cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Feeling is Believing: The Convergence of Buddhist Theory and Modern Scientific Evidence Supporting How Self is Formed and Perpetuated Through Feeling Tone (Vedanā)

The human brain has evolved to support our species survival through simple neural mechanisms that help us remember where to find calorie-dense sources of food, while at the same time avoid danger. ...
BotHunter: detecting malware infection through IDS-driven dialog correlation

We present a new kind of network perimeter monitoring strategy, which focuses on recognizing the infection and coordination dialog that occurs during a successful malware infection. BotHunter is an application designed to track the two-way communication flows between internal assets and external entities, developing an evidence trail of data exchanges that match a state-based infection sequence model. BotHunter consists of a correlation engine that is driven by three malware-focused network packet sensors, each charged with detecting specific stages of the malware infection process, including inbound scanning, exploit usage, egg downloading, outbound bot coordination dialog, and outbound attack propagation. The BotHunter correlator then ties together the dialog trail of inbound intrusion alarms with those outbound communication patterns that are highly indicative of successful local host infection. When a sequence of evidence is found to match BotHunter's infection dialog model, a consolidated report is produced to capture all the relevant events and event sources that played a role during the infection process. We refer to this analytical strategy of matching the dialog flows between internal assets and the broader Internet as dialog-based correlation, and contrast this strategy to other intrusion detection and alert correlation methods. We present our experimental results using BotHunter in both virtual and live testing environments, and discuss our Internet release of the BotHunter prototype. BotHunter is made available both for operational use and to help stimulate research in understanding the life cycle of malware infections.
Information and Communication Technologies (ICT): Driver of Cultural Change and Technological Advancement.

Technology has significantly changed the way humans are living. Sociocultural view of globalization posits that different cultures across the world are continuously evolving to become more integrated and homogenous. Technology Determinism Theory posits that the technology of a society determines the development of its social structure and cultural values. Drawing on sociocultural globalization and Technology Determinism Theory, this study investigates the effect of technology on national culture and values. The findings indicate that technology is an important driver of cultural convergence pushing national cultures across the globe to converge toward two cultural values: higher individualism and lower power distance. The findings also show that technology affects national uncertainty avoidance in two different ways. We also find that technology increases national confidence in organizations through the creation of increased transparency. The study shows that ICT infrastructure acts as a general purpose technology empowering national technological advancement. The results of this study have implications for policymakers at both national and global levels regarding how technology affects the evolution of human societies. Additional implications exist for the promotion of worldwide peace and democracy.
Brief announcement: Deterministic leader election in self-organizing particle systems

We consider the leader election problem in the geometric Amoebot model in which nodes have no unique identifiers and only share a common local sense of direction. Unlike other works, we consider the deterministic leader election problem for general connected systems. We propose a new deterministic leader election protocol that always succeeds in finding 1, 2, 3, or 6 leaders. We show that if the protocol does not elect a unique leader, deterministic leader election impossible for the system.
Quantitative Risk Assessment Model of Human Salmonellosis Resulting from Consumption of Broiler Chicken

(1) Background: Salmonella infections are a major cause of illnesses in the United States. Each year around 450 people die from the disease and more than 23,000 people are hospitalized. Salmonella outbreaks are commonly associated with eggs, meat and poultry. In this study, a quantitative risk assessment model (QRAM) was developed to determine Salmonella infections in broiler chicken. (2) Methods: Data of positive Salmonella infections were obtained from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Foodborne Disease Outbreak Surveillance System, in addition to published literature. The Decision Tools @RISK add-in software was used for various analyses and to develop the QRAM. The farm-to-fork pathway was modeled as a series of unit operations and associated pathogen events that included initial contamination at the broiler house (node 1), contamination at the slaughter house (node 2), contamination at retail (node 3), cross-contamination during serving and cooking (node 4), and finally the dose–response model after consumption. (3) Results: QRAM of Salmonella infections from broiler meat showed highest contribution of infection from the retail node (33.5%). (4) Conclusions: This QRAM that predicts the risk of Salmonella infections could be used as a guiding tool to manage the Salmonella control programs
Brief Report: Examining the Association Between Classroom Social Network Inclusion and Playground Peer Engagement Among Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders:

Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often face barriers when establishing peer connections at school. This aim of this study is to explore how social network inclusion in the classroom is ...
Hate Crimes and Minority-Owned Businesses:

This article estimates effects of hate crimes on the number of Black-owned firms, Hispanic-owned firms, Asian-owned firms, Asian Indian–owned firms, and White-owned firms. Using county data for Ken...
Electronic-Photonic Platform for Label-Free Biophotonic Sensing in Advanced Zero-Change CMOS-SOI Process

We propose a monolithically integrated platform in a CMOS 45RFSOI process for biophotonic sensing. This platform opens the pathway to the first Lab-on-Chip system with nanophotonic sensing and advanced electronics on a single die.
Improving Transition to Adulthood for Students with Autism: A Randomized Controlled Trial of STEPS.

Emerging adulthood is a period of heightened risk for young people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Due in part to a lack of evidence-based services and supports during the transition to adulth...
Reflexiones en torno a la fotografía informativa: del papel del editor gráfico y la foto icono a la era digital / Discussions on Photography: From the Role of The Photo Editor and the Icons, to the Digital Era

A traves del siguiente articulo repasaremos algunos debates que la fotografia ha suscitado en los ultimos anos en ocasiones relacionados con la digitalizacion y la posible manipulacion gracias a un software cada vez mas accesible, pero tambien la posibilidad de una informacion grafica inmediata gracias a los smartphones, posibles sustitutos de la camara fotografica; y como no el papel del fotoperiodista ciudadano. Ademas, se vera el mecanismo por el cual una foto llega a convertirse en un icono aceptado por consenso social.
Developing a Scalable STEM Career Development Program for Elementary School-Aged Students.

This article describes an approach to designing a scalable career development curriculum for elementary school students using minimal-cost and readily available resources. Content experts, veterinary medical students, university staff, teachers, community partners, evaluation experts, and a children’s book illustrator developed a library of low-cost, culturally responsive, fun, and educationally engaging lessons to expose elementary school-aged students to scientific knowledge and careers in veterinary medicine. The home team piloted and evaluated the approach at a local community center. Teams in eight other states were provided materials to pilot and assess the program. Seven of those teams successfully piloted the program and provided evidence of child engagement. Although models, props, and other costly supplies enhance delivery of Science Technology Engineering and Math lessons, our experience with the delivery of this curriculum was proof of concept that a low-cost curricular model is one strategy to facilitate scaling and sustainability of an engaging veterinary science curriculum.
Prospectively Collected Cardiovascular Biomarkers and White Matter Hyperintensity Volume in Ischemic Stroke Patients

Abstract Background: Few prospective cohort studies collect detailed information on stroke characteristics among individuals who experience ischemic stroke, including white matter hyperintensity volume, and thus cannot explore how prospectively collected biomarkers prior to the stroke influence white matter hyperintensity volume. We explored the association between a large panel of prospectively collected lipid and inflammatory biomarkers and white matter hyperintensity volume among participants in the Women's Health Study with incident ischemic stroke. Methods: Among Women's Health Study participants with first ischemic stroke who had baseline serum biomarkers and available magnetic resonance imaging, we measured white matter hyperintensity volume using a validated semi-automated method. Linear regression was used to explore the associations between biomarkers and log-transformed white matter hyperintensity volume. Results: After multivariate adjustment, a 1% increment in HbA1c% was associated with an increase in white matter hyperintensity volume (P value = .05). Evidence of a nonlinear association between high density lipoprotein cholesterol levels and ApoA1 levels with white matter hyperintensity volume was noted (P values for nonlinearity = .01 and .001, respectively). No other biomarkers were significantly associated with white matter hyperintensity volume. Conclusions: Chronic hyperglycemia as evidenced by HbA1c levels measured years prior to stroke is associated with white matter hyperintensity volume at the time of stroke. Additional research is needed to explain why low levels of high density lipoprotein cholesterol levels and ApoA1 may be associated with similar white matter hyperintensity volume as high levels.
On the Stability Margin and Input Delay Margin of Linear Multi-agent systems

This paper provides a framework to characterize the gain margin, phase margin, and maximum input delay margin of a linear time-invariant multi-agent system where the interaction topology is described by a graph with a directed spanning tree. The stability analysis of the multi-agent system based on the generalized Nyquist theorem is converted to finding a minimum gain positive definite Hermitian perturbation and minimum phase unitary perturbation in the feedback path of the loop transfer function. Specifically, two constrained minimization problems are solved to calculate the gain, phase, and input delay margins of the multi-agent system. We further state necessary and sufficient conditions concerning stability of the multi-agent system independent of gain and phase perturbations, and input delay.
Gas-Diesel Two-Stroke Ship Low-Speed Engines

The constant rise in prices for petroleum fuels and the tightening of environmental requirements.
Cultivating a New sEED": From an On-Ground to Online Chemistry Summer Camp"

The American Chemical Society (ACS) Project SEED (Summer Experiences for the Economically Disadvantaged) program has been exposing students to chemistry-related research for over half a century. The program was created and designed to recruit and prepare high school students from economically challenged households to explore and build their confidence in chemistry and STEM, enter college, and hopefully pursue a STEM career. Historically, the students engaged in a summer research experience on college campuses, industrial laboratories, or government facilities, working alongside a scientist mentor. However, the 2020 summer on-campus experiences were not possible due to COVID-19 mitigation efforts. Thus, even after the program planning and recruitment for the experience was well underway, the program pivoted to a virtual camp. The camp's format was substantially different from the on-campus experiences, with 291 students nationwide participating in webinars, small group discussions, and completing assignments based on a schedule with due-dates. Gathering a combination of quantitative and qualitative data before and after the camp revealed increases in the students' professional skills, STEM identity, and college preparation. We failed to find a change in their professional identity. We determined that students participating in future Project SEED programming could benefit from engaging in a combination of on-campus and online events to experience authentic laboratory research and gain a more global perspective of chemistry careers and the potential for extended networking with other Project SEED participants and alumni. © 2021 The Authors. Published by American Chemical Society and Division of Chemical Education, Inc.
Educação com sentido: reflexões sobre o afeto em sala de aula

O artigo traz reflexoes sobre o afeto em sala de aula. Nocoes da educacao nao formal, da educacao democratica, da educacao libertaria e outras propostas educativas divergentes em relacao a escolarizacao comum foram incorporadas em aulas de sociologia ministradas pela autora para uma turma de segundo ano do ensino medio, em uma escola publica, em Florianopolis-SC. O afeto e a subversao da hierarquia convencional entre docentes e discentes foram eixos pedagogicos essenciais. As premissas educativas afastaram-se da escolarizacao convencional, fundada na episteme moderna (racionalista, objetivista, fragmentaria), em direcao a um “modelo” integrativo, em que a subjetividade e perspectivas de estudantes sao centrais. A analise e narracao embutem, no artigo, essa mesma critica criativa, em uma reflexao que integra analises teoricas e percepcoes subjetivas.
Peritoneal dialysis in infants and small children.

Ten infants and children ranging in age from 3 days to 34 months have been treated with peritoneal dialysis. All 10 were anuric on severely oliguric. Three had salicylate intoxication, and three had boric acid poisoning as additional complications. Three of the 10 children, including the only patient with irreversible renal disease, died. All seven who survived made complete and uncomplicated recoveries from their acute illness. One now has evidence of residual renal damage. The technique of peritoneal dialysis is described and the indications, contraindications and complications are discussed. The data presented indicate that peritoneal dialysis is an effective type of dialysis, that it is safe, that it can be accomplished with a minimum of equipment and that a highly trained team is not essential for its efficient use. It is superior to exchange transfusion in the treatment of most types of poisonings and is the only practical procedure currently available by which dialysis of an anuric infant or small child can be accomplished.
Why William Julius Wilson Matters

The study of race and poverty in the nation's cities has been a central - if not the central - concern of sociology and other social sciences generally for at least three decades. William Julius Wilson can take a large share of the credit for this phenomenon. It is difficult to overstate the profound impact of his scholarship. Perhaps more importantly, he has the ear of people who matter - foundation executives, newspaper editors, and elected officials, including, of course, at least two presidents. What he thinks matters particularly because it influences what so many others in nonacademic worlds think. More Than Just Race extends his line of inquiry, revisiting many (and repeating some) of his earlier arguments. Whether it will have the same impact remains to be determined, but there is one dramatic change from his series of books going back at least to The Declining Significance of Race published in 1978. Wilson no longer emphasizes universalistic approaches to racial inequality. His rejection of a color-blind approach is most provocative at a time when so many are claiming we now live in a post civil rights, color-blind nation. With Obama in the White House and expectations higher in progressive policy circles than at any time in living memory, it may well be that Wilson could matter more than ever before. Perhaps the most important feature of William Julius Wilson's work is his challenge to conventional wisdom that relies on individualistic traits and actions to explain who gets what and why in the United States. Time and again, Wilson has demonstrated the importance of structural and contextual forces at work - some explicitly racial, others arguably with no racial animosity but yielding unequal racial outcomes - and the need for collective responses to preeminently social problems. In previous work he has called for concrete policies to respond to those structural realities: the disappearance of jobs, the need for universal healthcare, the shortage of effective schools. The agenda is far less ambitious in this book. The overriding message of More Than Just Race is the importance of "framing." And this is its most important limitation. Many familiar themes run throughout this book. Most salient is an ongoing commentary on the intersection of culture and structure. Wilson emphasizes the importance of taking culture and behavior seriously and chastises those who criticize such work as victim-blaming. He repeats the debate over Moynihan's report "The Negro Family: The Case for National Action," with which readers of his earlier books are quite familiar, but he is quick to assert that culture is rooted in structural realities and that structure
The Need for New Bankruptcy Ethics Rules: How Can 'One Size Fit All' Fit Anybody?

Short discussion why dormant, temporary, actual conflicts (DTACs) in bankruptcy cases can't be handled appropriately under state ethics rules.
Mitochondrial resistance to massive irradiation in vivo—I: Structural stability as evidenced by electron microscopy, membrane functions, and fatty acid composition

Abstract Mitochondria were isolated from fruit (cherries and pears) which had absorbed from 250 to 1000 krad of ionizing radiation. A lack of obvious structural damage or changes in several membrane characteristics suggest a marked radioresistance of the mitochondria.
Optimism–Pessimism and Stress Appraisal: Testing a Cognitive Interactive Model of Psychological Adjustment in Adults

An interactive model of optimism–pessimism and stress was examined in predicting psychological symptoms and life satisfaction in a group of younger (n = 340; M = 20.4 years) and a group of older adults (n = 316; M = 46.6 years). For each group, results of conducting a series of regression analyses indicated that optimism–pessimism and stress appraisal accounted for a significant amount of the variance in each of the adjustment measures. Moreover, a significant optimism–pessimism × Stress Appraisal interaction was found in predicting each of the outcomes for both younger and older adults, even after controlling for the main effects of optimism–pessimism and stress appraisal. However, no significant interaction was found in predicting life satisfaction in older adults. For both younger and older adults, post hoc analyses of the significant interactions indicated a consistent pattern in which pessimism exacerbated the association between appraised stress and poor psychological adjustment. Potential implications of the present findings for future research are discussed.
Does Secondary Task Measure Outcome Conflict or Resource Allocation

The secondary task technique was used to test two alternative explanations of dual task decrement: outcome conflict and resource allocation. Subjects time-shared a continuous tracking task and a discrete Sternberg memory task. The memory probes were presented under three temporal predictability conditions. Dual task performance decrements in both the tracking and memory tasks suggested that the two tasks competed for some common resources, processes, or mechanisms. Although performance decrements were consistent with both the outcome conflict and resource allocation explanations, the two explanations propose different mechanisms by which the primary task could be protected from interference from the concurrent secondary task. The primary task performance could be protected by resource allocation or by strategic sequencing of the processing of the two tasks in order to avoid outcome conflict. In addition to examining the global trial means, moment-by-moment tracking error time-locked to the memory probe wa...
Model based bandwidth scavenging for device coexistence in wireless LANs

Dynamic Spectrum Access in a Wireless LAN can enable a set of secondary users' devices to access unused spectrum, or whitespace, which is found between the transmissions of a set of primary users' devices. The primary design objectives for an efficient secondary user access strategy are to be able to "scavenge" spatio-temporally fragmented bandwidth while limiting the amount of interference caused to the primary users. In this paper, we propose a secondary user access strategy which is based on measurement and modeling of the whitespace as perceived by the secondary users in a WLAN. A secondary user continually monitors and models its surrounding whitespace, and then attempts to access the available spectrum so that the effective secondary throughput is maximized while the resulting interference to the primary users is limited to a pre-defined bound. We first develop analytical expressions for the secondary throughput and primary interference, and then perform ns2 based simulation experiments to validate the effectiveness of the proposed access strategy, and evaluate its performance numerically using the developed expressions.
Bridging the gap between the science and service of HIV prevention: transferring effective research-based HIV prevention interventions to community AIDS service providers.

Objectives. AIDS service organizations (ASOs) rarely have access to the information needed to implement research-based HIV prevention interventions for their clients. We compared the effectiveness of 3 dissemination strategies for transferring HIV prevention models from the research arena to community providers of HIV prevention services. Methods. Interviews were conducted with the directors of 74 ASOs to assess current HIV prevention services. ASOs were randomized to programs that provided (1) technical assistance manuals describing how to implement research-based HIV prevention interventions, (2) manuals plus a staff training workshop on how to conduct the implementation, or (3) manuals, the training workshop, and follow-up telephone consultation calls. Follow-up interviews determined whether the intervention model had been adopted. Results. The dissemination package that provided ASOs with implementation manuals, staff training workshops, and follow-up consultation resulted in more frequent adoption and use of the research-based HIV prevention intervention for gay men, women, and other client populations. Conclusions. Strategies are needed to quickly transfer research-based HIV prevention methods to community providers of HIV prevention services. Active collaboration between researchers and service agencies results in more successful program adoption than distribution of implementation packages alone.
Increased Risk of Monochorionic Twinning Associated with Assisted Reproduction

Objective To determine the incidence of monochorionic twinning in pregnancies resulting from assisted reproduction technologies (ARTs). Methods We reviewed our experience with 218 ART pregnancies achieved over 3 years. All patients underwent transvaginal ultrasound 26 and 36 days after oocyte retrieval. The presence of two yolk sacs or two fetal poles within one sac suggested monochorionicity, and was confirmed by follow-up ultrasound and placental pathology. The various ARTs were compared to determine if any method had an increased incidence of monochorionicity compared to any other method. Statistical analysis was performed employing Chi Square analysis. Results The incidence of monochorionicity in all gestations was 3.2% (8 times background rate); among multiple gestations it was 9.8%. The rates of monochorionicity for each ART appeared similar. Conclusion The incidence of monochorionic twinning is increased in pregnancies resulting from ART. Careful ultrasound evaluation of such pregnancies for monochorionicity is strongly recommended, both for planning of prenatal care and when considering a multifetal pregnancy reduction procedure.
Imperial Apocalypse: The Great War and the Destruction of the Russian Empire, by Sanborn, A. Joshua

This book occupies a unique place among a great number of books devoted to the events of World War I and the Bolshevik revolution in the Russian Empire. The author presents an interesting and new a...
Correcting the dynamic call graph using control-flow constraints

To reason about programs, dynamic optimizers and analysis tools use sampling to collect a dynamic call graph (DCG). However, sampling has not achieved high accuracy with low runtime overhead. As object-oriented programmers compose increasingly complex programs, inaccurate call graphs will inhibit analysis and optimizations. This paper demonstrates how to use static and dynamic control flow graph (CFG) constraints to improve the accuracy of the DCG. We introduce the frequency dominator (FDOM), a novel CFG relation that extends the dominator relation to expose static relative execution frequencies of basic blocks. We combine conservation of flow and dynamic CFG basic block profiles to further improve the accuracy of the DCG. Together these approaches add minimal overhead (1%) and achieve 85% accuracy compared to a perfect call graph for SPEC JVM98 and DaCapo benchmarks. Compared to sampling alone, accuracy improves by 12 to 36%. These results demonstrate that static and dynamic control-flow information offer accurate information for efficiently improving the DCG.
Statistical method of pruning neural networks

A statistical method of pruning multilayer perceptrons is proposed which is expected to involve less computation than does "optimal brain surgeon". The statistical method iteratively performs the steps of estimating the error covariance of the weights, evaluating the z-statistics for the weights, pruning the weights selected by hypothesis testing, and re-training the neural network. An interesting relationship between the statistical method and "optimal brain surgeon" is discussed. The relationship provides some insight into these two methods.
Demonstration of IgA polioantibody in saliva, duodenal fluid and urine.

WE1 have reported that IgA polioantibody is present in the serum of adult human beings, and have also shown that nearly all of the polioantibody in human colostrum is IgA (ref. 2). Bellanti3 has shown that IgA polioantibody is also present in nasal secretions.
Calcium and Phosphorus Contents and Ratios in Tofu as Affected by the Coagulants Used

Analyses of three commercial brands of tofu (soybean curd) were conducted to determine the calcium and phosphorus contents and the calcium/phosphorus ratios. The firm tofu, precipitated with calcium sulfate, contained over four times as much calcium and over twice as much phosphorus as the soft tofu precipitated with glucono delta lactone. The calcium/phosphorus ratios of the firm and soft tofu samples were 2.0–2.5/1 and 1/1, respectively. Tofu, a high protein food, is a good source of dietary calcium. Since the average American diet has a high phosphorus content and a low calcium/phosphorus ratio, tofu, particularly the firmer kind, also would result in a better calcium/phosphorus ratio.
Effect of early motor training on visual and sensomotor cortical evoked potentials in rats

1. Motor training of rats for 3–6 months on a treadmill, starting at the age of 1 month, leads to a statistically significant increase in functional activity of neuron populations in the visual cortex as reflected in latent periods of primary responses and excitability recovery cycles of responses to paired stimulation. 2. The significance of functional changes taking place after motor training is at a higher level for the duration of excitability recovery cycles than for latent periods of PR. 3. Comparison of the effects of locomotor training in the visual and sensomotor cortex shows that the above-mentioned functional changes are manifested to a greater degree in neuron populations of the visual than of the sensomotor cortex. Differences in the modulating influences of training are greater when expressed in absolute (msec) than in relative (%) terms.
Checkerboard and minimum member size control in topology optimization

Checkerboard-like material distributions are frequently encountered in topology optimization of continuum structures, especially when first order finite elements are used. It has been shown that this phenomenon is caused by errors in the finite element formulation. Minimum member size control is closely related to the problem of mesh dependency of solutions in topology optimization. With increasing mesh density, the solution of a broad class of problems tends to form an increasing number of members with decreasing size. Different approaches have been developed in recent years to overcome these numerical difficulties. However, limitations exist for those methods, either in generality or in efficiency. In this paper, a new algorithm for checkerboard and direct minimum member size control has been developed that is applicable to the general problem formulation involving multiple constraints. This method is implemented in the commercial software Altair OptiStruct.
Inhibition of the antimetamorphic action of prolactin in larval Ambystoma tigrinum by lysine vasopressin, arginine vasotocin, and aldosterone.

Abstract In an earlier study it was reported that oxytocin was able to block the antimetamorphic action of prolactin (PRL) in larval tiger salamanders, Ambystoma tigrinum ( Platt and LiCause, 1980 ). In this study, we have examined the effects of lysine vasopressin (LVP), arginine vasotocin (AVT), and aldosterone on induced metamorphosis in larval A. tigrinum and on the inhibition of this process by PRL. Both LVP and AVT were found to interfere with the inhibition of gill resorption, tail fin regression, and body weight loss by PRL. An anti-PRL effect of aldosterone was observed but appeared to be limited to the gill. AVT alone had a significant acceleratory effect on body weight loss during metamorphosis. A “water balance” response was observed in only one case. Twenty-four hours after treatment with LVP and PRL, this group of animals did show a significant increase in body weight. These results are discussed with regard to the problem posed by neurohypophysial hormone contamination of PRL preparations and in context with our hypothesis that the antimetamorphic action of PRL is at least partially osmoregulatory in nature.
Physics of MRF regularization for segmentation of materials microstructure images

The Markov Random Field (MRF) has been used extensively in Image Processing as a means of smoothing interfaces between differing regions in an image. The MRF applies a total boundary length ‘energy’ penalty that is subsequently minimized by an inversion algorithm. The minimization of energy implies a force associated with boundaries, the sum of which must equal zero at every point at equilibrium. This requirement leads to long range interactions, resulting from the short-range interactions of the MRF, which biases segmentation results. This work uses a simple Bayesian MRF regularized segmentation method to show that classical results from Surface Science are reproduced when segmenting regions of low contrast. This has implications, both in the Materials Science and Image Processing fields.
A comparison of rift-zone tectonics in Iceland and Hawaii

Observations of eroded volcanic rift zones indicate that dikes in Iceland are typically several times thicker than those in Hawaii. Geodetic and seismic observations of active rifts, however, suggest that dike heights in the two regions are similar. Provided the elastic properties of the rift zones are the same, this implies that dikes are intruded with higher driving pressures (magma pressure minus compressive stress perpendicular to the dike plane) in Iceland than Hawaii. A second major difference between the two regions is the greater prevalence of large normal fault scarps in rift zones in Iceland. From this it can be infered that a lower percentage of dikes breach the surface in Iceland than in Hawaii. Thus, although dikes in Iceland are intruded with higher driving pressures, they possess lower absolute magma pressures than in Hawaii. These differences can be interpreted in terms of the tectonic settings in the two regions. In Iceland, a steady remote extension reduces the horizontal stress perpendicular to the rift zone, allowing dikes to be intruded with low absolute pressures but high driving pressures when magma becomes available. In Hawaii, a more continuous magma supply on the timescale over which the dike-induced stresses are relaxed, and perhaps a greater role for intrusions in driving long-term rift extension, ensure that the rift-compressive stress is not relaxed significantly before the next dike is intruded. Thus the magma pressure must be nearly sufficient for eruption in order for intrusion to occur. If the mechanism for relaxing the rift-compressive stress were less efficient still, then an even higher percentage of dikes would erupt, and at times the rift zone trend could become an unfavorable orientation for dike intrusion. Such might be the case at Mauna Loa, which lacks large rift-zone faults and fissures and possesses numerous radial vents outside its two main rift zones.
Hardening in cadmium resulting from pyramidal glide

Abstract Cadmium single crystals prestrained on the pyramidal glide systems at 293 K have been tested in shear on the basal plane at 77 K. The strain rate sensitivity of the flow stress on the basal system after pyramidal hardening was found to be lower than it is in an uninterrupted test on the basal plane, indicating that pyramidal dislocations provide obstacles to slip of longer range than those introduced during a normal tensile test.
MULTILOCUS GENOMIC MAPPING WITH INTRACISTERNAL A-PARTICLE PROVIRAL OLIGONUCLEOTIDE PROBES HYBRIDIZED TO MOUSE DNA IN DRIED AGAROSE GELS

Recently, oligonucleotide probes that detect intracisternal A-particle (IAP) gene subfamilies with a limited number of proviral copies have been shown to be useful multilocus markers. A procedure for hybridization of these probes has been developed and is described. In summary, the main features of the method are the following: (i) A pulse controller is used during agarose gel electrophoresis to improve resolution of restriction fragments in genomic DNA. (ii) Hybridization is performed in a dried gel. (iii) The hybridized gel is washed in tetramethylammonium chloride to eliminate differences in oligonucleotide composition on hybrid stability. Use of the procedure is demonstrated by genomic mapping of IAP loci in the AXB BXA recombinant inbred mouse strains, identification of hypomethylated loci in tumor cells, and detection of a transposed IAP provirus previously identified as the basis for a mutation at the agouti locus.
Life and Times of John H. Hickcox: Government Publications History Revisited.

Until the late nineteenth century, the printing and distribution of federal government documents was not well regulated. In 1885, John H. Hickcox, Sr. began privately publishing United States Government Publications; a Monthly Catalogue, also known as Hickcox’s Monthly Catalogue, which alerted the public to the availability of recent publications, a function that the government was not then performing. Hickcox’s catalog immediately preceded establishment of the government-published Monthly Catalog of United States Government Publications, of which he subsequently was appointed the first compiler. This paper presents information on Hickcox from primary materials and other secondary sources in order to create an awareness of Hickcox and his Catalogue, which have previously been ignored by historians of government information. In addition, some earlier accounts of Hickcox’s activities are clarified and corrected.
Influence of body position on intracranial pulsations and blood pressure

Changes in blood pressure (measured by the indirect method) were noted in 20 normal human subjects lying supine when a tilt table position was changed. The amplitude of intracranial echo pulsations was affected also by changes in the position of the body. This effect varied from subject to subject and even in the same subject, changes in the amplitude of pulsations in different locations within the brain might occur in different directions simultaneously.
An Aristotelian Doctrine of the Mean in the Mencius

Contrary to appearances, Mencius does not deploy anything like the Aristotelian doctrine of the mean to describe Boyi, Yi Yin, and Liu Xiahui. While Confucius’ actions are intermediate between the actions of these three sages, the sages’ character traits do not bracket Confucius’ character traits. Instead, the failings of the three sages are skew to each other. Boyi lacks righteousness; Yi Yin lacks benevolence; and Liu Xiahui lacks wisdom. The comparison of the sages centers on the question of when to resign an advisory position. According to Mencius, one should resign only if one’s advice will not be heeded, or if declining to resign would somehow lead to wrongdoing. Associating with wrongdoers and benefiting from the wrongdoing of others might lead to wrongdoing. Wrong motives might distort one’s advice. Insults from the advisee might be evidence of the futility of giving advice. But in themselves, fastidiousness, non-benevolent motives, and mistreatment by the advisee are not legitimate reasons to resign.
Composing a Rhetorical Education for the Twenty-First Century: TakingITGlobal as Pedagogical Heuristic

The online activist site TakingITGlobal offers teachers of rhetoric a pedagogical heuristic that enables us to rethink and revise rhetorical education. More specifically, the site raises questions concerning what the “civic” means inside a global rather than a national context. It revitalizes thinking about how students might “go public” in both online and offline spaces. And it challenges ideas about the traditional rhetorical practice in which an individual rhetor composes a single document for a specific audience.
Sorting Results of Automated Concept Generators Based on Design for Manufacture and Assembly

Early in the design process, it is desirable to produce a large number of potential solutions. Completely exploring a problem’s solution space is an unreasonable expectation for an unaided designer or design team. Computational tools have emerged to help designers more fully explore possible solutions. These automated concept generators use knowledge from existing designs and the desired functionality of the new product to suggest solutions. Existing automated concept generation methods produce many candidate solutions, but often provide unmanageably large sets of solutions. Techniques are needed to organize the set of concepts into smaller groups, more easily parsed by the human designer. This work proceeds from the hypothesis that the utility of automated concept generators can be enhanced if their output is sorted based on design for manufacture and assembly heuristics. Data to sort concepts is collected and a sorting method is proposed. Finally a case study is presented to demonstrate the method.Copyright © 2009 by ASME
Limits on large-crater production and obliteration on Callisto

By comparing results of Monte Carlo simulations of the crater population on Callisto with the observed surface, it is demonstrated that the relative dearth of large craters on Ganymede and Callisto, compared with the terrestrial planets, can not be totally ascribed either to craters relaxing or to craters piercing a thin icy crust. Consequently, the population of objects responsible for the heavy bombardment of the Jovian system differed markedly from that responsible for the late heavy bombardment of the terrestrial planets.
Prediction of Critical Illness During Out-of-Hospital Emergency Care

characteristic curve was 0.77 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.76-0.78), with satisfactory calibration slope (1.0). Using a score threshold of 4 or higher, sensitivity was 0.22 (95% CI, 0.20-0.23), specificity was 0.98 (95% CI, 0.98-0.98), positive likelihood ratio was 9.8 (95% CI, 8.9-10.6), and negative likelihood ratio was 0.80 (95% CI, 0.79- 0.82). A threshold of 1 or greater for critical illness improved sensitivity (0.98; 95% CI, 0.97-0.98) but reduced specificity (0.17; 95% CI, 0.17-0.17). Conclusions In a population-based cohort, the score on a prediction rule using outof-hospital factors was significantly associated with the development of critical illness during hospitalization. This score requires external validation in an independent population.
Isolation and characterisation of Gaeumannomyces graminis var. graminis melanin mutants.

Gaeumannomyces graminis var. graminis produces 1,8-dihydroxynaphthalene (DHN) melanin in its hyphal and hyphopodial cell walls. We isolated G. graminis mutants that were affected in their melanin biosynthesis. One was unable to synthesize DHN-melanin and, because it accumulated 2-hydroxyjuglone, a DHN melanin pathway shunt product, it is most likely to be defective in the reductase that catalyzes the conversion of 1,3,8-trihydroxynaphthalene to vermelone, the penultimate reaction in DHN synthesis. Genetic crosses with our wild-type strain indicated that this trihydroxynaphthalene reductase deficiency was the result of a single mutation. Another mutant constitutively synthesized DHN melanin and genetic crosses with our wild-type strain suggested that this heavily melanized mutant had a single mutation responsible for its phenotype. This mutant produced more melanin than the wild-type strain as measured by Azure A binding to melanin. The wild type and constitutively melanized mutant hyphae were more hydrophobic and more resistant to lytic enzymes, benomyl, restrictive temperature, and uv light than the non-melanized mutant, which also autolysed more readily. The non-melanized mutant was not more sensitive to heavy metal than the melanized strains. In addition, the non-melanized mutant was unaltered in pathogenicity to rice, whereas the constitutively melanized mutant was less pathogenic. The constitutively melanized mutant produced less extracellular lytic enzymes than the wild-type and the non-melanized mutant, which may explain its reduced virulence.
Effects of transmembrane and juxtamembrane domains on proliferative ability of TSLP receptor.

Thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) is an IL-7-like cytokine that requires a heterodimeric receptor complex composed of the interleukin-7 receptor α chain and the TSLP receptor, which is related to the common gamma chain. TSLP has been shown to play an important role in the development of allergic inflammation, such as asthma and atopic dermatitis. Chimeric receptors composed of the cytoplasmic region of the TSLP receptor fused to the extracellular regions of homodimeric receptors, such as erythropoietin (Epo) receptor and thrombopoietin receptor have been used to dissect signaling events induced by the TSLP receptor. Intriguingly, studies using such chimeric TSLP receptors revealed that the human, but not mouse, TSLP receptor cytoplasmic domain can support proliferation of growth factor-dependent cells after homodimerization. Here, we used a systematic approach to investigate the mechanistic basis of this difference. Our studies revealed that induced homodimerization of receptor chimeras containing the transmembrane and cytoplasmic domains of both human and mouse TSLP receptors is not sufficient for driving cell proliferation. However, chimeric receptors with the transmembrane and juxtamembrane domains of Epo receptor fused to the cytoplasmic domain of human TSLP receptor signal like the Epo receptor and induce the activation of Jak2. Site-directed mutagenesis showed that the lone tyrosine residue in human TSLP receptor is not required for transmitting proliferative signals in receptor chimeras, which is consistent with the observation that none of the tyrosine residues are required for Epo receptor to support proliferation. Our data suggests that in the chimeric receptor context, the transmembrane and juxtamembrane domains of mouse Epo receptor are essential for the cytoplasmic domain of human TSLPR to achieve the strong proliferative ability and can modulate signaling pathway transmitted by the cytoplasmic domains of these chimeras.
Pilot study of 13cis-retinoic acid+dexamethasone+alpha interferon as maintenance therapy following high-dose chemotherapy and autologous stem cell transplant for multiple myeloma.

Interleukin 6 (IL-6) is a major growth factor for myeloma cells and retinoids have been shown to inhibit expression of the interleukin 6 receptor (IL-6R). We performed a pilot study to assess the efficacy and tolerability of 13cis retinoic acid (13cRA) and dexamethasone (Dex), when added to interferon α (IFNα) as maintenance therapy post autologous stem cell transplantation. Between 90 and 120 days post stem cell transplantation, 33 patients were started on 13cRA 1 mg/kg p.o. daily for 14 days and Dex 40 mg p.o daily for 5 days every month. 13cRA was dose escalated by 0.5 mg/kg/month to 2 mg/kg. Seventeen patients had a persistent paraprotein post transplant. Overall, a response to therapy was observed in 11/17 (64%), with a complete response in 4/17 (23.5%) and a partial response (⩾50% paraprotein decline) in 7/17 (41%). With a median follow-up of 34.8 months, 22/33 (66%) demonstrated disease progression and 11/33 (33%) died. The median progression-free survival from diagnosis was 34.7 months. Although a decline in paraprotein was frequently observed on triple therapy, many patients discontinued therapy due to the side-effects of the IFNα. Future trials should be designed using 13cRA and Dex alone.
Chemotype-selective modes of action of κ-opioid receptor agonists.

The crystal structures of opioid receptors provide a novel platform for inquiry into opioid receptor function. The molecular determinants for activation of the κ-opioid receptor (KOR) were studied using a combination of agonist docking, functional assays, and site-directed mutagenesis. Eighteen positions in the putative agonist binding site of KOR were selected and evaluated for their effects on receptor binding and activation by ligands representing four distinct chemotypes: the peptide dynorphin A(1–17), the arylacetamide U-69593, and the non-charged ligands salvinorin A and the octahydroisoquinolinone carboxamide 1xx. Minimally biased docking of the tested ligands into the antagonist-bound KOR structure generated distinct binding modes, which were then evaluated biochemically and pharmacologically. Our analysis identified two types of mutations: those that affect receptor function primarily via ligand binding and those that primarily affect function. The shared and differential mechanisms of agonist binding and activation in KOR are further discussed. Usually, mutations affecting function more than binding were located at the periphery of the binding site and did not interact strongly with the various ligands. Analysis of the crystal structure along with the present results provide fundamental insights into the activation mechanism of the KOR and suggest that “functional” residues, along with water molecules detected in the crystal structure, may be directly involved in transduction of the agonist binding event into structural changes at the conserved rotamer switches, thus leading to receptor activation.