cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Case Report of the Benefit of Cannabidiol (Cannabidiol (CBD)-Predominant Medical Cannabis Preparation) in the Management of Refractory Skin Graft Vshost Disease (GVHD)

Cannabis sativa contains numerous cannabinoids, with D9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD), the primary cannabinoids. Both possess potent anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive properties, but THC has significant psychoactive properties. Yeshuron's phase 2 study of CBD plus standard GVHD prophylaxis found low rates of grade 2-4 acute(A-) GVHD, and compared with 101 historical controls given standard GVHD prophylaxis, the hazard ratio of developing grades 2-4 A-GVHD was .3 (P =.0002). Kalytera Therapeutics announced a Phase 2a study of CBD for treatment of Grade 3 - 4 A-GVHD, including 9/ 10 responses, of which 7 were complete remission (CR). We report a case of steroid refractory eczematous GVHD successfully treated with a CBD predominant medical cannabis product. A 35 year old woman with T-cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia with CNS involvement in complete remission underwent matched related donor stem cell transplant (SCT) conditioned with Etoposide, TBI 1200 cGy. GvHD prophylaxis was Alemtuzumab, Tacrolimus. A rash developed on day 126 post transplant involving face and scalp and within 1 week involved 100% BSA with itching, facial and orbital swelling, ankle/feet swelling. Skin biopsy revealed an eczematous variant of GvHD known to be very aggressive, difficult to control with immunosuppression , and carries a poor prognosis. Phototherapy and steroid ointment provided initial benefit and regression of rash but it recurred within 6 months. Ruxolitinib provided no benefit. Systemic steroids were restarted at 1mg/kg/ day with minimal benefit. Photopheresis offered only minimal response. Ibrutinib was added. With steroids, photopheresis and ibrutinib she had only marginal response . Numerous infectious complications including soft tissue skin infections required multiple admissions. At 16 months post SCT, she began a medical cannabis product manufactured by VIREO HEALTH, consisting of a high CBD:THC ratio (19:1) oral solution containing CBD 47.5mg/ml and THC 2.5mg/ml. A daily dose of 6 ml provided 285 mg CBD and 15mg THC daily comparable to the 300 mg CBD Kalytera product. Toxicity was sleepiness; thus it was dosed in the evening. There was a definite response within 3 months, allowing discontinuation of ibrutinib and photopheresis. By 2 years post SCT, her GVHD had resolved with only mild itching and flakiness. Her response is sustained 1 year after starting CBD. She remains on 6 ml daily. This adds to the evidence of the anti- inflammatory and immunosuppressive effects of medical cannabis and its activity for the treatment of active GVHD. THC and CBD are anti-inflammatory via CB2 receptors. THC inhibits T-lymphocyte expansion in a murine BMT model. The THC component may have both therapeutic benefit and dose limiting toxicity. Further studies are warranted to explore the role, optimal dose of medical cannabis, in the management of GVHD.
A randomized controlled trial on the impact of healing time on wound healing following ridge preservation using a 70%/30% combination of mineralized and demineralized freeze-dried bone allograft.

BACKGROUND To compare the histologic difference in healing between ridge preservation sites treated with a combination allograft of 70% mineralized and 30% demineralized freeze-dried bone allograft (FDBA) evaluated at 8 to 10 weeks versus 18 to 20 weeks post-extraction. Changes in morphological ridge dimensions were also evaluated. METHODS Forty-four patients with a single-rooted tooth to be extracted and replaced by a dental implant were recruited for this study. At time of extraction, measurements were taken with a custom acrylic stent, and the extraction socket was grafted with the combination allograft and covered with a nonresorbable membrane. Patients were randomly assigned to the short-term (8 to 10 weeks) or long-term (18 to 20 weeks) healing group. Sites were re-entered for study measurements, a bone core sample, and implant placement. Bone cores obtained during implant placement were analyzed histologically to determine percentages of vital bone, residual graft, and CT/other. RESULTS Thirty-eight of the 44 patients completed the study, 19 in each group. There was a significant difference between the two groups for mean percent vital bone formation (short-term = 18.17%, long-term = 40.32%, P = < 0.0001) and percentage of residual graft (short-term = 41.54%, long-term = 23.59%, P = < 0.0001). There was no difference in morphological changes between the two groups. CONCLUSION Ridge preservation using combination FDBA resulted in approximately twice as much vital bone and half as much residual graft material after 18 to 20 weeks of healing compared to only 8 to 10 weeks healing.
Decompression of Subdural Hematomas Using an Intraosseous Needle in the Emergency Department: A Case Series.

Author(s): Barro, Brett; Kobner, Scott; Ansari, Ashkon | Abstract: Introduction: Traumatic subdural hematomas beget significant morbidity and mortality if not rapidly decompressed. This presents a unique challenge to the emergency physician without immediate neurosurgical support.Case Report: We report two cases of patients in Los Angeles County with traumatic subdural hematomas and clinical deterioration in the emergency department (ED) who were treated with decompression using an intraosseous needle drill.Discussion: We believe these cases represent the first use of this technique to temporize a subdural hematoma in the ED.
It Offends Us Too! An Exploratory Analysis of High School-Based Microaggressions

Research on microaggression has primarily focused on the experiences of adults, as researchers have yet to extensively examine the experiences of school-age children. The few studies that exist suggest that microaggressions are problematic well before young people reach college or the working world. The current study adds to the microaggression literature through an examination of the experiences of adolescents holding minoritized racial and sexual orientation identities at a Midwestern public high school. Participants in the study completed a survey that assessed their experiences with microaggressions, the degree to which they found them offensive, and their experiences with peers and school personnel. Results of the study suggest that these microaggressive exchanges are relevant for high school students and that individual differences exist in the way that adolescents notice and label microaggressive verbalizations as offensive. Future research directions are discussed, as well as implications for those working directly with students in schools.
Scalable Temporal Latent Space Inference for Link Prediction in Dynamic Social Networks

We propose a temporal latent space model for link prediction in dynamic social networks, where the goal is to predict links over time based on a sequence of previous graph snapshots. The model assumes that each user lies in an unobserved latent space, and interactions are more likely to occur between similar users in the latent space representation. In addition, the model allows each user to gradually move its position in the latent space as the network structure evolves over time. We present a global optimization algorithm to effectively infer the temporal latent space. Two alternative optimization algorithms with local and incremental updates are also proposed, allowing the model to scale to larger networks without compromising prediction accuracy. Empirically, we demonstrate that our model, when evaluated on a number of real-world dynamic networks, significantly outperforms existing approaches for temporal link prediction in terms of both scalability and predictive power.
Application Constraints and Safety Aware Mapping of AUTOSAR Applications on Multi-core Platforms

In order to reduce the size, weight, power, and cost (SWaP-C), adoption of high-performance multi-core platforms has received significant interest in the field of Automotive electronics. Deploying real-time automotive applications that adhere to the AUTomotive Open System ARchitecture (AUTOSAR) standards and guidelines on multi-core platforms has several architectural challenges. In this paper, we propose heuristic-based approaches for the safe and efficient allocation of AUTOSAR applications on multi-core platforms with the consideration of application level constraints and architectural features such as Cache Locking. We also formulate an Integer Linear Program (ILP) for the same allocation problem and compare the effectiveness of both heuristic-based and ILP approaches.
Acoustic evidence for affix classes: A case study of Brazilian Portuguese

In languages that assign stress differently according to morphological structure, affixes often fall into different categories. In Brazilian Portuguese, normal suffix words have one stress (Base: [kaˈfɛ] ‘coffee’; suffixed: [kafe-ˈtejɾa] ‘coffee pot’). Special suffix words are claimed to have two stresses, one of which falls in the same location as in the independent base ([ka ˌfɛ-ˈzĩɲu] ‘coffee-DIM’). The special suffixes include diminutive -(z)inho, superlative -issimo, and adverbial -mente. This paper reports on a production study showing that stress maintenance on the base of special suffix words is acoustically present through longer duration and marginally higher intensity, and through maintenance of vowel height for mid vowels. Phonologically, the special suffixes are often analyzed as attaching to an independent prosodic word base (e.g.Collischonn 1994; Moreno 1997; Vigario 2003; Guzzo 2018). I cast the analysis in Distributed Morphology (Halle & Marantz 1993): the phonological differences between special and normal suffixes are due to morphosyntactic differences. Under this analysis, differences between special and normal suffixes are principled rather than arbitrary. Morphological and prosodic structure are both necessary, and prosodic structure mediates between morphology and phonological processes.
No Substitute for Functionalism -- A Reply to 'Falsification & Consciousness'.

In their paper 'Falsification and Consciousness' [1], Kleiner and Hoel introduced a formal mathematical model of the process of generating observable data from experiments and using that data to generate inferences and predictions onto an experience space. The resulting substitution argument built on this framework was used to show that any theory of consciousness with independent inference and prediction data are pre-falsified, if the inference reports are considered valid. If this argument does indeed pre-falsify many of the leading theories of consciousness, it would indicate a fundamental problem affecting the field of consciousness as a whole that would require radical changes to how consciousness science is performed. In this reply, the author will identify avenues of expansion for the model proposed in [1], allowing us to distinguish between different types of variation. Motivated by examples from neural networks, state machines and Turing machines, we will prove that substitutions do not exist for a very broad class of Level-1 functionalist theories, rendering them immune to the aforementioned substitution argument.
Small-scale biodiesel production for on-farm energy security: a sustainable income diversification opportunity for oilseed producers

This article reports the results of a comparative analysis of biodiesel production from two major summer oilseed crops, accounting the economic risk of production. The objective is to provide the n...
Perceptions of Gender Disparities Among Women in Cardiothoracic Anesthesiology

ABSTRACT Objective: In this study of women in cardiothoracic anesthesiology, we aimed to characterize demographics, roles in leadership, and perceived professional challenges. Design: A prospective cross-sectional survey of women cardiothoracic anesthesiologists in the United States. Setting: An internet-based survey of 43 questions was sent to women in cardiothoracic anesthesiology. The survey included questions on demographics, leadership, and perceptions of professional challenges including career advancement, compensation, promotion, harassment, and intimidation. Participants: A database of women in cardiothoracic anesthesiology was created via personal contacts and snowball sampling. Interventions: None. Measurements and Main Results: A total of 153 responses were analyzed, for a response rate of 65.1%. Most respondents were at the Clinical Instructor or Assistant Professor rank. Many women perceived that compensation, promotion, authorship, and career advancement were affected by gender. Furthermore, 67% of respondents identified having children as having a negative impact on career advancement. Many women reported experiencing derogatory comments (55.6%), intimidation (57.8%), microaggression (69.6%), sexual harassment (25.2%), verbal harassment (45.2%), and unwanted physical or sexual advances (24.4%). These behaviors were most often from a surgical attending, anesthesia attending, or patient. Conclusion : This survey study of women in cardiothoracic anesthesiology found that many women perceived inequities in financial compensation, authorship opportunities, and promotion; in addition, many felt that their career advancement was impacted negatively by having children. A striking finding was that the majority of women have experienced intimidation, derogatory comments and microaggressions in the workplace.
Abstract IA-002: Dendritic cell corner stone of tumor immunity in PDAC

T cell-directed immunotherapies have not been effective for the majority of pancreatic cancer patients, in part, due to our limited understanding of how T cell immunity is subverted in this disease. We sought to identify mechanisms for this failure using spontaneous mouse models. We report that endogenous antigen-specific responses in PDAC are aberrant due to a scarcity of dendritic cells, which favors the expansion of tumor-promoting TH17 immunity. Restoring cDCs in pancreatic cancer can enhance CD8+ T cell and TH1 activity to ultimately help control disease. These findings expand our understanding of T cell ineffectiveness in pancreatic cancer, and propose combinatorial strategies to modulate cDCs in conjunction with existing therapies for pancreatic cancer and similar solid malignancies. Citation Format: David G. DeNardo. Dendritic cell corner stone of tumor immunity in PDAC [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Virtual Special Conference on Pancreatic Cancer; 2021 Sep 29-30. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2021;81(22 Suppl):Abstract nr IA-002.
Training Faculty to Adopt the Ignatian Pedagogical Paradigm, IPP and its Influence on Teaching and Learning: Process and Outcomes

This is the second of two articles describing the action research undertaken by the three trainees and their trainer (author of this article). After formal training, the training team integrated the Ignatian Pedagogical Paradigm (IPP) into their undergraduate courses from fall of 2010 through May 2013 in the College of Professional Studies (CPS) at Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The first article was published in this journal in fall 2012 and provided a narrative describing the faculty development process, predicated on the five constructs of the IPP: Context, Experience, Reflection, Action and Evaluation. This article includes a full description of the training protocol, data collection process, and the qualitative data analysis methods. This training team used an Action Research model put forth by Reil over two years and nine months to determine the influence of the IPP on their teaching. This study seeks to provide others who teach at Jesuit Colleges and Universities a rationale for using the IPP both as pedagogy, a curriculum guide along with specific instructional practices, and learning activities. In addition, a replicable IPP training protocol is provided that is based on best practices derived from analogous research in the fields of contemporary learning, cognitive, and educational research. The study also provides the outcomes related to the impact the infusion of the IPP had on the instructors’ curricula, pedagogies, instructional strategies, learning activities, and assessment practices, as well as the student-teacher learning relationship.
Unions as Title VII Plaintiff Class Representatives: A Potential Conflict of Roles and a Possible Solution

The author examines the recurring judicial presumption that unions are inadequate class representatives in Title VII actions. She argues that the duty of fair representation and the purposes of Title VII obligate unions to fight discrimination, and the judicial presumption that unions are in adequate class representatives frustrates these policies. She suggests that certain provisions of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure be utilized to protect individual class members' interests and insure the adequacy of union class representation.
The Law Review Symposium: A Hard Party to Crash for Crits, Feminists, and Other Outsiders

Law review symposia are a major means by which legal developments establish and validate themselves. They can highlight developments in an established field, like same-sex marriage in family law, or cover an entirely new field such as game theory or rational choice. These symposia and their authors help establish and delimit the legal canon. Following up on a previous article exploring the law review symposium issue, this study of subsequent law review symposia shows how certain recurrent figures and groups tend to dominate symposia on mainstream issues, while outsider scholars remain poorly represented and ghettoized to symposia on race and civil rights.
Investigating brain community structure abnormalities in bipolar disorder using path length associated community estimation.

In this article, we present path length associated community estimation (PLACE), a comprehensive framework for studying node-level community structure. Instead of the well-known Q modularity metric, PLACE utilizes a novel metric, ΨPL, which measures the difference between intercommunity versus intracommunity path lengths. We compared community structures in human healthy brain networks generated using these two metrics and argued that ΨPL may have theoretical advantages. PLACE consists of the following: (1) extracting community structure using top-down hierarchical binary trees, where a branch at each bifurcation denotes a collection of nodes that form a community at that level, (2) constructing and assessing mean group community structure, and (3) detecting node-level changes in community between groups. We applied PLACE and investigated the structural brain networks obtained from a sample of 25 euthymic bipolar I subjects versus 25 gender- and age-matched healthy controls. Results showed community structural differences in posterior default mode network regions, with the bipolar group exhibiting left-right decoupling. Hum Brain Mapp 35:2253–2264, 2014. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Inside Rehab: The Surprising Truth About Addiction Treatment and How to Get Help That Works, by Anne M. Fletcher

In this new book, Anne M. Fletcher offers a unique perspective on the current culture of addiction treatment in the United States, touching on some historically controversial topics. Fletcher has a...
PROSPERITY BOUND: OKLAHOMA-1OO YEARS AND COUNTING

Oklahoma's 100 year state history reflects an inconsistent economic prosperity. We seem caught in an endless cycle of Boom and Bust; never quite breaking free into substantial, sustainable growth. Given the state's diversity in material and human resources, the question explored in this essay is, "Why?" Building on Richard Hofstadter's pioneering chronicle of Anti-intellectualism in American Life, the hypothesis examined here suggests that religious fundamentalism and evangelicalism combine with political populism to foster an anti-intellectual environment in Oklahoma which is not conducive to solving long-term economic challenges. The dominant traditionalistic and individualistic political cultures these denominational imbalances carry with them sustain this cyclic status quo. Correlation analysis of county level religious, political, economic, and demographic data shows support for the hypothesis.
A simplified Leifson flagella stain.

Flagella of bacteria taken directly from 24- and 48-h blood agar plates can be stained by using a simple, reliable procedure.
There Are No Girl Pirate Captains: Boys, Girls and the "Boy Crisis" in Preschool

This paper employs data from from a multi-year, ethnographic study of children in a diverse public preschool to destabilize some of the claims of the “boy crisis” literature (Hoff-Somers, 2000). Focusing on fine-grained analyses of events in the study context, the authors illustrate the complexity of everyday interactions between female teachers and the male and female preschoolers in their classes, as well as between the male and female preschoolers themselves. These analyses suggest that a preschool environment where all teachers are female is as patriarchally and hegemonically saturated as any other context, as both boys and girls (and teachers) are subject to, and invariably take up, powerful cultural scripts reflected in children’s and other media in the larger cultural milieu. Further, we emphasize that preschool—arguably among the most “feminized” school environments—is more complex than “boy crisis” proponents present.
Neurolinguistic Psychotherapy: A Postmodern Perspective by Lisa Wake

Lisa Wake, a UKCP-registered Neurolinguistic Psychotherapist and a Doctoral Candidate in Psychology at University of Surrey, is internationally known as a Master Trainer of Neurolinguistic Programm...
Excuses, excuses: A meta-analytic review of how mitigating information can change aggression and an exploration of moderating variables

Research in the aggression domain has been mixed regarding the effectiveness of using mitigating information (e.g., excuses, apologies) to reduce aggressive behavior after a provocation. Aggression theory (e.g., general aggression model) posits that mitigating information may cues re-appraisal processes to potentially change aggressive behavior. If re-appraisal processes are engaged, aggressive behavior is likely to decrease. Currently, no published study has synthesized the literature to test such theoretical claims. The current study used meta-analysis to test this effect and examine the influence of several possible moderators. Results showed a significant negative effect size, suggesting that mitigating information does indeed reduce aggressive behavior after a provocation. However, these results were qualified by several significant moderators. Results showed that mitigating information reduces aggression when (a) the information did not come from an apology, (b) the non-apologetic mitigating information was high quality, and c) the provocation was mild (vs. strong). Theoretical extensions are discussed. Aggr. Behav. 9999:XX-XX, 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Language: en
Cascading Consent for Research on Biobank Specimens.

Biobanking provides a challenging domain for the traditional doctrines of informed consent, because the actual research performed may be unknown, and perhaps even unforeseeable, at the time of cons...
Service use before and after the provision of scatter-site Housing First for chronically homeless individuals with severe alcohol use disorders

Based on an increasing evidence base, the U.S. Federal Government has endorsed permanent supportive housing using a Housing First (HF) approach as the ‘‘clear solution’’ to chronic homelessness (U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness, 2010, p. 18). Canada and Europe have also implemented large-scale HF projects (Busch-Geertsema, 2011; Goering et al., 2014). HF, which entails providing low-barrier access to permanent, affordable housing (i.e., housing is not contingent on abstinence or sobriety) along with support services, typically refers to either singleor scatter-site housing. Single-site entails placing chronically homeless individuals into apartments in the same building with services provided on-site (Collins, Malone, & Clifasefi, 2013). Scatter-site refers to placing homeless adults into apartments rented from private landlords throughout the community with services provided by mobile treatment teams (Tsemberis, Gulcur, & Nakae, 2004). Both models use support services based on a harmreduction philosophy (Collins et al., 2012; Tiderington, Stanhope, & Henwood, 2012) and are effective at increasing housing stability and ending homelessness (Collins et al., 2013; Tsemberis et al., 2004). Research on HF for chronically homeless individuals with alcohol problems has predominantly focused on a single-site model. This research has shown that placement into single-site HF is associated with reduced alcohol use, service use, and overall cost (Collins et al., 2012; Larimer et al., 2009). Research on scatter-site HF has predominantly focused on homeless individuals with serious mental illness and co-occurring substance use disorders. Although it is not clear whether scatter-site HF for this population results in an overall decrease in substance use (Padgett, Gulcur, & Tsemberis, 2006; Padgett, Stanhope, Henwood, & Stefancic, 2011), reduced service use and cost has been found for these dually diagnosed homeless adults (Culhane, 2008). This report contributes to the literature by examining the service use of homeless
Diode lasers operating in spectral range from 1.9 to 3.5 μm

Mid-infrared lasers operating at room temperature (RT) in continuous wave (CW) mode are in demand for a variety of applications including laser detection and ranging, spectroscopy and infrared countermeasures. GaSb-based type-I quantum well (QW) diode laser technology addresses this demand providing compact lasers operating in spectral region from 1.9 to 3.4 μm, ex. [1,2,3]. The devices operate at voltages below 2 V and demonstrate RT CW power conversion efficiencies in excess of 25% near 2 μm and above 8 % at 3 μm [4]. These results show that Auger recombination does not preclude the CW RT operation of mid-infrared diode lasers. Low CW RT threshold current densities below 100 and 200 A/cm2 obtained for 2 and 3 μm diode lasers, respectively revealed a bonus of the narrow bandgap QWs for laser development arising from the low density of states. This fundamental advantage became apparent in experiments after the optical and carrier confinement in active GaInAsSb QWs [5] were improved. This was achieved after the quaternary AlGaAsSb barrier material was replaced with the quinary AlGaInAsSb alloys [6]. In this work we report on progress in development of the metamorphic GaSb-based laser heterostructures and fabrication of the diffraction limited laser diodes.
Honest signalling during prey-predator interactions in the lizard Anolis cristatellus.

Abstract Current theory on the evolution of pursuit-deterrent signals predicts that it may be advantageous for the prey to communicate to the predator its alertness and its ability to escape an attack. I tested these predictions by staging predator–prey encounters between A. cristatellus lizards and a model of one of its predators under natural conditions. Results supported the use of pushup displays as pursuit-deterrent signals. The intensity of signals, measured as the number of pushups given during predation episodes, was significantly positively correlated with individual physiological condition measured as endurance capacity. Because endurance capacity can be a critical aspect limiting the ability ofA. cristatellus to escape a predatory attack, pushup displays can potentially communicate an individual's ability to escape an attack and, therefore, can be categorized as honest signals. Furthermore, because pushup displays are widely used during anoline social interactions, predation pressure and sexual selection may simultaneously favour the evolution of honest communication to allow both the predator and the potential mate or male rival to assess individual quality using the same signal.
Variation in the risk of onset of acute myocardial infarction during the menstrual cycle.

cohort study of patients hospitalized with acute myocardial infarction (AMI), we interviewed 669 women and obtained detailed information regarding their reproductive history. There were 21 women (3.1%) who reported that they had ongoing menstrual cycles. In this report, we compare the number of these women whose onset of AMI symptoms occurred in each phase of the menstrual cycle with the number expected from their reported menstrual cycle length.
Us experience in evaluation and diagnosis of GH therapy of intrauterine growth retardation/small-for-gestational-age children

The potential role of exogenous GH in treating short children born small for gestational age (SGA) has been discussed since the early 1960s. Pivotal studies in Europe during the last 10 years have shown that GH treatment of short children born SGA during childhood and early puberty (1) normalizes stature, (2) increases final height above predicted height and (3) allows children to reach their target height. A study now under way in the USA will provide additional much needed data about efficacy and safety of GH treatment in intrauterine growth retardation/SGA.
The Effect of Fish Predation on the Zooplankton of Ten Adirondack Lakes, with Particular Reference to the Alewife, Alosa pseudoharengus

Abstract Stomach contents of alewives collected in Black Pond in 1958 consisted primarily of Diaptomus, Epischura, Mesocyclops, and Daphnia. Food of Black Pond alewives in 1966 consisted mainly of Bosmina, Holopedium, cyclopoid copepods (Cyclops, Macrocyclops, Tropocyclops), and chironomid pupae. Alewife stomach contents were compared with limnetic plankton samples to determine whether the alewives were selective in their choice of food organisms. Both species and size selectivity were observed. The evidence collected suggests that alewife predation was responsible for a change in the zooplankton community of Black Pond. The zooplankton communities of 10 Adirondack lakes were compared. The species and size composition of these communities appeared to be influenced by the presence of planktivorous fish.
An adaptive autoregressive model

Abstract A state space modeling approach for autoregressive integrated-moving average time series is presented. By means of the Kalman filter minimum-variance forecasts can be obtained in real time. The filter is able to recursively adjust its estimates similar to the exponential smoothing algorithms. To speed up the response rate of time series tracking an adaptive filter, which is parallel to the Trigg and Leach adaptive forecasting algorithm, is proposed. Results of computer simulations of the first-order autoregressive adaptive model are shown, using 26 simulated time series. It is seen that the adaptive filter has great potentials for real-time industrial applications.
TLR Signaling Is Required for Salmonella typhimurium Virulence

Toll-like receptors (TLRs) contribute to host resistance to microbial pathogens and can drive the evolution of virulence mechanisms. We have examined the relationship between host resistance and pathogen virulence using mice with a functional allele of the nramp-1 gene and lacking combinations of TLRs. Mice deficient in both TLR2 and TLR4 were highly susceptible to the intracellular bacterial pathogen Salmonella typhimurium, consistent with reduced innate immune function. However, mice lacking additional TLRs involved in S. typhimurium recognition were less susceptible to infection. In these TLR-deficient cells, bacteria failed to upregulate Salmonella pathogenicity island 2 (SPI-2) genes and did not form a replicative compartment. We demonstrate that TLR signaling enhances the rate of acidification of the Salmonella-containing phagosome, and inhibition of this acidification prevents SPI-2 induction. Our results indicate that S. typhimurium requires cues from the innate immune system to regulate virulence genes necessary for intracellular survival, growth, and systemic infection.
On Beat Wave Excitation of Relativistic Plasma Waves

The beat wave excitation process is examined analytically in the Eulerian fluid description. The effects of plasma drifts, harmonics, pump rise time, frequency mismatch, phenomenological damping, plasma inhomogeneities, and two dimensions are discussed. The consistency between the Eulerian and Lagrangian fluid descriptions is verified.
Effects of Imagery on Paired-Associate Learning.

In each of five experiments, an attempt was made to manipulate mental images by varying the content of pictures which accompanied noun-noun pairs. When the pictures contained both stimulus and response terms interacting in some fashion, facilitation was observed relative to a no-picture control. Facilitation was obtained for both low and high imagery pairs, and for both forward and backward recall. No facilitation was found when pictures contained the stimulus term only, the response term only, or when the stimulus term was shown in one picture and the response term in another. Interference was observed when the pictures were irrelevant to the pairs with which they appeared. Post-recall questionnaires revealed that relevant, interacting pictures were used more frequently, and, of those that were used, a larger percentage were correct than in the other picture conditions.
Effective background data selection for SVM-based speaker recognition with unseen test environments: more is not always better

This study focuses on formulating a procedure to select effective negative examples for the development of improved Support Vector Machine (SVM)-based speaker recognition. Selection of a background dataset, or a collection of negative examples, is the crucial step for building an effective decision surface between a target speaker and the non-target speakers. Previous studies heuristically fixed the number of negative examples used based on available development data for performance evaluation; nevertheless, in real applications this does not guarantee sustained performance for unseen data, as will be shown. In the proposed model selection framework, a novel ranking method is first exploited to rank order the negative examples for selecting a set of background datasets with various population sizes. Next, an error estimation and model-selection criterion are proposed and employed to select the most suitable target model among the model candidates. The experimental validation, conducted on the NIST SRE-2008 and SRE-2010 data, demonstrates that the proposed background data selection slightly but consistently outperforms the fixed-size background data selection, and achieves a relative improvement of +6 % over the non-selection background framework in terms of minDCF.
Freedom(S) of the Press in Latin America Reconciling Societal and Individual Rights in International Law

This study documents the emergence of the societal right to freedom of the press in the international human rights law of Latin America. Relying on legal research and analysis methodology, this article examines cases from the Inter-American Court of Human Rights and the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights that address press freedom vis-a-vis prior restraints, desacato laws, violent attacks on journalists and mandatory colegio membership for journalists. The study concludes that the societal right to a free press, like the individual right, is a guarantee against governmental intrusion in the free flow of information and ideas necessary in a democracy.
Effect of electroconvulsive shock duration on the gradient of retrograde amnesia

Abstract Rats trained in a one trial passive avoidance task received a single 100 mA electroconvulsive shock (ECS) of either 200 msec or 800 msec duration at various intervals following footshock. The resultant amnesic gradient was not significantly altered by the four-fold increase in ECS duration. The results confirm earlier findings that (a) the ECS susceptible phase of memory fixation lasts but a few sec and (b) the maximal effective punishment-ECS interval to produce retrograde amnesia cannot be extended by increasing the intensity of ECS. The data support a previous conclusion that the different amnesic gradients produced by ECS and carbon dioxide gas, in the same learning situation, probably reflect effects on different phases of short term memory fixation.
Gaussian ensemble: An alternate Monte Carlo scheme.

The recently introduced Gaussian ensemble involves a sample (of size N) thermally connected to a finite heat bath (of size N') with specific properties. Treating N' as a parameter, we use a leading-order analysis of the \ensuremath{\beta} (inverse temperature) -versus-E (energy of sample) curves to show how static properties of finite samples become ensemble dependent. Inflection points in \ensuremath{\beta}(E) at phase transitions, however, appear as nontrivial fixed points with respect to N' and are defined as the transition temperature of the sample. By developing a fluctuation relation for the heat capacity C we show that, for small N', states with Cl0 are accessible at first-order transitions resulting in van der Waals loops in \ensuremath{\beta}(E). Monte Carlo studies of phase transitions in Potts models on two- and three-dimensional lattices confirm the finite-N' and finite-N effects. We find that the method significantly reduces computer time (sometimes by a factor of 100) compared with canonical-ensemble simulations and is effective in diagnosing the order of phase transition. Specific-heat data at second-order transitions reveal a new phenomenon; the peak in C sharpens as N' becomes smaller, leading us to speculate on sharp transitions in finite samples.
Studies of stacked electromagnetically coupled patch antennas

Theoretical results illustrating the behavior of stacked electromagnetically coupled patch antennas are presented, using a recently developed rigorous model for probe-fed microstrip antennas. Examples of design guides are given and the need for comprehensive design guides is noted. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons. Inc.
The modulated lapped transform: Avoiding artifacts in compressed remote sensing imagery☆

Abstract Effective, high-fidelity image compression techniques will benefit future multispectral and hyperspectral remote sensing systems and image archives. At The Aerospace Corporation, we have developed a fast algorithm for image compression techniques known as the Modulated Lapped Transform (MLT). This compression algorithm obviates many of the artifacts that are introduced by some of the standard compression techniques. One example of compression artifacting is the blocking errors from Discrete Cosine Transformation (DCT) based algorithms, which include the JPEG compression scheme. In evaluating the effects of compression algorithms upon the imagery, one must not only consider the qualitative and quantitative effects upon the images themselves, but also upon the end user products that are derived from the imagery through the application of environmental retrieval algorithms. In this paper, we compare Aerospace MLT to JPEG, using cloud imagery and Earth surface scene classification. We also discuss the availability of a cost-effective VLSI hardware implementation of the Aerospace compression algorithm. The Modulated Lapped Transform employs a peano scan with a discrete radix approach to avoid blockiness artifacts. It has excellent resistance to errors, and it is amenable to fast processing using a 1-D hardware architecture to process a 2-D image. This technique encapsulates the favorable aspects of the wavelet transforms and produces images which, when compressed 10:1 and decompressed, compare very favorably to the original uncompressed image.
Human platelet interactions with surfaces of type I collagen, chondroitin-4-sulphate, and chondroitin-6-sulpnate in vitro

Abstract In vitro human platelet interactions with surfaces of type I collagen, chondroitin-6-sulphate (CH-6-S), chondroitin-4-sulphate (CH-4-S), a CH-6-S/collagen layer, and a collagen-CH-6-S complex were investigated. Polystyrene and silanized glass served as controls. Platelet counts, platelet factor 4 released, and platelet aggregating ability for the different surfaces were compared with controls. Platelet count and platelet factor 4 release data showed that there were no differences between surfaces of CH-6-S, CH-4-S and the controls. However, significant differences in platelet counts and platelet factor 4 released were found when collagen, the CH-6-S/collagen layer, and the collagen-CH-6-S complex were compared with controls. The pure type I collagen surface had the greatest influence on platelet activation. The collagen-CH-6-S complex had a greater effect than the CH-6-S/collagen layer on platelet activation. It appears that chondroitin-6-sulphate can modify the platelet activity of type I collagen.
Fast and highly accurate calculation of band averaged radiance

Conversion between brightness temperature and band averaged radiance is frequently used in radiative transfer model simulations, algorithm development and remote sensing applications. While the formula looks quite simple, direct conversion is not very efficient. In this paper, a fast conversion algorithm for band averaged radiance calculations from brightness temperature is proposed based on the Chebyshev polynomial approximation, and is validated with the thermal infrared bands of the moderate resolution imaging spectroradiometer (MODIS). Due to the orthogonality of the Chebyshev polynomial, the look-up-tables (LUTs) can be constructed very easily, and only need the Chebyshev expansion coefficients and two constants. Error analysis and performance testing of approximations at different orders demonstrate that band averaged radiance can be calculated very accurately with the seventh to tenth Chebyshev expansion at a speed that is over 50 times faster than direct calculation using numerical integration. A toolkit is also implemented based on the proposed algorithm; this is freely available upon request.
Scanned- and fixed-wavelength absorption diagnostics for combustion measurements using multiplexed diode lasers

A multiplexed diode-laser sensor system comprising two diode lasers and fiber-optic components has been developed to nonintrusively monitor temperature and species mole fraction over a single path using both scanned-and fixed-wavelength laser absorption spectroscopy techniques. In the scanned-wavelength method, two InGaAsP lasers were current tuned at a 2-kHz rate across H 2 O transitions near 1343 nm and 1392 nm in the 2v 1 and v 1 + v 3 bands. Gas temperature was determined from the ratio of single-sweep integrated line intensities. Species mole fraction was determined from the measured line intensity and the calculated line strength at the measured temperature. In the fixed-wavelength method, the wavelength of each laser was fixed near the peak of each absorption feature using a computer-controlled laser line-locking scheme. Rapid measurements of gas temperature were obtained from the determination of peak line-intensity ratios. The system was applied to measure temperature and species concentration in the postflame gases of an H 2 -O 2 flame. The good agreement between the laser-based measurements obtained using scanned- and fixed-wavelength methods with those recorded with thermocouples demonstrates the flexibility and utility of the multiplexed diode-laser sensor system and the potential for rapid, continuous measurements of gasdynamic parameters in high-speed or transient flows with difficult optical access.
Bauschinger effect in haynes 230 alloy : Influence of strain rate and temperature

Quasistatic and dynamic Bauschinger behavior in HAYNES 230 alloy is examined. At low strain rate (10−3/s), theas- received 230 alloy does not show a drop in flow stress,i.e., noBauschinger effect is displayed. At high strain rate (103/s), a drop in flow stress of 240 MPa was observed upon stress reversal. In contrast, theprecipitation- strengthened condition exhibited a Bauschinger effect in both low and high strain rate stress-reversal experiments. The magnitude of the Bauschinger effect was found to increase with increasing strain rate, forward strain, and decreasing temperature. The substructure evolution accompanying the forward loading cycles was investigated by transmission electron microscopy and is related to the back stresses that developed. The increased Bauschinger stress drop observed at high strain rate and/or low temperature was correlated to an increased degree of planar slip under these conditions.
Stripping form factors for the reaction 40Ca(d, p)41Ca(2.02 MeV)☆

The methods of a previous paper, in which stripping form factors are taken to be solutions of an inhomogeneous Schrodinger equation, are used to calculate the form factor for the reaction 40Ca(d, p)41Ca(2.02 MeV), and these form factors are used in distorted wave studies of this reaction. The ground state of 40Ca is assumed to have a 2-hole-2-particle impurity, (1d32)−2(1f72)2. The 32− level at 2.02 MeV in 41Ca is assumed to consist entirely of the configuration, (1d32)−1(1f72)2. It is found that both the magnitudes and shapes of the differential cross sections are sensitive to the form of the interparticle interaction assumed in the form factor calculation. In all cases the spectroscopic factors obtained from using the more realistic model are larger than those obtained from the conventional procedure of using a Woods-Saxon eigenfunction as form factor. The suggestion that the cross sections should be sensitive to the presence of a 2d32 component in the wave function of the 41Ca 2.02 MeV level is studied. A set of coupled equations for the 1d32 and 2d32 components of the form factor are derived. When combined these components are shown to yield a form factor which is identical to the solution of the inhomogeneous equation. The analysis of the 2d component in terms of the shell model leads to a simple theory for the bound radial funtion of such wave function components, which, because they lie in the continuum in zero order, are probably not well represented by the usual harmonic oscillator functions.
CONFIDENCE INTERVALS FOR PROPORTION ESTIMATES IN COMPLEX SAMPLES

Confidence intervals are an important tool to indicate uncertainty of estimates and to give an idea of probable values of an estimate if a different sample from the population was drawn or a different sample of measures was used. Standard symmetric confidence intervals for proportion estimates based on a normal approximation can yield bounds outside the [0,1] scale and poor coverage, because such approximations are generally inappropriate. Many alternative intervals have been proposed to address these issues. This paper discusses a selection of intervals based on scale transformations and continuity corrections and adapts these for use in complex samples. The study expands on the work of Brown, Cai, and DasGupta (2001) and Korn and Graubard (1998) using educational survey designs and complex sample data. Results based on a National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) data resampling study showed that the theoretically appealing Wilson interval yields appropriate coverage with short intervals in most situations.
Benzodiazepine modulation of GABAergic responses is intact in the cerebellum of aged F344 rats

During the aging process there is a decline in the function of many central nervous system receptor systems. In this report we examine the ability of midazolam to potentiate γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) mediated inhibition recorded from cerebellar Purkinje neurons using extracellular recording methods. We report that when midazolam is applied concurrently with GABA from glass multibarrel electrodes that midazolam potentiates GABA mediated inhibition in 46% of Purkinje neurons in 3-month-old F344 rats, 63% of neurons in 18-month-old F344 rats and 54% of cells in 24-month-old F344 rats. Thus, there is no age related decline in function of this response. In fact, the response to midazolam is significantly increased in 18-month-old rats.