cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cotton Insects in Nicaragua

The cotton-insect problem in Nicaragua is in many respects similar to that in the United States. The most serious pests are the boll weevil ( Anthonomus grandis Boh.) and Sacadodes pyralis Dyar, a Phalaenid which bores into bolls. The boll weevil passes the dry season between crops in old cotton fields. Reproduction apparently ceases during this time. Early infestations in young cotton were heaviest in fields planted before the usual date. Peak infestations occurred when the crop was approaching maturity. The life cycle is similar to that in the United States. Sacadodes also was generally a late-season pest, and was particularly serious in late-planted fields. Infestations of both insects were reduced by means of insecticides, but increases in yield were small.
Roma Minorities in Post-Communist Bulgaria and the U.S. Visa Regime

The inclusion in the Visa Waiver Programme (VWP) would mean more favourable development of the relationships between Bulgaria and the USA. It would also serve as recognition of the economic, political and social stability of the country. However, membership in the program is not automatic. In the past, Bulgaria has made significant progress, but there are still pending areas that hinder the finalization of the process. Specifically, Bulgaria is facing very difficult issues with its minority Roma population and its integration within its boundaries. In this paper, we will evaluate the Roma’s socio-economic difficulties that they have to deal with, specifically as workers in this region. In order to complete the task, we would evaluate the historical background of the Bulgarian Roma. Specifically, we would analyse the political movement post-communism as it relates to the VWP. We believe that Bulgaria needs to support its minority Roma population and such social reforms would help the country to establish itself and to help enter into the VWP list. Bulgaria could implement programs in relationships with the “other 3 EU Member omitted States” and together work towards the inclusion in the US Visa Waiver Programme and resolution of its population issues. We believe that a coordinated strategy would help all the member states and would solve the issue in the shortest possible time and help the country enter the VWP quicker.
Variable infiltration capacity cold land process model updates

Abstract The Variable Infiltration Capacity (VIC) macroscale hydrologic model is distinguished from other Soil–Vegetation–Atmosphere Transfer schemes (SVATS) by its focus on runoff processes. These are represented via the variable infiltration curve, a parameterization of the effects of subgrid variability in soil moisture holding capacity, from which the model takes its name, and a representation of nonlinear baseflow. Recent upgrades to the model have improved its representation of cold land processes, and the effects of surface storage in lakes and wetlands. Specific improvements described in this paper include the following: (1) explicit representation of the canopy energy balance separate from the land surface when snow is intercepted in the canopy; (2) parameterization of the effects of spatial variability in soil freeze–thaw state and snow distribution on moisture and energy fluxes; and (3) effects of advection on snowmelt under conditions of partial snow cover. The effects of these model updates are demonstrated using data from the PILPS Phase 2(e) validation catchments within the Torne-Kalix River basin, Sweden.
Relationship between soils and Amazon forest biomass: a landscape-scale study

Above-ground dry biomass of living trees including palms was estimated in 65 1 ha plots spanning a 1000 km 2 landscape in central Amazonia. The study area was located on heavily weathered, nutrient-poor soils that are widespread in the Amazon region. Biomass values were derived by measuring the diameter-at-breast-height (DBH) of all10 cm trees in each plot, then using an allometric equation and correction factor for small trees to estimate total tree biomass. Detailed information on soil texture, organic carbon, available water capacity, pH, macro- and micro-nutrients, and trace elements was collected from soil surface samples (0‐20 cm) in each plot, while slope was measured with a clinometer. Biomass estimates varied more than two-fold, from 231 to 492 metric tons ha ˇ1 , with a mean of 356 47 tons ha ˇ1 . Simple correlations with stringent (p < 0.006) Bonferroni corrections suggested that biomass was positively associated with total N, total exchangeable bases, K a ,M g 2a , clay, and organic C in soils, and negatively associated with Zn a , aluminum saturation, and sand. An ordination analysis revealed one major and several minor soil gradients in the study area, with the main gradient discriminating sites with varying proportions of clay (with clayey soils having higher concentrations of total N, organic C, most cations, and lower aluminum saturation and less sand). A multiple regression analysis revealed that the major clay-nutrient gradient was the only significant predictor, with the model explaining 32.3% of the total variation in biomass. Results of the analysis suggest that soil-fertility parameters can account for a third or more of the variation in above-ground biomass in Amazonian terra-firme forests. We suggest that, because the conversion of forest to pasture tends to reduce the nitrogen, clay, organic carbon, and nutrient contents of soils, forests that regenerate on formerly cleared lands may have lower biomass than the original forest, especially in areas with low soil fertility. # 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
Effects of a Constitutively Active Form of Calcineurin on T Cell Activation and Thymic Selection

Calcineurin is a calcium/calmodulin-dependent phosphatase whose activity is required for the induction of T cell lymphokine production and proliferation. Although its specific role in T cell development is less well defined, studies with the immunosuppressive drugs cyclosporin A and FK-506 suggest that it is involved in both positive and negative selection of immature thymocytes. To more completely characterize a role for calcineurin in T cell development in vivo, we have generated transgenic mice that express an activated form of this enzyme in thymocytes and peripheral T cells. We find that the transgene causes a block in early thymic development, resulting in a reduction in the steady-state number of CD4 and CD8 double positives, but not on the number of mature T cells. We also find that thymocytes and mature T cells expressing this transgene are more sensitive to signals through their TCR. In thymocytes this sensitivity difference is manifested as an increase in positive selection, although negative selection seems to remain unaffected. Therefore, these studies confirm and extend past reports that suggested a role for calcineurin in thymic development and selection.
Severe Left Ventricular Hypertrophy 1 Year After Transplant Predicts Mortality in Cardiac Transplant Recipients

Background Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) is a known predictor of morbidity and mortality in patients with essential hypertension. The prevalence and significance of LVH in heart transplant recipients is unknown. Methods Transthoracic echocardiograms were performed as part of a routine protocol 1 year after heart transplantation in 141 consecutive patients. Demographic and echocardiographic data were collected using patients' records and center-specific data from the Cardiac Transplant Research Database and analyzed to determine the prevalence and predictors of LVH at 1 year post-transplantation. Patients were divided into three groups based on left ventricular mass (LVM): normal (LVM 250 g). Results LVH was common at 1 year after heart transplantation, present in 83% of heart transplant recipients. Univariate predictors of severe LVH were increased body mass index ( p p = 0.02) and pre-transplant hypertension ( p = 0.01). By multivariate analysis, pre-transplant hypertension was the only independent predictor of severe LVH (hazard ratio [HR] 2.3, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.1 to 5.4, p = 0.05). Heart transplant recipients with severe LVH had significantly decreased survival, as compared to patients with normal LVM and mild–moderate LVH ( p = 0.03). After multivariate analysis adjusting for age, race, gender, pre-transplant hypertension and diabetes, severe LVH remained a strong, independent predictor of mortality (HR 3.6, 95% CI 1.0 to 12.1, p = 0.04). Conclusions LVH is common at 1 year after heart transplantation and is a strong, independent predictor of increased mortality. Hypertension before transplantation is an independent predictor of the presence of severe LVH at 1 year after heart transplantation.
Multiresolution state-space discretization method for Q-Learning

For large scale problems Q-Learning often suffers from the Curse of Dimensionality due to large numbers of possible state-action pairs. This paper develops a multiresolution state-space discretization method for the episodic unsupervised learning method of Q-Learning, in which a state-space is adaptively discretized by progressively finer grids around the areas of interest within the state or learning space. Optimality of the learning algorithm is addressed by a cost function. Applied to a morphing airfoil with two morphing parameters (two state variables), it is shown that by setting the multiresolution method to define the area of interest by the goal the agent seeks, this method can learn a specific goal within ±0.002, while reducing the total number of state-action pairs need to achieve this level of specificity by almost 90%.
ON THE MECHANISM OF THE PHOTO-OXIDATION OF AMINO ACIDS SENSITIZED BY METHYLENE BLUE.

Abstract Photo-oxidation of histidine, methionine, tryptophan, and tyrosine, and their derivatives, as the function of pH were investigated. Photo-oxidation of histidine and methionine as a function of temperature has shown that oxidation proceeds through an initial fast reaction, which is followed by an additional light-sensitive slow reaction, the latter being more pronounced with increasing temperature. Photo-oxidation of tyrosine and tryptophan have also shown a marked temperature dependence. It was proposed that the first step in the photo-oxidation of histidine, methionine, tryptophan, and tyrosine consists of oxidation of these amino acids with a simultaneous reduction of the dye. Photo-oxidation of the reactive amino acids obey the Michaelis-Menten reaction scheme. A possible cyclic free radical mechanism for the photo-oxidation of amino acids mediated by methylene blue is proposed.
The significance of macrophage phenotype in cancer and biomaterials

Macrophages have long been known to exhibit heterogeneous and plastic phenotypes. They show functional diversity with roles in homeostasis, tissue repair, immunity and disease. There exists a spectrum of macrophage phenotypes with varied effector functions, molecular determinants, cytokine and chemokine profiles, as well as receptor expression. In tumor microenvironments, the subset of macrophages known as tumor-associated macrophages generates byproducts that enhance tumor growth and angiogenesis, making them attractive targets for anti-cancer therapeutics. With respect to wound healing and the foreign body response, there is a necessity for balance between pro-inflammatory, wound healing, and regulatory macrophages in order to achieve successful implantation of a scaffold for tissue engineering. In this review, we discuss the multitude of ways macrophages are known to be important in cancer therapies and implanted biomaterials.
A Case Study in Defining Colored Petri Nets Based Model Driven Development of Enterprise Service Oriented Architectures

Many businesses as well as government enterprises are moving towards Service Oriented Architectures for their operation. The level of complexity, interaction and interdependence among various components make it difficult to design, develop, and analyze such systems as a whole. In particular it is difficult to foretell the effect of proposed changes and to evaluate alternative architectures. Adoption of a model-driven approach, coupled with sound Verification and Validation (V&V) techniques can provide a key solution for making qualitative and quantitative predictions about the possible system behaviors. This paper details a case study in Verification and Validation of a Service Oriented Architecture called MCSOA (Multi Channel Service Oriented Architecture). It is part of a larger exercise to integrate a model-driven approach into MCSOA Software Development for the US Department of Defense. We show how support for hierarchical and
Stacking Dependency Parsers

We explore a stacked framework for learning to predict dependency structures for natural language sentences. A typical approach in graph-based dependency parsing has been to assume a factorized model, where local features are used but a global function is optimized (McDonald et al., 2005b). Recently Nivre and McDonald (2008) used the output of one dependency parser to provide features for another. We show that this is an example of stacked learning, in which a second predictor is trained to improve the performance of the first. Further, we argue that this technique is a novel way of approximating rich non-local features in the second parser, without sacrificing efficient, model-optimal prediction. Experiments on twelve languages show that stacking transition-based and graph-based parsers improves performance over existing state-of-the-art dependency parsers.
Culture, Drugs, and Society: A Social Science Approach to Drug Use

Culture, Drugs, and Society:. Social Science Approach to Drug Use. Ed Knipe. Prospect Heights: Waveland Press, 1995. $21.95. (paper). Instructor's manual available.
Why One Basic Principle

Principle monists believe that our moral duties, such as fidelity and non-maleficence, can be justified in terms of one basic moral principle. Principle pluralists disagree, some suggesting that only an excessive taste for simplicity or a desire to mimic natural science could lead one to endorse monism. In Ideal Code, Real World (Oxford, 2000), Brad Hooker defends a monist theory, employing the method of reflective equilibrium to unify the moral duties under a version of rule consequentialism. Hooker's arguments have drawn powerful criticisms from pluralists such as Alan Thomas, Phillip Montague and Philip Stratton-Lake. Against these critics, I argue that Hooker's monism enjoys certain practical advantages associated with the simplicity of a single basic principle. These advantages are often overlooked because they appear primarily in cases of second-order deliberation, in which one must decide whether our basic moral duties support a certain derivative duty. I argue that these advantages of monism over pluralism are analogous to the advantages that generalists claim over moral particularism. Because pluralists are generalists, I conclude that they are in an awkward dialectical position to dismiss Hooker's monism for the reasons they usually offer.
Avoidance of death and injury through mionitoring of dams and flood evacuation in Essex, Connecticut, June 1982

During a period of heavy ranfall in Essex, Connecticut, on 4th and 5th June 1982, dams in the town along the Fall River were monitored for signs of braks. The observation of water spilling over one of teh dams at 10 p.m. in 5th June ld to the decision to evacuate community rsidents. The notification and avacuation process was conducted by the cvolunteer fire department over a two-hour periopd. At 12.30 a.m 6th June, the upper dam on the Fall River gave way, rsulting in a rapidly moving floodwave which sequentially destroyed four additional dams along the river. Although there was extensive property damage, gthere were no serious injuries and no deaths. The responsible actons of the town officials in monitoring the dams during the period of heavy rainfall permitted the evacuation order to be given in sufficient time to evacuate the residnts. The success of the evacuation was the result of good communication, trust, and co-operation between town officials and the community.
System control-mediated drug delivery towards complex systems via nanodiamond carriers

Cells represent the basic units of life and contain an intertwined network of signaling and regulatory circuitries that drive the processes of life. These processes include the mediation of mechano-sensation, onset of and protection against disease, inflammation, and others. In the network of bio-complex systems, each pathway interacts nonlinearly with others through different molecular intermediates. As a result, specific functionalities can not be simply linked to the cellular molecules in isolation. A complex system generally possesses very rich information content that can be characterized by the following features: (i) they contain a large number of building blocks; (ii) their interactions among building blocks and with their environment; (iii) they display organization without an external organizing principle being applied; and (iv) they exhibit adaptability and robustness. These properties account for the innate intelligence of biology and its ability to regulate its homeostatic behavior. However, ...
Study of Cyclin Proteolysis in Anaphase-Promoting Complex (APC) Mutant Cells Reveals the Requirement for APC Function in the Final Steps of the Fission Yeast Septation Initiation Network

Cytokinesis in eukaryotic cells requires the inactivation of mitotic cyclin-dependent kinase complexes. An apparent exception to this relationship is found in Schizosaccharomyces pombe mutants with mutations of the anaphase-promoting complex (APC). These conditional lethal mutants arrest with unsegregated chromosomes because they cannot degrade the securin, Cut2p. Although failing at nuclear division, these mutants septate and divide. Since septation requires Cdc2p inactivation in wild-type S. pombe, it has been suggested that Cdc2p inactivation occurs in these mutants by a mechanism independent of cyclin degradation. In contrast to this prediction, we show that Cdc2p kinase activity fluctuates in APC cut mutants due to Cdc13/cyclin B destruction. In APC-null mutants, however, septation and cutting do not occur and Cdc13p is stable. We conclude that APC cut mutants are hypomorphic with respect to Cdc13p degradation. Indeed, overproduction of nondestructible Cdc13p prevents septation in APC cut mutants and the normal reorganization of septation initiation network components during anaphase.
Sedimentology of lower Pliocene to Upper Pleistocene diamictons from IODP Site U1358, Wilkes Land margin, and implications for East Antarctic Ice Sheet dynamics

During the early Pliocene a dynamic marine-based ice sheet retreated from the Wilkes Land margin with periodic ice advances beyond Last Glacial Maximum position. A change in sand provenance is indicative of a more stable Mertz Glacier system during the Late Pleistocene. East Antarctic Ice Sheet (EAIS) dynamics were evaluated through the analysis of marine diamictons from Integrated Ocean Drilling Program (IODP) site U1358 on the Adelie Land continental shelf. The warmer than present conditions of the early Pliocene coupled with the site's proximity to the landward sloping Wilkes Subglacial Basin provided the rationale for the investigations at this site. Based on visual core descriptions, particle size distributions, and major and trace element ratios, we interpret the origin of lower Pliocene strata by intermittent glaciomarine sedimentation with open-marine conditions and extensive glacial advances to the outer shelf. Heavy mineral analyses show that sand-sized detritus in the lower Pliocene strata was sourced from local intermediate to high-grade metamorphic rocks near Mertz Glacier. In contrast, Pleistocene diamictons exhibit a larger contribution from a prehnite-pumpellyite greenschist facies suggesting supply via iceberg rafting from northern Victoria Land. From this sedimentological evidence, we postulate a shift from a dynamic EAIS margin in the early Pliocene to possible stabilization in the Pleistocene.
Central neurogenic hyperventilation and lactate production in brainstem glioma

Central neurogenic hyperventilation (CNH) is a rare disorder defined by sustained hyperventilation, characteristic findings on arterial blood gas analysis, and the absence of a peripheral respiratory stimulus.1 Although the mechanism of CNH has not been defined, elevation of CNS lactate concentration has been proposed as a possible cause.2 The syndrome has been described in a small number of patients with brainstem glioma and primary CNS lymphoma (PCNSL).1,3⇓ The presence of lactate within brain tumors is attributed to an anaerobic metabolic environment. On 1H magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) lactate resonates at 1.2 to 1.5 ppm and is seen as an inverted doublet at echo time (TE) 144 msec.4 We report a patient with a brainstem glioma who developed CNH and whose MRS findings showed a new lactate peak within the tumor. A 25-year-old woman with typical clinical and radiographic findings suggesting the presence of a brainstem glioma developed CNH 3 weeks after …
Outcomes in pediatric solid‐organ transplantation

LaR Pediatric solid-organ transplantation is an increasingly successful treatment for organ failure. Five- and 10-yr patient survival rates have dramatically improved over the last couple of decades, and currently, over 80% of pediatric patients survive into adolescence and young adulthood. Waiting list mortality has been a concern for liver, heart, and intestinal transplantation, illustrating the importance of transplant as a life-saving therapy. Unfortunately, the success of pediatric transplantation comes at the cost of long-term or late complications that arise as a result of allograft rejection or injury, immunosuppression-related morbidity, or both. As transplant recipients enter adolescence treatment, non-adherence becomes a significant issue, and the medical and psychosocial impacts transition to adulthood not only with regard to healthcare but also in terms of functional outcomes, economic potential, and overall QoL. This review addresses the clinical and psychosocial challenges encountered by pediatric transplant recipients in the current era. A better understanding of pediatric transplant outcomes and adult morbidity and mortality requires further ongoing assessment.
Efficient partitioning of unequal error protected MPEG video streams for multiple channel transmission

Reliable transmission of video over wireless networks must address the limited bandwidth and the possibility of loss. When the bandwidth is insufficient on a single channel, the video can be partitioned over multiple channels with possibly unequal characteristics at the expense of more complex channel coding (error correction). This paper addresses the problem of efficiently partitioning forward error protected, pre-encoded video data for transmission over multiple channels. The assumption of pre-encoding precludes adjustment of source rates to the channels, since it is assumed that channel characteristics are not known until immediately prior to the start of transmission. The proposed partitioning exploits the structure of MPEG video, and frames in each group-of-picture are reordered based on their decoding dependence. To be spectrally efficient, the frames of different types are unequally error protected taking different channel reliabilities into account. A pruned tree search algorithm is implemented to efficiently solve the problem. Simulation results are presented.
Vidya: an experiential annotation system

In this paper, we present a novel annotation paradigm with an emphasis on two facets -- (a) the end user experience and (b) semantic propagation. The annotation problem is important since media semantics play a key role in new multimedia applications. However, there is currently very little incentive for end users to annotate.The annotation system, is interactive and experiential. We attempt to propagate semantics of the annotations, by using WordNet, a lexicographic arrangement of words, and low-level features extracted from the images. We introduce novel semantic dissimilarity measures, and propagation frameworks. The system provides insight to the user, by providing her with knowledge sources, that are constrained by the user and media context. The knowledge sources are presented using context-aware hyper-mediation.Our Experimental results indicates that the systems performs well. We tested the new annotation experience using a pilot user study, the users agreed that the new framework was more useful that a traditional annotation interface. The semantic propagation results are good as well -- we converge close to the semantics of the image by annotating a small number (~15%) of database images.
Viable spermatozoa in the bladder after electroejaculation of lion-tailed macaques (Macaca silenus).

The bladder of 6 lion-tailed macaques was emptied and flushed with sterile saline. TALP-Hepes buffer was infused and the animals were electroejaculated. After electroejaculation, the semen quality was determined in the ejaculate and the bladder infusate. Of the 15 ejaculates analysed, a mean (+/- s.e.m.) sperm count of 133.8 (+/- 30.7) x 10(6) with 69.5 (+/- 6.0)% motility was obtained in the infusate as compared to the sperm count of 72.4 (+/- 38.6) x 10(6) with significantly lower (47.7 +/- 5.8%) motility in the ejaculate.
The effect of diltiazem on coronary thrombosis in the conscious canine

The effect of diltiazem vs. saline was studied in a conscious canine model of coronary thrombosis. Diltiazem given as a 0.75 mg/kg loading dose intravenously followed by 0.4 mg/kg intravenously every 4 h for 24 h had no significant effect on thrombus wet weight, left ventricular infarct size, frequency of ventricular arrhythmias or ex vivo platelet aggregation. The search for antithrombotic agents using in vitro or ex vivo platelet aggregation studies should include concomitant in vivo thrombosis studies using therapeutic dosages of the drug in question.
Can We Talk About Race? And Other Conversations in an Era of School Resegregation, by Tatum, B.

As the cultural and linguistic diversity of the United States grows, so does the cultural and linguistic diversity of our schools. In 1995, 35% of American school children were students of color. I...
Travel and transformation

Travel and transformation is a timely book on transformational aspects of tourism and travel. As the editors acknowledge in the first chapter, the concept of transformation is a complex one. Transf...
Anti-retinal antibodies in serum of laser-treated rabbits.

Purpose Retinal injuries that affect the photoreceptors and/or the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) may result in the leakage of retinal proteins into the systemic circulation. This study was designed to determine whether an immune response is elicited after an acute retinal injury resulting in circulating anti-retinal antibodies in the serum. Methods Fifty laser burns of different grades (minimally visible lesion [MVL], grade II [GII], or grade III [GIII] lesions) were created in the retinas of Dutch Belted rabbits. The degree of laser burns was confirmed by fundus imaging and histology. Serum samples were collected from the animals 3 months after the retinal injury. Candidate autoantigens were identified by two-dimensional (2-D) Western blots of rabbit retinal lysate probed with sera from either control or laser-treated animals. Candidate autoantigens were further characterized by immunostaining to confirm their retinal localization. Results Seven and 11 protein spots were selected from the MVL and GII laser-treated samples, respectively, for autoantigen identification. No protein spots were detected in the GIII laser-treated samples. Four candidate autoantigens were common to both MVL and GII lesions: dihydropyrimidinase-related protein 2, fructose-bisphosphate aldolase C, chaperonin-containing T-complex polypeptide 1 subunit zeta, and pyruvate kinase isozyme. Conclusions Laser-induced retinal injuries resulted in circulating anti-retinal antibodies that were detectable 3 months after the injury. The response appeared to vary with the severity of the laser retinal damage. The identification of the candidate antigens in this study suggest that this approach may permit future development of new diagnostic methods for retinal injuries.
Cationic Fullerene Aggregates with Unprecedented Virus Photoinactivation Efficiencies in Water

Of the many fullerene derivatives that have been examined, cationic functionalization has proven to be most promising for aqueous or biological applications. Until recently, however, no cationic colloidal fullerene aggregates in the nanosize regime have been characterized in the aqueous phase. The results presented here represent the most rapid and efficient, to the best of our knowledge, viral inactivation reported for any colloidal fullerene aggregates. Tris-adducted fulleropyrrolidinium aggregates are prepared and analyzed for concentration-dependent singlet oxygen (1O2) production and MS2 bacteriophage inactivation. Experiments are performed under visible, UVA, and sunlight irradiation with the addition of natural organic matter (NOM) to simulate environmental conditions. Viral inactivation was observed at sensitizer concentrations in the nanomolar range. A 5-log inactivation of MS2 was observed after 4 or 1 min of sunlight exposure with 250 nM fullerenes with or without NOM, respectively. The environ...
A beautiful sea: P. A. M. Dirac's epistemology and ontology of the vacuum

This paper charts P.A.M. Dirac's development of his theory of the electron, and its radical picture of empty space as an almost-full plenum. Dirac's Quantum Electrodynamics famously accomplished more than the unification of special relativity and quantum mechanics. It also accounted for the 'duplexity phenomena' of spectral line splitting that we now attribute to electron spin. But the extra mathematical terms that allowed for spin were not alone, and this paper charts Dirac's struggle to ignore or account for them as a sea of strange, negative-energy, particles with positive 'holes'. This work was not done in solitude, but rather in exchanges with Dirac's correspondence network. This social context for Dirac's work contests his image as a lone genius, and documents a community wrestling with the ontological consequences of their work. Unification, consistency, causality, and community are common factors in explanations in the history of physics. This paper argues on the basis of materials in Dirac's archive that --- in addition --- mathematical beauty was an epistemological factor in the development of the electron and hole theory. In fact, if we believe that Dirac's beautiful mathematics captures something of the world, then there is both an epistemology and an ontology of mathematical beauty.
Preventing Zika virus Infection during Pregnancy by Timing Conception Seasonally

It has come to light that Zika virus (ZIKV) infection during pregnancy can result in transplacental transmission to the fetus along with fetal death, congenital microcephaly and/or Central Nervous System (CNS) malformations. There are projected to be > 9, 200, 000 births annually in countries with ongoing ZIKV transmission. In response to the ZIKV threat, the World Health Organization (WHO) is strategically targeting prevention of infection in pregnant women and funding contraception in epidemic regions. I propose that the damaging effects of ZIKV can be reduced by timing pregnancy seasonally to minimize maternal exposure. Like other acute viral infections—including the related flavivirus, dengue virus (DENV)—the transmission of ZIKV is anticipated to be seasonal. By seasonally planning pregnancy, this aspect of pathogen ecology can be leveraged to align sensitive periods of gestation with the low-transmission season.
FREQUENCY CHARACTERISTICS OF PULSATION-JET DEVICE OF SELF-EXCITED OSCILLATION

Based on the theory of fluid network, we established the similar mathematical model of pulsation-jet device of the self-excited oscillation. The numerical results, in agreement with the tests, had clearly shown that the jet nozzle was functions of oscillator and lowpass filter, and the maximal pressure response could be obtained for input flow, and its main frequencies close to the natural frequency of the nozzle. The natural frequency of the nozzle is directly determined by its main structural parameters and wave speed in jet flow, so the parameters such as pressure, the length of oscillation cavity, the diameter of lower nozzle and porosity of jet flow have significant effects on its frequency characteristics. Moreover the design standard of the device was presented in this paper, that is to say, the natural frequency of the nozzle should be close to that of input oscillating flow.
Psychopharmacologic treatment of child and adolescent obsessive compulsive disorder.

This article reviews the clinical phenomenology, neurobiology, and treatment of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). OCD affects up to 1 % of children and adolescents in the United States and, unlike many childhood disorders, it is remarkably similar in both children and adults. Recent studies suggest that antidepressants with potent serotonergic reuptake blocking effects, such as fluoxetine and clomipramine, are the pharmacologic treatments of choice for OCD. Although both medications yield similar response rates, fluoxetine may be tolerated more easily than clomipramine and associated with less relapse upon discontinuation.
Primary Hyperparathyroidism: Association with Coexistent Secondary Causes of Hypercalcemia

Primary hyperparathyroidism is most often diagnosed without confounding medical conditions or medications that may make interpretation of laboratory data more difficult. Occasionally, however, biochemical findings are not what were expected for this diagnosis. In some cases, serum calcium is much higher than anticipated for the level of parathyroid hormone, and in others, parathyroid hormone is lower than it should be for the serum calcium level. These findings suggest that coexisting secondary causes of hypercalcemia may be present.
Advanced methods for improving the lead-time and accuracy of a flood alert system in an urban watershed

The lead-time and accuracy of a flood alert system designed for a quickly responding urban watershed have been improved by incorporating a variety of new tools and methodologies. These include: the use of computer-mediated voice and data communication systems such as the Internet, high-quality hydrologic data including radar rainfall, real-time hydrologic models, assessment and use of a Quantitative Precipitation Forecast (QPF) algorithm, and the development of improved flood notification levels—providing earlier and more accurate warnings to critical institutions and emergency personnel in flood-prone areas throughout the watershed. While the research focused on one watershed in an urban setting (Brays Bayou in Houston, Texas), the results found are applicable across a broad spectrum of watershed types, provided that the need for more timely and accurate flood forecasts exists. System lead-time improvements were accomplished through the implementation and evaluation of a QPF algorithm increasingly used for short-term weather prediction across the United States. The Brays Bayou watershed provided an excellent test-bed for the collection and evaluation of QPF data. Algorithm accuracy and effectiveness were evaluated at various forecast times and basin sizes commonly found in urban watersheds. Generalized results of these analyses are presented. System accuracy improvements were accomplished with improved radar-rainfall data input and the development of real-time hydrologic models. A real-time interface for the industry standard HEC-1 hydrologic model was created, allowing the hydrologic predictions developed by this model to take greater advantage of the spatial and temporal distribution of real-time radar-rainfall data. The successful implementation of this real-time hydrologic model at the scale of Brays Bayou also provided significant lead-time improvements by providing estimates to when peak flows would actually occur. A successful validation and operational test of the entire system occurred during the November 17th, 2003 storm event. This storm event is utilized as a case study, with results illustrating wide-ranging improvements.
The Totalizing Act as Mediator of the Ideal and Real

Husserl effected a decisive shift in his doctrine of concepts, leading him to reject entirely the immanent object, only two or three years following his masterful accounting for it in terms of totalizing intuition.
Foreword: Regulating Toxic Chemicals Through Precautionary Federalism

The allocation of authority to regulate toxic chemicals in the United States should be governed by the principle of precautionary federalism. In this context, the principle of precautionary federalism dictates that state efforts to regulate toxic chemicals more stringently than the federal government should not be preempted by federal law. If more information becomes known about the risks of certain chemicals, then a more uniform allocation of authority may become appropriate over time. This principle should generally guide Congress as it designs legal rules, and courts and agencies interpreting those rules. Thus, while the recent amendments to the Toxic Substances Control Act have many positive features, Congress should have been more precautionary in its allocation of the balance of power between the federal government and the states. And the EPA, which is tasked with interpreting the scope of preemption in the first instance, as well as the courts reviewing such interpretations, should read the new law’s preemption provisions narrowly.
Phone Call Detection Based on Smartphone Sensor Data

Smartphones are now equipped with as many as 30 embedded sensors, which have been widely used in human activity recognition, context monitoring, and localization. In this paper, we propose a phone call detection scheme using smartphone sensor data. We design Android applications to record, upload and display smartphone sensor data. We show how proximity and orientation sensors together can be used to accurately predict phone calls. Furthermore, the activity state during a phone call can be classified into three categories: sitting/standing, lying down, and walking. Features are extracted from proximity and orientation sensors to determine the range of values satisfying each state. Our system achieves an overall accuracy of 85 %.
Do news corrections affect credibility? Not necessarily:

This study of types of corrections in newspapers finds that readers consider objective, high-impact corrections more important than errors that are objective and low-impact. The findings do not dir...
Effects of Rotation Rate and Seasonal Forcing on the ITCZ Extent in Planetary Atmospheres

The authors study a wide range of atmospheric circulations with an idealized moist general circulation model to evaluate the mechanisms controlling intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ) migrations. They employ a zonally symmetric aquaplanet slab ocean of fixed depth and force top-of-atmosphere insolation to remain fixed at the pole for an “eternal solstice” simulation and also vary seasonally for a range of rotation rates, keeping all other parameters Earth-like. For rotation rates Ω_E/8 and slower, a transient maximum in zonal-mean precipitation appears at the summer pole; however, the ITCZ associated with the ascending branch of the Hadley circulation lies at ~60°. The authors assess how widely used predictors of the ITCZ position perform in this wide parameter space. Standard predictors based on different estimates of the Hadley cell’s poleward extent are correlated with but overestimate off-equatorial ITCZ locations. Interestingly, in the eternal-solstice case for Earth’s rotation rate, the ITCZ remains at subtropical latitudes even though the lower-level moist static energy maximizes at the summer pole. While seemingly at odds with convective quasi-equilibrium arguments, this can happen because at Earth’s rotation rates, the thermal stratification set in convective regions can only be communicated within the tropics, where temperature gradients are constrained to be weak. The authors therefore develop an understanding of the ITCZ’s position based on top-of-atmosphere energetics and the boundary layer momentum budget and argue that friction and pressure gradient forces determine the region of maximum convergence, offering a modified dynamical perspective on the monsoon-like seasonal weather patterns of terrestrial planets.
A Localized Complex of Two Protein Oligomers Controls the Orientation of Cell Polarity

Signaling hubs at bacterial cell poles establish cell polarity in the absence of membrane-bound compartments. In the asymmetrically dividing bacterium Caulobacter crescentus, cell polarity stems from the cell cycle-regulated localization and turnover of signaling protein complexes in these hubs, and yet the mechanisms that establish the identity of the two cell poles have not been established. Here, we recapitulate the tripartite assembly of a cell fate signaling complex that forms during the G1-S transition. Using in vivo and in vitro analyses of dynamic polar protein complex formation, we show that a polymeric cell polarity protein, SpmX, serves as a direct bridge between the PopZ polymeric network and the cell fate-directing DivJ histidine kinase. We demonstrate the direct binding between these three proteins and show that a polar microdomain spontaneously assembles when the three proteins are coexpressed heterologously in an Escherichia coli test system. The relative copy numbers of these proteins are essential for complex formation, as overexpression of SpmX in Caulobacter reorganizes the polarity of the cell, generating ectopic cell poles containing PopZ and DivJ. Hierarchical formation of higher-order SpmX oligomers nucleates new PopZ microdomain assemblies at the incipient lateral cell poles, driving localized outgrowth. By comparison to self-assembling protein networks and polar cell growth mechanisms in other bacterial species, we suggest that the cooligomeric PopZ-SpmX protein complex in Caulobacter illustrates a paradigm for coupling cell cycle progression to the controlled geometry of cell pole establishment.IMPORTANCE Lacking internal membrane-bound compartments, bacteria achieve subcellular organization by establishing self-assembling protein-based microdomains. The asymmetrically dividing bacterium Caulobacter crescentus uses one such microdomain to link cell cycle progression to morphogenesis, but the mechanism for the generation of this microdomain has remained unclear. Here, we demonstrate that the ordered assembly of this microdomain occurs via the polymeric network protein PopZ directly recruiting the polarity factor SpmX, which then recruits the histidine kinase DivJ to the developing cell pole. Further, we find that overexpression of the bridge protein SpmX in Caulobacter disrupts this ordered assembly, generating ectopic cell poles containing both PopZ and DivJ. Together, PopZ and SpmX assemble into a cooligomeric network that forms the basis for a polar microdomain that coordinates bacterial cell polarity.
FIRMS UNDER IMPERFECT COMPETITION

This chapter focuses on firms under imperfect competition. In general, firms operating under conditions of imperfect competition have some choice about the price, whereas perfectly competitive firms do not. A firm under perfect competition takes the price in the market as given, while a firm under imperfect competition “searches” for the best price. The first is a price taker, the second a price searcher or price maker. The models of the firm most often discussed under imperfect competition include monopolistic competition, monopoly, and oligopoly. Monopolistic competition, though imperfectly competitive, comes close to the theoretical model of perfect competition. Although each firm in such an industry is its own price maker, it is so in a restricted sense. A firm may have a variety of objectives. As each firm's demand for its product is unique, and the quantity demanded varies inversely with the price, the firm has the option of charging that price which best satisfies its needs.
Evolution and Progression of Spondylodiskitis: A Case Presentation

Abstract Pyogenic infection of the spinal column is a relatively rare condition. Spondylodiskitis is characterized by infection of the intervertebral disk and the adjacent vertebrae. Diagnosis is often delayed because the symptoms are often nonspecific and also because of the high incidence of nonspecific low back pain in the general population. We report the case of a 42-year-old woman who developed low back pain secondary to spondylodiskitis. Her diagnosis was delayed because of a lack of supporting findings on initial magnetic resonance imaging. The case highlights the clinical scenario in which maintaining a high index of suspicion may lead to follow-up imaging and an accurate diagnosis. Level of Evidence V
A Corpus of Annotated Revisions for Studying Argumentative Writing.

This paper presents ArgRewrite, a corpus of between-draft revisions of argumentative essays. Drafts are manually aligned at the sentence level, and the writer’s purpose for each revision is annotated with categories analogous to those used in argument mining and discourse analysis. The corpus should enable advanced research in writing comparison and revision analysis, as demonstrated via our own studies of student revision behavior and of automatic revision purpose prediction.
2.8 Multiscale Modeling

Mechanisms of failure were addressed in a previous chapter. Motivated by the knowledge of the mechanisms it was observed that a physics-based modeling approach must necessarily be formulated at multiple scales. Here, such approaches are discussed with a view to predicting structural failure with respect to appropriate performance requirements. The currently used failure criteria formulated on homogenized composites are examined to clarify their inadequacy in carrying the knowledge of the failure mechanisms into the formulations. The multiscale modeling approach advocated here is based on the statement of energy balance, which is rooted in the laws of thermodynamics. This approach is discussed for different failure modes and a roadmap for failure assessment of composite structures is outlined.
Standard MIDI file production as the focus of a broad computer science course

This paper describes a broad course in computing that the author developed with the goal of attracting and engaging students with a limited Computer Science background but with an interest in computer music applications. In support of the ultimate goal of producing a program to write standard MIDI files, students were introduced to a wide variety of topics from across the standard undergraduate CS curriculum, including examining and working with data at the binary level, designing original data structures for a specific non-computer related problem, and interpreting formal language grammars.