cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Xylella fastidiosa CoDiRO strain associated with the olive quick decline syndrome in southern Italy belongs to a clonal complex of the subspecies pauca that evolved in Central America

Xylella fastidiosa, a xylem-limited bacterium transmitted by xylem-fluid-feeding Hemiptera insects, causes economic losses of both woody and herbaceous plant species. A Xyl. fastidiosa subsp. pauca strain, namely CoDiRO, was recently found to be associated with the ‘olive quick decline syndrome’ in southern Italy (i.e. Apulia region). Recently, some Xyl. fastidiosa strains intercepted in France from Coffea spp. plant cuttings imported from Central and South America were characterized. The introduction of infected plant material from Central America in Apulia was also postulated even though an ad hoc study to confirm this hypothesis is lacking. In the present study, we assessed the complete and draft genome of 27 Xyl. fastidiosa strains. Through a genome-wide approach, we confirmed the occurrence of three subspecies within Xyl. fastidiosa, namely fastidiosa, multiplex and pauca, and demonstrated the occurrence of a genetic clonal complex of four Xyl. fastidiosa strains belonging to subspecies pauca which evolved in Central America. The CoDiRO strain displayed 13 SNPs when compared with a strain isolated in Costa Rica from Coffea sp. and 32 SNPs when compared with two strains obtained from Nerium oleander in Costa Rica. These results support the close relationships of the two strains. The four strains in the clonal complex contain prophage-like genes in their genomes. This study strongly supports the possibility of the introduction of Xyl. fastidiosa in southern Italy via coffee plants grown in Central America. The data also stress how the current global circulation of agricultural commodities potentially threatens the agrosystems worldwide.
Long-Term Facial Nerve Outcomes after Microsurgical Resection of Vestibular Schwannomas in Patients with Preoperative Facial Nerve Palsy.

Objectives This study aimed at evaluating facial nerve outcomes in vestibular schwannoma patients presenting with preoperative facial nerve palsy. Design A retrospective review. Setting Single-institution cohort. Participants Overall, 368 consecutive patients underwent vestibular schwannoma resection. Patients with prior microsurgery or radiosurgery were excluded. Main Outcome Measures Incidence, House–Brackmann grade. Results Of 368 patients, 9 had confirmed preoperative facial nerve dysfunction not caused by prior treatment, for an estimated incidence of 2.4%. Seven of these nine patients had Koos grade 4 tumors. Mean tumor diameter was 3.0 cm (range: 2.1–4.4 cm), and seven of nine tumors were subtotally resected. All nine patients were followed up clinically for ≥ 6 months. Of the six patients with a preoperative House–Brackmann grade of II, two improved to grade I, three were stable, and one patient worsened to grade III. Of the three patients with grade III or worse, all remained stable at last follow-up. Conclusions Preoperative facial nerve palsy is rare in patients with vestibular schwannoma; it tends to occur in patients with relatively large lesions. Detailed long-term outcomes of facial nerve function after microsurgical resection for these patients have not been reported previously. We followed nine patients and found that eight (89%) of the nine patients had either stable or improved facial nerve outcomes after treatment. Management strategies varied for these patients, including rates of subtotal versus gross-total resection and the use of stereotactic radiosurgery in patients with residual tumor. These results can be used to help counsel patients preoperatively on expected outcomes of facial nerve function after treatment.
Integrating disparate occurrence reports to map data-poor species ranges and occupancy: a case study of the vulnerable bearded pig Sus barbatus

Monitoring species ranges and suitable and occupied habitat are core components of biogeography, ecology and conservation biology, but it is difficult to do for rare, cryptic, wide-ranging, migratory or nomadic species. We present a transparent and objective process to combine multiple types of locality data (peer-reviewed and grey literature, museum collections, camera-trap inventories, and citizen science reports). We illustrate the advantages of this pooled approach by assessing change in range and patch occupancy for a data-poor and threatened nomadic keystone species, the bearded pig Sus barbatus, in Borneo, Sumatra and Peninsular Malaysia. We used a collated set of all occurrence observations (n = 240) to create minimum convex polygons for forested habitats for two time periods. We evaluated confidence that a patch was truly occupied by the overlap among data types. We found that 62% of the forest habitat of the Sumatran bearded pig S. barbatus oi was lost during 1990–2010 and that its range contracted by 76%; the Bornean bearded pig S. barbatus barbatus lost 23 and 24% of its forest habitat and range, respectively, and in Peninsular Malaysia the 93% range collapse of this subspecies during 1985–2010 is more severe than the 33% habitat loss alone would suggest. We conclude that integrating data types can improve mapping of the ranges of many data-poor species.
Exploring Journalism and Mass Communication Training in Kenya: A National Survey

Conducted in 2012 to 2013, the current national survey of Kenyan journalists (N = 504) examines major characteristics of journalism and mass communication training in Kenya. Findings show that trai...
Food addiction and bariatric surgery: a systematic review of the literature

Emerging research suggests that rates of food addiction are high among individuals seeking bariatric surgery, but little is known about associated features and the prognostic significance of pre-operative food addiction. Thus, this article provides a systematic review and synthesis of the literature on food addiction and bariatric surgery. Articles were identified through PubMed and SCOPUS databases, resulting in a total of 19 studies which assessed food addiction among pre-bariatric and/or post-bariatric surgery patients using the Yale Food Addiction Scale. Most studies were cross-sectional, and only two studies prospectively measured food addiction both pre-operatively and post-operatively. The presence of pre-surgical food addiction was not associated with pre-surgical weight or post-surgical weight outcomes, yet pre-surgical food addiction was related to broad levels of psychopathology. The relationship between food addiction and substance misuse among individuals undergoing bariatric surgery is mixed. In addition, very few studies have attempted to validate the construct of food addiction among bariatric surgery patients. Results should be interpreted with caution due to the methodological limitations and small sample sizes reported in most studies. Future rigorous research with larger and more diverse samples should prospectively examine the clinical utility and validity of the food addiction construct following bariatric surgery.
Plenary lecture 11: logarithmic number systems

The Logarithmic Number System (LNS) represents real numbers using a finite precision logarithm. Like any finite representation, the number of bits chosen determines the resolution of the system and therefore the application performance. LNS offers better performance and lower cost for "easy" real operations such as multiplication, division, roots and powers compared to fixed- and floating-point number systems where such operations are thought to be hard. The problems with LNS are that addition and especially subtraction are increasingly expensive when performed with extreme accuracy, because these operations involve table lookup and possibly interpolation. Also, conversion to and from conventional representations can be similarly expensive. Another inconvenience is the fact the logarithm of zero is undefined. This talk will consider how certain special-purpose applications have overcome these problems to exploit LNS advantages, giving hardware that is faster, cheaper and consumes less power than those based on traditional arithmetic. Examples of special-purpose systems that have adopted LNS successfully include neural networks, multimedia encoders/decoders, control systems, speech recognition and N-body simulators. In each of these applications, designers have reformulated the algorithm to avoid certain LNS weaknesses. LNS works for such applications because they have a large share of "easy" operations and they tolerate lower-precision results. Traditionally, LNS sum and difference calculation have carried out with enough accuracy to be faithful to the number of bits of precision required for the application, however this can be relaxed in some cases. To minimize the cost of the LNS, simulative studies determine the minimum number of bits for in the LNS representation for the application to operate successfully. This talk will explore many LNS techniques. These include interpolation methods, cotransformation of difficult subtractions into easier additions, elimination of subtractions through redundancy, bit-serial arithmetic and ROM-less approximations. Also, this talk will consider recent implementations that generalize LNS, such as for complex values.
Increased efficiency of targeted mutagenesis by CRISPR/Cas9 in plants using heat stress.

Summary The CRISPR/Cas9 system has greatly improved our ability to engineer targeted mutations in eukaryotic genomes. While CRISPR/Cas9 appears to work universally, the efficiency of targeted mutagenesis and the adverse generation of off-target mutations vary greatly between different organisms. In this study, we report that Arabidopsis plants subjected to heat stress at 37°C show much higher frequencies of CRISPR-induced mutations compared to plants grown continuously at the standard temperature (22°C). Using quantitative assays relying on green fluorescent protein (GFP) reporter genes, we found that targeted mutagenesis by CRISPR/Cas9 in Arabidopsis is increased by approximately 5-fold in somatic tissues and up to 100-fold in the germline upon heat treatment. This effect of temperature on the mutation rate is not limited to Arabidopsis, as we observed a similar increase in targeted mutations by CRISPR/Cas9 in Citrus plants exposed to heat stress at 37°C. In vitro assays demonstrate that Cas9 from Streptococcus pyogenes (SpCas9) is more active in creating double-stranded DNA breaks at 37°C than at 22°C, thus indicating a potential contributing mechanism for the in vivo effect of temperature on CRISPR/Cas9. This study reveals the importance of temperature in modulating SpCas9 activity in eukaryotes, and provides a simple method to increase on-target mutagenesis in plants using CRISPR/Cas9.
Revising transcriptome assemblies with phylogenetic information in Agalma1.0

One of the most common transcriptome assembly errors is to mistake different transcripts of the same gene as transcripts from multiple closely related genes. It is difficult to identify these errors during assembly, but in a phylogenetic analysis these errors can be diagnosed from gene trees containing clades of tips from the same species with improbably short branch lengths. treeinform is a module implemented in Agalma1.0 that uses phylogenetic analyses across species to refine transcriptome assemblies. It identifies transcripts of the same gene that were incorrectly assigned to multiple genes and reassign them as transcripts of the same gene. treeinform is implemented in Agalma1.0, available at https://bitbucket.org/caseywdunn/agalma. Supplementary information is available at bioRxiv.
Field Recovery, Lab Methods, Data Records, Curation

This chapter discusses the field recovery, conservation, analysis and curation practices involved in archaeofaunal analysis. Recovery methods may affect the taxonomic composition of an archaeological sample, through sampling tactics, screen mesh sizes, or methods of conservation. It briefly reviews considerations involved with cleaning, conservation, provenience management and labeling of specimens. Sorting and identification can be tackled many ways, depending on the size of the sorting crew and the skills levels of its members, and this chapter offers a few examples of different tactics. Minimal standards for as-yet very diverse digital archaeofaunal databases are offered, giving a few examples. This chapter advocates attaching all the data recorded in digital or paper databases to the specimens themselves in some medium, arguing that this is the zooarchaeological equivalent of experimental replication.
Future Directions for Catalytic Developments: Symposium Concept/Background

Abstract Catalytic research has recently been diminished as a result of the perceptions of changing world conditions. Yet a review of recent accomplishments and continuing major advances in catalytic technology, and enhanced scientific capabilities, provide great encouragement for the future. This symposium is a challenge to catalytic scientists to describe new opportunities in catalysis and to draw attention to research needs and potential contributions.
Tire-derived carbon for catalytic preparation of biofuels from feedstocks containing free fatty acids

Abstract The utilization of waste feedstocks rich in free fatty acids (FFAs) improves biofuel production on the basis of economics and sustainability. However, converting these feedstocks to usable biofuel poses inherent problems in terms of the FFA to biofuel conversion yield and the catalyst lifetime. Here, we report novel ferric sulfate impregnated carbon derived from waste tires as highly active catalysts for FFA to biofuel conversion. Our approach takes advantage of facile synthesis methods involving sonication and dehydration processes to create materials that are useful for the efficient catalytic conversion of FFAs to advanced biofuels. Esterification of FFAs to fatty acid methyl esters was achieved at 65 °C and atmospheric pressure with >98% yield even in the presence of triglycerides. These catalysts maintained similar activity after four successive uses, which indicates that the active catalytic sites are effectively supported by the three-dimensional meso/microporous architecture of the tire-derived carbon.
Providing Advantage to the Disadvantaged.

DISADVANTAGED students entering a university are considered remedial and "on trial." The belief exists that they must be well grounded in computational procedures before being exposed to the demands of creative problem solving. They are, in light of these judgments, given a diet of technically explained (but not understood) processes and endless drill on the fundamentals to prepare them for in-depth study. The authors have found this is not necessary. Many of these people are intelligent, curious, creative, and resourceful. Furthermore, difficulties with the basic processes clear up as the students find opportunity to exercise their reasoning powers. The disadvantaged students participat ing in the program herein described at tended the University of Utah. The proj ect, in its third year as this paper is written, was financed by an appropriation from state funds, a gift from the Don ner Foundation, and various university monies. A typical class consisted of 25-30 students comprising a mixture of Cauca sians, Blacks, Indians, and Ch?canos. Most of the students were selected for the class on the basis that their predicted grades for the university were C? or lower. (Their predicted grade-point aver ages were less than 1.8 on a scale where 4.0 = A, 3.0 = B, 2.0 = C, and 1.0 = D.) However, other students of the university were not denied admission to the class if they chose to register for it, and a few did. Table 1 summarizes the predictive information to characterize the students
PREPOSTERIOR ANALYSIS IN SOFTWARE TESTING

In this paper we address the important practical problem of how long to test and debug a piece of software before it is released for use. We consider the case of single stage testing and outline two protocols for the case of a double stage testing. Using results from the literature on software reliability, we formulate, for the case of single stage testing, the ensuing optimization problems which can be addressed using numerical techniques.
Characteristics of the L-Band Radio Frequency Interference Environment Based on SMAP Radiometer Observations

The performance of radio frequency interference (RFI) detection and mitigation algorithms depends on the properties of the RFI signals against which they are used. This letter presents the bandwidth, duration, and center frequency of the RFI signals that the Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) radiometer has observed in the course of one week (June 3–9, 2018) over the entire world. It has been shown that L-band RFI is a significant problem on a global scale, and SMAP multidomain RFI detection approach supported by its digital backend is well justified as the bandwidth and duration characteristics of the RFI environment may vary significantly.
Stability of a 17-Gene Genomic Prostate Score in Serial Testing of Men on Active Surveillance for Early Stage Prostate Cancer.

Purpose:Genomic testing may improve risk stratification in men with prostate cancer managed by active surveillance. We aimed to characterize the stability and usefulness of serial genomic test scor...
Predicting Turnover: The Moderating Effect of Functional Climates on Emotional Exhaustion and Work Attitudes

High levels of emotional exhaustion are frequently reported among clinicians working in community mental health settings. This study draws on social exchange theory and examines the relationships between emotional exhaustion and mental health provider work attitudes and turnover, and the moderating effect of functional psychological climates. Data were analyzed using multilevel structural equation modeling in a sample of 311 mental health providers from 49 community mental health programs. Results revealed that emotional exhaustion was negatively related to work attitudes, and the relationship was moderated by functional climates characterized by high levels of cooperation, growth and advancement opportunities, and role clarity. Specifically, the relationship between emotional exhaustion and work attitudes was attenuated for providers working in programs with a more functional psychological climate. Lower work attitudes significantly predicted higher clinician turnover. Results are discussed as they relate to improving climates and enhancing mental health provider and organizational well-being.
Lithium-based transition-metal oxides for battery electrodes analyzed by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. X. Li4Ti5O12

X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and x-ray-induced Auger electron spectroscopy were used to analyze untreated Li4Ti5O12 powders obtained from Ishihara Sangyo Kaisha, Ltd. and Samsung Fine Chemicals Company, Ltd. X-ray photoelectron and x-ray-induced Auger electron spectra were obtained using incident monochromatic Al Kα radiation at 0.834 01 nm. A survey spectrum together with O 1s, Ti 2p, C 1s, Ti 3s, Li 1s, and Ti 3p are presented. The spectra indicate the principal core level photoelectron and Auger electron signals and show only minor potassium signal. Making use of the O 1s, Li 1s, and Ti 3p lines and neglecting the components related to surface contaminants, XPS quantitative analysis reveals an altered stoichiometry of the air-exposed powder surfaces from Ishihara Sangyo Kaisha, Ltd. and Samsung Fine Chemicals Company, Ltd. of Li4Ti4.7O14.1 and Li4Ti4.3O13.2, respectively.X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and x-ray-induced Auger electron spectroscopy were used to analyze untreated Li4Ti5O12 powders obtained from Ishihara Sangyo Kaisha, Ltd. and Samsung Fine Chemicals Company, Ltd. X-ray photoelectron and x-ray-induced Auger electron spectra were obtained using incident monochromatic Al Kα radiation at 0.834 01 nm. A survey spectrum together with O 1s, Ti 2p, C 1s, Ti 3s, Li 1s, and Ti 3p are presented. The spectra indicate the principal core level photoelectron and Auger electron signals and show only minor potassium signal. Making use of the O 1s, Li 1s, and Ti 3p lines and neglecting the components related to surface contaminants, XPS quantitative analysis reveals an altered stoichiometry of the air-exposed powder surfaces from Ishihara Sangyo Kaisha, Ltd. and Samsung Fine Chemicals Company, Ltd. of Li4Ti4.7O14.1 and Li4Ti4.3O13.2, respectively.
Activation of NPRs and UCP1-independent pathway following CB1R antagonist treatment is associated with adipose tissue beiging in fat-fed male dogs.

CB1 receptor (CB1R) antagonism improves the deleterious effects of a high-fat diet (HFD) by reducing body fat mass and adipocyte cell size. Previous studies demonstrated that the beneficial effects...
Double-Net Enclosed Sulfur Composite as a New Cathode in Lithium Sulfur Batteries

Tremendous attempts have been tried on confinements of lithium polysulfides to kinetically slow down the “shuttling effect” in lithium sulfur batteries. Nonetheless, to avoid the thermodynamic loss...
Transactions within a Classroom-Based AAC Intervention Targeting Preschool Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Mixed-Methods Investigation.

This study examined the changes in the communication skills of preschool students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) that resulted from an intervention that featured three evidencebased, transactional approaches to augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) intervention: (a) attributing communicative meaning to student behaviours; (b) providing aided language input; and (c) focusing on graphic symbols representing core vocabulary. Using a mixed-methods design with multiple sources of data (i.e., observation field notes, IEPs, and direct communication assessment), the study was conducted in three classrooms with 6 educators and 13 preschool students with ASD. The purpose was to explore interaction patterns between educators and students while also analyzing improvements in student communication as measured by the Communication Matrix. The results point to a transactional relationship between educators’ and students’ communication across the three classrooms. This group of preschool students with ASD learned to use abstract graphic symbols representing core vocabulary to request as a result of educators’ focus on this requesting. A number of students demonstrated growth in use of non-symbolic communication for social interaction and information sharing as a result of educators’ increased use of aided language input.
Crystallographic texture development in extruded AA 2195 and AA 7075

Abstract The addition of lithium to high strength aluminum alloys significantly improves specific strength as is the case with AA 2195. However, unlike non-lithium containing alloys, such as AA 7075, lithium containing alloys display anisotropic mechanical properties in low aspect ratio extruded sections. The goal of this study is to elucidate the origins of anisotropy in AA 2195 and to investigate processing methods to control mechanical properties. To this end, both AA 2195 and AA 7075 were systematically extruded over a range of aspect ratios from 2 to 15 while maintaining a constant extrusion ratio. Through crystallographic texture component analysis and the use of a newly proposed parameter termed the “Plate-Like Number”, this study indicates that the Copper texture is primarily responsible for previously observed anisotropic properties of AA 2195. A series of rolling studies analyzed using the Plate-Like Number suggest that a higher initial billet temperature will minimize the Copper texture component and thus reduce the anisotropy in extruded AA 2195.
Collection and Storage of Human Plasma for Measurement of Oxylipins.

Oxylipins derived from omega-3 and -6 fatty acids are actively involved in inflammatory and immune processes and play important roles in human disease. However, as the interest in oxylipins increases, questions remain regarding which molecules are detectable in plasma, the best methods of collecting samples, and if molecules are stable during collection and storage. We thereby built upon existing studies by examining the stability of an expanded panel of 90 oxylipins, including specialized pro-resolving lipid mediators (SPMs), in human plasma (n = 5 subjects) during sample collection, processing, and storage at −80 °C. Oxylipins were quantified using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS). Blood samples collected in ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) or heparin followed by up to 2 h at room temperature prior to processing showed no significant differences in oxylipin concentrations compared to immediately processed samples, including the SPMs lipoxin A4 and resolvin D1. The majority of molecules, including SPMs, remained stable following storage for up to 1 year. However, in support of previous findings, changes were seen in a small subset of oxylipins including 12-HETE, TXB2, 14-HDHA, and 18-HEPE. Overall, this study showed that accurate measurements of most oxylipins can be obtained from stored EDTA or heparin plasma samples using LC/MS/MS.
Adverse Perinatal Outcomes Predicted by Prenatal Maternal Stress Among U.S. Women at the COVID-19 Pandemic Onset.

BACKGROUND: High stress prenatally contributes to poor maternal and infant well-being. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has created substantial stress for pregnant women. PURPOSE: To understand whether stress experienced by women pregnant at the beginning of the pandemic was associated with a greater prevalence of adverse perinatal outcomes. METHODS: Pregnant women across the USA aged ≥18 years old enrolled in a prospective cohort study during the pandemic onset (T1) in April-May 2020. This report focuses on the 1,367 participants who gave birth prior to July-August 2020 (T2). Hierarchical logistic regression models predicted preterm birth, small for gestational age infants, and unplanned operative delivery from T1 stress, sociodemographic, and medical factors. RESULTS: After controlling for sociodemographic and medical factors, preterm birth was predicted by high prenatal maternal stress, delivering an infant small for gestational age was predicted by interpersonal violence and by stress related to being unprepared for birth due to the pandemic, and unplanned cesarean or operative vaginal delivery was predicted by prenatal appointment alterations, experiencing a major stressful life event, and by stress related to being unprepared for birth due to the pandemic. Independent of these associations, African American women were more likely than other groups to deliver preterm. CONCLUSION: Pregnant women who are experiencing high stress during the COVID-19 pandemic are at risk of poorer perinatal outcomes. A longitudinal investigation is critical to determine whether prenatal maternal stress and resulting outcomes have longer-term consequences for the health and well-being of children born in the midst of the current pandemic.
US nationwide assessment of school health policies and practices using state-level data:

Objective:After the discontinuation of School Health Policies and Practices Study (SHPPS) in 2016, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) began exploring innovative ways to gather ...
Redacting Acts: The Acts of the Apostles in the Three-Year Lectionaries:

The representation of the Acts of the Apostles in the three-year lectionaries—the Roman Catholic Ordo Lectionum Missae (OLM) and the Protestant Revised Common Lectionary (RCL)—favors the first half...
Estimating Sea Surface Vorticity from the RapidScat Scatterometer Ku-Band NRCS by Using Coincident Sub-Footprint Scale Winds and Dual Polariztion Analysis

This study combines very high resolution wind vectors in the Gulf of Mexico coincident with normalized radar cross section (NRCS) measurements of the sea surface. The NRCS is provided by the RapidScat Ku-band scatterometer mission on the International Space Station (ISS). The sub-footprint winds are from a new high-resolution wind vector analysis (hourly, 2.5 km grid spacing): the Real Time Mesoscale Analysis (RTMA), from NOAA-NCEP. A second coincident wind field (with a coarser spatial resolution) is available from the standard level 2B PO.DAAC product derived from the same scatterometer data, The time frame for the measurements and analysis shown below is that of a single orbit of the ISS. One topic of interest is observing how calculations of the vorticity, using two data products with different spatial scales are related to each other, and to the radar backscatter for each of the two radar polarizations. Vorticity is a key ocean forcing parameter. Calculations using the scatterometer L2B winds show roughly similar vorticity between the two wind products over a range of weather conditions. The NRCS spatial variations for both H-pol and V correlate well with the notable vorticity features derived from the wind products.
Proceedings of the Sixth NASA Langley Formal Methods (LFM) Workshop

Today's verification techniques are hard-pressed to scale with the ever-increasing complexity of safety critical systems. Within the field of aeronautics alone, we find the need for verification of algorithms for separation assurance, air traffic control, auto-pilot, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), adaptive avionics, automated decision authority, and much more. Recent advances in formal methods have made verifying more of these problems realistic. Thus we need to continually re-assess what we can solve now and identify the next barriers to overcome. Only through an exchange of ideas between theoreticians and practitioners from academia to industry can we extend formal methods for the verification of ever more challenging problem domains. This volume contains the extended abstracts of the talks presented at LFM 2008: The Sixth NASA Langley Formal Methods Workshop held on April 30 - May 2, 2008 in Newport News, Virginia, USA. The topics of interest that were listed in the call for abstracts were: advances in formal verification techniques; formal models of distributed computing; planning and scheduling; automated air traffic management; fault tolerance; hybrid systems/hybrid automata; embedded systems; safety critical applications; safety cases; accident/safety analysis.
Computer Related Crime

Computer crimes are acts resulting in losses, injuries, or damages that involve the use of information processing systems and come to the attention of law enforcement agencies. An information processing system includes at least one internally programmed digital computer as its chief component. The system may include input/output equipment such as punch-card readers, memory or storage devices, a communications network connecting other computers and devices, computer programs and data, materials, supplies, and human operators. Such systems are highly sophisticated, automated tools and repositories of information and data.
Cell Conformation and Growth Control

Studies on the control of growth of mammalian cells have focused primarily on the role of diffusible factors, in the promotion of cell growth. However, a number of experimental results in the last several years suggest that there is another level at which cell growth may be controlled. These studies show that cell conformation plays a crucial role in growth control. The term “conformation” as used here refers both to cell shape and to the nature of the cell-substratum interaction. The experimental studies which will be described here show that cell conformation has a profound influence on (a) cell growth; (b) RNA and protein metabolism; and (c) gene expression. Furthermore, the acquisition of the fully transformed or neoplastic phenotype appears to involve the loss of the conformational-related control of these processes.
Changing qualifications for entry-level application developers

Research was conducted to determine the importance in background and skills sought by businesses to fill entry-level positions for application developers. Chief information officers of companies listed in ComputerWorld's Top 100 Places to Work in IT [2] were surveyed. Respondents rated not only the importance of each background or skill but also indicated if that importance had increased, decreased or stayed the same over the past three years. Preliminary results show the importance of technical skills such as programming, data structures and algorithms and an increasing importance of such things as internships, communication skills, and teamwork.
Supravalvular aortic stenosis

Supravalvular aortic stenosis has a wide range of clinical and morphologic expression. Since 1961, 25 patients (aged 1 to 49 years) with documented supravalvular aortic stenosis have been evaluated. Seven (28%) had Williams' syndrome, 5 (20%) had a familial form of supravalvular aortic stenosis, and 13 (52%) had a sporadic form. A blood pressure difference of >10 mm Hg between the arms was noted in 65% of the patients. Angiographically, 19 (76%) had segmental supravalvular narrowing; 6 (24%) had diffuse narrowing of the ascending aorta. Sixteen patients underwent patch aortoplasty. At surgery, portions of the aortic valve cusps were frequently attached to supravalvular tissue. This “cusp tuck” resulted in distinctive angiographic features and influenced the results of corrective surgery. Three surgical deaths occurred in the early 1960s–2 with diffuse narrowing of the aorta. Of the remaining 12 patients, followed for 1 to 12 years, 10 are asymptomatic, 1 has angina, and 1 died from cancer. All 8 patients who underwent postoperative catheterization had a thick band between the left and right coronary sinus which represented persistent attachment of portions of the aortic valve cusps to residual supravlvular tissue (cusp tuck). This resulted in aortic valvular gradients (23 to 48 mm Hg) in 4 patients and aortic valvular insufficiency in 2 patients. No significant supravalvular gradient was noted. The 20-year experience with supravalvular aortic stenosis reported herein emphasizes a wide range of clinical and morphologic expression, the benefits and limitations of patch aortoplasty, and the importance of postoperative cardiac catheterization, and furthers the understanding of a complex clinical syndrome.
Protozoan, Bacterial, and Volatile Fatty Acid Changes Associated with Feeding Tylosin

Tylosin was fed to two of six wethers for 79 days, to a second two for only 28 days, and not at all to a third pair (controls). The addition of tylosin to the daily feed resulted in a rapid twofold increase in protozoal concentration and a change in the composition or characteristics, or both, of the bacterial population. The results indicate that the bacterial population was modified to the extent of about 80%. Total acid concentrations were initially depressed but appeared to be greater than those in control animals at the termination of the experiment. Deletion of tylosin from the ration resulted in a rapid decrease in protozoal concentrations, whereas changes in the bacterial population did not occur for a further 30 days.
THE IMPACT AND EVOLUTION OF THE MASSACHUSETTS COMPREHENSIVE PERMIT AND ZONING APPEALS ACT: THIRTY YEARS OF EXPERIENCE WITH A STATE LEGISLATIVE EFFORT TO OVERCOME EXCLUSIONARY ZONING

This Symposium Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Law Review & Student Publications at Digital Commons @ Western New England University School of Law. It has been accepted for inclusion in Western New England Law Review by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ Western New England University School of Law. For more information, please contact pnewcombe@law.wne.edu. Recommended Citation
Apocalypse: Earthquakes, Archaeology, and the Wrath of God – By Amos Nur, with Dawn Burgess

The author revisits the scholarly debate pitting the numerous archaeologists and historians who believe that, ca. 1200 BCE, many Bronze Age cities and kingdoms were destroyed by war and human conqu...
Relationship between infection, inflammation and premature parturition in mares with experimentally induced placentitis.

Summary Reasons for performing the study: Ascending placentitis results in premature birth and high foal mortality. By understanding how placentitis induces premature delivery, it may be possible to develop diagnostic markers and to delay premature delivery pharmacologically, thereby decreasing perinatal foal mortality. Objective: To identify relationships between bacterial infection, inflammation and premature parturition in mares with experimentally induced placentitis. Materials and methods: Experiment 1: Concentrations of allantoic fluid prostaglandins (PGs) F2α and E2 were measured in 8 mares after intracervical inoculation with Streptococcus equi ssp. zooepidemicus (at Days 285–291 of gestation) until parturition and compared with controls (n = 4). Experiment 2: mRNA expression of interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α and IL-8 in the chorioallantois from inoculated mares in Experiment 1 were compared with 7 mares that foaled normally. Results: Bacterial inoculation resulted in 7 aborted fetuses and birth of one premature, viable foal. Infection was associated with inflammation of the chorioallantois in the region of the cervical star, isolation of bacteria and high concentrations of PGE2 and PGF2α in allantoic fluid obtained within 48 h of delivery (P = 0.04). Chorioallantois from all mares expressed mRNA for IL-8, TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-1β. Experimentally infected mares expressed more mRNA for IL-6 (P = 0.003) and IL-8 (P = 0.009) in the cervical star region and more mRNA for IL-6 (P = 0.004) in tissues from placental horns than control mares. Conclusions and clinical relevance: Bacterial placentitis may result in liberation of cytokines from the chorioallantois and prostaglandin formation leading to abortion or birth of a precociously mature foal.
Significance probability mapping: An aid in the topographic analysis of brain electrical activity

Abstract We illustrate the application of significance probability mapping (SPM) to the analysis of topographic maps of spectral analyzed EEG and visual evoked potential (VEP) activity from patients with brain tumors, boys with dyslexia, and control subjects. When the VEP topographic plots of tumor patients were displayed as number of standard deviations from a reference mean, more subjects were correctly identified than by inspection of the underlying raw data. When topographic plots of EEG alpha activity obtained while listening to speech or music were compared by t statistic to plots of resting alpha activity, regions of cortex presumably activated by speech or music were delineated. Different regions were defined in dyslexic boys and controls. We propose that SPM will prove valuable in the regional localization of normal and abnormal functions in other clinical situations.
Characterization of Textured Aluminum Lines and Modelling of Stress Voiding

It is well known from studies of individual interfaces that grain boundaries exhibit a spectrum of properties because their structure is misorientation dependent. Usually this variability is neglected and properties are modeled using a mean field approach. The limitations inherent in this approach can be overcome, in principle, using a combination of experimental techniques, theory and modeling. The bamboo structure of an interconnect is a particularly simple polycrystalline structure that can now be readily characterized experimentally and modeled in the computer. The grain misorientations in a [111] textured aluminum line have been measured using the new automated technique of orientational imaging microscopy. By relating boundary angle to diffusivity the expected stress voiding failure processes can be predicted through the link between misorientation angle, grain boundary excess free energy and diffusivity. Consequently it can be shown that the high energy boundaries are the favored failure sites thermodynamically and kinetically.
Current practice patterns in tonsillectomy and perioperative care.

Objectives: Tonsillectomy is one of the most commonly performed otolaryngologic procedures in the United States. Many options and controversies exist regarding techniques and peri-operative management. The purpose of the study was to examine current practice patterns among otolaryngologists regarding tonsillectomy. Methods: A 13 question survey regarding tonsillectomy techniques and peri-operative management was mailed to 10% of randomly selected board certified otolaryngologists of the AAO-HNS in the spring of 2002. Four hundred and eighteen anonymously completed questionnaires were returned, for a response rate of 58.5%. Statistical analysis of survey data was performed by means of cross tabulation and Pearson Chi-Square Calculation. Results: Monopolar electrocautery was the most common technique used among those surveyed (53.5%). There was a significant correlation between choice of monopolar electrocautery and the cited reason for choice of technique being decreased blood loss (P<0.001). There was no relationship between pediatric fellowship training and choice of technique. 97.7% routinely admitted sleep apnea patients for post-operative observation. There was no significant correlation between practice setting (tertiary versus community) and type of post-operative monitoring for sleep apnea patients, with patients most commonly admitted to an intermediate care setting. Conclusion: In our survey, the most common surgical technique for tonsillectomy was monopolar electrocautery, chosen for the reason of decreased blood loss.
Internet and information technologies: facts and fiction

Information technology advances are spawning visions of radically altered modus operandi for commerce, education, business, information storage and receival. Proponents of virtual technology domination offer a world of instant communications, information sharing, and binary commerce. Some express alarm to the electronic visionaries and see an expected world vacated of human interactions, which is populated by e-hermits. The reality is that access to the Internet is becoming pervasive worldwide and affords a virtual community and markets. Governments, education, markets, businesses and consumers are rushing to exploit and adjust to an electronic, virtual world. The exploitation and adjustment to this an 'ether-world' transcends boundaries is a challenge to stakeholders. Public policy, international agreements, education, businesses and consumers face monumental change in the way they live and conduct their lives. As with most paradigms shifts, pioneers rush forward and launch a myriad of new startups with many failing and some standing the test of time and utility. An example is the early pioneers in North America who headed westward to in search of a new vision of riches. They established towns, developed farms, dug mines and began new businesses. However, many of the pioneers moved from one venture to another. Some of their endeavors ended with ghost towns, abandoned farms and mines, and bankrupt businesses. In the end, however, a great nation was born. This author expects the ether-world to go through similar starts, fits, and adjustments before it emerges as a more stable part of the fabric of society.© (2001) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
A personal air sampler for pesticides.

A sampling train consisting of a 13-mm filter followed by a tube containing Chromosorb 102 was developed for measurement of personal exposure to pesticides. Recoveries from cellulose ester filters and Chromosorb 102 for thirteen pesticides were generally 90% or greater. Side-by-side sampling in a pesticide formulation plant with midget impingers and 37-mm filters demonstrated that the trains, impingers and filters gave similar results.
High pressure reactor and cell for electronic and infrared spectral studies

Abstract An easily constructed, simply operated, high pressure reactor and ultraviolet-visible/infrared cell is described. The apparatus is designed for spectral studies of the interaction of transition metal complexes and small gaseous molecules in the liquid phase.Elevated pressures of the reacting gases are limited to those obtained with commercial bottled gases. An example of the utility of the apparatus is provided in the detection of an unstable ti(III) carbonyl, TiCl3(CO)(PEt3)2, by high pressure infrared spectroscopy.
Continua as remainders, revisited

Abstract We give a sufficient condition for a general class of continua to be remainders of a space X in a compactification α X . We then see that (for these X ) the smallest compactification to which a function f ϵ C ∗ ( X ) extends has a closed, bounded interval for a remainder.
An Abstract Mandelbrot Set Algorithm for zn + c

We present an algorithm, an extension of Lavaurs' algorithm for z2+c, for determining the combinatorial arrangement of the hyperbolic components of the generalized Mandelbrot set for zn+c. Several external rays are plotted to support the algorithm.
Olfactory lesions, emotionality and activity☆

Abstract Female rats with bilateral or unilateral lesions of the olfactory bulbs were rated for emotionality and tested on several measures of spontaneous activity. Bilateral lesions resulted in hyperemotionality similar in kind, and in some cases degree, to the rage produced by septal lesions. Except for some effects which were probably due to emotionality, the spontaneous behavior of rats with olfactory lesions was well within a normal range, and distinctly different from that of septally lesioned rats.
The measurement of propionyl-CoA carboxylase and pyruvate carboxylase activity in hair roots: its use in the diagnosis of inherited biotin-dependent enzyme deficiencies

Two mitochondrial biotin-dependent enzymes, propionyl-CoA carboxylase and pyruvate carboxylase, are measurable in hair roots. A third biotin-dependent enzyme, beta-methylcrotonyl-CoA carboxylase, was barely detectable in hair roots. The diagnosis of isolated propionyl-CoA carboxylase deficiency was confirmed in hair roots of a known affected patient. This method should be a rapid and accurate method for the diagnoses of the various carboxylase deficiencies, particularly isolated pyruvate carboxylase deficiency in individuals with lactic acidosis, as well as for the assessment of biotin responsiveness in these patients.
Effect of catecholamines and ovarian hormones on cyclic AMP accumulation in rat hypothalamus.

Abstract Effect of different monoamines and estradiol were studied on cyclic AMP (cAMP) accumulation in hypothalami from 21 day old female rats. Incubation for 5 min with 10−4M epinephrine, norepinephrine or dopamine resulted in an increase in cAMP accumulation in the hypothalamus. Incubation of hypothalamic tissue with estradiol (4 × 10−7M to 2 × 10−5M) also resulted in an increase in cyclic AMP levels. The increase caused by estradiol was observed only after 50 min of incubation period. The estradiol induced increase in cyclic AMP accumulation was abolished by both α and β blockers. These results suggest that the estradiol-induced increase in cyclic AMP may be mediated by a prior increase in catecholamines in the hypothalamic tissue.
Defect Generation and Propagation in Mc-Si Ingots: Influence on the Performance of Solar Cells

This paper describes results of our study aimed at understanding mechanism (s) of dislocation generation and propagation in multi-crystalline silicon (mc-Si) ingots, and evaluating their influence on the solar cell performance. This work was done in two parts: (i) Measurement of dislocation distributions along various bricks, selected from strategic locations within several ingots; and (ii) Theoretical modeling of the cell performance corresponding to the measured dislocation distributions. Solar cells were fabricated on wafers of known dislocation distribution, and the results were compared with the theory. These results show that cell performance can be accurately predicted from the dislocation distribution, and the changes in the dislocation distribution are the primary cause for variations in the cell-to-cell performance. The dislocation generation and propagation mechanisms, suggested by our results, are described in this paper.