cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Spectral estimation based on the Wigner-Ville representation

Several classical techniques to estimate the component frequencies in a multicomponent signal are based on Fourier-like transformations. The frequency estimates obtained from their spectral peaks are affected by the window length and phase, thus presenting a large variance even in the absence of noise. Analytic signal based spectral estimators present no phase dependence for mono-component signals but, contrary to previous claims, they are not phase invariant for multicomponent signals, and perform worse than their real signal counterparts in high noise. The analysis of Wigner-Ville (WVD) spectra of continuous and discrete signals with time-limited windows demonstrates a better frequency concentration and less phase dependence than real or analytic signal Fourier spectra. The WVD presents accurate frequency estimates for multicomponent stationary signals, where crossterm interference is attenuated by smoothing the WVD in time (SWVD). It also has an excellent performance in the presence of noise, making it a good alternative to classical spectral estimation approaches. Furthermore, it is especially appropriate for the case of nonstationary multicomponent signals due to the good WVD temporal resolution, thus representing a superior spectral estimation technique suitable for the analysis of a variety of physical processes.
Cross-linked and functionalized ‘universal polymer backbones’ via simple, rapid, and orthogonal multi-site self-assembly

Abstract A novel route to cross-linked and functionalized random copolymers using a rapid, one-step, and orthogonal copolymer cross-linking/functionalization strategy has been developed. Random terpolymers possessing high concentrations of pendant alkyl chains and either (1) palladated-pincer complexes and diaminopyridine moieties (DAD hydrogen-bonding entities) or (2) palladated-pincer complexes and cyanuric wedges (ADAADA hydrogen-bonding entities) have been synthesized using ring-opening metathesis polymerization. Non-covalent cross-linking of the resultant copolymers using a directed functionalization strategy leads to dramatic increases in solution viscosities for cross-linked polymers via metal-coordination while only minor changes in viscosity were observed when hydrogen-bonding motifs were employed for cross-linking. The cross-linked materials could be further functionalized via self-assembly by employing the second recognition motif along the polymeric backbones giving rise to highly functionalized materials with tailored cross-links. This novel non-covalent polymer cross-linking/functionalization strategy allows for rapid and tunable materials synthesis by overcoming many difficulties inherent to the preparation of covalently cross-linked polymers.
Spontaneous Angina in the Coronary Care Unit: 1. Frequent Association with Development of Acute Myocardial Infarction

We studied 16 patients, 36 to 75 years old, with repetitive episodes of spontaneous angina (SA) associated with transient ST-segment shifts. At onset SA was not associated with changes in systolic blood pressure, heart rate, or double product, but such increases often occurred late. All patients smoked cigarettes; 13 were hypertensive. History of angina at rest or exertion was present in 13 patients, seven of whom had crescendo chest pain before admission. Twelve patients had an acute myocardial infarction (MI). Complications were not uncommon in the setting of MI. Angina persisted in a few patients after MI, and resulted in its extension in three patients. Coronary arteriography performed on eight patients revealed significant coronary artery disease in seven. There was a good correlation between the loci of coronary lesions and the transient ECG changes. Nitrates were occasionally ineffective in relieving symptoms and failed to prevent SA. High doses of propranolol were also ineffective. Aortocoronary bypass surgery was performed on three patients. Fifteen patients were discharged asymptomatic. One patient died in the hospital. Three additional patients died within the first month after admission. Followup in the clinic revealed good response to nitrates in the 12 surviving patients. SA in the CCU may be a good model to study the pathogenesis of myocardial ischemia and acute MI.
Medical Providers' Self Perceived Knowledge and Skills for Working With Eating Disorders: A National Survey

Research indicates that individuals suffering from an eating disorder (ED) consult their general practitioners more frequently than those without an eating disorder (Mond, Myers, Crosby, Hay, & Mitchell, 2010). However, little is known about medical providers' existing knowledge of and training in ED detection, intervention, and treatment. This study aimed to examine national medical providers' self-perceived knowledge, skills, and needs around eating disorder screening and intervention strategies. Utilizing survey design, a randomized sample of national medical providers responded to a 23-question survey. Sixty-eight percent of respondents indicated that they did not think to screen for an eating disorder because it was not the presenting concern and nearly 59% of providers did not feel like they had the skills necessary to intervene with eating disorders. Training implications and future research directions are discussed.
Convection on a non-uniformly heated, rotating plane

This investigation is concerned with the convective motions in a shallow layer of silicone oil on a plane, circular copper plate which is heated at the rim and cooled at the centre and at the same time rotated around a vertical axis. The oil is in touch with a glass lid, which is cooled uniformly. With sufficient heating axially symmetric concentric rings develop. The details of the motion can be described as a superposition of a circulation due to the horizontal temperature gradient and a circulation of opposite sense due to the centrifugal force, with the motions due to the vertical instability. There seems to be a conversion into rolls whose axes point radially, if the centrifugal circulation becomes too strong.
Characterization of ohmic contacts to InP

Abstract The results of a study of the electrical and metallurgical properties of thin metallic layers deposited on InP for use as ohmic contacts are presented. The layers were heat treated at temperatures up to 550°C and were examined with Auger electron spectroscopy. For contact to n-type InP three thin film systems were investigated: gold, nickel and a composite Ni/Au/Ge layer. Nickel was found to produce ohmic behavior in the Ni/Au/Ge/InP system with a minimum specific contact resistance rc of 3×10−5 Ω cm2 for a net doping of 3×1016 cm−3. For contact to p-type InP a film consisting of Au/Mg was investigated. For heat treatment of the Au/Mg/InP system above 350°C, rc decreased as the temperature of the heat treatment increased and the surface morphology exhibited increasing signs of alloying at higher temperatures. The smoothest surface was obtained at 446°C for 50 min with rc≈1×10−4Ω cm2 for a net doping of 6×1017 cm−3.
Controlled Trial of a Continuous Irrigation Suction Catheter vs Conventional Intermittent Suction Catheter in Clearing Bronchial Secretions from Ventilated Patients

Continuous irrigation-suction catheter (Irri-cath) is a double-lumen device that allows for simultaneous saline solution infusion and aspiration. This system may theoretically be more effective than conventional dry intermittent suction due to its vortex principle. To test this hypothesis, we performed 200 suction maneuvers in 20 ventilated patients. Identically shaped catheters were used in a randomized sequence. For the same individual, we used equal instilled saline solution volume (40 ml), vacuum pressure (–180 cm H 2 O), and ventilatory parameters. Effectiveness of suction was determined by measuring the total aspirated volume, the dry lyophilized weight of secretion, the corrected dry weight (dry weight—weight of instilled salt), and protein concentration. No difference in heart rate, respiratory frequency, O 2 saturation, systemic blood pressure, peak inspiratory pressure, or patient discomfort was found when the two modalities were compared; however, the total volume of secretions collected, the dry weight, the corrected dry weight, and the protein concentration were significantly higher with continuous irrigation suction catheter when compared with the conventional method (p
Linking Positive Behavior Support to Family Quality-of-Life Outcomes:

Increasing attention is being given to the fact that positive behavior support (PBS) not only affects individual quality of life but branches out to affect family quality of life as well. This article provides a brief overview of family quality of life, citing specific information from the Beach Center Family Quality of Life Scale. An analysis of four key research studies, which contain both a PBS and a family component, is presented with links to the Beach Center Family Quality of Life Scale domains and indicators. This analysis leads to a discussion of emerging themes and explores implications for future research and practice.
A putative precursor to the major yolk protein of the sea urchin

Abstract We detected by electrophoresis, several glycoproteins in the eggs of three species of sea urchin. The major glycoprotein band disappears as development of the embryo proceeds. This protein is enriched in the yolk fraction obtained by zone sedimentation in 2.5–30% sucrose gradients. A fractionally larger glycoprotein has been found to be the major protein in the coelomic fluid of male and female gravid sea urchins. Partial proteolysis peptide mapping shows that the major coelomic fluid protein and the major yolk protein are related, presumably in a precursor-product relationship.
Coincidence time-of-flight studies of molecular fragmentation

Abstract Molecular fragmentation of diatomic and small polyatomic molecules caused by collisions with fast highly-charged ions are under study using coincidence time-of-flight spectroscopy. A time-of-flight spectrometer in which all positive ions are measured in coincidence was developed for these studies. In this spectrometer, the fragments, which arrive at the detector sequentially, are detected and recorded event-by-event using a multiple hit electronic system. Using this method, detailed information about the fragmentation process can be gathered. For example, the production cross section of the different breakup channels, the average kinetic energy released in the breakup, and the kinetic energy distribution of the fragments can be measured. The uniform electric fields in the time-of-flight spectrometer and the simple geometry used simplifies data analysis such that Monte Carlo simulations commonly used for these studies are not needed.
Zariski density in lie groups

In [7] Furstenberg gave a proof of Borel’s density theorem [1], which depended not on complete reducibility but rather on properties of the action of a minimally almost periodic group on projective space. In [9] and [10] the basic idea of this proof was extended in various ways to deal with other particular classes of Lie groupsG and closed subgroupsH of cofinite volume. In [5] Dani gives a more general form of the density theorem in whichH need only be non-wandering. In the present paper we define the condition ofk-minimal quasiboundedness, and prove that this condition is necessary and sufficient for the density theorem to hold ((2.4) and (2.6)). Here we replace the arguments of [9] and [10] simply by proofs that the groups considered there satisfy this condition (2.10). We extend the results of [9] and [10] by considering groups which are analytic rather than algebraic, and in the solvable case we completely characterize thek-minimally quasibounded groups (2.9). In the last section we give two applications of the density theorem.
Microtus Population Biology: Behavioral Changes Associated with the Population Cycle in M. Ochrogaster and M. Pennsylvanicus

If aggressive behavior regulates population size in small rodents (as claimed by Chitty 1967), periodic fluctuations must be associated with behavioral changes. In an attempt to test this hypothesis, exploratory activity and aggressive behavior were measured in 645 male Microtus ochrogaster and 570 M. pennsylvanicus of 7 populations in southern Indiana from August 1965 to September 1967. Exploratory activity was measured in an open—field test under daylight conditions, and aggressive behavior was measured by fighting voles in pairs in a neutral fighting arena. Exploratory activity could not be related to the individual attributes of home range size or duration of life in males of either Microtus species. On the population level, mean exploratory activity could predict the mean rate of population growth in M. ochrogaster populations, but not in M. pennsylvanicus populations. Aggressive behavior changed significantly over the population cycle in both species, and males from peak populations were most aggressive. Multiple discriminant analysis was used to characterize the behavior patterns of males from increasing, peak, and declining populations. These discriminant scores predicted the mean rate of population growth in M. pennsylvanicus populations but not in M. ochrogaster populations. Aggressive behavior types characteristic of increase, peak, and decline phases showed differential survival rates, but no association was found with body weight or transferrin genotype in either species. Home range size was related to aggressive behavior type in M. ochrogaster but not in M. pennsylvanicus. These data on two species of Microtus do not refute the hypothesis that aggressive behavior may act to regulate population size. However, there is no information on what causes these behavioral changes, and the next step is to see if these changes occur in other populations of these two species and to determine whether they are genotypic or phenotypic.
UV Induced Insulator Flashover

Insulators are critical components in high-energy, pulsed power systems. It is known that the vacuum surface of the insulator will flashover when illuminated by ultraviolet (UV) radiation depending on the insulator material, insulator cone angle, applied voltage and insulator short-history. A testbed comprised of an excimer laser (KrF, 248 nm, ~2 MW/cm2, 30 ns FWHM,), a vacuum chamber (low 1.0E-6 torr), and dc high voltage power supply ( 12 GHz, bandwidth) were embedded in the anode electrode underneath the insulator to determine the time of flashover with respect to UV arrival. A commercial energy meter were used to measure the UV fluence for each pulse. Four insulator materials high density polyethylene, Rexolitereg 1400, Macortrade and Mycalex with side-angles of 0, plusmn30, and plusmn45 degrees, 1.0 cm thick samples, were tested with a maximum UV fluence of 75 mJ/cm2 and at varying electrode charge (10 kV to 60 kV). This information clarified/corrected earlier published studies. A new phenomenon was observed related to the UV power level on flashover that as the UV pulse intensity was increased, the UV fluence on the insulator prior to flashover was also increased. This effect would bias the data towards higher minimum flashover fluence.
Lattice Boltzmann Simulation of Transport Phenomena in Nanostructured Cathode Catalyst Layer for Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells

A multi-component, multiple-relaxation-time (MRT) lattice Boltzmann (LB) model has been employed to study transport processes in the nanostructured cathode catalyst layer of a prototype proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell. The electrode consists of an array of ordered and aligned nanorods that are continuously coated with platinum (Pt). The effect of spacing between the nanorods was studied. Simulation results showed that smaller spacing in nanorods leads to lower utilization of the Pt catalyst due to O2 mass transport limitations. Results from the LB model were found to be in good agreement with the continuum model using the finite element method (FEM) with the same boundary conditions until the systems reached the O2 mass transport limited regions, where the solutions diverged.
On a directionally reinforced random walk

We consider a generalized version of a directionally reinforced random walk, which was originally introduced by Mauldin, Monticino, and von Weizsacker in [20]. Our main result is a stable limit theorem for the position of the random walk in higher dimensions. This extends a result of Horvath and Shao [13] that was previously obtained in dimension one only (however, in a more stringent functional form).
Estimation of competitive conduct when firms are efficiently colluding: addressing the Corts critique

I address a recent critique by Corts (1999) who finds that traditional approaches in New Empirical Industrial Organization to estimate the competitive conduct in an oligopoly market can yield inconsistent estimates of the conduct parameter if firms are engaged in efficient collusion. This article derives a general empirical model that allows consistent estimation of the conduct parameter that is robust to efficient collusion.
Automatic Gaze-Based Detection of Mind Wandering with Metacognitive Awareness

Mind wandering (MW) is a ubiquitous phenomenon where attention involuntarily shifts from task-related processing to task-unrelated thoughts. There is a need for adaptive systems that can reorient attention when MW is detected due to its detrimental effects on performance and productivity. This paper proposes an automated gaze-based detector of self-caught MW (i.e., when users become consciously aware that they are MW). Eye gaze data and self-reports of MW were collected as 178 users read four instructional texts from a computer interface. Supervised machine learning models trained on features extracted from users’ gaze fixations were used to detect pages where users caught themselves MW. The best performing model achieved a user-independent kappa of .45 (accuracy of 74% compared to a chance accuracy of 52%); the first ever demonstration of a self-caught MW detector. An analysis of the features revealed that during MW, users made more regression fixations, had longer saccades that crossed lines more often, and had more uniform fixation durations, indicating a violation from normal reading patterns. Applications of the MW detector are discussed.
Growth and pulmonary outcomes during the first 2 y of life of breastfed and formula-fed infants diagnosed with cystic fibrosis through the Wisconsin Routine Newborn Screening Program

Background: The optimal feeding (breast milk, formula, or a combination) for infants with cystic fibrosis (CF) is unknown. Recommendations from the CF Foundation are based on limited data. Objective: We compared growth and pulmonary outcomes between breastfed and formula-fed infants through the age of 2 y. Design: A total of 103 CF infants born in 1994–2006 and diagnosed through newborn screening in Wisconsin were studied. Breastfed infants were classified by the duration of exclusive breastfeeding (ExBF). Exclusive formula-feeding (ExFM) was classified by the formula's caloric density (ie, standard [0.67 kcal/mL (20 kcal/oz) (ExFM20)] throughout infancy or high density [≥0.74 kcal/mL (22 kcal/oz) (ExFM22+)] for some duration of infancy). Results: Fifty-three infants (51% of infants) were breastfed and 50 infants (49% of infants) were ExFM. In breastfed infants, the duration of ExBF was <1 mo (53% of infants), 1–1.9 mo (21% of infants), 2–3 mo (17% of infants), and 4–9 mo (9% of infants). In ExFM infants, 23 infants (46%) received a formula with a high caloric density; approximately half (n = 13) of the ExFM infants received the formula by 6 mo of age. Proportionately more infants with pancreatic sufficiency (n = 9) were ExBF ≥1 mo (44% of infants), and none of the infants were ExFM22+, compared with infants with meconium ileus (n = 24; 13% of infants were ExBF ≥1 mo, and 38% of infants were ExFM22+) or pancreatic insufficiency (n = 70; 25% of infants were ExBF ≥1 mo, and 20% of infants were ExFM22+) (P = 0.02). In infants with pancreatic insufficiency, weight z scores declined from birth to 6 mo (P < 0.0001) in infants who were ExBF ≥2 mo, and the number of Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections through the age of 2 y was fewer in breastfed than in ExFM infants (P = 0.003) but did not differ by the duration of ExBF. Conclusion: For infants with CF, ExBF <2 mo does not compromise growth and is associated with a respiratory benefit.
Genetic and Environmental Factors Affecting Size of Body and Body Parts of Turkeys 4. Interactions between Sire-Family and Hatch

ABSTRACT LERNER (1950) drew attention to the need for detailed information in poultry research about non-linear interactions between genotypes and environments and the extent to which they may affect breeding programs. No interaction between strain and ration was found for weights of turkeys by Asmundson and Lerner (1940). Since then, additional results have been accumulating which indicate that, under average conditions, this phenomenon may occur for some traits but not for others, thus leaving in some doubt the practical importance of these interactions in many economic traits in poultry. For example, Gowe and Wakely (1954) found no strain-environment interaction in the egg production of several strains of White Leghorns at 6 different Dominion Experimental Stations across Canada. Johnson and Gowe (1956) reported that, in a similar test for egg quality, involving 8 White Leghorn strains, there was no interaction in the the case of albumen quality and shell strength, although a . . .
Whey-Based Formaldehyde-Free Urethane Adhesives for Plywood

The disposal of more than 1 x 10 9 pounds of excess dry whey permeate (deproteinized whey/lactose) from the cheese industry represents a serious economic and environmental problem in the United States. This paper explores the feasibility of preparing a formaldehyde-free whey-based resin that incorporates diamines and diisocyanates in resin formulations for use as plywood adhesives. Results indicate that such a formulation is feasible that yields high wet shear strengths in Southern Pine plywood. Up to 38% whey ingredients may be incorporated in the formulation, before significant loss in strength is observed.
Models of stretch-activated ventricular arrhythmias

One of the most important components of mechanoelectric coupling is stretch-activated channels, sarcolemmal channels that open upon mechanical stimuli. Uncovering the mechanisms by which stretch-activated channels contribute to ventricular arrhythmogenesis under a variety of pathologic conditions is hampered by the lack of experimental methodologies that can record the 3-dimensional electromechanical activity simultaneously at high spatiotemporal resolution. Computer modeling provides such an opportunity. The goal of this review is to illustrate the utility of sophisticated, physiologically realistic, whole heart computer simulations in determining the role of mechanoelectric coupling in ventricular arrhythmogenesis. We first present the various ways by which stretch-activated channels have been modeled and demonstrate how these channels affect cardiac electrophysiologic properties. Next, we use an electrophysiologic model of the rabbit ventricles to understand how so-called commotio cordis, the mechanical impact to the precordial region of the heart, can initiate ventricular tachycardia via the recruitment of stretch-activated channels. Using the same model, we also provide mechanistic insight into the termination of arrhythmias by precordial thump under normal and globally ischemic conditions. Lastly, we use a novel anatomically realistic dynamic 3-dimensional coupled electromechanical model of the rabbit ventricles to gain insight into the role of electromechanical dysfunction in arrhythmogenesis during acute regional ischemia.
New species of Aulonemia and Chusquea (Poaceae: Bambusoideae: Bambuseae) from southeastern Brazil

Aulonemia fimbriatifolia and Chusquea longispiculata, two woody bamboo species from the Atlantic forest of southeastern Brazil, are described as new and key characters are illustrated. Aulonemia fimbriatifolia is compared and contrasted with four other similar species, but it is considered unique within the genus and possibly among Neotropical woody bamboos due to its basally fimbriate foliage leaf blades. Chusquea longispiculata shares extremely reduced glumes I and II and reflexed lower inflorescence branches with a number of other Brazilian species of the genus, but is distinguished based on its spikelets that reach nearly 2 cm in length, as well as several vegetative features.
“Log on to sex”: Some notes on the carnal computer and erotic cyberspace as an emerging research frontier

Innovation in technology often provides new opportunities in the pursuit of deviance. The response or adaptation to these new opportunities takes the form of deviant technicways. New technology in the case of the computer promises to have an applicability for carnal behavior that is socially volatile in both its perversity and import. Through on‐line bulletin boards dedicated to particular modes of sexual behavior, computer users with special sexual predilections can communicate with persons who share similar interests throughout the world. Computer communication of the erotic variety may involve mild flirtations, seeking and sharing information about sexual services available in different cities and countries, and seeking and sharing information about specific varieties of deviant sexual behavior. The computer has been used by some individuals to obtain child pornography from abroad, to contact youngsters to try to arrange meetings for sexual purposes, sometimes to misrepresent one's sexual identity ("ge...
Antibody against V Antigen Prevents Yop-Dependent Growth of Yersinia pestis

The V antigen (LcrV) of the plague bacterium Yersinia pestis is a potent protective antigen that is under development as a vaccine component for humans. LcrV is multifunctional. On the bacterial surface it mediates delivery of a set of toxins called Yops into host cells, and as a released protein it can cause production of the immunosuppressive cytokine interleukin-10 (IL-10) and can inhibit chemotaxis of polymorphonuclear neutrophils. It is not known how these mechanisms of LcrV operate, what their relative importance is, when they function during plague, and which are critical to protection by antibody. This study investigated several of these issues. C57BL/6 mice, mice unable to express IL-10, or mice with the macrophage lineage eliminated were treated with a protective anti-LcrV antibody or a nonprotective antibody against YopM and infected intravenously by Y. pestis KIM5 or a strain that lacked the genes encoding all six effector Yops. Viable bacterial numbers were determined at various times. The data indicated that Yops were necessary for Yersinia growth after the bacteria had seeded liver and spleen. Anti-LcrV antibody prevented this growth, even in IL-10-/- mice, demonstrating that one protective mechanism for anti-LcrV antibody is independent of IL-10. Anti-LcrV antibody had no effect on persistence in organs of Y. pestis lacking effector Yops, even though the yersiniae could strongly express LcrV, suggesting that Yops are necessary for building sufficient bacterial numbers to produce enough LcrV for its immunosuppressive effects. In vitro assays showed that anti-LcrV antibody could partially block delivery of Yops and downstream effects of Yops in infected macrophage-like J774A.1 cells. However, cells of the macrophage lineage were found to be dispensable for protection by anti-LcrV antibody in spleen, although they contributed to protection in liver. Taken together, the data support the hypothesis that one protective effect of the antibody is to block delivery of Yops to host cells and prevent early bacterial growth. The findings also identified the macrophage lineage as one host cell type that mediates protection.
ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF A SIX-DEGREE-OF-FREEDOM MODEL OF A LOW- ASPECT-RATIO PARAFOIL DELIVERY SYSTEM

Numerous papers in the area of parafoil system design have been published over the past 50 years. They cover the following major topics: The future of the Army’s air delivery mission includes the use of precision-guided autonomous airdrop methods to resupply troops in the field. High-glide systems, ram-air parafoil-based, allow for a safe standoff delivery as well as wind penetration. This paper addresses the development of a six-degree-offreedom model of a low-aspect ratio controllable parafoil-based delivery system. The model is equally suitable for modeling and simulation and for the design of guidance, navigation and control (GNC) algorithms. This gliding parafoil model was developed in the MATLAB/Simulink ® environment. Apparent mass and inertia effects are included in the model. Initial test cases have been run to check model fidelity.  Advanced computational methods for the 3D flow simulation around the parafoil canopy; 1-3
Design and implementation of secured information services for the ASCI grid

Information services are an integral part of the grid architecture. It is the foundation of how resources are defined and their state known. More importantly, the user of the Grid gets a perspective of what a grid looks like, how it performs and what capabilities it has from information services. The Accelerated Strategic Computing Initiative (ASCI) has designed and deployed a set of grid services within the context of the ASCI program. We deploy information services by augmenting the Globus toolkit in order to meet the unique aspects of the ASCI grid. We describe the decisions made and processes developed to run a grid information service in the ASCI grid.
Lung type 2 innate lymphoid cells express cysteinyl leukotriene receptor 1, which regulates TH2 cytokine production.

Background Cysteinyl leukotrienes (CysLTs) contribute to asthma pathogenesis, in part through cysteinyl leukotriene receptor 1 (CysLT1R). Recently discovered lineage-negative type 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2s) potently produce IL-5 and IL-13. Objectives We hypothesized that lung ILC2s might be activated by leukotrienes through CysLT1R. Methods ILC2s (Thy1.2 + lineage-negative lymphocytes) and CysLT1R were detected in the lungs of wild-type, signal transducer and activator of transcription 6–deficient (STAT6 −/− ), and recombination-activating gene 2–deficient (RAG2 −/− ) mice by means of flow cytometry. T H 2 cytokine levels were measured in purified lung ILC2s stimulated with leukotriene D 4 (LTD 4 ) in the presence or absence of the CysLT1R antagonist montelukast. Calcium influx was measured by using Fluo-4 intensity. Intranasal leukotriene C 4 , D 4 , and E 4 were administered to naive mice, and levels of ILC2 IL-5 production were determined. Finally, LTD 4 was coadministered with Alternaria species repetitively to RAG2 −/− mice (with ILC2s) and IL-7 receptor–deficient mice (lack ILC2s), and total ILC2 numbers, proliferation (Ki-67 + ), and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid eosinophil numbers were measured. Results CysLT1R was expressed on lung ILC2s from wild-type, RAG2 −/− , and STAT6 −/− naive and Alternaria species–challenged mice. In vitro LTD 4 induced ILC2s to rapidly generate high levels of IL-5 and IL-13 within 6 hours of stimulation. Interestingly, LTD 4 , but not IL-33, induced high levels of IL-4 by ILC2s. LTD 4 administered in vivo rapidly induced ILC2 IL-5 production that was significantly reduced by montelukast before treatment. Finally, LTD 4 potentiated Alternaria species–induced eosinophilia, as well as ILC2 accumulation and proliferation. Conclusions We present novel data that CysLT1R is expressed on ILC2s and LTD 4 potently induces CysLT1R-dependent ILC2 production of IL-4, IL-5, and IL-13. Additionally, LTD 4 potentiates Alternaria species–induced eosinophilia and ILC2 proliferation and accumulation.
A Review of: “Schools or Markets? Commercialism, Privatization, and School-Business Partnerships”

Schools or Markets? Commercialism, Privatization, and School-Business Partnerships, edited by Deron R. Boyles, consists of 11 chapters on the influence of business on American education. Most of th...
Application of AVIRIS data in detection of oil-induced vegetation stress and cover change at Jornada, New Mexico

Abstract On June 1, 2000, an oil spill accident occurred along transportation pipeline located in the Jornada Experimental Range (USDA), Jornada, New Mexico, a long-term ecological research (LTER). In order to detect potential vegetation stress caused by the accident, two AVIRIS data sets of the oil spill area, before and after the oil release, are analyzed and the reliability of several techniques in the detection of vegetation stress is examined. The polynomial fitting and Lagrangian interpolation, and spectral mixture analysis (SMA) are applied to the AVIRIS data sets. The first two methods are applied for the detection of the “red-edge” shift in vegetation reflectance spectra, and the last for the detection of change in vegetation fraction. The results indicate that the polynomial fitting and Lagrangian interpolation both are able to detect a red-shift of the vegetation “red-edge”, but the latter's performance depends on the band combination used and is sensitive to data noise. The polynomial fitting results are inconsistent in detection of “the red-edge” shift, while Lagrangian interpolation is not. Within the oil spill area, the fraction estimates of vegetation resulting from SMA demonstrate a decrease (10–30%) of the vegetation fraction after the accident, indicating stressed vegetation and cover change. The result also indicates that areas of extremely large decrease (>40%) in plant cover outside of the oil spill area is due to the response of grasses due to the water stress in 2000, and that the integration of some auxiliary data on ecological and climatological data with the analysis of remotely sensed data is thus very important to the interpretation of the detection results. A sensitivity analysis indicates that the detected vegetation cover change is insensitive to the noise introduced by the radiometric normalization.
Efficient extraction of polarization-entanglement in ultrafast type-II SPDC

We report an entanglement extraction scheme in which polarization-entangled photons are generated in ultrafast type-II SPDC without the need for spectral filters. High-quality polarization entanglement is possible, regardless of pump pulse duration or crystal thickness.
Educating the Precariat: Intern Labour and a Renewed Approach to Media Literacy Education

As internships have become more common in the production of media content, the media literacy movement has been neglectful in addressing the role of labour in general and internship labour in particular as a necessary component in deconstructing media content. This paper argues that media literacy educators should teach citizens to understand not just the content and grammar of media production, but also the labour conditions that underlie the creation of this content, with internships being among the most exploitative development in recent years and representative of a larger issue of worker precarity. The paper concludes with a call for reforms to media literacy pedagogy to address workers’ rights and dignity in media and creative industries.
History and Principles of Hybrid Imaging

Positron emission tomography (PET) and single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) systems are used to image distributions of radiopharmaceuticals in order to provide physicians with physiological information for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. However, these images often lack sufficient anatomical detail, a fact that has triggered the development of a new technology termed hybrid imaging. Hybrid imaging is a term that is now being used to describe the combination of x-ray computed tomography (CT) systems with nuclear medicine imaging devices (PET and SPECT systems) in order to provide the technology for acquiring images of anatomy and function in a registered format during a single imaging session with the patient positioned on a common imaging table. There are two primary advantages to this technology.
Counterfactuals and the Cuban Missile Crisis

A rule-based computer model of John F. Kennedy's decision making during the 1962 Cuban missile crisis is presented. The model is examined for empirical adequacy. The utility of models like this one for addressing counterfactual and policy questions is discussed, and substantive conclusions based on the model are reached. The most noteworthy of these is that a shorter perceived crisis time might well have led to the selection by the United States of more severe military options. Other conclusions deal with the implications of changes in Kennedy's beliefs for option choices, with Kennedy's low ranking of most nonmilitary options, and with the minimal chance of a passive U.S. response.
Orbits of Maximal Vector Spaces

Let V ∞ be a standard computable infinite-dimensional vector space over the field of rationals. The lattice $$ \mathfrak{L} $$ (V ∞ ) of computably enumerable vector subspaces of V ∞ and its quotient lattice modulo finite dimension, $$ \mathfrak{L} $$ *(V ∞ ), have been studied extensively. At the same time, many important questions still remain open. In 1998, R. Downey and J. Remmel posed the question of finding meaningful orbits in $$ \mathfrak{L} $$ *(V ∞ ) [4, Question 5.8]. This question is important and difficult and its answer depends on significant progress in the structure theory for the lattice $$ \mathfrak{L} $$ *(V ∞ ), and also on a better understanding of its automorphisms. Here we give a necessary and sufficient condition for quasimaximal (hence maximal) vector spaces with extendable bases to be in the same orbit of $$ \mathfrak{L} $$ *(V ∞ ). More specifically, we consider two vector spaces, V 1 and V 2 , which are spanned by two quasimaximal subsets of, possibly different, computable bases of V ∞ . We give a necessary and sufficient condition for the principal filters determined by V 1 and V 2 in $$ \mathfrak{L} $$ *(V ∞ ) to be isomorphic. We also specify a necessary and sufficient condition for the existence of an automorphism Φ of $$ \mathfrak{L} $$ *(V ∞ ) such that Φ maps the equivalence class of V 1 to the equivalence class of V 2 . Our results are expressed using m-degrees of relevant sets of vectors. This study parallels the study of orbits of quasimaximal sets in the lattice e of computably enumerable sets, as well as in its quotient lattice modulo finite sets, e * , carried out by R. Soare in [13]. However, our conclusions and proof machinery are quite different from Soare’s. In particular, we establish that the structure of the principal filter determined by a quasimaximal vector space in $$ \mathfrak{L} $$ *(V ∞ ) is generally much more complicated than the one of a principal filter determined by a quasimaximal set in e* . We also state that, unlike in e* , having isomorphic principal filters in $$ \mathfrak{L} $$ *(V ∞ ) is merely a necessary condition for the equivalence classes of two quasimaximal vector spaces to be in the same orbit of $$ \mathfrak{L} $$ *(V ∞ ).
CP-100 Strategy for the simplification of antiretroviral therapy: protease inhibitor monotherapy

Background Treatment simplification with protease inhibitors (PI) boosted with ritonavir in HIV-infected adults is a growing strategy with a number of considerable advantages: it is a well-tolerated treatment that reduces side effects such as lipodystrophy and peripheral neuropathy associated with other antiretroviral therapy (ART). Other advantages include the reduced number of tablets to be taken, improved adherence and decreased healthcare cost. The disadvantage of this strategy is virological failure (VF) defined as a plasma HIV-1 RNA >50 copies/ml six months after starting treatment. Possible reasons for VF include poor adherence, low CD4 nadir, and the possibility of pre-existing PI resistance (mutations). Purpose To analyse the efficacy and safety as well as the cost savings that PI simplification strategy provides in a General Hospital. Materials and methods Retrospective study conducted of patients who changed from ART to PI from January to July 2012 with follow up until March 2013. The following parameters were obtained from the electronic medical record: age, gender, adherence and HIV RNA before and after the change of treatment, reason for change, failure of monotherapy, annual healthcare cost saving. Results A total of 85 patients were eligible (median age 47.5 years (IQR:10.5) and 69% men). These patients were long-term virologically suppressed (>80% patients with negative viral load at at least 6 months,) good adherence to ART (average 92%) and had no history of PI failure. The reasons for treatment change were: simplification of ART (73%), lipodystrophy (21%) and hepatic and renal toxicity (6%). Monotherapy consisted of darunavir/ritonavir for 79% and lopinavir/ritonavir for 21% Only 12 patients discontinued treatment: 4 of them due to interactions with tuberculosis drugs and addition of telaprevir to the treatment, 1 dropped out of treatment and 7 due to VF due to adherence rate less than 90% in monotherapy. All recovered virological control by adding nucleoside analogues, HIV RNA becoming undetectable in the 3 months following. The monotherapy improved adherence in 19 patients and represented a total annual saving of 3,703 € per patient and 311,084 € in total. Conclusions Treatment with boosted PI monotherapy appears to be a promising strategy that has proven to be effective in clinical practice: 85.8% of our patients remained virologically controlled. The simplified treatment improves compliance and contains costs, becoming a cost effective therapeutic option in selected patients. No conflict of interest.
Reference Governors for Enforcing Compressor Surge Constraints

In turbocharged gasoline engines, the violation of the compressor surge constraint can be prevented by exploiting predictive control techniques based on the reference governor (RG). In this paper, two RG designs are considered: an inner-and an outer-loop RG. The inner-loop design governs the throttle command, and the outer-loop governs the requested air charge command. Numerical simulations and the experimental vehicle results are presented, showing that both designs enforce the surge constraint without the use of a compressor bypass valve, but that the inner-loop design requires scheduling in order to do so.
Results of Serological Testing on 384 Cases of Suspected Measles in Shunyi District of Beijing City

[Objective]To analyze the incidence of measles in Shunyi District of Beijing City,and evaluate the serological diagnosis of suspected measles cases.[Methods]Results of epidemiological survey and serological tests on suspected cases of measles from Jan.2005 to Dec.2008 were analyzed.[Results]The positive rate of IgM antibody among 384 measles cases was 66.93%;significant difference existed among age groups;the positive rates were higher in 8 months age group and≥20 years adult group,and lower in 8 month ~ 4years age group and 5 ~ 20 years age group,that between groups with different imunity history was significantly different,and lower in the immunized group than the non-immunized group. Positive rates were different among groups with different serum-collecting time,and lowest in the group whose serum was collected on the eruption day.[Conclusion]Conventional immunity of measles vaccine and strengthening of immunity should be further performed to control the incidence of measles among adults. The sensitivity and specificity of surveillance of measles in laboratory should be improved to contribute to the control and elimination of measles.
Hematological and biochemical findings in scorpion stung children.

Scorpion sting is a common pediatric problem in the region of El Madina El Munawara, Saudi Arabia. The prevalent species are Leiurus quinquestriatus and Androctonus crassicauda. The biochemical and...
Purification of Platelet-Activating Factor Acetylhydrolase

The only known phospholipid with potent biologic activity, Platelet-activating Factor (PAF, PAF-Acether), has been identified as 1-alkyl-2-acetyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (1-alkyl-2-acetyl-GPC).1 Among the diverse effects of PAF are the activation of platelets, neutrophils and monocytes, and the induction of thrombocytopenia, neutropenia, hypotension and vasopermeability in whole animals. The biologic activity of PAF depends upon the presence of a short chain acyl group at the sn-2 position, and hydrolysis of this ester destroys bioactivity. This reaction is catalyzed by a plasma component that was originally described as “acid-labile factor”2, but now has been identified as PAF-acetylhydrolase. We find that this activity is responsible for nearly all of the initial metabolism of PAF in whole blood, and have partially purified and characterized this activity.
Primary Salivary Human Stem/Progenitor Cells Undergo Microenvironment-Driven Acinar-Like Differentiation in Hyaluronate Hydrogel Culture

Radiotherapy for head and neck cancer often has undesirable effects on salivary glands that lead to xerostomia or severe dry mouth, which can increase oral infections. Our goal is to engineer functional, three-dimensional (3D) salivary gland neotissue for autologous implantation to provide permanent relief. An immediate need exists to obtain autologous adult progenitor cells as the use of embryonic and induced pluripotent stem cells potentially pose serious risks such as teratogenicity and immunogenic rejection. Here, we report an expandable population of primary salivary human stem/progenitor cells (hS/PCs) that can be reproducibly and scalably isolated and propagated from tissue biopsies. These cells have increased expression of progenitor markers (K5, K14, MYC, ETV4, ETV5) compared with differentiation markers of the parotid gland (acinar: MIST1/BHLHA15 and AMY1A; ductal: K19 and TFCP2L1). Isolated hS/PCs grown in suspension formed primary and secondary spheres and could be maintained in long-term 3D hydrogel culture. When grown in a customized 3D modular hyaluronate-based hydrogel system modified with bioactive basement membrane-derived peptides, levels of progenitor markers, indices of proliferation, and viability of hS/PCs were enhanced. When appropriate microenvironmental cues were provided in a controlled manner in 3D, such as stimulation with β-adrenergic and cholinergic agonists, hS/PCs differentiated into an acinar-like lineage, needed for saliva production. We conclude that the stem/progenitor potential of adult hS/PCs isolated without antigenic sorting or clonal expansion in suspension, combined with their ability to differentiate into specialized salivary cell lineages in a human-compatible culture system, makes them ideal for use in 3D bioengineered salivary gland applications. Stem Cells Translational Medicine 2017;6:110-120.
Target selection for saccadic eye movements: direction-selective visual responses in the superior colliculus.

We investigated the role of the superior colliculus (SC) in saccade target selection in rhesus monkeys who were trained to perform a direction-discrimination task. In this task, the monkey discrimi...