cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
State-space identification of nonlinear flight dynamics

A new identification concept is offered in this paper, and it is shown how to identify the unknown parameters of nonlinear flight dynamic systems assuming that a generic nonlinear model is known. To ensure robustness and parameter convergence, nonlinear error mappings are used, and the Lyapunov second method is employed to approach the analysis of convergence. The explored method is applied to a longitudinal aerodynamic model of a high-angle-of-attack (high-alpha) fighter aircraft. In particular, the parameters of an unsteady flight model are identified.
Programming the Computer

At this point we begin to use a real programming language to perform tasks and solve problems. The programming language used is Scheme, which is a dialect of LISP. Lisp is an acronym for LISt Processing. We will define what a list is and how Scheme goes about processing lists in Chapter 4.
Atmospheric electron-induced X-ray spectrometer (AEXS) development

The progress in the development of the atmospheric electron X-ray spectrometer (AEXS) described. The AEXS is a surface analysis tool based on the excitation of characteristic X-ray and luminescence spectra at ambient pressure using an electron beam. In situ operation for the AEXS is obtained through the use of a thin electron transmissive membrane to isolate the vacuum of the electron source from the ambient atmosphere, resulting in rapid spectrum acquisition, nondestructive evaluation of surfaces, and moderate-to-high variable spatial resolution in comparison to similar portable instruments. The applications of the instrument for NASA planetary exploration include determination of elemental abundance and identification of minerals suspect of past biological activities, through correlation of X-ray and optical luminescence data. The proof-of-principle for the instrument is being demonstrated through 1) simulation of observational capabilities for the instrument, 2) characterization of the effect of thin membranes on the properties of the excitation beam, and 3) assembly and characterization of a membrane-encapsulated prototype instrument. The observational capabilities for the instrument are simulated through acquisition of X-ray and luminescence spectra using the scanning electron microscope (SEM), cathodoluminescence (CL) spectrometer, and an environmental chamber that was constructed in our laboratory to simulate the effect of Mars planetary atmosphere. The effect of the membrane is determined by comparing the spectra acquired from metal and mineral samples with and without the membrane intersecting the excitation beam, and from samples in the laboratory ambient and in the environmental chamber. The comparison isolates the effect of membrane and atmosphere interactions, which determine performance limits for AEXS in situ operation. A breadboard vacuum-encapsulated stand-alone instrument requiring no vacuum apparatus support is being assembled in our laboratory.
Piezoelectric transducer controlled multiple beam phased array using microstrip Rotman lens

A simple and low-cost multiple beam phased array is designed using a microstrip Rotman lens and multi-line phase shifter controlled by a piezoelectric transducer (PET) at Ka-band. A microstrip Rotman lens with five beam ports and nine array ports is used as a feed for a multiple beam antenna array to generate five beams centered at the angles of 0/spl deg/, /spl plusmn/15/spl deg/, and /spl plusmn/30/spl deg/. The lens fed nine-element patch array shows the antenna gain of 10 dBi and sidelobe suppression of 10 dB. Each beam is steered over /spl plusmn/8/spl deg/ using two PET-controlled phase shifters, and the five beams cover /spl plusmn/38/spl deg/ from the broadside.
Experiments on the interaction of current channels in a laboratory plasma: relaxation to the force-free state

A series of experiments on the dynamic interaction of two current channels has been performed in the large plasma device, a laboratory device at UCLA. The two current channels are formed by coating the cathode source nonuniformly and then biasing it with respect to an anode 10 m away. The experiment consists of two phases, one in which a net current is drawn through the plasma, and one in which the net current is zero. The current channels twist about each other, merge, and evolve toward a force-free state when a net current is drawn through the plasma. When the net current is zero the interaction between the channels is greatly reduced. The dynamics of the system are dominated by electron pressure and associated electrostatic fields. However, as the currents twist, a small amount of magnetic helicity is generated. The helicity and its temporal rate of change are computed and found to compare within experimental uncertainty to the predicted rate. >
c-Src activates the DNA binding and transcriptional activity of Stat3 molecules: serine 727 is not required for transcriptional activation under certain circumstances.

Stat3 proteins are constitutively activated in cells transformed by v-Src and the proteins have been shown to interact directly. Subsequent studies have shown that Stat3 is required for cellular transformation of NIH fibroblasts by v-Src, suggesting a potential role for Stat3 in aberrant cell growth. Stat3 is phosphorylated on a single tyrosine (tyrosine 705) which is required for effective dimer formation. An additional phosphorylation event (serine 727) is believed to be required for full transcriptional activity of Stat1 and Stat3 molecules. Here we report that c-Src activates the DNA binding activity of Stat3alpha, Stat3beta, and three Stat3 mutants, one in which serine 727 was replaced by alanine (Stat3alphaS727A) and C-terminal truncated molecules Delta48 and Delta55. Consistent with this finding is a general increase in the tyrosine 705-phosphorylated Stat3 in cells cotransfected with c-Src. Furthermore, transcription from an alpha-2 macroglobulin reporter gene is activated by Stat3alphaS727A to the same magnitude as compared to Stat3alpha and Stat3beta in the presence of c-Src. These results suggest that serine 727, contained in a consensus MAP kinase recognition site and shown to be the only serine in Stat3 phosphorylated in epidermal growth factor (EGF) treated cells, is not necessary for transcriptional activity comparable to wild-type Stat3alpha or Stat3beta when activated by c-Src in COS-7 cells.
Experimental Racetrack Shaped Jet Impingement on a Roughened Leading-Edge Wall With Film Holes

Compatible with the external contour of the turbine airfoils at their leading edge, the leading-edge cooling cavities have a complex cross-sectional shape. To enhance the heat transfer coefficient on the leading-edge wall of these cavities, the cooling flow in some designs enters the leading-edge cavity from the adjacent cavity through a series of crossover holes on the partition wall between the two cavities. The crossover jets then impinge on the concave leading-edge wall and exit through the showerhead film holes, gill film holes on the pressure and suction sides, and, in some cases, form a crossflow in the leading-edge cavity and move toward the airfoil tip. The main objective of this investigation was to study the effects that racetrack crossover jets, in the presence of film holes on the target surface, have on the impingement heat transfer coefficient. Available data in open literature are mostly for impingement on a flat smooth surface with no representation of the film holes. This investigation covered new features in airfoil leading-edge cooling concept such as impingement with racetrack shaped holes on a roughened target surface with a row of holes representing the leading-edge showerhead film holes. Results of the circular crossover jets impinging on these leading-edge surface geometries with and without showerhead holes were reported by these authors previously. In this paper, however, the experimental results are presented for the impingement of racetrack-shaped crossover jets on a concave surface with showerhead film holes. The investigated target surface geometries were : (1) a smooth wall, (2) a wall roughened with big conical bumps, (3) a wall roughened with smaller conical bumps and (4) a wall roughened with tapered radial ribs. The tests were run for a range of flow arrangements and jet Reynolds numbers and the results were compared with those of round crossover jets. The major conclusions of this study are: (a) for a given jet Reynolds number, the racetrack crossover jets produce a higher impingement heat transfer coefficient than the circular jets, (b) the overall heat transfer performance of 0° racetrack crossover jets is superior to that of 45° racetrack crossover jets and (c) there is a heat transfer enhancement benefit in roughening the target surface. With the presence of showerhead holes, the enhancement is due to both the impingement heat transfer coefficient and the heat transfer area increase.Copyright © 2002 by ASME
Molecular mechanism(s) involved in the synergistic induction of CXCL10 by human immunodeficiency virus type 1 Tat and interferon-γ in macrophages

Synergistic interactions between viral proteins and soluble host factors released from infected mononuclear phagocytes play a critical role in the pathogenesis of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-associated dementia (HAD). The chemokine CXCL10 has been found to be closely associated with the progression of HIV-1-related central nervous system (CNS) disease and its related neuropsychiatric impairment. In this report the authors demonstrate that the HIV-1 protein Tat can interact with the proinflammatory cytokine interferon (IFN)-γ to dramatically induce the expression of CXCL10 in macrophages. Synergistic induction of CXCL10 by both Tat and IFN-γ was susceptible to inhibition by the MEK1/2 inhibitor U0126 and the p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) inhibitor SB203580. In addition, JAK/STAT pathway plays a major role in Tat/γ-mediated CXCL10 induction in macrophages because pre-treatment of stimulated macrophages with JAK inhibitor completely abrogated the synergistic induction of the chemokine. Functionality of the synergistically induced CXCL10 was further demonstrated by its chemotactic activity for peripheral blood lymphocytes. Taken together, these findings demonstrate that the cooperative interaction of Tat and IFN-γ results in enhanced chemokine expression, which in turn can amplify the inflammatory responses within the CNS of HAD patients by recruiting more lymphocytes in the brain.
Characterization of Active Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase in Ovarian Serous Carcinomas

Purpose: Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) plays a pivotal role in signal transduction. Activation of MAPK is regulated by upstream kinases including KRAS and BRAF , which are frequently mutated in low-grade ovarian serous carcinoma. This study evaluates the expression of active MAPK in ovarian serous carcinomas, with response to treatment and survival. Experimental Design: Expression of active MAPK was assessed by immunohistochemistry in 207 cases of ovarian serous tumors. Immunoreactivity was correlated with tumor grade, mutational status of KRAS and BRAF, in vitro drug resistance, and clinical outcome. Result: There was a lower frequency of expression of active MAPK in high-grade ovarian serous carcinomas as compared with low-grade serous tumors, including borderline tumors and low-grade serous carcinoma ( P KRAS or BRAF mutations as well as in 14 (41%) of 34 tumors with wild-type KRAS and BRAF in both low- and high-grade carcinomas. Expression of active MAPK alone served as a good survival indicator in the 2-year follow-up ( P = 0.037) but not in the 5-year follow-up ( P = 0.145). However, a combination of expression of active MAPK and in vitro sensitivity of paclitaxel significantly correlated with a better prognosis in 5-year survival rate ( P = 0.048) in patients with advanced-stage high-grade serous carcinoma. Conclusions: Active MAPK is more frequently expressed in low-grade than in high-grade ovarian serous carcinoma. Active MAPK serves as a good prognostic marker in patients with high-grade serous carcinomas.
DAW: A Distributed Antiworm System

A worm automatically replicates itself across networks and may infect millions of servers in a short period of time. It is conceivable that the cyberterrorists may use a widespread worm to cause major disruption to the Internet economy. Much recent research concentrates on propagation models and early warning, but the defense against worms is largely an open problem. We propose a distributed antiworm architecture (DAW) that automatically slows down or even halts the worm propagation within an Internet service provider (ISP) network. New defense techniques are developed based on the behavioral difference between normal hosts and worm-infected hosts. Particularly, a worm-infected host has a much higher connection-failure rate when it randomly scans the Internet. This property allows DAW to set the worms apart from the normal hosts. We propose a temporal rate-limit algorithm and a spatial rate-limit algorithm, which makes the speed of worm propagation configurable by the parameters of the defense system. The effectiveness of the new techniques is evaluated analytically and by simulations.
Autism Spectrum Disorder in Fragile X Syndrome: Communication, Social Interaction, and Specific Behaviors

The present study extends our previous work on social behavior impairment in young males with fragile X syndrome (FraX). Specifically, we evaluated whether the autistic phenomenon in FraX is expressed as a range of behavioral impairments as in idiopathic autism (Aut). We also examined whether there are behaviors, identified as items of the Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised (ADIR), that in FraX predispose to or differentiate subjects with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) diagnosis. Finally, regression models were utilized to test the relative contribution of reduced communication and socialization skills to ADI-R scores and diagnoses. A cohort of 56 boys (3– 8 years) with FraX was examined in terms of scores on measures of cognition (IQ was a co-variate in most analyses.), autistic behavior, problem/aberrant behavior, adaptive behavior, and language development. We found that, indeed, in terms of problem behavior and adaptive skills, there is a range of severity from FraX þ Aut to FraX þ PDD (Pervasive Developmental Disorder) to FraX þ none. ADI-R items representing ‘‘Play’’ types of interaction appear to be ‘‘susceptibility’’ factors since they were abnormal across the FraX cohort. Integrated regression models demonstrated that items reflecting complex social interaction differentiated the FraX þ ASD (Aut þ PDD) subgroup from the rest of the FraX cohort, while abnormalities in basic verbal and non-verbal communication distinguished the most severely affected boys with FraX þ Aut from the milder FraX þ PDD cohort. Models incorporating language, adaptive communication, and adaptive socialization skills revealed that socialization was not only the main influence on scores but also a predictor of ASD diagnosis. Altogether, our findings demonstrate
MELT PATTERNS IN ICE OVER SHALLOW WATERS

Evidence is presented that convection as well as pressure may be involved in the formation of the cell-like melt centers that are often seen in ice sheets formed over natural waters. Pressure due to the weight of snow supplies the primary force necessary to cause the flow of water producing the melting. Convective overturning of the water under the ice and the consequent differential melting of the underside of the ice are thought to influence the position at which the melt centers become established. Temperature data are given showing the presence of convective overturning of shallow water under ice due to solar radiation absorption there. Pressure measurements are also given, indicating the change in the equilibrium water level with reference to a 25-cm thick ice cover immediately after a heavy snowfall.
Phased array pulsed ring-down source synchronization with a GPS based timing system

A collaborative effort at Texas Tech University on high power RF transmitters has directly translated to the development of phased array pulsed ring down sources (PRDS). By operating an array of PRDS, peak radiating power on target can theoretically be increased to the squared of N sources. The primary limitation on the application of the array concept is the jitter with which the individual sources can be fired. An ideal jitter of a small fraction of the risetime is required to accurately synchronize the array to steer and preserve the amplitude of the radiated pulse. This paper describes in detail the implementation of a GPS based timing system that will synchronize the operation of each of the elements of a geospatially distributed phased array to maximize the peak power delivered to a single position. Theoretical array performance is shown through Monte Carlo simulations, accounting for switch jitter and a range of GPS timing jitter. Each module will include a control unit, low jitter pulser, low jitter spark gap, antenna element, as well as a GPS receiver. The location of each module is transmitted to a central controller, which calculates and dictates when each element is fired. Low jitter in the timing of the GPS reference signal is essential in synchronizing each element to deliver the maximum power. Testing using a preliminary setup using GPS technology is conducted with both 1 pps and 100 pps outputs. Jitter results between modules are recorded to ~10 ns without any correction factors and 1-2 ns with simple averaging. With the timing and geospatial errors taken into account, the proposed concept will show usable gains at phased array operating frequencies up to several hundred MHz.
If you Could Naught Yourself for an Instant: Meister Eckhart and the Mystical Unconscious

AbstractThis article sets out to articulate Meister Eckhart's understanding of subjectivity as split between a possessive self and a detached ground of the soul. Because identifying with one necessarily entails relinquishing the other, Eckhart tells his listeners to abandon the possessive soul that wills and knows in favour of an empty soul that is inhabited by God. But this God cannot be known, desired, or understood, since the cogito has already abandoned the site of subjectivity to make room for God. So God as well is split, between what the word God signifies to the cogito in the world of linguistic dualities, and a nameless apophatic God beyond all knowing. This article will set out to compare Eckhart's understanding of this split subject with that of psychoanalyst Jacques Lacan, who similarly speaks of the subject as split between a thinking self and a self that is only where it is not thinking. Because Lacan explicitly adopts apophatic techniques to explain the subject's relation to an Other that h...
Pluripotent Stem Cells: Sources and Characterization

Pluripotent human stem cells, including embryonic stem (ES) cells and induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells, hold tremendous promise as a source of progenitor cells and terminally differentiated cells in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine applications. Pluripotent stem cells are capable of unlimited self-renewal and have the ability to differentiate to clinically relevant cell types in each of the three germ lineages. ES cells were first derived from the inner cell mass of the blastocyst, while iPS cells can be generated from differentiated cells by stimulating expression of transcription factors that regulate pluripotency. This chapter discusses advances in deriving, characterizing, and culturing pluripotent human stem cell lines, with a focus on using these lines as a cell source for tissue engineering applications.
Another Look at Idiosyncratic Volatility and Expected Returns

We conduct comprehensive analyses of the return characteristics of stock portfolios sorted by idiosyncratic volatility. We show that the relationship between idiosyncratic volatility and expected stock returns depends on whether the portfolio is composed of stocks with extreme performance and whether the returns are computed over January and non-January months. The dominance of loser stocks in December and a reversal effect in the subsequent month lead to a positive relation between idiosyncratic volatility and portfolio returns in January. Whereas for other months, the impact of past winner stocks dominates and a negative relation is observed due to the return reversal of these winner stocks. Our study contributes to the understanding of how January effect and short-term return reversal can lead to different relation between idiosyncratic volatility and expected returns.
Additional Imaging in Alert Trauma Patients with Cervical Spine Tenderness and a Negative Computed Tomographic Scan: Is it Needed?

Background The value of additional imaging in clearing the cervical spine (C-spine) of alert trauma patients with tenderness on clinical exam and a negative computed tomographic (CT) scan is still unclear.
Perisurgical use of epoetin alfa in orthopedic surgery patients.

In order to avoid exposure to allogeneic blood, perisurgical administration of epoetin alfa has been proposed as an alternative to autologous blood (AB) predonation in patients who are unable or unwilling to donate AB prior to elective surgery. The efficacy of perisurgical epoetin alfa to reduce allogeneic blood exposure was investigated in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study in 200 patients unable to participate in an AB predonation program who were scheduled for orthopedic surgery with expected blood loss > or = 2 units. Epoetin alfa (100 IU/kg or 300 IU/kg) was administered daily by subcutaneous (s.c.) injection, commencing 10 days preoperatively and continuing until day 4 postoperatively (15 doses in total). All patients received oral iron supplementation. Patients treated with epoetin alfa required significantly fewer (P < .001) allogeneic transfusion compared with placebo, and this effect of epoetin alfa was particularly evident in the subgroup of patients with baseline hemoglobin (Hb) levels of more than 10 to < or = 13 g/dL. In terms of the reduction in allogeneic blood exposure, no significant difference was evident between epoetin alfa regimens. Epoetin alfa was well tolerated. Although 15 s.c. doses of epoetin alfa 100 IU/kg appears to be the optimum dosage regimen in patients scheduled for orthopedic surgery, a presurgical simulation study in 24 healthy volunteers suggested that two s.c. doses of epoetin alfa 600 IU/kg in 10 days prior to expected surgery may be a suitable regimen for further study. However, the optimum timing of epoetin alfa administration in relation to surgery remains to be established. A finding consistent to all studies is that adequate iron supplementation (most probably in parenteral form) is necessary to optimize the erythropoietic response to epoetin alfa in the surgical setting.
T. S. Eliot and Metaphysical Laughter: A Phenomenology of Reading

Since its early reception in the world of letters, T. S. Eliot’s short poem, “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock,” has been praised as an original study of the modern malaise and also rebuked for testing the intellectual patience of its readers. The poem has been examined as a representation of modernity itself and also read as an anticipation of Eliot’s later stance as a religious poet and social critic. However, the purpose of this paper has been determined according to what might be called the poem’s appeal to the modern reader, which, in my view, undercuts both a purely thematic treatment of literature and the more dogmatic approach that emphasizes the emergence of a religious motif in much modern writing. By examining the place of the reader in “Prufrock,” therefore, I will discuss how the poem itself can be appreciated as an attempt to elicit “metaphysical laughter” through metonymy, irony and comic excess, and to engage the reader in a new quest for spiritual abundance.
Highly Efficient Selective Hydrogenation of Cinnamaldehyde to Cinnamyl Alcohol over Gold Supported on Zinc Oxide Materials

Au/ZnO catalysts have been used for liquid-phase selective hydrogenation of cinnamaldehyde to cinnamyl alcohol and compared with Au/Fe2O3 catalysts. To investigate the influence of the support on the hydrogenation activity and selectivity, three different Au/ZnO catalysts were synthesized, including Au/rod-tetrapod ZnO, Au/porous ZnO, and Au/ZnO-CP prepared using a coprecipitation method. The influence of calcination temperature was also systematically investigated in this study. The characterization of Au/ZnO catalysts was performed using ICP, N2 adsorption/desorption isotherms, X-ray diffraction, scanning transmission electron microscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Among all the supported Au catalysts prepared in this study, Au/ZnO-CP exhibits both the highest hydrogenation activity and selectivity. Using a 1.5% Au/ZnO-CP catalyst, 100% selectivity could be achieved with 94.9% conversion. We find that the Au particle (size and shape), the ZnO support (size and surface texture) and the interac...
Angularly symmetric splitting of a light beam upon reflection and refraction at an air-dielectric plane boundary: reply.

Conditions for achieving equal and opposite angular deflections of a light beam by reflection and refraction at an air-dielectric boundary are determined. Such angularly symmetric beam splitting (ASBS) is possible only if the angle of incidence is >60° by exactly one third of the angle of refraction. This simple law, plus Snell's law, leads to several analytical results that clarify all aspects of this phenomenon. In particular, it is shown that the intensities of the two symmetrically deflected beams can be equalized by proper choice of the prism refractive index and the azimuth of incident linearly polarized light. ASBS enables a geometrically attractive layout of optical systems that employ multiple prism beam splitters.
Thermal stability of amorphous SiOC/crystalline Fe composite

We examined the thermal stability of amorphous silicon oxycarbide (SiOC) and crystalline Fe composite by in situ and ex situ annealing. The Fe/SiOC multilayer thin films were grown via magnetron sputtering with controlled length scales on a surface-oxidized Si (100) substrate. These Fe/SiOC multilayers were in situ or ex situ annealed at temperature of 600 °C or lower. The thin multilayer sample (~10 nm) was observed to have a layer breakdown after 600 °C annealing. Diffusion starts from low groove angle triple junctions in Fe layers. In contrast, the thick multilayer structure (~70 nm) was found to be stable and an intermixed layer (FexSiyOz) was observed after 600 °C annealing. The thickness of the intermixed layer does not vary as annealing time goes up. The results suggest that the FexSiyOz layer can impede further Fe, Si and O diffusion, and assists in maintaining morphological stability.
Thrombospondin 1, fibronectin, and vitronectin are differentially dependent upon RAS, ERK1/2, and p38 for induction of vascular smooth muscle cell chemotaxis.

Background: Thrombospondin 1 (TSP-1), fibronectin (Fn), and vitronectin (Vn) promote vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) chemotaxis through a variety of second messenger systems, including Ras, ERK 1/2, and p38. Hypothesis: Ras, ERK1/2, and p38 differentially affect TSP-1-, Fn-, and Vn-induced VSMC chemotaxis. Methods: Bovine VSMCs were transfected with Ras N 17 or treated with the following inhibitors: a farnesyl protein transferase (FPT) inhibitor, PD098059 (ERK1/2 inhibitor), or SB202190 (p38 inhibitor). Thrombospondin 1, Fn, and Vn were used as chemoattractants. Results were analyzed by analysis of variance (ANOVA) with post hoc testing (P < .05). Results: Ras N17 transfection or FPT inhibitor treatment inhibited TSP-1-, Fn-, and Vn-induced chemotaxis. PD098059 or SB202190 resulted in more inhibition of VSMC migration to TSP-1 than to Fn or Vn. Conclusions: Ras appears equally relevant in the signal transduction pathways of TSP-1-, Fn-, and Vn-induced VSMC chemotaxis. Thrombospondin 1-induced migration is more dependent upon ERK1/2 and p38 than Fn- or Vn-included migration.
Kinetic effects of sulfur oxidation on catalytic nitrile hydration: nitrile hydratase insights from bioinspired ruthenium(II) complexes.

Kinetic investigations inspired by the metalloenzyme nitrile hydratase were performed on a series of ruthenium(II) complexes to determine the effect of sulfur oxidation on catalytic nitrile hydration. The rate of benzonitrile hydration was quantified as a function of catalyst, nitrile, and water concentrations. Precatalysts LnRuPPh3 (n = 1–3; L1 = 4,7-bis(2′-methyl-2′-mercapto-propyl)-1-thia-4,7-diazacyclononane; L2 = 4-(2′-methyl-2′-sulfinatopropyl)-7-(2′-methyl-2′-mercapto-propyl)-1-thia-4,7-diazacyclononane; L3 = 4-(2′-methyl-2′-sulfinatopropyl)-7-(2′-methyl-2′-sulfenato-propyl)-1-thia-4,7-diazacyclononane) were activated by substitution of triphenylphosphine with substrate in hot dimethylformamide solution. Rate measurements are consistent with a dynamic equilibrium between inactive aqua (LnRu–OH2) and active nitrile (LnRu–NCR) derivatives with K = 21 ± 1, 9 ± 0.9, and 23 ± 3 for L1 to L3, respectively. Subsequent hydration of the LnRu–NCR intermediate yields the amide product with measured hydration ...
SU-F-I-14: 3D Breast Digital Phantom for XACT Imaging

Purpose: The X-ray induced acoustic computed tomography (XACT) is a new imaging modality which combines X-ray contrast and high ultrasonic resolution in a single modality. Using XACT in breast imaging, a 3D breast volume can be imaged by only one pulsed X-ray radiation, which could dramatically reduce the imaging dose for patients undergoing breast cancer screening and diagnosis. A 3D digital phantom that contains both X-ray properties and acoustic properties of different tissue types is indeed needed for developing and optimizing the XACT system. The purpose of this study is to offer a realistic breast digital phantom as a valuable tool for improving breast XACT imaging techniques and potentially leading to better diagnostic outcomes. Methods: A series of breast CT images along the coronal plane from a patient who has breast calcifications are used as the source images. A HU value based segmentation algorithm is employed to identify breast tissues in five categories, namely the skin tissue, fat tissue, glandular tissue, chest bone and calcifications. For each pixel, the dose related parameters, such as material components and density, and acoustic related parameters, such as frequency-dependent acoustic attenuation coefficient and bandwidth, are assigned based on tissue types. Meanwhile, other parameters which are used in sound propagation, including the sound speed, thermal expansion coefficient, and heat capacity are also assigned to each tissue. Results: A series of 2D tissue type image is acquired first and the 3D digital breast phantom is obtained by using commercial 3D reconstruction software. When giving specific settings including dose depositions and ultrasound center frequency, the X-ray induced initial pressure rise can be calculated accordingly. Conclusion: The proposed 3D breast digital phantom represents a realistic breast anatomic structure and provides a valuable tool for developing and evaluating the system performance for XACT.
Bionanomaterials for the Skin: More than Just Size

Bionanomaterials are considered to be biological molecules (peptides, proteins/antibodies/enzymes, nucleic acids, lipids, mono-/oligo-/polysaccharides) with nanosize dimensions. Some hybrid entities containing a biological part in conjunction with an inorganic one are included in this type of materials as well. When used in skin applications, bionanomaterials may be functionally active (therapeutic agents, catalysts, skin care agents) or passive (used as vehicles, coatings, scaffolds).
Sliding-Mode Tracking Control of Surface Vessels

A sliding-mode control law is presented and experimentally implemented for trajectory tracking of underactuated autonomous surface vessels. The control law is developed by introducing a first-order sliding surface in terms of surge tracking errors and a second-order surface in terms of lateral motion tracking errors. The resulting sliding-mode control law guarantees position tracking while the rotational motion remains bounded. The experimental vessel is a small boat with two propellers in an indoor pool. The position and orientation of the boat are measured using a camera that detects two infrared diodes attached near the front and back ends of the boat. A computer with a capture card processes the camera image to determine the position, calculates the control forces and their corresponding input voltages, and sends the control signals to wireless receivers on the vessel using a wireless transmitter. Several experiments are performed where the vessel accurately follows straight-line and circular trajectories.
Power, Metaphor, and the Closing of a Social Networking Site

This project expands root-metaphor analysis by examining the closure of a once popular social networking site, advancing critical interrogation of ownership vs. the idea of online spaces as “communities.” Yahoo! 360° participants used private sphere root-metaphors of home, family, and community constituting a space of intimacy, camaraderie, and care. The closing exposed previously unseen power differentials between participants and Yahoo! Participants reacted by using the metaphor of war and violence to frame the actions of Yahoo!
Automated Bone Segmentation and Surface Evaluation of a Small Animal Model of Post-Traumatic Osteoarthritis

MicroCT imaging allows for noninvasive microstructural evaluation of mineralized bone tissue, and is essential in studies of small animal models of bone and joint diseases. Automatic segmentation and evaluation of articular surfaces is challenging. Here, we present a novel method to create knee joint surface models, for the evaluation of PTOA-related joint changes in the rat using an atlas-based diffeomorphic registration to automatically isolate bone from surrounding tissues. As validation, two independent raters manually segment datasets and the resulting segmentations were compared to our novel automatic segmentation process. Data were evaluated using label map volumes, overlap metrics, Euclidean distance mapping, and a time trial. Intraclass correlation coefficients were calculated to compare methods, and were greater than 0.90. Total overlap, union overlap, and mean overlap were calculated to compare the automatic and manual methods and ranged from 0.85 to 0.99. A Euclidean distance comparison was also performed and showed no measurable difference between manual and automatic segmentations. Furthermore, our new method was 18 times faster than manual segmentation. Overall, this study describes a reliable, accurate, and automatic segmentation method for mineralized knee structures from microCT images, and will allow for efficient assessment of bony changes in small animal models of PTOA.
THE IMPACT OF POSITIVE SCHOOL EXPERIENCES AND SCHOOL SES ON DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS IN CHINESE CHILDREN: A MULTILEVEL INVESTIGATION

The current study investigates the effects of teacher support, school connectedness, and school socioeconomic status (SES) on youth depressive symptoms. Data were collected from a sample of 881 students in Grade 6 from 10 primary schools in Northwest China. Hierarchical linear modeling indicated that higher levels of teacher support, school connectedness, and school SES were significantly associated with fewer depressive symptoms. Further, the relationships between school-level SES and youth depressive symptoms varied by the participant’s perceived level of teacher support and perceived level of school connectedness. These findings underscore the importance of positive school experiences on child psychological outcomes. Implications for future research on Chinese youth are discussed.
Not your parent’s NIH clinical trial

The National Institutes of Health has broadened its definition and changed the reporting requirements for ‘clinical trials’. What are the implications for basic human behavioural and brain science?
Is Social Work Prepared for Diversity in Hospice and Palliative Care

The purpose of this article is to assess current and future trends in hospice and palliative care with the objective of informing culturally appropriate best practice for social work. Concern for the intersectionality of racial, ethnic, social, and other differences in end-of-life (EOL) care is imperative given the ever growing range of diversity characteristics among the increasing aging populations in the United States. A review of literature from the current decade that is pertinent to the profession contributes to the ability of social work to consider evidence and build agreement germane to EOL practice settings. Administrative reports, government data, academic literature, professional standards, and assessment tools contribute to the profession's ability to work toward cultural competence and develop practice strategies for EOL care. The varied roles held by social workers across health care arenas provide a unique opportunity to promote cultural competence and advance best practice on all levels of work.
Persistent macular puckering following excision of causative orbital tumor.

Abstract Purpose To describe the clinical course of a patient with a retrobulbar orbital tumor causing myopic shift and macular pucker. Observation Following complete surgical removal of a retrobulbar orbital cavernous hemangioma, the myopic shift improved but the macular pucker persisted even 3 years after orbital surgery, with no sign of tumor recurrence. Conclusion and importance Chorioretinal folds secondary to chronic mechanical force from an orbital tumor may persist long after the tumor is removed. This case may assist ophthalmologists in their discussions with, and counseling of, patients regarding visual prognosis following excision of orbital tumors that are causing retinal changes.
The SPACE Computer Code for Analyzing the International Space Station Electrical Power System: Past, Present, and Future

The System Power Analysis for Capability Evaluation (SPACE) computer code was initially developed by NASA in 1988 to assess the Space Station Freedom electric power system and later adapted to support contractor electrical power system capability analyses for the International Space Station (ISS). Over time, the code has supported many efforts such as ISS redesign activities in the early 1990s, assessment of time-phased loads against power system operating limits for future ISS assembly flights (including Certification of Flight Readiness reviews by the ISS program office), and determining the optimum solar array gimbal positions while respecting keep-out zones which minimize both solar array contamination and structural loads. The code has been validated by comparisons with ISS on-orbit data in multiple validation episodes. Recent updates to the code include the incorporation of a Lithium-Ion battery model in addition to the Nickel Hydrogen battery model and modifications to the solar array degradation model to better match on-orbit test results. SPACE has also been extended beyond the ISS to include modeling of the Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle electrical power system (SPACE-MPCV) and Mars Surface Electrical Power Systems (MSEPS). Portions of SPACE were integrated with a trajectory code to form a Solar Electric Propulsion Simulation (SEPSim), which can be used for analyzing solar electric propulsion missions. In addition, SPACE methods and subroutines have been adapted to a multitude of other projects. This paper summarizes the initial code development and subsequent code utilization in the context of the overall ISS program development and on-orbit operations. Recent updates and results from the code are discussed, including preliminary analyses for the Orion power system.
The Discriminant and Stickelberger’s Theorem

In this chapter we describe a technique for deciding whether a given polynomial in ℤp[x], p an odd prime, has an odd or an even number of distinct irreducible factors. The theorem is this:Stickelberger“s Theorem. Let p be an odd prime, f a monk polynomial of degree d with coefficients in ℤp[x], without repeated roots in any splitting field. Let r be the number of irreducible factors of f in ℤp[x]. Then r≡d (mod 2) iff the discriminant D(f) is a square in ℤp. .
Development of a Total 3D CAD/CAM System for Electric Appliances

This paper presents an overview of a 3D CAD/CAM system for electric appliances. The distinctive features of the system are as follows; 1 The system supports a wide range of design activities, conceptual design, engineering design and production design. 2 The system enables a conceptual designer to evaluate design options based on realistic representations of objects. 3 Various kinematic simulation functions enable engineers to analyze mechanisms.
Multivariable Toeplitz Operators and Index Theory

In these notes we describe the recent progress made in the study of multivariable Toeplitz operators on domains in ℂ n , the C*-algebras generated by these operators and the index theory associated with C*-algebra extensions of Toeplitz type. These results are important for a better understanding of multivariable complex analysis and also connect Toeplitz operators with interesting C*-algebras not of type I, namely foliation C*-algebras and irrational rotation algebras.
One-Class multiple instance learning and applications to target tracking

Existing work in the field of Multiple Instance Learning (MIL) have only looked at the standard two-class problem assuming both positive and negative bags are available. In this work, we propose the first analysis of the one-class version of MIL problem where one is only provided input data in the form of positive bags. We also propose an SVM-based formulation to solve this problem setting. To make the approach computationally tractable we further develop a iterative heuristic algorithm using instance priors. We demonstrate the validity of our approach with synthetic data and compare it with the two-class approach. While previous work in target tracking using MIL have made certain run-time assumptions (such as motion) to address the problem, we generalize the approach and demonstrate the applicability of our work to this problem domain. We develop a scene prior modeling technique to obtain foreground-background priors to aid our one-class MIL algorithm and demonstrate its performance on standard tracking sequences.
Native American Mascots: A Quantitative and Qualitative Study of Students’ Acceptability Perceptions of Native Mascots Versus Theoretical Use of Other Ethnic Groups’ Iconology by Sports Teams

Women are key contributors to an organizational environment, though the stereotypic perceptions about powerful women are common and often negative. Factors such as wage gap differentials between men and women imply that women are not of the same value to an organization’s success as men. Many empirical studies have examined perceptions about women in positions such as managers, CEOs, supervisors or directors. These studies have not, however, focused on how early life environments, and variables related to an individual’s upbringing, might influence the self-perceptions of these women and the roles they play in the workplace. The purpose of this research is to identify 1) perceptions about women in today’s workplace; 2) how individuals’ early life experiences correlate with their later perceptions about women in the workplace, and 3) how early life influences affect women as organizational leaders in groups and dyads. As such, it is hypothesized that this correlational study will discover that early life conditions, such as the quality of education, household income, and demographic data from both male and female genders will influence common attitudes about women in the workplace. The present research also aims to help employees become more aware of company perceptions and to improve gender communication in the workplace. Examining the workplace perceptions of men and women formed by early 1 Rodgers: The Influence of Early Life Conditions on Social Perceptions Published by DigitalCommons@EMU, 76 life influences, and specifically, researching how women work as leaders in an organizational setting can provide information that will be useful in corporate environments. Significant early life predictors can also be used as data for families and schools raising young women to become leaders in the corporate world.
Oral desensitization to entecavir: An 11-step protocol.

Introduction Chronic hepatitis B infection (CH-B) has a high risk of progression to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Entecavir, a guanosine nucleoside analogue, is often the drug of choice in nucleoside-naive patients with CH-B because of its low rate of viral resistance. Case Description 61-year old Caucasian female with a history of cirrhosis secondary to CH-B who presented to the Allergy clinic with a self-reported allergy to Entecavir. She described a history of unilateral throat swelling, left ankle swelling and worsening of her peripheral neuropathy within 7 days of initiating therapy. Her symptoms presented two hours after oral ingestion of her daily antiviral medication. The acute reaction lasted for six hours and completely resolved three days after discontinuation of the medication. The patient was unable to tolerate one of the alternative medications (tenofovir disoproxil fumarate) due to side effects and the other was cost-prohibited (peg INF-alpha). The patient deferred skin or provocation testing. The patient underwent desensitization protocol (Figure 1) without adverse reactions. Furthermore, she reported no side effects with daily entecavir at her 6-month follow-up. The patient had favorable outcomes evident by normal liver enzymes and hepatitis B e antigen seroconversion at 6 months. Discussion To the best of our knowledge, an oral desensitization protocol for Entecavir has not been reported in the literature. We present a successful desensitization to Entecavir in a patient with a previous hypersensitivity reaction.
[Book Review] Homegoing

In Yaa Gyasi’s debut novel Homegoing, two sisters separated by circumstance are born in 18th-century Ghana not far from the Cape Coast Castle. One sister, Effia, marries a white officer employed at the Castle and lives a comfortable life there with her husband and son. The other sister, Esi, is captured during a raid on her village, marched to the Castle, and held in appalling conditions in its dungeons. They reside in the castle together, yet without knowledge of the other’s presence or situation. The two sisters’ stories diverge when Esi is shipped to the southern plantations of the United States as part of the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade. The rest of the novel follows the two branches of the family through seven generations in portrait-like chapters that alternate between describing the descendants of Effia and those of Esi. Not only does the story illustrate how the legacy of slavery impacts the two lineages generations after emancipation, but it describes an expansive scope of Black history and the relations between Africans and African-Americans through personal narrative. What is impressive about the tale is that it utilizes thorough and complex character development to move forward the histories of two nations over the span of 300 years. The shortness of each characters’ individual story builds the intensity of each chapter packing every paragraph with emotion. Understanding Gyasi’s deep personal connection to the story makes it clear why Gyasi was able to depict each character with such nuanced detail. She is telling a fictionalized version of her own family history, based off of her experience straddling Ghana’s and America’s two histories.