cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Error Identification and Decomposition in Large State-Space Stochastic Rainfall-Runoff Models

Abstract The quality of the streamflow predictions is known to be dependent on the accuracy of the rainfall-runoff model. Based on the maximum likelihood method, a simple procedure to Identify the statistics errors of a conceptual hydrologic model is presented. The procedure is Illustrated with data from the Bird Creek River basin in Oklahoma The problem of forecasting river flows in a basin composed of several Interconnected sub-bas1ns is also Investigated. Decomposition procedures are proposed to efficiently filter and forecast states in all sub-basins simultaneously. The procedures decouple soil states in different sub-bas1ns and connects them through the river network. This time a branch of the Potomac River is used as a case study
Mixed-reality barriers: Person-tracking in K-12 schools

As new and emerging technologies are introduced into schools, internet technology (IT) infrastructure, hardware, and support needs continue to grow. Coupled with these demands is the unknown nature of precisely how new and emerging technologies affect learning and collaboration in the classroom. This paper will investigate the use of OpenPTrack (OPT), an open-source person-tracking system, in classrooms at two different school sites: University Lab School and Esperanza Prep. Through these two cases we discuss the barriers presented by the use of emerging technologies in K-12 schools including IT needs, staff support, and pre-existing institutional structures.
How Can So Little Brain Hold So Much Knowledge? Applicability of the Principle of Natural Selection to Mental Processes

Though the principle of natural selection may seem somewhat implausible at first glance, it appears to be the only way to explain the occurrence of new organization in phylogeny, if one wishes to avoid appealing to homunculi, intelligent external agencies or other sources which already contain the organization. Similar considerations require that the principle be applied in understanding both the acquisition of new knowledge within the lifetime of individuals and also their use of old knowledge in new situations. To illustrate the possibility of applying the idea of natural selection to details of brain function and human thought, a model is presented in which mental structures consist of converging connections among sets of neural elements. A prominent feature of the model is that elements representing a cognition are retained in activated condition at one level of the system only following a sequence of random variations at other levels. Certain differences are noted between natural selection in phylogeny and natural selection in cognition. It is argued that such a model is necessary in order to deal with the problem of how unified perceptions and orderly acts can be accomplished in the face of the extreme variability of circumstance which the environment imposes. Both overt action and mental acts are hypothesized to involve random variations, selectively retained on the basis of information in perceptual cognitive structures. Arguments are then presented to suggest that a simple extrapolation of the method for handling perception would enable the model to explain some characteristics of abstract thinking. Finally, general considerations about how natural selection processes can lead to increased organization are used to support the idea that ontogeny of mental ability, as reflected in the model, takes place in stages. The end result is a system with intercommunicating levels that may be described as hierarchical, but without the usual connotations of strictness of hierarchical ordering.
Trehalose improves PCR amplification of vertebrate nuclear DNA from historical allozymes

Historical tissue collections represent potential resources for temporal genetic studies in evolutionary and conservation biology. Unfortunately, DNA from historical samples stored without modern genetic analyses in mind, such as frozen allozyme homogenates, are often degraded and contaminated with PCR inhibitors. Here, we report the successful use of trehalose for improving PCR amplification of degraded, vertebrate nuclear DNA extracted from cryopreserved allozymes. We amplified and sequenced two nuclear genes (MLC2a and RPL12) from allozymes of the Shasta salamander, Hydromantes shastae. Our results demonstrate the potential of trehalose as a tool for utilizing historical allozyme collections in modern genetic studies.
Treatments for Traumatized and Diseased Immature Teeth: Pulpotomy, Cvek Partial Pulpotomy, Apexification, Apexogenesis, and Regenerative Endodontics

Young patients with developing immature permanent teeth present special problems to save their teeth following dental traumatic injury or caries decay. As a consequence, the endodontic treatments for traumatized immature permanent teeth with an exposed pulp can vary considerably among dentists. The apexification procedure is the most common and highest standard of care for immature teeth with a necrotic pulp or irreversible pulpitis. However the development of the teeth will cease at an immature stage of development, thus weak dentinal walls and short roots will remain. For teeth with very thin dentinal walls which are likely to fracture and need strengthening, a revascularization procedure can be used to disinfect the root canal with antibiotics and revitalize new tissue formation. The revascularization procedure is so called because it accomplishes tissue formation within the root canal by blood revascularization from the periapical tissues through the open apex. Alternatively, the necrotic and irreversible pulpitis tissues can be debrided, the root canal disinfected, and a scaffold placed inside the root canal to promote tissue formation in a regenerative endodontic procedure. Regenerative endodontic procedures should never be used to preserve deciduous (baby) teeth. There is little evidence to support the use of an endodontic revascularization procedure on an avulsed and replanted tooth, but it could strengthen the root canal walls of immature teeth and save them from being unrestorable following a fracture
First record of the crystal darter (Crystallaria asprella) from Big River, Missouri, since 1963

Abstract The capture of a crystal darter Crystallaria asprella, a state endangered species in Missouri, from the main stem of Big River (Meramec River drainage) in August 2009 represented the first...
The Establishment of the “Inward Sacredness” of the Soul’s Quest

Now that we have concluded a cognitive inquiry into the essential problems bearing on spirituality, let us clarify some points. In the first place, the genesis of spiritual life as a phenomenon of the spirit appears as a dynamic progression. When trying to follow it one notices that the nature of this advancement repels the discursive forms in which one would like to seize it. Clearly, one can only awaken to consciousness of fragmentary stages which apparently do not link up one with another. Nevertheless, there is between them a lived progression that we recognize. This progression seems to be analogous to a “vertebral column” or “backbone” in relation to which the dynamic elements that appear to be disparate are organized. For that which we can distinguish among the “vertebrae” as understandable and rational is not so in regard to its proper role in the total ensemble. Nor is its proper significance in the life of the soul understandable. What we distinguish is in relation to our system of ongoing existence, a system with no direct hold on the specific nature of the soul.
Fuel Cell Power-Conditioning Systems

Currently, USA is the largest consumer of energy in the world with projected consumption of 5207 billion kWhs in 2025 (http://www.eia.doe.gov/), with the actual and forecast demand for electrical energy is growing in all the end-use sectors. The highest annual growth rates are projected for the commercial, industrial, and residential sectors at about 2.2, 1.6 and 1.4%, respectively, as shown in Fig. l(a). From 2000 to 2003, 69 GWs of peaking capacity was added and 112 GWs of combined-cycle capacity, which is efficient in both baseload and cycling applications, was installed. To meet increasing base and peak power demands, the demand for energy resources is rapidly increasing and unfortunately, as Fig. l(b) shows, progressively depleting resources, such as natural gas and coal, which cause environmental pollution, still account for more than 50% of the total energy-generation resources (http://www.eia.doe.gov/). Furthermore, as the demand for natural gas continues to rise, domestic production dwindles and world-wide demand and supply scenario for oil and gas approach a delicate balance, we are forced with greater reliance on importation (which incidentally, is still insufficient to meet the demand) and economic vulnerability. Clearly, there is an urgent need for alternative sources of energy.
Effects of environment on the fatigue of graphite-epoxy composites

Torsional and flexural fatigue tests were performed on both uniaxial (0 deg) and crossplied (plus or minus 45 deg) graphite-epoxy materials at temperatures of 24 and 74 C in environments of air and water. The results of the torsion testing showed that the number of cycles required to cause an initial decrease in stiffness as well as the rate of stiffness loss was a function of temperature and environment; the most significant losses were noted for tests at the higher temperature in water. The torsional fatigue specimens were subsequently tested in four-point bending to determine the effect of torsional damage on longitudinal properties. This damage caused changes in the flexural stiffness, failure stress, and failure energy, depending on the stress and environmental histories. The flexural fatigue tests also showed a significant effect of water (at 24 C) on the material behavior. These results are compared with the results of previous investigations and are discussed in terms of proposed damage mechanisms.
Sour Grapes: Methyl Anthranilate as Feeding Repellent for Birds

This compound smells like commercial grape juice. A series of studies confirmed that MA (and related compounds fsuch as dimethyl anthranilate), when applied to seeds or grass, inhibits birds from feeding. Methyl anthranilate repels a variety of birds, such as red-winged blackbirds, starlings, pigeons, jungle fowl, herring gulls, ring-necked pheasants, and Canada geese (Avery and Decker 1994; Avery et al. 1995; Cummings et al. 1995 ; Glahn et al. 1989; Marples and Roper 1997; Mason et al. 1989). This repellent may play an important role in protecting feed grain on farms from bird predation. It is available under the trade names ReJeX-iT, Bird Shield, and Avigon. In this context, it is important to know that MA does not deter mammals. For a review of bird repellen see Spurr (2007).
The Use of COSTAR in a Retrolective Cohort Study of the Effect of Non-Steroidal Antiinflammatory Agents on Blood Pressure Control.

Abstract We have used the Computer-Stored Ambulatory Record (COSTAR) database from the Primary Care Unit of the Massachusetts General Hospital to conduct a retrolective cohort study of the influence of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) on blood pressure control in drug-treated hypertensive patients. The Medical Query Language (MQL) was used to select 91 patients with previously stable blood pressure meeting multiple criteria for study from among the 30,000 in the database, to select controls matched for the demographic and clinical characteristics of these patients, and to collect the relevant clinical information from their COSTAR records. Available blood pressure recordings and prescribing information allows analysis of changes in blood pressure and antihypertensive therapy following NSAID prescriptions in these patients and comparison with matched controls. Such studies are useful in questions where prospective clinical trials are impractical, and the ability to conduct studies of this type is an additional advantage of computer-based medical record systems over paper record systems.
Regulation of Neural Stem Cells in the Adult Mammalian Brain

Neural stem cells (NSC) exist not only in the developing mammalian nervous system but also in the adult nervous system of all mammalian organisms, including humans. A great deal of literature has addressed the identification, screening and isolation of neural stem cells. The NSC in these regards have been reviewed (Gage, 1994; Gage et al., 1995b; Weiss et al., 1996b; McKay et al., 1997; Vescovi & Snyder, 1999; Gage, 2000). The mammalian adult brain reserves a limited pool of neural stem cells, which can differentiate and incorporate into the mature brain. In this chapter, the regulation of stem cells in the adult brain and spinal cord is discussed. The potency and neurogenesis of endogenous NSC in a genetically predetermined state are frequently affected by environmental factors, such as enriched environment, excercise, stress, or stroke. Neural replenishment, a process preserved in lower animals, is now being assessed in the repair of the mammalian nervous system. In addition, NSCcan also be recruited from non-neural origins. The mechanisms that convert early stem cells or non-NSCinto NSCremain elusive, but are beginning to be unveiled. Potential uses of neural stem cells, including transplantation to repair missing cells and activation of endogenous cells to promote “self-repair” are also reviewed in this chapter.
Utility of minimally invasive thoracoscopy for assessment of residual mediastinal lymphoma

Abstract Background Patients with primary mediastinal lymphomas frequently present with a residual mass after completion of first-line therapy. Although a positron emission tomography scan is usually recommended, it fails to distinguish between persistent lymphoma and inflammation. Although percutaneous biopsy may have a high diagnostic yield for the initial diagnosis of mediastinal lymphomas, this biopsy has poor accuracy for detecting persistent disease in a residual mass given the heterogeneity of these residual masses. Because persistent disease has important therapeutic implications, we evaluated the role of operative biopsy in detecting lymphoma in the residual mass. Methods Between 2009 and 2015, consecutive patients (n = 77) undergoing tissue biopsy for initial diagnosis as well as for a positron emission tomography-positive residual mass were included. Tissue biopsy for a residual mass was repeated until frozen section was diagnostic or at least the mass on the ipsilateral hemi-mediastinum was resected. Results Of the initial 77 patients, 34 underwent operative restaging for a residual mass after chemotherapy, while 43 had a complete response. In these 34 patients, operative biopsy revealed the presence of lymphoma in 53%, predominantly Hodgkin's disease and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. There was no significant difference in tumor volume (51% versus 39%) and a decrease in the positron emission tomography-standardized uptake valuemax (68% vs 60%) in patients with or those without persistent lymphoma. There were no surgical complications and the duration of stay for all patients undergoing thoracoscopy was Conclusion A large proportion of patients with residual positron emission tomography-avidity after first-line chemotherapy of mediastinal lymphomas have residual disease that can be detected safely using minimally invasive thoracoscopy.
Inkjet-printed unipolar n-type transistors on polymer substrates based on dicyanomethylene-substituted diketopyrrolopyrrole quinoidal compounds

Abstract The development of printable and air-stable unipolar n-type semiconductors remains a critical issue in the field of organic electronics in view of n-type transistors being indispensable components in the manufacture of low-power-consumption complementary (CMOS type) integrated circuits. In this work, we report on two dicyanomethylene-substituted diketopyrrolopyrrole derivatives with different alkyl side chains (DCM-DPP-C13 and DCM-DPP-C16) for n-type transistors. Compared with DCM-DPP-C16, the side chain branching point in DCM-DPP-C13 was moved further away from the conjugated backbone. Both materials showed promising electron mobility above 0.1 cm2/VS in air with remarkably low threshold voltages (−3 V – 2 V) on spin-coated bottom-contact bottom-gated devices on silicon substrates. Contrary to our original expectation, the average electron mobility of DCM-DPP-C16 (0.2 cm2/VS) was higher than that of DCM-DPP-C13 (0.12 cm2/VS) due to the bigger crystalline domains in the thin film of the former compound. We investigated the inkjet printability of these two compounds as well, and bottom-contact top-gated transistors were successfully fabricated on flexible PET substrates. Widely used Cytop was employed as the gate dielectric. Ag gate electrodes were readily inkjet printed on the gate dielectric by using a thin layer of Nafion as an adhesion promoter. DCM-DPP-C16 demonstrated an excellent inkjet-ability with good uniformity and reproducibility. An average electron mobility around 0.1 cm2/VS was achieved in air. This is an important step toward the fabrication of large-area organic CMOS logic circuits with low cost.
Synthesis, bioactivity, and enzymatic modification of antibacterial thiotetromycin derivatives

Thiotetronate-containing natural products, including thiolactomycin, thiotetromycin, and thiotetroamide, are potent, broad-spectrum antibacterial compounds that target fatty acid synthesis in bacteria. Natural modifications at the C-5 dialkyl position in this molecular series result in pronounced bioactivity differences. The C-5 acetamide-containing thiotetroamide, which is the more potent antibacterial agent in this family, is biosynthesized from the C-5 ethyl analogue thiotetromycin via a unique two-enzyme process involving the cytochrome P450-amidotransferase enzyme pair TtmP–TtmN. Herein we synthesized a focused library of 17 novel thiotetromycin derivatives differing at the 5-position alkyl substituent to investigate their biological activities and their reactivity towards the hydroxylase TtmP. Although we observed marginal anti-tuberculosis activity, select thiotetromycin analogues showed antibacterial activity against an Escherichia coli ΔtolC strain with IC50 values in a range of 1.9–36 μg mL−1. Additional screening efforts highlighted select thiotetronate analogues as inhibitors of the cancer-associated enzyme nicotinamide N-methyltransferase (NNMT), with a unique scaffold compared to previously identified NNMT inhibitors. In vitro assays further showed that the TtmP P450 was capable of resolving racemic substrate mixtures and had modest promiscuity to hydroxylate derivatives with variable alkyl chains; however triple oxidation to a carboxylic acid remained specific for the natural thiotetromycin substrate. The tendency of TtmP to accept a range of unnatural substrates for hydroxylation makes it an interesting target for P450 engineering towards broader applications.
Theme-Based Book Review: Disaster Management and Environmental Policy

Environmental policy and disaster management are two of the most difficult concerns with which governments must contend. In some sense, this is counterintuitive; the problems of environmental polic...
Temporal Trends and Clinical Outcomes Associated with Vasopressor and Inotrope Use in The Cardiac Intensive Care Unit.

ABSTRACTBackground:The use of norepinephrine may be associated with better outcomes in some patients with shock. We sought to determine whether norepinephrine was associated with lower mortality in unselected cardiac intensive care unit (CICU) patients compared to other vasopressors, and whether pat
Passenger Pigeon and Waterfowl: Flights to Extinction and Not

Hunting of fowl was a part of the Chesapeake Bay Region’s food system from the earliest times. English colonists introduced the shotgun as an effective weapon against swimming, flying and roosting birds. Despite the new weaponry, populations of game-birds remained fairly abundant for the first century after colonization, since most hunting was for feeding families. The advent of the steamboat and railroad opened up new markets for fowl. These new forms of transportation brought ice for preserving the kill from northern states, and allowed hunters to send the chilled carcasses of slain birds to distant restaurants, hotels, and market centers. The railroads also spurred development of wildlands and the expansion of agriculture, reducing habitat for terrestrial and water birds. The combination of over-hunting and habitat loss drove the nineteenth Century extinction of the passenger pigeon (Ectopistes migratorius), a migratory species which once was the most populous bird in N. America. The loss of the passenger pigeon informed efforts to prevent the same fate befalling widely hunted waterfowl species. Many of the political elite hunted waterfowl and helped push legislation to protect their pastime. This led to the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918, the first national environmental legislation for the US. This act, subsequent legislation, and efforts to recover lost habitat combined to rebuild the populations of most species of waterfowl that frequent the Chesapeake Bay. The Canada goose (Branta canadensis) has gone from near extinction in 1920 to the status of a nuisance species in many locations due to its ability to forage on industrial grain farms. The recovery of other species, such as the canvas back duck (Aythya valisineria) is much less complete. This points to the need to continue tight regulation of hunting and investment in habitat restoration.
Surrogate Vibration Modeling Approach for Design Optimization of Electric Machines

This article presents a surrogate modeling approach to predict the vibrational behavior during electric machine design. The methodology used in identifying and implementing the surrogate model allows a time-efficient integration of the surrogate model in multiphysics geometric optimization of electric machines, especially in scenarios of drop-in replacement. Based on the state-of-the-art review, the use of analytical or numerical techniques alone considering motor frame and support are not adequately accurate, time efficient, and flexible. The proposed method uses the 3-D finite-element (FE) structural simulations for identifying characteristic response profiles in the surrogate model and does not use structural FE simulations in the optimization loop. Experimental tests are performed on a 6/10 switched reluctance machine to validate the 3-D FE model used to identify the surrogate model. The rational fraction polynomial (RFP) method is used to fit the vibration impulse responses for a number of machines geometries defined by three stator dimensions. The impulse response of any geometry can be determined using linear interpolation of the RFP coefficients. Using the radial forces determined from the FE electromagnetic simulation, the deformation is determined using superposition.
DataRemix: a universal data transformation for optimal inference from gene expression datasets.

MOTIVATION RNA-seq technology provides unprecedented power in the assessment of the transcription abundance and can be used to perform a variety of downstream tasks such as inference of gene-correlation network and eQTL discovery. However, raw gene expression values have to be normalized for nuisance biological variation and technical covariates, and different normalization strategies can lead to dramatically different results in the downstream study. RESULTS We describe a generalization of singular value decomposition-based reconstruction for which the common techniques of whitening, rank-k approximation and removing the top k principal components are special cases. Our simple three-parameter transformation, DataRemix, can be tuned to reweigh the contribution of hidden factors and reveal otherwise hidden biological signals. In particular, we demonstrate that the method can effectively prioritize biological signals over noise without leveraging external dataset-specific knowledge, and can outperform normalization methods that make explicit use of known technical factors. We also show that DataRemix can be efficiently optimized via Thompson sampling approach, which makes it feasible for computationally expensive objectives such as eQTL analysis. Finally, we apply our method to the Religious Orders Study and Memory and Aging Project dataset, and we report what to our knowledge is the first replicable trans-eQTL effect in human brain. AVAILABILITYAND IMPLEMENTATION DataRemix is an R package which is freely available at GitHub (https://github.com/wgmao/DataRemix). SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Delivering culturally competent care to the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) population: Education for nursing students.

Abstract Purpose Despite well-documented healthcare disparities in the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community, nursing education has lagged other health professions in promoting culturally competent care to members of this minority group. Methods Using national guidelines, the author developed an educational program for BSN students to improve competency in providing care for LGBT individuals. One hundred twenty-four students completed online modules and a simulation exercise, which explored LGBT healthcare topics. One hundred eight participants completed surveys pre-, post-, and 1 month after the intervention. Results Overall LGB competence scores improved from pre- (M = 4.42) to post-test (M = 5.20) and did not significantly decrease at one-month (M = 5.03, p Conclusion Educational content focused on cultural competency for nurses may lead to improved health outcomes among the LGBT community.
Results and lessons from a hospital-wide initiative incentivised by delivery system reform to improve infection prevention and sepsis care.

Background An academic safety-net hospital leveraged the federally funded state Delivery System Reform Incentive Payment programme to implement a hospital-wide initiative to reduce healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) and improve sepsis care. Methods The study period was from 2013 to 2017. The setting is a 770-bed urban hospital with six intensive care units and a large emergency department. Key interventions implemented were (1) awareness campaign and clinician engagement, (2) implementation of HAI and sepsis bundles, (3) education of clinical personnel using standardised curriculum on bundles, (4) training of key managers, leaders and personnel in quality improvement methods, and (5) electronic medical record-based clinical decision support. Throughout the 5-year period, staff received frequent, clear, visible and consistent messages from leadership regarding the importance of their participation in this initiative, performing hand hygiene and preventing potential regulatory failures. Several process measures including bundle compliance, hand hygiene and culture of safety were monitored. The primary outcomes were rates of central line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI), catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI), surgical site infection (SSI) and sepsis mortality. Results From 2013 to 2017, the hospital-wide rates of HAI reduced: CLABSI from 1.6 to 0.8 per 1000 catheter-days (Poisson regression estimate: −0.19; 95% CI −0.29 to −0.09; p=0.0002), CAUTI from 4.7 to 1.3 per 1000 catheter-days (−0.34; −0.43 to −0.26; p Conclusion A hospital-wide initiative incentivised by the Delivery System Reform Incentive Payment programme succeeded in reducing HAI and sepsis mortality over 5 years in a sustainable manner.
Topology on the Lattice

“Global topology,” which we will discuss in this first section, is the total topological charge of the whole lattice: in the subsequent sections, we will review more local observables aimed at revealing the topological substructure of the gauge theory vacuums.
Donor derived leukemia in allogeneic transplantation

Allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (alloHCT) is a curative option for the treatment of eligible patients with hematological malignancies. This modality confers a risk for life-threatening complications, including the rare and underdiagnosed complication of donor-derived leukemia (DDL). DDL differs from relapse of the original malignancy in that DDL originates from the donor stem cells and is unrelated to the original diagnosis. Because DDL may be the same lineage as the original diagnosis, it is difficult to identify these cases and many remain unrecognized. There is no consensus of how to approach the treatment of patients with DDL, and their prognosis is poor considering that patients with DDL have already been treated for their original leukemia and have undergone alloHCT. DDL occurs following transplants using any donor stem cell source (bone marrow, peripheral blood and cord blood) and any donor type (matched/unmatched, related/unrelated and haploidentical). Both donor and recipient factors contribute to the development of DDL, and a better understanding of these factors is crucial to reduce the risk for the development of DDL. In this review, we provide an overview of DDL, including the incidence, diagnosis, etiology, prognosis, and treatment.
Preposition Omission in English and the Relative Clause Parameters

The purpose of this chapter is to examine the omission of prepositions in English. In particular, instances of preposition omission (PO) in English which are superficially similar to null-prep are shown to be a very different phenomenon. It will be important, then, to analyze these structures and consider whether they result from the core parameters posited for relative clauses (which produce the English options of piping and stranding as well as other options in the world’s languages). Since PO data is likely to be included in the target language input that L2 learners are exposed to, we need to know whether such positive evidence might conceivably propel these learners to a null-prep grammar.
A brief introduction to the military workplace culture.

BACKGROUND: Military culture and workplace are areas of interest for researchers across disciplines. However, few publications on military culture exist. OBJECTIVE:The purpose of this article is to introduce general concepts regarding the structure and culture of the United States Military and discuss how this creates challenges for reintegrating into the civilian world. METHOD: Topics that will be covered in this article include an overview of the Department of Defense (DoD) and Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), socialization to military culture, the unique features of the military as a workplace, the cultural experiences of military personnel reintegrating back into the community, and the challenges faced by military members and their spouses. RESULTS:The provided information on military culture will expand military cultural competency so that civilian employers can enhance theirability tocreate supportive workplaces for veterans and militaryspouses during times oftransition and reintegration. DISCUSSION: The unique characteristics of the military culture should be understood by those who work with or plan to work with military populations.
Systems genetics approach reveals candidate genes for parasite resistance from quantitative trait loci studies in agricultural species.

Summary A systems genetics approach combining pathway analysis of quantitative trait loci (QTL) and gene expression information has provided strong evidence for common pathways associated with genetic resistance to internal parasites. Gene data, collected from published QTL regions in sheep, cattle, mice, rats and humans, and microarray data from sheep, were converted to human Entrez Gene IDs and compared to the KEGG pathway database. Selection of pathways from QTL data was based on a selection index that ensured that the selected pathways were in all species and the majority of the projects overall and within species. Pathways with either up- and down-regulated genes, primarily up-regulated genes or primarily down-regulated genes, were selected from gene expression data. After comparing the data sets independently, the pathways from each data set were compared and the common set of pathways and genes was identified. Comparisons within data sets identified 21 pathways from QTL data and 66 pathways from gene expression data. Both selected sets were enriched with pathways involved in immune functions, disease and cell responses to signals. The analysis identified 14 pathways that were common between QTL and gene expression data, and four directly associated with IFNγ or MHCII, with 31 common genes, including three MHCII genes. In conclusion, a systems genetics approach combining data from multiple QTL and gene expression projects led to the discovery of common pathways associated with genetic resistance to internal parasites. This systems genetics approach may prove significant for the discovery of candidate genes for many other multifactorial, economically important traits.
Hemoglobin-Oxygen Equilibrium in Cystic Fibrosis

A study of 35 patients with cystic fibrosis demonstrated that increasing severity of pulmonary involvement was associated with a mild but definite increase in erythrocyte 2,3-diphosphoglycerate (2,3-DPG) and a decrease in hemoglobin affinity for oxygen. The predominant regulators of 2,3-DPG were blood pH, cardiac output, and systemic oxygen transport. No significant relationship was observed between erythrocyte 2,3-DPG content and arterial oxygen tension. Hypophosphatemia may have prevented a greater increase in erythrocyte 2,3-DPG content. The inadequate increase in 2,3-DPG and consequent insufficient change in hemoglobin-oxygen affinity, coupled with an insufficient compensatory erythrocytic response, may adversely affect tissue oxygenation in patients with severe cystic fibrosis.
Direct sequence spreading UWB systems: frequency domain processing for enhanced performance and throughput

In this work, we propose an innovative high performance, high throughput direct sequence spreading (DSS) ultra wideband (UWB) system. Our proposed system employs a novel multi-carrier pulse waveform at the UWB transmit side: At the receiver side, the received DSS UWB pulse is decomposed into its subcarriers and recombined to (1) exploit diversity in the frequency domain and (2) provide resistance to inter symbol interference (ISI) and/or multi-access interference (MAI). As a direct result, the proposed frequency-based UWB DSS system is shown to significantly outperform time-based DSS UWB systems, offering significant gain in throughput (up to 32 fold) without performance degradation, or, alternatively, avoiding error floors due to MAI that limit the performance of time-based systems.
Effect of Imposed Faults on a Distributor Injection System

The effects of several faults on different parameters in a distributor injection system are studied both theoretically and experimentally. The faults imposed on a healthy system are: fuel leaks between the pump and injector, improper adjustment of the injector opening pressure, a broken or mission injector spring, plugged nozzle holes, and a studk-closed needle. The injector parameters examined include maximum fuel pressures reached at different locations in the system, needle lift, injection lag, and injection rate. /GMRL/
Silicon-fluorine chemistry—IX: The reaction of silicon difluoride with iodotrifluoromethane

Abstract Silicon difluoride reacts with CF 3 I to give mainly CF 3 SiF 2 I. Other products are CF 3 SiF 2 SiF 2 I, SiF 3 SiF 2 I, SiF 3 SiF 2 SiF 2 I, SiF 2 ISiF 2 I and SiF 2 ISiF 2 SiF 2 I. The mass spectra and NMR spectra of these compounds are described and also the i.r. spectrum of CF 3 SiF 2 I is reported. A reaction mechanism which accounts for these products is proposed.
Designing a knowledge management approach for the CAMRA community of science

CAMRA (Center for Advancing Microbial Risk Assessment) gathers a community of scientists that investigate several stages in the life cycle of biological agents of concern. This paper describes the knowledge management (KM) approach adopted for CAMRA's community of scientists. The approach includes knowledge facilitators, a web- and repository-based KM system, and use-centered design. The approach relies on a KM methodology that addresses the most common causes of failures in KM approaches that was complemented with a use-centered design methodology. The resulting combined methodology represents a unique way of implementing KM to promote knowledge sharing and collaboration. We describe the principles in our design and the initial steps undertaken to implement it for CAMRA. We conclude by laying out our future steps.
Adaptive Approach to Information Dissemination in Self-Organizing Grids

The size, complexity, heterogeneity, and dynamism of largescale computational grids make autonomic grid services and solutions necessary. In particular, grid schedulers must map applications onto resources whose state (1) influences the effectiveness of scheduling choices, and (2) changes frequently and considerably. A grid resource state information dissemination service must negotiate the inherent tradeoff between covering a large portion of the grid (so that all schedulers can make informed decisions with the largest number of options), and limiting the protocols overhead (i.e. the number of packets sent). This paper argues that probabilistic forwarding protocols must adapt to state changes, because static assignments of forwarding probabilities lead to excessive overhead or lower-than-possible query satisfaction rates in some scenarios. We introduce an approach that compares a nodes local utilization and query generation rates to corresponding rates in the nodes vicinity, and in the grid as a whole. These comparisons, in turn, produce a score that is used to adjust forwarding probabilities. We show that even this simple initial adaptive approach can work better than protocols with static forwarding probability assignments.
The specification of distributed objects: liveness and locality

There are two aspects to the behavioral specification of an object in a distributed system: safety and liveness. This paper describes our component-based mechanism for specifying liveness. The specification of a distributed object is typically a syntactic definition of its interface (e.g., the method signatures). Several proposals exist for extending these syntactic definitions to provide behavioral information (e.g., preconditions and postconditions). However, many of these proposals have failed to address liveness properties. In this paper, we argue for the need to express such properties. Our approach is a simple extension of CORBA IDL. Our extension is guided by the "design-by-contract" philosophy of sequential systems. In particular, our approach is consistent with testing for contract violations and debugging. These activities are critical for the practical use of any specification methodology in real systems.
Tuning stability of a digitally-tuned, electrically-short monopole element on disk groundplanes of different radii

Double-parameter and single-parameter tuning of a digitally-tuned, electrically-short monopole antenna at the center of a circular groundplane are investigated to determine the range of groundplane radii for which the same tuning words can be utilized in maintaining a specified antenna gain over a given frequency band. It is found that the range of groundplane radii is generally not significantly larger with double-parameter tuning than with single-parameter tuning. It is concluded that it may not be possible to use the same tuning words for all groundplane radii of interest without a substantial loss in antenna gain because of mismatch loss at some frequencies, particularly at the low end of the band.
Racial Identity, School Racial Climate, and School Intrinsic Motivation Among African American Youth: The Importance of Person–Context Congruence

Researchers have been concerned with whether strong racial identification promotes or inhibits achievement motivation among African American youth, but current literatures have paid little attention to the role of youths' contexts. In this study, we outline a racial identity–context congruence framework that predicts positive benefits of a strong, positive racial identity when the context is congruent with youths' beliefs. To test this framework, we examined school racial climate as a moderator in the relationships of three racial identity variables (centrality, private regard, and public regard) with intrinsic motivation for attending school in a sample of 11th graders. Overall, results support the congruence perspective and also demonstrate how feelings of belonging at school mediate the relationship between racial identity–racial climate congruence and school intrinsic motivation.
Scalable and Multi-Rate Speech Coding for Voice-over-Internet Protocol (VoIP) Networks

Communication by speech is still a very popular and effective means of transmitting information from one person to another. Speech signals form the basic method of human communication. The information communicated in this case is verbal or auditory information. The methods used for speech coding are very extensive and continuously evolving.
Resetting the Trigger on the Poison Pill: Selectica's Unanticipated Consequences

The Delaware Chancery Court recently applied the Unitrin case to uphold the validity of an NOL Rights Plan with a 5 percent trigger level in Selectica, Inc. v. Versata Enterprises, Inc. The Chancery Court’s ruling is sufficiently expansive that it sanctions the reduction of Rights Plans’ trigger levels to 5 percent at all Delaware corporations. Using a weighted voting model, we show that such an across the board reduction of trigger levels would have important, unanticipated consequences. In particular, we demonstrate that it would favor hedge funds and private equity firms at the expense of strategic acquirers, and that it would greatly increase the power of third party proxy voting advisors. We conclude that the Delaware Supreme Court should consider these unintended side effects in crafting its decision in this case, and that it should adopt an expansive reading of the meaning of preclusive defensive tactics based on its earlier precedent in Unitrin and Moran.
Underdetermination in philosophy of science and science education

The goal of this paper is to provide a theoretical review of the post-positivist literature in the philosophy of science on the underdetermination of theories by evidence. The results of this analysis have implications both for the scope of issues discussed in EC research and for the goals of science instruction.
Mechanism of CSF outflow through human arachnoid granulations using in-vitro and ex-vivo perfusion models

Bifida Meeting abstracts - A single PDF containing all abstracts in this supplement is available here .
A consistency test for rational weights in multi-criterion decision analysis with fuzzy pairwise comparisons

Abstract We present some results and extensions of the use of fuzzy pairwise comparisons in multi-criterion decision analysis. We address the problem encountered in earlier articles by van Laarhoven and Pedrycz (1983) and Boender et al. (1989) in which normalized weights derived from estimates based on ratio scales can exhibit an irrational ordering. We derive conditions for a rational ordering and illustrate that the irrational ordering is the result of relative preferences provided by the decision makers. We provide a test for consistency that will insure a rational ordering of the normalized weights when using the methods of van Laarhoven and Pedrycz, and Boender et al. for normalization.
Quantitative in situ studies of ionic doping of polypyrrole employing rotated ring-disk electrode voltammetry

Changes in ionic composition (i.e., doping) accompany changes in the redox level of conducting polymers such as polypyrrole. These processes are of paramount interest because they often control the polymer's charge capacity and, more importantly, its rates of oxidation and reduction (i.e., charge and discharge). The most commonly used approaches for studying polymer doping are either ex situ techniques (e.g., elemental analysis, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy) or nonspecific techniques (e.g., electrochemical quartz crystal microgravimetry). We have developed a paradigm whereby rotated ring−disk electrode (RRDE) voltammetry can be used to quantitatively measure both anion and cation fluxes, in situ, across the conducting polymer−solution interface. This can be accomplished in real time under operational electrochemical conditions. Herein we report studies where we use RRDE voltammetry to investigate the doping behavior of electrochemically grown films of polypyrrole which are in contact with a range of d...
Expression pattern of alternatively spliced PECAM-1 isoforms in hematopoietic cells and platelets.

PECAM-1 (CD31) is a cell adhesion molecule that is highly expressed in the endothelium. Hematopoietic cells including platelets, monocytes, neutrophils, and some T cells also express moderate levels of PECAM-1. PECAM-1 undergoes alternative splicing generating a number of isoforms in the endothelium. However, the expression of PECAM-1 isoforms in hematopoietic cells and platelets has not been determined. Here, we examined the expression pattern of PECAM-1 isoforms in human and rodent hematopoietic cells and platelets by RT-PCR and DNA sequencing analysis. Our results showed that multiple PECAM-1 isoforms are expressed in a cell-type and species-specific pattern. We identified seven human PECAM-1 isoforms, six murine PECAM-1 isoforms, and four rat PECAM-1 isoforms. The full-length PECAM-1 was the predominant isoform detected in human cells. The PECAM-1 isoforms that lack exon 14 and 15 (Δ14&15) or Δ12,14&15 were the predominant isoform in rodent cells. In addition, we identified a novel PECAM-1 isoform, Δ13&14, in human hematopoietic cells. Thus, hematopoietic cells express multiple isoforms of PECAM-1 in a pattern similar to that observed in the endothelium of the same species. The regulated expression of these isoforms may be important during hematopoiesis and transendothelial migration. J. Cell. Biochem. 87: 424–438, 2002. © 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Mining discrete patterns via binary matrix factorization

Mining discrete patterns in binary data is important for subsampling, compression, and clustering. We consider rank-one binary matrix approximations that identify the dominant patterns of the data, while preserving its discrete property. A best approximation on such data has a minimum set of inconsistent entries, i.e., mismatches between the given binary data and the approximate matrix. Due to the hardness of the problem, previous accounts of such problems employ heuristics and the resulting approximation may be far away from the optimal one. In this paper, we show that the rank-one binary matrix approximation can be reformulated as a 0-1 integer linear program (ILP). However, the ILP formulation is computationally expensive even for small-size matrices. We propose a linear program (LP) relaxation, which is shown to achieve a guaranteed approximation error bound. We further extend the proposed formulations using the regularization technique, which is commonly employed to address overfitting. The LP formulation is restricted to medium-size matrices, due to the large number of variables involved for large matrices. Interestingly, we show that the proposed approximate formulation can be transformed into an instance of the minimum s-t cut problem, which can be solved efficiently by finding maximum flows. Our empirical study shows the efficiency of the proposed algorithm based on the maximum flow. Results also confirm the established theoretical bounds.