the Dothan sandy loam. At both locations, soil moisture at time of maximum Collembola and number was approximately 11%. Levels of Rhizoctonia were greater in the sandy loam silt loam silt loam and generally greater during mid-season than early or late samples. No-till resulted in 29% more Collembola than conventional tillage. Corn producing soils contained 72, 47 and 41% more Collembola than soils producing soybeans, cotton and peanuts, respectively. Generally, differences in pathogen and insect levels were greter among sample dates than between crop management practices.
A REMARK ON A PAPER OF AHLGREN, BERNDT, YEE, AND ZAHARESCU

A classical theorem of Ramanujan relates an integral of Dedekind eta-function to a special value of a Dirichlet L-function at s = 2. Ahlgren, Berndt, Yee and Zaharescu have generalized this result [1]. In this paper, we generalize this result to the context of holomorphic cusp forms on the upper half space.
Control of the Start/Stop of a Diesel Engine in a Parallel HEV: Modeling and Experiments

The start/stop of an internal combustion engine is probably the most common feature realizable in passenger car hybrid electric vehicles (HEV), regardless of system configuration and degree of hybridization, to achieve significant fuel economy savings in urban driving. Many examples of this feature are found in production or near-production gasoline hybrid vehicles today, with implementation through either belted starter/alternators or integrated starter/alternators. One of the key factors in the successful implementation of that technology is the ability to start and stop the engine quite fast with no or little unwanted vibrations, requiring a precise closed-loop control of the starter/alternator. This issue becomes even more acute in the case of a Diesel engine, as the instantaneous compression torque is quite large. With this in mind a simplified model of a 4-cylinder Diesel engine dynamics has been developed and identified with experimental data on a recent production, 1.9l Common-Rail Diesel engine. The engine is belt-coupled to a 10.6kW permanent magnet motor and its controller. The system was characterized in the test cell on a dynamometer to calibrate the dynamic model and develop the controller and the hardware was implemented in a mid-size prototype hybrid SUV. In this configuration, the starter/alternator is capable of starting the engine (0-800rpm idle speed) in 200-300ms, and stopping following a prescribed speed trajectory in 500-600ms with little or no vibration induced. Results from the experimental setup and from simulations are shown.Copyright © 2006 by ASME
Simulating variably-saturated reactive transport of selenium and nitrogen in agricultural groundwater systems.

Abstract Selenium (Se) contamination in environmental systems has become a major issue in many regions world-wide during the previous decades, with both elevated and deficient Se concentrations in groundwater, surface water, soils and associated cultivated crops reported. To provide a tool that can assess baseline conditions and explore remediation strategies, this paper presents a numerical model capable of simulating the reactive transport of Se species in large-scale variably-saturated groundwater systems influenced by agricultural practices. Developed by incorporating a Se reaction module into the multi-species, variably-saturated reactive transport model UZF-RT3D, model features include near-surface Se cycling due to agricultural practices, oxidation–reduction reactions, and the inclusion of a nitrogen (N) cycle and reaction module due to the dependence of Se transformation and speciation on the presence of nitrate (NO 3 ). Although the primary motivation is applying the model to large-scale systems, this paper presents applications to agricultural soil profile systems to corroborate the near-surface module processes that are vital in estimating mass loadings to the saturated zone in large-scale fate and transport studies. The first application jointly tests the Se and N modules for corn test plots receiving varying loadings of fertilizer, whereas the second application tests the N module for fertilized and unfertilized test plots. Results indicate that the model is successful in reproducing observed measurements of Se and NO 3 concentrations, particularly in lower soil layers and hence in regards to leaching. For the first application, the Ensemble Kalman Filter (EnKF) is used to condition model parameters, demonstrating the usefulness of the EnKF in real-world reactive transport systems.
Dog Days for Broadband

It is essential to get the proportionate units right in economic measurement. The present analysis of dial-up and broadband markets, however, contains a problem with its units. A one-dollar decline from $20 in dial-up prices is treated as equivalent to a two-dollar decline from $40 in broadband prices. This assessment undervalues broadband revenues, because it doesn't factor in the greater satisfaction per dollar experienced by converts from dial-up to broadband. In this column, Greenstein seeks to correct the units of comparison.
The role of glucococorticoids in the immediate vs. delayed effects of acute ethanol exposure on cytokine production in a binge drinking model

Abstract Background Acute ethanol administration just prior to a stimulus, such as the viral mimic poly I:C, results in decreased proinflammatory cytokine production. Studies have indicated that this suppression is not primarily mediated by glucocorticoids (corticosterone in mice) released in the ethanol-induced stress response. Fewer studies have been done on the effects of acute ethanol administration 12 or more hours prior to a stimulus. The purpose of this study was to determine the role of corticosterone on these effects. Also, since gender differences occur in immune responses, separate experiments were performed using male and female mice. Methods Mice were treated with ethanol 15 min or 12 h before stimulation by poly I:C to demonstrate immunosuppressive effects of ethanol on cytokine production. A glucocorticoid synthesis inhibitor was used to manipulate corticosterone levels. Results Short-term and persistent effects of acute ethanol exposure on corticosterone and cytokine levels were nearly identical in males and females. Blocking glucocorticoid synthesis altered the inhibition of some cytokines, particularly IL-6, in females, but not in males. Conclusion These results indicate that the short-term effects of acute ethanol on poly I:C-induced cytokine production are not primarily mediated by corticosterone in male or female mice. In female mice, however, corticosterone does appear to mediate the persistent effects of acute ethanol administration on poly I:C- induced IL-6 levels. Since many IL-6 related disorders are gender associated, further research into the bidirectional effects of the HPG and HPA axes on alterations in cytokine production mediated by ethanol is warranted.
Collecting interpretations of expressions

A collecting interpretation of expressions is an interpretation of a program that allows one to answer questions of the sort: “What are all possible values to which an expression might evaluate during program execution?” Answering such questions in a denotational framework is akin to traditional data flow analysis and, when used in the context of abstract interpretation, allows one to infer properties that approximate the run-time behavior of expression evaluation.Exact collecting interpretations of expressions are developed for three abstract functional languages: a strict first-order language, a nonstrict first-order language, and a nonstrict higher order language (the full untyped lambda calculus with constants). It is argued that the method is simple (in particular, no powerdomains are needed), Natural (it captures the intuitive operational behavior of a cache), yet more expressive than existing methods (it is the first exact collecting interpretation for either nonstrict higher order languages). Correctness of the interpretations with respect to the standard semantics is shown via a generalization of the notion of strictness. It is further shown how to form abstractions of these exact interpretations, using as an example a collecting strictness analysis which yields compile-time information not previously captured by conventional strictness analyses.
College students' evaluations of alcohol consequences as positive and negative.

Alcohol expectancy, motivation, and consequences measures assume a known valence of 'positive' and 'negative' outcomes. However, different individuals may rate the same consequences of alcohol use as good or bad. The current study examines the extent to which: (a) college students rate researcher-defined positive consequences as good and researcher-defined negative consequences as bad, and (b) these evaluations predict alcohol use and problems after controlling for previous use. In longitudinal self-reports via web-surveys across the first three semesters of college, students (N=600; 54% women) reported their alcohol use and problems, experienced consequences, and evaluations of those consequences. Contrary to the generally-accepted valence of positive consequences, Fun/Social consequences were viewed as neutral or negative by 22% (having more fun) to 73% (relieving boredom) of participants. Over half of participants evaluated each of the Relaxation, Sex, and Image consequences items as neutral or negative. Consistent with the generally-accepted valence of negative consequences, Physical/Behavioral consequences were viewed by the majority as negative, although 11% (getting in trouble with police/authorities) to 34% (doing/saying something embarrassing) of students rated these consequences as neutral or positive. Independent of levels of previous drinking, more positive evaluations of Fun/Social consequences prospectively predicted frequency, quantity, and maximum drinks. Less negative evaluations of Physical/Behavioral consequences predicted more alcohol problems. There is variation in the evaluations of consequences among college students, and understanding characteristics of those who view consequences as positive or negative may have implications for future alcohol-related behaviors and problems. Language: en
Queen acceptance and the complexity of nestmate discrimination in the Argentine ant

In most social insect species, individuals recognize and behave aggressively towards non-nestmate conspecifics to maintain colony integrity. However, introduced populations of the invasive Argentine ant, Linepithema humile, exhibit pronounced variation in intraspecific aggression denoting diversity in nestmate recognition behavior, which possibly shapes their social structure and the varying levels of unicoloniality observed among these populations. One approach to better understand differential aggression behaviors towards conspecifics and recognition cue perception and response in L. humile is to examine variation in nestmate discrimination capability among genetically distinct colonies under different social contexts. Consequently, we investigated the dynamics of queen and worker recognition in southeastern US L. humile queenless and queenright colonies by measuring rates of non-nestmate worker and queen adoption and intercolony genetic similarity. Aggression levels between colony pairs differed and were associated with non-nestmate worker, but not queen adoption. Adoption of queens and workers was a function of host colony origin, while colony queen number affected adoption of queens, but not workers, with queens more readily accepted by queenless hosts. Fecundity of adopted non-nestmate queens was comparable to that of rejected non-nestmate and host colony queens, suggesting that queen fecundity did not affect adoption decisions. Genetic similarity between colonies ranged from 30 to 77% alleles shared, with more genetically similar colonies showing lower levels of intraspecific aggression. Non-nestmate queens and workers that were more genetically similar to host colony workers were more likely to be adopted. We provide the first evidence for the role of L. humile colony queen number on queen discrimination and suggest an effect of resident queens on worker conspecific acceptance thresholds. Our findings indicate a role for genetically based cues in L. humile nestmate recognition. However, subtle discrimination capability seems to be influenced by the social context, as demonstrated by more frequent recognition errors in queenless colonies.
Computational methods for objective assessment of conjunctival vascularity

Assessment of vascularity of conjunctiva has many diagnostic and prognostic applications, thus creation of computational methods for its fast and objective assessment is of importance. Here we provide two different methods for estimation of conjunctiva's vascularity from color digital images, with our best results showing a correlation coefficient of 0.89 between the predicted and ground truth values using a committee of artificial neural networks.
Calibration of EOS multispectral imaging sensors and solar irradiance variability

Earth Observation System (EOS) optical multispectral imaging sensors provide images of the earth at various spectral and spatial resolutions, in the visible (VIS) and infrared (IR) regions of the solar spectrum. Accurate knowledge of extraterrestrial solar spectral irradiance and its variations with time, are needed to trace sensor calibration in space, and for the development of terrestrial atmospheric models needed in data validation. A brief review of the extraterrestrial solar VIS/IR spectral irradiance available in the literature will be reviewed, and the need to develop an extraterrestrial solar spectral irradiance for the EOS studies will be pointed out. The solar calibration of the Earth Radiation Budget Experiments (ERBE), earth-viewing sensors will be discussed. Observed variations in the solar constant (solar irradiance, at the mean sun-earth distance of one astronomical unit, integrated over all wavelengths), and solar spectral irradiance with solar activity and its implications for EOS studies also will be discussed.
In situ measurement of water at the organic coating/substrate interface.

In situ and quantitative information on the water layer at the organic coating/substrate interface is crucial for understanding and preventing the failure of organic coating systems. A technique, based on a two-layer model derived rigorously from internal reflection theory, has been developed for measuring in situ the thickness and amount of the water layer at the organic coating/substrate interface. The technique gives new insight into the processes by which water degrades the coating/substrate bonds. In this technique, a transparent or an opaque organic coating of sufficient thickness is applied to an internal reflection element (IRE) with or without a thin metallic film, which is used as the substrate. A water chamber is attached to the organic-coated specimen. After adding water to the chamber, Fourier transform infrared-multiple internal reflection (FTIR-MIR) spectra are taken automatically at specified time intervals without disturbing the specimens or the instrument. Water uptake in the coating and FTIR-MIR spectra of water on the coating-free substrate are also used for the analysis. Examples of clear and pigmented coatings on untreated and treated substrate surfaces are given to demonstrate the technique. Results of water accumulation at the coating/iron interface with and without applied electrical potentials are given. In addition to measuring water at the coating/substrate interface, the technique provides a means for studying the transport of water through a coating adhered to a substrate. Information on water at the interface and its transport properties through coatings applied to a substrate is valuable for interpreting corrosion, blistering and delamination of organic coating systems, and for developing models for use in predicting the serivce lives of protective coatings.