cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Antinuclear antibodies (ANA): Immunologic and clinical significance

Abstract The methods currently used for the detection of ANA have been analyzed, with emphasis on their practical application to the diagnosis of the CTD. The use of the indirect IF-ANA test was recommended as a screening procedure to detect ANA. The need to standardize the technique using a single substrate and fluorescent conjugates with uniform F P ratios was stressed. Most importantly, the value of titrating ANA for the diagnosis of the CTD was discussed. ANA titers higher than 1/500 are usually very significant clinically, often found in spontaneous or drug-induced SLE and few other CTD. The immunologic aspects of ANA and their potential value as aids in the diagnosis and management of the CTD were discussed. Anti-nDNA antibodies have been found to have a high degree of specificity for SLE and high titers of these antibodies correlate well with low levels of serum complement and severity of kidney involvement. The spectrum of ANA in the sera from patients with SLE has been expanded with the finding of anti-Sm antibodies which, when detected by gel precipitation with prototype serum, have been found so far only in SLE. Some of these antibodies have been found to have prognostic significance. Patients with MCTD and a group of patients with SLE have high titers of serum ANA with specificity for an RNase-sensitive component of ENA. The group of SLE patients defined by the presence of these antibodies (anti-Mo) have a better prognosis and in general develop only mild nephritis or have no kidney involvement at all. High titers of pure antinucleolar antibodies probably are found almost exclusively in the sera of patients with scleroderma. Some ANA have organ specificity, and GS-ANA have been found in all patients with Felty's syndrome and in a large proportion of patients with RA. One of the great advances in the field has been the recognition that ANA can be induced in the human and in experimental animals by the use of a number of therapeutic agents. Some of these agents can also induce a clinical picture resembling spontaneous SLE, though kidney involvement does not occur or is extremely mild. It is interesting that the whole spectrum of ANA can be found in drug-induced LE except anti-nDNA antibodies which have been associated to the pathogenesis of immune complex nephritis in spontaneous SLE. There is no doubt that research on ANA has contributed a great deal to the understanding of the CTD and will continue to be a valuable tool for the clinician and the investigator.
Disinfection performance of Fe(VI) in water and wastewater: a review

Ferrate(VI) [FeVIO2−4, Fe(VI)] has excellent disinfectant properties and can inactivate a wide variety of microorganisms at low Fe(VI) dosages. The final product of Fe(VI) is Fe(III), a non-toxic compound. The treatment by Fe(VI) does not give any chlorination by-products, which makes Fe(VI) an environmentally-friendly ion. The results demonstrate that Fe(VI) can inactivate Escherichia coli (E. coli) at lower dosages or shorter contact time than hypochlorite. Fe(VI) can also kill many chlorine resistant organisms, such as aerobic spore-formers and sulphite-reducing clostridia, and would be highly effective in treating emerging toxins in the aquatic environment. Fe(VI) can thus be used as an effective alternate disinfectant for the treatment of water and wastewater. Moreover, Fe(VI) is now becoming economically available in commercial quantities and can be used as a treatment chemical to meet the water demand of this century. This paper reviews the potential role of Fe(VI) as disinfectant in water and wastewater treatment processes.
On the Measurement of Social Roles Adaptations in the Prison Community

Research involving the social roles adopted by inmates is important. This article discusses the means of acquiring information on the type of position that an inmate has assumed and how this might aid those who are interested or involved in attempts to alter the attitudes and behavior of those inmates. The article's purpose is to examine both the extent to which this approach can discriminate between types of inmates and its potential as a predictor of other important aspects of adaptation to confinement.
Surface plasmons and breakdown in thin silicon dioxide films on silicon

The anode hole injection model is based on a surface plasmon model in which the positive charge is generated by hole injection from the anode, where it is generated via a surface plasmon mechanism resulting finally in oxide breakdown. Attempts to detect the surface plasmons can rely only on indirect observations, such as electron-energy loss, the radiative decay of the surface plasmons, or d2I/dV2 measurements. These measurements show that the emission of surface plasmons is both a strong energy-loss mechanism and an electron-hole pair generation mechanism, particularly in poly-Si/SiO2 or poly-Si/vacuum interfaces. Calculation of the surface plasmon excitation threshold energy is shown to decrease with increasing temperature and is also confirmed by experiments. Thus, the positive charge density increases and the charge to breakdown decreases with increasing temperature. We have also measured and observed the surface plasmon excitation threshold energy at the poly-Si/SiO2 interface from the electron energ...
Commentary: Culturally Sensitive Treatments: Need for an Organizing Framework

To date, descriptions of culturally sensitive therapies have insufficiently acknowledged the heterogeneity of perspectives on the role of culture in therapy. The generally homogeneous manner in which advocates of culturally sensitive therapies have described this work has likely contributed to the mainstream's slow acceptance of the importance of culture. In this article, I propose an organizing framework that may help recognize the diversity of viewpoints regarding what constitutes culturally sensitive therapy. It is my hope that this framework, along with critical self-evaluation of the strengths and weaknesses of the various perspectives, will lead to more rapid incorporation of culture across treatments.
An electron microscopy study of modes of intermetallic precipitation in Ti-Cu alloys

The precipitation processes that accompany the aging of supersaturatedα-titanium solid solutions containing up to 6 wt pct Cu have been studied by thin foil electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction techniques. Two mechanisms of decomposition have been identified: i) the heterogeneous nucleation and growth of Ti2Cu at interfaces and internal substructure such as dislocations, and ii) the uniform nucleation of thin, coherent, disk-shaped precipitates which lie on\(\{ 10\overline 1 1\} \). The coherent precipitates can form with densities up to 1017 per cu cm; this and many morphological features of the precipitation process in Ti-Cu are analogous to the well-known behavior of Al-Cu alloys. The coherent precipitates first lose coherency along the edge of the disk and then along the flat faces. The mechanisms by which these two processes occur are considered in detail.
Establishment of photomixotrophic cultures for raspberry micropropagation in Temporary Immersion Bioreactors (TIBs)

Abstract A novel protocol for raspberry ( Rubus spp.) micropropagation in photomixotrophic conditions was optimized for the commercial genotypes Heritage, Meeker and Amity. Plant cultures were established in Temporary Immersion Bioreactors (TIBs) under a controlled environment: 550 ppmv CO 2 ; light intensity 80 μM m −2 s −1 ; sucrose concentrations 15 gr/L and 30 gr/L. Results showed that both CO 2 flux and chlorophyll fluorescence were increased in plants cultured in TIBs with sucrose-reduced medium (15 gr/L) in comparison with those plants micropropagated in TIBs + 30 gr/L sucrose, confirming a consistent photomixotrophic stage since the 5th day of culture. Raspberry plants multiplied in TIBs + 15 gr/L sucrose demonstrated the highest values of plant size, total number of internodes, and percent of acclimatization to greenhouse conditions. Studied variables could be related to an increase of the in vitro photosynthetic activity which might prime plants for the ex vitro environment.
Essay: A Lesson in Living

This 2013 Consortium of Universities for Global Health essay examines the ethical dilemmas encountered by a public health worker engaged in HIV/AIDS prevention and health promotion in a rural Tanzanian community. Is the professional objective of improving the health and well-being of the population so simple?
Interfacial Rheology Through Microfluidics

The bulk properties and structural characteristics of emulsions arise substantially from their interfacial rheology, which depends strongly on surfactant mass transfer and its coupling to flow. Typical methods used to measure such properties often employ simpler flows and larger drops than those encountered in typical processing applications. Mass transfer mechanisms are governed by droplet size; therefore experimentation at length scales typical of those encountered in applications is desired. Utilizing a microfluidic approach allows high-throughput experimentation at relevant length scales and with adjustable flow dynamics. Using a microfluidic device that facilitates the measurement of interfacial tension in two-phase droplet flows, particle tracers are also used to determine the droplet internal circulation velocity as a measure of interfacial mobility. Combining these measurements in a single device, the coupling between interfacial tension, interfacial retardation, and surfactant mass transfer is explored and mass transfer coefficients and interfacial mobility are measured for a two-phase system containing a diffusing surfactant. Such a device is also used to probe the deformability of elastic capsules and viscoelastic biological cells.
Effects of hypothalamic lesions at different loci on development of hyperinsulinemia and obesity in the weanling rat.

Bilateral electrolytic lesions were produced in eight different hypothalamic areas in weanling female rats to localize the area associated with hypothalamic obesity. Animals were maintained for five weeks and food intake measured. After sacrifice, changes in carcass fat content, plasma insulin and plasma glucose were compared to value obtained from sham-operated controls. Only rats with lesions primarily in the ventromedial hypothalamic nuclei had significantly elevated plasma insulin levels and carcass fat content despite normoglycemia, normophagia and normal to reduced body weight gain. The results indicate the existence in the rat hypothalamus of a locus limited to the region of the ventromedial nuclei which affects insulin secretion and lipogenesis. The possible mechanisms responsible for this phenomenon are discussed.
On P-Polynomial Table Algebras and Applications to Association Schemes

By investigating the primitive idempotents of a commutative table algebra that has a table basis element with all distinct eigenvalues, we prove a necessary and sufficient condition in terms of the eigenvalues of a table basis element b ∈ B under which a real table algebra (A, B) is a P-polynomial table algebra. As direct consequences, we obtain the necessary and sufficient condition for a symmetric association scheme to be a Q-polynomial association scheme in [7] as well as a necessary and sufficient condition for a symmetric association scheme to be a P-polynomial association scheme.
Preemptive priority mechanisms for high-speed dual-bus networks

In this apper, a novel approach for introducing effective priorities on high speed DQDB type metropolitan area networks (MANs) is presented. The proposed method can be applied on various bandwidth balancing mechanisms and almost eliminate the effect of low priority traffic on high priority traffic. Its implementation in the case of three bandwidth balancing mechanisms is presented and simulation results are used to investigate the corresponding delay and throughput performance in the presence of multiple priority classes of traffic. A comparison with other, previously proposed, priority mechanisms is also carried out.© (1995) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Automated Generation of Operations Level Construction Animations in Outdoor Augmented Reality

Three-dimensional (3D) visualization is an effective tool for communicating, verifying, and validating the results of a simulated operation. Traditional visualization tools used for this purpose are typically based on the paradigm of virtual reality. Augmented reality (AR) is a relatively newer visualization paradigm whose engineering applications have been explored by a limited number of researchers. In this paper, the problem of generating smooth and continuous AR animations from the results of running discrete event simulation models and a general purpose methodology to overcome this challenge are discussed. The structure of an AR animation authoring language developed by the writers to create a logical link between a running simulation model and its corresponding 3D visualization in AR is described. In order to validate the functionality and effectiveness of the designed methods and animation language, an AR-based visualization application was developed and the designed algorithms were successfully tested using different simulation scenarios of varying visual and operational complexity.
Constructing special k-dominating sets using variations on the greedy algorithm

This paper focuses on the efficient selection of a special type of subset of network nodes, which we call a k-SPR set, for the purpose of coordinating the routing of messages through a network. Such a set is a special k-hop-connected k-dominating set that has an additional property that promotes the regular occurrence of routers in all directions. The distributed algorithms introduced here for obtaining a k-SPR set require that each node broadcast at most three messages to its k-hop neighbors. These transmissions can be made asynchronously. The time required to send these messages and the sizes of the resulting sets are compared by means of data collected from simulations. The main contribution is the adaptation of some variations of the distributed greedy algorithms to the problem of generating a small k-SPR set. These variations are much faster than the standard distributed greedy algorithm. Yet, when used with a sensible choice for a certain parameter, our empirical evidence strongly suggests that the resulting set size will generally be very close to the set size for the standard greedy algorithms.
Increasing the reliability of the fluid/crystallized difference score from the Kaufman Adolescent and Adult Intelligence Test with reliable component analysis.

The unreliability of difference scores is a well documented phenomenon in the social sciences and has led researchers and practitioners to interpret differences cautiously, if at all. In the case of the Kaufman Adult and Adolescent Intelligence Test (KAIT), the unreliability of the difference between the Fluid IQ and the Crystallized IQ is due to the high correlation between the two scales. The consequences of the lack of precision with which differences are identified are wide confidence intervals and unpowerful significance tests (i.e., large differences are required to be declared statistically significant). Reliable component analysis (RCA) was performed on the subtests of the KAIT in order to address these problems. RCA is a new data reduction technique that results in uncorrelated component scores with maximum proportions of reliable variance. Results indicate that the scores defined by RCA have discriminant and convergent validity (with respect to the equally weighted scores) and that differences between the scores, derived from a single testing session, were more reliable than differences derived from equal weighting for each age group (11-14 years, 15-34 years, 35-85+ years). This reliability advantage results in narrower confidence intervals around difference scores and smaller differences required for statistical significance.
Combinatorial Approach to Enantiomeric Discrimination: Synthesis and 19F NMR Screening of a Chiral Ionic Liquid-Modified Silane Library

A parallel library of chiral ionic liquid (CIL)-modified silanes as potential chiral selectors was synthesized, and their enantiomeric discrimination abilities were screened by use of 19F NMR spectroscopy. The screening method allows for rapid identification of the most enantioselective members of the library and simultaneous investigation of their chiral recognition mechanisms. The library compounds were synthesized using quaternization and anion-exchange reactions. Three major parameters (type of chiral cations, anions, and linker chain lengths) were included and investigated during the synthesis and screening. As expected, the structure of the chiral cation was found to play an important role in determining chiral recognition abilities. In addition, several types of intermolecular interactions including ion-pair, hydrogen bonding, π−π stacking, dipole stacking, and steric interactions were found to impact chiral discrimination.
Rapid and Accurate Diagnosis of Pulmonary Emboli in a Canine Model Using Intravascular Ultrasound Imaging

We utilized intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) imaging in a canine pulmonary embolism model to visualize experimental emboli. The images obtained were compared with those obtained by single-plane pulmonary arteriography in each of six animals. The vessel lumen appeared patent by both methods prior to injection of autologous clot. After thrombi were injected, the vessels were again imaged using both techniques. Intravascular ultrasound was 100 percent sensitive in detecting emboli, and visualization was always rapid. There were no complications. It appears that IVUS imaging is a sensitive method for documenting the presence of clot in a canine pulmonary embolism model.
The accuracy of evaporation measurements from small lysimeters

Abstract Weighing lysimeters are generally considered the standard for evaporation ( E ) measurements. They are usually installed as a single unit, so it is difficult to use them to determine treatment effects on E . The use of numerous, small lysimeters ( m 2 surface area) is one means of solving this problem, but small lysimeters may have design properties that could affect the accuracy of E measurements. The objective of this research was to evaluate the accuracy of sorghum and wheat E measurements from small lysimeters. Large, medium, and small lysimeters, with surface areas of 3.0, 0.75, and 0.18 m2, respectively, were used. The single large lysimeter provided the standard to which seasonal and 5 to 29 day E values from four medium and four small lysimeters were compared. Seasonal sorghum E totals for the medium and small lysimeters were significantly different from the large lysimeter value ( α = 0.05 , two-tailed), presumably because leaf area index (LAI) differed among lysimeters. When sorghum E values were adjusted to account for LAI differences, totals were not significantly different. When the means of daily E values from the medium or small lysimeters, calculated from the 5 to 29 day periods, were compared, using linear regression, to the value from the large lysimeter the slope was significantly different from 1.0. Adjusted for LAI differences, slopes were not significantly different from 1.0. For wheat, neither the mean seasonal E of the medium or small lysimeters was significantly different from the large lysimeter value, nor were the slopes different from 1.0. No consistent effect of lysimeter size on accuracy was found for either crop. Properly used, small lysimeters provide a technique for seasonal E measurements. Based upon the results from this study and previous work, statistical differences between treatments in seasonal E (using four small lysimeters, area
Prions of fungi: inherited structures and biological roles

The term 'prion' means an infectious protein that does not need an accompanying nucleic acid. There are six fungal prions, including four self-propagating amyloids and two enzymes that are necessary to activate their inactive precursors. Here we explore the scope of the prion phenomenon, the biological and evolutionary roles of prions, the structural basis of the amyloid prions and the prominent role of chaperones (proteins that affect the folding of other proteins) and other cellular components in prion generation and propagation.
Writing Colonial Space. A Review Article

No longer. There are now enough monographs and articles in print on different aspects of colonial architecture and urbanism to put together a twosemester graduate seminar on the topic. The principal outcome, I suspect, would be to demonstrate the power of particular dominant theoretical paradigms circulating in the Western academy in the last two decades. However, the academic historiography of colonial urbanism begins at least ten years before this with the equally classic article of anthropologists Redfield and Singer on "The Cultural Role of Cities," in which they distinguish two types of city, the orthogenetic ("the city of the moral order; the city of
Plasma Deposition and Interface Control in Low Temperature Processing of Thin Film Solar Cells

Plasma deposition of thin silicon films with a variable microstructure and controlled interface formation techniques are being developed for thin film silicon/polycrystalline silicon solar cells. Low hydrogen content amorphous (a-Si) or microcrystalline silicon (μ c-Si) films were obtained by controlling the H2 dilution of 2% SiH4/He in a microwave ECR discharge. The films were characterized for structural and electro-optic properties. Junction creation for solar cells was investigated by depositing single or multilayers of the film silicon onto crystalline silicon (c-Si). Effort to improve carrier transport and photovoltaic (PV) properties was pursued through interface modifications effected by varying the microstructure of the layer in contact with the substrate. Cells with 7% conversion efficiency (No A/R) were obtained for an a-Si/c-Si heterojunction configuration. Improved carrier transport and PV properties (9% efficient) were achieved by inserting a thin μ c-Si layer in the above structure.
Use of end-to-side arterial and venous anastomosis techniques for renal transplantation in two dogs.

Case Description—A sexually intact male Old English Sheepdog and a sexually intact female Bull Terrier were evaluated for renal dysplasia and chronic renal failure, respectively. Clinical Findings—Both dogs were anemic and had high serum concentrations of urea nitrogen and creatinine. Electrolyte abnormalities (calcium and phosphorus) were also evident. The decision was made to pursue renal transplantation, and donor dogs were identified. Treatment and Outcome—End-to-side anastomosis of the renal artery and vein of each donor's left kidney to the recipient's ipsilateral external iliac artery and vein, respectively, was performed. The left caudal abdominal musculature was scarified by making an incision, and nephropexy to that musculature was performed with a simple interrupted pattern of polypropylene sutures. No intraoperative or postoperative complications associated with the vascular anastomoses were encountered. Azotemia, anemia, and electrolyte imbalances resolved after transplantation. Clinical Rele...
The Pediatrician and the Child in Foster Care

1. Moira Szilagyi, MD, PhD* 1. 2. *Medical Director, Foster Care Pediatrics, Monroe County Health Department, Rochester, NY. 1. The primary reasons cited for placement in foster care (>80% of admissions of younger children) are child abuse and neglect. 2. Children in foster care are at high risk for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection related to maternal lifestyle. 3. Biological parents retain guardianship while their children are in foster care unless parental rights are terminated. 4. Behavioral problems of children in foster care escalate with stress brought about, for example, by changes in visitation patterns, changes in foster care placement, and termination of parental rights. 5. Transracial adoption will become more common in foster care with the enactment of recent legislation that is intended to address the needs of the large number of minority children awaiting adoption. The new legislation prohibits the use of race as the sole criterion for adoptive placement, although it still may be one of several criteria considered. 6. Children in foster care have higher rates of chronic medical illness, mental health problems, behavioral disorders, developmental delays, and educational disabilities than other poor children. 7. The primary unmet health care need of children in foster care is mental health evaluation and treatment. About 500,000 children reside in foster care on any given day in the United States. They are primarily the children of the indigent, and their lives prior to placement were riddled by violence and neglect. Removed from or abandoned by their families, these children were placed into a system intended to nurture and repair them, while facilitating the rehabilitation of their families. In reality, foster care has become a system of last resort for the most vulnerable children and intransigent families. Foster care is intended to be a temporary respite for a family in crisis, with the ultimate goal being reunification of the child and family. However, this system is in crisis, crushed by huge caseloads, families who have …
The Sound of Silence: What Do We Know When Insiders Do Not Trade?

This paper examines the information content of insider silence, periods of no insider trading. We hypothesize that, to avoid litigation risk, rational insiders do not sell own-company shares when they anticipate bad news; neither would they buy, given unfavorable prospects; thus they keep silent. By contrast, insiders sell shares when they do not anticipate significant bad news. Consistent with this hypothesis, we find insiders are more likely to stay silent prior to shareholder litigations or large stock price drops. We also show future stock returns are significantly lower following insider silence than following insider net selling, and insider silence predicts more negative returns among firms at higher litigation risk. In sum, insider silence is bad news.
Autistic-Like Traits, Sociosexuality, and Hormonal Responses to Socially Stressful and Sexually Arousing Stimuli in Male College Students

We tested the hypothesis that autistic-like traits are associated with restricted sociosexuality and investigated the role of stress and sex hormones as potential physiological mechanisms underlying this association. Study participants were heterosexual male college students (n = 107). Individuals with more autistic-like traits reported lower short-term mating orientation and less previous sexual experience. Autistic-like traits were associated with greater cortisol secretion during a Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) and greater testosterone and cortisol reactivity to a video with explicit erotic content. Cortisol secretion during the TSST was negatively correlated with short-term mating orientation. A mediation analysis suggested that cortisol reactivity to socially stressful stimuli may be one of the physiological mechanisms linking autistic-like traits and sociosexuality. These findings have implications for our understanding of autistic-like traits in normal populations, our knowledge of the relationship between psychosocial stress, sexual arousal, and sociosexuality, and also for research on the role of hormonal mechanisms in inter-individual variation in male life history strategies.
Rising India’s Pakistan Problem:

This article identifies the persistent India–Pakistan rivalry as a paired minority conflict and argues that, as the predominant actor, India needs to shed its historical complexes and engage Pakistan proactively. By transcending its traditional reluctance, fears and prejudices, India must demonstrate that it can make use of its recently established economic and socio-political clout to be a dominant force in the region. A review of different scenarios for the future of Pakistan and possible Indian responses to another terrorist attack on Mumbai indicates that India’s best option would be to evolve a multilevel and long-term ‘carrot and stick’ strategy towards its neighbour. Beyond ineffectual Track II dialogues, an excessive focus on Kashmir and myopic decisions determined by domestic contingencies, India needs to build the necessary trust and solve its Pakistan problem by focusing on deeper economic interdependence and sustained civil society contacts, and revive its nuclear disarmament plans.
A mesh topology for programmable neural computing

A nonfeedforward artificial neural network is simulated using concurrent processes. Reaction-diffusion neurons are used instead of Adaline neurons. To evolve the mesh architecture, a decentralized learning algorithm is used. Each neuron is individually programmed through interaction with its immediate neighbors. A 'copy thy neighbor' rule augmented with random mutations is utilized. Experiences with the algorithm indicate that such random mutations are necessary to surpass the performance of best neighbors. In addition, some of the problems being tackled by backpropagation techniques are eliminated since there are no hidden layers. The concurrent processing more closely reflects the highly parallel computational mode exhibited by living organisms. The solution of simple pattern recognition tasks with the network is described. The performance of the network compares favorably with that of conventional, sequentially simulated feedforward connectionist networks. >
LEAN, GREEN, AND THE QUEST FOR SUPERIOR ENVIRONMENTAL PERFORMANCE

We examine the relationship between lean manufacturing practices and environmental performance as measured in terms of air emissions and resource use. We draw on two unique surveys of 31 automobile assembly plants in North America and Japan, which contain information on manufacturing practice and environmental performance, as well as in-depth interviews with 156 plant level employees at 17 assembly plants. Our survey results and interviews suggest that lean management and reduction of air emissions of volatile organic compounds (vocs) are associated negatively. Lean manufacturing practices contribute to more efficient use of paints and cleaning solvents, but these in-process changes are not sufficient to meet the most stringent air regulations. We found some evidence to support the link between lean practices and resource efficiency. While our survey results were in hypothesized direction, they were not statistically significant. In-depth semi-structured interviews, however, suggest a more robust relationship, and we use them to describe some mechanisms by which all three aspects of lean management (buffer minimization, work systems, and human resource management) may be related to environmental management practices and performance.
A new distributed constant false alarm rate detector

A new constant false alarm rate (CFAR) test termed signal-plus-order statistic CFAR (S+OS) using distributed sensors is developed. The sensor modeling assumes that the returns of the test cells of different sensors are all independent and identically distributed In the S+OS scheme, each sensor transmits its test sample and a designated order statistic of its surrounding observations to the fusion center. At the fusion center, the sum of the samples of the test cells is compared with a constant multiplied by a function of the order statistics. For a two-sensor network, the functions considered are the minimum of the order statistics (mOS) and the maximum of the order statistics (MOS). For detecting a Rayleigh fluctuating target in Gaussian noise, closed-form expressions for the false alarm and detection probabilities are obtained. The numerical results indicate that the performance of the MOS detector is very close to that of a centralized OS-CFAR and it performs considerably better than the OS-CFAR detector with the AND or the OR fusion rule. Extension to an N-sensor network is also considered, and general equations for the false alarm probabilities under homogeneous and nonhomogeneous background noise are presented.
Efficient exact two-level hazard-free logic minimization

This paper presents a new approach to two-level hazard free sum-of-products logic minimization. No currently available minimizers for single-output literal-exact two-level hazard-free logic minimization can handle large circuits without synthesis times ranging up over thousands of seconds. The logic minimization approach presented in this paper is based on state graph exploration in conjunction with single-cube cover algorithms. Our algorithm achieves fast logic minimization by using compacted state graphs and cover tables and an efficient algorithm for single-output minimization. Our exact two-level hazard-free logic minimizer finds a minimal number of literal solutions and is significantly faster than existing literal exact methods-over two orders of magnitude faster for the largest extended burst-mode benchmarks to date. This includes a benchmark that has never been possible to solve exactly in a number of literals before.
Leading Change in Multiple Contexts: Concepts and Practices in Organizational, Community, Political, Social and Global Settings, by Gill Robinson Hickman

This is a comprehensive leadership text for 21st century leadership practice contexts. The author is an experienced leadership scholar and is currently a professor of leadership studies at the Univ...
New empirical approach for the structure and energy of covalent systems

Empirical interatomic potentials permit the calculation of structural properties and energetics of complex systems. A new approach for constructing such potentials, by explicitly incorporating the dependence of bond order on local environment, permits an improved description of covalent materials. In particular, a new potential for silicon is presented, along with results of extensive tests which suggest that this potential provides a rather realistic description of silicon. The limitations of the potential are discussed in detail.
Envelope Glycoprotein Determinants of Neutralization Resistance in a Simian-Human Immunodeficiency Virus (SHIV-HXBc2P 3.2) Derived by Passage in Monkeys

The simian-human immunodeficiency virus SHIV-HXBc2 contains the envelope glycoproteins of a laboratory-adapted, neutralization-sensitive human immunodeficiency virus type 1 variant, HXBc2. Serial in vivo passage of the nonpathogenic SHIV-HXBc2 generated SHIV KU-1, which causes rapid CD4(+) T-cell depletion and an AIDS-like illness in monkeys. A molecularly cloned pathogenic SHIV, SHIV-HXBc2P 3.2, was derived from the SHIV KU-1 isolate and differs from the parental SHIV-HXBc2 by only 12 envelope glycoprotein amino acid residues. Relative to SHIV-HXBc2, SHIV-HXBc2P 3.2 was resistant to neutralization by all of the antibodies tested with the exception of the 2G12 antibody. The sequence changes responsible for neutralization resistance were located in variable regions of the gp120 exterior envelope glycoprotein and in the gp41 transmembrane envelope glycoprotein. The 2G12 antibody, which neutralized SHIV-HXBc2 and SHIV-HXBc2P 3.2 equally, bound the HXBc2 and HXBc2P 3.2 envelope glycoproteins on the cell surface comparably. The ability of the other tested antibodies to achieve saturation was less for the HXBc2P 3.2 envelope glycoproteins than for the HXBc2 envelope glycoproteins, even though the affinity of the antibodies for the two envelope glycoproteins was similar. Thus, a highly neutralization-sensitive SHIV, by modifying both gp120 and gp41 glycoproteins, apparently achieves a neutralization-resistant state by decreasing the saturability of its envelope glycoproteins by antibodies.
Activation of Caspase 3 during Legionella pneumophila-Induced Apoptosis

The hallmark of Legionnaires' disease is replication of Legionella pneumophila within cells in the alveolar spaces. The mechanisms by which L. pneumophila replicates intracellularly and kills the host cell are largely not understood. We have recently shown that within 3 h of initiation of the infection and prior to intracellular replication, L. pneumophila induces apoptosis in macrophages, alveolar epithelial cells, and peripheral blood monocytes, which correlates with cytopathogenicity (L.-Y. Gao and Y. Abu Kwaik, Infect. Immun. 67:862-870, 1999). In this report, we show that the ability of L. pneumophila to induce apoptosis is, largely, not growth phase regulated. We demonstrate that the induction of apoptosis by L. pneumophila in macrophages is mediated through the activation of caspase 3. The enzymatic activity of caspase 3 to cleave a specific synthetic substrate in vitro is detected in L. pneumophila-infected macrophages at 2 h after infection and is maximal at 3 h, with over 900% increase in activity. The activity of caspase 3 to cleave a specific substrate [poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase, or PARP] in vivo is also detected at 2 h and is maximal at 3 h postinfection. The activity of caspase 3 to cleave the synthetic substrate in vitro and PARP in vivo is blocked by a specific inhibitor of caspase 3. The kinetics of caspase 3 activation correlates with that of L. pneumophila-induced nuclear apoptosis. Inhibition of caspase 3 activity blocks L. pneumophila-induced nuclear apoptosis and cytopathogenicity during early stages of the infection. Consistent with the ability to induce apoptosis, extracellular L. pneumophila also activates caspase 3. Three dotA/icmWXYZ mutants of L. pneumophila that are defective in inducing apoptosis do not induce caspase 3 activation, suggesting that expression and/or export of the apoptosis-inducing factor(s) is regulated by the dot/icm virulence system. This is the first description of the role of caspase 3 activation in induction of nuclear apoptosis in the host cell infected by a bacterial pathogen.
Leaf Beetle References in Charles Darwin's Correspondence

Abstract The impact of entomology on some of Charles Darwin's thought processes are demonstrated via direct quotations concerning leaf beetles (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) made by Darwin in his well documented correspondence from 1821 to 1967. Some aspects of chrysomelid natural history, especially the use of genitalia to separate species, contributed to his theories on speciation, sexual selection, and biogeography.
Adrenotrophic activity of human urine.

SummaryUsing a specific and sensitive assay procedure, we have tested the urine of normal persons and of patients having a variety of disease states for its adrenotrophic activity. Tests using both fresh urine and urine concentrates prepared in three different ways were carried out. Contrary to previous reports, no adrenotrophic activity could be consistently demonstrated.
Technical Note: Impact of the geometry dependence of the ion chamber detector response function on a convolution-based method to address the volume averaging effect.

Purpose: To investigate the geometry dependence of the detector response function (DRF) of three commonly used scanning ionization chambers and its impact on a convolution-based method to address the volume averaging effect (VAE). Methods: A convolution-based approach has been proposed recently to address the ionization chamber VAE. It simulates the VAE in the treatment planning system (TPS) by iteratively convolving the calculated beam profiles with the DRF while optimizing the beam model. Since the convolved and the measured profiles are subject to the same VAE, the calculated profiles match the implicit “real” ones when the optimization converges. Three DRFs (Gaussian, Lorentzian, and parabolic function) were used for three ionization chambers (CC04, CC13, and SNC125c) in this study. Geometry dependent/independent DRFs were obtained by minimizing the difference between the ionization chamber-measured profiles and the diode-measured profiles convolved with the DRFs. These DRFs were used to obtain eighteen beam models for a commercial TPS. Accuracy of the beam models were evaluated by assessing the 20%–80% penumbra width difference (PWD) between the computed and diode-measured beam profiles. Results: The convolution-based approach was found to be effective for all three ionization chambers with significant improvement for all beam models. Up to 17% geometry dependence of the three DRFs was observed for the studied ionization chambers. With geometry dependent DRFs, the PWD was within 0.80 mm for the parabolic function and CC04 combination and within 0.50 mm for other combinations; with geometry independent DRFs, the PWD was within 1.00 mm for all cases. When using the Gaussian function as the DRF, accounting for geometry dependence led to marginal improvement (PWD < 0.20 mm) for CC04; the improvement ranged from 0.38 to 0.65 mm for CC13; for SNC125c, the improvement was slightly above 0.50 mm. Conclusions: Although all three DRFs were found adequate to represent the response of the studied ionization chambers, the Gaussian function was favored due to its superior overall performance. The geometry dependence of the DRFs can be significant for clinical applications involving small fields such as stereotactic radiotherapy.
Synthesis and Application of New Amphoteric Surfactant Sinapic Amido Proyl Betaine on Acidizing

Direct to the problem of the effective placement of acid in heterogeneity formation and overcome the potential damage of the polymer acid,we developed a new acid system would excellently resolve those problem,the prime efficacy material in which is the new amphoteric surfactant——sinapic amido propyl betaine which be synthesized in this paper,reduced denominate SAP-BET,Because that SAP-BET belong to amphoteric viscoelastic surfactant which own a long water-repellent carbon chain,so the formulation fluid of SAP-BET own a favourable viscoelastic behaviour,the acid system which be produced by the SAP-BET own many excellent property: diverting,leak-off control,enhance the effective length of acid and no damage to formation.The viscoelastic behavior and rheological of SAP-BET and the impact of acid additives on the rheological properties were studied.We have developed a new sandstone diverting acid and carbonate no-polymer variable viscosity acid,by studied the mechanism of acid/rock reaction and the viscosity changing of the acid in the progress of reaction.
Heat deposition analysis for the High Flux Isotope Reactor’s HEU and LEU core models

Abstract The High Flux Isotope Reactor at Oak Ridge National Laboratory is an 85 MWth pressurized light-water-cooled and -moderated flux-trap type research reactor. The reactor is used to conduct numerous experiments, advancing various scientific and engineering disciplines. As part of an ongoing program sponsored by the US Department of Energy National Nuclear Security Administration Office of Material Management and Minimization, studies are being performed to assess the feasibility of converting the reactor’s highly enriched uranium fuel to low-enriched uranium fuel. To support this conversion project, reference models with representative experiment target loading and explicit fuel plate representation were developed and benchmarked for both fuels to (1) allow for consistent comparison between designs for both fuel types and (2) assess the potential impact of low-enriched uranium conversion. These high-fidelity models were used to conduct heat deposition analyses at the beginning and end of the reactor cycle and are presented herein. This paper (1) discusses the High Flux Isotope Reactor models developed to facilitate detailed heat deposition analyses of the reactor’s highly enriched and low-enriched uranium cores, (2) examines the computational approach for performing heat deposition analysis, which includes a discussion on the methodology for calculating the amount of energy released per fission, heating rates, power and volumetric heating rates, and (3) provides results calculated throughout various regions of the highly enriched and low-enriched uranium core at the beginning and end of the reactor cycle. These are the first detailed high-fidelity heat deposition analyses for the High Flux Isotope Reactor’s highly enriched and low-enriched core models with explicit fuel plate representation. These analyses are used to compare heat distributions obtained for both fuel designs at the beginning and end of the reactor cycle, and they are essential for enabling comprehensive thermal hydraulics and safety analyses that require detailed estimates of the heat source within all of the reactor’s fuel element regions.
The Gamma-Weibull-G Family of Distributions with Applications

Weibull distribution and its extended families has been widely studied in lifetime applications. Based on the Weibull-G family of distributions and the exponentiated Weibull distribution, we study in detail this new class of distributions, namely, Gamma-WeibullG family of distributions (GWG). Some special models in the new class are discussed. Statistical properties of the family of distributions, such as expansion of density function, hazard and reverse hazard functions, quantile function, moments, incomplete moments, generating functions, mean deviations, Bonferroni and Lorenz curves and order statistics are presented. We also present R´enyi entropy, estimation of parameters by using method of maximum likelihood, asymptotic confidence intervals and applications using real data
Long-term outcomes in Amish patients diagnosed with propionic acidemia

Propionic acidemia (PA) occurs at a higher incidence within the Amish; however, sensitivity of newborn screening and its impact on long-term clinical outcomes has not been reported in this population. This study reviewed screening data and health records of 20 Wisconsin Amish patients diagnosed with PA. Newborn screening did not identify all cases; however, early detection did offer appreciable long-term protection from neurological sequelae. This is the first report summarizing PA cases within the Amish.
Machine Learning Approach for Malware Detection Using Random Forest Classifier on Process List Data Structure

As computer systems have become an integral part of every organization, it is a big challenge to safeguard the computer systems from malicious activities which compromise not only the systems but also the data stored within. Traditional malware and rootkit detection using antivirus systems are not dynamic enough to capture the complex behavior of malware and its isolated activities. There are many signature-based malware detection techniques have been introduced, but enterprises as well as general users are still facing problems to get protection for their cyber systems against malware. Thus, it emphasizes the necessity of developing an efficient malware detection technique. In this research paper, we design a machine learning approach for malware detection using Random Forest classifier for the process list data extracted from Linux based virtual machine environment.
Complementarity and our Knowledge of Nature

Bohr’s framework of complementarity should be understood as a realist interpretation of quantum physics, but in order to defend such a reading of Bohr, the epistemic goal of representationalism as applied to atomic objects must be abandoned. This implies that complementarity rejects the meta-epistemic presuppositions of the Cartesian spectator epistemology, but if this epistemological lesson is accepted, then it remains possible to have knowledge about the atomic objects which in interacting with observing systems produce the atomic phenomena that confirm the quantum theoretical account of the atomic domain.