cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Brief report: Early intervention in autism

Autism is a condition that generally results in lifelong disability and dependence. This paper briefly reviews findings from comprehensive early intervention studies published in peer-reviewed journals and formulates major questions that need to be answered for the field to establish efficacious, accessible treatment for very young children with autism. At least six comprehensive treatment programs designed to stimulate widespread changes in young children with autism have published positive outcome data in peer-reviewed journals. Highlights of the findings of these six studies appear in Table I. It is important to point out that none of these studies used the most rigorous experimental designs, involving random assignments of children to groups and the use of evaluators blind to all aspects of the study. The studies differed in many ways, including different curricula, different settings and ratios, different ages and functioning levels, different ways of measuring progress, and different kinds of comparison groups or strategies for looking at change. However, many commonalities occurred in the results of the six studies. All the studies reported (a) significant acceleration of developmental rates, resulting in significant IQ gains; (b) significant language gains in the treated children; (c) improved social behavior and decreased symptoms of autism. Furthermore, these gains were accomplished, for most programs, within 1 to 2 years of intensive preschool intervention. The majority of treated children (73%) had useful speech by the end of the intervention period (generally age 5). Although only two studies had a longitudinal component, both indicated that the children maintained their gains for years after the intervention program ended.
Evidence for the existence of specific cannabinoid binding sites.

Abstract Evidence is presented to support the hypothesis that specific binding sites for the cannabinoids exist. Experiments are described utilizing hepatoma cells in tissue culture and rat brain homogenates. With the hepatoma cells, high affinity, displaceable binding could be demonstrated along with a high degree of low affinity non-specific binding. The displaceable binding appeared to be associated with the crude nuclear fraction. In the brain it was shown that binding is dependent on protein concentration and that a portion of this binding is temperature dependent. Although saturable binding to the total homogenate or crude mitochondrial fraction could not be demonstrated, displaceable binding was observed in the subfraction containing noncholinergic synaptosomes. Finally, some indication of stereospecific binding was described as were some of the problems encountered with this interesting class of compounds.
Representation and the Politics of Play: Stephen Colbert's Better Know a District

This study examines Stephen Colbert's Better Know a District, the enigmatic segment on Comedy Central's Colbert Report in which the comedian interviews sitting members of the House of Representatives. Offering a textual analysis of the segment from its debut in October 2005 until the midterm elections of 2006, complemented by an analysis of the popular discourse surrounding the segment, this article explores Better Know a District from both instrumental and cultural perspectives. It argues that the segment interjects a measure of political content into a late-night landscape generally characterized by banal entertainment, while offering rank-in-file representatives an alternative televisual venue in which to craft affective ties with a constituency that pays less and less attention to traditional forms of political communication. In so doing, it represents politics as a form of postmodern play, manipulating elements of the real to create a spectacle that calls into question the very logic of representatio...
The influence of surfactants on the creeping motion of bubbles

Abstract A simple model is proposed for the creeping motion of a bubble contaminated with an “insoluble” surface-active agent. The existence of a stagnant cap over the rear of the bubble is taken for granted, and the cap size and associated bubble drag are then computed theoretically, as functions of the surface pressure at which the contaminant film collapses. The model, which employs no adjustable parameters, is consistent with experimental observations and, in particular, explains the success of the empirical correlation relating the bubble drag to the Bond number.
Student achievement and elementary teachers’ perceptions of school climate

Teachers’ perceptions of school climate in 59 elementary schools were assessed using a modified version of the School-Level Environment Questionnaire (SLEQ). Using structural equation modelling, a statistically significant, positive relationship was found between school mean teachers’ perceptions of school climate and school mean student achievement. A second model showed that school and community context variables mediated that relationship. In schools in high socioeconomic status (SES) communities, the influence of school climate on student achievement was stronger than it was for schools in lower SES communities. Recommendations for further examination of the relationships are also made.
Human breast milk and the gastrointestinal innate immune system.

The neonatal intestine faces many changes, including adaptation from a sterile intra-uterine environment to one in which a diverse microbial population outnumbers human cells 10 to 1. To maintain homeostasis, it must protect the host from potential noxious and infectious stimuli and tolerate the diverse commensal microbes that colonize the entire gut. Furthermore, the gut must also perform important digestive and absorptive functions. Human breast milk contains many components that aid neonatal gut function and development. Understanding both neonatal gut immunity and how breast milk components influence its development and function are areas of active investigation. Future studies in this field are needed to develop targeted strategies to prevent and treat neonatal gut injury and infection, particularly in extremely low birth weight and premature infants.
Effects of Short-Term Zoledronic Acid Treatment on Bone Remodeling and Healing at Surgical Sites in the Maxilla and Mandible of Aged Dogs

Purpose It is unknown whether zoledronic acid (ZA) interferes with initial bone healing at extraction and implant sites. The goal of this study was to examine the effect of short-duration ZA on bone remodeling and healing after surgical insult in an aged dog model. Materials and Methods Four 2- to 3-year-old male dogs were administered ZA (0.1 mg/kg per month for 4 months), and 3 age-matched untreated dogs received no drug. In both groups, after the ZA-treated group had completed receiving the drug, the third premolar was extracted unilaterally and 2 orthodontic mini-implants per jaw per dog were placed on the ipsilateral side. After a 6-week healing period, a pair of calcein bone labels were administered. Bone sections from the mandible, maxilla, rib, and femur were obtained. The percent necrosis in the alveolar and basal regions of tooth-supporting bone was assayed by lactate dehydrogenase, and dynamic histomorphometric parameters were quantified and analyzed by use of mixed models. Results All extraction sites healed uneventfully, and no lesions resembling osteonecrosis were detected. The total percent necrosis was limited to less than 1% for all the bone sites examined. The ZA reduced bone remodeling at both surgical sites (extraction sites and mini-implant site) and nonsurgical sites. Although there was a significant ( P P = .3) in the ZA-treated group. Conclusions Bone remodeling occurs in ZA-treated animals at surgical sites. ZA dramatically reduced bone turnover, but no exposed lesions resembling osteonecrosis developed at extraction and mini-implant sites after the 4-month drug duration.
Public Service Motivation and Job Performance Evidence from the Federal Sector

Perry and Wise (1990) argued that people with high public service motivation (PSM) are more likely than others to choose government jobs, to perform better on the job, and to respond more to nonutilitarian incentives once in government. Using multiple regression and logit analyses on responses by 35,000 federal, white-collar employees to the 1991 Survey of Federal Employees and the 1996 Merit Principles Survey, this article tests the link between PSM and job performance in the federal service. There is mixed evidence on whether PSM positively affected grades and performance ratings, clearer evidence that employees who expected to receive a material reward for exceptional performance attained higher grades and performance ratings, and no evidence that the link between material rewards and performance mattered any less to those with high PSM.
Congress responds to the IOM drug safety report--in full.

THE US DRUG SAFETY SYSTEM DEVELOPED FITFULLY throughaseriesofhistoricalaccretions, typically inthe wakeofmajordrugsafetyscandals.In1962,largelyprecipitatedbythethalidomidetragedy,theKefauver-Harris amendments to the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act required the sponsor to provide “substantial evidence” of both safety and efficacy during a premarket evaluation. The resulting multistage approval process improved the evidence base for premarket regulatory decision making about drugs, but it also created, as an unintended consequence, a postapproval environment inwhichsponsorswere largely free fromrequirements for additional evaluations. At approval, the sponsor’s scientific teamsresponsible formeetingUSFoodandDrugAdministration (FDA) requirements were generally replaced by marketing teams,andthemanufacturer’s efforts, energies, and studies were generally directed toward marketing its drugs. The formulaic preapproval evaluation process, even though usually of high quality, slowed drug approval. The 1992 Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA) provided new funds fromuser fees, limited their use to speeding preapproval evaluations, set timelines for reviews, and thus brought drugs to market more quickly. As the United States became increasingly the country of first launch for many new drugs (from 2% in 1980 to 60% in 1998), the US postmarketing safety systemaccordinglysharedalargerresponsibility for theearlydetection of safety signals. For the first 10 years following enactment of PDUFA, however, Congress prohibited the FDA from applying user fees to drug safety and provided no additional funds for monitoring marketed drugs. Not until the PDUFA reauthorization of 2002 was the FDA permitted to apply some user fees for selected safety issues. In effect, Congress largely entrusted the detection, evaluation, and timely reporting of postmarketing safety issues to the pharmaceutical industry. The withdrawal of rofecoxib and other drug safety problems have again focused attention on the limitations of the US postmarketing system. In response to an FDA request, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) undertook a thorough assessment and issued a comprehensive set of recommendations for reform. The major theme of the report was the need for an ongoing effort to acquire, integrate, and communicate information about a drug’s risks and benefits during its entire market life. This “lifecycle” approach requires the translation of premarket safety signals into high-quality postmarketing studies, sophisticated active surveillance to identify new serious safety signals, and timely assessments of the drug’s riskbenefit profile. While the FDA has already responded in part to some recommendations, others dealing with the agency’s resources and authorities required congressional action.
BACTERIAL RETTING OF NON-WOODY BAST FIBERS FOR PAPERMAKING

Non-woody fibers such as from Mitsumata (Edgeworthia papyrifera Sieb et Zucc.) bast were successfully macerated with an alkalophilic Bacillus. This made it possible to prepare pulp sheets without fibrillization by beating. Physical qualities of sheets obtained by alkaline retting compared favorably with those produced by the chemical pulping method now in use.
A correction algorithm to simultaneously control dual deformable mirrors in a woofer-tweeter adaptive optics system

We present a direct slope-based correction algorithm to simultaneously control two deformable mirrors (DMs) in a woofer-tweeter adaptive optics system. A global response matrix was derived from the response matrices of each deformable mirror and the voltages for both deformable mirrors were calculated simultaneously. This control algorithm was tested and compared with a 2-step sequential control method in five normal human eyes using an adaptive optics scanning laser ophthalmoscope. The mean residual total root-mean-square (RMS) wavefront errors across subjects after adaptive optics (AO) correction were 0.128 ± 0.025 μm and 0.107 ± 0.033 μm for simultaneous and 2-step control, respectively (7.75-mm pupil). The mean intensity of reflectance images acquired after AO convergence was slightly higher for 2-step control. Radially-averaged power spectra calculated from registered reflectance images were nearly identical for all subjects using simultaneous or 2-step control. The correction performance of our new simultaneous dual DM control algorithm is comparable to 2-step control, but is more efficient. This method can be applied to any woofer-tweeter AO system.
Improved Loading and Cleavage Methods for Solid-Phase Synthesis Using Chlorotrityl Resins: Synthesis and Testing of a Library of 144 Discrete Chemicals as Potential Farnesyltransferase Inhibitors

The use of chlorotrityl resins for the immobilization of amines is sometimes deterred by the lengthy process of loading the reactants on the resins and product decomposition caused by the reactive chlorotrityl group in the presence of 1% TFA as a cleavage agent. Here, we report improved methods developed for selective and efficient loading of aminobenzoic acid derivatives on chlorotrityl resins and for cleavage of aniline-containing products from the resins without decomposition. These methods led to the synthesis of a library of 144 discrete chemicals as potential farnesyltransferase inhibitors (FTIs) using IRORI's radio-frequency-encoded sorting technique and to the study of the applicability of the bivalence approach to the development of FTIs.
Parallel navigation for reaching a moving goal by a mobile robot

In this paper, we present a method for robot navigation toward a moving object with unknown maneuvers. Our strategy is based on the integration of the robot and the target kinematics equations with geometric rules. The tracking problem is modeled in polar coordinates using a two-dimensional system of differential equations. The control law is then derived based on this model. Our approach consists of a rendezvous course, which means that the robot reaches the moving goal without following its path. In the presence of obstacles, two navigation modes are integrated, namely the tracking and the obstacle-avoidance modes. To confirm our theoretical results, the navigation strategy is illustrated using an extensive simulation for different scenarios.
The development of a dynamic interactive computer graphics research and educational support environment

The Pennsylvania State University Computation Center is currently performing research and development in providing an effective research and training support environment which enables a user, whether researcher or student, to become familiar with an available base of graphics hardware and software support and to proceed to original programming with confidence and effectiveness.The main consideration is to provide an interactive programming environment in which users can become self-sufficient in coping with both hardware operation and potential as well as effective utilization of software in a reasonably short period of time. Such users should not have to be computer graphics specialists to apply a graphics system to their fields of expertise. Users should be thoroughly trained to understand and handle an available hardware/software system in order to be better able to evaluate the potential system usage directly and effectively.This paper, together with a film, describes an approach developed at the Computation Center and tested and implemented in three offerings of a Computer Science advanced undergraduate course.
Butterfly Universe 1.

The butterfly universe photo was made using water sprayed on glass that had been treated with Dupont's Rain X, which allows the droplets to be much larger than normal. The droplets become wide-angle lenses when …
Topics in internet technology

he Internet Technology series is published in May and October every year. The issue deals with survey and tutorial articles on current research issues relating to Internet Technology. Over the years, there has been a steady and increasing number of submissions to this series, indicating a strong interest in its topics among our readers. This time, nine articles were submitted for possible publication in this issue. After a rigorous review process, we accepted only three articles for publication in this issue. The future Internet will consist of an interconnection of heterogeneous networks consisting of wireless, wired, and optical networks. Wireless Internet access is challenging in terms of minimizing requirements for battery power and bandwidth, and interworking with heterogeneous networks. Caching can improve access latency, reduce battery power consumption, and reduce bandwidth usage in the wireless Internet. Chen and Xiao provide a classification and detailed survey of cache access mechanisms and replacement algorithms. They suggest that wireless networks should be designed keeping in consideration the limitations posed by wireless networks/devices and the future heterogeneous wireless Internet. Heterogeneous networks also give rise to the problem of different networking protocols and packet formats. Tunneling, which consists of encapsulating a packet or frame within another packet of the same or a different network layer, is a commonly used technique to solve the issue of internetworking heterogeneous networks. Tunneling has also been used to provide end-to-end secure communications. The article by Saad, Alawieh, Gulder, and Mouftah discussed various tunneling techniques and looks at the interations between them to provide end-to-end connectivity. The article by McGregor Kaczmarek, Mosley, Dease, and Adams discusses the requirements of the next-generation Internet for national security and emergency preparedness. Such users must be assured of effective and priority service even under catastrophic conditions such as natural disasters and terrorist attacks, similar to what is now-a-days offered by telecommunication providers. The authors present test results of voice over IP for such priority users. The quality of this series depends on the quality of articles and the stringent refereeing carried out by a large number of volunteers. We would like to thank the authors and reviewers for their time and dedication to this series. We also invite potential authors to continue submitting high-quality articles. We would like to acknowledge the help of the Editor in Chief, Tom Chen, and Joe Milizzo and Sue Lange of the ComSoc publications staff for helping with the production of this series. We welcome any comments you may have to further improve the quality of this series.
Multiple signaling pathways mediate compaction of collagen matrices by EGF-stimulated fibroblasts

Fibroblasts stimulated by EGF within collagen matrices generate contraction forces that are likely of importance to cell migration and matrix compaction during wound healing. We have employed an in vitro fibroblast-embedded collagen matrix compaction assay to ascertain signaling pathway components downstream of EGFR activation leading to generation and transmission of contractile force. EGF compacts this floating collagen matrix to a similar extent as PDGF. We demonstrate that compaction requires EGFR kinase activity, yet is maximal in magnitude at intermediate EGF concentrations. This suggests that transmission of EGFR-induced contractile force to the matrix can be mitigated by consequent anti-adhesive effects of EGFR signaling in a dose-dependent manner. Treatment with pharmacological inhibitors demonstrated involvement of the signaling components extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), Rho kinase, and myosin light chain kinase (MLCK) in the force generation and/or transmission process. Moreover, treatment with the pan-calpain inhibitor ALLN and isoform-specific downregulation of m-calpain (CAPN2) using RNA interference determined m-calpain to be a key component of the EGF-induced force response. ALLN treatment modulated the compaction response in a biphasic manner, enhancing matrix deformation to the greatest extent at intermediate concentrations. Our findings have thus identified key signals downstream of EGFR, which integrate in a complex manner to generate and transmit contractile forces to yield matrix deformation.
Predicting the optimal dopant concentration in gadolinium doped ceria: a kinetic lattice Monte Carlo approach

Gadolinium doped ceria (GDC) is a promising alternative electrolyte material for solid oxide fuel cells that offers the possibility of operation in the intermediate temperature range (773?1073?K). To determine the optimal dopant concentration in GDC, we have employed a systematic approach of applying a 3D kinetic lattice Monte Carlo (KLMC) model of vacancy diffusion in conjunction with previously calculated activation energies for vacancy migration in GDC as inputs. KLMC simulations were performed including the vacancy repelling effects in GDC. Increasing the dopant concentration increases the vacancy concentration, which increases the ionic conductivity. However, at higher concentrations, vacancy?vacancy repulsion impedes vacancy diffusion, and together with vacancy trapping by dopants decreases the ionic conductivity. The maximum ionic conductivity is predicted to occur at ?20% to 25% mole fraction of Gd dopant. Placing Gd dopants in pairs, instead of randomly, was found to decrease the conductivity by ?50%. Overall, the trends in ionic conductivity results obtained using the KLMC model developed in this work are in reasonable agreement with the available experimental data. This KLMC model can be applied to a variety of ceria-based electrolyte materials for predicting the optimum dopant concentration.
The Symphonic Repertoire, Vol. 1: The Eighteenth-Century Symphony. edited by Mary Sue Morrow and Bathia Churgin

Writing about symphonic repertoire used to focus primarily on the tried-and-true, widely acknowledged master composers in each era, until the late A. Peter Brown decided there was more of the story...
Drag reduction in rough pipes

Drag reduction caused by dilute, distilled water solutions of four polyethylene-oxides and one polyacrylamide, molecular weights respectively 0·1 × 106 to 8 × 106 and 13 × 106, was studied experimentally in one smooth and three sand-roughened pipes, relative roughnesses (R/k) 15, 23, 35, all of about 0·34, in inside diameter. The onset of drag reduction in the rough pipes occurred at the same wall shear stress as in smooth; the onset wall shear stress was essentially independent of polymer concentration, varied inversely as the square of polymer radius of gyration and was unaffected by the flow regime, hydraulically smooth, transitional or fully rough, during which onset occurred. Following onset a flow regime was observed wherein the fractional slip, i.e. fractional increase in mean velocity relative to solvent at a given friction velocity, obtained with a given polymer solution in a rough pipe was the same as the fractional slip in the smooth pipe despite marked differences in the respective rough and smooth friction factors. This ‘effectively smooth’ regime prevailed for values of non-dimensional roughness k+* < k+ < k+es from onset, k+*, to an upper limit given by k+es ∼ 50 for all of the present experiments. For k+ < k+es, the fractional slip in the rough pipes was always less than that corresponding to smooth and was a function of relative roughness as well as flow and polymeric parameters. The maximum drag reduction possible in the rough pipes was limited by an asymptote which was independent of polymeric parameters. Under asymptotic conditions, friction factors in all the rough pipes identically obeyed the smooth pipe friction factor relation for k+ < 12; the onset of roughness at k+ ∼ 12 indicated that the maximum viscous sublayer thickness attained during drag reduction was approximately 2½ times Newtonian.
Deposition and manipulation of nickel nanoparticles

In this paper, we describe the deposition of nickel nanoparticles and nanowires in the 'V' shaped grooves of highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG). Freshly cleaved HOPG was exposed to a plating solution of nickel and electro chemically deposited by cyclic voltametry. The morphology of the deposited nanoparticles was studied using an atomic force microscope (AFM) in non-contact mode. These nanoparticles were manipulated by magnetic field. The critical force to displace the nanoparticles was estimated using contact mode of AFM.
Rapid Acquisition of Tissue-specific Homing Phenotypes by CD4+ T Cells Activated in Cutaneous or Mucosal Lymphoid Tissues

Effector and memory T cells can be subdivided based on their ability to traffic through peripheral tissues such as inflamed skin and intestinal lamina propria, a property controlled by expression of ‘tissue-specific’ adhesion and chemoattractant receptors. However, little is known about the development of these selectively homing T cell subsets, and it is unclear whether activation in cutaneous versus intestinal lymphoid organs directly results in effector/memory T cells that differentially express adhesion and chemoattracant receptors targeting them to the corresponding nonlymphoid site. We define two murine CD4+ effector/memory T cell subsets that preferentially localize in cutaneous or intestinal lymphoid organs by their reciprocal expression of the adhesion molecules P-selectin ligand (P-lig) and α4β7, respectively. We show that within 2 d of systemic immunization CD4+ T cells activated in cutaneous lymph nodes upregulate P-lig, and downregulate α4β7, while those responding to antigen in intestinal lymph nodes selectively express high levels of α4β7 and acquire responsiveness to the intestinal chemokine thymus-expressed chemokine (TECK). Thus, during an immune response, local microenvironments within cutaneous and intestinal secondary lymphoid organs differentially direct T cell expression of these adhesion and chemoattractant receptors, targeting the resulting effector T cells to the inflamed skin or intestinal lamina propria.
SOUTHERN FARMS AND RURAL COMMUNITIES: DEVELOPING DIRECTIONS FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT RESEARCH AND POLICY

tha frmcofte addition, the share of southern state personal ~~~~rural South: ~income from farming is typically less than 2 1. Agriculture is not the key to rural eco- income from farming is tyicaly less than 2 nomic development; . Agriculture i not the keytoruraleco- percent (Henry). More refined estimates of 2 Economic restructuring underway is likely the role of agriculture in rural economic activto widen the rural-urban economic gap; ity can be made and are likely to reveal a awnd the rura nstronger set of links between the food and 3. Policy intervention will be needed to re- fiber system and rural places than is evident fiber system and rural places than is evident 3. Policy intervention will be needed to re- from the broader measures of dominant ecoduce the size of the gap. Rural develop- nomic base or state income shares. ment policy will be primarily a state and Considr the ai nkaes etwn the local responsibility with very limited aid local responsibility with very limited aid farm sector and the farm system depicted in from the Federal government. State ex- Figure 1 (Tamblyn and Powell). Research is thperiment stationse needed byand shoultate and prlocal needed to estimate these basic links for rural agencies to evaluate the effectiveness of t
A UNIDIRECTIONALLY CONDUCTING SCREEN IS A SUPER-BREWSTER SCREEN

Expressions for the plane-wave response of a unidirectionally conducting screen (UCS) embedded in a linear, homogeneous, bianisorropic substance are obtained. The ratio of the complex amplitudes of the two reflected plane waves is shown to be always independent of the ratio of the complex amplitudes of the two incident plane waves; likewise, for the transmitted plane waves. Thus, a UCS is a super-Brewster screen. 0 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
A Novel Electrogenic Amino Acid Transporter Is Activated by K+ or Na+, Is Alkaline pH-dependent, and Is Cl−-independent

A new eukaryotic nutrient amino acid transporter has been cloned from an epithelium that is exposed to high voltages and alkaline pH. The full-length cDNA encoding this novel CAATCH1 (cation-anion-activated Amino acid transporter/channel) was isolated using a polymerase chain reaction-based strategy, and its expression product in Xenopus oocytes displayed a combination of several unique, unanticipated functional properties. CAATCH1 electrophysiological properties resembled those of Na(+),Cl(-)-coupled neurotransmitter amine transporters, although CAATCH1 was cloned from a gut absorptive epithelium rather than from an excitable tissue. Amino acids such as l-proline, l-threonine, and l-methionine elicited complex current-voltage relationships in alkaline pH-dependent CAATCH1 that were reminiscent of the behavior of the dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine transporters (DAT, SERT, NET) in the presence of their substrates and pharmacological inhibitors such as cocaine or antidepressants. These I-V relationships indicated a combination of substrate-associated carrier current plus an independent CAATCH1-associated leakage current that could be blocked by certain amino acids. However, unlike all structurally related proteins, CAATCH1 activity is absolutely independent of Cl(-). Unlike related KAAT1, CAATCH1 possesses a methionine-inhibitable constitutive leakage current and is able to switch its narrow substrate selectivity, preferring threonine in the presence of K(+) but preferring proline in the presence of Na(+).
Peptidoglycan induces loss of a nuclear peptidoglycan recognition protein during host tissue development in a beneficial animal-bacterial symbiosis

Summary Peptidoglycan recognition proteins (PGRPs) are mediators of innate immunity and recently have been implicated in developmental regulation. To explore the interplay between these two roles, we characterized a PGRP in the host squid Euprymna scolopes (EsPGRP1) during colonization by the mutualistic bacterium Vibrio fischeri. Previous research on the squid-vibrio symbiosis had shown that, upon colonization of deep epithelium-lined crypts of the host light organ, symbiont-derived peptidoglycan monomers induce apoptosis- mediated regression of remote epithelial fields involved in the inoculation process. In this study, immunofluorescence microscopy revealed that EsPGRP1 localizes to the nuclei of epithelial cells, and symbiont colonization induces the loss of EsPGRP1fromapoptoticnuclei.Thelossofnuclear EsPGRP1 occurred prior to DNA cleavage and breakdown of the nuclear membrane, but followed chromatin condensation, suggesting that it occurs during late-stage apoptosis. Experiments with purified peptidoglycan monomers and with V. fis- cheri mutants defective in peptidoglycan-monomer release provided evidence that these molecules trigger nuclear loss of EsPGRP1 and apoptosis. The demonstration of a nuclear PGRP is unpre- cedented, and the dynamics of EsPGRP1 during apoptosis provide a striking example of a connection between microbial recognition and developmental responses in the establishment of symbiosis.
Field emission degradation of carbon nano-tubes

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are known for their excellent field emission characteristics and are considered as prima candidates as cold-cathode electron emitters. On the other hand, for these materials to be used in practical devices, such as pseudo spark switches, they need to be capable of operating for many hours without loosing the ability of field emission characteristics. In this work, we present the results of field emission data of the random multi-walled-CNTs (MWCNTs) and their degradation over 100 runs as a function of time. Here the MWCNTs are considered with and without impurity clusters in CNTs. The CNT samples used in these studies are grown in-house by thermal chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method under different growth conditions. Field emission measurements of CNTs are carried out at the room temperature in vacuum (pressure of 10−6 Torr). From the field emission data, turn-on voltage, saturation current density, and Fowler-Nordheim plots of each sample are determined. These experiments are repeated for several times. In some cases over 100 runs of field emission measurements for the same sample are carried out. Turn-on voltage and saturation current density data as a function of time (i.e. function of number of measurements) per sample is presented. Based on these data, each sample's field emission degradation over time is estimated and presented.
The Mexico Earthquake of September 19, 1985—Performance of Low‐Rise Buildings in Mexico City

This paper summarizes the results of analytical studies conducted to understand the observed performance of low-rise buildings located in the soft-soil zone of Mexico City during the 1985 Michoacan...
Website Morphing 2.0: Switching Costs, Partial Exposure, Random Exit, and When to Morph

Website morphing infers latent customer segments from clickstreams and then changes websites' look and feel to maximize revenue. The established algorithm infers latent segments from a preset number of clicks and then selects the best “morph” using expected Gittins indices. Switching costs, potential website exit, and all clicks prior to morphing are ignored. We model switching costs, potential website exit, and the potentially differential impact of all clicks to determine when to morph for each customer. Morphing earlier means more customer clicks are based on the optimal morph; morphing later reveals more about the customer's latent segment. We couple this within-customer optimization to between-customer expected Gittins index optimization to determine which website “look and feel” to give to each customer at each click. We evaluate the improved algorithm with synthetic data and with a proof-of-feasibility application to Japanese bank card loans. The proposed algorithm generalizes the established algorithm, is feasible in real time, performs substantially better when tuning parameters are identified from calibration data, and is reasonably robust to misspecification. Data, as supplemental material, are available at http://dx.doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2014.1961 . This paper was accepted by Eric Bradlow, special issue on business analytics.
Fault diagnosis based on continuous simulation models

Reasoning about physical systems from first principles, whether for purposes of explanation, prediction, or fault diagnosis, requires the reasoner to have available a model of the subject system. A novel approach, based on predicate transformers, to deep reasoning about actual systems on the basis of continuous simulation models of these systems is described. An application to the diagnosis of a malfunctioning Aerobee rocket attitude control system is presented. >
Human Factors Considerations in the Design of Wearable Devices

Wearable devices have great potential to support several application domains ranging from medical and safety critical, to leisure and entertainment. Wearable devices’ solutions are promising, and extensive research has been conducted in this domain since the early 90’s. However most of these works focuses on the feasibility of individual solutions. As such, the human aspects are often neglected, which can decrease not only the acceptance levels for novel devices, but also their sustained engagement. To facilitate the consideration of human factors in the early design stage, we present and define a list of 20 human-centered design principles. We explain how each principle can be incorporated during the design phase of the wearable device creation process. By adopting these principles, we expect practitioners to achieve better wearable solutions, improving the user acceptance, satisfaction and engagement for novel applications.
Niacin and Statin Combination Therapy for Atherosclerosis Regression and Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease Events: Reconciling the AIM-HIGH (Atherothrombosis Intervention in Metabolic Syndrome With Low HDL/High Triglycerides: Impact on Global Health Outcomes) Trial With Previous Surrogate Endpoint Trials

Despite substantial risk reductions targeting low-density lipoprotein cholesterol with statins, there remains significant residual risk as evidenced by incident and recurrent cardiovascular disease (CVD) events among statin-treated patients. Observational studies have shown that low levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) are associated with increased CVD risk. It remains unclear whether strategies aimed at increasing HDL-C in addition to background statin therapy will further reduce risk. The AIM-HIGH (Atherothrombosis Intervention in Metabolic Syndrome With Low HDL/High Triglycerides: Impact on Global Health Outcomes) trial, which compared combined niacin/simvastatin with simvastatin alone, failed to demonstrate an incremental benefit of niacin among patients with atherosclerotic CVD and on-treatment low-density lipoprotein cholesterol values
User Goal Change Model for Spoken Dialog State Tracking

In this paper, a Maximum Entropy Markov Model (MEMM) for dialog state tracking is proposed to efficiently handle user goal evolvement in two steps. The system first predicts the occurrence of a user goal change based on linguistic features and dialog context for each dialog turn, and then the proposed model could utilize this user goal change information to infer the most probable dialog state sequence which underlies the evolvement of user goal during the dialog. It is believed that with the suggested various domain independent feature functions, the proposed model could better exploit not only the intra-dependencies within long ASR N-best lists but also the inter-dependencies of the observations across dialog turns, which leads to more efficient and accurate dialog state inference.
Organizational Virtue and Stakeholder Interdependence: An Empirical Examination of Financial Intermediaries and IPO Firms

Organizational virtue orientation (OVO), an organizational-level construct, refers to the integrated set of beliefs and values that support ethical character traits and virtuous behaviors. To advance the study of organizational virtue, we examine OVO in firms making their initial public offerings (IPOs), with respect to key external stakeholders that serve as financial intermediaries (i.e., venture capital firms and underwriting banks). Drawing on stakeholder and resource dependence theories, we argue that mutual interdependencies occur between financial intermediaries and IPO firms such that venture capital firms’ ownership levels and underwriter reputation are positively associated with the selection of more virtuous IPO firms. We also argue for the moderating relationship of IPO firm age on these main relationships; since IPO firms have more history and information availability, less importance will be placed on OVO in the selection process. In support of our hypotheses, the results of this study suggest the organizational virtue of IPO firms influences the selection decisions of financial intermediaries by reflecting positively on these key stakeholders to improve legitimacy and reputation.
Immobilized TiO2-reduced graphene oxide nanocomposites on optical fibers as high performance photocatalysts for degradation of pharmaceuticals.

Abstract A series of TiO2-reduced graphene oxide (rGO) coated side-glowing optical fibers (SOFs) were synthesized by polymer assisted hydrothermal deposition method (PAHD), and characterized by crystallographic and spectroscopic methods. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy showed that the mixed graphene dioxide (GO) was reduced during PAHD coating of TiO2-GO nanocomposites. X-ray diffraction patterns revealed TiO2 presented as a mixture phase of anatase, rutile and brookite in the TiO2-rGO nanocomposites. UV–vis absorption spectra of TiO2-rGO nanocomposites indicated that mixing rGO into TiO2 particles could reduce band gap energy, thereby enhancing utilization efficiency of visible light. Photocatalytic performance of the synthesized nanocomposites was measured by the degradation of three pharmaceuticals under UV and visible light irradiation, including carbamazepine, ibuprofen, and sulfamethoxazole. TiO2-rGO nanocomposites exhibited significantly higher photocatalytic activities as compared to pure TiO2, and were strongly affected by the amount of rGO in the catalysts. While photocatalysis with 2.7% rGO achieved 54% degradation of carbamazepine, 81% of ibuprofen, and 92% of sulfamethoxazole after 180 min UV irradiation, the mineralization rates of the pharmaceuticals were similar between 52% and 59%. The photocatalytic oxidation of pharmaceuticals by the prepared nanocomposites followed the Langmuir–Hinshelwood kinetic model. There was an obvious positive correlation between degradation rate constant and quantum flux for both UV and visible light, with correlation coefficient of 0.991. In addition, long-term photoactivity testing of TiO2-rGO coated SOFs demonstrated the durability of the immobilized TiO2-rGO nanocomposites on optical fibers for water treatment.
Some Research on the Removal of Unburned Carbon from Fly Ash

Fly ash from coal-fired electric power plants contains much unburned carbon recently. This causes problems in its utilization as a raw material for fly ash cement and as a cement admixture because of the need to lower the combustion temperature to reduce air pollution.This study on the basic properties of fly ash suggests that it is possible to remove unburned carbon from fly ash on the basis of both the variation in carbon content with particle size and the difference in shape between unburned carbon particles and ash.Classifying raw fly ash at a certain cut size by means of a sifter without the fracture of particles of a larger size rich in unburned carbon, the fly ash with low unburned carbon content was undersized. Subsequently, by processing most of the oversize fly ash on an inclined vibrating plate, the relatively round fly ash having a low unburned carbon content was separated from unburned carbon particles having an irregular shape.Thus, it is concluded that fly ash with low unburned carbon content can be recovered using both of the above-mentioned methods.
Mass rearing of the horn fly, Haematobia irritans (Díptera: Muscidae), in the laboratory.

A laboratory technique was developed for mass-rearing the horn fly, Haematobia irritans (L.), entirely off the host. The rooms that house adults and larvae each have controlled temperature and humidity and appropriate lighting. Adult cages are 21.5-cm2 wire frames with plastic-screen covers designed to house about 5000 flies each. The adult diet, whole, nonaseptic beef blood containing acid citrate dextrose, nystatin, and chloramphenicol, is offered to the flies on cotton pads. Eggs collected on cotton pads covered with wet cheesecloth and placed under the adult cages are then transferred to trays of bovine manure. Pupae are separated from the manure by agitating the contents of the trays in a washing machine and then skimming the pupae off the surface of the water; they are then air-dried before being placed in a cup for emergence. The average cycle from egg to adult is 12 days and from egg to egg is 17 days.
An enhanced EBNA1 variant with reduced IR3 domain for long-term episomal maintenance and transgene expression of oriP-based plasmids in human cells.

The latent replication of oriP-based plasmids in human cells depends on the viral oriP-binding transactivator EBNA1. In this report, the effect of the internal repeat 3 (IR3 or GlyAla repeat) domain of EBNA1 on long-term maintenance and transgene expression of OriP-based plasmids was examined in dividing human cells. To assess the potential contribution of different isoforms of EBNA1 specifically, the long-term stability of oriP-based plasmids was determined after stable transfection of various CMV-driven EBNA1 genes in EBV-negative human B cells. Episome copy number was quantified using a novel sensitive assay based on human mitochondrial DNA as an internal extrachromosomal control. Using this assay, the standard B95.8-derived EBNA1 was compared with its truncated, IR3-deleted, form, as well as a new EBNA1 isoform cloned from Raji. The results of a 6-month study indicate that the isoforms of EBNA1 differ with respect to their efficiency of plasmid maintenance. While the EBNA-1 Raji encoding plasmid was the most stable, the oriP-based vector expressing the truncated EBNA1 (IR3del) gene was lost at a much higher rate than those transducing full size EBNA1s. In parallel, long-term reporter gene expression in various human B cell lines was shown to persist at the highest level with the oriP-based Raji EBNA-1 construct. These results show that the GlyAla domain can positively influence long-term plasmid stability and episomal transgene expression.
Application of Cathode Materials for Lithium-Ion Batteries in Electric Energy Storage

In view of the application of lithium-ion batteries in electrical energy storage systems,three kinds of main cathode materials of lithium-ion batteries,i.e.rock-salt LiCoO2,spinel-type LiMn2O4and olivine-type LiFePO4are studied in the aspects of their electrochemical and security performance as well as their costs.The existing problems and application prospects of different types of lithium-ion batteries in electrical energy storage systems are revealed,which concludes that LiMn2O4and LiFePO4are right choices for power-type and energy-type applications,respectively.
Study on the Photosynthetic Bacteria with UASB Process Treatment of High-Salinity Organic Wastewater

The marine product industry develops rapidly in seaside regions.In recent years,photosynthetic bacteria along with their wide adaptability are commonly used in sewage treatment.The photosynthetic bacteria which are isolated from the sea have a high salt tolerance.A feasibility study of the photosynthetic bacteria with UASB Process treatment of high-salinity organic wastewater is presented in this paper.With the concentration of seawater proportion gradually(12%,24%,36%)increasing,the gradient acclimatization is tested to explore the effect of salinity on the degradation of organic matter and to determine the biological contact oxidation system operating parameters.
The Application Research of a New Generation Digital Record System in Power System Dispatching

This paper analyses the disadvantage of record system used at present in power system dispatching, and presents a new generation digital record scheme with a video card based on IP network and database technology. It not only solves the problems in the present record system, but also keeps up with the renovation and development of modern power dispatching and communication system.