cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Binary display of hexagonally sampled continuous-tone images

We consider the binary representation of hexagonally sampled continuous-tone images. The method of error diffusion is extended for the hexagonal lattice. Aliasing artifacts as well as the spatial patterns generated with this method are compared with those obtained in the binarization of rectangularly sampled images. The nonideal printing process is analyzed for this lattice structure, and the binarization process is modified so as to suppress dot overlap and minimize tone degradations. On a nonideal printer it is shown that binarization in a hexagonal lattice is more robust than in a rectangular one in tone preservation.
Sensitivity of nocturnal boundary layer temperature to tropospheric aerosol surface radiative forcing under clear‐sky conditions

[1] Since the middle of the last century, global surface air temperature exhibits an increasing trend, with nocturnal temperatures increasing at a much higher rate. Proposed causative mechanisms include the radiative impact of atmospheric aerosols on the nocturnal boundary layer (NBL) where the temperature response is amplified due to shallow depth and its sensitivity to potential destabilization. A 1-D version of the Regional Atmospheric Modeling System is used to examine the sensitivity of the nocturnal boundary layer temperature to the surface longwave radiative forcing (SLWRF) from urban aerosol loading and doubled atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations. The analysis is conducted for typical midlatitude nocturnal boundary layer case days from the CASES-99 field experiment and is further extended to urban sites in Pune and New Delhi, India. For the cases studied, locally, the nocturnal SLWRF from urban atmospheric aerosols (2.7-47 W m -2 ) is comparable or exceeds that caused by doubled atmospheric carbon dioxide (3 W m -2 ), with the surface temperature response ranging from a compensation for daytime cooling to an increase in the nocturnal minimum temperature. The sensitivity of the NBL to radiative forcing is approximately 4 times higher compared to the daytime boundary layer. Nighttime warming or cooling may occur depending on the nature of diurnal variations in aerosol optical depth. Soil moisture also modulates the magnitude of SLWRF, decreasing from 3 to 1 W m -2 when soil saturation increases from 37% to 70%. These results show the importance of aerosols on the radiative balance of the climate system.
Evaluation of bone matrix and demineralized bone matrix incorporated PLGA matrices for bone repair

The aim of this study was to evaluate the composite matrices prepared using Poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid)- PLGA (85:15) by incorporating human bone matrix (BM) powder or demineralized bone matrix (DBM) powder with the weight ratio of polymer: BM or DBM (75:25) to apply for bone repair. Murine Bone Marrow Stromal Cell (BMSC) attachment was studied with different time points at 30 min, 1 h, 2 h, 4 h, and 6 h for BM/PLGA, DBM/PLGA and PLGA control matrices. All types of matrices were linearly increased the BMSC attachment with the increase of time. Significantly higher number of BMSCs was attached to the both BM/PLGA and DBM/PLGA matrices after 2 h compared to the controls. If BM or DBM is incorporated into biodegradable PLGA matrices and cultured with BMSCs, those composite matrices could be potentially used for bone tissue engineering applications. In addition, particle migration and handling difficulties in DBM powder in clinical applications eliminate using a PLGA matrix. Furthermore, we have observed that DBM/PLGA matrices were structurally stronger compared to the BM/PLGA or control PLGA matrices when they exposed to physiological environment for 72 days.
Growth kinetics on systems with conserved dynamics

Abstract A new measure of growth, the mean square displacement 〈R2〉, is suggested for non-equilibrium kinetics. It provides accurate and reliable growth laws in systems with conserved dynamics. Results are given for both the antiferromagnetic and ferromagnetic Ising model. In the first case, an exponent n = 1 2 is obtained and in the second the Lifshitz-Slyozov growth mechanism is verified.
Robot-Based Real-Time Motion Tracker

This paper describes a motion-tracking system that couples a vision system and a robot arm manipulator. The main issue is how to combine typical existing laboratory-type equipment while resolving problems of asynchronous communication between devices. A pyramid-based motion-detection scheme is used to find the distance-independent region of motion within a camera scene. This information is relayed to the the robot arm, which physically moves the camera and orients it towards the region of detected motion. A static look-and-move method is implemented, and a timing algorithm is designed to coordinate the real-time vision and robot systems.
Porcine Xenograft Aortic Root Replacement in a Three Month Old With Severe Truncal Insufficiency

Outcomes for truncus arteriosus repair are impacted significantly by the severity of truncal valve dysfunction. When satisfactory repair of the regurgitant truncal valve is unattainable, replacement is required. Given our experience in children with stentless porcine xenografts in the aortic position and the incidence of early valve failure for aortic homografts in infants, we replaced a severely regurgitant truncal valve with a full-root porcine xenograft in a 3-month-old infant. The initial and early result are encouraging, suggesting that the stentless porcine xenograft may be considered an option in cases where primary repair of the truncal (or aortic) valve is not possible.
Purification of spfctrin and its subunits by high-performance liquid chromatography

Technological and methodological advances in the techniques of structural and biological studies of proteins have reduced the required amount of sample. In conjunction with these advances, high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) has emerged as a technique of high utility for the purification of complex molecules. Using a combination of size-exclusion and reversed-phase HPLC and ionic buffers containing sodium dodecyl sulfate, the red cell membrane-associated high-molecular-weight polypeptide spectrin and its subunits have been purified. The system described in this paper is fast, reproducible and quantitative.
SOCS3 Deletion in T Lymphocytes Suppresses Development of Chronic Ocular Inflammation via Upregulation of CTLA-4 and Expansion of Regulatory T Cells

Suppressors of cytokine signaling (SOCS) proteins are negative-feedback regulators of the JAK/STAT pathway, and SOCS3 contributes to host immunity by regulating the intensity and duration of cytokine signals and inflammatory responses. Mice with Socs3 deletion in myeloid cells exhibit enhanced STAT3 signaling, expansion of Th1 and Th17 cells, and develop severe experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis. Interestingly, development of the unique IL-17/IFN-γ double-producing (Th17/IFN-γ and Tc17/IFN-γ) subsets that exhibit strong cytotoxic activities and are associated with pathogenesis of several autoimmune diseases has recently been shown to depend on epigenetic suppression of SOCS3 expression, further suggesting involvement of SOCS3 in autoimmunity and tumor immunity. In this study, we generated mice with Socs3 deletion in the CD4 T cell compartment (CD4-SOCS3 knockout [KO]) to determine in vivo effects of the loss of Socs3 in the T cell-mediated autoimmune disease, experimental autoimmune uveitis (EAU). In contrast to the exacerbation of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis in myeloid-specific SOCS3-deleted mice, CD4-SOCS3KO mice were protected from acute and chronic uveitis. Protection from EAU correlated with enhanced expression of CTLA-4 and expansion of IL-10-producing regulatory T cells with augmented suppressive activities. We further show that SOCS3 interacts with CTLA-4 and negatively regulates CTLA-4 levels in T cells, providing a mechanistic explanation for the expansion of regulatory T cells in CD4-SOCS3 during EAU. Contrary to in vitro epigenetic studies, Th17/IFN-γ and Tc17/IFN-γ populations were markedly reduced in CD4-SOCS3KO, suggesting that SOCS3 promotes expansion of the Th17/IFN-γ subset associated with development of severe uveitis. Thus, SOCS3 is a potential therapeutic target in uveitis and other autoinflammatory diseases.
Cellular regulation of gamma interferon production: Lyt phenotype of the suppressor cell.

Suppressor cell activity for in vitro gamma interferon (IFNγ) production can be induced in C57BL/6 mice with the T-cell mitogens staphylococcal enterotoxin A and concanavalin A. The suppressor cell lacked mitogen specificity in that injection of mice with either staphylococcal enterotoxin A or concanavalin A induced potent suppressor cell activity that inhibited the in vitro induction of IFNγ by either mitogen. The suppressor cell is a T cell with a relatively high density of Thy 1 antigen. The IFNγ-producing cell has a low density of Thy 1 and appears to have evolved from cells with a high density of Thy 1.2 or to have required such cells as helpers in the production of IFNγ. Monoclonal anti-Lyt 2.2 antibody completely eliminated the suppressor cell activity, whereas anti-Lyt 1.2 partially, but significantly, reduced the suppressor cell activity. The suppressor cell, then, may be or may require a Lyt 1,2,3+ cell with a relatively low density of the Lyt 1 antigen for activity. The Lyt phenotype of the IFNγ- producing cells was examined for both virgin and suppressor cell populations. Treatment of cells with either anti-Lyt 1.2 or anti-Lyt 2.2 completely eliminated IFNγ production in both virgin and suppressor cell cultures. Cocultivation of Lyt 1+ and Lyt 2+ cells in both virgin and suppressor cell cultures significantly restored the ability to produce IFNγ when cells were stimulated with staphylococcal enterotoxin A. For the virgin cells, this seems to indicate clearly that both Lyt 1+ and Lyt 2+ cells are required for IFN production, but that Lyt 1,2,3+ cells are not required. For the suppressor cell population this type of treatment resulted in IFNγ production comparable to that of the virgin cell population. The treatment eliminated or depleted Lyt 1,2,3+ cells from the suppressor cell population, thus providing additional evidence that a Lyt 1,2,3+ cell is required for suppressor cell activity. Treatment of spleen cells with anti-Lyt antibodies at the time that they were involved in ongoing IFNγ production showed that the IFNγ-producing cell is Lyt 2+. At least a 1:1 ratio of virgin to suppressor cells was required for optimal suppression of IFNγ production by virgin spleen cells. This suggests that suppression involved cell-to-cell contact. Preliminary data showed that the suppressor cell activity could also be induced in in vitro cultures incubated with mitogen for 4 days. This is evidence that the suppressor cell is inducible and not necessarily recruited to the spleen from other lymphoid organs.
Perineuronal net degradation in epilepsy.

Summary Objective We previously reported loss of perineuronal net (PN) immunohistochemical staining around parvalbumin-positive interneurons in the hippocampus of rats after an episode of status epilepticus (SE). We hypothesized that the loss of the PN could alter seizure susceptibility and that matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) were candidates for degradation of the PN following SE. Methods The pilocarpine chemoconvulsant rodent epilepsy model was used to characterize the degradation of the aggrecan component of the PN in the hippocampus following SE. Chondroitinase ABC (ChABC) was used to degrade the PN in mice. Onset, number, and duration of pentylenetetrazole (PTZ)–induced seizures were assessed. Results The loss of the PN in the hippocampus following SE is at least partially related to degradation of the aggrecan PN component by MMP activity. Forty-eight hours after SE, a neoepitope created by MMP cleavage of aggrecan was present and concentrated around parvalbumin-positive interneurons. The increase in aggrecan cleavage products was found at 48 h, 1 week, and 2 months after SE, with different fragments predominating over time. We demonstrate ongoing aggrecan proteolysis and fragment accumulation in the hippocampus of adult control rats, as well as in SE-treated animals. Degradation of the PN alters the seizure response to PTZ. ChABC treatment caused an increase in myoclonic seizures following PTZ administration, a delayed onset of Racine stage 4/5 seizure, and a decreased duration of Racine stage 4/5 seizure. Significance Status epilepticus increases MMP proteolysis of aggrecan, pointing to MMP activity as one mechanism of PN degradation post-SE. There is accumulation of aggrecan fragments in adult rat hippocampus of both control and SE-exposed animals. Loss of the PN was associated with increased numbers of myoclonic seizures; it also, delayed and shortened the duration of Racine stage 4/5 seizures, suggesting a complex relationship between the PN and seizure susceptibility.
Strange Tori of the Derivative Nonlinear Schrödinger Equation

Under periodic boundary condition, the derivative nonlinear Schrodinger equation is studied. By virtue of Darboux transformations, I show that its level set can contain many disconnected tori of different dimensions. Such a picture was not seen before. I also give a formula for diffusions along these tori. The open problem on invariant manifolds is discussed.
Aerosolization of Particulate (1→3)-β-d-Glucan from Moldy Materials

Mold-damaged building materials may contain biologically active agents, such as (1→3)-β-d-glucan, allergens, and mycotoxins, which have been associated with adverse health effects. The release of these components from contaminated surfaces into the air is not well understood. The purpose of this study was to characterize the release of particulate (1→3)-β-d-glucan from the surface of artificially mold-contaminated materials. Aspergillus versicolor and Stachybotrys chartarum were grown on malt extract agar (MEA), white ceiling tiles, and a wall-papered gypsum board for 1 and 6 months. The (1→3)-β-d-glucan on the surfaces of moldy materials and in air samples collected from these materials was analyzed by the Limulus amebocyte lysate assay. The aerosolization ratio was defined as the amount of (1→3)-β-d-glucan in the air divided by the amount on the surface. The results showed that the aerosolization of particulate (1→3)-β-d-glucan was influenced mainly by the type of material and the fungal species. For A. versicolor, the aerosolization ratios of particulate (1→3)-β-d-glucan released from the three types of material were not significantly different. However, the ratios for S. chartarum released from ceiling tiles and gypsum board were significantly higher than the ratios for this organism released from MEA (P < 0.001) and were comparable to those for A. versicolor. These findings indicate that the use of MEA in aerosolization experiments is likely to underestimate the release of S. chartarum particles from building materials. These results provide important background information for design of future laboratory or animal experiments, as well as for interpretation of field measurement data.
Violations of Bell's Inequality in Synchronized Hyperchaos

Motivated by a parallel between quantum cryptography and chaos synchronization cryptography, we construct a Bell's inequality for a pair of synchronously coupled variable-order Generalized Rossler Systems, with arbitrarily binarized final states. In the infinite-order limit, although dynamical parameters cannot be extracted from the coupling signal in finite time, the inequality is violated, as with entangled quantum states. The violations are weaker than in quantum theory, vanishing as the differences between corresponding parameters of the coupled systems become small. The fact that Bell's inequality can be violated for a pair of classical systems that are not discernibly connected supports the possibility of a realist interpretation of quantum mechanics.
Redox-induced fluoride ligand dissociation stabilized by intramolecular hydrogen bonding

Chemical reduction of a tripodal Cu(II)–F complex containing pendent hydroxyl groups results in the partial dissociation of a F− ligand from Cu. The resulting Cu(I) complex is characterized as containing an outer sphere F− anion ‘captured’ by hydrogen bonds. The pendent hydroxyl groups were found to be crucial for reductive stability.
The cell biology of asthma

The clinical manifestations of asthma are caused by obstruction of the conducting airways of the lung. Two airway cell types are critical for asthma pathogenesis: epithelial cells and smooth muscle cells. Airway epithelial cells, which are the first line of defense against inhaled pathogens and particles, initiate airway inflammation and produce mucus, an important contributor to airway obstruction. The other main cause of airway obstruction is contraction of airway smooth muscle. Complementary experimental approaches involving cultured cells, animal models, and human clinical studies have provided many insights into diverse mechanisms that contribute to airway epithelial and smooth muscle cell pathology in this complex disease.
Riboswitches and the RNA World

Riboswitches are structured noncoding RNA domains that selectively bind metabolites and control gene expression (Mandal and Breaker 2004a; Coppins et al. 2007; Roth and Breaker 2009). Nearly all examples of the known riboswitches reside in noncoding regions of messenger RNAs where they control transcription or translation. Newfound classes of riboswitches are being reported at a rate of about three per year (Ames and Breaker 2009), and these have been shown to selectively respond to fundamental metabolites including coenzymes, nucleobases or their derivatives, amino acids, and other small molecule ligands. The characteristics of some riboswitches suggest they could be modern descendents of an ancient sensory and regulatory system that likely functioned before the emergence of enzymes and genetic factors made of protein (Nahvi et al. 2002; Vitreschak et al. 2004; Breaker 2006). If true, then some of the riboswitch structures and functions that serve modern cells so well may accurately reflect the capabilities of RNA sensors and switches that existed in the RNA World. This article will address some of the characteristics of modern riboswitches that may be relevant to ancient versions of these metabolite-sensing RNAs.
SUGGESTED SEMIEMPIRICAL MOLECULAR ORBITAL SCHEMES FOR XENON TETROXIDE

Using recently published approximate SCF wave functions for Xenon, the one-electron molecular orbital energies of xenon tetroxide have been determined in three approximations and within the general formalism of the semi-empirical Mulliken-Wolfsberg-Helmholtz molecular orbital method. The bonding and symmetry-allowed electronic transitions have been discussed qualitatively.
Missing generations of spermatocytes and spermatids in seminiferous epithelium contribute to low efficiency of spermatogenesis in humans

Daily sperm production per gram parenchyma (DSP/g) in humans is only 25 or 35% of that for most species including rats and nonhuman primates. To explain the low efficiency of spermatogenesis in humans, the number of generations of germ cells (spermatocytes and spermatids) and the number of these germ cells in each generation were determined for each spermatogenic stage in men with varied efficiencies. Testes were obtained at autopsy, fixed by vascular perfusion with glutaraldehyde, further fixed in osmium, and embedded in Epon 812 before 0.5-micron sections were stained with toluidine blue. Tubular cross sections were photographed, and spermatogenic stages were determined by two observers. Testes were divided into three groups on the basis of DSP/g. The number of generations of spermatocytes and spermatids was greater (p < 0.05) in the high (2.01 +/- 0.05) and intermediate (1.77 +/- 0.04) than in the low (1.45 +/- 0.15) DSP/g group. All groups had a lower number of generations of spermatocytes and spermatids compared to the optimum value of three. The number of these generations per cross section was related (r = 0.85; p < 0.01) to DSP/g in these men. The number per cross section of spermatocytes, spermatids, and the combined number of germ cells was higher (p < 0.01) in the high than in the low DSP/g group. The combined number of germ cells per cross section was related (r = 0.85; p < 0.01) to DSP/g. The combined number of germ cells was higher in the high versus the low DSP/g group in stages I through V, but this difference was significant only in stages IV and V.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
A simple FDTD model for transient excitation of antennas by transmission lines

A simple FDTD model is developed for use with antennas that are fed from transmission lines. The model is especially designed for use with transient excitations, where the incident and reflected waveforms within the transmission line are of interest, and the latter is determined directly in the FDTD calculation. The model is verified for both transmission and reception of transient waveforms by comparison with measured results for a cylindrical monopole antenna with a plane reflector. >
Identification of Vinca alkaloid acceptors in P388 murine leukemia cells with a photoactive analogue of vinblastine.

The cytotoxic, antimitotic, and growth inhibition properties of a photoactive analogue of vinblastine, N -( p -azidobenzoyl)- N ′-β-aminoethylvindesine (NABV), and vinblastine on P388 murine leukemia cells were compared. After 72-h exposure, the 50% drug-inhibitory concentrations for exponentially growing P388 leukemic cells were 1.2 nm for NABV and 0.6 nm for vinblastine. The ultrastructural effects of NABV and vinblastine on P388 cells were similar: formation of tubulin paracrystals; mitotic arrest (C-mitosis); increased post-C-mitotic multinucleated cells; increased number of annulate lamellae; and the appearance of intracytoplasmic paired cisternae. [3H]NABV was used to identify Vinca alkaloid binding sites in P388 cells by photoaffinity labeling. After irradiation at 302 nm, radioactive Vinca alkaloid binding components were resolved by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and identified in 1-mm gel slices. The most prominent photolabeled species were M r 44,000, 54,000, and 75,000 polypeptides located in the 100,000 × g supernatant fraction. The M r 54,000 component was also observed in the membrane fraction. Specific photolabeling of M r 54,000 and 44,000 polypeptides was blocked in the presence of 20 µm excess of vinblastine and was saturable with half-maximal saturation concentrations of 0.18 and 0.4 µm [3H]NABV, respectively. The M r 54,000 component was identified as a tubulin subunit by immunoprecipitation with antitubulin monoclonal antibodies. Since NABV and vinblastine have similar pharmacological and biological properties, this photoactive analogue may be useful for identifying important Vinca alkaloid cellular acceptors which may be responsible for drug cytotoxic and antineoplastic activities.
Memory system performance of programs with intensive heap allocation

Heap allocation with copying garbage collection is a general storage management technique for programming languages. It is believed to have poor memory system performance. To investigate this, we conducted an in-depth study of the memory system performance of heap allocation for memory systems found on many machines. We studied the performance of mostly functional Standard ML programs which made heavy use of heap allocation. We found that most machines support heap allocation poorly. However, with the appropriate memory system organization, heap allocation can have good performance. The memory system property crucial for achieving good performance was the ability to allocate and initialize a new object into the cache without a penalty. This can be achieved by having subblock by placement with a subblock size of one word with a write-allocate policy, along with fast page-mode writes or a write buffer. For caches with subblock placement, the data cache overhead was under 9% for a 64K or larger data cache; without subblock placement the overhead was often higher than 50%.
Increased cloudiness in the United States during the first half of the Twentieth Century: Fact or fiction?

A new source of cloud and sunshine data, in conjunction with an inspection of the observing practices, instruments, and daily temperature range over the US, are used to confirm or contradict the large increases of cloudiness previously reported. This analysis indicates that changes in observing practices are primarily responsible for the reported increase of cloudiness during the first half of this Century. The response of the sunshine instruments and the surface daily temperature range over the US are not consistent with the reported increases during the first half of this Century. Since the late 1940s however, the increase of cloud cover is confirmed by an inspection of the sunshine data, daily temperature range, changes in instruments, and the instructions to the observers. The types of changes in the cloud observing practices during the late 1930s and 1940s would tend to lead to increases in reported cloud amounts. Although the authors have not yet produced a combined sunshine/cloudiness index of cloud cover over the Twentieth Century, some cogent inferences can be made at this time: (1) monotonic trends of cloudiness on the Century time-scale do not exist in the US; (2) fewer clouds were present during the 1930s and early 1950s;more » (3) there has been a tendency toward increased cloudiness since 1948.« less
Coupling single-mode fiber to uniform and symmetrically tapered thin-film waveguide structures using gadolinium gallium garnet

The need for high efficiency components has grown significantly due to the expanding role of fiber optic communications for various applications. Integrated optics is in a state of metamorphosis and there are many problems awaiting solutions. One of the main problems being the lack of a simple and efficient method of coupling single-mode fibers to thin-film devices for integrated optics. Optical coupling between a single-mode fiber and a uniform and tapered thin-film waveguide is theoretically modeled and analyzed. The novel tapered structure presented is shown to produce a perfect match for power transfer.
Parenthood and Health: The Pivotal and Optimal Age at First Birth

Abstract:This study relates the health of U.S. adults ages 18 through 95 to parenthood and age at first birth, using data from a 1995 telephone survey. Health measures include perceived health, energy and fitness, physical impairment, chronic conditions, and aches and pains. Results show a generally positive association between health and age at first birth that is linear for men and parabolic for women, with maximum health predicted for mothers who had a first birth around age 30.5. The correlation of parenthood with health depends on age at first birth, switching from negative to positive with delay beyond age 21.8. The increments in health associated with delay up to that age are greater for mothers than for fathers, but significant for both.
Thymic pathology in placental abruption: an autopsy study of third trimester stillborns in a predominantly African–American population

AbstractObjective: Complete placental abruption results rapidly in fetal death through acute asphyxia, and identification of thymic lesions at autopsy may help in confirming this diagnosis. Thymic petechiae are a marker for acute asphyxia, while absence of histologically identifiable acute thymic involution (ATI), which requires several hours to develop, may help in exclusion.Methods: We identified autopsies on 17 3rd trimester stillborns with clinical abruption; 58 stillborns with unexplained demise comprised the control group. Eighty-nine percent of the mothers were African–American. ATI was graded 0–4 (grades 0–1 and 3–4 were combined for analysis), and thymic petechiae were recorded.Results: In the abruption group, ATI grade 0–1 was more frequent than higher grades: 13 (77%) had ATI grade 0–1 compared to 1 (6%) with ATI grade 3–4 (p < 0.001). In contrast, in the control group, ATI grade 3–4 was more frequent than lower grades: 9 (16%) had ATI grade 0–1 compared to 30 (52%) with ATI grade 3–4 (p < 0.00...
Cultural robotics: on the intersections of identity and autonomy in people and machines

In this paper, we introduce the phrase “cultural robotics” to refer to the interdisciplinary analysis of autonomous machines and their mutual construction with society: as culture constructs robots, they are (re)constructing us. The objects we study range from industrial manufacturing devices to socially-intelligent robots (SIRs), and our disciplinary frameworks include humanities-oriented approaches –cultural anthropology and graphic design in particular—as well as cybernetics and computational sciences. We will examine the cultural significance of two SIRs portrayed in pop culture, analyze the socio-technical history of autonomous devices such as the master-slave circuit, and explore the ways in which such observations might contribute to efforts such as participatory design (discussed here in terms of Bennett’s “interactive aesthetics”). We conclude with a recent case study in which racial identity and robot design had direct intersections. Like Haraway and Latour, we aim to prevent either technocentric or human-centric perspectives from dominating the analysis. It is our hope that more democratic and sustainable ways of designing and using robots can emerge from this view of hybridity and co-evolution between social and technical worlds.
Diversität des Konsums

This article summarizes the evolution of retail in Germany in the last decades with special focus on the intricacy of demand. The authors discuss some established approaches of marketing and compare it with the actual impact of basic meta trends. Further, the diversity of demographic groups and the complex way of today’s consumption are described. In conclusion, some options of sustainable trading will be offered.
Perceived Noise Analysis for Offset Jets Applied to Commercial Supersonic Aircraft

A systems analysis was performed with experimental jet noise data, engine/aircraft performance codes and aircraft noise prediction codes to assess takeoff noise levels and mission range for conceptual supersonic commercial aircraft. A parametric study was done to identify viable engine cycles that meet NASA's N+2 goals for noise and performance. Model scale data from offset jets were used as input to the aircraft noise prediction code to determine the expected sound levels for the lateral certification point where jet noise dominates over all other noise sources. The noise predictions were used to determine the optimal orientation of the offset nozzles to minimize the noise at the lateral microphone location. An alternative takeoff procedure called "programmed lapse rate" was evaluated for noise reduction benefits. Results show there are two types of engines that provide acceptable mission range performance; one is a conventional mixed-flow turbofan and the other is a three-stream variable-cycle engine. Separate flow offset nozzles reduce the noise directed toward the thicker side of the outer flow stream, but have less benefit as the core nozzle pressure ratio is reduced. At the systems level for a three-engine N+2 aircraft with full throttle takeoff, there is a 1.4 EPNdB margin to Chapter 3 noise regulations predicted for the lateral certification point (assuming jet noise dominates). With a 10% reduction in thrust just after clearing the runway, the margin increases to 5.5 EPNdB. Margins to Chapter 4 and Chapter 14 levels will depend on the cumulative split between the three certification points, but it appears that low specific thrust engines with a 10% reduction in thrust (programmed lapse rate) can come close to meeting Chapter 14 noise levels. Further noise reduction is possible with engine oversizing and derated takeoff, but more detailed mission studies are needed to investigate the range impacts as well as the practical limits for safety and takeoff regulations.
Morphological and Physiological Parameters of Soybean Resistance to Agromyzid Beanflies

Four soybean varieties which are highly resistant to agromyzid beanflies and two beanfly-susceptible varieties were grown under conditions which simulated those of the fall crop season in Taiwan. Morphological and physiological parameters of the plants with beanfly resistance versus susceptibility were compared. The observed data from the Biotron study were then correlated with those on beanfly infestation in Taiwan. A multiple correlation analysis showed that during the early plant growing stages, the beanfly infestation seems to be influenced especially by the trichome density of the under (abaxial) surface of leaves, leaf area, leaf moisture content, and stem diameter. When a plant is in the V3 stage of growth or older, both the leaf dry weight per cm2 of the second trifoliate leaf and stem moisture content of the internode between the second and third nodes also are positively correlated with the level of beanfly infestation.
95 WHAT IS THE MECHANISM OF ENDOTHELIN 1'S EFFECT ON ISCHEMIC VENTRICULAR TACHYCARDIA?

Background Endothelin (ET), one of the most potent vasoconstrictors, is known to influence ventricular tachycardia (VT). The mechanism thought to be involved includes triggered activity (TA). We investigated effects of ET-1 and the ET-1A receptor blocker BQ123 in a canine model of focal and reentrant VT in a combined in vivo and in vitro study to test the hypothesis that focal VT and TA were selectively affected. Methods Thirty-eight alpha-chloralose-anesthetized dogs with 1 to 3 hours of coronary artery occlusion were studied. Three-dimensional activation mapping identified the mechanism of VT. If VT was not inducible at baseline, incremental doses of ET-1 were given until the VT was induced. If VT was reproducibly induced at baseline, BQ123 was given (2.5 μg/kg, IV), and then induction was repeated. The effect of these agents on action potentials (APs), delayed and early afterdepolarizations (DADs and EADs), and TA measured from ischemic endocardium were studied in vitro by standard microelectrode techniques. Results Of 15 dogs with no VT inducible, ET-1 (0.2 μg/kg, IV) produced sustained VT of mixed reentrant and focal origin in five dogs (p Conclusion ET-1 promotes focal and reentrant VT under conditions of myocardial ischemia; however, in vitro tissues do not show TA as we expected. The specific ET-1A receptor blocker BQ123 significantly blocked only reentrant VT. Endothelin plays a major role in reentrant VTs in the dog model of myocardial ischemia probably by promoting AP alternans.
Implementation Effect of Child Immunization Registration System in Earthquake Stricken Area of Sichuan

Objective To evaluate the efficiency of Childhood Immunization Registration Information system(CIRIS) work in earthquake stricken areas of Sichuan.Methods Twenty counties/districts in 6 cities in earthquake stricken areas of Sichuan were investigated in 2009-2011 by formal questionnaire with content of immunization informatization,technology knowledge of the staff,computer and network equipments,etc.Results With the implementation of the project,525 vaccination unites in 20 counties /districts carried out immunization informatization work in children.Altogether 332,154 children born in 2005-2010 were input into the system,accounting for 96.64% of the total target population.The project were equipped with 8 laptops,520 computers and 500 printers;538 professionals were tested informatization knowledge and 442(82.16%) staff gained a score over 80.Informatization platform in earthquake stricken areas was established.Conclusion The implementation of the project has promoted the informatization process of CIRIS to a large extent and is worthy of generalization.
Ecological Model of a Good Life for People with Disabilities in Vietnam

In Vietnam, people with disabilities and their families are disproportionately poor, receiving little assistance from the government despite Vietnam’s rapidly developing economy. Non-governmental organizations play an important role in the support system for many families of people with disabilities, yet often operate from a narrowly defined set of interventions. This study, informed by a diverse set of stakeholders including people with disabilities, parents, government officials, and professionals, assists in constructing the meaning of a good life for people with disabilities in Da Nang, Vietnam. The authors used a qualitative thematic analysis approach to develop an ecological model of factors affecting the ability of people with disabilities to live a good life, organized into four ecological levels: personal, interpersonal, community, and sociocultural. Interplay between levels was common, suggesting the need for further intervention targeting multiple ecological levels, especially the sociocultural level that tends to go unaddressed in many current attempts at disability related assistance. Implications for practice and research are discussed.
Abstract LB-239: Induction of therapeutic soluble decoy EGFR variants by antisense manipulation of RNA processing

Activation of the receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) signaling pathways represents a key aspect of tumorigenesis in a broad range of human cancers. Thus, targeting of pathogenic RTKs, mainly with small molecule inhibitors and antibodies, has become an attractive therapeutic approach for cancer therapy. However, resistance by multiple mechanisms, including mutational re-activation of RTK signaling, activation of alternative RTK pathways, EMT transition and others, inevitably occurs over time. We recently identified a number of novel secreted soluble decoy RTKs isoforms (sdRTKs) generated by an U1-snRNP-dependent alternative intronic polyadenylation mechanism. We therefore developed a novel antisense-based method to effectively activate the expression of these sdRTKs, both in vitro and in vivo. This leads to the generation of endogenous dominant negative variants of RTKs, which can specifically affect the signaling of pathogenic RTKs and therefore provides a novel cancer therapy approach. Employing specific antisense compounds designed to activate intronic polyA sites, we are able to induce natural truncated EGFR variants that encode its extracellular ligand-binding domain but lack the intracellular signaling domain. These compounds thus can inhibit EGFR signaling by a three fold-mechanism: 1) removal of FL receptor, 2) sequestration of ligands and 3) non-productive dimerization with residual receptors. They are therefore designed to affect signaling both of targeted cells and of bystanders. Here we will show that, using this approach, we can target EGFR signaling both in vitro and in tumors. Importantly, with this method we can bypass the emergence of resistance typically seen with targeted drug treatments. Further development of this methodology will therefore provide the basis for an exciting novel approach to targeting and inhibiting oncogenic EGFR signaling and other pathways in a variety of cancers. Citation Format: Jeong Eun Park, Lee Spraggon, Luca Cartegni. Induction of therapeutic soluble decoy EGFR variants by antisense manipulation of RNA processing. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 107th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2016 Apr 16-20; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(14 Suppl):Abstract nr LB-239.
Schoenberg and Hollywood Modernism

Schoenberg is often viewed as an isolated composer who was ill-at-ease in exile. In this book Kenneth H. Marcus shows that in fact Schoenberg's connections to Hollywood ran deep, and most of the composer's exile compositions had some connection to the cultural and intellectual environment in which he found himself. He was friends with numerous successful film industry figures, including George Gershwin, Oscar Levant, David Raksin and Alfred Newman, and each contributed to the composer's life and work in different ways: helping him to obtain students, making recordings of his music, and arranging commissions. While teaching at both the University of Southern California and the University of California, Los Angeles, Schoenberg was able to bridge two utterly different worlds: the film industry and the academy. Marcus shows that alongside Schoenberg's vital impact upon Southern California Modernism through his pedagogy, compositions and texts, he also taught students who became central to American musical modernism, including John Cage and Lou Harrison.
The Role of the Microbiota in Shaping Infectious Immunity

Humans are meta-organisms that maintain a diverse population of microorganisms on their barrier surfaces, collectively named the microbiota. Since most pathogens either cross or inhabit barrier surfaces, the microbiota plays a critical and often protective role during infections, both by modulating immune system responses and by mediating colonization resistance. However, the microbiota can also act as a reservoir for opportunistic microorganisms that can ‘bloom’, significantly complicating diseases of barrier surfaces by contributing to inflammatory immune responses. This review discusses our current understanding of the complex interactions between the host, its microbiota, and pathogenic organisms, focusing in particular on the intestinal mucosa.
Wearable IMU for Shoulder Injury Prevention in Overhead Sports

Body-worn inertial sensors have enabled motion capture outside of the laboratory setting. In this work, an inertial measurement unit was attached to the upper arm to track and discriminate between shoulder motion gestures in order to help prevent shoulder over-use injuries in athletics through real-time preventative feedback. We present a detection and classification approach that can be used to count the number of times certain motion gestures occur. The application presented involves tracking baseball throws and volleyball serves, which are common overhead movements that can lead to shoulder and elbow overuse injuries. Eleven subjects are recruited to collect training, testing, and randomized validation data, which include throws, serves, and seven other exercises that serve as a large null class of similar movements, which is analogous to a realistic usage scenario and requires a robust estimator.
Preliminary simulation of a deployable GPS navigation system for ice-relative dead reckoning of underwater vehicles under moving sea ice

This paper proposes a method of ice-relative dead reckoning for underwater vehicles operating beneath moving sea ice. Our proposed method integrates vehicle velocities in a geodeitically-referenced frame through the use of a vehicle-mounted upward-looking Doppler sonar to measure relative ice-vehicle velocities, vehicle-mounted north-seeking gyrocompass to estimate vehicle heading, and two deployable Global Navigation Satellite System beacons to estimate ice linear and angular velocities. To demonstrate this, we present results from a preliminary simulation of an underwater vehicle navigating relative to a translating and rotating ice floe. Simulation parameters, including ice velocities, sensor update rates, and sensor error models are based on values described in the literature. Our results suggest that while such a system has not be experimentally validated, it has the potential to help realize ice-relative navigation beneath moving ice, without the deployment of deep-ocean or ice-suspended acoustic navigational aids. Lastly, potential directions for future research are presented.
Development of the Social Issues Advocacy Scale-2 (SIAS-2)

The 21-item Social Issues Advocacy Scale (SIAS; Nilsson, Marszalek et al. in Educ Psychol Meas 71(1):258–275, 2011) was developed as a concise measure of social justice advocacy for people in the helping and health professions. Recent scholarship has indicated a need for a broader measure. The present study seeks to continue development of the SIAS into an expanded version, the SIAS-2. A sample of 284 helping and health professionals and college students in related fields was administered 117 items, which was reduced to 78 items for the final instrument through item analysis and exploratory factor analysis. Eight factors emerged explaining 61.5% of the item variance. Corresponding subscales ranged in reliability from .88 to .94. Additional validity evidence is discussed.
A Workforce Strategy for Reducing Oral Health Disparities: Dental Therapists.

This article seeks to chronicle how dental therapists are being used to bolster the supply of providers for the underserved and explore their potential to diversify the field of dentistry and improve public health.Of the factors that contribute to persistent oral health disparities in the United States, an insufficient oral health workforce figures prominently.A growing number of states are authorizing a midlevel dental provider (often called a dental therapist) to address this problem. Dental therapists work under the supervision of dentists to deliver routine preventive and restorative care, including preparing and filling cavities and performing extractions. They can serve all populations in 3 states, are caring for Native Americans in an additional 3 states under federal or state authority, and are being considered in about a dozen state houses.
Radiation of internal waves from groups of surface gravity waves

Groups of surface gravity waves induce horizontally varying Stokes drift that drives convergence of water ahead of the group and divergence behind. The mass flux divergence associated with spatially variable Stokes drift pumps water downwards in front of the group and upwards in the rear. This ‘Stokes pumping’ creates a deep Eulerian return flow that sets the isopycnals below the wave group in motion and generates a trailing wake of internal gravity waves. We compute the energy flux from surface to internal waves by finding solutions of the wave-averaged Boussinesq equations in two and three dimensions forced by Stokes pumping at the surface. The two-dimensional (2-D) case is distinct from the 3-D case in that the stratification must be very strong, or the surface waves very slow for any internal wave (IW) radiation at all. On the other hand, in three dimensions, IW radiation always occurs, but with a larger energy flux as the stratification and surface wave (SW) amplitude increase or as the SW period is shorter. Specifically, the energy flux from SWs to IWs varies as the fourth power of the SW amplitude and of the buoyancy frequency, and is inversely proportional to the fifth power of the SW period. Using parameters typical of short period swell (e.g. 8 s SW period with 1 m amplitude) we find that the energy flux is small compared to both the total energy in a typical SW group and compared to the total IW energy. Therefore this coupling between SWs and IWs is not a significant sink of energy for the SWs nor a source for IWs. In an extreme case (e.g. 4 m amplitude 20 s period SWs) this coupling is a significant source of energy for IWs with frequency close to the buoyancy frequency.
Correlated states in β-Li2IrO3 driven by applied magnetic fields.

Magnetic honeycomb iridates are thought to show strongly spin-anisotropic exchange interactions which, when highly frustrated, lead to an exotic state of matter known as the Kitaev quantum spin liquid. However, in all known examples these materials magnetically order at finite temperatures, the scale of which may imply weak frustration. Here we show that the application of a relatively small magnetic field drives the three-dimensional magnet β-Li2IrO3 from its incommensurate ground state into a quantum correlated paramagnet. Interestingly, this paramagnetic state admixes a zig-zag spin mode analogous to the zig-zag order seen in other Mott-Kitaev compounds. The rapid onset of the field-induced correlated state implies the exchange interactions are delicately balanced, leading to strong frustration and a near degeneracy of different ground states. Materials with a Kitaev spin liquid ground state are sought after as models of quantum phases but candidates so far form either zig-zag or incommensurate magnetic order. Ruiz et al. find a crossover between these states in β-Li2IrO3 under weak magnetic fields, indicating strongly frustrated spin interactions.