cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Unique high-fidelity wraparound driving simulator for human factors research applications

A high-fidelity simulation facility used primarily for human factors research in driving worlds is described. Driving simulation has always been plagued by the struggle to achieve a reasonable amount of realism. It has image quality requirements that are as demanding as those of low-altitude flying simulation. In addition, driving simulators have computer intensive requirements for update rates and image delays to avoid loss of operator control. The wrap- around simulator project (WASP) was initiated at the University of Minnesota with the goal of creating a unique high-fidelity driving simulator that addressed the problems associated with earlier simulators. It was designed mainly for use in human factors research inside driving environments, though the possibility of expanding it to limited flying worlds exists. The resulting facility is capable of providing a 360 degree horizontal field of view to subjects, hence its name. It uses powerful graphics and data collection computers to maintain desired image quality, update frequency, image delay, and data collection frequency characteristics. The WASP is currently being used by human factors researchers to examine phenomena that were formerly unobservable in most driving simulators.
Genetic complexity in Joubert syndrome and related disorders

The recent identification of RPGRIP1L as a Joubert syndrome gene brings the total of known genes to five. Three of these are also associated with the lethal Meckel syndrome, and two with Senior–Loken syndrome; both of these disorders share Joubert syndrome phenotypes, illustrating the genetic complexity of this.
A Dual-Mode Dynamic Model of the Vergence Eye Movement System

The disparity vergence eye movement system, long thought to be a simple continuous feedback system, has recently been shown to exhibit more complex dual-mode slow and fast responses. A model has been developed which simulates this behavior. The slow component accounts for the smooth following of slowly moving stimuli. The fast component has samnpling and prediction mechanisms which account for the staircase-like step responses to fast ramp stimuli. Model simulation responses to pulse, step, step-pulse, ramp, and sinusoidal stimuli show good fit to these diverse experimental results. This robust and comprehensive model forms the basis for further understanding of the dynamic controlling mechanisms of the vergence system.
Histological Demonstration of Vitamin A in Rats by Means of Fluorescence Microscopy

Vitamin A reveals a green fluorescence in ultraviolet light which disappears rapidly during irradiation.1 This was observed under the fluorescence microscope using dilute aqueous emulsions of vitamin A concentrates. The striking green of the droplets fades during the observation. The same behavior is noted in some animal tissues and may be attributed to the presence of vitamin A. Querner,2 describing inclusions in epithelial cells of liver and adrenal, and Jancso3 demonstrating fluorescence of the pigment epithelium of the eye, made this assumption. The assumption that such a fluorescence is due to vitamin A can be supported now by the following facts. We found this fading fluorescence always located in lipoids of the body and absent after treatment of the tissue with alcohol or acetone. Its distribution in the body agrees with that of vitamin A as determined chemically. Animal experiments, as those reported later and a few briefly mentioned by Querner offer evidence that this particular fluorescence is d...
Beam tests of directly coupled scintillator tiles with MPPC readout

Abstract We report on the response to a proton beam of scintillator tiles directly coupled at the face of the tile to multi-pixel photon counters. Detailed measurements with protons show that flat tiles have high response near the photon counters while concave tiles have uniform response suggesting that tiles with this versatile configuration can be tailored to a desired uniformity. The beam response is in qualitative agreement with the response to a non-triggered radioactive source and reveals additional spatial features.
Congenital compression of the radial nerve

Congenital dysfunction of a major peripheral nerve is unusual. Most cases are the result of amniotic banding or abnormal uterine activity during labor. When this problem is associated with constricting bands the results of treatment are not well reported in the literature and seem somewhat unpredictable. We report a case of congenital compression of the radial nerve and review the literature.
PlexinA1 Autoinhibition by the Plexin Sema Domain

Semaphorin 3A (Sema3A) binds to neuropilin-1 (NP1) and activates the transmembrane Plexin to transduce a repulsive axon guidance signal. Here, we show that Sema3 signals are transduced equally effectively by PlexinA1 or PlexinA2, but not by PlexinA3. Deletion analysis of the PlexinA1 ectodomain demonstrates that the sema domain prevents PlexinA1 activation in the basal state. Sema-deleted PlexinA1 is constitutively active, producing cell contraction, growth cone collapse, and inhibition of neurite outgrowth. The sema domain of PlexinA1 physically associates with the remainder of the PlexinA1 ectodomain and can reverse constitutive activation. Both the sema portion and the remainder of the ectodomain of PlexinA1 associate with NP1 in a Sema3A-independent fashion. Plexin A1 is autoinhibited by its sema domain, and Sema3A/NP1 releases this inhibition.
Improving End-to-End Performance of TCP over Mobile Internetworks

Reliable transport protocols such as TCP use end-to-end flow, congestion and error control mechanisms to provide reliable delivery over an internetwork. However, the end-to-end performance of a TCP connection can suffer significant degradation in the presence of a wireless link. We are exploring alternatives for optimizing end-to-end performance of TCP connections across an internetwork consisting of both fixed and mobile networks. The central idea in our approach is to transparently split an end-to-end connection into two separate connections; one over the wireless link and other over the wired path. The connection over the wireless link may either use regular TCP or a specialized transport protocol optimized for better performance over a wireless link. Our approach does not require any changes to the existing protocol software on stationary hosts. Results of a systematic performance evaluation using both our approach and regular TCP show that our approach yields significant performance improvements.
Corollary discharge inhibition and preservation of temporal information in a sensory nucleus of mormyrid electric fish

Knollenorgan electroreceptors in mormyrid fish are concerned with electrocommunication, i.e., with detecting electric organ discharges (EODs) of other electric fish. But knollenorgan electroreceptors are also activated by the fish9s own EOD. Potential interference by such self-stimulation is blocked by an inhibitory corollary discharge in the nucleus of the electrosensory lateral line lobe (NELL), the first central relay of the knollenorgan pathway. This study used intracellular recording and staining to examine the mechanism of the corollary inhibition and the specializations in anatomy and physiology that permit the accurate relaying of temporal information about the EODs of other fish. Several events are recorded inside primary knollenorgan afferents in addition to a large orthodromic action potential. The additional events include small orthodromic electronic epsps, postsynaptic action potentials, and a corollary discharge inhibitory postsynaptic potential (ipsp) associated with the EOD motor command. These additional events are also recorded in NELL cells and almost certainly originate there. Electrical coupling between afferents and cells makes it possible to observe the events inside primary afferents. The corollary discharge ipsp in the cell is associated with a conductance increase and inverts rapidly when recorded with chloride- containing electrodes, supporting a hypothesis of GABA mediation. The ipsp lasts longer in cells than in afferents. Each electrotonic excitatory postsynaptic potential (epsp) is probably caused by a single primary afferent, and any one of several epsps in a given cell seems capable of eliciting a postsynaptic spike in that cell. The epsps follow stimulation rates as high as 500/sec with minimal variability. No lateral inhibition is observed in NELL. These and other properties indicate that the knollenorgan pathway is specialized for temporal information rather than spatial or intensity information.
Risk‐Adjusted Day‐of‐the‐Week, Day‐of‐the‐Month, and Month‐of‐the‐Year Effects on Stock Indexes and Stock Index Futures

This study uses risk-adjusted returns based on the Sharpe Performance Measure to evaluate the presence of three anomalies in two stock index futures, the futures of a smaller firm synthetic index, and their respective underlying spot indexes. The three anomalies are the day-of-the-week, the month-of-the-year, and the day-of-the-month effects. Using the nonparametric Kruskal-Wallis test, we find more evidence of day-of-the-week and day-of-the-month effects in futures index price behavior than in their underlying spot indexes. The January effect is found to be more pronounced for spot indexes than for stock index futures contracts. It is also more pronounced in the smaller firm synthetic index. Our results tend to disagree with efficient market proponents.
A Relationship between Risk and Time Preferences

This paper investigates a general relationship between risk and time preferences. I consider a decision maker who chooses between consumption of a particular prize in one period and a different prize in another period. The individual believes that today’s good is certain, and that, as the promised date for a future good becomes increasingly distant, the probability of his consuming the good decreases. Under these assumptions, this paper shows that the individuals exhibits the common ratio effect, the certainty effect, and the expected utility if and only if he discounts hyperbolically, quasi-hyperbolically and exponentially, respectively.
Classification of Homogeneous Data With Large Alphabets

Given training sequences generated by two distinct, but unknown, distributions on a common alphabet, we study the problem of determining whether a third sequence was generated according to the first or second distribution. To model sources such as natural language, for which the underlying distributions are difficult to learn from realistic amounts of data, we allow the alphabet size to grow and therefore the probability distributions to change with the block length. Our primary focus is the situation in which the underlying probabilities are all of the same order, and in this regime, we show that consistent classification is possible if and only if the alphabet grows subquadratically with the block length. We also show that some commonly used statistical tests are suboptimal in that they are consistent only if the alphabet grows sublinearly.
Child Care Resource and Referral Programs and Parents' Search for Quality Child Care.

The consumer behaviors of 107 parents currently using family day care were examined to determine if differences in the way they selected child care were associated with the use of a child care resource and referral program (CCR&R). Fifty-six (52%) of the parents had used a CCR&R when selecting child care, and 51 (48%) parents had not. Results indicated that parents who used CCR&Rs used more reliable sources of information about child care arrangements, spent more time looking for child care, and visited more settings. Nevertheless, other findings indicated that these differences did not translate into CCR&R parents being better informed consumers of child care than parents who did not use a CCR&R, or into the children of CCR&R parents receiving better quality care than children of parents who did not use a CCR&R.
Opposing selective pressures decouple pattern and process of parasitic infection over small spatial scale

Species face multiple selective pressures that may require opposing responses to mitigate. On rocky shorelines, fi tness of the intertidal snail Littorina littorea is determined by both parasitism and predation. We experimentally demonstrated that L. littorea was at greatest risk of infection from trematode parasites high in the intertidal zone where it was in closest proximity to abundant gull feces (the vector for the snail ’ s parasites). However, because of extreme, size-selective predation pressure at low tidal elevations, small snails often live high in the intertidal until they have grown suffi ciently large. By prolonging their exposure to infection higher on the shore, ontogenetic responses to predation risk accentuate parasite risk. Counterintuitively, snails exhibited the highest trematode prevalence at the lowest tidal elevations where they had almost no risk of contracting infection. By carrying contracted infections into the lowest tidal zones, the larger, predation-resistant snails invert hotspots of infection risk and prevalence, underscoring that size-dependent selection pressures can decouple infection process and pattern even over small scales.
On the Fewest Nets Problem for Convex Polyhedra

Given a convex polyhedron with n vertices and F faces, what is the fewest number of pieces, each of which unfolds to a simple polygon, into which it may be cut by slices along edges? Shephard’s conjecture says that this number is always 1, but it’s still open. The fewest nets problem asks to provide upper bounds for the number of pieces in terms of n and/or F. We improve the previous best known bound of F/2 by proving that every convex polyhedron can be unfolded into no more than 3F/8 non-overlapping nets. If the polyhedron is triangulated, the upper bound we obtain is 4F/11.
Efficient Statistical Model Checking of Hardware Circuits With Multiple Failure Regions

Statistical model checking (SMC) is a simulation-based approach for verifying the statistical properties of large, complex systems. If a large number of low-probability events (rare events) is required to be simulated, SMC is extremely time-consuming. In this paper, we present a methodology to accelerate the SMC of hardware circuits by generating rare events with a higher frequency. Unlike existing techniques, our methodology can be applied to circuits with multiple rare-event regions. We first sample the circuit uniformly to quickly generate a set of rare events. We employ variational Bayes, a variational inference technique used in machine learning, to infer the distribution of the rare events in the circuit. We then bias the statistical distribution toward these rare event regions. Finally, we employ the SMC using the biased distribution and adjust for the bias that we introduce. The use of variational Bayes enables our methodology to distinguish between multiple rare event regions in the circuit. We demonstrate the effectiveness of our biasing approach on two real-world hardware circuits. We consider the analog (i.e., continuous-time) behavior of these circuits. For an SRAM memory cell, which has a single failure region, we show that our approach provides around 31x speedup over regular SMC while verifying whether the failure rate is less than $10^{-4}$ . For a successive approximation ADC circuit, which has multiple failure regions, we demonstrate a speedup of 42x while verifying whether the failure rate is less than $10^{-5}$ .
Pathologic Correlates of Primary Central Nervous System Lymphoma Defined in an Orthotopic Xenograft Model

Purpose: The prospect for advances in the treatment of patients with primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) is likely dependent on the systematic evaluation of its pathobiology. Animal models of PCNSL are needed to facilitate the analysis of its molecular pathogenesis and for the efficient evaluation of novel therapeutics. Experimental Design: We characterized the molecular pathology of CNS lymphoma tumors generated by the intracerebral implantation of Raji B lymphoma cells in athymic mice. Lymphoma cells were modified for bioluminescence imaging to facilitate monitoring of tumor growth and response to therapy. In parallel, we identified molecular features of lymphoma xenograft histopathology that are evident in human PCNSL specimens. Results: Intracerebral Raji tumors were determined to faithfully reflect the molecular pathogenesis of PCNSL, including the predominant immunophenotypic state of differentiation of lymphoma cells and their reactive microenvironment. We show the expression of interleukin-4 by Raji and other B lymphoma cell lines in vitro and by Raji tumors in vivo and provide evidence for a role of this cytokine in the M2 polarization of lymphoma macrophages both in the murine model and in diagnostic specimens of human PCNSL. Conclusion: Intracerebral implantation of Raji cells results in a reproducible and invasive xenograft model, which recapitulates the histopathology and molecular features of PCNSL, and is suitable for preclinical testing of novel agents. We also show for the first time the feasibility and accuracy of tumor bioluminescence in the monitoring of a highly infiltrative brain tumor.
The perils of transparency in bureaucracies

Many countries have recently enacted or proposed reforms aimed at increasing citizens’ information on the quality of some public sector services. Disclosure of schools’and teachers’ quality is the case that has generated the biggest public debate. In the US, the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) requires learning progress to be measured for every child and results from students’tests be made available in annual report cards, so that parents can evaluate schools’ performances. Similar reforms have also been proposed for many other public services. In the UK, legislation introduced in the year 2000 now requires that the performance of each Local Government is reviewed and made public with regards to provision of services such as …re, police, housing, social services and education, but also like the condition of roads, the
Fluorescent In Situ Hybridization and Array Comparative Genomic Hybridization: Complementary Techniques for Genomic Evaluation

During the past few years a new high-throughput molecular technology, array comparative genomic hybridization, has received a great deal of attention. As a DNA-based tool, this technique is presumably more reproducible than expression arrays. In this review, I discuss how array comparative genomic hybridization is remarkably similar with regard to genome analysis to fluorescent in situ hybridization, a technique that is generally regarded as one of the more accurate and reproducible molecular techniques in diagnostic surgical pathology. A thorough understanding of this technology will be useful for all surgical pathologists in the near future, as this technology will no doubt have some influence on our daily practice.
Methods for Culturing Mouse and Human Embryonic Stem Cells

Mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs) were first derived and cultured almost 30 years ago and ever since have been valuable tools for creating knockout mice and for studying early mammalian development. More recently (1998), human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) have been derived from blastocysts, and numerous methods have evolved to culture hESCs in vitro in both complex and defined media. hESCs are especially important at this time as they could potentially be used to treat degenerative diseases and to access the toxicity of new drugs and environmental chemicals. For both human and mouse ESCs, fibroblast feeder layers are often used at some phase in the culturing protocol. The feeders – often mouse embryonic fibroblasts (mEFs) – provide a substrate that increases plating efficiency, helps maintain pluripotency, and facilitates survival and growth of the stem cells. Various protocols for culturing embryonic stem cells from both species are available with newer trends moving toward feeder-free and serum-free culture. The purpose of this chapter is to provide basic protocol information on the isolation of mouse embryonic fibroblasts and establishment of feeder layers, the culture of mESCs on both mEFs and on gelatin in serum-containing medium, and the culture of hESCs in defined media on both mEFs (hESC culture medium) and Matrigel (mTeSR). These basic protocols are intended for researchers wanting to develop stem cell research in their labs. These protocols have been tested in our laboratory and work well. They can be modified and adapted for any relevant user’s particular purpose.
Unraveling Pleiotropic Effects of Statins on Plaque Rupture

Several large-scale clinical trials have conclusively shown that statins markedly reduce clinical endpoints of atherosclerosis.1 A plethora of studies has also reported effects of statins other than cholesterol-lowering.2 These include effects on endothelial function, such as NO generation and NO-mediated vascular relaxation, the recruitment of monocytes and T cells into the arterial intima, their subsequent activation and expression of proinflammatory factors, the proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs), and other events that result in arterial remodeling (Table). However, to date only a minority of these “pleiotropic” effects of statins have been demonstrated to be truly cholesterol-independent, ie, reversible by geranylgeranyl-pyrophosphate (GGPP), but not by cholesterol. (GGPP and cholesterol represent separate branches of the mevanolate pathway downstream of the step blocked by HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors.) For example, the elegant work of Liao and colleagues3 established that the modulation of NO is due to the inhibition of GGPP that in turn affects the bioavailability of regulatory proteins, such as Ras and Rho. It has also been established that statins may inhibit atherogenesis by reducing the formation of superoxide and other oxygen radicals that modulate many intracellular signaling pathways.4 Finally, statins may affect the consequences of plaque rupture by modulating thrombosis and fibrinolysis. In fact, statins decrease the expression of tissue factor in lesions, reduce platelet activation, and improve fibrinolytic activity through preservation of endothelial function, but it is unclear whether these effects are common to the entire class of statins, because some compounds seem to exert opposite effects.5 Despite the increasing evidence obtained in vitro and in experimental models, the clinical relevance of pleiotropic effects of statins is still debated.6 View this table: Table 1. Pleiotropic Effect of Statins Potentially Affecting Plaque Rupture: Current Evidence for Their In Vivo Occurrence See page 1832 The question whether specific pleiotropic effects contribute …
Calcium antagonists and left ventricular function.

Abstract Calcium antagonists impede the entry of calcium into myocytes and inhibit myocardial contraction. Calcium antagonists differ in their relative negative inotropic potency and can provoke baroreceptor stimulation that modulates left ventricular (LV) performance. Calcium antagonists are uniformly well tolerated in patients with normal LV function. Use of these agents in patients with suspected LV function impairment has yielded results ranging from hemodynamic improvement to clinical deterioration and increased mortality. Reports of clinical deterioration when calcium antagonists were combined with β blockers underscore the importance of reflex adrenergic support for the myocardium. Although calcium antagonists are potent vasodilators and produce short-term hemodynamic improvement, they are not useful as primary treatment in patients with congestive heart failure (CHF). They may have a place in the treatment of coexistent problems in patients with LV dysfunction. Short-term use of calcium antagonists for myocardial ischemia or rapid atrial fibrillation is probably safe in the presence of LV dysfunction and overt CHF. Calcium antagonists appear to have a role in the treatment of patients with diastolic dysfunction of diverse etiologies.
Estimating the Effect of Tobacco Contributions on Legislative Behavior Using Panel Data

Objective. This article uses a data set of California State legislators to determine the effect of tobacco contributions on legislative behavior. Methods. Although many previous studies have analyzed the effect of campaign contributions on legislative behavior, this study makes a number of improvements to previous studies, including the use of panel data and improved instruments. Results. I find that contrary to prior research on tobacco industry contributions, campaign contributions from the tobacco industry do not influence legislative support for the tobacco industry. Conclusion. This suggests that the tobacco industry is not an exception to the literature on the influence of campaign contributions, which has shown that campaign contributions generally do not influence legislative voting and other behavior.
Internal correction of dead-reckoning errors with the smart encoder trailer

This paper presents an innovative method for accurate mobile robot dead-reckoning, called internal position error correction (IPEC). In previous work, the IPEC method was successfully implemented on a specially designed mobile robot with two differential drive axles, called the multi-degree-of-freedom (MDOF) mobile robot. Experimental results with the MDOF robot showed consistently one to two orders of magnitude better dead-reckoning accuracy than systems based on conventional dead-reckoning. Yet, the IPEC system requires neither external references (such as navigation beacons, artificial landmarks, known floorplans, or satellite signals), nor inertial navigation aids (such as accelerometers or gyros). This paper focuses on our current efforts to implement the IPEC method on a device that can be added to any existing mobile robot. This device, called the "Smart Encoder Trailer" (SET), is a small, single-axle trailer with an incremental encoder on each of its two wheels. Although the SET is not functional yet, simulation results combined with experimental results from the (similarly configured) MDOF vehicle strongly suggest the feasibility of the SET implementation. >
Nuclear 3,5,3′-Triiodothyronine Receptors in Rabbit Lung: Characterization and Developmental Changes*

Studies both in vivo and in vitro suggest that thyroid hormones participate in the hormonal regulation of fetal lung maturation. The nuclear T3 receptors identified in the lung tissue of several species are one possible site for the regulation of hormone action. In this study we characterized the T3-binding properties of lung nuclei from fetal and adult rabbits and examined the developmental pattern of T3 receptor concentration and occupancy. The developmental profile of nuclear binding capacity was multiphasic. The concentration of sites increased from 0.267 ± 0.021 fmol T3 bound/μg DNA at 21 days of gestation to 0.384 ± 0.011 fmol/μg DNA at 28 days of gestation and then decreased to 0.273 ± 0.018 fmol/μg DNA by term. Within 2-3 weeks after birth, the concentration rose to 0.321 ± 0.016 fmol/μg DNA before decreasing to the adult concentration (0.238 ± 0.013 fmol/ μg DNA), which was 62% of the maximum value found at 28 days of gestation. Maximal T3 binding to lung nuclei was achieved after incubation of f...
Accelerated microbial turnover but constant growth efficiency with warming in soil

Whether rising temperatures will reduce global soil carbon stocks and enhance climate warming remains uncertain, in part because of a poor understanding of the mechanisms of soil microbial response to warming. Research now shows that microbial growth efficiency is insensitive to temperature change and that the response of microbial respiration to warming is driven by accelerated microbial turnover and enzyme kinetics.
Participatory Design of an Internet-Based Information System for Aging Services Professionals

The Michigan Aging Services System, a World Wide Web-based information system, was developed for practicing gerontologists in the state of Michigan. A participatory design framework adapted from the software development literature guided the development process. Users from Michigan's aging network participated in the development process. Design data were collected using multiple techniques. The system's content was developed with extensive input from actual users. The content emerged into four main categories: News and Current Events, General Information, Policy and Program Information, and Population Information. The system content is briefly compared to that of World Wide Web sites published by other state units on aging.
Does the cellulose-binding module move on the cellulose surface?

Exoglucanases are key enzymes required for the efficient hydrolysis of crystalline cellulose. It has been proposed that exoglucanases hydrolyze cellulose chains in a processive manner to produce primarily cellobiose. Usually, two functional modules are involved in the processive mechanism: a catalytic module and a carbohydrate-binding module (CBM). In this report, single molecule tracking techniques were used to analyze the molecular motion of CBMs labeled with quantum dots (QDs) and bound to cellulose crystals. By tracking the single QD, we observed that the family 2 CBM from Acidothermus cellulolyticus (AcCBM2) exhibited linear motion along the long axis of the cellulose fiber. This apparent movement was observed consistently when different concentrations (25 μM to 25 nM) of AcCBM2 were used. Although the mechanism of AcCBM2 motion remains unknown, single-molecule spectroscopy has been demonstrated to be a promising tool for acquiring new fundamental understanding of cellulase action.
Numerical implemention of the AML algorithm for wideband DOA estimation

In this work, three algorithms are proposed to reduce the computational complexity of the Approximated Maximum Likelihood (AML) for wideband Direction of Arrival (DOA) estimation. The first two methods, conjugate gradient and Gauss-Newton, are iterative methods that are based on gradient information of the log-likelihood function. The third method, Alienor method, is based on function approximation theory which transform a multi-variable function into a one-variable function. Therefore, a multi-dimension search is reduced to a one-dimension search. Complexity as well as computational time of these methods are compared by simulations. Effectiveness of the AML algorithm is also demonstrated by experimental data.
The structure and formation of methyllithium ionic fragments

Abstract Properties of the methyllithium species Li 4 (CH 3 ) 3 + , Li 4 (CH 3 ) 2 + , Li 4 CH 3 + , Li 2 CH 3 + , LiCH 3 + , and Li 2 (CH 3 2 have been probed by the application of an ab initio computational procedure. These lithium cluster species are the methyl analog of the products observed experimentally to result from the fragmentation of ethyllithium and t-butyllithium. The procudure was used to determine the optimum geometry for each species. The total energy calculated for favored conformations of the subject fragments was used to estimate that δ E 's for possible paths through which the optically excited parent, Li 4 (CH 3 ) 4 , could dissociate. The stable ions found and their modes of formation were compared to photofragments formed by dissociative ionization of Li 4 [C(CH 3 ) 3 ] 4 reported recently.
An Alternative Measure of Illiquidity: Insights on the U.S. Treasury Bills, Notes and Bonds

The paper proposes an alternative measure of illiquidity based on the dynamics of the j-th order conditional serial covariance, relaxing the hypothesis of market efficiency. The empirical findings of the analysis are many: (i) A conditional metrics of illiquidity for short and long term U.S. government debt obligations, its level of skewness and kurtosis are discussed; (ii) The illiquidity of the U.S. treasuries is mainly related to the U.S. stock market illiquidity, the difference of illiquidity between Aaa and Baa U.S. corporate bonds, the spread between the U.S. corporate bond yields, as well as the illiquidity for the 5 Fama-French factors; (iii) The level of the CBOE Volatility Index is statistically significant for explaining the illiquidity premium for the term structure of the U.S. government debt obligations. (iv) The evidence of flight-to-liquidity, from the U.S. equity market to the U.S. treasuries as well as corporate bonds, is discussed during the recent financial turmoil.
ACT UP 25: HIV/AIDS, Archival Queers, and Mnemonic World Making

These are the crucial cultural chronicles that remain to be written. And there is still time, for those of us fortunate to have it, to read, more closely and carefully, the chronicles we are in. —P...
More educated and more equal? A comparative analysis of female education and employment in Japan, China and India

This paper attempts to explore the connections between expanding female education and the participation of women in paid employment in Japan, China and India, three of Asia's largest economies. Analysis based on existing data and literature shows that despite the large expansion in educational access in these countries in the last half century, women have lacked egalitarian labour market opportunities. A combination of social discouragement and individual choice largely explains the withdrawal, non-participation or intermittent female presence in the labour force, notwithstanding increased educational access. In taking stock of these issues and debates across these countries, it is argued that the parallel experiences of women in these countries can be traced back to persistent gender norms which, amongst other things, imply the centrality of marriage and non-market unpaid labour for women. The paper argues that there is a need for gender-sensitive public policy in order for increased education to transla...
Bragg v. Linden: Virtual Property Rights Litigation

This is a short commentary about the legal issues raised by the Bragg v. Linden Research, Inc. and Philip Rosedale case, which has since been settled.
Synthesis and characterization of thorium(IV) and uranium(IV) corrole complexes.

The first examples of actinide complexes incorporating corrole ligands are presented. Thorium(IV) and uranium(IV) macrocycles of Mes2(p-OMePh)corrole were synthesized via salt metathesis with the corresponding lithium corrole in remarkably high yields (93% and 83%, respectively). Characterization by single-crystal X-ray diffraction revealed both complexes to be dimeric, having two metal centers bridged via bis(μ-chlorido) linkages. In each case, the corrole ring showed a large distortion from planarity, with the Th(IV) and U(IV) ions residing unusually far (1.403 and 1.330 A, respectively) from the N4 plane of the ligand. 1H NMR spectroscopy of both the Th and U dimers revealed dynamic solution behavior. In the case of the diamagnetic thorium corrole, variable-temperature, DOSY (diffusion-ordered) and EXSY (exhange) 1H NMR spectroscopy was employed and supported that this behavior was due to an intrinsic pseudorotational mode of the corrole ring about the M–M axis. Additionally, the electronic structure o...
A Study of Dark Currents on Various Modified Surfaces of Mercuric Iodide Single Crystals

The surface modifications that occur on °-mercuric iodide surfaces during the fabrication process are crucial for the development of a low noise, high resolution X-ray spectrometer. In this study, we discuss the effects of surface treatments on the dark currents and the results are correlated with surface morphology studies that were carried out by the atomic force microscopy (AFM) technique.
Electrospray Ionization from Nanopipette Emitters with Tip Diameters of Less than 100 nm

Work presented here demonstrates application of nanopipettes pulled to orifice diameters of less than 100 nm as electrospray ionization emitters for mass spectrometry. Mass spectrometric analysis of a series of peptides and proteins electrosprayed from pulled-quartz capillary nanopipette emitters with internal diameters ranging from 37 to 70 nm is detailed. Overall, the use of nanopipette emitters causes a shift toward the production of ions of higher charge states and leads to a reduction in width of charge-state distribution as compared to typical nanospray conditions. Further, nanopipettes show improved S/N and the same signal precision as typical nanospray, despite the much smaller dimensions. As characterized by SEM images acquired before and after spray, nanopipettes are shown to be robust under conditions employed. Analytical calculations and numerical simulations are used to calculate the electric field at the emitter tip, which can be significant for the small diameter tips used.
Oncolytic viruses as immunotherapy: progress and remaining challenges

Oncolytic viruses (OVs) comprise an emerging cancer therapeutic modality whose activity involves both direct tumor cell lysis and the induction of immunogenic cell death (ICD). Cellular proteins released from the OV-lysed tumor cells, known as damage-associated molecular patterns and tumor-associated antigens, activate dendritic cells and elicit adaptive antitumor immunity. Interaction with the innate immune system and the development of long-lasting immune memory also contribute to OV-induced cell death. The degree to which the ICD component contributes to the clinical efficacy of OV therapy is still unclear. Modulation of a range of immune interactions may be beneficial or detrimental in nature and the interactions depend on the specific tumor, the site and extent of the disease, the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment, the OV platform, the dose, time, and delivery conditions, as well as individual patient responses. To enhance the contribution of ICD, OVs have been engineered to express immunostimulatory genes and strategies have been developed to combine OV therapy with chemo- and immune-based therapeutic regimens. However, these approaches carry the risk that they may also be tolerogenic depending on their levels and the presence of other cytokines, their direct antiviral effects, and the timing and conditions of their expression. The contribution of autophagy to adaptive immunity, the ability of the OVs to kill cancer stem cells, and the patient's baseline immune status are additional considerations. This review focuses on the complex and as yet poorly understood balancing act that dictates the outcome of OV therapy. We summarize current understanding of the OVs' function in eliciting antitumor immunity and its relationship to therapeutic efficacy. Also discussed are the criteria involved in restraining antiviral immune responses and minimizing pathology while promoting antitumor immunity to override immune tolerance.
Systematic Experimental Teaching Mode on CAD/CAM/CAT

A systematic experimental teaching mode on CAD/CAM/CAT which was integrated with mechanics,electronics,and computer control was introduced.The hardware and software of the experimental system were presented.The wed-based multimedia virtual experiment was put forward for the future developmental of the experimental teaching mode.The main advantage of the experimental teaching is that students can participate in the whole process of a mechanism experiment,such as the cam,which includes the computer aided design(CAD),aided manufacture(CAM) and aided test(CAT),a feeling of achievement encourage them to perform the experiment more actively and initiatively.
Use of Peptide Nucleic Acid Probes for Rapid Detection and Enumeration of Viable Bacteria in Recreational Waters and Beach Sand

Environmental monitoring and public health risk assessments require methods that are rapid and quantitative with defined sensitivity and specificity thresholds. Although several molecular techniques have been developed to rapidly detect bacteria in complex matrices, the challenge to simultaneously detect and enumerate only viable cells remains a limiting factor to their routine application. This chapter describes the use of peroxidase-labeled peptide nucleic acid (PNA) probes to simultaneously detect and count live Staphylococcus aureus, a human pathogen in sea water and beach sand. Mixed bacteria from the environmental sample were immobilized on polyvinylidene difluoride membrane filters and allowed to form microcolonies during a 5-h incubation on Tryptic soy agar plates. PNA probes targeting species-specific regions of the 16S rRNA sequences of S. aureus were then used to hybridize the target bacteria in situ. Probes were detected by capturing chemiluminiscence on instant (e.g., Polaroid) films. Each viable cell (i.e., rRNA producing) is detected as a light spot from its microcolony on the film after scanning the image into a computer. This rapid in situ hybridization technique is simple and highly sensitive and could be developed into portable kits for monitoring pathogens and indicators in the environment.
An AERONET-based aerosol classification using the Mahalanobis distance

We present an aerosol classification based on AERONET aerosol data from 1993 to 2012. We used the AERONET Level 2.0 almucantar aerosol retrieval products to define several reference aerosol clusters which are characteristic of the following general aerosol types: Urban-Industrial, Biomass Burning, Mixed Aerosol, Dust, and Maritime. The classification of a particular aerosol observation as one of these aerosol types is determined by its five-dimensional Mahalanobis distance to each reference cluster. We have calculated the fractional aerosol type distribution at 190 AERONET sites, as well as the monthly variation in aerosol type at those locations. The results are presented on a global map and individually in the supplementary material. Our aerosol typing is based on recognizing that different geographic regions exhibit characteristic aerosol types. To generate reference clusters we only keep data points that lie within a Mahalanobis distance of 2 from the centroid. Our aerosol characterization is based on the AERONET retrieved quantities, therefore it does not include low optical depth values. The analysis is based on point sources (the AERONET sites) rather than globally distributed values. The classifications obtained will be useful in interpreting aerosol retrievals from satellite borne instruments.
The psychological burden of cystic fibrosis.

Purpose of review Cystic fibrosis (CF) is the most common genetic, life-shortening illness among white populations. Management of the disease requires a complex, time-consuming treatment regimen. The purpose of this review is to highlight current research examining the psychological burden of CF, including psychological distress, social challenges, treatment burden, and adherence to daily treatments. Recent findings Individuals with CF and their parent caregivers report elevated symptoms of depression and anxiety. Recent international guidelines (Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and European Cystic Fibrosis Society) recommend annual screening of these symptoms using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) and Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) scales. Symptoms of depression have been associated with decreased adherence, lower quality of life, and higher healthcare costs. Adherence to pulmonary medications has been found to be 50% or less and decreases with age. Poor adherence has been associated with higher healthcare costs, more frequent hospitalizations, and worse quality of life. Summary Individuals with CF face unique challenges that can lead to psychological burden. Screening for these symptoms and developing effective interventions to improve adherence are the key targets for the next 5 years of research.
Free convective laminar flow within the Trombe wall channel

Abstract Free convective laminar heat transfer between the channel surfaces of the Trombe wall has been investigated. Considered in this study were the velocity profiles normal and parallel to the direction of fluid flow, the pressure drop due to flow acceleration at the channel entrance, and the effect of dissimilar but uniform channel surface temperatures for a wide range of flow rates and temperatures. A finite difference procedure was used to solve the governing equations in dimensionless form using air as the fluid. After comparison with available experimental data, results have been reduced, and several correlations developed to enable important performance characteristics to be estimated given the channel thickness, height, and surface temperatures.
“Not merely para”: continuing steps in paratextual research

The term “paratext” was coined by Gerard Genette in his 1987 book Seuils, translated into English in 1997 as Paratexts: Thresholds of Interpretation. Writing of literature, Genette used the term to...
An Enhanced Patient-Specific Computer Model Using an Iterative Multi-Staged Algorithm

Background: A previously introduced patient-specific computer model was applied to predict outcomes of the balloon occlusion test (BOT). The goal of this work was to propose an enhanced patient-specific computer model using a new iterative multi-staged algorithm. Method: This work presents an enhanced patient-specific computer model which converts several more terminals from generic, to patient-specific, resistances and also makes the aortic pressure and the stiffness coefficient patient-specific. A new iterative multi-staged algorithm is proposed to determine the terminal resistances, the aortic pressure, and the stiffness coefficient using vessel sizes and vessel flows measured by quantitative magnetic resonance angiography (qMRA) and cuff pressure. The predictions of the BOT were also evaluated for the validation of the proposed model. Results: The predictions from the proposed model were accurate in comparison with the clinical outcomes of the two BOTs. The computed stiffness coefficients were consistent with the ages of the two patients. The correlation coefficients between the flow measurements and the computed flows using the proposed computer model at baseline for the two patients were 0.9861 and 0.9995, respectively. The computed aortic pressures were also comparable in waveform shape with the actual aortic pressure measurements obtained during the BOT using a catheter-transducer. Conclusion: The present study makes the computer model more patient-specific with a new algorithm using non-invasive data from qMRA and cuff pressure. The six more sectors have made the terminal resistances more patient-specific. The patient-specific aortic pressure has made the forcing function patient-specific. And the stiffness coefficient has made the compliance patient-specific. J Neurol Res. 2017;7(3):25-38 doi: https://doi.org/10.14740/jnr435w
Evolution of Cellular Growth and Differentiation

Growth is a complex phenomena that emerges from simple interactions. The evolution of growth contains the fundamental principles that determine cooperation and complexity. Studying the evolution of cellular growth and differentiation can identify evolutionary principles that can be applied to a diverse set of fields and discover the underlying causes of disease.