cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Methodology for Comparing Direct Volume Rendering Algorithms Using a Projection-Based Data Level Approach

Identifying and visualizing uncertainty together with the data is a well recognized problem. One of the culprits that introduce uncertainty in the visualization pipeline is the visualization algorithm itself. Uncertainties introduced in this way usually arise from approximations and manifest themselves as artifacts in the resulting images. In this paper, we focus on comparing different direct volume rendering (DVR) algorithms and their artifacts as a result of DVR algorithm selections and their associated parameter settings. We present a new data level comparison methodology that uses differences in intermediate rendering information. In particular, we extend the traditional image level comparison techniques to include data level comparison techniques. In image level comparisons, quantized pixel values are the starting point for comparison measurements. In contrast, data level comparison techniques have the advantage of accessing and evaluating the intermediate 3D information during the rendering process. Our data level approach overcomes limitations of image level approaches and provide capabilities to compare application dependent details as well as general rendering qualities. One of the key challenges with our data level comparison approach is finding a common base for comparing the rich variety of DVR algorithms. In this paper, we present how a projection algorithm can be used as a base for comparing other DVR algorithms. In addition, a set of projection-based metrics are derived to quantify the comparison measurements among DVR algorithms. The results presented in this paper complement our earlier findings where a ray-based approach was used as the base for comparing other DVR algorithms.
Thermodynamic Optimization of Inanimate and Animate Flow Systems

Thermodynamic optimization is, literally, the search for the best thermodynamic performance subject to present-day constraints. This philosophy is very old. It has been with us throughout the history of the heat engine. Its reach however, is much broader and more permanent. We can be sure that the performance of power plants will continue to improve in time, in the same way that, in time, a sudden rain fall will generate an efficient flow structure (dendritic channels), not Darcy flow alone.
The PATRIOT Act and Libraries: A Sensitive Relationship

The sensitive relationship between libraries and the USA PATRIOT Act is back at the top of the headlines. In August, a “member of the American Library Association”, known only as “John Doe”, filed a federal lawsuit after receiving a National Security Letter (NSL) from the FBI. The NSL requested information from John Doe pursuant to an “authorized investigation to protect against international terrorism or clandestine intelligence activities.” John Doe is prohibited from discussing the letter or even that they had received the letter John Doe’s lawsuit argues that the provisions of the PATRIOT Act governing NSLs violate the Constitution’s free speech provisions and protections against unreasonable searches. In particular, John Doe argues that the secrecy provision prevents him or her from relating their experiences with the PATRIOT Act as part of the public debate of the Act’s renewal. Most of the concern and debate on the PATRIOT Act’s impact on libraries has focused on Section 215 of the Act. This controversial provision allows government officials to obtain “any tangible things” during an intelligence or terrorism investigation, including library and bookstore records. The Act also requires the recipient of a request to keep it secret. Section 215 is due to expire in December, 2005. However, there are several proposals to extend and modify this section currently being debated in Congress. Section 215 is not unlimited. The law provides that searches which target U.S. citizens cannot be based only on activities protected by the first amendment, such as reading or speech. The law also requires that a subpoena be obtained from a designated federal court judge, who reviews the subpoena request to ensure that it complies with the law. Although this process has been criticized for its secrecy and overwhelming history of approving subpoena requests, there is at least some judicial review.
Oil spill modeling: computational tools, analytical frameworks, and emerging technologies:

Following the Deepwater Horizon oil spill of 2010, a substantial body of research has focused on the development of computational tools and analytical frameworks for modeling oil spill events. Much...
Variable demographics and consumption requirements of Bythotrephes longimanus (Crustacea, Cercopagididae) along a nearshore to offshore gradient in Lake Michigan

Demographic differences in Bythotrephes longimanus populations are often used to infer the prevalence of different environmental conditions that regulate their population. We collected seasonal data on Bythotrephes abundance and life history at a nearshore (15 m), transitional (45 m) and offshore site (110 m) in Lake Michigan during 2007–2016. Due to higher fish predation requirements and the small size of zooplankton prey at the nearshore site, we expected life-history attributes of Bythotrephes would differ compared to the deeper sites, but body and spine length, percent of growth allocated to the spine, and brood size were similar among depths. Owing to higher abundances in the offshore, the ratio of consumption requirements: prey production (C:P) was relatively high throughout the growing season at the deepest site compared to the two shallower sites, where C:P was generally only high in the fall. However, reproductive characteristics of Bythotrephes at the offshore site did not reflect a food-limited population compared to the other two sites. Rather the proportion of barren females was higher at the nearshore site than those at the deeper sites, leading to much lower birth rates and abundance of Bythotrephes at the shallow site compared to the deeper sites.
Autophagy induction via STING trafficking is a primordial function of the cGAS pathway.

Cyclic GMP-AMP (cGAMP) synthase (cGAS) detects infections or tissue damage by binding to microbial or self DNA in the cytoplasm1. Upon binding DNA, cGAS produces cGAMP that binds to and activates the adaptor protein STING, which then activates the kinases IKK and TBK1 to induce interferons and other cytokines2–6. Here we report that STING also activates autophagy through a mechanism that is independent of TBK1 activation and interferon induction. Upon binding cGAMP, STING translocates to the endoplasmic reticulum–Golgi intermediate compartment (ERGIC) and the Golgi in a process that is dependent on the COP-II complex and ARF GTPases. STING-containing ERGIC serves as a membrane source for LC3 lipidation, which is a key step in autophagosome biogenesis. cGAMP induced LC3 lipidation through a pathway that is dependent on WIPI2 and ATG5 but independent of the ULK and VPS34–beclin kinase complexes. Furthermore, we show that cGAMP-induced autophagy is important for the clearance of DNA and viruses in the cytosol. Interestingly, STING from the sea anemone Nematostella vectensis induces autophagy but not interferons in response to stimulation by cGAMP, which suggests that induction of autophagy is a primordial function of the cGAS–STING pathway. The authors report that the cGAS–STING pathway drives a form of autophagy that is independent of interferon induction and distinct from the conventional autophagy.
Thermodynamics of heating

Heat transfer is a mature science, and so is thermodynamics. They are almost 200 years old having developed largely independently until the 1980s. Maturity comes from the usefulness and success of ...
Structure and function of the family of proteoglycans that reside in the secretory granules of natural killer cells and other effector cells of the immune response.

Although it has been known for a number of years that many of the effector cells that participate in immune responses have cell-associated proteoglycans, it has only recently become apparent that these highly acidic macromolecules reside within intracellular secretory granules rather than on the plasma membrane. Heparin proteoglycans are found in the secretory granules of connective tissue mast cells (CTMC) (Benditt et al. 1956; Yurt et al. 1977 a, b; Robinson et al. 1978; Metcalfe et al. 1979, 1980a; Razin et al. 1982; Bland et al. 1982). Chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans are found in the secretory granules of mucosal mast cells (MMC) (Stevens et al. 1986), lung mast cells (Stevens et al. 1988 a), basophils (Orenstein et al. 1978; Rothenberg et al. 1987), eosinophils (Metcalfe et al. 1982), neutrophils (Olsson 1969; Ohhashi et al. 1984), monocytes/ macrophages (Levitt and Ho 1983; Kolset et al. 1984), HL-60 promyelocytic cells (Luikart et al. 1984), bone marrow-derived mast cells (BMMC) (Razin et al. 1982; Stevens et al. 1985), and rat basophilic leukemia-1 (RBL-1) cells (Metcalfe et al. 1980b; Seldin et al. 1985). Human (MacDermott et al. 1985) and mouse (Dvorak et al. 1983) natural killer (NK) cells and rat large granular lymphocyte (LGL) tumor cells (Stevens et al. 1987) synthesize cell-associated chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans that are stored in cytolytic secretory granules.
Dynamic functioning of transient resting‐state coactivation networks in the Human Connectome Project

Resting-state analyses evaluating large-scale brain networks have largely focused on static correlations in brain activity over extended time periods, however emerging approaches capture time-varying or dynamic patterns of transient functional networks. In light of these new approaches, there is a need to classify common transient network states (TNS) in terms of their spatial and dynamic properties. To fill this gap, two independent resting state scans collected in 462 healthy adults from the Human Connectome Project were evaluated using coactivation pattern analysis to identify (eight) TNS that recurred across participants and over time. These TNS spatially overlapped with prototypical resting state networks, but also diverged in notable ways. In particular, analyses revealed three TNS that shared cortical midline overlap with the default mode network (DMN), but these "complex" DMN states also encompassed distinct regions that fall beyond the prototypical DMN, suggesting that the DMN defined using static methods may represent the average of distinct complex-DMN states. Of note, dwell time was higher in "complex" DMN states, challenging the idea that the prototypical DMN, as a single unit, is the dominant resting-state network as typically defined by static resting state methods. In comparing the two resting state scans, we also found high reliability in the spatial organization and dynamic activities of network states involving DMN or sensorimotor regions. Future work will determine whether these TNS defined by coactivation patterns are in other samples, and are linked to fundamental cognitive properties.
High Dynamic Range Imaging Using Deep Image Priors

Traditionally, dynamic range enhancement for images has involved a combination of contrast improvement (via gamma correction or histogram equalization) and a denoising operation to reduce the effects of photon noise. More recently, modulo-imaging methods have been introduced for high dynamic range photography to significantly expand dynamic range at the sensing stage itself. The transformation function for both of these problems is highly non-linear, and the image reconstruction procedure is typically non-convex and ill-posed. A popular recent approach is to regularize the above inverse problem via a neural network prior (such as a trained autoencoder), but this requires extensive training over a dataset with thousands of paired regular/HDR image data samples.In this paper, we introduce a new approach for HDR image reconstruction using neural priors that require no training data. Specifically, we employ deep image priors, which have been successfully used for imaging problems such as denoising, super-resolution, inpainting and compressive sensing with promising performance gains over conventional regularization techniques. In this paper, we consider two different approaches to high dynamic range (HDR) imaging – gamma encoding and modulo encoding – and propose a combination of deep image prior and total variation (TV) regularization for reconstructing low-light images. We demonstrate the significant improvement achieved by both of these approaches as compared to traditional dynamic range enhancement techniques.
Feasibility and Acceptability of Implementing a Culturally Adapted Cooking Curriculum for Burundian and Congolese Refugee Families

Pika Pamoja (Cook Together) is an eight-session cooking curriculum for Burundian and Congolese refugee families, culturally adapted from the evidence-based iCook 4-H curriculum to address dietary a...
Fake News and the News Feed

Tessa Lyons was a rising star at Facebook. She had been the project manager in charge of news feed integrity for a little over a year, stationed at the front lines in the battle against misinformation and “fake news.” However, in early 2019, she faced an ethical dilemma that could define her tenure at the company and perhaps her career: whether to ban Alex Jones and the content from his platform, Infowars, from the Facebook news feed. Excerpt UVA-E-0429 Rev. Jul. 24, 2019 Fake News and the News Feed Tessa Lyons was a rising star at Facebook. She had been the project manager in charge of news feed integrity for a little over a year, stationed at the front lines in the battle against misinformation and “fake news.” However, in early 2019, she faced an ethical dilemma that could define her tenure at the company and perhaps her career: whether to ban Alex Jones and the content from his platform, Infowars, from the Facebook news feed. As she took a sip of her cold brew, Lyons knew she had many ethical and strategic considerations to ponder before she made her recommendation to Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg. History of Facebook and the News Feed Mark Zuckerberg first conceived of Facebook in his Harvard dorm room in 2004. His first website was called FaceMash and was constructed as a “hot or not” website to rate the attractiveness of women at Harvard. After taking down the website, Zuckerberg redesigned it as an online portal for Harvard students to connect with one another. Within one month of launch, half of Harvard's undergraduates had registered on “thefacebook.com.” By December 2005, the company, which had moved to Palo Alto, California, dropped the “the,” purchased the domain name “facebook.com,” and had six million users. As of Q2 2017, Facebook had reported over two billion users worldwide. . . .
Plant diversity and arthropod communities: Implications for temperate agroforestry

Polyculture in crop agroecosystems has been examined in numerous studies with the aim of reducing pest populations by increasing diversity among insect populations over those found in traditional monoculture. Resource concentration and enemies hypotheses predict decreased pest populations in more diverse plant communities. Although results have been mixed, insect diversity has been generally increased in polyculture over traditional monoculture. Maintaining natural insect diversity in managed forests to limit possible pest outbreaks has been the goal in forestry systems. Increased arthropod diversity with increased tree diversity has been observed, though fewer studies have been conducted in forestry compared to agriculture. Agroforestry holds promise for increasing insect diversity and reducing pest problems because the combination of trees and crops provides greater niche diversity and complexity in both time and space than does polyculture of annual crops.
Prognostic Factors and Survival Outcomes among Patients with Breast Cancer and Brain Metastases at Diagnosis: A National Cancer Database Analysis

INTRODUCTION The aim of this study was to assess for clinicopathologic and socioeconomic features that predict improved survival for patients with advanced breast cancer with synchronous brain metastases at diagnosis. METHODS We utilized the National Cancer Database (NCDB) to identify all patients with brain metastases present at diagnosis, with adequate information on receptor status (ER, PR, Her2), clinical T stage of cT1-4, clinical M1, with 3,943 patients available for analysis. The association between brain metastases patterns and patient/disease variables was examined by robust Poisson regression model. Cox proportional hazards model was used to quantify the associations between overall survival (OS) and these variables. RESULTS In univariable analysis, OS was significantly associated with the number of sites of metastases (p < 0.0001). Patients with 2 or more additional extracranial sites of metastases had significantly worse OS (median 8.8 months, 95% confidence interval [CI] 7.8, 9.9) than patients with brain metastases only (median OS 10.6 months, 95% CI 9.4, 12.9) or brain metastases plus one other extracranial site of metastases (median OS 13.1 months, 95% CI 11.8, 14.4). Risk factors which predicted poor prognosis included triple-negative disease, high comorbidity score, poorly differentiated tumors, invasive lobular histology, multi-organ involvement of metastases, and government or lack of insurance. Factors which improve survival include younger age and Hispanic race. DISCUSSION/CONCLUSION Using a large NCDB, we identified various factors associated with prognosis for patients with brain metastases at the time of breast cancer diagnosis. Insurance status and related socioeconomic challenges provide potential areas for improvement in care for these patients. This information may help stratify patients into prognostic categories at the time of diagnosis to improve treatment plans.
Normative expectations on childbearing: a study of reproductive justice

This study aims to bring reproductive justice issues to a more in-depth discussion within the field of social work and to explore social work students’ understandings and perspectives on these impo...
Facile microwave synthesis of zirconium metal-organic framework thin films on gold and silicon and application to sensor functionalization

Abstract Zirconium-based metal-organic frameworks, including UiO-66 and related frameworks, have become the focus of considerable research in the area of chemical warfare agent (CWA) decontamination. However, little work has been reported exploring these metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) for CWA sensing applications. For many sensing approaches, the growth of high-quality thin films of the active material is required, and thin film growth methods must be compatible with complex device architectures. Several approaches to synthesize thin films of UiO-66 have been described but many of these existing methods are complex or time consuming. We describe the development of a simple and rapid microwave assisted synthesis of oriented UiO-66 thin films on unmodified silicon (Si) and gold (Au) substrates. Thin films of UiO-66 and UiO-66-NH2 can be grown in as little as 2 min on gold substrates and 30 min on Si substrates. The film morphology and orientation are characterized and the effects of reaction time and temperature on thin film growth on Au are investigated. Both reaction time and temperature impact the overgrowth of protruding discrete crystallites in the thin film layer but, surprisingly, no strong correlation is observed between film thickness and reaction time or temperature. We also briefly describe the synthesis of Zr/Ce solid solution thin films of UiO-66 on Au and report the first synthesis of a solid solution thin film MOF. Finally, we demonstrate the utility of the microwave method for the facile functionalization of two sensor architectures, plasmonic nanohole arrays and microresonators, with UiO-66 thin films.
What do I need to know? Designing Student Learning Tools that Aid Interaction with Recorded Lecture Content

This paper presents an exploratory investigation of how students might benefit from recorded class lectures. Our overarching goal is to inform design of an artificial intelligence (AI) tool that adds value to lecture recordings. To study this possibility, we surveyed undergraduate students about their active learning strategies and their visions of how AI might help them to engage more richly with digitized learning materials. We report our findings and discuss implications for design of a tool that can add value to recorded lectures; we also consider more generally the possibilities of using lecture recordings to enhance student learning.
Novel model reference adaptive control laws for improved transient dynamics and guaranteed saturation constraints

Abstract In classical model reference adaptive control (MRAC), the adaptive rates must be tuned to meet multiple competing objectives. Large adaptive rates guarantee rapid convergence of the trajectory tracking error to zero. However, large adaptive rates may also induce saturation of the actuators and excessive overshoots of the closed-loop system’s trajectory tracking error. Conversely, low adaptive rates may produce unsatisfactory trajectory tracking performances. To overcome these limitations, in the classical MRAC framework, the adaptive rates must be tuned through an iterative process. Alternative approaches require to modify the plant’s reference model or the reference command input. This paper presents the first MRAC laws for nonlinear dynamical systems affected by matched and parametric uncertainties that constrain both the closed-loop system’s trajectory tracking error and the control input at all times within user-defined bounds, and enforce a user-defined rate of convergence on the trajectory tracking error. By applying the proposed MRAC laws, the adaptive rates can be set arbitrarily large and both the plant’s reference model and the reference command input can be chosen arbitrarily. The user-defined rate of convergence of the closed-loop plant’s trajectory is enforced by introducing a user-defined auxiliary reference model, which converges to the trajectory tracking error obtained by applying the classical MRAC laws before its transient dynamics has decayed, and steering the trajectory tracking error to the auxiliary reference model at a rate of convergence that is higher than the rate of convergence of the plant’s reference model. The ability of the proposed MRAC laws to prescribe the performance of the closed-loop system’s trajectory tracking error and control input is guaranteed by barrier Lyapunov functions. Numerical simulations illustrate both the applicability of our theoretical results and their effectiveness compared to other techniques such as prescribed performance control, which allows to constrain both the rate of convergence and the maximum overshoot on the trajectory tracking error of uncertain systems.
Prescriptions for pain medication before and after bariatric surgery

Background Significant and sustained weight loss resulting from bariatric surgery have demonstrated clinical reduction in severe obesity-related pain. Subsequentially, post-surgical pain reduction may reduce pain medication use. However, clear evidence regarding use of prescribed pain medications before and after bariatric surgery is absent. Methods Linking two state-wide databases, patients who underwent bariatric surgery between July 1, 2013 and December 31, 2015 were identified. Proportion tests were used to compare percent of patients with pain medication prescriptions 1 year before and 1 year after bariatric surgery. Logistic regression was used to identify baseline factors that were associated with pain medication use 1-year following surgery. Results A total of 3535 bariatric surgical patients aged 18-64 years at surgery were identified. Of these patients, 1339 patients met the following study criteria: covered by private insurance; known pre-surgical BMI; and continuous enrollment with health plan(s) from 12-month pre-surgery to 13-month post-surgery. While comparison of average number of overall pain medication prescriptions before and after surgery did not change, from 3.46 to 3.32 prescriptions (p value = 0.26), opioid prescription use increased from 1.62 vs. 2.05 (p value Conclusion While comparison of average number of overall pain medication prescriptions before and after bariatric surgery did not decrease, opioid prescription increased post-surgery. Further studies are needed to examine whether post-surgery opioids are prescribed in lieu of or in tandem with other pain medication prescriptions.
Lineare Programmierung für Planung und Entscheidung

Neue Wege und Techniken wurden in den letzten Jahren der Betriebsleitung bei der Suche nach weitsichtigen und erfolgversprechenden Entscheidungen und Kontrollmoglichkeiten zugangig gemacht. Die Hauptverantwortung des Managements ist in der Aufgabe zu sehen, die begrenzten Mittel — wie Geld, Material, Fabrikanlagen — und auch die Zeit optimal einzusetzen. Die mathematische Technik der linearen Programmierung ermoglicht die Errechnung des optimalen Einsatzes der vorhandenen Mittel und der Zeit. Diese Technik ist insofern fur das Management eine besonders wertvolle Hilfe, als sie eine systematische und wirkungsvolle Methode fur die Entscheidungsfindung liefert.
Electro-Optical Design

This final chapter extends the information-theoretic assessment to the electrooptical design of the image-gathering device (Fig. 7.1). Section 7.1 ties the basic design specifications of this device to the model of image gathering given in Section 2.1. Section 7.2 addresses the objective lens diffraction, variable transmittance shading, and defocus; Section 7.3 addresses the photodetectorarray sampling geometry and focal-plane processing; and Section 7.4 addresses the line-scan photodetector aperture shaping and sampling interval. The remainder of this chapter covers topics that combine electro-optical design with digital image processing for specific applications.
Skyscraper Height and the Business Cycle: International Time Series Evidence ∗

This paper is the first to rigorously test how height and output co-move. Because builders can use their buildings for non-rational or non-pecuniary gains, it is widely believed that (a) the most severe forms of height competition occur near the business cycle peaks and (b) that extreme height are examples of developers “gone wild.” We find virtually no support for either of these popularly held claims. First we look at both the announcement and completion dates for record breaking buildings and find there is very little correlation with the business cycle. Second, cointegration and Granger causality tests show that height and output are cointegrated and that height does not Granger cause output. These results are robust for the United States, Canada, China and Hong Kong.
Compact ITER-relevant ECH beam steering antenna design

We describe a compact beam steering design with tall rectangular waveguide components having a variable distance between the side walls. The movable elements are located conveniently far from the vacuum vessel wall. Some design dimensions for application to ECH on ITER are shown, using the requirements specified in the ITER conceptual design.
A Study of Ferritic Weld Deposits in Fe-9Ni Steel

In 1977, research was initiated at the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory to study the factors influencing low-temperature toughness levels in ferritic gas metal-arc (GMA) weldments of 9%-Ni steel. Commercial plates of this steel have yield and tensile strengths of 938 MPa (136 ksi) and 1172 MPa (170 ksi), respectively (Table I). GMAW consumables currently used for fabrication of 9%-Ni-steel low-temperature containment vessels are of the high-nickel-chrome or modified-austenitic types [1–6], having yield strengths of 414 to 552 MPa (60 to 80 ksi) and tensile strengths of 621 to 828 MPa (90 to 120 ksi). From both an economic and design standpoint, a matching low-nickel ferritic weld wire would be a more acceptable filler metal. So far, attempts to produce a commercially acceptable ferritic GMAW wire have been unsuccessful [7]. This study evaluates different ferritic gas-shielded-arc filler wires in terms of their chemistry, microstructure, toughness properties, and fracture modes.
The Path of Corporate Law: Of Options Backdating, Derivative Suits, and the Business Judgment Rule

This article examines a cornerstone doctrine of corporate law, the business judgment rule, in the light of various corrupt practices in large public companies — principally the options backdating scandal. It finds that the rule is an impediment to actions such as shareholder derivative suits that can deter this improper conduct. Recent decisions from Delaware however may indicate a change in the application of that doctrine. The article argues that such an approach should be encouraged and extended so that corporate officials may be more accountable to the public interest.
Window-chained longest common subsequence: Common event matching in sequences

Sequence data is prevalent, and event processing over sequences is increasingly important in this big data era, drawing much attention from both research and industry. In this paper, we address a novel problem, which is to find common event subsequences from two long sequences. This problem is well motivated, with applications in diverse domains. We propose the window-chained longest common subsequence (WCLCS) semantics, and argue that the traditional longest common subsequence (LCS) cannot serve this need. We then devise efficient algorithms to solve this problem by reducing it to a graph problem. We also propose two more methods to improve the performance: one is based on informed search and exploration, and the other is an approximation algorithm with accuracy guarantees. We finally carry out a systematic experimental evaluation using two real-world datasets and some synthetic datasets.
Selective review of research studies showing media effectiveness: A primer for media directors

The field of instructional technology always seems to be in a dilemma! On the one hand, important national and state studies such as To Improve Learning, the report to the President and the Congress of the United States by the Commission on Instructional Technology; the Carnegie Report, The Fourth Revolution; The Fleischmann Report, New York State's Commission Report on the Quality, Cost, and Financing of Elementary and Secondary Education; and the New York State Regent's position paper, Instructional Technology, A Statement of Policy and Proposed Action, unanimously conclude that greater efficiency and economy in educational practice can only be achieved through efficient, effective use of technology. "In the conviction that technology can make education more productive, individual, and powerful, make learning more immediate, give instruction a more scientific base, and make access to education more equal," the President's Commission on Instructional Technology, To Improve Learning
Recording ion channels in isolated, split-opened tubules

Ion channels play key roles in physiology. They function as protein transducers able to transform stimuli and chemical gradients into electrical signals. They also are critical for cell signaling and play a particularly important role in epithelial transport acting as gateways for the movement of electrolytes across epithelial cell membranes. Experimental limitations, though, have hampered the recording of ion channel activity in many types of tissue. This has slowed progress in understanding the cellular and physiological function of these channels with most function inferred from in vitro systems and cell culture models. In many cases, such inferences have clouded rather than clarified the picture. Here, we describe a contemporary method for isolating and patch-clamping renal tubules for ex vivo analysis of ion channel function in native tissue. Focus is placed on quantifying the activity of the epithelial Na(+) channel (ENaC) in the aldosterone--sensitive distal nephron (ASDN). This isolated, split-open tubule preparation enables recording of renal ion channels in the close-to-native environment under the control of native cell signaling pathways and receptors. When combined with complementary measurements of organ and system function, and contemporary molecular genetics and pharmacology used to manipulate function and regulation, patch-clamping renal channels in the isolated, split-open tubule enables understanding to emerge about the physiological function of these key proteins from the molecule to the whole animal.
The Structural Exceptionalism of Bankruptcy Administration

The current system of administration of the Bankruptcy Code is highly anomalous. It stands as one of the few major federal civil statutory regimes administered almost exclusively through adjudication in the courts, not through a federal regulatory agency. This means that rather than fitting bankruptcy into a regulatory model, Congress has chosen to give the courts primary interpretive authority in the field of bankruptcy, delegating to courts the power to engage in residual policymaking. Although scholars have noted some narrow aspects of the structural exceptionalism of bankruptcy administration, Congress’s decision to locate responsibility for bankruptcy policymaking almost exclusively with the federal judiciary, with little input from administrative agencies, has evaded scholarly attention. This Article aims to fill the gap by analyzing Congress’s choice of delegate in the bankruptcy context and assessing the consequences of the congressional decision to locate residual policymaking power in the courts. After identifying the structural anomalies of the current court-centered model and some of the constitutional and policy-driven concerns that flow therefrom, this Article makes the case for moving bankruptcy toward an administrative model with a regulatory agency charged with setting bankruptcy policy. Such a shift away from bankruptcy exceptionalism could bring greater expertise, accountability, uniformity, accessibility, transparency, prospective clarity and flexibility to policymaking in the bankruptcy arena. In addition, such a shift could help alleviate some of the constitutional issues that cast doubt on the legitimacy of our current system, such as Article III questions highlighted by the Supreme Court’s 2011 decision in Stern v. Marshall.
Morphologic variation and classification of the North American Aristida purpurea complex (Gramineae)

The morphology of the Purpureae Group of North AmericanAristida is assessed by principal components and statistical analyses. Long considered a complex of about eight species, a mosaic of intergrading phenetic forms is revealed and the complex is reduced to one species with seven varieties. The taxa that are recognized areAristida purpurea var.purpurea, var.nealleyi (comb. nov.), var.curvifolia (comb. nov.), var.parishii (comb. nov.), var.wrightii (comb. nov.), var.fendleriana, and var.longiseta. A key and synopses for the varieties are provided.
Laser-based microscale bending for microelectronics fabrication

This paper presents experimental and theoretical work on laser-based microscale bending. High precision bending of stainless steel and ceramic specimens is achieved with the use of a pulsed or a CW laser. Experiments are conducted to study the bending behavior of stainless steel and ceramics due to laser irradiation. The amount of bending is correlated with various laser and processing parameters. A theoretical model of the laser bending process is presented base don thermo-elasticity/plasticity. The laser bending process is explained as the result of the laser-induced non- uniform distribution of the residual strain. Numerical simulations are carried out to calculate the laser-induced temperature field, the residual stress field, and the amount of bending for both pulsed and CW laser irradiation. Applications of the laser bending technique in microelectronics fabrication are discussed.
Influence of Client Age on Counselor Trainees' Assessment of Case Material.

ABSTRACT Research has documented bias toward elderly clients by mental health professionals. To determine whether counselor trainees held similar biases against elderly clients, counseling (N=40) and non-counseling (N=25) graduate students were given an intake summary of a female client exhibiting symptoms of depression. The client's age was manipulated on the summaries by presenting the client as either 25, 45, or 65 years old. Subjects rated the clients on five dimensions, i.e., self-awareness, openness to change, self-esteem, duration of counseling, outcome of counseling, using a sevenpoint scale. Results indicated that the client's age did not significantly affect the ratings on any of the five dimensions. The results suggest that students do not show the same forms of client bias toward the aged as professionals. (Author/NRB)
Optical pattern recognition using multiple phase-shifted-reference fringe-adjusted joint transform correlation

We propose a novel optical pattern recognition system using multiple phase-shifted-reference fringe-adjusted joint transform correlation (MRFJTC) techniques. The MRFJTC algorithm can efficiently detect an object of interest in the input scene by producing a highly distinctive correlation peak while rejecting any and all nontarget objects in a complex background. The simple architecture of the proposed system can simultaneously recognize multiple targets of the reference class when present. The recognition performance is fast, automatic, and invariant to noise and distortions.
Spherulite Crystallization in Poly (ethylene oxide)-Silica Nanocomposites, Retardation of Growth Rates through Reduced Molecular Mobility

The spherulitic crystallization of nanocomposites of poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) and silica nano-sphere filler particles was investigated using optical microscopy and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). It was found that spherulite growth rates were retarded by the presence of the silica nano-particles. This was interpreted in terms of reduced molecular mobility caused by either geometric constraints in the confined small volumes between particles, or by an increase of the interfacial surface area at which polymer chains were pinned. There was an indication of lowering of final crystallinity and increase of amorphous content for heavily filled higher molecular weight polymer. Implications for conductivities of PEO when used as a solid electrolyte in applications such as batteries are considered.
Gratitude to an Unknown Mentor: Bostrom's Influence on Janusik

Many people influence us throughout our lives, and sometimes we are fortunate enough to have the opportunity to reflect upon the influence. Often, this is more challenging than it sounds, as some people become a part of our DNA, inextricably linked to who we are, what we believe, and how we work. Such is the case of the influence of Robert (Bob) N. Bostrom on my work. Though I met Bostrom only once, his work became a part of what I believe about listening and how I choose to approach listening and listening research. Through the process of examining both my work and Bostrom's work, I was able to identify the two main influences he had on me. They are pursuing listening from a cognitive-based perspective and not struggling to define the construct of listening.
Effect of the interface recombination current fluctuations on 1/f noise of gated lateral bipolar transistors

A gated lateral bipolar transistor is a bulk lateral BJT in parallel with a MOSFET at the surface. The base current components such as surface recombination and space charge recombination currents are two of the dominant noise sources in the lateral BJT. If the gate is biased such that the MOSFET is in the off-state by accumulating carriers underneath the oxide in the base surface, the noise contribution by these two base current (Ib) components can be better understood. The carrier accumulation in the base surface can be modulated with different gate bias, which in turn will affect the fluctuation of the surface recombination current component. In this paper, noise power spectral density of gated lateral PNP transistors, fabricated in Texas Instruments Standard Bipolar Process, has been discussed. The base current noise power spectral density (SIb) was extracted from the cross-correlation noise spectrum measured between the base and the collector circuits for different gate biasing conditions. Based on the frequency exponent dependence of the noise power spectral density, it was found that the noise in the low frequency range is in the form of 1/f noise. S Ib was found to be the dominant noise source for these devices as the coherence between the base and collector power spectral density was very close to 1. S Ib was extracted for a base current range of 8 nA to 1microA for a gate bias range of 0V to 40V. The SPICE noise model parameters, AF and KF were also determined for each case from the dependence of S Ib on I b . The noise was measured on devices with different base width values.
An empirical investigation of the role of indenture provisions in determining bond ratings

Abstract This paper documents the occurrence of indenture provisions of newly issued bonds and the relevance of these provisions to a bond's rating. A chronicle of the various combinations of restrictive covenants reveals that four covenant combinations account for over 90% of the issues. The evidence also suggests that convertibility of an issue vitiates stockholder-bondholder conflict because these issues have few, if any, restrictive covenants. Also, the indenture provisions of low rated, subordinated issues appear to reflect a concern about the underinvestment problem while the opposite holds for high rated, nonsubordinated issues. The addition of indenture provisions to a bond rating model is shown to create a model superior to previous rating models. This finding highlights the complex nature of the corporate financial contracting process. Consistent with past evidence, Moody's ratings are predicted more accurately than S&P's ratings and split rated issues are predicted less accurately than commonly rated issues.
Analytical studies of ‘mixed sequence’ oligodeoxyribonucleotides synthesized by competitive coupling of either methyl- or β-cyanoethyl-N,N-diisopropylamino phosphoramidite reagents, including 2′-deoxyinosine

Abstract High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and 1H/31P nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy were used to measure the molar ratio of oligodeoxyribonucleotide products in mixtures obtained with automated DNA synthesizers that employed competitive coupling of either standard methyl- or newer beta-cyanoethyl-N,N-diisopropylamino phosphoramidite reagents, which include deoxyinosine. Mixtures of these reagents when used as freshly prepared solutions afforded ratios of products that indicated negligibly small differences among the rates of the various competitive coupling reactions. However, studies of reagent stability in solution revealed that both types of the N-isobutyryl deoxyguanosine reagent decompose faster than their corresponding dA, dC, and dT phosphoramidites, which led to significantly lower proportions of dG-containing sequences. This problem was attenuated for the beta-cyanoethyl reagents due to their slower rate of decomposition.
Program Barriers and Challenges to Self-Sufficiency: A Qualitative Analysis of Ohio Welfare-to-Work Program Manager Identity:

This research examines the ways in which Ohio Works First (OWF) program managers respond to the bureaucratic constraints of implementing welfare-to-work programs. Using qualitative data collected from telephone interviews with program managers in 69 of Ohio’s 88 counties, we build on prior research that examines caseworker identity and case management (Watkins-Hayes, 2009) by investigating how managers view the challenges and program barriers to self-sufficiency for cash assistance clients in Ohio. We find three distinct manager identities and responses to these challenges and barriers. First, following Watkins-Hayes (2009), we find ‘social work’ identified managers are more holistic in their approach and focused on structural barriers to self-sufficiency. A second type of manager – ‘efficiency engineers’ – are far more rules-minded and focused on clients’ individual barriers. Third, similar to existing research (Taylor and Seale, 2013), we find support for another category of managers – ‘conflicted’ – wh...
Watching the Watchers: The Nature and Content of Campaign Ad Watches

Since David Broder issued a challenge to journalists after the 1988 presidential campaign to move from being “color commentators” to “referees,” political campaign ad watches have proliferated. This article uses originally coded data to empirically document the growth, increasing diversity, and content of all original print ad watches from the 1992,1996, and 2000 election cycles. Testing a series of standard political communication hypotheses, the analysis indicates that while ad watches have increased in frequency, source, and target, they have been molded more to emphasize the strategic aspect of advertising than to evaluate the veracity of content. Systematic bias emerges in the form of local sources’ being easier on local incumbents, a penchant for carrying out ad watches on negative ads, and treating Democratic ads more favorably than Republican.
Decay of 93,93mRu and levels of 93Tc☆

Nuclear energy levels of 93Tc were studied in the decay of 93Ru and by the 96Ru(p, α)93Tc reaction. A Ge(Li) spectrometer was used to detect the γ-rays following the decay of 93Ru. A 680·2 keV γ-ray was assigned to this decay. The existence of a 93Ru isomer with a half-life of 45−20+30 sec was deduced from the growth in the activities of both 93Tc and 93mTc. The spectrum of α particles from the 96Ru(p, α)93Tc reaction was observed at 120°. From this reaction new levels in 93Tc at 2·29, 2·49 and 2·71 MeV and probable levels at 1·97 and 2·84 MeV were reported. A decay scheme of 93,93mRu is proposed.