cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Distributed cyclic motion control of multiple UAVs for wildfire monitoring

This work focuses on the use of a swarm of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for fire front monitoring applications. Typically, fire monitoring relies on satellite imagery or manned aircraft missions for tracking fire spread. However, both methods have limitations in terms of accuracy and safety. In this paper the authors establish a framework for cooperative, persistent tracking of a dynamic perimeter using a swarm of UAVs with an emphasis on improved accuracy and reduced delays in the tracking process. The objective is to implement a coordinated, cyclic movement of the UAVs around the evolving fire perimeter thereby facilitating efficient tracking even with a limited number of agents. An expanding closed-curve model is introduced in order to represent a growing fire and the perimeter tracking process is demonstrated using numerical simulations. The control framework comprises of two aspects: (1) radial tracking of the perimeter by each UAV based on the fire boundary it perceives within its field of view, and (2) coordinated cyclic movement of the UAVs around the growing perimeter based on artificial potential functions that govern inter-UAV dynamics. Control vectors incorporating both the aspects are implemented in this study. It is demonstrated by means of simulation results that, interestingly, the multi-agent system of UAVs converges to stable configurations under both static and dynamic perimeter tracking scenarios. Additionally, the accuracy of perimeter tracking and spatial distribution while in cyclic pursuit is investigated. The article concludes with a discussion of directions of further research.Copyright © 2010 by ASME
Implicit and incorrect assumptions concerning the assessment of the latino in the United States

Most of the research on the assessment of the intelligence of Latinos in the United States has shown that they score significantly lower than Anglo-Americans on a variety of standard measures of intellectual functioning. Before taking such data at face value and drawing premature generalizations, a number of erroneous often implicitly made assumptions are reviewed in this paper. An evaluation of the evidence for each of the assumptions indicates that much of the data gathered about Latinos, as well as many of the instruments used to gather it, have grown out of a tradition frought with problems, both moral and methodoligical. Suggestions are given on ways to restructure assessment procedures so that data collected are more germane to the development of programming for the Latino population.
Tourism Marketing in an Era of Paradigm Shift

The present article synthesizes the latest discussion on the future paradigm of marketing. Three alternative marketing perspectives are discussed: relationship marketing, the network approach, and the service-dominant logic. Additionally, their relevance to the field of tourism marketing is highlighted. It is revealed that tourism marketing researchers have started to echo the new marketing thoughts, although in-depth conceptual exploration is still lacking. Finally, the implications of these new marketing conceptualizations on tourism research, practices, and teaching are discussed, and it is concluded that the present tourism marketing research could be improved by putting more emphasis on strategy research and conceptual thinking.
Abstract 2811: GPC1 promotes tumor growth and angiogenesis in a KrasG12D- Driven mouse model of pancreatic cancer

Proceedings: AACR 102nd Annual Meeting 2011‐‐ Apr 2‐6, 2011; Orlando, FL Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is an extremely aggressive malignancy that is highly therapy-resistant and is the fourth leading cause of cancer-related deaths. The poor prognosis is due, in part, to late diagnosis in conjunction with a high frequency of activating Kras mutations, a loss of the tumor suppressor genes p16INK4A/p14ARF, as well as an over-abundance of heparin-binding growth factors (HBGFs) and their co-receptors. Glypican-1 (GPC1), a co-receptor required for efficient signaling by heparin-binding growth factors, is overexpressed in PDAC and plays a critical role in cell growth, metastasis, and angiogenesis of human and mouse cancer cells. While it is known that the loss of GPC1 results in decreased tumor growth and metastasis in orthotopic mouse models, GPC1's role in pancreatic tumor initiation, development, and progression is unknown. Accordingly, we generated a GPC1 null mouse that combines pancreas-specific Cre-mediated activation of oncogenic Kras (KrasG12D) and deletion of a conditional Ink4a/Arf tumor suppressor allele. Loss of GPC1 resulted in attenuated pancreatic tumor growth and invasiveness, as well as decreased angiogenesis, cancer cell proliferation, and mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) activation. These differences were first observed in 30 day old mice and were still highly significant in 65 day old mice. Moreover, pancreatic cancer cells isolated from the tumors of GPC1 null mice were not as invasive in response to fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF2) as cancer cells isolated from wild-type mice. These data demonstrate in a genetic mouse model of PDAC that GPC1 does not contribute to pancreatic cancer initiation, but that even in the presence of two highly prevalent molecular alterations (oncogenic Kras and loss of p16) endogenous GPC1 contributes to PDAC progression by facilitating tumor growth, angiogenesis, and invasion. Our findings support the concept that GPC1 may be a therapeutic target in PDAC. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 2811. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-2811
A survey of post-communist electoral institutions: 1990-1998

This essay surveys the rules of parliamentary elections in Central and East European and post-Soviet states. As the post-communist countries emerge from sweeping institutional change, new electoral institutions vary considerably. Whether the sources of this variation are historical or lie in socio-economic and geographic characteristics of these countries or in the paths of elite-led negotiations, institutional specifics will account for much of the differences within a region’s democratic development. Between 1990 and 1998, more than 60 parliamentary elections were held in two dozen post-communist countries. Since electoral laws include numerous provisions and regulations dealing with many aspects of candidate nomination, campaigning, vote counting and vote observing, some selection of what to report as relevant variables for comparing electoral mechanisms is necessary. It is my goal to focus the discussion in this essay on characteristics of electoral systems that will affect forming party systems in the post-communist countries. The selection of relevant institutional variables has to rely on some preliminary knowledge about their potential effect on parties. While institutional literature generally addresses the impact of electoral rules on proportionality in seat allocation and on party system fragmentation (Taagapera and Shugart, 1989; Lijphart, 1994; Cox, 1997), even when limiting ourselves to reporting institutional features that could influence the disproportionality or multipar
Towers of Hanoi and London: Contribution of Working Memory and Inhibition to Performance ☆

The Tower of Hanoi and Tower of London have become well-established executive function tasks that presumably tap cognitive skills mediated by the frontal cortex. It has been assumed that the two tower tasks are more or less interchangeable and that both measure working memory and inhibition processes. These assumptions were tested in a study involving 37 normal college volunteers (M age = 20 years). Participants were administered the Tower of Hanoi (TOH), Tower of London-Revised (TOL-R), two working memory tests, and two tests of inhibition. The two tower tasks correlated significantly (r = .39), but only moderately. The working memory and inhibition variables explained over one-half of the variance in TOL-R performance; however, there was a relatively weaker contribution of inhibition to TOH performance.
Characterization of the Interface of Heterogeneous Blends of Polycarbonate and Polyfluorostyrene by 13C−19F REDOR NMR

Blends of one part of carbonyl- 13 C, ring- 13 C, or methyl- 13 C-labeled polycarbonate with nine parts of poly(p-fluorostyrene) or poly(o-fluorostyrene) have been examined by 13 C- 19 F rotational-echo double-resonance NMR. The immiscible blends were formed by precipitation from choloroform solution into methanol. After being annealed at 180 °C, the blends consist of domains of polycarbonate (average diameter of 36 nm) dispersed in a matrix of polyfluorostyrene. There are no kinetically trapped polycarbonate chains. The interface is tightly packed, with an average polycarbonate-polyfluorostyrene nearest-neighbor separation of labels of less than 4 A. The interface is also partially ordered, with the 19 F distances to the polycarbonate isopropylidene moiety greater than to the carbonate group. Despite the tight packing at the interface, polycarbonate ring dynamics in chains nearest to polyfluorostyrene are indistinguishable from those in bulk polycarbonate.
Pharmacologic Management of Childhood Asthma

1. Gary S. Rachelefsky 1. Clinical Associate Professor of Pediatrics and Co-Director, Pediatric Allergy Clinic, UCLA School of Medicine, Los Angeles, California Asthma is characterized by an increased responsiveness of the airways to various stimuli, which results in narrowing of the airways and in a prolongation of the expiratory phase of respiration; in the early phase the airway obstruction is usually completely reversible, either spontaneously or as a result of therapy. There are three therapeutic approaches to asthma: the avoidance of allergens and irritants causing or aggravating the disease; the use of immunotherapy; and the use of pharmacologic agents. Increasing knowledge of the pathophysiologic aspects of bronchial asthma in the past decade has led to significant advances in its pharmacologic management. The basic alteration of respiratory function is an increased resistance to flow of air through the airway secondary to a combination of three factors: smooth muscle spasm, mucosal edema, and retained viscid secretions. In mild asthma and during remissions the airways less than 2 mm in diameter (the small airways) are obstructed, whereas during an acute attack and with chronicity, both small and large airways are involved. Although both phases of respirations are affected, the increased airway obstruction is more pronounced during expiration. EVALUATION OF THE ASTHMATIC CHILD The diagnosis of asthma is based on history, characteristic physical findings and laboratory tests. Asthmatic attacks of infants are usually associated with viral upper respiratory infections; the infants are usually febrile and frequently have otitis media.
The Roots of Civil Society: A Model of Voluntary Association Prevalence Applied to Data on Larger Contemporary Nations

Based on a literature review, a theory of voluntary association prevalence in nations of the world is proposed. Greater associational prevalence is hypothesized to result from certain societal background factors (greater population size, and more favorable historical/cultural/environmental interface), aspects of basic societal structure (more permissive political control, greater modernization, more developed non-associational organizational field, and greater ethno-religious heterogeneity), and societal mobilization factors (aggregate resource mobilization for associations, aggregate social cohesion). Archival data on larger contemporary nations strongly confirm most of the model independently for two separate time periods, the 1970s and early 1990s. The ethno-religious heterogeneity variable is not confirmed as significant. No suitable data were available to test aggregate social cohesion as part of the empirical model tested. The results have important policy implications for the roots of civil society...
Unsteady Lift and Radiated Sound from a Wake Cutting Airfoil

An experimental study of the transient response of an airfoil to a passing wake, commonly known as "wake cutting," has been carried out in order to contribute to the basic understanding of interaction between successive blade rows in turbomachinery. An open jet was traversed periodically by moving circular rods in pinwheel fashion and a periodic row of oblique wakes was created. An instrumented airfoil was placed in the jet and microphones were used to obtain the radiated field. By using periodic sampling and averaging technique on all signals, the random, turbulent portion was suppressed, and only the periodic component was extracted. The periodic component of the instantaneous chordwise surface pressure distribution on the airfoil and the radiated sound field from the airfoil were measured and compared with the existing theories.
Finding Your Niche During the MOOC Revolution

Elmhurst College, a small, four-year, liberal arts college, identified its niche and used partnerships to develop and market a successful MOOC promoting its programs in geospatial science. The authors explain how the same process may help you to identify and launch MOOCs to a niche audience.
Phonon super-radiance

Abstract Phonon instabilities are examined in a simple model hamiltonian involving two electronic states coupled to a single phonon mode. When the transition between electronic states is pumped by an external source, the phonon mode can be driven into coherent oscillation; in polymer systems this coherence may extend over macroscopic distances. Experimental situations in which such macroscopic coherence might be observed are considered.
Differences in the sequential integration of form as a function of age and interstimulus interval.

Abstract The sequential integration of visual stimuli was studied in 12 young (18–28 years) and 12 old (51–62 years) men and women. Stimuli were constructed as corresponding word halves and inter-stimulus intervals (ISI's) of varied duration (0–150 msec.) were introduced between the presentations of the two halves. Correct word identification was found to be an inverse function of ISI for both young and old subjects. The number of stimuli correctly identified was significantly lower for the older subjects at all levels of ISI. None of the interactions of age, sex, and ISI was significant. The data appear to question the “stimulus persistence” model as applied to age differences in the temporal organization of form.
Myostatin blockade improves function but not histopathology in a murine model of limb-girdle muscular dystrophy 2C.

Myostatin is a negative regulator of skeletal muscle growth. Myostatin mutations and pharmacological strategies increase muscle mass in vivo, suggesting that myostatin blockade may prove useful in diseases characterized by muscle wasting, such as the muscular dystrophies. We subjected the -sarcoglycan- deficient (Sgcg / ) mouse model of limb- girdle muscular dystrophy (LGMD) 2C to antibody-mediated myostatin blockade in vivo. Myostatin inhibition led to increased fiber size, muscle mass, and absolute force. However, no clear improvement in muscle histo- pathology was evident, demonstrating discordance between physiological and histological improvement. These results and previous studies on the dy w /dy w mouse model of congenital muscular dystrophy and in the late- stage -sarcoglycan- deficient (Sgcd / ) mouse model of LGMD2F docu- ment disease-specific limitations to therapeutic strategies based on myosta- tin blockade in the more severe mouse models of different muscular dystrophies. Muscle Nerve 37: 308 -316, 2008
The effect of uniform and non-uniform illumination upon attention and reaction-times, with especial reference to street illumination

Examined the effects of uniform and non-uniform illumination upon attention and reaction times. Two sets of experiments were conducted in the street and in the laboratory. The first set of experiments were conducted in 2 sections of an avenue. In one section, series of circuits fed lamps were mounted at the curb with an alternative system of centrally hung lamps. In the other section, lamps were suspended from span wires and could be moved to any position. The experiments in the laboratory were performed in an interior room with black walls, indirectly illuminated by light reflected from the white ceiling, on 10 Ss. Results show that the auditory choice reaction time was quicker, the attention more alert and the efficiency in motor coordination greater under a non-uniform illumination than under a uniform one. Concludes that non-uniform illumination was more conducive than uniform, to safety on the street. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
Symptoms of alcohol dependence and smoking initiation and persistence: A longitudinal study among US adults

Abstract Background A large number of adults report symptoms of, but do not meet diagnostic criteria for, an alcohol use disorder. Yet, little is known about the relationship between symptoms of alcohol use disorders and the initiation and persistence of smoking. This study prospectively examines the relationship between having 1–2 symptoms of alcohol dependence (without abuse) and smoking initiation and persistence as well as nicotine dependence over a 3-year period among adults in the United States. Methods Data were drawn from Wave 1 (2001–2002) and Wave 2 (2004–2005) of the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions. Relationships between Wave 1 symptoms of alcohol dependence, alcohol abuse, and alcohol dependence and initiation and persistence of cigarette smoking and nicotine dependence at Wave 2 were examined using logistic regression analyses. Analyses were adjusted for demographics, mood and anxiety disorders. Results Symptoms of alcohol dependence were associated with smoking initiation at Wave 2. There was no association between symptoms of alcohol dependence and smoking persistence. Symptoms of alcohol dependence predicted incident and persistent nicotine dependence. Findings persisted after adjusting for demographic characteristics and mood/anxiety disorders. Conclusions Even 1–2 symptoms of alcohol dependence are associated with increased vulnerability to smoking initiation and onset and persistence of nicotine dependence at a similar strength as alcohol use disorders. Efforts at smoking cessation must address problematic alcohol use, even at the subclinical level, in order to improve efficacy.
A hard row to hoe: farming on the economic frontier under incomplete property rights

Farmers on the economic frontier often do not have clear titles to their land. Therefore, using an infinite-horizon representative agent model calibrated with data for the Brazilian Amazon, this paper analyzes how improved property rights influence the frontier farmer's investment in the land, as well as the farmer's consumption and debt. Three channels through which property rights affect these variables are identified in the analysis. Two involve the expenditure the farmer incurs to defend the land claim, and the third involves the interest rate premium the farmer faces when borrowing without a clear title to the land. Variants of the model allow for labor to defend the land claim and for endogenous property rights. The findings suggest a need and direction for further, empirical research, particularly with regard to informal institutional arrangements, measures of property rights and the means by which they are defended.
Default Estimation and Expert Information

Default is a rare event, even in segments in the midrange of a bank’s portfolio. Inference about default rates is essential for risk management and for compliance with the requirements of Basel II. Most commercial loans are in the middle-risk categories and are to unrated companies. Expert information is crucial in inference about defaults. A Bayesian approach is proposed and illustrated using a prior distribution assessed from an industry expert. The binomial model, most common in applications, is extended to allow correlated defaults. A check of robustness is illustrated with an e-mixture of priors.
Study of Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle Plant Interaction and Control

This paper discusses the model features and preliminary results of an analytical simulation control study of an integrated gasification combined cycle plant, incorporating air blown, fixed bed gasifiers. This effort is being conducted under an EPRI contract. The general scope of the study effort and the model capabilities are discussed. In addition, dynamic simulations utilizing various fuel system subloop and station control logic are presented and their implications with respect to power system response and fuel system excursions are described.Copyright © 1979 by ASME
Enhancing ethical decision support methods: clarifying the solution space with line drawing

Ethical decision support procedures have an underlying difficulty in that they do not clearly distinguish the varying impacts of the constituent features of the examined ethical situation. The failure to recognize these features and their varying impacts leads to two critical problems; the risk of removing positive ethical elements as well as negative ones when mitigating the ethical problem, and missing some viable alternative actions. A modified version of line drawing is presented as a way to address these two problems when it is used as an adjunct to already established decision techniques.
Induction of ovulation in hypophysectomized rats by progesterone.

Hypophysectomy performed at 1550 hr on proestrous day blocked ovulation in 4-day cyclic rats kept under 14 L, 10 D (light on 0500 hr), although a sharp rise of peripheral LH level had already been initiated by 1500 hr in intact animals. Three successive injections of 5 or 10 mg progesterone to animals hypophysectomized at 1550 hr beginning at time of operation resulted in complete restoration of ovulation. This restoration failed when the first injection was omitted and was only partially effective when the last two injections were omitted. Progesterone treatment of animals hypophysectomized earlier than 1550 hr was much less effective, suggesting that the release of an adequate amount of LH is also obligatory in inducing follicular rupture. Hypophysectomy at 1550 hr caused a marked reduction of progesterone level at 2400 hr, while in sham-operated animals the level increased between 1600 and 2400 hr. This period covers the ovulatory process. In these experiments progesterone induced ovulation directly an...
Unweaving a web of documents

We develop an algorithmic framework to decompose a collection of time-stamped text documents into semantically coherent threads. Our formulation leads to a graph decomposition problem on directed acyclic graphs, for which we obtain three algorithms --- an exact algorithm that is based on minimum cost flow and two more efficient algorithms based on maximum matching and dynamic programming that solve specific versions of the graph decomposition problem. Applications of our algorithms include superior summarization of news search results, improved browsing paradigms for large collections of text-intensive corpora, and integration of time-stamped documents from a variety of sources. Experimental results based on over 250,000 news articles from a major newspaper over a period of four years demonstrate that our algorithms efficiently identify robust threads of varying lengths and time-spans.
Excited-level lifetimes and hyperfine-structure measurements on ions using collinear laser–ion-beam spectroscopy

The mean lifetimes \ensuremath{\tau} of the Ca ii 4p $^{2}$${\mathit{P}}_{1/2}$ and 4p $^{2}$${\mathit{P}}_{3/2}$ levels, and the $^{35}\mathrm{Cl}$ ii 4p' $^{1}$${\mathit{F}}_{3}$ level, have been measured by a variant of the collinear laser--ion-beam lifetime technique applied previously to the Ar ii 4p' $^{2}$${\mathit{F}}_{7/2}^{\mathit{o}}$ level [Jian Jin and D. A. Church, Phys. Rev. A 47, 132 (1993)]. The present results are \ensuremath{\tau}(Ca ii, 4p $^{2}$${\mathit{P}}_{1/2}$)=7.098(0.020) ns, \ensuremath{\tau}(Ca ii, 4p $^{2}$${\mathit{P}}_{3/2}$)=6.924(0.019) ns, and \ensuremath{\tau}(Cl ii, 4p' $^{1}$${\mathit{F}}_{3}$) =11.17(0.06) ns. The experimental lifetimes of these, plus the Ar ii 4p' $^{2}$${\mathit{F}}_{7/2}$ level, are compared with available recent many-electron calculations. Typically 1%--3% differences between measurement and ab initio theory are found, while certain semiempirical calculations are in better agreement with experiment. Data for other precise lifetime measurements on alkali-metal systems are compared with recent ab initio and semiempirical calculations to provide perspective on the Ca II results. The hyperfine structure of the $^{35}\mathrm{Cl}$ II 3d' $^{1}$${\mathit{G}}_{4}$--4p' $^{1}$${\mathit{F}}_{3}$ transition was also measured and analyzed in the course of the measurements, with the resulting hyperfine-structure constants: A${(}^{1}$${\mathit{F}}_{3}$)=301.9(0.5) MHz, B${(}^{1}$${\mathit{F}}_{3}$)=-6.7(0.8) MHz, A${(}^{1}$${\mathit{G}}_{4}$)=205.1(0.5) MHz, and B${(}^{1}$${\mathit{G}}_{4}$)=-3.9(2.4) MHz.
The influence of avian pancreatic polypeptide on gastric secretion and motility in red-tailed hawks (Buteo jamaicensis)

Abstract 1. 1. Red-tailed hawks were surgically prepared with a gastric cannula for collecting secretions, a strain gauge transducer on the gastric serosa to detect contractions and a jugular cannula for infusion of buffer or avian pancreatic polypeptide (aPP). 2. 2. Infusion ofaPP (15 ng/ml) caused no significant effects on gastric secretion and motility as compared to control infusions. 3. 3. Previous research indicated that gastric secretion and motility were significantly depressed in chickens by aPP, but not in humans or dogs by PP. 4. 4. Thus, PP effects may be more related to feeding habits (meal eating vs continuous feeding) and gastric digestion requirements (vigorous “mastication” by the gizzard of chickens but not hawks, humans or dogs) than to taxonomic relationships.
Personnel evaluation with AHP

One of the more difficult problems facing academic, business and government institutions is that of evaluating job and/or promotion candidates. A typical evaluation consists of several tasks. First, applications must be gathered. Then, they must be evaluated using a number of criteria such as education, experience, personality, etc. Finally, a weighted average of the various criteria must be developed for each applicant or promotion candidate which represents the individual’s overall desirability. Two of the chief difficulties in the above process are: rating individuals for each of the criteria; and developing a logical and consistent set of weights for the various criteria. In this paper we will present Saaty’s Analytical Hierarchy Process as a means of dealing with these difficulties. We will also discuss some of the practical problems encountered in applying the method.
Top-down controls on bacterial community structure: microbial network analysis of bacteria, T4-like viruses and protists.

Characterizing ecological relationships between viruses, bacteria and protists in the ocean are critical to understanding ecosystem function, yet these relationships are infrequently investigated together. We evaluated these relationships through microbial association network analysis of samples collected approximately monthly from March 2008 to January 2011 in the surface ocean (0–5 m) at the San Pedro Ocean Time series station. Bacterial, T4-like myoviral and protistan communities were described by Automated Ribosomal Intergenic Spacer Analysis and terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism of the gene encoding the major capsid protein (g23) and 18S ribosomal DNA, respectively. Concurrent shifts in community structure suggested similar timing of responses to environmental and biological parameters. We linked T4-like myoviral, bacterial and protistan operational taxonomic units by local similarity correlations, which were then visualized as association networks. Network links (correlations) potentially represent synergistic and antagonistic relationships such as viral lysis, grazing, competition or other interactions. We found that virus–bacteria relationships were more cross-linked than protist–bacteria relationships, suggestive of increased taxonomic specificity in virus–bacteria relationships. We also found that 80% of bacterial–protist and 74% of bacterial–viral correlations were positive, with the latter suggesting that at monthly and seasonal timescales, viruses may be following their hosts more often than controlling host abundance.
Two-step intermediate fine mapping with likelihood ratio test statistics: applications to Problems 2 and 3 data of GAW15

Construction of precise confidence sets of disease gene locations after initial identification of linked regions can improve the efficiency of the ensuing fine mapping effort. We took the confidence set inference, a framework proposed and implemented using the Mean test statistic (CSI-Mean) and improved the efficiency substantially by using a likelihood ratio test statistic (CSI-MLS). The CSI framework requires knowledge of some disease-model-related parameters. In the absence of prior knowledge of these parameters, a two-step procedure may be employed: 1) the parameters are estimated using a coarse map of markers; 2) CSI-Mean or CSI-MLS are applied to construct the confidence sets of the disease gene locations using a finer map of markers, assuming the estimates from Step 1 for the required parameters. In this article we show that the advantages of CSI-MLS over CSI-Mean, previously demonstrated when the required parameters are known, are preserved in this two-step procedure, using both the simulated and real data contributed to Problems 2 and 3 of Genetic Analysis Workshop 15. In addition, our result suggests that microsatellite data, when available, should be used in Step 1. Also explored in detail is the effect of the absence of parental genotypes on the performance of CSI-MLS.
Obtaining improved accuracy in numerical analysis of potentials near a space-charge-limited cathode

This correspondence describes a technique for improving the accuracy of numerical calculations near a space-charge-limited cathode. A one-dimensional diode is employed to show that an order of magnitude reduction in the errors is obtainable when compared with those obtained using standard relaxation techniques.
Clinical and Surgical Parameters in Dogs with Perineal Hernia Analysis of Results of Internal Obturator Transposition

The results of treatment of 31 dogs with perineal hernia by internal obturator muscle transposition were evaluated by comparing the clinical signs reported by the owner before surgery with those reported 11 or more months following surgery. The severity and frequency of pre- and postoperative clinical signs were categorized numerically, and composite scores were obtained for each dog. In addition, the dogs were examined 11 or more months following surgery. The presence or absence of an externally obvious perineal swelling was noted, and rectal examination was performed to detect rectal sacculation and the integrity of the pelvic diaphragm dorsal and ventral to a line drawn between the center of the anus and the ischiatic tuberosity. These results were correlated with the postoperative composite scores. Postoperative complications included wound infection (2), wound seroma (2), rectal prolapse (4), urinary incontinence (2), and flatus as a new postoperative problem (11). The postoperative composite score was significantly lower (improved function) following surgery. Dogs with worse signs preoperatively or bilateral perineal hernia benefited less from surgery. More dogs showed improvement when the operation was performed by experienced surgeons. Factors detected at follow-up examination that correlated with more severe postoperative clinical signs were perineal swelling, absence of the ventral portion of the pelvic diaphragm, and rectal sacculation. The presence or absence of reformation of the dorsal aspect of the pelvic diaphragm did not correlate with postoperative clinical signs.
Time to stop relying on things past

US science advocates are depending on strategies and statistics that may not survive contemporary politics, says David Goldston.
Fetuin-null mice are protected against obesity and insulin resistance associated with aging

alpha2-HS glycoprotein (AHSG), also known as fetuin-A, inhibits insulin receptor autophosphorylation and tyrosine kinase activity in vitro and in vivo. Earlier we have shown that fetuin-null (KO) mice demonstrate improved insulin sensitivity and resistance to diet-induced obesity. Since aging is associated with insulin resistance and impaired glucose handling, we tested the hypothesis that fetuin-null (KO) mice are resilient to changes in insulin sensitivity associated with aging. Aged (80-week-old) fetuin-null mice were leaner and demonstrated significantly lower body weights compared to age- and sex-matched wild-type (WT) littermates. Leanness in aged fetuin KO mice was accompanied by a significant increase in dark-onset energy expenditure, without marked alteration of respiratory quotient. In comparison to WT mice, fetuin KO mice demonstrated a lower fasting insulin resistance index, and significantly lower blood glucose and insulin levels, following a 4h fast. Interestingly, despite significantly decreased insulin levels during a glucose tolerance test, aged fetuin-null mice demonstrated a similar glucose excursion as WT mice, indicative of improved insulin sensitivity. Analysis of aldehyde-fuchsin stained pancreas from aged fetuin KO mice indicated no difference in islet beta-cell size or number. An insulin tolerance test confirmed the increased insulin sensitivity of aged fetuin KO mice. Further, compared to WT mice, aged fetuin-null mice demonstrated increased skeletal muscle and liver IR autophosphorylation and TK activity. Taken together, this study suggests that the absence of fetuin may contribute to the improvement of insulin sensitivity associated with aging.
Keeping it quiet: chromatin control of gammaherpesvirus latency

The human gammaherpesviruses Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) establish long-term latent infections associated with diverse human cancers. Viral oncogenesis depends on the ability of the latent viral genome to persist in host nuclei as episomes that express a restricted yet dynamic pattern of viral genes. Multiple epigenetic events control viral episome generation and maintenance. This Review highlights some of the recent findings on the role of chromatin assembly, histone and DNA modifications, and higher-order chromosome structures that enable gammaherpesviruses to establish stable latent infections that mediate viral pathogenesis.
Cementing democracy: In Mozambique

Abstract The success of the United Nations peacekeeping operation in Mozambique in establishing the conditions for the rebuilding of a country devastated by 16 years of civil war is assessed. Difficulties were encountered in both the military and electoral phases of the operation. But these were overcome and the UN's Special Representative, Aldo Ajello, had good cause for satisfaction on the completion of his mission in December 1994. However, in the longer term, weaknesses of key components of democracy in Mozambique, such as the effectiveness of the legislature and of the judicial system and the independence of the media, mean that the future of democracy is far from being assured.
Variable selection for spatial random field predictors under a Bayesian mixed hierarchical spatial model

A health outcome can be observed at a spatial location and we wish to relate this to a set of environmental measurements made on a sampling grid. The environmental measurements are covariates in the model but due to the interpolation associated with the grid there is an error inherent in the covariate value used at the outcome location. Since there may be multiple measurements made on different covariates there could be considerable uncertainty in the covariate values to be used. In this paper we examine a Bayesian approach to the interpolation problem and also a Bayesian solution to the variable selection issue. We present a series of simulations which outline the problem of recovering the true relationships, and also provide an empirical example.
Disrupted conditioned inhibition of the rabbit nictitating membrane response following mesencephalic lesions

Abstract Following acquisition of conditioned inhibition (CI) of the nictitating membrane, response, rabbits received radio-frequency lesions of the mesencephalon. The reinforced conditioned stimulus (CS) was light onset and the nonreinforced CS was the same light compounded with a tone. The unconditioned stimulus was electric shock to the paraorbital region of the eye. In accord by an earlier study by Mis [14], lesions disrupted conditioned inhibition by reducing the capacity to suppress conditioned responses on nonreinforced trials; conditioned responding on reinforced trials was unaffected. Lesions of the pretectum in the region of the posterior commissure and of the periaqueductal grey produced the greatest disruption CI, and fiber degeneration from these regions, as assessed by the Fink-Heimer method, projecting in a ventro-anterior direction to the posterior hypothalamus was implicated in CI disruption. This observation, together with indirect evidence that the dorsal noradrenergic bundle is involved in CI, suggested that conditioned inhibitors may act via a brainstem-hypothalamus reward system to antagonize the motivational support of the conditioned response.
Chronic pancreatitis: Current diagnosis and treatment

Abstract Chronic pancreatitis is a disease most commonly caused by alcoholism. It is a disease that manifests itself over the course of 10 to 20 years. It is associated with significant pain and narcotic addiction. Medical treatment appears to be limited, but the use of oral enzyme replacement for control of exocrine insufficiency, and the use of stenting may play at least a temporizing role. Results secondary to surgery have been promising, with long term success in the 70 to 85% range. Despite surgical procedures, however, the ravages of chronic pancreatitis continue. As fibrosis continues, there is further compromise of exocrine and endocrine function. Cessation of alcohol appears to be a critical adjunct to management of this disease.
Determination of uranium in solution using laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy

Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy was used to determine uranium in solution for possible application to process control in nuclear fuel reprocessing facilities. Pulses from a Nd: YAG laser were focused on the surfaces of the liquids in order to generate the sparks. The spark light was spectrally resolved and detected with the use of a time-gated photodiode array. The detection limit for uranium in 4 molar nitric acid was 0.1 g/L. Measurement precisions were 1–2% for a 4.2-g/L solution with the use of 1600 laser sparks, corresponding to a measurement time of about three minutes. A calibration curve was prepared that spanned uranium concentrations from 0.1 to 300 g/L. The effects of some experimental parameters on the analysis are discussed.
A chromatographic procedure for the separation and detection of pyridine nucleotides and related compounds from tissue extracts

Abstract A method combining DEAE-cellulose column chromatography and cellulose thin-layer chromatography is described which separates nicotinic acid, nicotinamide, NMN, NAD, NADH, NADP, NADPH, and P i , as well as the products formed when NADH and NADPH are treated with trichloroacetic acid. An application of this procedure to nicotinamide-7- 14 C plus 32 P i incorporation into NAD by adipose tissue and liver is presented.
THE VALIDATION OF A NEW VASCULAR DAMAGE ASSAY FOR PHOTODYNAMIC THERAPY AGENTS

— The therapeutic effect of photodynamic therapy (PDT: photodynamic sensitizer + light) is partly due to vascular damage. This report describes a new vascular photodamage assay for PDT agents and a validation of the assay. The method described here quantitates changes in tissue blood perfusion based on the relative amount of injected fluorescein dye in treated and untreated tissues. A specially designed fluorometer uses chopped monochromatic light from an argon laser as a source for exciting fluorescein fluorescence. The fluorescent light emitted from the tissue is collected by a six element fiberoptic array, filtered and delivered to a photodiode detector coupled to a phase-locked amplifier for conversion to a voltage signal for recording. This arrangement permits a rather simple, inexpensive construction and allows for the simultaneous use of the argon laser by other investigators. The routine assay for characterizing a specific photosensitizer at a standard dose consists of the sequential allocation of eight mice to a set of different light doses designed to span the dose-response range of fluorescein fluorescence exclusion (measured 8–10 min after fluorescein injection). The assay validation experiment used an anionic photosensitizer, 2-[l-hexyloxyethyl]-2-devinyl pyropheophorbide-a at a dose of 0.4 μmol/kg. The parameter estimates (n = 34 mice) from fitting the standard Hill dose-response model to the data were: median fluorescence exclusion light dose FE50= 275 ± 8.3 J/cm2 and Hill sigmoidicity parameter m =−3.66 ± 0.28. Subsets of the full data set randomly selected to simulate a standard eight mice experiment yielded similar parameter estimates. The new assay provides reliable estimates of PDT vascular damage with a frugal sequential experimental design.
Crystallization and Melting of Model Ethylene-Butene Random Copolymers: Thermal Studies

Crystallization and melting of a copolymer depend on both intrachain and interchain distributions of noncrystallizable comonomer. Hydrogenated polybutadiene (HPB) is a model ethylene-butene (EB) random copolymer with known intrachain distribution and no interchain distribution of branching. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) was used to study HPB having 21 to 106 ethyl branches per 1000 backbone carbon atoms. Crystallization during continuous cooling occurs in two stages: a rapid primary transformation over a temperature interval of about 5°C, followed by more gradual crystallization at lower temperatures. The crystalline fraction α is below the value from Flory's theory, but the two quantities converge for high branching. Isothermal crystallization of these homogeneous copolymers results in crystals having two distinct melting ranges. This unexpected result is accounted for by a model that partitions crystallizable ethylene sequences into two fractions on the basis of lengths established by crystall...
Surgical complications in pediatric surgical oncology

Rates of surgical complications in pediatric oncological patients increase with the extension of tumor surgery. Especially in advanced tumors this can mean a relevant challenge to surgeons: The balance between risk of complications and success of surgical treatment is often difficult to accomplish. As a consequence, surgeons not only need profound knowledge about resection techniques and surgical standard procedures but they also have to be able to control and manage surgical complications during and after surgery. This article highlights background and spectrum as well as management of selected surgical complications during or after surgery for abdominal pediatric solid tumors. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2012;59:398–404. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Bayesian Enrichment Strategies for Randomized Discontinuation Trials

We propose optimal choice of the design parameters for random discontinuation designs (RDD) using a Bayesian decision-theoretic approach. We consider applications of RDDs to oncology phase II studies evaluating activity of cytostatic agents. The design consists of two stages. The preliminary open-label stage treats all patients with the new agent and identifies a possibly sensitive subpopulation. The subsequent second stage randomizes, treats, follows, and compares outcomes among patients in the identified subgroup, with randomization to either the new or a control treatment. Several tuning parameters characterize the design: the number of patients in the trial, the duration of the preliminary stage, and the duration of follow-up after randomization. We define a probability model for tumor growth, specify a suitable utility function, and develop a computational procedure for selecting the optimal tuning parameters.
A Theory of African American Offending: Race, Racism, and Crime by James D. Unnever and Shaun L. Gabbidon

It took courage to write a book that attempts, on the most basic level, to explain the disturbing fact, that “African American men—about 6 percent of the population of the United States—account for...
Durable diamond-like carbon templates for UV nanoimprint lithography

The interaction between resist and template during the separation process after nanoimprint lithography (NIL) can cause the formation of defects and damage to the templates and resist patterns. To alleviate these problems, fluorinated self-assembled monolayers (F-SAMs, i.e. tridecafluoro-1,1,2,2,tetrahydrooctyl trichlorosilane or FDTS) have been employed as template release coatings. However, we find that the FDTS coating undergoes irreversible degradation after only 10 cycles of UV nanoimprint processes with SU-8 resist. The degradation includes a 28% reduction in surface F atoms and significant increases in the surface roughness. In this paper, diamond-like carbon (DLC) films were investigated as an alternative material not only for coating but also for direct fabrication of nanoimprint templates. DLC films deposited on quartz templates in a plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition system are shown to have better chemical and physical stability than FDTS. After the same 10 cycles of UV nanoimprints, the surface composition as well as the roughness of DLC films were found to be unchanged. The adhesion energy between the DLC surface and SU-8 is found to be smaller than that of FDTS despite the slightly higher total surface energy of DLC. DLC templates with 40 nm features were fabricated using e-beam lithography followed by Cr lift-off and reactive ion etching. UV nanoimprinting using the directly patterned DLC templates in SU-8 resist demonstrates good pattern transfer fidelity and easy template-resist separation. These results indicate that DLC is a promising material for fabricating durable templates for UV nanoimprint lithography.
Spatial and Temporal Aspects of Mixotrophy In Chesapeake Bay Dinoflagellates

.Gymnodinium sanguineum, Gyrodinium uncatenum, and Ceratium furca are large phototrophic dinoflagellates that commonly form red tides in the mesohaline portion of Chesapeake Bay during the summer. Examination of protargol-stained specimens revealed that these dinoflagellates also feed heterotrophically as indicated by the presence of food vacuoles containing partially digested prey. Ingested prey were generally identified as nanociliates (≥20 μm) belonging to the oligotrich genera Strobilidium and Strombidium; occasionally other small ciliates (e.g. Balanion sp. and Mesodinium sp.), dinoflagellates, and diatoms were observed in early stages of digestion. the percentage of these mixotrophs that had ingested prey was usually less than 20%, but approached 30% in some samples. Occurrence of food vacuoles in Gymno. sanguineum was positively correlated with ≤20 μm oligotrichous ciliate density; limited data for Gyro. uncatenum suggests a similar relationship, but C. furca feeding was not related to nanociliate densities.
Comment on "Spontaneous Alternation and Pattern of Reinforcement".

The aim of this experiment was to replicate the phenomenon reported by Still that the spontaneous alternation of non-rewarded rats declines faster over repeated testing than that of rewarded rats. The present experiment failed to find such an effect. It is suggested that on the basis of these experiments, it would be unwise to attribute any effect on spontaneous alternation behaviour with repeated testing to the rewarding or non-rewarding of rats.