cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Nonlinear Attitude Control of a Spacecraft with Distributed Actuation of Solar Arrays

This paper presents a novel control architecture and algorithm for precision attitude control of a one-degree-of-freedom dynamic model of a spacecraft. To achieve a parametric model-based control design approach for this new spacecraft actuation and control architecture, the nonlinear dynamics of the open-loop plant are modeled as an ordinary differential equation (ODE)–partial differential equation (PDE) system. The ODE describes the spacecraft single-axis rigid-body rotation, and the PDE describes the spatially continuous flexible dynamics of the solar array including an allocation for a multi-input distributed piezoelectric actuation system bonded on the solar array. This distributed actuation system is called strain-actuated solar arrays. Based on this plant model, a nonlinear ODE–PDE feedback controller for attitude trajectory tracking and slewing is presented with detailed stability proofs. From an end-to-end point of view, the controller drives the distributed piezoelectric actuator patches with voltages that induce bending deflections in the solar arrays, causing controlled reaction torques on the bus to yield target-following motions and precision spacecraft attitude control. The proposed algorithm can be extended to any distributed actuation system with appropriate control input to actuator input mapping. The benefits and limitations of the proposed attitude control method using strain actuation are discussed later in terms of solar array inertia and structural rigidity. This paper also reports experimental results that demonstrate command-following rotations of a cylindrical bus via closed-loop control of its flexible appendages.
Analysis of Beta-Ray Data Important to Decay Heat Predictions

Recently obtained experimental total beta-ray spectra for 77 radionuclides created during fission of 235U are compared with predicted total beta-ray spectra based on beta-ray transition energies an...
Fault Localization: Analyzing Covering Arrays Given Prior Information

Covering arrays are being increasingly used as a tool to determine test cases for testing complex engineered systems. The primary appeal of using covering arrays for this purpose is that they are an efficient way to construct test cases that are effective at precipitating failures that are due to the combination of several inputs. However, when failures occur, determining the inputs that triggered the failures is usually a time consuming task. In this article we present a method that allows a test engineer to efficiently analyze the outcomes of a set of test cases by making use of prior knowledge about the system under test. This analysis provides a ranking of input combinations that potentially triggered the failures.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA REPORTAGE OF THE OUTCOME OF THE 2015 NIGERIA’S PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION: A STUDY OF BBC AND AL JAZEERA

This paper investigated the patterns of reportage of the outcome of the 2015 Nigerian presidential election on BBC and Al Jazeera. Situated within the framework of media representation theory, the study design was textual analysis. Findings indicated that the two stations portrayed the outcome of the election as generally credible; seeing it as an indication that Nigeria might be on its way to greater democratization. The study equally discovered some evidence of the influence of beliefs and biases of the gatekeepers of the two media houses about Nigeria on their report of the election’s outcome. The study recommended, among others, the strengthening of the reportorial capabilities of the local media with the view to matching the international influence of foreign media such as the BBC and Al Jazeera in reporting the nation to the world, as this is the only way to counter whatever prejudice that might colour the report of the nation by these foreign media houses.
Can a motivational letter increase attendance to psychological treatment for gambling disorder

High rates of treatment refusal and dropout have complicated the delivery of psychological treatment for gambling disorder, which continues accumulating evidence for efficacy. Incorporating motivational interviewing and addressing outcome expectations into psychological treatments has been shown to increase overall attendance. However, no studies have investigated whether motivational interviewing and outcome expectations can increase attendance at the initial and subsequent sessions of psychological treatment for gambling disorder. Participants were 69 prospective clients who contacted an outpatient training clinic requesting treatment services for gambling-related problems. They were randomly assigned to receive a mailed letter that incorporated principles of motivational interviewing and addressed outcome expectancies plus a telephone reminder call or to receive a telephone reminder call only. Clients who received the letter plus reminder call were more likely to attend the initial session than were clients who received the reminder call only. Clients receiving the letter were also more likely to reschedule their initial session and less likely to not show up than were clients receiving the reminder call only. There was no significant difference in attendance at subsequent sessions. These results suggest that mailing a similar letter to prospective clients of psychological treatment for gambling disorder is worthwhile, given the associated ease and low cost. Future investigations should further investigate the value of strengthening the motivation of prospective clients and clinics before initial treatment sessions, and they should investigate the distinction between clients who reschedule versus not show up. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).
The Effect of Social Screening on Bond Mutual Fund Performance

This study measures the financial impact of screening for environmental, social and governance (ESG) criteria on corporate bond portfolios. Specifically, risk-adjusted financial performance of 103 US and Eurozone socially responsible bond funds is compared with a matched sample of conventional funds. During the period 2001-2014 socially responsible bond funds outperform by half a percent annually. An evaluation of fund holdings and a performance attribution analysis suggest that this outperformance is directly related to the exclusion of corporate bond issuers with poor corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities. A separation of crisis and non-crisis periods further indicates that the outperformance occurs especially during recessions or bear market periods. We confirm this crisis related return effect out of sample among socially screened bond indices. Moreover, results are robust to alternative definitions of sustainability, survivorship-bias, fund characteristics and stable in the US and Eurozone sub-samples.
FGF/MAPK signaling pathway regulates the genome-wide occupancy of Polycomb Repressive Complex 2 in murine embryonic stem cells

Abstract Previous studies demonstrated that genome-wide PRC2 occupancy is largely reduced in primitive mESCs cultured in 2 inhibitors-containing medium. To understand the underlying mechanisms, we performed RNA-sequencing analyses to show the expression of Jarid2 and Eed is significantly reduced in primitive mESCs due to blocking of the FGF/MAPK pathway. ChIP-seq analyses showed that decreased genome-wide occupancy of Ezh2 and H3K27me3 modification is correlated with a global reduction of Jarid2 occupancy. The ectopic expression of Jarid2 partially restores both global PRC2 occupancy and H3K27me3 modification. Further gene expression analyses showed the reduced global PRC2 occupancy does not lead to de-repression of lineage differentiation genes in primitive mESCs. Together, these results revealed the FGF/MAPK signaling pathway is critical in determining the global PRC2 occupancy through regulating the expression of PRC2 components. The reduced Jarid2-mediated PRC2 recruitment is the main molecular mechanism leading to the global reduction of PRC2 occupancy in primitive mESCs.
Arthroscopic Treatment of Greater Tuberosity Fractures of the Proximal Humerus

Isolated fractures of the greater tuberosity with significant displacement require reduction and fixation to prevent poor outcomes. Arthroscopic fixation allows for a minimally invasive approach while also allowing assessment of the glenohumeral joint and treatment of concomitant pathology. Small or comminuted fractures can be fixated using suture techniques. Postoperative rehabilitation is similar to that of a rotator cuff repair. With appropriate surgical technique, good clinical outcomes can be obtained.
Neurally adjusted ventilatory assist versus conventional ventilation in the pediatric population: Are there benefits?

Introduction Neurally-adjusted ventilator assist (NAVA) is a relatively new form of ventilation in which the electrical activity of the diaphragm is sensed by a catheter. The amplitude of this electrical signal is then used to deliver an appropriately proportioned pressure supported breath to the patient. Due to the synchronous nature of the breaths and the patient-adjusted nature of the support, NAVA has been shown to have benefits over conventional ventilation. Meta-analyses were conducted of published pediatric studies to compare ventilatory endpoints between NAVA and conventional ventilation. Methods Studies comparing ventilatory parameters between NAVA and conventional ventilation in pediatric patients were identified. These studies were reviewed for appropriateness for inclusion and studies of only pediatric patients with data for similar endpoints between both arms were then pooled. Results Statistically significant differences were noted in asynchrony, peak inspiratory pressure (PIP), and oxygen saturation by pulse oximetry. Asynchrony was 17% lower with NAVA, PIP was 1.74 cmH2 0 lower with NAVA, and oxygen saturation was 1.1% greater with NAVA. There was no statistically significant difference in peak expiratory pressure, mean airway pressure, electrical diaphragmatic activity, respiratory rate, hydrogen ion concentration, partial pressure of oxygen, or partial pressure of carbon dioxide. Conclusion Statistically significant differences were noted in percent asynchrony, PIP, and oxygen saturation when comparing NAVA to conventional ventilation. These all tended to favor NAVA. Other than percent asynchrony, however, the other statistically significant findings were not clinically significant.
Compact BandStop Filter Utilizing Low Cost Solution Cast Nanomagnetic Thin Films

A compact integrated microstrip bandstop filter(BSF) with low cost magnetic nanoparticle thin film loaded in the air substrate has been designed, fabricated and characterized. First, an optimized microstrip BSF patterned on a thin Liquid Crystal Polymer (LCP) was mounted on a partially 3D printed air substrate through a lego-like process to have the rejection of 41 dB at 8.5 GHz. To achieve the compactness, various magnetic nanoparticles were deposited within the air substrate to have the magnetic film thickness of 30 µm and 100 µm, which gave the self-resonances of the BSFs from 7.6 GHz to 8.3 GHz. The filter can also operate at higher a center frequency with a rejection over 30 dB by applying an external DC magnetic bias of 2500 Oe that is normal to the filter. Detailed comparison of the filter performance in terms of types of magnetic materials, film thicknesses and magnetic bias strength is provided. This work demonstrates a low cost and compact BSF utilizing the magnetic nanoparticle film which could find many applications in RF and microwave circuits and devices.
MULTISENSORY STIMULATION FOR HOSPITALIZED PATIENTS WITH DEMENTIA: A PILOT STUDY

Introduction: Delirium occurs in up to 50% of hospitalized patients and the risk is higher in persons with dementia. Multi-sensory stimulation environments (MSSE), including trademarked “Snoezelen” rooms, have been effective in achieving positive outcomes in persons with dementia, but there have been no studies in the acute-care setting. Purpose: This pilot study tested the effect of a therapeutic Multi-sensory Stimulation Environment known as “the Hub” in an acute-care hospital. Methods: A sample of 56 patients were randomized to receive usual care or the Therapeutic Hub intervention during hospital days 2-4. Hub activities were multi-sensory and tailored based on preferences and abilities. We will describe techniques to address methodological challenges in the study with acutely ill, cognitively vulnerable participants. We will also present qualitative data describing the experience of participants receiving the Hub intervention, and will present preliminary findings regarding between group-differences in function (Functional Independence Measure), mobility, falls, wellbeing (Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale)– and person-environment relationship conceptualized as situational at-homeness (S-EOH). Conclusion: The results of this study will inform future trials on the effects of unique therapeutic environments for hospitalized persons at highest risk for delirium.
A new hope? Yoda1 uses the "force" to sensitize cancer cells to TRAIL-mediated apoptosis

A mechanosensitive ion channel agonist mimics shear stress to enhance the cytotoxic effects of TRAIL on cancer cells.
Alcoff’s Rape and Resistance : A Précis

This article summarizes Linda Martin Alcoff's Rape and Resistance (Polity, Cambridge, 2018). Alcoff's analysis centers on a political and philosophical defense of the need to recognize the complexity of both the phenomenon of sexual assault and the various political attempts to counter it. Such complexity extends to the process of describing an experience of sexual assault (whether public or private), which Alcoff argues is always shaped by a multitude of political and social discourses. Alcoff's Foucauldian analysis results in an innovative description of the harms of sexual assault, one that focuses on the ways in which experiences of sexual assault prohibit the active involvement of the subject in the development of their sexual subjectivity. Recognizing that gender-based violence is a global phenomenon, Alcoff nevertheless argues that place-specific instances of such violence are contextualized by the larger phenomenon, which is heterogeneous to its core. The article concludes by posing several questions to Alcoff, centered on the themes of the ethics of sexual experimentation, assailants' ascription of hyperagency to targets of sexual assault, and how sexual assault may influence the sexual subjectivity of maleidentified victims, particularly those who were assaulted as children.
Thermomechanical characterization of short carbon fiber and short glass fiber-reinforced ABS used in large format additive manufacturing

Abstract In the context of the large format additive manufacturing in ambient conditions, extrusion materials need to be thermally stable, thus short fiber-reinforced composites have been developed to tailor the thermal behavior. However, lack of public knowledge in material properties and dataset lead to improper processing; yielding degradation of materials during trial & error operations which not only increase cost but also reduce the quality of printed parts. This research investigated neat and composite ABS filled with short carbon fiber (ABS/CF) and glass fiber (ABS/GF) using thermophysical and thermomechanical characterization techniques to generate dataset and knowledge that can be used to process materials without degrading the properties as well as achieving the quality parts in future. Thermogravimetric analysis was performed to study the degradation behavior. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analyzed the glass transition temperature ( T g ) and specific heat to understand the heat dissipation of neat and composite materials. While the T g measured in DSC was not significantly different, the dynamic mechanical analysis showed that T g in ABS/CF was increased due to the impeded polymer chain mobility. In addition, both ABS/CF and ABS/GF showed that mechanical stiffness increased by 272 % and 84 % respectively compared to the neat ABS. The thermomechanical analysis described the deformation behavior before and after the transition temperature which suggested that ABS/CF has the highest thermal stability to retain the shape at elevated temperature followed by ABS/GF and neat ABS. The findings of this article can be used during the modeling of pellet-fed large format AM and developing empirical process parameters.
Novel Solutions to NOMA-Based Modern Random Access for 6G-Enabled IoT

Modern random access avoids scheduling overheads and greatly improves the transmission efficiency of small packets. The major challenge is the random collision, and slotted ALOHA (SA)-based methods were proposed to cancel collisions via the receiving time slot diversity. Based on power-domain multiple access (PDMA), some nonorthogonal multiple access (NOMA) SA methods increased the active user number. This article refines PDMA-based methods at the first step, including: 1) the existing NOMA irregular repetition SA is enhanced and 2) NOMA coded SA is proposed. However, PDMA-based methods require accurate sensing and power control to separate multiple users in the power domain, which is not friendly to low-cost devices. This article proposes a NOMA SA method named spreading SA (SSA), which does not rely on any sensing or power control. Both physical and medium access control layers are considered, and the outage model, instead of the collision model, is proposed to be used for NOMA SA. SSA uses random nonorthogonal code spreading to reduce collisions as a relatively large number of codes can be employed. Compared with the power domain, the code domain gains a much higher degree of freedom. It can be utilized without any coordination with the help of blind detection technologies. Moreover, collision resolution diversity SSA (CRDSSA) is proposed to further improve the user loading. The simulation results validate the analysis and show that the proposed SSA-based methods support a higher user loading and much higher flexibility than existing NOMA SA works in most cases.
Rail Transit Regenerative Braking Energy Recovery Optimization to Provide Grid Services

This paper develops an optimization framework for scheduling charging and dispatch of regenerative braking energy (RBE) generated by an electric train system fed by a reversible substation. The mixed-integer linear programming model presented seeks to maximize the RBE retained in the system within its physical constraints, demonstrating the potential for the storage of RBE for use in grid services and resilience applications such as outage response and security-constrained dispatch. Daily and yearly time series analyses are used to showcase energy cost reductions of up to 20% per year, and decreased reliance on power from the grid, leading to reduced lifecycle operation emissions. The model is calibrated on real LMP data from the New England Independent System Operator. Furthermore, the proposed modeling approach is able to capture energy consumption differences associated with selected operational and design parameters, and thus is applicable for policy or project-level analyses to motivate transit electrification decisions.
Later timing but informed decision? Delayed postgraduate attainment and U.S. college graduates' earnings.

Abstract Prior scholarship devotes scant attention to the economic returns to delayed postgraduate attainment, when college graduates did not enroll immediately but entered the labor market first. While human capital theory posits “better earlier than later”, delayed attainment may represent a more deliberate decision informed by the demand side, which facilitates access to better-matched jobs. Utilizing data from National Survey of College Graduates, the study focuses on master's degree recipients who attained their bachelor's degree in 2005–2010 and who were working for pay in 2015. Multivariate analyses suggest delayed attainment yields lower earnings than on-time attainment but only applies to men. After accounting for the selection into delayed vs. on-time attainment, propensity score matching estimates reveal varying delay penalties by sex and college major. More generally, this study adds nuance to the “better earlier than later” hypothesis and underscores the mechanism of delayed postgraduate education for economic stratification among college graduates.
518-P: User Experiences with Loop, an Open-Source Automated Insulin Delivery (AID) System

Background: Loop is an open-source AID system used by more than 9,000 people with type 1 diabetes. Understanding the pros and cons of Loop use may help improve disease management and support population level innovation. Methods: Focus groups illuminated 72 new and experienced users’ perspectives on Loop uptake, use and persistence. Participants were predominately white (95%), male (50%), privately insured (94%), reported annual household income ≥ $100K (73%) and education exceeding a bachelor’s degree (87%) with a mean HbA1c of 6.6±0.8%. Twenty discontinuers who stopped using Loop during the study (60% female, 85% white, 85% privately insured) completed interviews. Qualitative data, collected as part of the larger observational study, were analyzed and synthesized by a multidisciplinary team. Results: High frequency thematic content described experiences with: a) technical support and troubleshooting, b) decreased mental/behavioral burden, c) technical issues with parts of the system, d) glycemic control, e) personalizing settings, and f) providers while using Loop. Users also emphatically highlighted the effects of Loop on overnight experiences and the role that “Loop communities” played during use. Decreased burden was the most endorsed benefit characterized by less worry, stress, and cognitive effort; less time spent on diabetes management tasks, and more space to think about nondiabetes aspects of life. The most discussed drawback was having technical issues with any part of the system including challenges with insulin pumps, CGMs, infusion sites, signal loss, the app, and/or the algorithm. A range of provider attitudes and knowledge about Loop complicated users’ disclosure and experiences. Conclusions: This sample of Loop users reported benefits to quality of life and glycemic control that outweighed challenges of setting up system components and adjusting settings. Users reported being empowered by the customizability and educational effects of the open-source AID system. Disclosure S. Suttiratana: Employee; Spouse/Partner; CVS Health. J. J. Wong: None. M. S. Lanning: None. A. Dunlap: None. S. Hanes: None. K. K. Hood: Consultant; Self; Cecelia Health, Cercacor, LifeScan Diabetes Institute. R. Lal: Consultant; Self; Abbott Diabetes, Biolinq, Capillary Biomedical, Inc., Morgan Stanley, Tidepool. D. Naranjo: None. Funding The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust
Extraction, Phenolic Content and Hydrogen Peroxide Scavenging Capacity of Extracts from Some Honey Samples, Propolis and Bee Pollen

Honey and propolis is natural food, produced by honey bees ( Apis mellifera ) and largely used by the local population for its medicinal properties. Our work aims to extract and evaluate the hydrogen peroxide scavenging capacity of different phenolic extracts from some bee products. Phenolic compounds from honey samples, propolis, and bee pollen were extracted by methanol and subjected to radical scavenging activity towards hydrogen peroxide. The results showed the highest values for the total phenolic and total flavonoA¯d contents in propolis and bee pollen, and a great hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) inhibition (IC50: 0.205 - 2.210 Âµg/mL) with honey extracts, while sample â€œmultiflowerâ€ is the better antioxidant, more than ascorbic acid used as control. The less scavenging activity was observed with the extract from bee pollen (IC50: 39.383 Âµg/mL). To combat the harmful effects of free radicals, especially reactive oxygen species including hydrogen peroxide, it is important to use phenolic extracts instead of using honey as it is, and extracts from the honey of different types are excellent antioxidants compared to other bee products.
Diagnosis of Clostridioides difficile infection by analysis of volatile organic compounds in breath, plasma, and stool: A cross-sectional proof-of-concept study.

Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) is an important infectious cause of antibiotic-associated diarrhea, with significant morbidity and mortality. Current diagnostic algorithms are based on identifying toxin by enzyme immunoassay (EIA) and toxin gene by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in patients with diarrhea. EIA’s sensitivity is poor, and PCR, although highly sensitive and specific, cannot differentiate infection from colonization. An ideal test that incorporates microbial factors, host factors, and host-microbe interaction might characterize true infection, and assess prognosis and recurrence. The study of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) has the potential to be an ideal diagnostic test. The presence of VOCs accounts for the characteristic odor of stool in CDI but their presence in breath and plasma has not been studied yet. A cross-sectional proof-of-concept study analyzing VOCs using selected ion flow tube mass spectrometry (SIFT-MS) was done on breath, stool, and plasma of patients with clinical features and positive PCR for CDI (cases) and compared with patients with clinical features but a negative PCR (control). Our results showed that VOC patterns in breath, stool, and plasma, had good accuracy [area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) 93%, 86%, and 91%, respectively] for identifying patients with CDI.
Resonant nonlinear refraction of 4 – 5 − μ m light in CO and C O 2 gas

The resonant nonlinear refraction of $4\text{--}5\text{\ensuremath{-}}\ensuremath{\mu}\text{m}$ light in CO and $\mathrm{C}{\mathrm{O}}_{2}$ gas at a peak intensity of $15\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}\mathrm{MW}/\mathrm{c}{\mathrm{m}}^{2}$ was demonstrated using time- and frequency-resolved measurements of self-focusing and self-defocusing. The nonlinearity of these molecular gases exhibits intensity-dependent sign reversals and a $l4\text{\ensuremath{-}}\mathrm{ns}$ response time. A change from self-focusing to self-defocusing or vice versa was observed to occur for Rabi frequencies that are comparable to the collisional linewidth. A density matrix model for the nonlinear susceptibility of a strongly driven two-level system provides a qualitative explanation for these results.
Adapting jtag for ac interconnect testing

The use of AC coupled interconnects to provide communication paths between devices are increasing. The existing IEEE 1149.1 boundary scan standard (JTAG) has limitations that hinder it from being able to effectively test all AC coupled interconnects. This paper describes a simple enhancement to the JTAG architecture enabling it to operate in new modes facilitating AC interconnect testing.
Evaluating techniques for exploiting instruction slack

In many workloads, 25% to 50% of instructions have slack allowing them to be delayed without impacting performance. To exploit this slack, processors may implement more power-efficient, longer latency pipelines or provide dynamically scaled pipelines using multiple clock domains. Issuing instructions with slack to slower pipelines can result in substantial power savings, with minimal performance loss. Considering both dynamic and static power dissipation, we found that by using longer latency pipelines the power of functional unit pipelines decreases by 20% to 55% with a performance impact of 0% to 3% for SPEC2000 and MediaBench workloads. Dynamic scaling reduces the performance loss in intense multimedia workloads by up to 2%, but achieves lower power savings.
The Reflexive Turn: The Rise of First-Person Ethnography

In the early to mid-20th century, ethnographic research enjoyed an exalted position within sociology. Fieldwork and direct engagement of researchers with their objects of study was the dominant mod...
Reading Maya Art: A Hieroglyphic Guide to Ancient Maya Painting and Sculpture – By Andrea Stone and Marc Zender

The ancient Maya created the most extensive iconographic system and sophisticated script in the ancient Americas. Although there are now a number of useful reference works for the writing system, M...
Predator Detection is Limited in Microhabitats with High Light Intensity: An Experiment with Brown-Headed Cowbirds

Variations in ambient light conditions across different microhabitats can modify the detectability of predators and prey. Prey have been shown to be more visible in sunlit than in shaded patches, leading to higher predation risk and more investment in vigilance (predation risk hypothesis). Additionally, prey have been hypothesized to take longer to detect predators in sunlit compared to shaded patches because of the excess of sunlight causing glare effects (disability glare hypothesis). We tested the predictions of these two non-mutually exclusive hypotheses in a seminatural experiment with brown-headed cowbirds by measuring vigilance behavior and detection of a ground predator in patches under the shade of vegetation and in the open. Light intensity and achromatic contrast were higher in the sunlit patches, which could enhance glare effects, but chromatic contrast was higher in the shaded patches. Brown-headed cowbirds took longer to show alert reactions to and flee from a ground predator in sunlit compared to shaded patches. However, the two parameters associated with perceived predation risk (vigilance prior to the predator exposure and time to resume foraging after the attack) did not differ between sunlit and shaded patches. Our findings support to a greater extent the disability glare hypothesis than the predation risk hypothesis. Overall, ambient light conditions can affect two critical components of behavioral predator–prey interactions in terrestrial habitats: detection of and escape from predators. The effects of disability glare are expected to be more pronounced in bird species with wider visual fields or without sun-shading structures; however, species may compensate through various behaviors (e.g. avoidance of sunlit patches and changes in head orientation).
Structured Modeling of Concurrent Stochastic Hybrid Systems

We propose a modeling language for structured specification of interacting components with both hybrid and stochastic dynamics. The behavior of a stochastic hybrid agent is described using a hybrid automaton whose dynamics is specified by stochastic differential equations and probabilistic jumps. Stochastic hybrid agents interact with other agents using shared variables. The operations of parallel composition, instantiation and hiding are defined to allow hierarchical descriptions of complex agents. We report on a stochastic extension of the modeling environment Charon for hybrid systems, a simulation tool, and case studies using the tool.
Parent-Child Interactions During Cancer Treatment-Related Procedures: What is Still Missing?

Children being treated for cancer receive a variety of treatment-related procedures, such as lumbar punctures, bone marrow aspirations and port starts. These invasive and painful procedures can negatively influence children with cancer in the short- and long-term run. Parents play important roles in physically and emotionally caring for their child during these procedures and parent-child interactions can significantly influence children’s experiences during painful procedures. The purpose of this editorial was to discuss the impact of parent-child interactions during painful procedures and future research directions through the following aspects: the impact of treatment-related painful procedures in children with cancer, parent-child interactions during cancer treatment-related procedures and observational measures of parent-child interactions during painful procedures.
Urinary biomarkers and nephrotoxicity

In the broadest sense, biologic markers are substances present in biologic specimens that when measured, help to determine the relationship between xenobiotic exposures and human diseases. The purposes served by biomarkers are twofold: firstly, to achieve the earliest identification of health impairment resulting from a xenobiotic exposure; and secondly, to gain insight into the mechanism(s) responsible for any adverse impact of such exposure on the health of individuals or specific populations at risk. The National Research Council through its Committee on Biological Markers has developed a model for conducting environmental health research which defines the progression from xenobiotic exposure to clinical disease and identifies four stages during that process [1]. These stages mark the course by considering the magnitude of the internal dose, its relationship to the biologically effective dose, the presence of early biologic effects and eventually on alterations in the structure and/or function of the target organ.
ID: 149: Type I IFN modulation as host-directed therapy during non-viral pulmonary infections

Cytokines such as IL-1 and type I IFNs and lipid mediators, such as eicosanoids, play key roles in regulating the balance between host-detrimental and host-beneficial immune responses and as such represent important targets for immunologic intervention. Thus, redirecting the outcome of the host immune response from induction of disease to pathogen control based on our growing understanding of the cytokine and lipid mediator networks governing these processes could lead to novel treatment strategies for infectious diseases. We found that during tuberculosis, type I IFN driven inflammation exacerbates disease and renders mice highly susceptible to infection. In contrast, induction of type I IFNs during pulmonary fungal infection with Cryptococcus resulted in enhanced control of infection. Thus, modulating the type I IFN pathway in pulmonary infections caused by non-viral pathogens can lead to both enhanced or diminished host resistance and thus represents a potent immunotherapeutic target. I will summarize our recent data that revealed pivotal intersections between the IL-1 and type I IFN cytokine pathways and eicosanoids in the host response to mycobacteria and how targeting this cross talk can promote resistance to lethal M. tuberculosis infection and be potential exploited to design host-directed therapies.
Spontaneous rupture of the kidney associated with pregnancy.

Abstract Spontaneous rupture of the kidney is an extremely rare complication of pregnancy. Such nontraumatic ruptures may occur in either the renal parenchyma or the renal pelvis. A case of spontaneous rupture of the kidney pelvis associated with pregnancy is reported. Treatment of such ruptures should include attempts, to relieve the obstruction and drainage leading to correction or repair of the rupture. If the kidney is severely damaged, nephrectomy is indicated.
Creative Individuals, Creative Places: Marc Jacobs, New York and Paris.

Marc Jacobs is a self-described postmodern fashion designer who is believed to give a downtown New York allure to everything he touches, even though he now lives and works in Paris and routinely taps into the value-adding sources and innovative energies of far-away places such as Tokyo. Here I present Jacobs as one of the emerging global tastemakers whose relatively less place-bound and powerfully global experiences have significant implications for the arguments around the sociology and geography of creativity. More specifically, I argue that the transterritorial nature of Jacobs' creativity points to a more complicated geography of creativity than has been acknowledged in the literature.
Chorda tympani section decreases the cation specificity of depletion-induced sodium appetite in rats

Rats depleted of sodium by diuretic treatment were tested for their ability to respond selectively to NaCl after chorda tympani nerve (CTn) section (CTX). A variety of chloride salts (NaCl, KCl, NH4Cl, CaCl2) at two concentrations (0.05 and 0.3 M) were presented semirandomly to sodium-deplete rats in repeated single-stimulus trials (10 s). The responses of sodium-depleted surgical control rats (n = 8) were highly cation specific. These rats licked substantially more for both sodium stimuli than for any other chloride salt. On the other hand, the licking responses of CTX sodium-depleted rats (n = 8) were less cation selective. These rats licked NaCl and 0.05 M KCl at comparable rates. For both NaCl concentrations, CTX rats had significantly lower lick rates than controls. In addition, the difference between the lick rate for NaCl and that for the other salts was much greater for control rats than for CTX rats. Although CTn section did not entirely eliminate the high levels of responsivity to NaCl observed in the intact sodium-depleted rat, it did substantially compromise the selectivity of the behavior, which suggests that the input of the CTn is critical for taste-guided sodium specific behaviors.
Ionization Signal Response during Combustion Knock and Comparison to Cylinder Pressure for SI Engines

In-cylinder ion sensing is a subject of interest due to its application in spark-ignited (SI) engines for feedback control and diagnostics including: combustion knock detection, rate and phasing of combustion, and mis-fire On Board Diagnostics (OBD). Further advancement and application is likely to continue as the result of the availability of ignition coils with integrated ion sensing circuitry making ion sensing more versatile and cost effective. In SI engines, combustion knock is controlled through closed loop feedback from sensor metrics to maintain knock near the borderline, below engine damage and NVH thresholds. Combustion knock is one of the critical applications for ion sensing in SI engines and improvement in knock detection offers the potential for increased thermal efficiency. This work analyzes and characterizes the ionization signal in reference to the cylinder pressure signal under knocking and non-knocking conditions. Combustion data including cylinder pressure and ionization signals from a 2.0L I4 and a 5.4L V8 engine are collected at varying operating conditions. The ion and pressure signals are characterized and compared through the use of frequency analysis, correlation, and coherence. The results show that the correlation and coherence are low as a result of both the ion and pressure signals being point measurements and the stochastic aspects of combustion knock and characteristics of the in-cylinder pressure waves. Using additional statistical analysis however, the results show a high correlation of knock levels between the ion and cylinder pressure measurements.
INHIBITION OF INTESTINAL AMINO-ACID TRANSPORT BY SUGARS.

GALACTOSAEMIA, an inborn defect of galactoso metabolism, is known to be associated with derangements in the renal tubular transport of amino-acids1. It is of interest that some of the features of this disease, including amino-aciduria, can be reproduced in rats by feeding them a diet containing 30 per cent galactose2. Recently, Segal et al.3 have shown that the uptake of certain amino-acids by rat kidney slices can be inhibited in vitro by galactose and fructose at relatively low concentrations (5.6 m molar), while at a higher concentration (16.8 m molar) glucose also exerts some inhibitory effect. Since in the mammalian organism many of the transport processes of the kidney and the small intestine appear to be similar we have examined the effect of sugars, especially galactose, on the transport of amino-acids by the small intestine of the rat.
The task-dependent nature of the maintenance of object-oriented programs

In this paper we present the results of three experiments we have conducted to test the maintainability of object-oriented software products. Previous research in the field has yielded contradictory results as to whether or not object orientation promotes maintainability. Our experiments were conducted to test our hypothesis that the type of maintenance task influences whether or not the presence of an inheritance hierarchy aids maintainability. We constructed two equivalent C++ programs. One version incorporated an inheritance hierarchy; the other was flat. We used a between-subjects design in each experiment. In each experiment, the maintenance task was the same for all the subjects. Essentially the same two versions of the program were used in all three experiments but with different subjects and a different maintenance task. The results of the first experiment support the hypothesis that at least one type of maintenance task exists where an inheritance-based implementation is more maintainable than a flat version, and conversely for the second experiment. The results of the third experiment support the hypothesis that at least one type of maintenance task exists where there is no significant difference between an inheritance-based implementation and a flat version. We conclude that, when maintaining object-oriented software products, the nature of the maintenance task itself determines whether or not the presence of an inheritance hierarchy promotes maintainability.
The Cuban Response to the AIDS Crisis: Human Rights Violation or Just Plain Effective?

With a population of 11 million Cuba is the largest island among the Caribbean nations. It has suffered half of century of US trade embargo after the communist revolution that brought Fidel Castro to power. Until the end of the cold war it had been receiving significant financial support from the Soviet Union. After the break up of the Soviet Empire funding for Cuba dried up. In the 1990s Cuba has seen a 50% decrease in its GDP though its economy has recovered considerably since 2001. Since the onset of the AIDS pandemic across the globe Cuba has undertaken some controversial steps to tackle the crisis with very limited resources. The Cuban health ministry has had spectacular success in limiting the spread of AIDS among its population. In spite of its success in stemming the spread of the AIDS epidemic the Cuban government has been maligned by some countries and human rights organizations. Others especially aid organizations in the third world have proposed Cuba as a model for other developing countries grappling with the AIDS epidemic. (excerpt)
A method for studying the effects of mediated associations in the paired- associate learning of children

Two classrooms of fifth grade children were pre sented training and transfer lists of verbal paired-associates in order to test the merits of a group technique in demonstrating the facilitating effects of mediated associations on the learning of new responses. A. practice-test procedure was followed, utilizing a projector and screen for the presentation of materials and individual booklets for the responses of Ss.
Seizure-induced c-fos expression in rat medulla oblongata is not dependent on associated elevation of blood pressure

Abstract This study was performed to determine whether c-fos immunoreactivity (IR) induced in medulla oblongata by pentylenetetrazole seizures is a consequence of seizure-associated blood pressure elevation and activation of baroreceptor afferent pathways, or occurs independently of hypertension. Immunohistochemical study of sections of medulla oblongata revealed that seizures are followed by induction of c-fos IR in nucleus tractus solitarius (NTS), dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus (DMN 10), and ventrolateral medulla (VLM), while there is negligible c-fos IR after saline sham injections. Seizures were associated with blood pressure elevation peaking at 31 ± 17% (±SD) above baseline. Experimental hypertension at a similar level induced by i.p. phenylephrine also resulted in induction of c-fos IR in NTS. When seizures were preceded by antihypertensive treatment with the α-adrenergic antagonist, phentolamine, peak blood pressure tended to remain near the baseline level and lower than sham-injected controls. Normotensive seizures were associated with c-fos IR in NTS, DMN 10, and VLM similar to the pattern following hypertensive seizures. Seizure-induced activation of c-fos IR occurred despite normal blood pressure, and thus can be attributed to a direct effect of the seizure, and not to an indirect effect mediated by hypertension.
An investigation of particle size analyses as applied to WC-Co

The WC particle size has been shown1 to be the parameter that most strongly affects the tensile and bending strength of sintered WC-Co when the Co behaves in a ductile manner. A plane model of rigid, hexagonal inclusions in an elastic, perfectly plastic matrix has been used2 to extend earlier work1 to include a discussion of the effects of nonuniform particle sizes on the strength of WC-CO.~ WC particles have been shown by Pfau and Rix4 and others to be triangular prisms. An estimated ratio of side height to length of the prisms, H/L, from their photographs of extracted WC particles is +. In high-volume-fraction WC alloys, the triangular prisms are not as well developed as in alloys with less WC, and some particles with H/L 4 are also seen. Many authors have pointed out that there is a range of particle sizes in WC-CO.~ However, the bulk of the particles may be closer to a single size than the rather broad distribution that has been suggested. The relation used by Fishmeister and Exner3 to obtain WC particle size distribution is essentially the one derived by a number of authors5-’ for the special case of spherical particles or voids. To investigate the applicability of this relation for the WC particle shape found in WC-Co, many small pieces of balsa wood, all of one size (H/L = fr), were embedded in a water-base putty. The ratio of 4 is used here instead of $ because of the occurrence of particles with this ratio of dimensions and also to emphasize the shortcomings of this analysis for triangular prisms by using a slightly more extreme ratio than +. After photographing the surfaces of a number of sections through the model, an analysis as outlined by Rockstiegel’ was done. Figure 1 is a result of this analysis. The distinct broadening of the particle size distribution and the apparent maximum number of particles at the smaller dimension of the particles in the model should be noticed. There is undoubtedly a range of WC particles sizes in WC-Co, but this rather poor performance of the Rockstiegel analysis in discerning single-size triangular prisms raises serious doubts concerning the validity of the results of this analysis for obtaining the actual particle size distribution for alloys with particles of this
Exploring the Design of Game Enjoyment Through the Perspectives of Novice Game Developers

In this collaborative research, the authors explored the ways in which novice game designers utilize strategies and methods to promote player enjoyment. Adopting the GameFlow model and an exploratory survey, this study examined the perceptions of the 2011 Global Game Jammers at three different sites in regards to designing games that result in player enjoyment. The results of the study were consistent with the findings of the current literature on game enjoyment, and insinuated the notion of interconnected relationships between each GameFlow element. The study also suggested the existence of five latent groups of novice game designers who differed in their preference or perceived importance of game enjoyment elements. Lastly, there appeared to be an association between individual characteristics and perceptions of game flow design elements among novice game designers.