cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Development of Smart U-Health Care Systems

In recent years, the healthcare environment has changed from an existing treatment center to a prevention center and a disease management center. Proposing smart healthcare devices that enable active healthcare by creating a knowledgeable healthcare system or family members rather than single healthcare can effectively expand healthcare services. A family intended for younger users whoa delicacy to an elder family. While the services provided can be used to prevent disease through health care and reduce medical costs, automated care can maximize user comfort and increase demand. In this Work, we are going to develop activating health services to provide personalized services to each user to provide differentiated medical care and change their perception of how to provide services. In this study also, the achievement of service-oriented healthcare information systems focused on the healthcare cloud environment. Therefore, in conjunction with the development of leading smart healthcare systems connected to the IT environment and various smart systems, apparel health management systems emerge by providing patient-oriented services. This study proposes a UML diagram that includes system design to help manage U-Healthcare management problems.
Lower Leg Muscle Function: A Contributory Risk Factor of Gait and Balance Impairment after Six Minutes Walk among People with Multiple Sclerosis

Background/Purpose: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a progressive neurological disease that results in increased fatigue, decreased muscle function, and impaired gait and balance. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between lower leg muscle function and changes in gait and balance immediately and 20 minutes after 6mins walk-induced fatigue. Methods: Six persons with MS (Patient-Determined Disease Steps 3-5) participated in the study. Perceived fatigue and demographic information were taken at baseline. Muscle fatigability and mitochondria capacity was measured in the lower leg muscles before walking. Reported fatigue (VAFS, 0-10), gait variability, gait asymmetry, and static balance were measured before and immediately after a self-paced 6 minutes treadmill walk with slight elevation, and after 20 minutes of rest. Results: Participant’s baseline MFIS score ranged from 14 - 71. There was a 173% increase in reported fatigue scores after walking. Gait was impaired with a ~26% increase in gait variability and ~40% increase in gait asymmetry immediately after walking (Cohen’s D = 0.4, 0.3 respectively). There was also ~69% increase in balance postural sway with eyes opened and a ~20% increase with eyes closed (Cohen’s D = 0.5, 0.2 respectively). Gait and balance remained impaired after 20 minutes of rest. The decline in gait parameters after walking had a negative correlation with muscle endurance (r=-0.80, p=0.03), and mitochondrial capacity (r=-0.92, p<0.01). The changes in gait and balance were more evident in participants with a higher disability. Conclusions: Six minutes of self-paced walking with slight elevation worsened gait and balance among people with MS (PwMS), which did not completely recover after 20 minutes of rest. The changes in gait after walking were associated with lower leg muscle function. Lower leg muscle function might be an important intervention target to improve gait and balance fall risk among PwMS.
A data fusion approach to predict shipping efficiency for bulk carriers

Abstract Maritime waterways are critical transportation systems that connect economies and manufacturing centers. Growing demand for freight movement, along with industry commitment to minimize its environmental impact, has increased emphasis on port and vessel efficiency. Yet, few objective performance measures exist to inform decision making for system improvements. There is an existing gap in quantifiable and objective metrics for maritime transport systems which motivated this work to investigate waterway performance efficiencies through big data analytics. Availability of big data affords practitioners and researchers the opportunity to develop new performance-based metrics to improve maritime logistics. This study focused on short sea shipping logistics of iron ore in the Great Lakes and makes three fundamental contributions. Principally, we propose a maritime transport efficiency (MTE) metric attained through fusion of data from the Automatic Identification System (AIS) and navigation lock data that integrates travel time and vessel payload. We present a linear model to predict vessel capacity based on water surface elevation which will enable practitioners to better adapt to seasonal changes and dredging needs specific to the Great Lakes. Additionally, we present travel time statistics for bulk carriers on the waterway observed through historical AIS data which extends the body of knowledge from earlier works and establishes a reference for system performance. Techniques presented here are effective in capturing travel time statistics in a non-linear interconnected system. This data-driven approach offers new insights for logistics planning and optimization with direct applications to short sea shipping and inland waterways systems. These insights to port and fleet performance allow for querying and simulation of cost impact from investment strategies aimed to improve efficiency or maximize value for operational expenses.
Efficiency Implications of Corporate Diversification: Evidence from Micro Data

In this study we contribute to the ongoing research on the rationales for corporate diversification. Using confidential plant-level data from the Center for Economic Studies at the U.S. Census Bureau, we examine whether combining several lines of business in one entity leads to increased productivity. Studying the direct effect of diversification on productive efficiency allows us to discern between two major theories of corporate diversification: the synergy hypothesis and the agency cost hypothesis. To measure productive efficiency, we employ a non-parametric approach -Varian's Weak Axiom of Profit Maximization (WAPM) test - using production data for U.S. manufacturing plants. This method has several advantages over other conventional measures of productive efficiency. Most notably, it does not impose any functional form on the data. To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first application of the WAPM to a sample of non-financial firms. The study provides evidence that business segments of diversified firms are more efficient compared to focused firms in the same industry. This finding suggests that the existence of the so-called 'diversification discount' cannot be explained by efficiency differences between multi-segment and focused firms. Furthermore, more efficient segments tend to be vertically integrated with at least one other segment in the same firm and to have been added through external acquisitions rather than grown internally. Overall, the results of this study are consistent with the synergy hypothesis, implying that corporate diversification creates value through operating synergies. The study joins a recent stream of research that questions the interpretation of the 'diversification discount.'
Crazing and Toughness in Diblock Copolymer-Modified Semicrystalline Poly(l-lactide)

Sustainable semicrystalline poly(l-lactide) (PLLA) was melt mixed with 5 wt % poly(ethylene oxide)-b-poly(butylene oxide) (PEO-PBO) diblock copolymer, resulting in blends that display an exceptiona...
Dense Sphere Packings: A Blueprint for Formal Proofs

The 400-year-old Kepler conjecture asserts that no packing of congruent balls in three dimensions can have a density exceeding the familiar pyramid-shaped cannonball arrangement. In this book, a new proof of the conjecture is presented that makes it accessible for the first time to a broad mathematical audience. The book also presents solutions to other previously unresolved conjectures in discrete geometry, including the strong dodecahedral conjecture on the smallest surface area of a Voronoi cell in a sphere packing. This book is also currently being used as a blueprint for a large-scale formal proof project, which aims to check every logical inference of the proof of the Kepler conjecture by computer. This is an indispensable resource for those who want to be brought up to date with research on the Kepler conjecture.
Issues in the Ontology of Culture11

Publisher Summary The chapter discusses the issues in the ontology of culture. The notion of the reduction of one theory to another is fairly well understood and is illustrated by famous cases such as the reduction of thermodynamics to statistical mechanics. The chapter presents a nice way of distinguishing a more general ontological issue from the more particular issue of reductionism. The chapter presents an analysis of anthropological concepts. Anthropological terms do have some kind of family resemblance organization. The two types of family resemblance, the descriptive and the interpretive one, have different ontological implications. Interpretive accounts of particular cultural phenomena, an Ebelo marriage, or the reading of a paper at a philosophical congress for instance, allow one kind of description: culture phenomena are mental representations being distributed, over time and space, in a human population as a result of physical interactions and cognitive processes. The token-identity of cultural events to distributions of ideas is what one has to start from if one is interested in a scientific understanding of culture.
Modeling HCV kinetics in vivo and in vitro indicates that the liver plays a role in HCV clearance

While the liver is widely accepted as the main site for hepatitis C virus (HCV) production, its role in the clearance of circulating HCV remains unknown. We investigate this question using standard and multiscale mathematical models of HCV infection and treatment. The models were fit with frequent viral kinetic data obtained from blood of patients who underwent liver transplantation (in vivo), and with detailed intracellular and extracellular HCV RNA kinetic data measured from the HCVcc infection system (in vitro) during treatment with direct-acting antiviral agents. This is a multidisciplinary team effort that includes virologists (Natasha Sansone and Susan Uprichard), mathematical modelers (Tje Lin Chung and Alan Perelson) and clinicians (Scott Cotler, Gonzalo Crespo, Laura Mensa, Sofia Perez-del-Pulgar, Miquel Navasa, and Xavier Forns).
Picosecond Optoelectronic Transceivers

Picosecond photoconductivity is used to generate and sense transient millimeter wave radiation from monolithic broadband tapered slotline antennas integrated on ion-damaged silicon on sapphire substrates. The far field is observed to consist of a traveling wave component and a standing wave component. The time-dependent electromagnetic impulse response of these optoelectronic transceivers is also modeled.
Comparison of numerical and analytical Jacobians

The results are presented of comparison between numerical and analytical approaches for forming the Jacobian matrices that arise from implicit discretizations of the governing equations The derivation of the exact analytical Jacobians using the MACSYMA symbolic manipulation expert system is discussed in detail. The numerical differentiation procedure used to develop the numerical Jacobians is described. The Jacobian entries obtained from the preceding approaches were tested by comparing the density residuals obtained for selected test cases. The test cases include supersonic flat plate and compression corner geometries. The results indicate that the two approaches are virtually identical, although the numerical Jacobian approach may have some implementation advantages over the exact analytical approach.
Linear reformulation of the Kuramoto model of self-synchronizing coupled oscillators

The present paper introduces a linear reformulation of the Kuramoto model describing a self-synchronizing phase transition in a system of globally coupled oscillators that in general have different characteristic frequencies. The reformulated model provides an alternative coherent framework through which one can analytically tackle synchronization problems that are not amenable to the original Kuramoto analysis. It allows one to solve explicitly for the synchronization order parameter and the critical point of (1) the full phase-locking transition for a system with a finite number of oscillators (unlike the original Kuramoto model, which is solvable implicitly only in the mean-field limit) and (2) a new class of continuum systems. It also makes it possible to probe the system's dynamics as it moves toward a steady state. While discussion in this paper is restricted to systems with global coupling, the formalism introduced by the linear reformulation also lends itself to solving systems that exhibit local or asymmetric coupling.
A Systems-Level Understanding of Cardiovascular Disease through Networks

Tremendous insight into the molecular basis of cardiovascular disease (CVD) has been generated using traditional, reductionist lines of investigation. However, CVD is a multifactorial disorder influenced by the complex interplay of genetic and environmental factors. Network-based approaches are showing great promise in elucidating these interactions and how they influence cellular function and ultimately, CVD. In this chapter, we provide a general overview of network biology, highlighting the power of network theory to address questions regarding the etiology of CVD. We also discuss ways in which network and genetic analysis can be combined to understand how genetic information is integrated, coordinated, and transmitted through cellular networks to impact CVD.
Agenda building and agenda setting in business: : Corporate reputation attributes

Grounded in an agenda-building and agenda-setting framework, the current study explored the transfer of salience relationships among public relations materials, news media coverage and online public communications in a business communication context. A total of 2,576 communication messages were analyzed in terms of the dominant business corporation (object), corporate attributes (substantive attributes) and the tone of attributes (affective attributes). Our results showed that the transfer of salience relationships were strongly supported at the second-level among corporate public relations messages, media coverage and consumers’ messages online. The salience of corporate attributes has a stronger correlation than the salience of the corporate names among communication messages. The theoretical and practical implications are discussed.
Entrainment of solid-state laser arrays.

We find that the natural antiphasing tendency in linear solid-state laser arrays can be overcome by an injected field, even if the N elements are not identical. We derive a condition for full entrainment that agrees well with numerical simulations using experimentally accessible parameters. The resulting output intensity saturates near the maximum coherent value of ${\mathit{N}}^{2}$ times that of a single laser. We find that the entrained output can be modulated in a prescribed manner by a suitable choice of the injected field.
Sources of stagnation in sub-Saharan Africa

Abstract This paper investigates the sources of economic stagnation in sub-Saharan Africa during the 1970s. Several policy variables are considered, as well as a set of ‘environmental’ variables which include climate, violence, export prices and other exogenous factors. The paper uses statistical analysis in an attempt to identify the relative importance of the policy variables and the ‘environmental’ variables, taken as groups. It also seeks to identify particular policy variables which seem to have been most significant in determining growth outcomes. The technique employed for investigation is reduced-form econometric estimation. In a preliminary analysis, the impact of the international trade environment on average economic performance in Africa during the period since independence is investigated. The results suggest an extremely close relationship between movements in export prices and average performance throughout the 20-year period. A second econometric exercise investigates the joint impacts of environmental and policy variables on growth in a cross-section of African states since 1970. The spirit of the approach is exploratory, and a relatively large number of variables are constructed and tested through multivariate analysis. A primary finding is that the environmental variables seem to have had more impact on growth as a group than the policy variables. This finding must be qualified, however, by the continuing lack of some important policy variables. Agricultural price data have not yet become available in sufficient quantity for cross-section analysis, nor have several important human resource variables and indices of the use of resources in the public domain. Among the policy variables which have been used for the analysis, those identified with retrenchment during periods of declining commodity prices seem most significant. Primary among these are the real effective exchange rate and some measures of effectiveness in foreign exchange reallocation during periods when imports must contract severely. In the final section of the paper, the cross-section results are used for a counterfactual analysis of the growth experiences of individual African states. Measures of growth opportunity cost are constructed which suggest the degree to which errors in management and uncontrollable circumstances have held states below their potential growth paths. The results suggest that some ‘success stories’ may owe much to good luck, while some ‘failures’ may well be due less to bad management than to adverse circumstances.
Cell division in Carteria crucifera (chlorophyta): The role of the endomembrane system and phycoplast

Phycoplast-mediated cytokinesis in the primitive green algal flagellate,Carteria crucifera, has been examined by electron microscopy. The key developmental foci during cell division are mobile centriole-MTOCs which control mitotic spindle formation, the establishment of the plane of cytokinesis, the initiation of the cytokinetic furrow, the formation of the phycoplast and the formation of morphogenetic microtubular arrays. The cytokinetic cleavage mechanism entails an ingressive furrowing closely associated with a prolific network of internuclear endoplasmic reticulum. Dictyosome activity is limited to the cleavage initiation zone and is responsible for the production of wall precursor-containing vesicles. Dictyosome materials do not contribute directly to the growing furrow edge. Potassium antimonate staining patterns reveal the cytokinetic ER as a storage/control site for calcium during cytokinesis. Discussion of possible models concerning this cytokinetic mechanism is presented.
Effect of an anionic soil conditioner on water stable aggregation of three Hawaiian soils

Abstract The primary purpose of soil conditioner application is to enhance a soil's resistance to erosion processes by increasing the water stability of aggregates. In this study, a wrist‐action shaker was used to assess the aggregate stability of three Hawaiian soils treated with an anionic surfactant soil conditioner (AGRI‐SC). Aggregates of 2.00 to 4.00 mm in size were treated with Agri‐SC at rates of 1 to 100,000 times the manufacturer‐recommended rate of 0.30 L ha‐1. The manufacturer‐recommended application rate of Agri‐SC was effective for only the most stable soil tested (Kaneloa Oxisol), ineffective for the Lualualei Vertisol, and adversely effective for the Molokai Oxisol. For higher application rates ranging from 10 to 10,000 times recommended, stability of large aggregate fractions increased for the Kaneloa Oxisol. In sharp contrast, the same application rates decreased aggregate stability of the Molokai Oxisol. For the third, least stable soil (Lualualei Vertisol), Agri‐SC was relatively ineff...
Chelation extraction of lead from soil using pyridine-2,6-dicarboxylic acid

Abstract Pyridine-2,6-dicarboxylic acid (PDA) was employed as a lead-complexing agent. Batch testing involving PDA extraction of lead from spiked soils showed PDA to be an effective lead solubilizing agent across a wide pH range. Lead extraction efficiency was independent of the total carbonate concentration, competing cations, or the soil aging period. In addition, PDA compared favorably with EDTA as a lead-complexing agent, while behaving more desirably than EDTA in releasing the extracted lead. PDA was effectively reclaimed and reused in four successive extraction procedures, achieving in each run a lead extraction efficiency that exceeded 80% recovery of the total lead present in the spiked soil. In recovery procedures, the complex solution was elevated to a pH of about 10, separating the lead as a hydroxide precipitate, and allowing for virtually complete recovery of the PDA in solution.
Different Mechanisms of c-Jun NH2-terminal Kinase-1 (JNK1) Activation by Ultraviolet-B Radiation and by Oxidative Stressors

Irradiation of mammalian cells with ultraviolet-B radiation (UV-B) triggers the activation of a group of stress-activated protein kinases known as c-Jun NH(2)-terminal kinases (JNKs). UV-B activates JNKs via UV-B-induced ribotoxic stress. Because oxidative stress also activates JNKs, we have addressed the question of whether the ribotoxic and the oxidative stress responses are mechanistically similar. The pro-oxidants sodium arsenite, cadmium chloride, and hydrogen peroxide activated JNK1 with slow kinetics, whereas UV-B potentiated the activity of JNK1 rapidly. N-acetyl cysteine (a scavenger of reactive oxygen intermediates) abolished the ability of all oxidative stressors tested to activate JNK1, but failed to affect the activation of JNK1 by UV-B or by another ribotoxic stressor, the antibiotic anisomycin. In contrast, emetine, an inhibitor of the ribotoxic stress response, was unable to inhibit the activation of JNK1 by oxidative stressors. Although UV-A and long wavelength UV-B are the spectral components of the ultraviolet solar radiation that cause significant oxidative damage to macromolecules, the use of a filter to eliminate the radiation output from wavelengths below 310 nm abolished the activation of JNK1 by UV. Our results are consistent with the notion that UV-B and oxidative stressors trigger the activation of JNK1 through different signal transduction pathways.
The MEDEA/JASON remotely operated vehicle system

The remotely operated vehicle (ROV) system MEDEA/JASON has been under development for the last decade. Adter a number of engineering test cruises, including the discovery of the R.M.S. Titanic and the German Battleship Bismarck, this ROV system is now being implemented in oceanographic investigations. This paper explains its development history and its unique ability to carry out a broad range of scientific research.
Targeting BRAF/MEK in melanoma: new hope or another false dawn?

Nearly all melanomas harbor constitutive activity in the mitogen activated protein kinase pathway, which contributes to their growth and oncogenic behavior. This activity can arise as the result of the activating BRAF V600E, N-Ras and c-Kit mutations or through autocrine growth factor signaling. There is currently much interest in targeting two constituents of the pathway, BRAF and MEK, as a novel approach to melanoma therapy. In the current review we discuss the role of this pathway in melanoma progression and some of the issues that face the clinical translation of BRAF and MEK inhibitors as antagonists of mitogen activated protein kinase pathway in this disease.
Long-Term Trends in Surface Temperature over the Oceans

Abstract A limited comparison over the Northern Hemisphere oceans has been made between sea surface temperatures obtained from “Marine lkcks,” air temperatures over the ocean obtained from the same decks, and the historical file of hydrographic data. The intercomparison of these data suggest the following conclusions. 1) The SST observations have been contaminated by a systematic conversion from bucket to injection measurements. The bias so introduced may constitute as much as 30 to 50% of the observed change in sea surface temperature since the turn of the century. 2) The same bias effects are apparent in data sets that are alleged to contain bucket measurements of sea surface temperature only. 3) The behavior of the temperature field over the ocean appears to have significant and substantial differences from the behavior of estimated temperature changes over the Northern Hemisphere land masses. It seems clear that a reliable estimate of hemispheric or global temperature cannot be made without including ...
Phase behaviour of ternary blends of poly (ethylene naphthalate), poly (ether imide) and poly (ether ether ketone)

Abstract The phase behaviour of melt mixed binary and ternary blends of PEN, PEI and PEEK were investigated using differential scanning calorimetry (d.s.c.) and dynamic mechanical thermal analysis (DMTA) techniques. Both PEN/PEI and PEN/PEEK binary blends exhibit single glass transition temperatures (Tgs) in full composition range and PEN and PEEK were found to be immiscible particularly at mid-concentration range. When PEI is added to the immiscible PEN/PEEK system, first the blends form two separate PEN-rich and PEEK-rich phases below about 40% PEI concentration, and above this concentration, these three homopolymers form a miscible phase in the amorphous state exhibiting a single Tg. Based on the d.s.c. and DMTA results, an approximate ternary phase diagram is drawn. Three component Fox equations were found to describe the Tgs of the ternary blends in the miscible regions quite well.
Evaluation of the rate constants in chemical reactions

This article is concerned with the application of a new method to recover the rate constants in chemical reactions. The method is based on treating the unknown parameters as time dependent. With appropriate experimental data the unknown rate constants are guided from an arbitrary initial condition to their true value at a final time. An explicit equation describing the time evolution of the parameters is obtained by minimizing the error along the trajectory. The method leads to an iterative algorithm which is described in detail. Numerical results with the method indicate that accurate estimates of the rate constants can be obtained directly from experimental data. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 30: 151–159, 1998.
Impact of Personality on Academic Performance of MBA Students: Qualitative Versus Quantitative Courses*

The traditional core Masters in Business Administration (MBA) curriculum consists of a broad range of courses that can be considered as a whole, or divided into qualitative and quantitative courses. Regression models were developed with “QualGPA” and “QuantGPA” as response variables, and gender, pre-MBA academic indicators, and personality factors (measured by the RightPath6® profile) as the explanatory variables. Results may provide pedagogical insight for faculty teaching increasingly diverse MBA classes. Additionally, there are recruitment implications for those hiring MBA graduates, as well as implications for MBA students in decisions regarding MBA concentrations and subsequent career choices. While gender alone was not a significant variable in any model, gender–personality interactions were significant. Across both course categories, performance tended to be higher for students who were more “Detached” than “Compassionate,” with the exception of females in quantitative courses. Additionally, “Extraversion” and “Reactiveness” significantly enhanced performance among males in qualitative courses, and “Conscientiousness” had a strong positive performance effect among females in quantitative courses.
Percutaneous coronary interventions in patients with prior coronary artery bypass surgery: changes in patient characteristics and outcome during two decades

Abstract PURPOSE: Patients who develop recurrent myocardial ischemia after coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery are often referred for percutaneous coronary interventions. The objective of this study was to evaluate the changing demographic and clinical characteristics, and procedural and long-term outcomes, in patients with prior CABG referred for percutaneous coronary interventions during a 20-year period. METHODS: We prospectively collected data on patients who underwent coronary interventional procedures following CABG surgery. We compared angiographic and procedural success, and long-term event-free survival, among patients who had procedures from 1979 to 1989 (n = 393), from 1990 to 1994 (n = 811), and from 1995 to 1998 (n = 937). RESULTS: Patients in the 1995 to 1998 cohort were older, had a lower mean left ventricular ejection fraction, and were more likely to have diabetes, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia, but less likely to smoke. They were more likely to have treatment of complex lesions, including vein graft lesions, and had more prior CABG surgeries. More patients received intracoronary stents in 1995 to 1998. Both angiographic success rates (78% from 1979 to 1989, 88% from 1990 to 1994, and 91% from 1995 to 1998, P P CONCLUSION: Although the demographic and clinical characteristics of patients who underwent percutaneous intervention following CABG surgery indicate that they are at increasingly greater risk of adverse cardiac events, success rates and long-term survival have improved with time. The rates of recurrent severe angina as well as of subsequent revascularization have also decreased, probably as a result of improvements in technique and greater use of stents and adjunctive medications.
Spectral sensitivity by constant CFF: effect of chromatic adaptation*

Spectral sensitivities were measured by a method of constant CFF under adaptation to high-luminance chromatic fields and under dark adaptation. Adaptation to yellow yielded a narrow curve of spectral sensitivity whose maximum was at about 440 nm (similar to Stiles’s π1) when the CFF was low (18 Hz), but yielded a broader spectral sensitivity, maximum 540–560 nm, when the CFF was high (30 Hz). Adaptation to red and green yielded spectral sensitivities that were similar in shape to those of π4 and π5, respectively. Measurements obtained under dark adaptation at CFF’s of 25 and 30 Hz were consistent with the hypothesis that flicker is detected by whichever component (e.g., π4 or π5) is the more sensitive; spectral sensitivity corresponded to the outer envelope of the two components. When the CFF was 40 Hz, dark-adapted spectral sensitivity was narrower in shape than either π4 or π5. These measurements at high CFF are reasonably consistent with the hypothesis that flicker is detected when the thresholds of both components are surpassed; spectral sensitivity corresponded to the inner envelope of the two components.
New method for ultrahigh-frequency cyclotron maser at low magnetic field

A new method of electron cyclotron emission is reported in which electrons emit stimulated radiation at frequencies that are greater than the usual Doppler-shifted electron cyclotron frequency by orders of magnitude. In particular, stability properties are analyzed of a relativistic electron beam gyrating in a uniform magnetic field with a strong spatiotemporal correlation in electron gyrophases. Both field amplitude equations and dispersion relations have been obtained for small-amplitude electromagnetic and electrostatic waves on a spatiotemporally gyrating relativistic electron beam. Detailed properties of such a system are studied numerically. It is shown that, if the phase velocity of the gyration pattern is close to the axial velocity, then stimulated radiation emission occurs at a frequency that is must greater than the Doppler-shifted electron frequency in both relativistic and mildly relativistic regimes. Numerical examples are presented for cyclotron maser interactions at 35 GHz and 94 GHz for electron beam voltages ranging from 100 kV to 500 kV confined by an axial magnetic field less than 6 kG.15© (2000) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Regulation of expression of a human lymphoid cell surface marker by iron.

Abstract Spontaneous rosette formation of human peripheral blood lymphocytes with sheep erythrocytes was inhibited by pretreatment of cells with Fe-citrate, fully saturated TF (but not native TF), fully saturated LF, or native LF. The inhibition was observed within 5 min of incubation; it was relatively temperature dependent, and not mediated by the presence of macrophages, since it occurred after depletion of adherent cells from the suspension. The inhibitory effect of iron was reversed by further treatment of the cells with two highly specific iron-chelating agents, DFX and SHAM, or culture in medium supplemented with 15% FCS. Alternate expression or inhibition of the receptor was observed when the cells were cultured sequentially in low- or high-iron medium for periods of 24 hr. To our knowledge, this is the first demonstration of regulation of expression of a surface marker in mammalian cells by iron. Iron is known to play a similar regulatory role of membrane receptors in bacteria.
Immunodominance of Antigenic Site B over Site A of Hemagglutinin of Recent H3N2 Influenza Viruses

H3N2 influenza viruses have now circulated in the human population for 43 years since the pandemic of 1968, accumulating sequence changes in the hemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA) that are believed to be predominantly due to selection for escape from antibodies. Examination of mutations that persist and accumulate led to identification of antigenically significant mutations that are contained in five antigenic sites (A–E) mapped on to the H3 HA. In early H3N2 isolates, antigenic site A appeared to be dominant while in the 1990s site B seemed more important. To obtain experimental evidence for dominance of antigenic sites on modern H3 HAs, we have measured antibodies in plasma of human subjects who received the 2006–07 trivalent subunit influenza vaccine (H3 component A/Wisconsin/67/05) or the 2008–09 formulation (H3 component A/Uruguay/716/07). Plasmas were tested against expressed HA of Wisconsin-like influenza A/Oklahoma/309/06 and site-directed mutants in antigenic site A (NNES121-124ITEG, N126T, N133D, TSSS135-138GSNA, K140I, RSNNS142-146PGSG), and antigenic site B (HL156-157KS, KFK158-160GST, NDQI189-192QEQT, A196V). “Native ELISA” analysis and escape mutant selection with two human monoclonal antibodies demonstrated that antibody E05 binds to antigenic site A and 1_C02 binds to site B. We find that most individuals, after vaccination in seasons 2006–07 and/or 2008–09, showed dominance of antigenic site B recognition over antigenic site A. A minority showed dominance of site A in 2006 but these were reduced in 2008 when the vaccine virus had a site A mutation. A better understanding of immunodominance may allow prediction of future antigenic drift and assist in vaccine strain selection.
Morphometric evolution of cinder cones

Abstract Basal diameters ( W co ) for 910 cinder cones range from 0.25 to 2.5 km with a median of 0.8 km and a mean of 0.9 km. For 83 fresh cinder cones, cone heights ( H co equal 0.18 W co , and crater diameters ( W cr ) equal 0.40 W co . These results - from cones in different parts of the world - confirm and extend Porter's (1972) conclusions based solely on Mauna Kea cones. Changes of W co , W er , and H co during the 9-year eruption of Paricutin generally followed Porter's rules, but two cones in Kamchatka (Tolbachik volcano) had nearly constant values of W cr throughout their growth, reflecting constant eruption conditions. Growth rates vary from cinder cone to cone and with time for a single cone. Cinder/spatter cones on Piton de la Fournaise and Etna grow slowly, whereas the Tolbachik cones and Vulcan grew to hundreds of meters in a few days. For sixteen cones, a statistically significant relation exists between average cone growth rate and ultimate cone volume. The result parallels Walker's (1973) finding that high eruption rates produce long lava flows. Additionally, this conclusion, coupled with Fedotov's (1976) theory of magma rise, implies that cinder cone volume is directly proportional to magma source depths. Crustal thickness may limit cone growth. Fifty percent of observed cinder cone eruptions last less than 30 days and 95% are over in one year or less. Almost invariably a cinder cone eruption produces a lava flow as well as a cone. There is a strong correlation between cone volume and flow volume. Cinder cones have smaller volumes than their associated flows, and commonly a lesser volume than associated mantle ash deposits.
Effects of arsenic ion irradiation on Ti silicide formation

Abstract Effects of arsenic irradiation on lateral silicide formation have been studied with scanning electron microscopy and the electron microprobe in device geometry structures formed by deposition of Ti films on patterned Si substrates. The extent of lateral diffusion was greatly reduced and exhibited a dose dependence. By varying the energy of incident beams, we found that implanting arsenic into the Ti films is more effective in retardation of lateral diffusion than implantation through the Ti films. When the samples were irradiated with Si ions, lateral diffusion was not affected in comparison with the unimplanted samples. These observations suggest that the suppression of lateral diffusion is primarily due to interactions of impurities with the matrix. Similar observations have been obtained in planar structures where the presence of arsenic in Ti/Si thin films slows down the silicide formation.
Perestroika, Glasnost, and International Cooperation: A Behavior Analysis

Gorbachev’ s perestroika has altered the behavioral contingencies governing the responses of the Soviet people by instituting a dominant metacontingency intended to foster economic efficiency. The program consists of a domestic initiative, glasnost, and an international agenda of increased cooperation and interdependence. A behavior analysis of perestroika reveals that glasnost is an environmental program designed to teach controlling and countercontrolling skills while international cooperation is designed to maintain and increase the environmental resources necessary for sustaining high rates of productive behavior.
Role of steps in the reactivity of the anatase TiO2(101) surface

Abstract We studied the adsorption of water, methanol, and formic acid at terraces and steps on the stoichiometric anatase TiO 2 (101) surface by means of density functional theory calculations. Our results show that the reactivity of the step edges is distinct from that of the (101) terraces and is instead similar to the reactivity of the extended (112) and (100) surfaces, which are exposed at their facets. More specifically, on the (101) terraces, all molecules are adsorbed in molecular (undissociated) form, and the adsorption energy is rather low (
The virtual classroom from a business customer retention viewpoint: an empirical-based study

The basic concept of the virtual classroom has evolved significantly as hectic lifestyles, the price of fuel and other scarce resources and the quality of electronic delivery systems have greatly improved. Virtual classrooms are increasing a common option that many institutions of learning, both traditional and corporate, are strategically leveraging in order to cope with increasing global competition and with continuing technological advances, it is necessary to keep up with the direction that higher education is taking, lest a university falls by the wayside. A detailed study of business professionals through hypothesis testing and exploratory multivariate analysis have pointed to the need for such service providers to address the issues of quality assurance and the perceptual issues of academic integrity and associated reputation were found to be supportive of business professionals' decision to take online courses and other training options in order to update their degrees. Finally, there will be recommendations offered to middle and lower-level managers based upon the results.
RECOVERY OF PASTEURELLA MULTOCIDA FROM EXPERIMENTALLY-EXPOSED FRESHWATER SNAILS

We determined how long Pasteurella multocida could survive in experimentally-exposed freshwater snails. Physa virginea were collected from the Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge, Glenn County, California (USA), an enzootic site for avian cholera. Exposure to water containing up to 107 P. multocida per ml did not produce observable changes or mortality in snails. A minimum of 84 P. multocida per snail was necessary for detection among the normal snail bacterial flora. When snails were exposed to P. multocida in vials containing 107 bacteria per ml, P. multocida was detected for up to 72 hours in snails. When uninoculated snails were placed in aquaria containing 106 P. multocida per ml, P. multocida was not detected within the snails; further, P. multocida was detected in the water for only 24 hours at this level. Based on these results, we propose that P. virginea is not an effective reservoir for P. multocida.
BIDES: a BIST design expert system

BIDES is an expert system for incorporating BIST into a hardware design that is described in VHDL. Based on the BILBO technique, the BIDES system allocates pseudorandom pattern generators and signature analysis registers to each combinational logic module in a design in such a way that given constraints on testing time and hardware overhead are satisfied. This assignment is performed using the iterative process of regeneration and evaluation of various BIST implementations. In order to effectively perform regeneration, an abstraction hierarchy for a BIST design is introduced and a hierarchical planning technique is employed using this structure. This formulation also leads to an easily modifiable system. Prolog is used for implementing the system.
Community-based infections and the potential role of common touch surfaces as vectors for the transmission of infectious agents in home and community settings

Community-based pathogens that can survive on common touch surfaces include those that can cause gastrointestinal, respiratory, and skin infections. Our hands play an obvious role in the transmission of many of these pathogens, but common touch surfaces are also part of the transmission equation. Traditionally, common touch surfaces have not been the main focus of cleaning and sanitation in household and community settings. Infectious disease continues to be of concern globally due in part to emergence of new pathogens, antibiotic-resistant organisms, and a growing immunocompromised community. As a result, it is important to prevent and minimize the infection risk in homes and in the community. Understanding the role of common touch surfaces should inform surface hygiene practices and these surfaces should be the subject of future intervention studies.
Functional Deficits in nNOSμ-Deficient Skeletal Muscle: Myopathy in nNOS Knockout Mice

Skeletal muscle nNOSmu (neuronal nitric oxide synthase mu) localizes to the sarcolemma through interaction with the dystrophin-associated glycoprotein (DAG) complex, where it synthesizes nitric oxide (NO). Disruption of the DAG complex occurs in dystrophinopathies and sarcoglycanopathies, two genetically distinct classes of muscular dystrophy characterized by progressive loss of muscle mass, muscle weakness and increased fatigability. DAG complex instability leads to mislocalization and downregulation of nNOSmu; but this is thought to play a minor role in disease pathogenesis. This view persists without knowledge of the role of nNOS in skeletal muscle contractile function in vivo and has influenced gene therapy approaches to dystrophinopathy, the majority of which do not restore sarcolemmal nNOSmu. We address this knowledge gap by evaluating skeletal muscle function in nNOS knockout (KN1) mice using an in situ approach, in which the muscle is maintained in its normal physiological environment. nNOS-deficiency caused reductions in skeletal muscle bulk and maximum tetanic force production in male mice only. Furthermore, nNOS-deficient muscles from both male and female mice exhibited increased susceptibility to contraction-induced fatigue. These data suggest that aberrant nNOSmu signaling can negatively impact three important clinical features of dystrophinopathies and sarcoglycanopathies: maintenance of muscle bulk, force generation and fatigability. Our study suggests that restoration of sarcolemmal nNOSmu expression in dystrophic muscles may be more important than previously appreciated and that it should be a feature of any fully effective gene therapy-based intervention.
Immunoglobulin coated bacteriophage: a sensitive method for the quantitation of immunoglobulin allotypes.

A general method is described for coating of bacteriophage T4 with immunoglobulins or their Fab fragments. The method utilizes the capacity of monovalent anti-bacteriophage antibody, i.e. Fab fragments or hybrid IgG, to react with the phage without inactivating the entire phage population. The approximately 1% of coated phages that survive this antigen-antibody reaction are subsequently inactivated by anti-immunoglobulin antisera. The immunoglobulin coat of the phage consists of known allotypes with respect to the b locus for kappa light chains and the a and e loci for heavy chains. Specific anti allotype antisera caused 50% inactivation in dilutions ranging from 1 : 62,000 to 1 : 220,000. Since the immunospecific inactivation can be inhibited by the respective allotype this served as a sensitive assay for detection and quantitation of allotypes. As little as one nanogram of immunoglobulin allotype could be detected. The phage assay was applied to the quantitation of the allotypes secreted by lymphoid cells in vitro. The values obtained were comparable to those obtained in a radioimmunoassay for allotypes.
A photovoltaic device structure based on internal electron emission

There has been an active search for cost-effective photovoltaic devices since the development of the first solar cells in the 1950s (refs 1-3). In conventional solid-state solar cells, electron-hole pairs are created by light absorption in a semiconductor, with charge separation and collection accomplished under the influence of electric fields within the semiconductor. Here we report a multilayer photovoltaic device structure in which photon absorption instead occurs in photoreceptors deposited on the surface of an ultrathin metal-semiconductor junction Schottky diode. Photoexcited electrons are transferred to the metal and travel ballistically to--and over--the Schottky barrier, so providing the photocurrent output. Low-energy (approximately 1 eV) electrons have surprisingly long ballistic path lengths in noble metals, allowing a large fraction of the electrons to be collected. Unlike conventional cells, the semiconductor in this device serves only for majority charge transport and separation. Devices fabricated using a fluorescein photoreceptor on an Au/TiO2/Ti multilayer structure had typical open-circuit photovoltages of 600-800 mV and short-circuit photocurrents of 10-18 micro A cm(-2) under 100 mW cm(-2) visible band illumination: the internal quantum efficiency (electrons measured per photon absorbed) was 10 per cent. This alternative approach to photovoltaic energy conversion might provide the basis for durable low-cost solar cells using a variety of materials.