cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Christian Leaders as Imitators: Jesus as the Ultimate Example of Leadership

Every generation of Christian leaders has been called to follow the model set forth by Jesus Christ: “Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ” (1 Cor. 11:1, ESV). Given this, any exploration of Christian leadership must be grounded in understanding the person, work, and leadership of Jesus Christ. This chapter sought to explore the leadership of Jesus Christ through the paradigm of the Gospel of John using the 16 metaphors found in this book. After a concise, examination of purposefully selected passages, 16 principles were identified.
Does patient expectancy account for the cognitive and clinical benefits of mindfulness training in older adults

Objectives Patient expectations of treatment effects could influence neuropsychological and clinical outcomes in clinical trials of behavioral and lifestyle interventions, which could potentially confound the interpretation of findings. Our aim was to examine whether patient expectancy mediated effectiveness of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) for improving cognitive function and clinical outcome. Methods The present study uses data from a single-blind, multi-site, randomized controlled trial comparing MBSR to a health education attention control in older adults with anxiety and/or depressive disorders and subjective cognitive concerns. Using the Credibility and Expectations Questionnaire, we measured expectancy and perceived credibility of the interventions assigned to patients. Using mediational analysis, we examined the influence of expectancy and credibility on two key outcomes: memory performance and clinical global improvement. Results Neither expectancy nor perceived credibility of intervention accounted significantly for MBSR's effectiveness for memory test performance or clinical global improvement. Conclusion In this clinical trial, expectancy for improvement did not account for the effectiveness of MBSR on memory performance or clinical outcomes in depressed and anxious older adults. We advise that clinical trials of behavioral and lifestyle interventions for brain health in older adults should measure and test the role of expectancy.
Evolution of the gut microbiome in infancy within an ecological context.

Purpose of review Humans and their commensal microbiota coexist in a complex ecosystem molded by evolutionary and ecological factors. Ecological opportunity is the prospective, lineage-specific characteristic of an environment that contains both niche availability leading to persistence coupled with niche discordance that drives selection within that lineage. The newborn gut ecosystem presents vast ecological opportunity. Herein, factors affecting perinatal infant microbiome composition are discussed. Recent findings Establishing a healthy microbiota in early life is required for immunological programming and prevention of both short-term and long-term health outcomes. The holobiont theory infers that host genetics contributes to microbiome composition. However, in most human studies, environmental factors are predominantly responsible for microbiome composition and function. Key perinatal elements are route of delivery, diet and the environment in which that infant resides. Vaginal delivery seeds an initial microbiome, and breastfeeding refines the community by providing additional microbes, human milk oligosaccharides and immunological proteins. Summary Early life represents an opportunity to implement clinical practices that promote the optimal seeding and feeding of the gut microbial ecosystem. These include reducing nonemergent cesarean deliveries, avoiding the use of antibiotics, and promoting exclusive breastfeeding.
Performance Comparison of a Wankel SI Engine Fuelled with Gasoline and Ethanol Blended Hydrogen

The main interest of the Wankel rotary engine is its higher power density as compared to similar conventional engine. However, the unusual geometry of the Wankel engine affects negatively the engine economy and the exhaust emissions. The knowledge of the rotary Wankel engine drawbacks and fuel characteristics can help to choose which fuel can achieve the best performance with that kind of engine. The aim of this paper is to compare the experimental results of the performance of a monorotor Wankel engine fuelled with gasoline, ethanol and then after hydrogen addition to each fuel used, at lean operating condition and full load regime. Testing were carried out under constant engine speed of 3000 rpm, fixed spark timing of 15° BTDC, at lean to ultra lean and full load conditions. The test results have shown that pure ethanol burns more efficiently than gasoline. Moreover, the addition of hydrogen helps to achieve better brake mean effective pressure, thermal efficiency and reduce the fuel consumption for both fuel, however, this improvement is more significant for gasoline engine.
Unintended Effects, Iatrogenic Harms, and the Challenge of Population-Wide Vaccination Compliance

Perhaps the greatest challenge to achieving compliance to population-wide vaccination recommendations is overcoming the fear of iatrogenic harms resulting from vaccination. Unquestionably, the sing...
Quantum Hall Physics in Magnetic Topological Insulators

Magnetic topological insulator, where spontaneous magnetization is introduced by magnetic doping, realizes quantum anomalous Hall effect (QAHE). The chiral edge state (CES) at the edge of QAHE is a promising candidate for a dissipationless electronic channel under zero magnetic field. The realization temperature of QAHE was, however, extremely low below one hundred mK. To overcome this limitation, we fabricated a magnetic modulation-doped topological insulator and realized QHE and QAHE above 2 K. We utilized the high-temperature QAHE to prove and manipulate CES at the magnetic domain wall employing magnetic force microscope.
Combustion of metal powder with dinitrogen tetroxide

Abstract Here we present analysis of a novel reactive material system that employs dinitrogen tetroxide (N2O4) as a liquid oxidizer with metal powder fuels. The oxidizer was added to micron scale aluminum and zirconium powders by a remote injection system. When ignited with a high voltage spark, the mixtures were observed to possess reactivity comparable to nanocomposite reactive materials, with open-tube flame expansion velocities from 500 to 1400 m/s depending on fuel/oxidizer ratio and tube diameter. Temperatures were observed to range from 3000 to 3500 K as measured with gray body fits to 16-channel time-resolved pyrometer and time-integrated spectrometer data. These values were significantly below calculated adiabatic flame temperatures, which we attribute to local deviations from stoichiometry and kinetic/energetic limitations similar to those observed in studies of particles burning in high pressures gaseous oxidizers. Al/N2O4 reactivity was found to be most likely limited by the vaporization of the metal from the particle surface and Zr/N2O4 was limited by slower burning and complex interactions involving the solubility of nitrogen and oxygen in the molten Zr. We also discuss the potential for these materials to be used to create an “on/off” reactive material, since N2O4 can be added remotely and driven to evaporate via vacuum or purge of inert gases to return it to a safe condition.
Transformation of Employment Relations Systems in Central and Eastern Europe

During the 1990s, employment relations systems in Central and Eastern Europe experienced a complex, multilevel process of transformation. In the present paper, we discuss the transformation of employment relations systems under the impact of privatization, foreign direct investment, and pressures for the accession to the European Union enlargement at the enterprise, industry, and national levels. We argue that the pattern of embeddedness of employment relations in the former planned economic system, the developmental role of the state during the period of transition and the timing of the changes at a moment of intensified international competition resulted in unique configurations of employment relations in the different Central and Eastern European countries, not necessarily converging towards the incremental adjustments of Western European employment relations.
Brite Lite Switches, Inc

This case deals with production and inventory planning in a "dependent-demand" environment. Students must choose and evaluate a master production schedule in the course of determining the net requirements of components in a two-level end-product explosion. The case is intended to be taught with "Note on Material-Requirements Planning" (OM-0816) or similar expository reading about MRP. Excerpt UVA-OM-0815 Rev. Oct. 26, 2009 BRITE LITE SWITCHES, INC. Margret Nedelkoff, division manager for the Plastics Component division of Brite Lite Switches (BLS), was discussing with Flip Edison a proposal for a new system for planning and controlling production. Edison, the new manager of production planning, had drafted a memo (Exhibit 1) suggesting a move from the current inventory control process to a material requirement planning (MRP) system. While Nedelkoff was aware of other manufacturers' successes with MRP, she also was skeptical about the benefits Edison described in his memo, given that the division had instituted a new, equally promising inventory control system only two years earlier that had failed to live up to expectations. As Nedelkoff rose to end the meeting, she said: Flip, I appreciate what you are saying, but I'm just not sure that this is what we need. We have yet to see any significant return on our $ 200,000 investment in a new EOQ/reorder-point system two years ago. And on top of that, putting in a new system is really disruptive. The supervisors and employees on the shop floor have to learn a whole new way of doing things, and if it is anything like last time, I'll be getting a phone call every day for months from Jack Reynolds, VP of Marketing, telling me how many sales he has lost because we can't deliver what he needs. I know the current system isn't perfect, but I'm not sure that it can't be improved. I am going to have to think a lot about this before I commit the kind of resources and time you are talking about. Edison left the office determined to address Nedelkoff's concerns. He reasoned that perhaps he had moved too aggressively on the changes he recommended. If he could demonstrate the benefits on a few items of inventory, he was sure that she would see the logic of switching the entire planning and production process over to his proposed system. . . .
The cohomology of general tensor products of vector bundles on $${\mathbb {P}}^2$$ P 2

Computing the cohomology of the tensor product of two vector bundles is central in the study of their moduli spaces and in applications to representation theory, combinatorics and physics. These computations play a fundamental role in the construction of Brill–Noether loci, birational geometry and S-duality. Using recent advances in the Minimal Model Program for moduli spaces of sheaves on $${\mathbb {P}}^2$$ , we compute the cohomology of the tensor product of general semistable bundles on $${\mathbb {P}}^2$$ . This solves a natural higher rank generalization of the polynomial interpolation problem. More precisely, let $$\mathbf{v}$$ and $$\mathbf{w}$$ be two Chern characters of stable bundles on $${\mathbb {P}}^2$$ and assume that $$\mathbf{w}$$ is sufficiently divisible depending on $$\mathbf{v}$$ . Let $$V \in M(\mathbf{v})$$ and $$W \in M(\mathbf{w})$$ be two general stable bundles. We fully compute the cohomology of $$V \otimes W$$ . In particular, we show that if W is exceptional, then $$V \otimes W$$ has at most one nonzero cohomology group determined by the slope and the Euler characteristic, generalizing foundational results of Drezet, Gottsche and Hirschowitz. We characterize the invariants of effective Brill–Noether divisors on $$M(\mathbf{v})$$ . We also characterize when $$V\otimes W$$ is globally generated. Our computation is canonical given the birational geometry of the moduli space, suggesting a roadmap for tackling analogous problems on other surfaces.
SCHÜLLER-CHRISTIAN'S DISEASE; REPORT OF A CASE IN ONE OF IDENTICAL TWINS*

Excerpt Schuller-Christian's disease is a constitutional metabolic disorder. It does not appear to be familial nor hereditary. Identical twins have identical heredity and, barring intrauterine and ...
Markov Processes in Learning Spaces

A learning space is a family of sets satisfying certain conditions. The sets are called knowledge states. In the most common application of these concepts, a knowledge state is a set of items of knowledge, such as all the concepts mastered by a student in some part of mathematics. Two applications of Markov processes to learning spaces are described. The most important one is the core component of an assessment system designed to uncover the knowledge state of the student by systematic questioning. A learning space can also be used as a teaching instrument. The student masters the items one by one, progressively increasing the size of his or her knowledge state. The second Markov process is a stochastic mechanism tracking the gradual learning of an item.
Arthritis and Musculoskeletal Conditions

Arthritis and other musculo-skeletal conditions collectively represent the most common causes of disability in the United States (Lawrence, Helmick, Arnett, et al., 1998). Currently, more than 35 million Americans suffer from some form of arthritis (Lawrence, et al., 1998). The widespread prevalence and disability associated with these conditions highlights the importance of identifying mechanisms that affect arthritis onset, course, and outcome. Traditionally, researchers attempting to understand these chronic diseases have focused on indices of disease activity to evaluate the effectiveness of treatment. However, the lack of a one-to-one correspondence between objective disease activity and subjective suffering underscores the futility of applying a strict biomedical model to these conditions. Instead, consideration of psychosocial in addition to traditional biomedical factors may yield more accurate predictions of reactions to stress and treatment outcomes. Furthermore, we wish to emphasize that just as there exist predisposing sources of vulnerability, there may exist predisposing sources of resilience to stress. Thus, the purpose of this chapter is to illustrate the biological, psychological, and social sources of vulnerability and resilience in the most common forms of arthritis in the United States: rheumatoid arthritis (RA), osteoarthritis (OA), and fibromyalgia (FM). Keywords: chronic pain; fibromyalgia; osteoarthritis; personality; rheumatoid arthritis; stress; treatment
A low frequency RFID temperature data logger

In this paper, the design and implementation of an RFID-like temperature datalogger prototype, based on ISO11784/11785 standard is presented. It was designed to communicate through an inductive coupling with a 134.2 kHz ISO compliant reader, similar to those regularly employed for livestock traceability. It uses a low power — low cost microcontroller and several discrete circuit elements for the activation signal detection, signal transmission and temperature measurement.
Automated Personalization of Internet News

A systems approach to the automatic and adaptive personalization of Internet news is described. Implemented on the client side as a lightweight, transparent software system, this approach is based on implicit user feedback, thereby preserving privacy while avoiding the constant recustomization needed in explicit schemes. The system consists of two modules: (1) a profiling agent, which unobtrusively monitors news reading patterns to track interest in different topics while acting as a proxy server on the user's computer; (2) and an action agent, which uses the profile information to retrieve, filter, and present news articles. A prototype of the system was implemented and evaluated over a two week period. Precisions (the percentages of relevant articles returned by the system) ranging from 60-95% were observed for profiles representing various combinations of interests. The system also responded very well to simulated changes in user interests, returning rapidly increasing numbers of articles relevant to newly developed interests.
Veiled Women in the American Courtroom: Is the Niqab a Barrier to Justice?

The United States is home to millions of Muslims.1 American Muslims are “largely assimilated, happy with their lives, and moderate with respect to many of the issues that have divided Muslims and Westerners around the world.”2 Experts disagree about whether the number of US Muslims is closer to two million or to eight million, but no one doubts that Islam is now among the most practiced religions in the country. Like their Christians, Jewish, Buddhist, and Hindu counterparts, many Muslims are devoutly religious. Michigan has more Muslims than any other US state; in 2005 the Islamic Center of America, the largest of more than twelve hundred US mosques, opened in Dearborn, Michigan. The ethnic and national origins of US Muslims are diverse. Some of the millions of US families who practice Islam are recent immigrants from Africa, the Middle East, Europe, or Asia. Michigan has one of the highest concentrations of Muslims of Arab ancestry outside of the Arab world. However, about a third of US Muslims are long-time US residents and citizens.3 Of these, some were born into families who practice Islam, others converted to Islam as children or adults. Among the indigenous US Muslim population groups are African American adherents, and most Black Muslim women adopt Islamic dress.
A History of Chemical Abstracts Service, 1907-1998

This paper is a history of Chemical Abstracts Service from its beginnings back in 1907 when the chemical abstracts were handwritten by volunteers. Computerization by CAS in the 1960s eventually led to the electronic production of the Chemical Abstracts volumes. Computerization also led to a unique system for the electronic storage and retrieval of graphical chemical structures and to the CAS Registry System which identified every unique chemical mentioned in Chemical Abstracts. Online searching of the CA (bibliographic) and Registry (chemical dictionary) files is discussed, as well as the new products for the retrieval of CAS information such as CA on CD ROM, STN Express, STN Easy, and SciFinder.
The potential for fuzzy logic questionnaires in management studies

Managerial studies often rely on gathering abstract, numerical data from human sources. Data is gathered about employees' attitudes and perceptions regarding organizations and their practices. Models tested using this data account for probabilistic uncertainty in the data, but not for vague uncertainty. The current investigation focuses on understanding vague uncertainty in peoples' answers to questions. A preliminary study is conducted testing fuzzy logic questions in interview and survey contexts. The conclusions form a framework for future testing.
Analytic continuation of the Pasquier inversion representation of the Khuri-Treiman equation

The single integral form of the Pasquier inversion representation of the Khuri\char21{}Treiman equation presents great advantages for describing the final-state interaction of three-body decay or production processes. However, the original form of the Pasquier inversion representation is only given in the decay region and regions below. For the regions above, analytic continuation of original form is required. Because of the nontrivial nature of the analytic continuation procedure, it is the purpose of this work to obtain a well-defined Pasquier inversion representation of the Khuri\char21{}Treiman equation for the entire energy range.
SILENTKNOCK: practical, provably undetectable authentication

Port knocking is a technique first introduced in the blackhat and trade literature to prevent attackers from discovering and exploiting potentially vulnerable services on a network host, while allowing authenticated users to access these services. Despite being based on some sound principles and being a potentially useful tool, most work in this area suffers from a lack of a clear threat model or motivation. We introduce a formal security model for port knocking that addresses these issues, show how previous schemes fail to meet our definition, and give a provably secure scheme that uses steganographic embedding of pseudorandom message authentication codes. We also describe the design and analysis of SILENTKNOCK, an implementation of this protocol for the Linux 2.6 operating system, that is provably secure, under the assumption that AES and a modified version of MD4 are pseudorandom functions, and integrates seamlessly with any existing application, with no need to recompile. Experiments indicate that the overhead due to running SILENTKNOCK on a server is minimal - on the order of 150 µs per TCP connection initiation.
Theory and analysis of peel adhesion: Rate-temperature dependence of viscoelastic interlayers

Abstract A theoretical treatment has been developed which concerns the magnitude and rate-temperature dependence of peel force for bonds comprising viscoelastic adhesive interlayers. From “master curves” of the interlayer dynamic moduli and ultimate stress or strain one may calculate a peel force “master curve.” The shift factor ( a T ) utilized to superimpose transient or dynamic rheological response and ultimate properties of high polymers is applied to superimpose peel data measured at different temperatures. Experimental and theoretical peel force “master curves” are presented. Present theory and experiments suggest that “master curve” functions of boundary stress with similar a T values define both adhesive and cohesive failure in peel. The transition from substantially adhesive to cohesive failure with varied rate and temperature is discussed in terms of these competing boundary stress functions.
The fine structure of pinacocytes in the marine sponge Microciona prolifera (Ellis and Solander).

The primitive nature of the sponge epithelium was revealed primarily by the mode of intercellular attachment. The zonula adhaerens (terminal bar) and macula adhaerens (desmosome) which occur in most metazoa are totally lacking in the exo- and endopinacoderms of Micoricona prolifera. Although a careful search was made for examples of the zonula occludens (tight junction complex), none were seen. There is still the possibility that they occur, but if so, they occupy only a small portion of the junctional area.
78 THE ISOLATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF A PORCINE cDNA FOR URATE OXIDASE AND PHOSPHORIBOSYLPYROPHOSPHATE SYNTHETASE

Our laboratory has cloned 3 genes critical to uric acid synthesis in mammals. They include hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyl transferase (HPRT), phosphoribosylpyrophosphate (PRPP) synthetase and urate oxidase. Rapid diagnostic methods have been developed which will enable the identification of point mutations in the HPRT gene which is associated with Lesch-Nyhan (L-N) syndrome in human patients. We have succeeded in the isolation for a 2.3 kb cDNA for PRPP synthetase from pig. The DNA sequence determined from the coding region shows a high degree of homology with the cDNA sequence recently determined from rat. The enzyme urate oxidase catalyzes the oxidation of uric acid to allantoin in all mammals except humans and certain primates. Recently, mice with complete HPRT deficiency have been identified. These animals display none of the neurological symptoms observed in human patients. This has raised the possibility that the absence of urate oxidase activity in man may contribute to the neurological symptoms observed in L-N patients. A 2.2 kb cDNA for urate oxidase has been isolated from a porcine liver A cDNA library. Although humans demonstrate no urate oxidase activity, analysis of human genomic DNA has revealed the presence of homologous sequences in human. The loss of urate oxidase activity in human is probably due to a lack of gene transcription since a Northern analysis detects no urate oxidase mRNA in human liver.
Water-soluble primary amine compounds in rural continental precipitation

Procedures for collecting, storing and analysing precipitation samples for organic nitrogen studies were developed. These procedures preserve chemical integrities of the species of interest, allow for up to 3 months storage and quantitative determination of water-soluble primary amine compounds, with the overall error at the 2 nM detection limit of less than 30%. This methodology was applied to study amino compounds in precipitation samples collected over a period of one year in central Virginia. Nitrogen concentrations of 13 amino acids and 3 aliphatic amines were summed to calculate the total amine nitrogen (TAN). The concentration of TAN ranged from below our detection level to 6658 nM, and possibly reflected a seasonal variation in the source strength of the atmospheric amines. Overall, the most commonly occurring amino compounds were methyl amine, ethyl amine, glutamic acid, glycine and serine. On average, the highest overall contribution to the TAN came from arginine, asparagine, glutamine, methyl amine, serine and alanine. However, large qualitative and quantitative variations observed among samples warrant caution in interpretation and application of the averaged values. TAN in Charlottesville precipitation contributed from less than 1 to ca 10% of the ammonium nitrogen level. However, our estimates show that amino compounds may contribute significantly to reduced nitrogen budget in precipitation in remote regions.
Estimation of Ground-Water Mounding Beneath Septic Drain Fields

Localized ground-water mounding beneath larger on-site sewage disposal fields (septic drain fields) can reduce and even eliminate the waste-water treatment that occurs in the unsaturated soil zone. Such mounding was previously predicted for longer times by a procedure of uncertain accuracy and having a number of limitations. In this paper, a new procedure is developed on a stronger theoretical basis. The governing equation may be solved by four different methods. The new procedure considerably extends the time range of applicability, and no longer restricts the proportions of the rectangular disposal field. Errors in the previous methods approached 20% in some cases. Comparisons of different methods to reduce mound heights where they are critical indicate that the most effective method is to subdivide the disposal field into separated subareas.
General compactons solutions for the focusing branch of the nonlinear dispersive K(n,n) equations in higher-dimensional spaces

In this paper, we will study the focusing branch of the genuinely nonlinear dispersive K(n,n) equation that exhibits compactons: solitons with finite wavelengths. The equation will be studied in one-, two- and three-dimensional spaces. General formulas for compactons solutions are developed for all positive integers n, n>1. Two sets of entirely new formulas, one set produces compactons for even integers n whereas the second set produces compactons and anticompactons for odd integers n, n>1, are established.
Long wavelength side of the absorption edge in hexagonal selenium

Abstract Close to the absorption edge, the transmission spectra of hexagonal single crystals and the reflectance spectra of powdered selenium are very sensitive to the presence of structural defects produced in the course of mechanical or thermal treatment. The shape and effective position of the absorption edge is shown to be determined by “impurity” levels arising from such defects. The proposed model stresses the relationship between the strength of the Se:Se chain bond and the interaction between adjacent chains. It is in harmony with most properties of hexagonal selenium and with the observed variations from specimen to specimen.
Drug tasting may confound human drug discrimination studies

Unpublished observations suggested that some subjects in human drug discrimination studies acquired a drug versus placebo discrimination by tasting the capsule contents. To evaluate the prevalence of this behavior and to develop approaches to circumvent this problem, 30 normal human subjects participated in a drug discrimination study in which the study capsule (i.e., lactose and lactose + quinine) could be discriminated by tasting the capsule contents but were otherwise pharmacologically indistinguishable. Twenty percent of the subjects significantly discriminated between the capsules; this discrimination was disrupted by employing thorough mouth checks following capsule administration. Based on these findings, we recommend that human drug discrimination studies incorporate procedures that minimize the possibility of drug tasting by requiring consumption of sufficient fluid in combination with rigorous mouth checks to ensure capsule swallowing.
Beta-adrenergic responses in drug-free subjects with asthma

Abstract Young atopic subjects with asthma who had taken no medication for 30 days and had normal pulmonary function were compared to atopic and nonatopic control subjects in several measures of β-adrenergic response. Subjects with asthma required a larger dose of infused isoproterenol (14.3 ± 3.9 ng/kg/min) to increase pulse pressure by a target >22 mm Hg than nonatopic control subjects (8.7 ± 3.3 ng/kg/min). Asymptomatic atopic control subjects had intermediate sensitivity (12.0 ± 6.0 ng/kg/min) (F = 3.67; p p 1 ) correlated with both the dose of isoproterenol required for the target pulse pressure response (R s = - 0.46; p s = 0.47; p
Use of sirolimus in the treatment of refractory autoimmune hepatitis.

Abstract Background Corticosteroids and azathioprine are widely accepted as the initial therapy for autoimmune hepatitis. However, the disease is refractory to steroids in about 10%-20% of patients, for whom currently there is no standardized treatment. Here we describe our experience with sirolimus in treatment of steroid refractory autoimmune hepatitis. Methods This is a longitudinal follow-up study. Between November 2007 and January 2014, 5 subjects with steroid refractory autoimmune hepatitis were treated with sirolimus at our institution. Results A response, defined as a sustained >50% fall in alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels, was achieved in 4/5 patients. A complete response, sustained normalization of ALT levels, was achieved in 2/5 patients. The need for steroids was significantly reduced in all patients ( P Conclusions In this small series, sirolimus appears to be useful in the treatment of patients with steroid refractory autoimmune hepatitis.
Algorithm for placement of limited wavelength conversion in WDM optical networks

ABSTRACT Equipping all nodes of a large optical network with full conversion capability is prohibitively costly. To improve performance at reduced cost, sparse converter placement algorithms are used to select a subset of nodes for full-conversion deployment. Further cost reduction can be obtained by deploying only limited conversion capability in the selected nodes. In this paper, we present a limited wavelength converters placement algorithm based on the k-Minimum Dominating Set (k-MDS) concept. We propose three different cost effective optical switch designs using the technologically feasible non-tunable optical multiplexers. These three switch designs are Flexible Node-Sharing, Strict Node-Sharing and Static Mapping. Compared to the full search heuristic of O(N 3 ) complexity based on ranking nodes by blocking percentages, our algorithm on one hand has a better time complexity O( 2.N ) - is the number of disjoint sets provided by k-MDS ; and on the other hand avoids the local minimum problem. The performance benefit of our algorithm is demonstrated by network simulation with the U.S Long Haul topology having 28 nodes ( is 5). From the optical network management point of view, our results also show that the limited conversion capability can achieve performance very close to that of the full conversion capability; while not only decreasing the optical switch cost but also enhancing its fault tolerance. Keywords: Limited wavelength conversion, All-optical WDM simulation and modeling, Optical Crossconnect Design, Wavelength converter placement, Minimum dominating set.
Establishment and characterization of new human embryonic stem cell lines

Human embryonic stem cells (hESC), with their ability to differentiate into all cell types in the human body, are likely to play a very important therapeutic role in a variety of neurodegenerative and life-threatening disorders in the near future. Although more than 120 different human embryonic stem cell lines have been reported worldwide, only a handful are currently available for researchers, which limits the number of studies that can be performed. This study reports the isolation, establishment and characterization of new human embryonic stem cell lines, as well as their differentiation potential into variety of somatic cell types. Blastocyst-stage embryos donated for research after assisted reproductive techniques were used for embryonic stem cell isolation. A total of 31 blastocysts were processed either for immunosurgery or direct culture methods for inner cell mass isolation. A total of nine primary stem cell colonies were isolated and of these, seven cell lines were further expanded and passaged. Established lines were characterized by their cellular and colony morphology, karyotypes and immunocytochemical properties. They were also successfully cryopreserved/thawed and showed similar growth and cellular properties upon thawing. When induced to differentiate in vitro, these cells formed a variety of somatic cell lineages including cells of endoderm, ectoderm and mesoderm origin. There is now an exponentially growing interest in stem cell biology as well as its therapeutic applications for life-threatening human diseases. However, limited availability of stem cell lines as well as financial or ethical limitations restrict the number of research projects. The establishment of new hESC lines may create additional potential sources for further worldwide and nationwide research on stem cells.
Measured performance of the Hughes 256 x 256 hybrid PtSi imaging device

The Hughes Aircraft Company CRC-365 is a hybrid infrared focal plane array that features a 256 X 256 array of platinum silicide (PtSi) photodiodes. The device was tested in a laboratory environment to determine its performance limits, in the context of MWIR imaging. Test results included the dc transfer function of the multiplexer, power dissipation, dark current, thermal barrier height, Schottky barrier height, blackbody response, saturation charge, signal contrast, Schottky quantum yield, temporal noise, NETD, response nonuniformity, temporal drift, and MRTD. Overall, performance was found to be excellent. Using two-point nonuniformity correction, background-noise-limited photodetection was achieved for a 40 degree target temperature range. Notable problem areas included bandwidth limitations and electrical crosstalk.© (1992) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Tetraalkylammonium ions are surrounded by an inner solvation shell in strong electron pair donor solvents

Density functional quantum chemical computations reveal the fact that a number of tetraalkylammonium ions hold an inner shell of tightly bound solvent molecules in N,N-dimethylformamide and dimethylsulfoxide.
Resistance of Hop Varieties to Two spotted Spider Mite

Hop varieties were compared in the greenhouse to detennine susceptibility to Tetranychus urticae Koch. Under greenhouse conditions, mite densities were significantly greater ( P ≤ 0.05) on ‘Comet’ and ‘Fuggle’ than on ‘L-8’, ‘L-I’, and ‘Cascade’ when using artificially infested plants. In laboratory tests comparing the life histories of mites on several hop varieties, no consistent differences were found in oviposition rates, sex ratio, or survival rates. Highly significant differences ( P ≤ 0.005) were found in developmental rates. Immature mites on L-16 and Talisman developed slowly, and differed in appearance from mites on Cascade, Fuggle, and Comet.
Hospital protocol for inpatients and outpatients

Summary Basic hospital admitting procedures and surgical protocols have been provided to assist hospital trained dentists in treating patients in the operating room. It is understood that many qualified practitioners do not routinely use this treatment modality and a guideline to ensure proper patient routing would be helpful.
Evaluating the robustness of dual apodization with cross-correlation

We have recently presented a new method to suppress side lobes and clutter in ultrasound imaging called dual apodization with cross-correlation (DAX). However, due to the random nature of speckle, artifactual black spots may arise with DAX-processed images. In this paper, we present one possible solution, called dynamic DAX, to reduce these black spots. We also evaluate the robustness of dynamic DAX in the presence of phase aberration and noise. Simulation results using a 5 MHz, 128-element linear array are presented using dynamic DAX with aberrator strengths ranging from 25 ns root-mean-square (RMS) to 45 ns RMS and correlation lengths of 3 mm and 5 mm. When simulating a 3 mm diameter anechoic cyst, at least 100% improvement in the contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) compared with standard beamforming is seen using dynamic DAX, except in the most severe case. Layers of pig skin, fat, and muscle were used as experimental aberrators. Simulation and experimental results are also presented using dynamic DAX in the presence of noise. With a system signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of at least 15 dB, we have a CNR improvement of more than 100% compared with standard beamforming. This work shows that dynamic DAX is able to improve the contrast-to-noise ratio reliably in the presence of phase aberration and noise.
Geometry of neonatal and adult red blood cells

Red blood cell (RBC) geometry is a determinant of RBC deformability, survival time, osmotic resistance, and oxygen uptake. Because accurate information on the geometry of neonatal RBC appears lacking, a micropipette technique was employed to measure surface area and volume of individual neonatal and adult RBC. In addition, RBC diameter was determined microscopically. From these measurements, surface area index (actual surface area divided by area of sphere of same volume), swelling index (maximal volume divided by actual volume), minimum cylindrical diameter and mean thickness of RBC were calculated. Compared to adult cells, the volume of neonatal RBC was 21% larger, their surface area was 13% greater and their diameter 11% wider. The surface area-to-volume ratio of the neonatal RBC was 1.42 +/- 0.08 and that of the adult RBC was 1.49 +/- 0.06 (P less than 0.05). The minimum cylindrical diameter of the neonatal RBC was 3.04 +/- 0.25 microns and that of the adult RBC was 2.81 +/- 0.23 microns (P less than 0.05). Mean RBC thickness, surface area index and swelling index were not significantly different.
Functional muscle synergies constrain force production during postural tasks

We recently demonstrated that a set of five functional muscle synergies were sufficient to characterize both hindlimb muscle activity and active forces during automatic postural responses in cats standing at multiple postural configurations. This characterization depended critically upon the assumption that the endpoint force vector (synergy force vector) produced by the activation of each muscle synergy rotated with the limb axis as the hindlimb posture varied in the sagittal plane. Here, we used a detailed, 3D static model of the hindlimb to confirm that this assumption is biomechanically plausible: as we varied the model posture, simulated synergy force vectors rotated monotonically with the limb axis in the parasagittal plane (r2=0.94+/-0.08). We then tested whether a neural strategy of using these five functional muscle synergies provides the same force-generating capability as controlling each of the 31 muscles individually. We compared feasible force sets (FFSs) from the model with and without a muscle synergy organization. FFS volumes were significantly reduced with the muscle synergy organization (F=1556.01, p<<0.01), and as posture varied, the synergy-limited FFSs changed in shape, consistent with changes in experimentally measured active forces. In contrast, nominal FFS shapes were invariant with posture, reinforcing prior findings that postural forces cannot be predicted by hindlimb biomechanics alone. We propose that an internal model for postural force generation may coordinate functional muscle synergies that are invariant in intrinsic limb coordinates, and this reduced-dimension control scheme reduces the set of forces available for postural control.
THE SWELLING OF ISOELECTRIC GELATIN IN WATER : I. EQUILIBRIUM CONDITIONS.

The swelling of isoelectric gelatin in water has been found to be in agreement with the following assumptions. Gelatin consists of a network of insoluble material containing a solution of a more soluble substance. Water therefore enters owing to the osmotic pressure of the soluble material and thereby puts the network under elastic strain. The process continues until the elastic force is equal to the osmotic pressure. If the temperature is raised or the blocks of gelatin remain swollen over a period of time, the network loses its elasticity and more water enters. In large blocks this secondary swelling overlaps the initial process and so no maximum can be observed. The swelling of small blocks or films of isoelectric gelatin containing from .14 to .4 gm. of dry gelatin per gm. of water is defined by the equation See PDF for Equation in which Ke = the bulk modulus See PDF for Equation. Ve = gm. water per gm. gelatin at equilibrium; Vf = gm. water per gm. gelatin when the gelatin solidified.
The use of a simple model in conjunction with a detailed carbon dioxide emissions model

Abstract We show how a simple model can be used in conjunction with an elaborate model to develop carbon dioxide emission scenarios. For both models, the carbon supply curves are the most important determinants. For the simple model, the carbon supply curves are endogenous while they are exogenous for the elaborate model. Two carbon dioxide emission scenarios have been developed by using the simple model in conjunction with the elaborate model.
Insider trading around open-market share repurchases

We examine insider trading around open-market share repurchases and find that insiders trade passively in 3 months prior to repurchase announcements and in up to 12 months following the announcements. Furthermore, both pre-announcement and post-announcement abnormal insider trading is unrelated to short-term announcement returns but correlated with long-term post-announcement returns. Our results indicate that corporate insiders trade passively around repurchase announcements in accordance with their perceived undervaluation to exploit the long-run abnormal stock returns related to the events.
Traffic and highway research and how it may be improved.

A WELL-KNOWN CONSULTANT IN TRANSPORTATION ENGINEERING PRESENTS HIS VIEW THAT THE ATTITUDES, CONCEPTS AND IMAGINATION WHICH CHARACTERIZE SUCCESSFUL RESEARCH HAVE NOT KEPT PACE WITH THE EVER-INCREASING COMPLEXITIES OF HIGHWAY TRANSPORTATION. TO SHOW THAT FOLLOWING THE "RULES" OF RESEARCH IS AN EFFECTIVE WAY OF FINDING WHAT IS WRONG (OR RIGHT) WITH THE OPERATION OF THE HIGHWAY SYSTEM, SOME EXPERIENCES IN RESEARCH ARE PRESENTED: THE USE OF A TRAFFIC NUMBER (QUALITY OF TRAFFIC FLOW INDEX) CAN BE A CRITERION FOR EVALUATING THE EFFICIENCY OF TRAFFIC OPERATIONS; STUDIES OF DRIVING BEHAVIOR IN ON-THE-ROAD DRIVING TESTS SHOW THAT DRIVERS WITH DIFFERENT DRIVING HISTORIES EXHIBIT MEASURABLY DIFFERENT CHARACTERISTICS WHEN TESTED ON THE SAME ROUTE; AND A "HIGHWAY CHARACTERISTICS RECORDER" WOULD MAKE IT POSSIBLE TO BRING THE HIGHWAY "INTO THE OFFICE" FOR QUICK AND COMPLETE ANALYSIS. THE ABILITY TO MEASURE LEADS TO NEW IDEAS FOR HIGHWAY RESEARCH METHODS. WHEN RESEARCHERS START TESTING DRIVING ABILITY, DETERMINING THE "QUALITY" OF TRAFFIC FLOW, AND REALLY KNOWING THE HIGHWAYS, THERE WILL BE SAFER, MORE EFFICIENT HIGHWAY TRANSPORTATION.
HISTORY/PHILOSOPHY/SCIENCE: SOME LESSONS FOR PHILOSOPHY OF HISTORY

Rheinberger's brief history brings into sharp profile the importance of history of science for a philosophical understanding of historical practice. Rheinberger presents thought about the nature of science by leading scientists and their interpreters over the course of the twentieth century as emphasizing increasingly the local and developmental character of their learning practices, thus making the conception of knowledge dependent upon historical experience, “historicizing epistemology.” Linking his account of thought about science to his own work on “experimental systems,” I draw extensive parallels with other work in the local history of science (the ideas of Latour, Pickering, Rouse, and others) and consider the epistemological implications both for the relation between history and philosophy of science and between history and theory more broadly. In doing so, I suggest that the long-standing gap between the natural sciences and history as a “human science” has been significantly bridged by the insistence upon the local, mediated, indeed “historicized epistemology” of actual science.
Transistor sizing of custom high-performance digital circuits with parametric yield considerations

Transistor sizing is a classic computer-aided design problem that has received much attention in the literature. Given the increasing importance of process variation in deep sub-micron circuits and the wide-spread use of statistical methods, the sizing problem for such circuits warrants revisiting. This paper addresses transistor sizing as one that can be solved via interior point nonlinear optimization with an objective function that is directly dependent on statistical process variation. Our technique automatically adjusts transistor sizes to maximize parametric yield at a given timing performance, or to maximize performance at a required parametric yield. Our results show that for process variation sensitive circuits, consisting of thousands of independently tunable transistors, a statistically aware tuner can give more robust, higher yield solutions when compared to deterministic circuit tuning and is thus an attractive alternative to the Monte Carlo methods that are typically used to size transistors in such circuits. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first working system to optimize transistor sizes in custom circuits using a process variation aware tuner.
Multidimensional solutions of the sine Gordon equation

Abstract Multidimensional generalizations of double soliton solutions of the sine Gorden equation are constructed. These solutions, containing several distinct wave vectors, collapse to 1 + 1 dimensional double solitons when the wave vectors are parallel. However, they are more general than those obtained by a simple rotation from the corresponding solutions in 1 + 1 dimesions. Some of the solutions are 3 + 1 dimensional.
Treatment of Resistant Gestational Choriocarcinoma with Taxol: A Report of Two Cases

Two patients with resistant gestational choriocarcinoma were treated with Taxol after extensive prior chemotherapy including EMACO and platinum-based salvage chemotherapy. Both patients showed significant responses to Taxol. One patient relapsed in the brain and liver after treatment and died. Taxol was combined with carboplatin in the other patient who achieved sustained clinical and hormonal remission after craniotomy and excision of resistant disease in the brain.
Assessing the Use of Activated Protein C in the Treatment of Severe Sepsis

In 2001, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) evaluated an application for the use of drotrecogin alfa (activated), or recombinant human activated protein C (Xigris, Eli Lilly), in patients with ...