cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Indexing of variable length multi-attribute motion data

Haptic data such as 3D motion capture data and sign language animation data are new forms of multimedia data. The motion data is multi-attribute, and indexing of multi-attribute data is important for quickly pruning the majority of irrelevant motions in order to have real-time animation applications. Indexing of multi-attribute data has been attempted for data of a few attributes by using R-tree or its variants after dimensionality reduction. In this paper, we exploit the singular value decomposition (SVD) properties of multi-attribute motion data matrices to obtain one representative vector for each of the motion data matrices of dozens or hundreds of attributes. Based on this representative vector, we propose a simple and efficient interval-tree based index structure for indexing motion data with large amount of attributes. At each tree level, only one component of the query vector needs to be checked during searching, comparing to all the components of the query vector that should get involved if an R-tree or its variants are used for indexing. Searching time is independent of the number of pattern motions indexed by the tree, making the index structure well scalable to large data repositories. Experiments show that up to 91∼93% irrelevant motions can be pruned for a query with no false dismissals, and the query searching time is less than 30 μ s with the existence of motion variations.
ProperSYN: a portable parallel algorithm for logic synthesis

processing is fast becoming an attractive so- lution to reduce the computation time of CAD appli- cations. Much of the work in parallel algorithms for CAD reported to date, however, suffers from a major limitation. The parallel algorithms proposed for the CAD applications are designed with a specific under- lying parallel architecture in mind. We have developed a portable parallel algorithm based on the Transduction method (l), called ProperSYN. The same algorithm runs on a variety of parallel machines. Experimental results on various parallel machines are presented.
Preparing and staining mycorrhizal structures in dry bean, sweet corn, and wheat using a block digester

Abstract The use of safe staining techniques in the evaluation of mycorrhizal colonization is critical to the continued understanding of this important symbiosis. Several procedures being utilized currently involve regulated and/ or toxic chemicals. The integration of unregulated and nontoxic chemicals into these procedures is important to alleviate potential dangers currently used chemicals pose. We eliminated all regulated reagents by combining portions of several previously published staining and root preservation procedures. A block digester for plant tissue digestion was used as a heating unit and proved to be easier to use, quicker and more reliable than either a water bath or a circulating air oven. Optimum clearing time in KOH varied from 8 to 10 min and 30 to 40 min for wheat, sweet corn, and dry bean roots, respectively. We also successfully used both drying and freezing of roots for storage prior to staining. These modified procedures were quick and easy and provided reliable temperature contro...
Expanding and Improving Research Attribution with the Open Researcher and Contributor Identification Initiative

The task of delineating and recognizing the scientific contributions of an individual investigator is often undertaken by colleagues, senior administrators, and granting agencies through critical evaluation of both the frequency and depth of his/her publications in scientific journals and oral and poster contributions to scientific proceedings. This appraisal, however, may not accurately capture the global output of a researcher, because the nature of the work performed by some individuals does not inherently lend itself to high-volume or high-impact publications and presentations. Nevertheless, these intellectual endeavors may be fundamental to the advancement of a scientific field. The quest to complete the reference human genome sequence is an excellent example of this problem. Acknowledgement of the many individuals who worked toward accomplishing this goal and many other comparable scientific undertakings …
The matching, birthday and the strong birthday problem: a contemporary review

This article provides a contemporary exposition at a moderately quantitative level of the distribution theory associated with the matching and the birthday problems. A large number of examples, many not well known, are provided to help a reader have a feeling for these questions at an intuitive level.
Regulation of zygotic gene expression in Drosophila primordial germ cells.

Abstract Activation of the zygotic genome is a prerequisite for the transition from maternal to zygotic control of development. The onset of zygotic transcription has been well studied in somatic cells, but evidence suggests that it is controlled differently in the germline. In Drosophila , zygotic transcription in the soma has been detected as early as one hour after egg laying (AEL) [1]. In the germline, general RNA synthesis is not detected until 3.5 hours AEL (stage 8) [2] and poly(A)-containing transcripts are not observed in early germ cell nuclei [3]. However, rRNA gene expression has been demonstrated at this time [4]. Therefore, either there is a general, low level activation of the genome in early germ cells, or specific classes of genes, such as those transcribed by RNA polymerase (RNAP) II, are repressed. We addressed this issue by localizing the potent transcriptional activator Gal4–VP16 to the germline, and we find that Gal4–VP16-dependent gene expression is repressed in early germ cells. In addition, localization of germ plasm to the anterior reveals that it is sufficient to repress Bicoid-dependent gene expression. Thus, even in the presence of known transcriptional activators, RNAP II dependent gene expression is actively repressed in early germ cells. Furthermore, once the germ cell genome is activated, we find that vasa is expressed specifically in germ cells. This expression does not require proper patterning of the soma, indicating that it is likely to be controlled by the germ plasm.
Persuasion processes associated with direct comparative and noncomparative advertising and implications for advertising effectiveness

The U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) contends that direct comparative ads, which provide information on named competitors, result in more informed decision making. However, this position is controversial both in the United States and abroad, and research findings have been inconclusive (e.g., Droge, 1989 ). We investigated the persuasion processes (routes) associated with comparative and noncomparative advertising by manipulating argument strength, and we also examined the moderating role of involvement. In a high-involvement situation, argument strength influenced brand attitude and purchase intent regardless of ad type (central-route persuasion), whereas, in a low-involvement situation, there were no effects for argument strength (peripheral-route persuasion). The FTC's supposition that comparative ads enhance information processing was supported, however, given moderate involvement: Argument strength affected brand evaluations for the comparative—but not noncomparative—ads. Regarding the persuasion outcome, given low and moderate involvement, subjects' more favorable attitudes toward the comparative ads' interest-value enhanced purchase intent, but not brand attitude.
From Compulsory Schooling to Free University in Central and West European Education. A Review Article

Some two decades ago, the subjects of most of the works under review herethe evolution of the education of girls and women, poor students, the "socialreproductive" function of education, a "political history" of a German university, or compulsory schooling as a preindustrial invention-would have appeared unusual or controversial. That such works now represent mainstream history (and will need to be read by historians outside of the narrower field of "education history") says much about the usefulness of such new approaches. In the late 1960s, when the Shelby Cullom Davis Center at Princeton University decided to devote several years of interdisciplinary and international research to problems of the history of education, that field had consisted largely of studies of individual educational institutions, curriculum changes,
Strategic international human resource management approaches in the maquiladora industry: a comparison of Japanese, Korean and US firms

The maquiladora option has made Mexico an increasingly attractive off-shore manufacturing site for multinational enterprises (MNEs) seeking global competitiveness. However, MNEs often encounter hum...
Medicine and morals and mao.

Chairman Mao Tse-tung believed, like Martin Luther, that faith is of funda mental importance. Hence his motto: "Put politics in command." This means that one should first be clear on what one believes about the values and rela tionships of all the people in society, about what kind of society should exist. Then one can carry out the "good works" that will accomplish such goals and bring about such a desired society. A central doctrine is "Serve the people"; meet their needs for food, clothing, shelter, education, and health care, to name a few basics. My observations concurred with those of the Sidels, who wrote:
Hydrodynamics of polystyrene–polyisoprene miktoarm star copolymers in a selective and a non-selective solvent

The hydrodynamics of PSnPIn miktoarm (mixed arm) star copolymers made from polyisoprene (PI) and polystyrene (PS) arms are studied in a selective and a non-selective solvent, n-hexane and THF, respectively. It is found that in n-hexane, the number of arms affects the organization of the miktoarm copolymers: stars with 2 arms (a linear diblock for reference purposes) or 4 arms show aggregation in this selective solvent, whereas no aggregation is observed for stars with 8 and 16 arms in the concentration region studied. This behavior is due to shielding posed by the soluble blocks, which prevents the insoluble blocks from coming together. Interestingly, the contribution from aggregates observed for the two arm star (PS1PI1 diblock) at the highest concentration studied is rather small because the chains predominantly exist as single diblocks in n-hexane. This result may be due to the fact that low molecular weight PS is slightly soluble in linear hydrocarbon solvents. The hydrodynamic sizes found in THF are similar to those in n-hexane for the 2 and 4 arm stars but smaller for the 8 and 16 arms stars. We propose that this is a result of both the limited free space needed for motion of the chains and also because of an increased probability of heterocontacts between the collapsed PS blocks and the swollen PI arms near the star's core.
Coordinating center follow-up in the Veterans Administration Cooperative Study of Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery.

Abstract In the VA Cooperative Study of Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery, follow-up by the participating investigators was completed in 1984 and annual centralized follow-up by the coordinating center for an additional 5 years was initiated in 1985. Follow-up was restricted to key outcomes that could be reliably obtained in most patients—survival, severity of angina, myocardial infarction and bypass surgery. Ninety-five percent of patients consented to annual follow-up by telephone or mail. At the first annual follow-up, 95% of all survivors were contacted; 95% were also contacted at the second follow-up. In the initial follow-up, survival status was known in all patients and severity of angina was recorded in 93% of survivors; all bypass operations and all but one infarct identified were documented by a discharge summary. Our results indicate that coordinating center follow-up was effective in a long-term study of a chronic disease and depended on the willingness of patients to participate, the experience of the interviewers, and the ability of the coordinating center to contact patients and retrieve outcome data. This report describes the methods used for the centralized follow-up of the surviving patients and summarizes the initial follow-up results. The limitations and advantages of this approach are also discussed.
Naloxone in Shock and Toxic Coma

Abstract In summary, naloxone has proved to be effective and safe during its years of use for narcotic antagonism. Its usefulness in non-narcotic coma and shock remains controversial, although some encouraging but inconclusive evidence exists. The final answer lies on the horizone of medicine; it awaits further delineation of the role of endogenous opioids in health and disease and clear statistical verification of naloxone's efficacy in such disease states.
Percolation and conduction on Voronoi and triangular networks: a case study in topological disorder

The network generated from a Voronoi tessellation of space is a natural prototype for topologically random networks. To assess the effects of random coordination, the percolation and conduction properties of the Voronoi network and of its closest kin among regular networks, the triangular network, are calculated and compared by means of Monte Carlo simulations.
A singular quasilinear parabolic problem in one space dimension

Abstract Of concern are mixed initial boundary value problems of the form ∂u ∂t = ϑ (t, x, u, ∂u t6x ) ∂ 2 u t6x 2 , 0 ⩽ x ⩽ 1, 0 ⩽ t ⩽ T, where ϑ(t, x, p, q) ⩾ ϑ0(x) > 0 for 0
The Windigo Psychosis: Psychodynamic, Cultural, and Social Factors in Aberrant Behavior

Although windigo cannibalism is unique to the northern Algonkians, the psychodynamic factors which produce it are general. The differential occurrence of the disorder is explained in terms of the northern Algonkian emphasis on following inner promptings, the absence of cultural alternatives, and in terms of the nature of interaction in the particular bands for which cannibalism was reported.
From Goeritz Matrices to Quasi-alternating Links

Knot Theory is currently a very broad field. Even a long survey can only cover a narrow area. Here we concentrate on the path from Goeritz matrices to quasi-alternating links. On the way, we often stray from the main road and tell related stories, especially if they allow us to place the main topic in a historical context. For example, we mention that the Goeritz matrix was preceded by the Kirchhoff matrix of an electrical network. The network complexity extracted from the matrix corresponds to the determinant of a link. We assume basic knowledge of knot theory and graph theory, however, we offer a short introduction under the guise of a historical perspective.
Clinical outcomes in older patients after posterolateral lumbar fusion.

Abstract Background context Older patients are often advised that their age is a contraindication to lumbar fusion surgery. There is, however, limited available data to support or contradict this assertion. Although prior studies of surgical treatment for lumbar degenerative disease suggest that older patients obtain symptomatic pain relief, an evaluation of fusion outcomes based on modern Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQOL) measures is lacking. Purpose The purpose of this study was to document clinical outcomes based on standardized HRQOL measures in patients over 65 years of age treated by lumbar decompression and fusion surgery. Design/setting This study was a retrospective review of prospectively collected patient reported outcomes data. Patient sample Ninety-seven consecutive patients over 65 years of age treated by lumbar decompression and fusion between 2000 and 2004 were enrolled in a prospective health status outcomes protocol. Eighty-five patients (88%) had complete data at a minimum 2-year follow-up. Outcome measures Medical Outcomes Study Short Form 36v.2 (SF-36), Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), numeric rating scales (NRS) back and leg pain scores. Methods Patients over 65 years of age treated by lumbar fusion were evaluated based on HRQOL measures at a minimum of 2 years postoperatively. Variables including history of prior surgery and occurrence of a perioperative complication were evaluated. A comparison group of patients 50 to 64 years of age was also analyzed. Results In patients over 65 years old, mean improvement of 6.21 points in SF-36 Physical Composite Score and 5.75 points in SF-36 Mental Composite Score was observed. There was a mean 16.38-point improvement in ODI, 3.08-point improvement in back pain NRS, and 2.65-point improvement in leg pain NRS. SF-36 subscale scores showed improvement for all parameters except general health, where there was a small but statistically significant decline. There was no difference in outcomes at 2 years postoperatively based on the occurrence of a perioperative complication. Patients undergoing a primary lumbar surgical procedure had consistently better outcomes than patients undergoing a revision procedure. Conclusions The results of this study support the efficacy of lumbar decompression and fusion in selected patients over 65 years of age. Occurrence of a perioperative complication did not adversely affect clinical outcome. Patients undergoing a revision procedure should be counseled with regard to the more limited benefits seen with revision surgery.
Maxillary sinusitis in the surgical intensive care unit: A study using bedside sinus ultrasound

Abstract Purpose: This study investigates the incidence of acute maxillary sinusitis (AMS) in the surgical intensive care unit (SICU). Methods: One hundred consecutive patients admitted to the SICU were examined in a prospective observational mode. Bedside sinus ultrasound (SUS) was performed on admission and every 48 hours. Patients with sinus fluid by SUS and unexplained sepsis underwent confirmatory sinus aspiration. Results: The development of fluid in the maxillary sinus was identified in 15 patients by SUS. Acute maxillary sinus occurred in only 1 (1%). Conclusion: This study shows SUS to be a simple, efficient method for determining the presence of maxillary sinus fluid in the SICU. Acute maxillary sinus was an unusual finding. Our policy of avoidance of nasal instrumentation may have contributed to the low incidence of AMS in this high-risk patient population.
Finite Difference Modelling of Shear Waves

The finite difference synthetic seismogram method provides the capability to study compressional and shear wave interaction in range dependent marine models. A study has been carried out of the pressure, vertical displacement, and horizontal displacement of the sound field at the seafloor for the P-SV problem. Compressional, shear and interface waves can be clearly identified in both snapshot and time series formats of the sound field for soft sediments (shear wave velocity = 450m/s). Key features have been identified. 1)The coupled shear head wave in the bottom can drain energy away from the compressional head wave. 2)The evanescently generated shear wave can be quite energetic and will create precursors to the Stoneley wave when there is sub-bottom structure. 3)Backscattered, secondary Stoneley waves are generated when the direct water wave hits a change in slope at the seafloor. 4)Weak backscattered water waves are generated from slope discontinuities in laterally heterogeneous waveguides. 5)At the seafloor, Stoneley waves are most evident on vertical displacement sensors. 6)Below the seafloor, at non-normal offsets, body wave energy is largest on horizontal component sensors.
Management Science in Marketing: Status and Prospects

The practice of administration in marketing has been handicapped by a type of cultural lag. In every phase of marketing operations the application of systematic methodology to the management task has trailed by approximately one generation the experience in the field of production. Recognition of the causes of this lag helps to explain the current state of management science in marketing and will contribute to an understanding of future prospects and opportunities. This understanding has relevance for advances in the science and its application, on one hand, and in management's willingness and ability to use a scientific approach to making marketing decisions, on the other.
Adiposity, Inflammation, and Risk for Death in Black and White Men and Women in the United States: The Reasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) Study

Circulating levels of C-reactive protein do not differentiate individuals at higher mortality risk due to excess adiposity.
Controlled fusion of femtoliter-volume aqueous droplets using holographic optical tweezers

This paper describes the use of Laguerre-Gaussian beams for the optical manipulation and fusion of single femtoliter-volume aqueous droplets, a technique developed to facilitate new applications in droplet microfluidics. In addition, this paper describes the possibility of extending this work by using more complex holographic fields generated by computer controlled spatial light modulators (i.e. dynamic holographic optical tweezers) which should lead to the control of larger arrays of droplets. Finally this paper discusses possible applications in the fields of digital microfluidics, with specific reference to the manipulation of cellular material within femtolitre test tubes.
Spectroscopy of Loose and Cemented Sulfate-Bearing Soils: Implications for Duricrust on Mars

Abstract The goal of this work is to determine the spectroscopic properties of sulfate in martian soil analogs over the wavelength range 0.3 to 25 μm (which is relevant to existing and planned remotely sensed data sets for Mars). Sulfate is an abundant component of martian soil (up to 9% SO3 by weight) and apparently exists as a particulate in the soil but also as a cement. Although previous studies have addressed the spectroscopic identity of sulfates on Mars, none have used laboratory mixtures of materials with sulfates at the abundances measured by landed spacecraft, nor have any works considered the effect of salt-cementation on spectral properties of soil materials. For this work we created mixtures of a palagonitic soil (JSC Mars-1) and sulfates (MgSO4 and CaSO4·2H2O). The effects of cementation were determined and separated from the effects of packing and hydration by measuring the samples as loose powders, packed powders, cemented materials, and disaggregated materials. The results show that the presence of particulate sulfate is best observed in the 4–5 μm region. Soils cemented with sulfate exhibit a pronounced restrahlen band between 8 and 9 μm as well as well-defined absorptions in the 4–5 μm region. Cementation effects are distinct from packing effects and disaggregation of cemented samples rapidly diminishes the strength of the restrahlen bands. The results of this study show that sulfate in loose materials is more detectable in the near infrared (4–5 μm) than in the thermal infrared (8–9 μm). However, cemented materials are easily distinguished from loose mixtures in the thermal infrared because of the high values of their absorption coefficient in this region. Together these results suggest that both wavelength regions are important for determining the spatial extent and physical form of sulfates on the surface of Mars.
Contribution of PAHs from coal–tar pavement sealcoat and other sources to 40 U.S. lakes

Contamination of urban lakes and streams by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) has increased in the United States during the past 40 years. We evaluated sources of PAHs in post-1990 sediments in cores from 40 lakes in urban areas across the United States using a contaminant mass-balance receptor model and including as a potential source coal-tar-based (CT) sealcoat, a recently recognized source of urban PAH. Other PAH sources considered included several coal- and vehicle-related sources, wood combustion, and fuel-oil combustion. The four best modeling scenarios all indicate CT sealcoat is the largest PAH source when averaged across all 40 lakes, contributing about one-half of PAH in sediment, followed by vehicle-related sources and coal combustion. PAH concentrations in the lakes were highly correlated with PAH loading from CT sealcoat (Spearman's rho=0.98), and the mean proportional PAH profile for the 40 lakes was highly correlated with the PAH profile for dust from CT-sealed pavement (r=0.95). PAH concentrations and mass and fractional loading from CT sealcoat were significantly greater in the central and eastern United States than in the western United States, reflecting regional differences in use of different sealcoat product types. The model was used to calculate temporal trends in PAH source contributions during the last 40 to 100 years to eight of the 40 lakes. In seven of the lakes, CT sealcoat has been the largest source of PAHs since the 1960s, and in six of those lakes PAH trends are upward. Traffic is the largest source to the eighth lake, located in southern California where use of CT sealcoat is rare.
Reproductive health issues in survivors of childhood and adult brain tumors.

With improving survival rates over recent decades, brain tumor patients and their doctors have now begun to focus on quality of life issues, including reproductive health. Infertility or impaired fertility is a known side effect of certain cancer therapies. Fertility issues are important to patients and their families, regardless of the patient’s age, and oncology practitioners should routinely address this sensitive topic with families at tumor diagnosis in children and adults, and in long-term follow-up. Fertility preservation technologies have advanced significantly in the past decade, and these options should also be reviewed with families. However, clinicians must keep in mind that the majority of treatments remain experimental and may not be available or affordable for some patients. Knowing how and when to discuss these issues with patients and when to refer to specialists requires sensitivity on the part of the practitioner, especially in children who have been diagnosed with a brain tumor. Infertility is defined as the inability to conceive a child after one year of regular heterosexual intercourse without the use of contraception. In the general population, infertility is estimated to affect 10% of individuals and 15% of heterosexual couples, regardless of past medical history. Perhaps one-third of infertility is due to a male factor, one-third stems from a female factor, about 20% is without known cause, and the remainder is a combination of factors. A brain tumor survivor who presents to a physician with an inability to conceive should not be assumed to have infertility related to cancer therapy, but the cancer history must be considered.
Performance analysis of RVQ-based limited feedback beamforming codebooks

Codebooks based on Random Vector Quantization (RVQ) are popular in limited feedback beamforming applications over MIMO channels because of their low-complexity design properties. The goal of this work is on understanding the performance of an ensemble of RVQ codebooks as a function of the number of bits of feedback (B), antenna dimensions, and spatial correlation. We analyze the case of correlated MIMO channels and arbitrary choice of B. Towards this goal, we first study the distribution function of weighted norms of isotropically distributed beamforming vectors. From this, we compute the received SNR loss and mutual information loss of a B-bit RVQ scheme relative to a perfect channel information benchmark. Our computation reveals the following: i) The loss terms are a product of two factors. The first factor, which is also common to analysis of i.i.d. channels, decays as B increases at the rate 2−B/(Nt-1) where N t is the number of transmit antennas; ii) The second factor reflects the condition number of the channel. A channel that minimizes/maximizes the condition number on average also minimizes/maximizes the performance loss, respectively. Such behavior is typical of channels that correspond to rich (i.i.d.) spatial scattering, and poor (rank-1 channels) spatial scattering, respectively.
A Growing-Season Hydroclimatology, Focusing on Soil Moisture Deficits, for the Ohio Valley Region

A hydroclimatology, or description of long-term means and interannual variation, that focuses on soil moisture deficits was constructed for the period of 1895‐1998 for a six-state region composing the Ohio Valley. The term ‘‘deficit’’ is considered from an agricultural point of view whereby moisture-induced crop stress is a combination of insufficient precipitation and soil moisture. Of particular concern are deficits that occur during the growing season (May‐September) when vegetation is most susceptible to moisture-induced stress. Evidence suggests that there is considerable temporal variability but no long-term trend toward either wetter or drier conditions in the Ohio Valley. The pattern of growing-season deficit is characterized by multiyear and multidecadal cycles of wet and dry periods. Decreases in precipitation during years with anomalously large growing-season deficits, however, are associated more with the reduced frequency of precipitation events than with any changes in intensity. These variations in precipitation frequency and the conditions conducive to droughts are intimately linked with largescale atmospheric conditions, including the low-level and upper-level flow patterns.
Repeatability and implementation of a forest vegetation indicator

Abstract The composition, diversity, and structure of vascular plants are important indicators of forest health. Changes in species diversity, structural diversity, and the abundance of non-native species are common national concerns, and are part of the international criteria for assessing sustainability of forestry practices. The vegetation indicator for the national Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) Program, USA, was designed to assess these issues. The objectives of this study were to: (1) assess the repeatability and practicality of the vegetation field techniques using independent measurements of 48 plots by two botanists and (2) examine the interpretation of forest health indicators from 2 years of data collected on 110 plots in the state of Oregon. Plant identification was similar for both botanists, with 80% of all plant species on the plot being identified to species, and another 14% identified to the genus level; the greatest problems were in dry forest types where plants had senesced by July. Agreement among botanists for species identification was 71% at the subplot level and 67% at the quadrat level, with many differences caused by plants being identified as closely related species, usually in the same genus. As a result, agreement between botanists on species richness and the abundance of non-native species was high, with correlation coefficients of 0.94 and 0.98, respectively. Quadrats detected only 20% of the species found from the subplot search, on average. Although botanists differed in their speed, 22% of subplot searches were completed within 15 min and 71% were completed within 30 min. Dramatic differences in patterns of plant diversity were found across the ecological regions of Oregon, with high plot richness and the highest species turnover among plots found in the Blue Mountains. Abundance of non-native species varied from 15% of the species in juniper (Juniperus occidentalis Hook.) stands to 1% in high-elevation conifer stands. The proportion of cover made up of non-native species was highest in juniper and Ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa P. & C. Lawson) forest types. Numbers of non-native species on a plot increased with the number of native species, but the relationship was weak (R2 = 0.09). Results suggest that the vegetation indicator provides a robust and valuable tool for assessing forest health.
Kinematic Creep in a Continuously Variable Transmission: Traction Drive Mechanics for Cobots

Two continuously variable transmissions are examined, one that relates a pair of linear speeds and another that relates a pair of angular speeds. These devices are elemental in the design of cobots, a new class of robot that creates virtual guiding surfaces to aid a human operator in assembly tasks. Both of these transmissions are traction drive mechanisms that rely on the support of either lateral or longitudinal forces across rolling contacts with spin. When a rolling contact between elastic bodies or even between rigid bodies in spin is called upon to transmit a tractive force, kinematic creep develops, expressing a departure from the intended rolling constraint. Creep in turn gives rise to nonideal properties in a cobot’s virtual guiding surfaces. This paper develops simple models of the two transmissions by expressing the relative velocity field in the contact patch between rolling bodies in terms of creep and spin. Coulomb friction laws are applied in a quasi-static analysis to produce complete force-motion models. These models may be used to evaluate a cobot’s ability to support forces against its virtual guiding surfaces. @DOI: 10.1115/1.1517560#
Ethnocentrism In Icelandic Consumers And Its Consequences

This paper presents an empirical test to measure consumer ethnocentrism in Iceland. The wellknown measure of consumer ethnocentrism, the CETSCALE, is applied and its psychometric properties examined in the Icelandic context. The relationship of consumer ethnocentrism with various product country-of-origin attitudes is explored. The influence of ethnocentrism, country image, and perceptions of product quality, value, image, availability, and promotion on Icelandic consumers’ intention to buy packaged food products made domestically and those imported from the United States, the United Kingdom, Holland, and Denmark is also investigated.
Keeping An Idea Alive: The Establishment of a Sino-American Bank, 1910–1920 *

As the twentieth century opened, numbers of American businessmen, spurred in part by the forceful persuasions of American diplomats, hoped to profit from the legendary China market by taking on Chinese partners. At the same time, groups of Chinese entrepreneurs, struck by the success and wealth of the United States, hoped to take advantage of American capital by launching joint ventures with the Americans. Such enterprises generally proved difficult to form, however, and once organized, tended to see the Americans predominate and the Chinese relegated to distinctly secondary roles. But there were exceptions, as Professor Pugach points out in this essay on the Chinese-American Bank of Commerce. While the founding of this firm provides ample proof that joint Sino-American companies had to overcome large hurdles to come into being, the formation of the bank suggests that mutual self-interest, ideal circumstances, and perhaps good luck could overcome the problems inherent in creating joint ventures in which both sides could share roughly equal positions.
Draft Genome Sequences of Six Mycobacterium immunogenum Strains Obtained from a Chloraminated Drinking Water Distribution System Simulator.

ABSTRACT We report here the draft genome sequences of six Mycobacterium immunogenum strains isolated from a chloraminated drinking water distribution system simulator subjected to changes in operational parameters. M. immunogenum, a rapidly growing mycobacterium previously reported to be the cause of hypersensitivity pneumonitis from contaminated metalworking fluid aerosols, is becoming a public health concern.
Cancer vaccines 2003: opening address.

This abstract was published in Cancer Immunity , a Cancer Research Institute journal that ceased publication in 2013 and is now provided online in association with Cancer Immunology Research . Welcome to the 10th International Cancer Immunology Symposium sponsored by the Cancer Research Institute (CRI). These meetings have documented the remarkable progress made over the past ten years in understanding the interactions between the immune system and cancer and in efforts to develop effective cancer immunotherapies. Immunotherapeutic strategies for cancer, mainly antibodies, vaccines, and the adoptive transfer of T cells, are being actively explored in the clinic and are receiving greater and greater attention from the pharmaceutical industry. As we have heard at these meetings, the science of cancer vaccine development has become increasingly strong, and there is now a growing belief that for the first time in the history of the field the idea of therapeutic cancer vaccines can be critically tested. This conviction is based on the revolutionary conceptual and technical progress in our understanding of the immune system and on four major advances in cancer immunology: (i) The resurgence of cancer immunosurveillance as a unifying principle in the field, (ii) the development of powerful methodologies to define the human cancer immunome, that is the complete repertoire of cancer products that are immunogenic in humans and therefore potential targets for vaccine development, (iii) the establishment of a range of sensitive and standardized methods to monitor humoral and cellular immunological responses to tumor antigens, and (iv) the availability of a wide array of approaches to generate vaccines, from peptides, proteins, DNA, viral and bacterial vectors, to new adjuvants, delivery systems and immunomodulatory cytokines. It is no surprise that many of these considerations are also central to our thinking about the development of HIV vaccines, and so it seems …
Group B Streptococcal Septic Arthritis of the Shoulder and Potential Association with Pelvic Examination and PAP Smear

Group B streptococcal (GBS) infection of a native joint in a nonpregnant adult is uncommon. While many women are colonized with this flora, it rarely becomes pathogenic in its adult host. GBS associated joint infections have been reported, most of which have been related to hematogenous seeding from unknown sources. To our knowledge, there are no published case reports of a GBS joint infection in association with a pelvic exam and Papanicolaou (PAP) smear. In this case report, we present a case of GBS sepsis of a native shoulder, possibly resulting from a routine pelvic exam and PAP smear.
A Precarious 'Hot Zone' - The President's Plan to Combat Bioterrorism

This article focuses on a plan for biological and chemical weapons that should be distinguished from the approach to a plan for all other technological threats. While the United States’ skills in planning to combat nuclear weapons and other technological weapons have been practiced throughout the cold war, skills in beginning to comprehend and meet the threat of chemical and biological warfare on a domestic level have only recently begun to be developed fully. The article also examines the present status of federal, state, and local preparedness and proposes such changes to statutes and federal regulations and to the implementation of currently applicable statutes to enable our federal, state, and local resources to be effectively used in research, preparedness, as well as in emergency responsiveness.
Energy Coverage in Millimeter Wave Energy Harvesting Networks

Wireless energy harvesting in millimeter wave (mmWave) cellular networks is attractive, thanks to the large antenna arrays and the anticipated dense deployment of these systems. The signal propagation at mmWave frequencies, however, shows peculiar propagation characteristics such as extreme sensitivity to building blockages. This work analyzes the energy harvesting performance at receivers powered by a mmWave cellular network. Leveraging tools from stochastic geometry, analytical expressions are derived to characterize the energy coverage probability at a typical receiver in terms of the cellular network density, the antenna geometry parameters, and the channel parameters. Results show that there typically exists an optimum transmit antenna beamwidth that maximizes the network-wide energy coverage probability for many operating scenarios. Simulation results further suggest that mmWave energy harvesting could provide a substantial performance boost compared to lower frequency solutions.
Effects of Block Lengths and Initial Water Content on the Swelling and Degradative Characteristics of an Injectable Poly(propylene Fumarate-Co-Ethylene Glycol) Block Copolymer Hydrogel

The overall goal of this project is to develop an in-situ polymerizable, biodegradable material for use in cardiovascular applications that minimizes non-specific cell adhesion and contains functional moieties for the attachment of peptides to induce specific cell attachment. A novel block copolymer has been developed incorporating poly(propylene fumarate) (PPF) and poly(ethylene glycol) which satisfies these criteria. PPF is a new biodegradable polymer currently being investigated for orthopedic and cardiovascular applications while PEG is a hydrophilic polymer that has been extensively studied for biomedical applications. The copolymer is chemically crosslinked with PEG diacrylate using an ammonium persulfate-ascorbic acid redox initiator system to form the hydrogel. The PEG and PPF block lengths can be varied to modulate the properties of the hydrogel formed. In this study, the following three parameters were studied, (1) PPF block length, (2) PEG block length, and (3) initial water content, were varied to examine their effects on swelling, degradation and elastic modulus. A factorial experimental design was implemented to assess which of these three parameters had the greatest impact on swelling, degradation and elastic modulus. Swelling was found to be most affected by the initial water content followed by PEG block length and PPF block length. The swelling of the hydrogels ranged from 48% water uptake with low initial water content to up to 77% water uptake with the high initial water content. After three weeks, degradation of the hydrogels ranged from 4–13% mass fraction lost. Elastic modulus was determined by tensile testing of the various hydrogel formulations and ranged from 0.4 to 7.7 MPa.
H I Imaging Surveys: Gas and Galaxy Evolution in Different Environments

Our understanding of the formation and evolution of galaxies and the large scale structure has advanced enormously over the last decade, thanks to an impressive synergy between theoretical and observational efforts. While the growth of the dark matter component seems well understood, the physics of the gas, during its accretion, removal and/or depletion is less well understood. Increasingly large scale optical surveys are tracing out the cosmic web of filaments and voids and mathematical tools have been developed to describe these structures and identify galaxies in specific environments. H I imaging surveys begin to answer the question: how do galaxies get and lose their gas. The best evidence for ongoing gas accretion is found in the lowest density environments, while removal of gas in the highest density environments stops star formation and reddens the galaxies. Although current H I emission surveys are limited to redshifts less than 0.2, this is where the LSS is best defined and much can be learned in the local universe.
Straightening Up the Archive Queer Historiography, Queer Play, and the Archival Politics of Gone Home

Since its release in August 2013, the critically acclaimed exploration game Gone Home has been mired in controversy, with politicized debates centering on its status as a game as well as on the muc...
Increased Presynaptic α-Adrenoceptor-Mediated Regulation of Noradrenaline Release in the Isolated Perfused Kidney of Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats

1. Release of [ 3 H]noradrenaline during peri-arterial nerve stimulation and its inhibition by the presynaptic α-adrenoceptor mechanism were studied in the isolated perfused kidney from spontaneously hypertensive and Wistar-Kyoto rats. 2. A frequency related vasoconstriction as well as [ 3 H]noradrenaline release were observed over the stimulating range of 0.25-32 Hz in both the Wistar-Kyoto and spontaneously hypertensive rats. The spontaneously hypertensive rat kidneys exhibited both an increased vasoconstrictor response and a greater [ 3 H]noradrenaline release when compared with the Wistar-Kyoto rat kidneys. 3. Presynaptic inhibition of [ 3 H]noradrenaline release was evaluated at 2 Hz by using the α-adrenoceptor agonist, tramazoline. Increasing concentrations of tramazoline from 2 × 10 −9 mol/l to 2 × 10 −7 mol/l caused a dose-dependent decrease in the stimulus-induced release of [ 3 H]noradrenaline in spontaneously hypertensive rats but not in Wistar-Kyoto rats. Only 2 × 10 −7 mol/l tramazoline had an inhibitory effect in the Wistar-Kyoto rats. 4. These data indicate that noradrenaline release during sympathetic nerve stimulation is greater in the spontaneously hypertensive rat. The supersensitivity of presynaptic α-adrenoceptors observed in spontaneously hypertensive rats may be a consequence of the greater noradrenaline release present in these animals.
Attenuation of pro-inflammatory neuropeptide levels produced by a cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitor in an animal model of chronic temporomandibular joint inflammation.

Aims: To study the neurogenic effects of a cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitor, rofecoxib, in an animal model of persistent inflammation. Methods: Arthritis was induced within the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) by placing complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA) within the superior joint space of the TMJ in adult male rats. The CFA animals were divided into 2 groups, with 1 group given the COX-2 inhibitor, rofecoxib, on days 21 through 28. Tissues were taken from experimental and control animals 4 weeks post-injection and analyzed by radioimmunoassay. The inflammatory-related neuropeptide, immunoreactive calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRPi), was assayed from both the TMJ tissues and the trigeminal brain stem subnucleus caudalis. Results: CGRPi content was significantly increased in TMJ tissues within the untreated CFA group (72%) and was found to be effectively no different between the CFA/COX-2 group and controls. Trigeminal brain stem subnucleus caudalis CGRPi levels were not different between the groups. Conclusion: These results suggest that use of an inhibitor selective for the inducible form of cyclooxygenase enzyme, COX-2, may significantly attenuate the neurogenic component in an inflammatory TMJ animal model.
FERTILITY OPTIONS AND SUCCESS AFTER SPINAL CORD INJURY

Over the past 9 years, the fertility potential for men with spinal cord injury and other neurological impairments has improved. Approximately 80% of men with spinal cord injury have semen (collected either by vibration or by electroejaculation using rectal probe) of sufficient quality to use in intrauterine insemination or in vitro fertilization. Assuming that other factors are equal, it would seem that length or level of injury are not dominating factors that control the quality of semen from these men.
Are Great Teachers Great Storytellers

Educators and administrators alike can spend a lifetime trying to define great teaching and great teachers. Researchers have ventured into scholarship in this area to best define what separates “good ones” from “not so good ones.”1,2 Is it that they care more? Are good teachers more entertaining or more prepared? Is it their sense of humor or the fact that they challenge on a different level?
Measuring the speed of newborn object recognition in controlled visual worlds

How long does it take for a newborn to recognize an object? Adults can recognize objects rapidly, but measuring object recognition speed in newborns has not previously been possible. Here we introduce an automated controlled-rearing method for measuring the speed of newborn object recognition in controlled visual worlds. We raised newborn chicks (Gallus gallus) in strictly controlled environments that contained no objects other than a single virtual object, and then measured the speed at which the chicks could recognize that object from familiar and novel viewpoints. The chicks were able to recognize the object rapidly, at presentation rates of 125 ms per image. Further, recognition speed was equally fast whether the object was presented from familiar viewpoints or novel viewpoints (30° and 60° azimuth rotations). Thus, newborn chicks can recognize objects across novel viewpoints within a fraction of a second. These results demonstrate that newborns are capable of both rapid and invariant object recognition at the onset of vision.