cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Assay of Phenylethanolamine N-Methyltransferase

SummaryPNMT is inhibited by a number of compounds and ions which occur in adrenal tissue. Removal of some of the inhibitors could be achieved by dialysis of tissue extracts in the presence of 2-mercaptoethanol to provide 70% stimulation in activity. Additional 30% enhancement of activity was provided by addition of 20 mM KCN to the dialyzed extracts. Since copper ion, a known inhibitor of the enzyme, is present in the dialyzed extracts it is likely that the effect of KCN involves removal of this and other inhibitory cations. The effect of administration of insulin in providing higher activities of PNMT has been evaluated as one of increased amount of enzyme rather than alterations in activity due to loss from the tissue of the inhibitory catecholamines.
Determination of the Frequencies and Modes of Natural Oscillations of Liquids in Composed Vessels

UDC 517.9 We develop a variation method for the solution of the spectral problems for free oscillations of liquids in axially symmetric vessels of complex geometry. The problem is formulated in terms of the conjugation method. We obtain a generalized functional for which the conjugation conditions on the adjacent parts of the introduced subdomains are natural boundary-value conditions. We use the Trefts method for the reduction of the original problem to a problem of solution of an algebraic problem of low dimension. The results of calculations confirm the efficiency of the proposed method. The solution of numerous problems of the mechanics of continua for composed domains can often be significantly simplified if we split the domain into separate subdomains by introducing the corresponding conjugation conditions on the interfaces. In the construction of approximate solutions of these problems in the indicated statement, we encounter certain difficulties caused by the necessity of satisfying the conjugation conditions. The problem of linear natural oscillations of a perfect incompressible liquid in an immobile vessel in terms of the potential of shiftsˆ.x;y;z/ takes the form [1]
Is Policy Coordination a Good Idea? Public Inputs and Policy Harmonization with Skilled and Unskilled Workers

We extend the classic Zodrow–Mieszkowski model of tax competition with a public input to the case where there is skilled and unskilled labor. The policy rule governing the optimal provision of the public input contains a new term capturing an equity effect that takes into account the disparity in wages between skilled and unskilled workers. The equity effect can work in the opposite direction of efficiency. Under a coordinated policy reform across countries, total welfare improves unambiguously if the public input is underprovided prior to the reform and a concern for equity enhances the effect of improved efficiency on welfare. However, total welfare may also improve even if the public input is initially overprovided if the improvement in the unskilled wage due to the reform is large enough.
To Comply or Not to Comply: Evaluating Compliance with Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972

ABSTRACTThis article examines the extent to which colleges and universities comply with the proportional opportunity test prescribed during the implementation of Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972. Using data from the US Department of Education, we consider proportionality in terms of both roster spots and finances for male and female athletes at Division I colleges and universities. We find that the proportionality gap is particularly large for historically Black colleges and institutions in the South; inequalities exist in terms of both number of athletes and expenditures. These results suggest a need for continued monitoring and enforcement of policy guidelines to ensure equal opportunity for men and women on college campuses.
Continuum Robot Surfaces: Smart Saddles and Seats

We introduce a novel form of human-robot interaction, based on an emerging new form of robot. Specifically, we analyze and discuss the ability of continuum surface robots to support the human posterior, adapting their shape to the changing needs of the human. We illustrate the concept via several examples, focusing on the application of horse riding, in which adaptive robot saddles could increase rider comfort, versatility, and safety.
Optimum Properties of Geocell Reinforcement for Sustainable Low-Volume Paved Roads

Geocells are three-dimensional honeycomb-like geosynthetic structures filled with available geomaterials that vastly improve shear strength of those materials. Geocells provide a possible viable solution for thinly paved roads that use marginal infill geomaterials. The objective of this study was to find an optimum geocell design that utilizes various infill materials and a thin hot-mix asphalt (HMA) overlay. To achieve this study objective, four pavement test sections were constructed at the accelerated pavement testing (APT) facility of the Civil Infrastructure System Laboratory at Kansas State University. Three out of the four lanes contained geocell-reinforced bases with three individual infill geomaterials: crushed limestone, quarry by-products, and recycled asphalt pavement. The fourth test lane, the control section, consisted of a crushed stone base. All sections were heavily instrumented. Repeated loads (80 kN, single axle) were applied using an APT load assembly. Sections with an HMA layer of 50 mm reached the failure criteria of a 12.5 mm rut depth after 10,000 passes due to excessive stress in the subgrade. Redesigned sections with HMA overlay of 100 mm carried more than 1,000,000 passes. Numerical simulation of the APT tests was done using the finite element model. The optimum infill geomaterial property, geocell height, and overlay thickness were obtained from this simulation.
Changes in Insulin Resistance After Initiation of Raltegravir or Protease Inhibitors With Tenofovir-Emtricitabine: AIDS Clinical Trials Group A5260s

Background. Antiretroviral therapy (ART) can alter glucose metabolism, but little data exist on the association of raltegravir (RAL) with insulin resistance. Methods. A5260s was a substudy of A5257, a prospective open-label randomized trial in which human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected treatment-naive participants were randomized to tenofovir-emtricitabine (TDF/FTC) plus atazanavir-ritonavir (ATV/r), darunavir-ritonavir (DRV/r), or RAL over 96 weeks. Baseline and changes in insulin resistance as estimated by the homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) were assessed. Wilcoxon rank-sum tests were used to assess shifts in the distribution of fold increase from baseline between treatment arms, and Spearman correlation was used to assess associations between HOMA-IR and measures of inflammation and body composition. Results. Three hundred twenty-eight participants were randomized; 90% were male, baseline median age was 36, HIV ribonucleic acid copies were 4.55 log10 copies/mL, and CD4 cell count was 349/mm3. Overall, HOMA-IR increased significantly after 4 weeks (1.9-fold change; 95% confidence interval, 1.73-2.05) then plateaued over the remainder of the study. Changes in HOMA-IR were not different between the arms (P ≥ .23). Changes in HOMA-IR were associated with changes in body mass index at weeks 48 and 96 (r = 0.12-0.22; P ≤ .04). There was a trend with increases in HOMA-IR and increases in visceral abdominal fat at week 96 (r = 0.12; P = .06). At 48 and 96 weeks, HOMA-IR correlated with interleukin-6, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, and soluble CD163 (r = 0.16-0.27; P ≤ .003). Conclusions. Insulin resistance increased rapidly and then plateaued in treatment-naive participants initiating ART with TDF/FTC, and no differences were found with RAL when compared with ATV/r or DRV/r.
Selective Deposition of Dielectrics: Limits and Advantages of Alkanethiol Blocking Agents on Metal-Dielectric Patterns.

Area selective atomic layer deposition has the potential to significantly improve current fabrication approaches by introducing a bottom-up process in which robust and conformal thin films are selectively deposited onto patterned substrates. In this paper, we demonstrate selective deposition of dielectrics on metal/dielectric patterns by protecting metal surfaces using alkanethiol blocking layers. We examine alkanethiol self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) with two different chain lengths deposited both in vapor and in solution and show that in both systems, thiols have the ability to block surfaces against dielectric deposition. We show that thiol molecules can displace Cu oxide, opening possibilities for easier sample preparation. A vapor-deposited alkanethiol SAM is shown to be more effective than a solution-deposited SAM in blocking ALD, even after only 30 s of exposure. The vapor deposition also results in a much better thiol regeneration process and may facilitate deposition of the SAMs on porous or thr...
Abstract IA16: Spherical nucleic acids as a powerful new platform for cancer immunotherapy

Spherical nucleic acids (SNAs) are nanoparticle-oligonucleotide conjugates characterized by a dense, spherical shell of radially oriented oligonucleotides. SNAs enter cells without the need for auxiliary transfection reagents, are more resistant to nuclease degradation than their linear counterparts, and show minimal toxicity and off-target immunogenicity. These emergent properties of the SNA platform enable the design of powerful immunotherapy agents against cancer cells. The SNA platform allows simultaneous delivery of Toll-like receptor (TLR) agonist oligonucleotides and cancer-associated antigen peptides to antigen-presenting cells (APCs). The oligonucleotides on the surface of the SNAs activate of the innate immune system through TLRs to mature the APCs, which in turn activates effector immune cells to target cell displaying the cancer-associated peptide. Compared to mixtures of free peptides and oligonucleotides, SNAs exhibit up to 80-fold increase in potency, 400-fold higher cellular response to antigens and improve median survival in mice with lymphomas through antigen-specific targeting of cancer cells. The enhancement of the immune properties arises from a combination of increase in cellular uptake, polyvalent binding of SNAs to TLRs and the co-delivery of the TLR agonist oligonucleotides and peptide to the same cell. Additionally, the SNA architecture enables the control of oligonucleotide to peptide ratio, subcellular release location of the peptide and release kinetics. Combined with their high serum stability, at-scale synthesis and minimal toxicity profile, SNAs hold great promise for the development of cancer vaccines. Citation Format: Chad A. Mirkin. Spherical nucleic acids as a powerful new platform for cancer immunotherapy. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Engineering and Physical Sciences in Oncology; 2016 Jun 25-28; Boston, MA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(2 Suppl):Abstract nr IA16.
A Motivation for Co-adaptive Human-Robot Interaction

As robotic technology advances, we experience a shift from seeing robots behind a barrier to working with robots as teammates. Building co-adaptive human-robot relationships will enable better teamwork between a human and a robot. Co-adaptive agents adapt their behavior over time in response to a dynamic understanding of the individual human operator. Creating a co-adaptive human-robot team requires bi-directional and non-invasive communication between the human and the robot. The presented study investigates the impact of individual traits on performance with three styles of adapting software. Results from this study indicate a need to tailor a co-adaptive robot’s behavior for the individual, including operator traits – specifically dispositional trust and extraversion.
Influence of Plant Growth Regulators on Suppression and Quality of ‘Meyer’ Zoysiagrass

Abstract Proxy and EXP310309D suppressed zoysiagrass at various rates for 4 to 6 weeks during 1999 and 2000. Maximum suppression with Proxy at 3.4 kg ai/ha (3.0 lb ai/A) was 30 to 40% at 3 to 4 weeks after the initial treatment and 32% at 3 and 4 weeks after the second application both years. Maximum suppression at the same time for EXP310309D at 2.7 kg ai/ha (2.4 lb ai/A) was about 45% following the initial treatment and 39% following the second treatment. The suppression was similar when the PGR was applied at the highest (5.3 kg ai/ha) rate. The suppression with Primo at 0.1 kg ai/ha (0.09 lb ai/A) was not as good as EXP310309D in 1999, but the response was similar in 2000. In general, Proxy and Primo did not reduce turf visual quality or color, while both rates of EXP310309D reduced quality and color by 21 to 25% at 2 to 3 weeks after treatment. These data suggest that Proxy and Primo are safe and effective PGRs for use on ‘Meyer’ zoysiagrass maintained as a fairway.
Viral Hijacking of Formins in Neurodevelopmental Pathologies.

The 2015 Zika virus (ZIKV) outbreak caused global concern when it was determined to cause microcephaly, hearing loss, and other neurodevelopmental manifestations upon fetal exposure. Significant progress has been made in our understanding of the interactions between ZIKV and the pregnant host, but there is still a critical need to understand how ZIKV and other neurotropic viruses affect fetal neurodevelopment. Diaphanous-related formins (Diaphs) have recently been identified as microcephaly-associated proteins in humans and mice. Mutations in Diaphs affect the function of neural progenitor cells, much like prenatal viral infection. We present a novel hypothesis that viruses ‘hijack' Diaphs in neural progenitor cells, causing autonomous differentiation and apoptosis of neural progenitor cells, which could potentially contribute to virus-associated neurological pathologies.
Fluorides and Other Preventive Strategies for Tooth Decay.

We focus on scalable public health interventions that prevent and delay the development of caries and enhance resistance to dental caries lesions. These interventions should occur throughout the life cycle, and need to be age appropriate. Mitigating disease transmission and enhancing resistance are achieved through use of various fluorides, sugar substitutes, mechanical barriers such as pit-and-fissure sealants, and antimicrobials. A key aspect is counseling and other behavioral interventions that are designed to promote use of disease transmission-inhibiting and tooth resistance-enhancing agents. Advocacy for public water fluoridation and sugar taxes is an appropriate dental public health activity.
Implementation of Software Testing Practices in Pakistan's Software Industry

Agile methodology uses the incremental and iterative method and is commonly utilized in the Pakistan's industry projects as they can accommodate changes in requirements. Product distribution is accomplished by using small iterations/repetitions, but guaranteeing the quality of the product is important and crucial part as well as it is a tough task. Quality should be assured of the product that is developed using agile methodology. The study centers on the five key parts of software testing, explicitly software testing methods, software testing metrics, practices and techniques, testing standards, automated testing tools, and testing education & training. Grounded on survey outcomes, research paper evaluates the implementation of existing practices in the software testing, provide some recommendations and observations for the software testing future in Pakistan IT industry & also suggested the solution that how quality is assured in agile software development using different factors.
Crisis-Oriented Therapy

Crisis-oriented treatment is a promising approach to the definitive resolution of crises arising as a result of changing life events which have disrupted a previous equilibrium. Pathology is de-emphasized, and the focus is instead on clear identification of the chain of events which has led to the crisis. Along with cognitive formulation, crisis treatment provides for the expression of appropriate affect and the joint formulation by patient and therapist of coping strategies to deal with the newly defined problem.
Biological therapies for eosinophilic asthma

ABSTRACTIntroduction: Severe uncontrolled asthma is by definition refractory to traditional therapies or can be controlled only with therapies that have intolerable side effects. Monoclonal antibod...
Regulation of Glycoprotein Synthesis during Development of the Sea Urchin Embryo

In recent years there has been much progress in our understanding of the assembly mechanism for the oligosaccharide chain of N-linked glycoproteins (Struck and Lennarz, 1980). N-linked glycoproteins fall into two classes—one in which the chains terminate with polymannose residues and a second in which the chains terminate with the trisaccharide consisting of sialic acid, galactose, and N-acetylglucosamine (see Fig. 1). Despite the structural dif ferences in these two types of chains, both have the common feature of an Nglycosidic bond between the innermost N-acetylglucosamine unit and the amino side chain of an asparagine residue in the polypeptide chain. Furthermore, both types of chain are formed via a common precursor, an oligosaccharide that is preassembled in the rough endoplasmic reticulum.
Aufbau sozialer Unterstützung für die Familie

In einer Vielzahl von Studien wurde gezeigt, dass das soziale Kapital (d.h. Ressourcen der Unterstutzung, die einer Person auf Grund seiner sozialen Verbindungen zur Verfugung stehen) einen bedeutenden Schutz gegen die Hohen und Tiefen des Lebens bietet (Putnam, 2000). Zum Beispiel laufen Heranwachsende, die in Gemeinden leben, in denen die Menschen einander vertrauen, sich in Vereinen engagieren, sich ehrenamtlich betatigen, zur Wahl gehen und miteinander Kontakte pflegen (d.h. ein hohes soziales Kapital besitzen), viel seltener Gefahr, die Schule abzubrechen, schwanger zu werden, sich an Gewaltverbrechen zu beteiligen oder vorzeitig auf Grund von Suizid oder Totschlag zu sterben. Die Vermehrung des sozialen Kapitals eines Kindes oder einer Familie kann unmittelbare und langfristige Vorteile mit sich bringen.
Opioid Overdose Prevention in Family Medicine Clerkships: A CERA Study.

Background and objectives The national opioid crisis requires medical education to develop a proactive response centering on prevention and treatment. Primary care providers (PCPs)-many of whom are family medicine physicians-commonly treat patients on opiates, and write nearly 50% of opioid prescriptions. Despite linkages between PCP opioid prescribing patterns and the associated potential for overdose, little is known about how family medicine clerkship students are trained to prevent opioid overdose, including training on the use of naloxone. This study describes the presence of opioid overdose education at the national level and barriers to inclusion. It also discusses implementation strategies along with instructional methodology and learner evaluation. Methods Data were collected as part of a cross-sectional survey administered electronically by the Council of Academic Family Medicine Educational Research Alliance to 139 family medicine clerkship directors. Results A total of 99 clerkship directors (71.2% response rate) responded to the survey. A large majority (86.4%) agreed that it is important to offer opioid overdose prevention education in the clerkship, yet only 25.8% include this topic. Of these, only 50.0% address naloxone use. The most common barriers to including opioid overdose prevention education were prioritization of educational topics (82.1%) followed by lack of available faculty with sufficient experience/expertise (67.7%). Conclusions Findings point to a disparity between perceived importance of opioid overdose prevention education and inclusion of this topic in family medicine clerkship-level medical education. Innovative use of online education and partnering with community resources may address barriers related to curricular prioritization while supporting interprofessional education principles.
Low-Order Multiphysics Coupling Techniques for Nuclear Reactor Applications

Abstract The accurate modeling and simulation of nuclear reactor designs depends greatly on the ability to couple differing sets of physics together. Current coupling techniques most often use a fixed-point, or Picard, iteration scheme in which each set of physics is solved separately, and the resulting solutions are passed between each solver. In the work presented here, two different coupling techniques are investigated: a Jacobian-Free Newton-Krylov (JFNK) approach and a new methodology called Coarse Mesh Finite Difference Coupling (CMFD-Coupling). In this work, both techniques were applied to the low-order CMFD system of equations. This allows for the multiphysics feedback effects to be captured on the low-order system without having to perform a neutron transport solve. The JFNK and CMFD-Coupling approaches were implemented in the MPACT neutron transport code, which is being developed for the Consortium for Advanced Simulation of Light Water Reactors (CASL). These methods were tested on a wide range of practical reactor physics problems, from a single 3D fuel pin to a massively parallel 3D full core problem. When coupled neutronics-thermal hydraulics problems were investigated with both JFNK and CMFD-Coupling, it was concluded that CMFD-Coupling outperformed JFNK in terms of both accuracy and runtime for every problem. When applied to large full core problems with multiple sources of strong feedback enabled, CMFD-Coupling reduced the overall number of transport sweeps required for convergence.
Sufficient conditions for return in the three-body problem

Sufficient conditions are given, which, if fulfilled, enable one to determine, rigorously, that an ejected particle will not escape from a three-body system.
Constituents of a mixed-ploidy population of Solidago altissima differ in plasticity and predicted response to selection under simulated climate change.

PREMISE OF THE STUDY Polyploids possess unique attributes that influence their environmental tolerance and geographic distribution. It is often unknown, however, whether cytotypes within mixed-ploidy populations are also uniquely adapted and differ in their responses to environmental change. Here, we examine whether diploids and hexaploids from a single mixed-ploidy population of Solidago altissima differ in plasticity and potential response to natural selection under conditions simulating climate change. METHODS Clonal replicates of diploid and hexaploid genotypes were grown in a randomized split-plot design under two temperature (+1.9°C) and two watering treatments (-13% soil moisture) implemented with open-top passive chambers placed under rainout shelters. Physiological, phenological, morphological traits, and a fitness correlate, reproductive biomass, were measured and compared among treatments. KEY RESULTS Differences in traits suggest that diploids are currently better adapted to low- water availability than hexaploids. Both ploidy levels had adaptive plastic responses to treatments and are predicted to respond to selection, but often for different traits. Water availability generally had a stronger effect than temperature, but for some traits the effect of water depended on temperature. CONCLUSIONS Diploid and hexaploid S. altissima may maintain fitness in the short term through adaptive plasticity and evolution depending on which traits are important in a warmer, drier environment. Hexaploids may be at a disadvantage compared to diploids because fewer traits were heritable. Our results underscore the importance of studying combinations of climate variables that are predicted to change simultaneously.
Computer applications in second language acquisition

Computer Applications in Second Language Acquisition explores computer applications in second language acquisition by reviewing and interpreting research and development in three areas: computer-assisted second language learning, computer-assisted second language assessment, and computer-assisted second language research  addressing issues such as effective use of software in language teaching, values and limitations of computer-assisted testing, and the study of second language development with interactive computer programs. It offers a unique view of the topic by examining computer applications through perspectives from applied linguistics; it identifies cross-disciplinary work relevant to software development, use, and evaluation; and it suggests critical research directions. This is the first single volume on computer applications in the field which includes issues in teaching, assessment, and SLA research, and which treats evaluation extensively.
The Value System in the Scientific Subculture.

Sacrifice of some cherished ideals of rigor and purity will be necessary if science is to contribute more fully to the solution of society's problems
Bisexuality, Union Status, and Gender Composition of the Couple: Reexamining Marital Advantage in Health.

It has long been documented that married individuals have better health outcomes than unmarried individuals. However, this marital advantage paradigm has been developed primarily based on heterosexual populations. No studies to date have examined the health effects of marriage among bisexuals, one of the most disadvantaged but understudied sexual minority groups, although a few have shown mixed results for gays and lesbians. Similarly, no research has examined how the gender composition of a couple may shape bisexuals’ health outcomes above and beyond the effects of sexual orientation. We analyzed pooled data from the 2013–2017 National Health Interview Survey (n = 154,485) and found that the health advantage of marriage applied only to heterosexuals and, to a lesser extent, gays and lesbians. Married bisexuals, however, exhibited poorer health than unmarried bisexuals when socioeconomic status and health behaviors were adjusted for. Moreover, bisexuals in same-gender unions were healthier than bisexuals in different-gender unions primarily because of their socioeconomic advantages and healthier behaviors. Together, our findings suggest that bisexuals, particularly those in different-gender unions, face unique challenges in their relationships that may reduce the health advantage associated with marriage.
Who can Access What, and When?: Understanding Minimal Access Requirements of Building Applications

Smart building applications (apps) are faced with the real challenge of unfettered access to mission-critical building resources that makes buildings vulnerable to attacks and occupants to privacy invasions. Existing methods that group users for access control are too coarse-grained to avoid granting over-privileges to apps. Furthermore, they lack means to model, express, and use access patterns that can be critical in securing automated building operations. In this paper, We identify Who, What, and When as the key information dimensions for building apps access control after thoroughly reviewing 125 smart building app publications in two major venues. Our analysis reveals that dynamic access control requires unique access patterns of individual apps, as well as the building and user context. We also observe that existing Building Operating Systems and IoT platforms fall short of sufficiently representing all the necessary patterns, and further discuss future directions for the design of access control systems needed to support building apps.
Locational fundamentals, trade, and the changing urban landscape of Mexico

Abstract Geography and history shape urbanization, but the importance of these factors may change over time. We trace Mexico’s urban development over 450 years using detailed subnational data on population, locational fundamentals, and trade access. The analysis shows that urbanization patterns remained largely unchanged from the colonial period until the mid-20th century despite major economic shocks, such as the collapse of Mexico’s indigenous population, the War of Independence, and the Mexican Revolution. However, the pull of historical population and the nature of geographic advantage were disrupted during the second half of the 20th century as international trade access began to play an important role in the emergence of new cities. The results indicate that while geography and history continue to influence urban development, economic policy can reshape these forces in important ways.
Accounting for elevation and distance to the nearest coastline in geostatistical mapping of average annual precipitation

Spatial distribution of precipitation in mountainous areas suggests strong control of surface orography on precipitation processes. Generally, quantifying orographic control of precipitation and identifying homogeneous areas are difficult because of the complex combination of factors, which could influence the precipitation process. The objective of this study was to account for morphometric attributes (elevations and distances to the nearest coastline) in geostatistical mapping of average annual precipitation in southern Italy. The study area was the Calabria Region, which has a spatially variable Mediterranean climate because of its high orographic variability. In this study, annual precipitation data collected by the former Italian Hydrographic Service for the 1916–2006 period were used. Elevations and distances to the nearest coastline were derived from a digital elevation model with 250 m × 250 m cell size in a geographic information system environment and used to delineate areas with homogeneous morphological features [landscape units (LU)]. The effectiveness of LU was assessed estimating the expected value of the average annual precipitation with polygon kriging and comparing their differences with the Mann–Whitney–Wilcoxon test. The average annual precipitation map showed that mountains areas receive more precipitation than low elevation areas and, in the Tyrrhenian side, it was also evident the orographic influence of Coastal chain on precipitation with high precipitation values. Results can help in understanding the differences among LU and the influence of surface orography on spatial patterns of annual precipitation in mountainous regions.
Developing Dynamic Navigation Software for a Laser Guided Autonomous Mobile Robot

The demand for autonomous machines is becoming increasingly present in today’s growing economy. Autonomous robots and machines can provide services that are physically or economically infeasible for humans alone. To fill this demand for useful and relatively inexpensive services, autonomous machines must be reliable and efficient. This paper is focused on developing a guidance software system method for autonomous mobile robots. A mobile robot using an integrated Wavefront algorithm and an advanced laser sensor was able to complete tasks in a dynamic environment with accuracy and speed. The integrated system was developed in a MATLAB virtual environment and was tested in the real world by using a Pioneer mobile robot attached with a Hokuyo laser. Many scenarios were conducted, and the results showed the navigation system integrated with the robot was able to efficiently and accurately reach its goal destination, while avoiding dynamic obstacles.
Temperature decadal trends, and their relation to diurnal variations in the lower thermosphere, stratosphere, and mesosphere, based on measurements from SABER on TIMED

Abstract. We have derived the behavior of decadal temperature trends over the 24 h of local time, based on zonal averages of SABER data, for the years 2012 to 2014, from 20 to 100 km , within 48 ∘ of the Equator. Similar results have not been available previously. We find that the temperature trends, based on zonal mean measurements at a fixed local time, can be different from those based on measurements made at a different fixed local time. The trends can vary significantly in local time, even from hour to hour. This agrees with some findings based on nighttime lidar measurements. This knowledge is relevant because the large majority of temperature measurements, especially in the stratosphere, are made by instruments on sun-synchronous operational satellites which measure at only one or two fixed local times, for the duration of their missions. In these cases, the zonal mean trends derived from various satellite data are tied to the specific local times at which each instrument samples the data, and the trends are then also biased by the local time. Consequently, care is needed in comparing trends based on various measurements with each other, unless the data are all measured at the same local time. Similar caution is needed when comparing with models, since the zonal means from 3D models reflect averages over both longitude and the 24 h of local time. Consideration is also needed in merging data from various sources to produce generic, continuous, longer-term records. Diurnal variations of temperature themselves, in the form of thermal tides, are well known and are due to absorption of solar radiation. We find that at least part of the reason that temperature trends are different for different local times is that the amplitudes and phases of the tides themselves follow trends over the same time span of the data. Many of the past efforts have focused on the temperature values with local time when merging data from various sources and on the effect of unintended satellite orbital drifts, which result in drifting local times at which the temperatures are measured. However, the effect of local time on trends has not been well researched. We also derive estimates of trends by simulating the drift of local time due to drifting orbits. Our comparisons with results found by others (Advanced Microwave Sounding Unit, AMSU; lidar) are favorable and informative. They may explain, at least in part, the bridge between results based on daytime AMSU data and nighttime lidar measurements. However, these examples do not form a pattern, and more comparisons and study are needed.
Evaluation of a Series of Lipidated Tucaresol Adjuvants in a Hepatitis C Virus Vaccine Model

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections represent a global health challenge; however, developing a vaccine for treatment of HCV infection has remained difficult as heterogeneous HCV contains distinct genotypes, and each genotype contains various subtypes and different envelope glycoproteins. Currently, there is no effective preventive vaccine for achieving global control over HCV. In our efforts to improve upon current HCV vaccines we designed a synthetically accessible adjuvant platform, wherein we synthesized 11 novel lipidated tucaresol analogues to assess their immunological potential. Using a tucaresol-based adjuvant approach, truncated lipid-variants together with an engineered E1E2 antigen construct, namely E2ΔTM3, elicited antibody (Ab) responses that were significantly higher than tucaresol. In sum, antibody end-point titer values largely corroborated HCV neutralization data with a simplified lipidated tucaresol variant affording the highest end point titer and % neutralization. This study lays the groundwork for additional permutations in tucaresol adjuvant design, including the examination of other proteins in vaccine development.
The journey of sexuality after spinal cord injury: Implications for allied health professionals

The purpose of this phenomenological study, which reflected the lived experiences of seven individuals living in Alberta with spinal cord injury (SCI), was to gain insights into how individuals wit...
Network Loss Analysis of Low-Voltage Low-Power DC Microgrids for Rural Electrification

Millions of people around the globe are suffering from energy poverty, particularly the inhabitants of Africa and South-East Asia. Electrification through national grids is cost-prohibitive with limited power generation sources in the third world countries. The low-voltage, low-power islanded DC microgrids are a practical option for rural electrification. In this paper, the detailed network loss analysis of four different microgrid architectures is performed using the modified Newton-Raphson power flow for DC systems. These architectures include, 1) Centralized generation centralized storage (CGCS), 2) Centralized generation distributed storage (CGDS), 3) Distributed generation centralized storage (DGCS), and 4) Distributed generation distributed storage (DGDS), which are implemented with both radial and ring interconnection schemes using time-varying load demand and dynamic PV generation. The comparative analysis on these architectures is performed with multiple conductor sizes and different low-voltage levels which indicates that distributed architecture with ring interconnection is more efficient and reliable in comparison to other architectures and interconnection schemes due to its high efficiency, low voltage drop, and reduced distribution losses. This analysis will be useful in optimal planning and designing of new and upgrading of existing low voltage DC (LVDC) microgrid systems systems.
The Supreme Court's Backwards Proportionality Jurisprudence: Comparing Judicial Review of Excessive Criminal Punishments and Excessive Punitive Damages Awards

Punishment, whether in the criminal or civil justice system, is supposed to be proportionate to the offense. Yet, the Supreme Court has adopted vastly different standards for reviewing the proportionality of excessive punitive damages awards and excessive criminal punishments. And the Court's standards appear to be entirely backwards. For punitive damages awards, which are often made against powerful corporations with significant influence in the political process, the Court employs fairly rigorous proportionality review. By contrast, for lengthy prison sentences meted out against criminals who have little power in the political process, the Court has made clear that successful proportionality challenges will be exceedingly rare. This paper argues that the Court's proportionality jurisprudence is backwards. Because the political process can effectively deal with excessive punitive damages awards but not with disproportionate criminal punishments, it would make more sense for the judiciary to exert its countermajoritarian weight in the criminal punishment area.
Tipping and Supermodularity

We model tipping as a game-theoretic phenomenon and investigate the connection between supermodular games, tipping of equilibria and cascading, and apply the results to issues that arise in the context of homeland security and computer security. We show that tipping and cascading can occur in supermodular games and that increasing differences is a sufficient condition for tipping. Supermodularity and tipping of equilibria are closely related. We relate our results to Schelling's early work on tipping.
Transfer of memory cells into antigen-pretreated hosts: I. Functional detection of migration sites for antigen-specific B cells

Abstract The distribution of functionally active hapten-specific B memory cells was investigated. Using antigen-pretreated lethally irradiated recipients, a marked accumulation of adoptively transferred B memory cells was demonstrated in lymph nodes containing specific antigen, but not in lymph nodes containing non-cross-reacting hapten conjugates. This difference in responsiveness between lymph nodes containing specific versus those containing nonspecific antigen developed over a period 3–5 days after memory cell transfer. The localization of antigen specific cells was T-cell independent; both carrier-primed T helper cells and specific antigenic challenge, however, were required to trigger the localized B memory cells into antibody production. Specific B memory cell accumulation did not result from an expansion of the antigen-specific cell population due to local proliferation induced by antigen depots in the lymph nodes to challenge. Rather, the results indicated that recirculating B memory cells had progressively accumulated through retention by antigen in the lymph node. These findings suggest that, in the absence of T-cell help and specific antigenic challenge, B memory cells accumulate in lymphoid tissue (follicles) without responding and provide persistent local memory for the humoral immune response.
Optimal design of broadband ATM switches for VLSI implementations

A new design approach, optimal design approach of ATM switches, is proposed. This approach starts with given performance requirements and calculates the switch design parameters while minimizing VLSI implementation cost. The design problems are formulated as non-linear discrete optimization problems at both the architecture level and the circuit level. At the architecture level we consider an input/output buffered switch architecture. At the circuit level we consider a high bit rate inverter chain which is based on a new GaAs logic family. >
CRAULc Compiler and run-time integration for adaptation under load[1]This work was supported in part by NSF grants CDA-9401142, CCR-9702466, and CCR-9705594s and an external research grant from Compaq.

Clusters of workstations provide a cost-effective, high performance parallel computing environment. These environments, however, are often shared by multiple users, or may consist of heterogeneous machines. As a result, parallel applications executing in these environments must operate despite unequal computational resources. For maximum performance, applications should automatically adapt execution to maximize use of the available resources. Ideally, this adaptation should be transparent to the application programmer. In this paper, we present CRAUL (Compiler and Run-Time Integration for Adaptation Under Load), a system that dynamically balances computational load in a parallel application. Our target run-time is software-based distributed shared memory (SDSM). SDSM is a good target for parallelizing compilers since it reduces compile-time complexity by providing data caching and other support for dynamic load balancing. CRAUL combines compile-time support to identify data access patterns with a run-time system that uses the access information to intelligently distribute the parallel workload in loop-based programs. The distribution is chosen according to the relative power of the processors and so as to minimize SDSM overhead and maximize locality. We have evaluated the resulting load distribution in the presence of different types of load - computational, computational and memory intensive, and network load. CRAUL performs within 5-23% of ideal in the presence of load, and is able to improve on naive compiler-based work distribution that does not take locality into account even in the absence of load.
Warum herrscht Frieden in Europa

In Europa herrscht seit dem Fall der Berliner Mauer vor zwanzig Jahren Frieden. Dieser Artikel versucht zu erklaren, warum. Das zentrale Argument ist, dass der Frieden zum grosen Teil auf Europas Verhaltnis zu den Vereinigten Staaten zuruckzufuhren ist, das sich seit dem Ende des Kalten Krieges nicht wesentlich geandert hat. Amerika fungiert als Friedensbewahrer in Europa, bleibt in der Region militarisch stark prasent und halt die NATO intakt. Die meisten Europaer halten es fur sinnvoll, dass die Vereinigten Staaten versuchen, die Geschicke der Welt zu lenken. Viele europaische Staaten, besonders Grosbritannien, waren bereit den Vereinigten Staaten dabei zu helfen. Europas machtigste Staaten hatten daher kaum Zeit sich gegenseitig Sorgen zu machen. Andere Erklarungen stellen die friedenserhaltenden Effekte der Europaischen Union und der Ausbreitung der Demokratie auf dem ganzen Kontinent in den Mittelpunkt. Aber diese Erklarungen sind letzten Endes nicht uberzeugend. Zwei Faktoren werden die Aussichten fur den weiteren Frieden bestimmen: die Frage, ob es ernsthafte Verwicklungen zwischen Russland und der Ukraine geben wird und ob die Vereinigten Staaten in Europa bleiben und die NATO intakt halten.
Microcirculation of the intestinal mucosa

The sections in this article are: 1 Intrinsic Regulation of Blood Flow and Oxygenation 1.1 Basic Concepts 1.2 Vascular Response to Arterial Pressure Alterations 1.3 Vascular Response to Venous Pressure Elevation 1.4 Reactive Hyperemia 1.5 Vascular Response to Alterations in Arterial Blood Gases and Hematocrit 1.6 Postprandial Intestinal Hyperemia 2 Influence of Blood Flow on Intestinal Transport 2.1 Washout of Flow-Limited Solutes 2.2 Effects of Oxygen Delivery on Absorption 3 Countercurrent Exchange 3.1 Anatomical Basis 3.2 Theoretical Considerations 3.3 Experimental Evidence 4 Vascular Capacitance 5 Vasoactive Agents and Intestinal Oxygen Uptake 5.1 Relation Between Blood Flow and Oxygen Uptake 5.2 Oxidative Metabolism 5.3 Effective Capillary Density 5.4 Intramural Blood Flow Distribution 6 Angiotensin II and Vasopressin 7 Effects of Experimental Conditions on the Intestinal Circulation 7.1 Anesthesia and Adjuvants 7.2 Respiration and Blood Gases 7.3 Laparotomy and Visceral Manipulation 7.4 Temerature 8 Transcapillary Fluid and Solute Exchange 8.1 Starling Hypothesis 8.2 Rate of Transcapillary Fluid Movement (Lymph Flow) 8.3 Capillary Filtration Coefficient 8.4 Capillary Hydrostatic Pressure 8.5 Interstitial Hydrostatic Pressure 8.6 Osmotic Reflection Coefficient 8.7 Transcapillary Oncotic Pressure Gradient 8.8 Interaction of Capillary and Interstitial Forces 9 Small-Solute and Macromolecule Exchange 9.1 Small Solutes 9.2 Macromolecules 9.3 Factors Influencing Permeability 9.4 Pathways for Macromolecule Exchange 10 Conclusions
The Challenges of Universal Connectivity

Over the past two decades, mobile technology has evolved from simple mobile phones to smartphones with location-sensing and multiple forms of Internet connectivity. In the past few years, these have been joined by various Internet-connected, location-aware devices that make it possible to track the real-time location and behavior of millions of people. This paper summarizes major advantages and risks associated with the universal connectivity that is available with this technology.
What Are Agile Methods and Why Should I Care

Chapter 2 introduces agile methods and their application to systems engineering. Although agile methods arose in IT software development, they have begun to be applied——with good success—in other engineering disciplines as well. In order to understand how best to apply them to systems engineering, a good understanding of the basic agile concepts, methods, and approaches is necessary. This chapter outlines the Agile Manifesto and restates it to be more relevant to systems engineering, including identifying the important measure of success—verified engineering data. The benefits of agile approaches are explained with an emphasis on the difference it can make to systems engineers. Key methodological approaches—incremental engineering, dynamic planning, continuous verification (of engineering data), continuous integration, and so on—are all explained in the context of systems engineering. The chapter highlights the key agile best practices for improving quality and efficiency in systems engineering and then outlines the Harmony Agile Model-Based Systems Engineering (Harmony aMBSE) process that integrates those best practices into a coherent approach.
Malebranche and the Riddle of Sensation

I shall argue that Nicolas Malebranche offers an extreme – and ultimately unworkable – attempt to resolve this tension. Much about Malebranche’s theory of perception is controversial. There is one point, however, on which most commentators converge: Malebranche defends an adverbial theory of sensation. For there seems to be nothing in the external world for them to represent. If one takes representation to require resemblance, the pressure in this direction is even stronger. On the other hand, some sensations – particularly color sensations – seem to be required for us to have perceptual experiences of bodies. How else could one perceive, or perhaps even think about, the boundaries of a body, except in terms of different shadings of color? Sensations must, it seems, represent at least some features of the mind-independent world.