cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
CMU Hammerheads Team Description

In this paper the design of the CMU Hammerhead middle-size robot soccer team is presented. The team consisted of 4 fully autonomous robots with wireless communication and color vision. The robots’ color segmentation algorithm, CMVision, provided reliable, real-time ball tracking and was tolerant to changes in lighting conditions. The robots’ software architecture was implemented using TeamBots, a Java-based environment for behavior based robot control, and Clay, a TeamBots module for creating motor-schema based control systems. The use of behavior-based control allowed to the robots to react quickly to the dynamic environment despite non-holonomic platforms. The team included some team- work by sharing information about the ball’s location and the states of other team members. The CMU Hammerheads made it to the quarter finals of the competition.
Legal Theory Lexicon 043: Formalism and Instrumentalism

American law students learn about formalism and instrumentalism early on — although those particular terms may not be introduced explicitly in classroom discussion. Many law students hunger for “black letter law": they are looking for legal rules that can be memorized and applied to the facts in a more or less determinate (or even "mechanical") fashion. But in most law school classrooms, this hunger is not satisfied. Instead, the discussion is likely to focus on another set of questions: What should the rule be? What is the purpose of the rule? Would the application of the rule to these facts serve its purpose? Does that rule make sense? And so on. Of course, different professors have different ideas about what makes for good legal rules. Some emphasize good consequences — perhaps as defined by the economic concept of efficiency. Others might emphasize considerations of fairness or distributive justice. Many are progressive or liberal; a few are conservative or libertarian.In constitutional law, “black letter law” sometimes seems to disappear entirely. Instead, there is a Supreme Court that seems to act as some sort of super-legislature, resolving the great questions of the day, whether it be “Who shall be President?” or “May states criminalize sexual activity between persons of the same sex?” or “Shall abortion be legal?” Moreover, students quickly learn that the constitutional text does not seem to be much of a barrier to a result that the Court really wants to reach. An obvious example is Bolling v. Sharpe in which the Supreme Court applied the substance of the equal protection clause to the federal government — even though it is unmistakably clear that the 14th amendment applies only to the state.But even today (and in some ways, especially today), law students are likely to be exposed to another set of ideas about the law. They may have a rather old fashioned professor who insists on discussing cases or statutes as if they did provide rules that decided cases. Some students encounter constitutional law professors who insist on the “original meaning” of the Constitution — discussing lots of history (and fewer cases) than their colleagues. In some courses, students run into professors who talk about “plain meaning” approaches to statutory interpretation.In other words, the legal academy is divided in its allegiance to various forms of legal formalism and legal instrumentalism. This entry in the Legal Theory Lexicon introduces the formalism-instrumentalism debate. As always, the discussion is aimed at law students — especially first year law students — with an interest in legal theory.
A Novel Gene in the Armadillo Family Interacts with Presenilin 1

This chapter discusses a novel gene in the Armadillo family that interacts with Presenilin 1 (PS1). PS1 is the most commonly mutated gene in early-onset Alzheimer's disease (AD). Armadillo and its vertebrate homolog, β-catenin, lie downstream in the Wg/Wnt pathway. Mutations in either Armadillo or Wg cause similar phenotypic changes in segment polarity when mutated in Drosophila , and are required for the correct expression of a large set of genes including engrailed in the ectoderm and other homeobox genes in the endoderm and mesoderm. The demonstration of an interaction among PS1 and at least two members of the Armadillo family, β-catenin and δ-catenin, raises the possibility that the interaction is regulated by signals known to affect β-catenin stability, nuclear translocation, and ultimately gene transcription. The upstream signals known to regulate this pathway are probably initiated by binding of the Wg/Wnt ligand to the frizzled receptor. It is suggested that although PS1 is thought to be resident in the endoplasmic reticulum, Wnt, as a secreted glycoprotein, probably lies in an export pathway.
Accessory mineral behavior during differentiation of a granite suite: monazite, xenotime and zircon in the Sweetwater Wash pluton, southeastern California, U.S.A.

Abstract Compositional and textural characteristics of the accessory minerals monazite, xenotime and zircon in the Sweetwater Wash granites and related aplites indicate that these phases not only controlled much of the trace-element geochemistry of the suite, but that they also record the melt compositional changes that occurred during magmatic differentiation. Fractionation of monazite due to decreasing saturation levels of its essential structural constituents with falling temperature was likely responsible for an ongoing trend of light rare-earth element (REE) depletion. This was accompanied by increasing heavy-REE concentrations until xenotime joined the crystallizing assemblage; subsequently, combined monazite-xenotime fractionation resulted in lowering of the entire REE budget. Zircon, which contains inherited cores that were apparently resorbed and rounded during initial anatexis, was saturated throughout the differentiation history of the Sweetwater Wash suite. Accessory phases in granite and aplite exhibit strong compositional differences at a variety of scales. The differences are best displayed by monazite: on average, crystals in more differentiated rocks (aplites) are relatively depleted in light REE's and contain higher concentrations of the substituting elements U and Th. Zircon displays complimentary increases in Hf and Y, while xenotime shows a slight increase in Th and in Gd/Ho ratios; both phases also exhibit higher U concentrations in aplites than in granites. These differences in accessory mineral compositions are observed not only between granites and the more differentiated aplites, but also within individual thin sections, due to in situ fractionation. On an even smaller scale, strong compositional variations are present within single crystals, possibly due to diffusion-controlled melt-compositional gradients in the regions (a) adjacent to growing major phases, and (b) adjacent to the growing accessory crystal itself. Our observations indicate that compositional variations among accessory minerals are potentially useful for tracking of magmatic processes, but that the scale of observed variations must be carefully considered.
An experimental study of lunar dust erosive wear potential using the JSC-1AF lunar dust simulant

Abstract The exhaust plumes from spacecraft landing on Earth׳s moon advect lunar dust particles which have been shown to erode, or “sandblast”, nearby objects. Evidence of this phenomenon was provided by NASA’s Apollo 12 mission during which exhaust ejecta, generated by the Apollo Lunar Module landing, erosively wore components of the Surveyor III lunar probe located 155 m from the Apollo 12 landing site. Recently, interest in new lunar missions has been expressed by a number of different groups including countries and private companies. With the potential for a large number of new lunar landings in relatively close proximity to each other and existing lunar hardware, efforts must be taken to understand the damage that lunar dust particle erosion can cause to material surfaces. In this work, a study was conducted with the JSC-1AF lunar dust simulant to understand the erosive potential of lunar dust. Metallic and acrylic test specimens were exposed to erosive wear and the changes in mass, surface topography, transmittance, and reflectance are reported. It was observed that exposure to erosive wear from JSC-1AF, even at moderate velocities (approximately 105 m/s), resulted in a significant decrease in direct transmittance and total reflectance—greater than 70% in some cases. The results in this study suggest that optical components, such as lenses and mirrors are highly susceptible to damage during lunar landings due to lunar dust particle impingement.
Identifying children’s friendships across diverse contexts Maternal and child perspectives

We examined the extent to which identifications of children’s friends across multiple contexts by both children and their mothers might differ from identifications made by both individuals working in concert as well as the sources of such differences. Interviews were conducted with 347 fifth-grade children and their mothers. A subset of 20 dyads also participated in qualitative interviews. Children and mothers created lists of children’s friends working separately and together. Individual completion and joint completion lists were compared to identify discrepancies. Qualitative participants reflected on sources of discrepancies. Discrepancies were predicted by ethnicity, child social problems, cross-gender and cross-ethnicity friendship status, and friendship context. Explanations for discrepancies suggested that discrepancies reflected both genuine differences in perspective and reporting error.
An Improved Circuit Model for Monolithic Crystal Filters

Absstruct-Tke slightly skewed insertion loss versus frequency response of monolithic crystal filters is approximately accounted for by adding a capacitor to the usual filter model. This capacitor, shunting the coupling inductance, causes an effective frequency dependent coefficient of fdter coupling which is characteristic of a waveguide operating just below cutoff.
Efficient decoding of prefix codes

A special case of the data compression problem is presented, in which a powerful encoder transmits a coded file to a decoder that has severely constrained memory. A data structure that achieves minimum storage is presented, and alternative methods that sacrifice a small amount of storage to attain faster decoding are described.
XMM-NEWTON OBSERVATIONS OF MBM 12: MORE CONSTRAINTS ON THE SOLAR WIND CHARGE EXCHANGE AND LOCAL BUBBLE EMISSIONS

We present the first analysis of an XMM-Newton observation of the nearby molecular cloud MBM 12. We find that in the direction of MBM 12 the total O VII (0.57 keV) triplet emission is 1.8(+0.5/-0.6) photons/sq cm/s/sr (or Line Units - LU) while for the O VIII (0.65 keV) line emission we find a 3(sigma) upper limit of <1 LU. We also use a heliospheric model to calculate the O VII and O VIII emission generated by Solar Wind Charge-eXchange (SWCX) which we compare to the XMM-Newton observations. This comparison provides new constraints on the relative heliospheric and Local Bubble contributions to the local diffuse X-ray background. The heliospheric SWCX model predicts 0.82 LU for O VII, which accounts for approx. 46+/-15% of the observed value, and 0.33 LU for the O VIII line emission consistent with the XMM-Newton observed value. We discuss our results in combination with previous observations of the MBM 12 with CHANDRA and Suzaku.
Preservation of functioning human thyroid organoids in the scid mouse. II: Biased use of intrathyroidal T cell receptor V genes

The severe combined immunodeficiency (scid) mouse, which lacks functional B cells and T cells, has proven a useful model for exploring the survival of transplanted human lymphocytes and thyrocytes. In order to further characterize T cell infiltrates in reconstituted sc human thyroid organoids, we examined for the presence of 18 human T cell receptor (hTcR) V alpha and 21 hTcR V beta gene families using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis. Human TcR V gene activity was confirmed by Southern blot analysis of the PCR fragments from all but one of the thyroid organoids, confirming the continued survival of human T cells within the thyroid organoids. However, only 3.5 out of 18 V alpha and 5.9 out of 21 V beta gene families were detected in these human thyroid organoids indicating a marked bias in T cell survival. Sequencing of the V-D-J regions of the amplified TcR fragments showed that approximately 60% of the sequences were representative of clonally expanded T cells. Hence, these passenger T cells exhibited highly biased use of particular TcR V gene families similar to that observed previously in thyroid tissue and intrathyroidal T cell cultures. Furthermore, variations in the V-D-J regions of sequences from similar V gene families indicated that the V gene region was important in T cell selection rather than the CD3 region.
A Third-Order Semidiscrete Central Scheme for Conservation Laws and Convection-Diffusion Equations

We present a new third-order, semidiscrete, central method for approximating solutions to multidimensional systems of hyperbolic conservation laws, convection-diffusion equations, and related problems. Our method is a high-order extension of the recently proposed second-order, semidiscrete method in [A. Kurgonov and E. Tadmor, J. Comput Phys., 160 (2000) pp. 241--282]. The method is derived independently of the specific piecewise polynomial reconstruction which is based on the previously computed cell-averages. We demonstrate our results by focusing on the new third-order central weighted essentially nonoscillatory (CWENO) reconstruction presented in [D. Levy, G. Puppo, and G. Russo, SIAM J. Sci. Comput., 21 (1999), pp. 294--322]. The numerical results we present show the desired accuracy, high resolution, and robustness of our method.
Prospective payments in a regional trauma center: the case for recognition of the transfer patient in diagnostic related groups.

Background: Transfer patients (TP) differ from patients transported directly from the field (DP) by virtue of their complexity and delays to definitive care, factors that might impact on costs and resource utilization and aggravate the adverse selection that already threatens TC reimbursement. Methods: This is a retrospective cohort study where patients admitted to a Level I trauma center were classified as a TP or DP. Crude and adjusted total costs, complications, length of stay, and proportion of DRG outliers were compared across the two cohorts. Results: Among 8,665 patients, 40% were transferred. TP were more likely to be DRG outliers (15% versus 10%, p < 0.001). Costs in 65% of the DRGs were higher in the TP. Rates of complications and length of stay were significantly greater in the TP. Conclusion: There are systematic differences in resource consumption between transferred patients and patients transported directly from the field. These differences render conventional DRG-based mechanisms of reimbursement inadequate, suggesting a need for recognition of the transfer patient as a distinct entity by payers.
Women, family and the political economy of Taiwan

To maintain political stability and a cheap, elastic labour supply necessary for contemporary capitalism to operate in Taiwan, the government allocates a large share of its budget to national security, a small share to a social welfare infrastructure, and encourages an ideology of patriarchal familism. This paper examines how women facilitate Taiwan's comparative advantage in the world economy by considering: (1) the ways in which women from a small village community act in defence of the patriarchal family; (2) what their interests may be in maintaining such a family; and (3) how development affects their lives.
Group Counseling with International Students: Practical, Ethical, and Cultural Considerations

International students in higher education represent a diverse population with unique mental health needs. Foreign students commonly experience a host of adjustment issues, including acculturative stress, language difficulties, cultural misunderstandings, racial discrimination, and loss of social support. Despite their challenges, few international students seek individual counseling. The purpose of this article is to present counseling groups as a treatment modality for addressing international students' adjustment concerns. Special attention is directed to the practical, ethical, and cultural challenges of conducting group counseling with this population, in addition to presenting recommendations for future practice and research.
Fleck retina in Kjellin's syndrome

We examined members of two families with Kjellin's syndrome, an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by spastic paraparesis, dementia, and macular changes. Although the retinal lesions resemble the flecks of fundus flavimaculatus by ophthalmoscopy, they appear distinct from previously reported retinal flecks by fluorescein angiography.
Virtuous marginality: Social preservationists and the selection of the old-timer

Social preservation is a bundle of ethics and practices rooted in the desire of some people to live near old-timers, whom they associate with “authentic” community. To preserve authentic community, social preservationists, who tend to be highly educated and residentially mobile, work to limit old-timers’ displacement by gentrification. However, they do not consider all original residents authentic. They work to preserve those they believe embody three claims to authentic community: independence, tradition, and a close relationship to place. Underlining their attraction to these characteristics are resistance to the evolution of neighborhoods and towns, and the notion that certain groups have a greater claim to authentic community than others. These beliefs, and, secondarily, local institutions and boosters, influence their preservation of certain groups. While the quest for the authentic is typically viewed as affirming the authenticity of its seekers, social preservationists measure the authenticity of others’ communities against their own in authenticity. That is, they are committed to virtuous marginality, which exists when people associate authenticity with, and highly value, characteristics they do not share, and consequently, out of a desire to preserve the authentic, come to regard their distance from it – their marginality – as virtuous. This article reveals the consequences of definitions of authenticity, and more generally of ideology, by demonstrating how they shape preservationists’ lives, particularly their experience of community.
Effects of Types and Levels of Carbohydrates and Proteins on Carcass Composition of Adult Rats

SummaryTo study the interrelationships among dietary carbohydrates and proteins upon the production of body fat and protein, 12 groups of young adult male rats (200 days old) were fed, for 14 weeks, purified diets with sucrose and 1, 3, or 6% nitrogen from lactalbumin or wheat gluten, or corresponding diets containing cornstarch. Sucrose-fed rats ate more and gained significantly more weight and fat than cornstarch-fed rats only when fed the two higher levels of protein. After adjustment of the data to take into account differences in initial body weight and calorie intake, fat gains were still significantly higher in sucrose-fed animals. More efficient utilization of protein in cornstarch-fed rats was indicated but only at the 1% level of nitrogen. The data indicated that changes in body composition of adult rats are dependent to a larger extent upon specific combinations of nutrients than upon weight changes and calorie intakes.
Smurf2 induces degradation of GSK-3β and upregulates β-catenin in chondrocytes: A potential mechanism for Smurf2-induced degeneration of articular cartilage

We have previously demonstrated that Smurf2 is highly expressed in human osteoarthritis (OA) tissue, and overexpression of Smurf2 under the control of the type II collagen promoter (Col2a1) induces an OA-like phenotype in aged Col2a1-Smurf2 transgenic mice, suggesting that Smurf2 is located upstream of a signal cascade which initiates OA development. However, the factors downstream of Smurf2 in this signal cascade and how Smurf2-induced OA is initiated are largely unknown. In this study, we further characterized the phenotypic changes in Col2a1-Smurf2 transgenic and WT articular cartilage from the postnatal stage to adulthood. We found that the articular cartilage degeneration occurring at the cartilage surface in 6 month-old Col2a1-Smurf2 transgenic mice progressed from an expanded hypertrophic domain in the basal layer of the deep articular cartilage at 2.5 weeks of age, which may lead to an accelerated calcification and ectopic ossification of this region at 1 month of age, and aggregation and maturation of articular chondrocytes in the middle and deep zones at 2 months and 4.5 months of age, respectively. Furthermore, we discovered that ectopically expressed Smurf2 interacted with GSK-3beta and induced its ubiquitination and subsequent proteasomal degradation, and hence upregulated beta-catenin in Col2a1-Smurf2 transgenic chondrocytes ex vivo. It is therefore likely that Smurf2-mediated upregulation of beta-catenin through induction of proteasomal degradation of GSK-beta in chondrocytes may activate articular chondrocyte maturation and associated alteration of gene expression, the early events of OA.
Effects of hypothalamic extract and androgen on pituitary FSH release in vitro.

Neutralized acidic extracts of rat hypothalamic tissue stimulated release of follicle-stimulating hormone from adult male rat pituitary tissue during a 6-hr incubation period. A graded response was observed in release of FSH by pituitary tissue in response to doses of extract ranging from 1/32 to 1/4 hypothalamic equivalent per incubated pituitary. Evidence was obtained that castration increases and testosterone propionate injections reduce the FSH-releasing activity of hypothalamic extracts. (Endocrinology 78: 500, 1966)
Interaction of O2 with the Fe0.84Cr0.16(001) surface studied by photoelectron spectroscopy

Abstract Soft X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (SXPS; hv = 130−600 eV) employing synchrotron radiation and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS; hv = 1486.6 eV) employing AlKα X-rays were used to study the effect of molecular oxygen adsorption (1 to 104 L) on the (001) surface of the steel-like alloy Fe0.84Cr0.16 at room temperature. The use of multiple photon energies allowed a qualitative determination of the distribution of species in the oxide film perpendicular to the surface. Prior to oxidation, Fe0.84Cr0.16samples were annealed to different temperatures to produce varying concentrations of Cr in the top few monolayers of the (001) surface. The differences between the oxide films produced on these different surfaces were determined from SXPS primarily of the Fe 3p, Cr 3p, and valence levels. Small amounts of carbidic carbon(⩽ 1 ML) that had segregated to the (001) surface of the Fe0.84Cr0.16alloy during initial sputter/anneal treatments were removed during the first ∼ 5 L O2 exposure. In general, the resistance of the Fe0.84Cr0.16(001) surface to oxidation was directly related to the initial Cr concentration at the surface. The oxide films were richer in Cr compared to the bulk concentration for the lowest O2 exposures, and became increasingly enriched in Fe for increasing exposures, in agreement with studies by other groups. The resulting mixed FeCrO film contained Cr that was in the form of Cr3+ for all exposures. The Fe was in the form of Fe2+ and Fe3+, with an increasing Fe3+/Fe2+ ratio as the O2 exposure is increased. The results indicate that for O2 exposures
Production of free light chains of immunoglobulin by a hematopoietic cell line derived from a patient with multiple myeloma.

SummaryA cell line derived from a myeloma patient was found to produce only λ−type light chains of immunoglobulin which were secreted into the culture medium. There appears to be no formation of γ−, α−, or μ−heavy chains or of intact immunoglobulins. The light chains produced gave a reaction of identity with the Bence-Jones protein of the original patient's urine upon immunodiffusion and showed a similar molecular size upon gel filtration. The cells produced about 15 μg λ−chain per day per 106 cells (45 × 107 chain molecules per day per cell) under the culture conditions used.
Reconstructing Dead Nonhuman Animals: Motivations for Becoming a Taxidermist

Abstract Displays of dead nonhuman animals are a common sight on the walls of many American homes and commercial establishments. Taxidermists are the individuals who preserve and attempt to re-create dead animals, birds, and fish so they can be displayed. Little is known about those employed in the profession, including characteristics of individuals who enter this line of work. Using a qualitative approach to data collection, this exploratory research examined motivations for becoming a taxidermist in Montana. Findings suggest that Montana taxidermists entered the profession for one of five main reasons: an interest in wildlife, a desire to mount their own trophies, a hobby that became a job, the necessity of changing jobs, and miscellaneous motivations.
High myopia as an unusual cause of restrictive motility disturbance

Endocrine ophthalmopathy is a common cause of restrictive ocular motility disorder associated with abnormal forced duction testing. We report ultrasonographic and computed tomographic findings in a highly myopic patient without thyroid abnormality in whom the restrictive findings of endocrine ophthalmopathy were simulated by contact between elongated globes and the bones of the orbital apices.
Molecular genetics of mutants of Rhizobium leguminosarum which fail to fix nitrogen

Mutants of Rhizobium leguminosarum which failed to fix nitrogen within nodules on peas were isolated following the insertion of the transposon Tn5 into pRL1JI, a Rhizobium plasmid known to carry the genes for nitrogenase. The sites of the Tn5 insertions were identified by restriction endonuclease mapping of cloned fragments of DNA from the mutant strains. One group of mutants was located within 4 kilobases of the structural genes for nitrogenase and another was located about 30 kilobases from this region. Two mutants from the first group, one of which appeared to be affected in a nitrogenase gene, induced nodules that contained bacterioids, but the number of plant cells containing bacteroids was less than in a normal nodule. Another group of mutants, which was located about 30 kilobases from the nitrogenase genes failed to form bacterioids. Electron microscopy of the nodules induced by these mutants indicated that there was a defect in their release from infection threads.
Longitudinal modulation of immune system cytokine profile during pregnancy

Objective To characterize immune modulation as expressed by cytokine assays at three time-points in human pregnancy.
The Need to Reform the "Acceptance of Responsibility" Adjustment

Part of the Law Commons Publication Information Michael M. O’Hear, The Need to Reform the "Acceptance of Responsibility" Adjustment, 9 Fed. Sent'g Rep. 101 (1996). © 1996 by the Regents of the University of California on behalf of the Vera Institute of Justice. Copying and permissions notice: Authorization to copy this content beyond fair use (as specified in Sections 107 and 108 of the U. S. Copyright Law) for internal or personal use, or the internal or personal use of specific clients, is granted by the Regents of the University of California on behalf of the Vera Institute of Justice for libraries and other users, provided that they are registered with and pay the specified fee via Rightslink® on Caliber (http://caliber.ucpress.net/) or directly with the Copyright Clearance Center, http://www.copyright.com.
Relationships of managerial effectiveness and advancement to self-reported and subordinate-reported leadership behaviors from the multiple-linkage mode

Abstract A field study was conducted to determine whether the behaviors in the multiple-linkage model are related to leadership effectiveness and advancement, whether these criteria are predicted better by leader behavior descriptions from subordinates than by leader self-reports, and whether the results are influenced by the level of analysis. Leader behavior descriptions were obtained from the leaders and their subordinates; data on advancement and effectiveness were obtained from superiors, peers, and subordinates. The results showed that leader effectiveness was related more closely to subordinate descriptions of leader behavior than to leader self-reported behavior. Behavior descriptions from the two sources were equally effective in predicting a manager's advancement in the organization. The leader behaviors that related most strongly to managerial effectiveness also related most strongly to advancement. There was substantial convergence in results for different levels of analysis.
Aortic Dilatation With Bicuspid Aortic Valves: Cusp Fusion Correlates to Matrix Metalloproteinases and Inhibitors

Background Congenital bicuspid aortic valves (BAVs) result from fusion of 2 valve cusps, resulting in left-noncoronary (L-N), right-left (R-L), and right-noncoronary (R-N) morphologic presentations. BAVs predispose to ascending thoracic aortic aneurysms (ATAAs). This study hypothesized that ATAAs with each BAV morphologic group possess unique signatures of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and endogenous tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs). Methods Ascending thoracic aortic aneurysm tissue from 46 patients with BAVs was examined for MMP/TIMP abundance, and global MMP activity was compared with normal aortic specimens (n = 15). Proteolytic balance was calculated as the ratio of MMP abundance to a composite TIMP score. Results were stratified by valve morphologic group (L-N [n = 6], R-L [n = 31], and R-N [n = 9]). Results The BAV specimens (p 0.05 versus normal aorta, 100%) displayed elevated global MMP activity (273%±63%), MMP-9 (263%±47%), and decreased MMP-7 (56%±10%), MMP-8 (58%±11%), TIMP-1 (63%±7%), and TIMP-4 (38%±3%). The R-L group showed increased global MMP activity (286%±89%) and MMP-9 (267%±55%) with reduced MMP-7 (45%±7%), MMP-8 (68%±15%), TIMP-1 (58%±7%), and TIMP-4 (35%±3%). The L-N group showed elevated global MMP activity (284%±71%) and decreased MMP-8 (37%±17%) and TIMP-4 (48%±14) activity. In the R-N group, MMP-7 (46%±13%) and MMP-8 (36%±17%) and TIMP-1 (59%±10%) and TIMP-4 (42%±5%) were decreased. The R-L group demonstrated an increased proteolytic balance for MMP-1, MMP-9, and MMP-12 relative to L-N and R-N. Conclusions Each BAV morphologic group possesses a unique signature of MMPs and TIMPs. MMP/TIMP score ratios suggest that the R-L group may be more aggressive, justifying earlier surgical intervention.
INFRARED QUANTUM-DOT DETECTORS WITH DIFFUSION-LIMITED CAPTURE

Employing Monte-Carlo simulations we investigate parameters and optimize geometry of IR quantum-dot detectors with diffusion-limited capture into the dots surrounded by potential barriers. Our results show that structures with modulation doping of interdot matrix provide an effective separation of the localized and conducting electron states. In these structures, the capture time is mainly determined by the quantum dot concentration and the height of potential barriers around dots. The capture is not sensitive to the dot positions. It also weakly depends on the electric field up to the characteristic value, at which significant electron heating allows hot electrons to overcome the barriers. Optimizing the carrier capture and transit times, we show that quantum-dot structures have a lot of potentials for increasing the photoconductive gain and for the development of IR room-temperature detectors.
GIS-based landslide susceptibility zonation using bivariate statistical and expert approaches in the city of Constantine (Northeast Algeria)

The city of Constantine has suffered frequent landslides during the last few decades because of its geological, geomorphological, climatic and seismotectonic setting as well as anthropic activities. In this work we perform a landslide susceptibility zonation (LSZ) zonation by using bivariate statistical and expert approaches in GIS technology for this area. Firstly, a landslide inventory map was constructed from interpretation of aerial photographs, high resolution satellite images, field surveys and bibliographies. Then various causal factors such as lithology, slope, aspect, precipitation, land use, distance to streams, distance to faults and anthropogenic factors like distance to roads associated with landslide activity were considered and the corresponding thematic layers generated using GIS techniques. The relative importance of these layers in causing landslides has been evaluated using bivariate statistics and expert methods to generate LSZ maps. The expert-based method provided a subjective classification of the study area in terms of landslide susceptibility which does not completely fit the landslide field survey. However unlikely, the bivariate statistics-based method provided the most satisfying results and appears to be the most accurate. Indeed, results show that 27.2 % of the study area lies within a very high to high susceptibility zone that encompasses 73.64 % of the existing landslides. Moderate, low and very low susceptibility zones cover, respectively, 25.7, 21.7 and 25.4 % of the study area. The LSZ maps generated may serve as useful tools for land management and planning in the Constantine region.
Multiobjective Stochastic Control in Fluid Dynamics via Game Theory Approach: Application to the Periodic Burgers Equation

The purpose of the present work is to implement well-known statistical decision and game theory strategies into multiobjective stochastic control problems of fluid dynamics. Such goal is first justified by the fact that deterministic (either singleobjective or multiobjective) control problems that are obtained without taking into account the uncertainty of the model are usually unreliable. Second, in most real-world problems, several goals must be satisfied simultaneously to obtain an optimal solution and, as a consequence, a multiobjective control approach is more appropriate. Therefore, we develop a multiobjective stochastic control algorithm for general fluid dynamics applications, based on the Bayes decision, adjoint formulation and the Nash equilibrium strategies. The algorithm is exemplified by the multiobjective stochastic control of a periodic Burgers equation.
Hybrid-active filtering of harmonic currents in power systems

Use of nonlinear loads and devices in power systems is expected to grow rapidly. Examples are thyristor-controlled inductors for FACTS, converters for HVDC transmission and large adjustable speed drives. All of these loads inject harmonic currents into the power system. A novel hybrid filter topology and its control, to prevent such harmonic currents from entering the power system, are presented in this paper. Analysis shows that in the proposed filter, the power electronic converter, required to generate harmonic currents for compensation, has a rating of only 9% when compared to the converter rating in an active filter and approximately one-half of that in a series-hybrid filter discussed in the literature. The proposed topology enables practical implementation of active harmonic current filters. The control of this filter under transient conditions such as start-up and during steady state is demonstrated by means of simulations. Results from a scaled-down hardware prototype are presented to verify the simulations. >
Flow microfluorometric studies of lectin binding to mammalian cells. II. Estimation of the surface density of receptor sites by multiparameter analysis.

A flow-system multiparameter cell analyzer that simultaneously measures and processes fluorescence and cell volume signals from single cells was used to study the binding of fluorescein-conjugated Concanavalin A (Con A–F) to the cell surface. Cells reacted with Con A–F were passed through a flow chamber where sensors measured both cell volume and fluorescence of each individual cell. Sensor signals were electronically processed by first converting the cell volume signals to two-thirds power (proportional to surface area) and then forming the fluorescence-to-surface area ratio. These ratios, which were considered as estimates of the surface density of binding sites, were displayed as frequency distribution histograms using a multichannel pulse-height analyzer for various cell populations differing in cell size. Comparisons between cell lines showed characteristic differences in binding site density. Cell cycle dependent changes were not found for CHO cells synchronized by mitotic selection. An important benefit of this analysis method was the ability to quantitate very weak cell surface fluorescence.
Impact of cotrimoxazole and insecticide-treated nets for malaria prevention on key outcomes among HIV-infected adults in low- and middle-income countries: a systematic review.

Background HIV-infected adults are at increased risk of severe malaria and death. Malaria prevention in people living with HIV (PLHIV) consists of several interventions, including cotrimoxazole (CTX) prophylaxis and insecticide-treated nets (ITNs). We conducted a systematic review of the available evidence.
Cardiovascular Adaptation to Twelve Minutes of Mild Daily Exercise in Middle-Aged Sedentary Men*

: A group of sedentary middle-aged men (N=15) completed a 6-week exercise program that involved two 6-minute daily exercise bouts of running-in-place. Total body weight, skinfold thickness and serum triglyceride levels were not altered by this mild exercise program. However, increases in the subjects' work capacity and decreases in systolic blood pressure and heart rate for a given work load were observed. The results of measuring systolic time intervals by a noninvasive technique suggested that myocardial contractility at rest had increased after the 6-week period. These results indicate that a beneficial adaptation of cardiovascular function can occur in sedentary middle-aged men in response to a mild form of activity that can be accomplished with a minimum of time, inconvenience and facilities. In addition, the use of noninvasive techniques in measuring systolic time intervals appears to be a useful means of evaluating changes in cardiovascular function induced by exercise training.
Current Thoughts in Fungal Keratitis: Diagnosis and Treatment

Fungal keratitis remains a challenging and often elusive diagnosis in geographic regions where it is endemic. Marred by delays in diagnosis, the sequelae of corneal fungal infections, though preventable, can be irreversible. Recent studies and advances in the arena have broadened the approach and treatment to mycotic keratitis. This review will discuss current diagnostic modalities of fungal keratitis and will particularly focus on treatment regimens. It will also explore future therapeutic models and critique the potential benefit of each.
A Prospective Randomized Evaluation of Topical Gatifloxacin on Conjunctival Flora in Patients Undergoing Intravitreal Injections

Purpose We sought to assess the efficacy of 3-day topical gatifloxacin use in combination with povidone-iodine (PVI) versus PVI alone in eliminating conjunctival bacterial flora in patients scheduled to undergo intravitreal (IVT) injection. Design Prospective, randomized single-blind clinical trial. Participants We included 129 patients scheduled to undergo 273 IVT injections at California Vitreoretinal Center at Stanford University. Methods Study patients were randomized to self-administration of gatifloxacin drops for 3 days before injection, or no pretreatment antibiotics. Cultures were collected from the bulbar conjunctiva at the injection site and at the corresponding location in the fellow eye before PVI preparation. After topical PVI treatment and immediately before injection, a third culture was obtained at the injection site. Additionally, the injection needle was also cultured after the procedure. Main Outcome Measures Incidence of positive bacterial samples collected from injection site conjunctiva and injection needles. Results Three-day gatifloxacin use resulted in a significantly lower rate of SeptiChek (Becton Dickinson, Franklin Lakes, NJ) positive cultures compared with untreated controls (21% vs 48% respectively, P = 0.005). After topical PVI, the rate of positive bacterial cultures in gatifloxacin-treated and control eyes were similar (8% and 4%, respectively; P = 0.324). Conclusions Although 3-day topical gatifloxacin use is effective in reducing the frequency of conjunctival bacterial growth relative to untreated eyes, antibiotic use confers no additional benefit in combination with PVI than eyes receiving PVI alone. This supports that topical PVI is an effective preinjection monotherapy for infection prophylaxis in the setting of IVT injections. Financial Disclosure(s) The authors have no proprietary or commercial interest in any materials discussed in this article.
Revisiting the Berger location model: Fallacious confidence interval or a rigged example?

Abstract Since the 1960s the Bayesian case against frequentist inference has been partly built on several “classic” examples which are devised to show how frequentist inference procedures can give rise to fallacious results; see Berger and Wolpert (1988) [2] . The primary aim of this note is to revisit one of these examples, the Berger location model, that is supposed to demonstrate the fallaciousness of frequentist Confidence Interval (CI) estimation. A closer look at the example, however, reveals that the fallacious results stem primarily from the problematic nature of the example itself, since it is based on a non-regular probability model that enables one to (indirectly) assign probabilities to the unknown parameter. Moreover, the proposed confidence set is not a proper frequentist CI in the sense that it is not defined in terms of legitimate error probabilities.
1035 FACTORS INFLUENCING DEVELOPMENT OF GROUP A STREPTOCOCCAL TYPE-SPECIFIC ANTIBODY

Because factors influencing the immune response to streptococcal M protein following upper respiratory tract (URT) and skin infections are poorly understood, we evaluated epidemiologic data from 4 groups of patients (408 serially collected sera from 119 children; m age = 6.5 yrs.) followed carefully for 2 yrs. The date and site of first acquisition of 4 serotypes (6,31,49,52), and the type-specific serum bactericidal activity (SBA) from pre-and post-acquisition sera were determined. The effects of patient age, serotype, site of isolation and number of culture-positive visits for each M type on the development of SBA were studied. M-6 was isolated from only the URT; while M-31, 49, and 52 were isolated from both skin and URT. Significant SBA developed in 27 of 41 (66%) patients with M-6; 22 of 41 (54%) with M-31; 13 of 31 (42%) with M-49; and 4 of 6 (67%) with M-52. The magnitude of the SBA response was generally greater for those with M-6. Of those with M-31 or M-49, no difference in SBA was noted between those with recovery only from the URT and those with recovery from both the URT and skin lesions. The development of SBA was related to number of isolations, although different for those acquiring each type. The increase in SBA was age-related in those with M-6, but not in those with M-31 or M-49. These data define several complex variables which may influence development of SBA following group A streptococcal infections.
Modulated calorimetry of poly(1,4-oxybenzoate), poly(2,6-oxynaphthoate), and their copolymers

Abstract Poly(1,4-oxybenzoate) (POB) and poly(2,6-oxynaphthoate) (PON) and their copolymers which have a well-established phase diagram have been studied with temperature-modulated differential scanning calorimetry (TMDSC). All the analyzed polymers have more than one disordering transition between the glass transition (from 400 to 430 K) and decomposition (starting at ≈700 K). Above the glass transition, the reversible heat capacity, C p , increases beyond that calculated from the crystallinity and the known C p of the solid and melt. This is likely due to an increase of mobility within the crystals and/or a possible rigid-amorphous fraction (mainly for the copolymers). The disordering transitions are largely irreversible, supporting the observation that semicrystalline, linear macromolecules show decreasing amounts of locally reversible melting with increasing rigidity and crystal perfection.
Production Relations, Labor Productivity, and Choice of Technique: British and U.S. Cotton Spinning

The role of capital-labor relations in the transformation of inputs into output is central to the Marxian theory of capitalist development but is neglected by neoclassical theory. By comparing the development of cotton spinning in Britain and the U.S. in the last half of the nineteenth century, this paper analyzes the ways in which capital-labor relations affected the level and structure of wages, labor productivity, and choice of technique. This case study demonstrates the descriptive and predictive limitations of the neoclassical theory of choice of technique while at the same time pointing the way towards the development of a more incisive, and historically relevant, theory.
In vitro zinc stimulation of angiotensin-converting enzyme activities in human plasma

We evaluated plasma angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) activity and in vitro zinc stimulation of ACE as a method to assess zinc nutriture in two groups of humans. These included a total of 135 indigent African-American women who participated in a double-blind trial to evaluate the effect of oral zinc supplementation (25 mg/day as zinc sulfate) on pregnancy outcome and 15 healthy young males who volunteered in a study to evaluate the effect of low-zinc intake (0.5 mg of zinc per day for 12 days) on the concentration of erythrocyte metallothionein under controlled metabolic conditions. In the first group, increased birth weight and head circumference of newborns by maternal zinc supplementation led to the conclusion that inadequate maternal zinc nutriture existed. However, there were no differences in the activities of plasma ACE and ACE stimulation by the in vitro addition of zinc between the zinc-supplemented and placebo groups. Both of these values remained unchanged during pregnancy. In the second group, plasma ACE activity remained unchanged after a low-zinc diet for 12 days although erythrocyte metallothionein and zinc concentrations declined. We conclude that these tests are insensitive indicators of zinc nutriture in humans.
Research Note to “Incidence of the Impacts of Room Taxes on the Lodging Industry”: Revision to Article Published in Spring 1993 Issue of JTR

The corrected data in this note measure the price elasticity of supply for lodging services to be about 0.11 based on time-series data. This level compared with the elasticity of demand was calculated at the time by the same authors at -0.44. The two elasticities taken together indicate that the incidence of room taxes falls most heavily on the lodging industry, which reverses the conclusion from the original article.
Differences in Plasmodium berghei development in nude and normal mice.

Abstract Mcguire R. W. 1984. Differences in Plasmodium berghei development in nude and normal mice. International Journal for Parasitology14: 57–61. Parasitemia is a cumulative index of hostparasite responses which constitutes a dynamic cycle of affector-effector mechanisms. Therefore, it is necessary to view these responses as host or parasite in nature and this investigation focused on parasite responses. This study supports previous findings, i.e., congenitally athymic (nu/nu) mice maintain higher parasitemias than control (nu/+) animals. Analysis of these differences demonstrate that, in the erythrocytic phase, the frequency of schizonts, the frequency of multiple-infected red blood cells and the number of nuclei per schizont are dependent on the immunological state of the host. Collectively, parasite developmental characteristics suggest that Plasmodium berghei has a greater reproductive capability and possibly a higher degree of sequestration while developing in nude mice.