cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Hydrochars derived from plant biomass under various conditions: Characterization and potential applications and impacts

Abstract Hydrothermally carbonized biomass (hydrochar) has received increased attention recently as a potential agent for contaminant remediation and soil improvement. There is a need to understand how the properties of hydrochar vary with production conditions. In this work, sugarcane bagasse, hickory, and peanut hull were converted into hydrochars at three different temperatures (200 °C, 250 °C, and 300 °C). Basic physicochemical properties of the nine hydrochars were determined and batch aqueous sorption experiments were conducted to measure ability of the hydrochars to sorb methylene blue, lead, and phosphate. The yield, surface area, and pore volume of the hydrochars decreased with increasing conversion temperatures. Among all the hydrochars, the ones made at the lowest temperature (200 °C) were the best for sorption of methylene blue and lead. However, none of the hydrochars were able to remove significant amounts of phosphate from solution. In addition, the hydrochars did not significantly affect seed germination rate, though some did have a significant effect on root development of seedlings. Findings from this work suggest that lower temperature hydrochars may be optimal for contaminant remediation because of their higher sorption ability and absence of negative effect on plants.
Mechanical Properties of Hot‐Pressed TiB2‐ZrO2 Composites

Experimentation with the use of monoclinic ZrO2 as an additive in TiB2-based composites, in order to improve mechanical properties without the use of stabilizers, has led to the identification of the TiB2 30 percent ZrO2 composition whose compacts exhibit low porosity, and 800 MN/sq m transverse rupture strength, and K(Ic) of 5 MPa m exp 1/2. It is speculated that the high strength and toughness obtained are primarily due to the presence of partially stabilized tetragonal ZrO2, as well as to a (TiZr)B2 solid solution which forms during sintering.
The effects of metformin on weight loss in women with gestational diabetes: a pilot randomized, placebo-controlled trial.

Objective We sought to compare weight loss in the first 6 weeks postpartum among women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) treated with metformin or placebo, a promising therapy to reduce later risk of progression to diabetes mellitus. Study Design We conducted a pilot, randomized trial of metformin vs placebo in postpartum women with GDM. Women with pre-GDM, unable to tolerate metformin, resumed on insulin or oral hypoglycemic agent, delivered 2 were excluded. Women were randomized to either metformin 850 mg daily for 7 days, then metformin 850 mg twice a day for the next 5 weeks or placebo prescribed in a similar frequency. The subject, health care provider, and research staff were blinded to the treatment. The primary outcome was weight change from delivery to 6 weeks postpartum. Secondary outcomes included the percentage of women achieving their self-reported prepregnancy weight, reported medication adherence, adverse effects, and satisfaction. Differences in weight change between groups were determined by Wilcoxon rank sum test and in achieving prepregnancy weight by χ 2 test. Results Of 114 women randomized, 79 (69.3%) completed the 6 weeks; 36 (45.6%) were randomized to metformin and 43 (54.4%) to placebo. Metformin and placebo groups were similar in median weight loss (6.3 kg [range, –0.3 to 19.8] vs 6.5 kg [range, –0.3 to 12.1], P = .988) and percentage of women achieving reported prepregnancy weight (41.7 vs 37.2%, P = .69). Self-reported adherence in taking >50% of medication was 75% at 3 weeks and 97% at 6 weeks. Nausea, diarrhea, and hypoglycemia were reported in approximately 11-17% of women and 56-63% reported dissatisfaction with the medication. Conclusion Women with GDM lost approximately 6 kg by 6 weeks' postpartum. This was similar in both groups and resulted in
Monoclonal antibodies produced to bean yellow mosaic virus, clover yellow vein virus, and pea mosaic virus which cross- react among the three viruses.

Monoclonal antibodies prepared against individual potyviruses that infect forage legumes cross-reacted among the viruses. The reaction occurs between capsid subunits and presumably involves epitopes located in the trypsin-resistant core of the coat protein.
Putting the Global in Global Work: An Intercultural Lens on the Practice of Cross-National Collaboration

Collaboration across national boundaries has become increasingly prevalent over the last decade, yet the management literature remains remarkably unhelpful in answering questions about what happens...
Diamide, a sulfhydryl reagent, modifies the light response of Limulus ventral photoreceptors

Responses to light were recorded intracellularly from Limulus ventral photoreceptors during the application of diamide, a sulfhydryl oxidizing agent. At diamide concentrations of over 0.5 mM there was a brief phase of increased response followed by a marked decrease. Diamide also prolonged the response latency, and in several cases increased the frequency of spontaneous discrete waves. At concentrations of 0.25 mM and below, the response only increased. Although the underlying mechanisms of these effects are not understood, these findings may be significant for the understanding of transduction in photoreceptors.
Louis Pasteur, language, and molecular chirality. I. Background and dissymmetry.

Louis Pasteur resolved sodium ammonium (±)-tartrate in 1848, thereby discovering molecular chirality. Although hindered by the primitive state of organic chemistry, he introduced new terminology and nomenclature for his new science of molecular and crystal chirality. He was well prepared for this task by his rigorous education and innate abilities, and his linguistic achievements eventually earned him membership in the supreme institution for the French language, the Academie francaise. Dissymmetry had been in use in French from the early 1820s for disruption or absence of symmetry or for dissimilarity or difference in appearance between two objects, and Pasteur initially used it in the latter connotation, without any reference to handedness or enantiomorphism. Soon, however, he adopted it in the meaning of chirality. Asymmetry had been in use in French since 1691 but Pasteur ignored it in favor of dissymmetry. The two terms are not synonymous but it is not clear whether Pasteur recognized this difference in choosing the former over the latter. However, much of the literature mistranslates his dissymmetry as asymmetry. Twenty years before Pasteur the British polymath John Herschel proposed that optical rotation in the noncrystalline state is due to the "unsymmetrical" [his term] nature of the molecules and later used dissymmetrical for handed. Chirality, coined by Lord Kelvin in 1894 and introduced into chemistry by Mislow in 1962, has nearly completely replaced dissymmetry in the meaning of handedness, but the use of dissymmetry continues today in other contexts for lack of symmetry, reduction of symmetry, or dissimilarity.
Differential ATF3 expression in dorsal root ganglion neurons reveals the profile of primary afferents engaged by diverse noxious chemical stimuli

Although transgenic and knockout mice have helped delineate the mechanisms of action of diverse noxious compounds, it is still difficult to determine unequivocally the subpopulations of primary afferent nociceptor that these molecules engage. As most noxious stimuli lead to tissue and/or nerve injury, here we used induction of activating transcription factor 3 (ATF3), a reliable marker of nerve injury, to assess the populations of primary afferent fibers that are activated after peripheral administration of noxious chemical stimuli. In wild-type mice, hindpaw injections of capsaicin, formalin, mustard oil or menthol induce expression of ATF3 in distinct subpopulations of sensory neurons. Interestingly, even though these noxious chemicals are thought to act through subtypes of transient receptor potential (TRP) channels, all compounds also induced ATF3 in neurons that appear not to express the expected TRP channel subtypes. On the other hand, capsaicin failed to induce ATF3 in mice lacking TRPV1, indicating that TRPV1 is required for both the direct and indirect induction of ATF3 in sensory neurons. By contrast, only low doses of formalin or mustard oil failed to induce ATF3 in TRPA1 null mice, indicating that injections of high doses (>0.5%) of formalin or mustard oil recruit both TRPA1- and non-TRPA1 expressing primary afferent fibers. Finally, peripheral injection of menthol, a TRPM8 receptor agonist, induced ATF3 in a wide variety of sensory neurons, but in a TRPM8-independent manner. We conclude that purportedly selective agonists can activate a heterogeneous population of sensory neurons, which ultimately could contribute to the behavioral responses evoked.
Glass products in 1984 … and glass products in 2004

Abstract Science and technology leaders, mostly from the glass community, were asked where they would place thirty glass products and processes in their life cycle, today and in 2004. Eighty-five per cent of those queried responded. There is remarkable agreement in their opinions and they have a healthy outlook for 2004.
Mathematical Methods in the Tables of Planetary Motion in Kūshyār ibn Labbān'sJāmicZı̄j☆

Abstract Kūshyār ibn Labbān, an Iranian scientist who flourished ca. A.D. 1000, composed an astronomical handbook entitled the Jāmi c Zij . It has been considered to be derivative of al-Battāni's Zij al- S · ābi ( ca. A.D. 900), and through it, back to Ptolemy's Almagest ( ca. A.D. 150). We analyze the tables of planetary motion and consider the possible dependences. We explain several unusual features, particularly the double-argument planetary equation of anomaly tables, which are tabulated using an innovative interpolation scheme. Complete directions for the use of the tables are given, as well as definitions of the functions tabulated. Copyright 1998 Academic Press. Kūshyār ibn Labbān, ein iranischer Wissenschaftler, der um 1000 lebte, verfaste ein astronomisches Handbuch mit dem Titel Zig al-gāmi c . Man hat geglaubt, das es von al-Battānis Zig a s · - S · ābi (um 900) abhangt und dadurch auch von Ptolemaeus' Almagest (um 150 n. Chr.). Wir analysieren die Tafeln der Planetenbewegung und betrachten die moglichen Abhangigkeiten. Wir erklaren auch einige ungewohnliche Eigenarten, speziell die Tafeln der Gleichung der Anomalie, die ein doppeltes Argument enthalt; sie wurden mit Hilfe eines neuartigen Interpolationsschemas berechnet. Vollstandige Anweisungen fur den Gebrauch der Tafeln werden ebenso gegeben wie die Definitionen der Funktione, die in Tabellenform gebracht wurden. Copyright 1998 Academic Press. [formula] Copyright 1998 Academic Press. AMS 1991 subject classifications: 01A30, 01A20
Transfer functions based on Bragg detuning effects for image-bearing holograms recorded in photorefractive crystals

We study detuning effects that modify the Bragg condition in photorefractive crystals and analyze the influence of these effects on the retrieval of information that is stored in such crystals. We examine and integrate several mechanisms that induce Bragg detuning, including the effects of temperature changes, applied electric fields, and polarization changes, taking into account the anisotropic nature of photorefractive crystals. Transfer functions based on these detuning effects are defined and computed to examine and quantify the signal quality that is obtained during the readout of image-bearing holograms. The different recording configurations and geometries that are typically used in photorefractive applications are considered and compared. Finally, we study more specifically the consequences of temperature-induced detuning in the context of a holographic data storage system that uses thermal fixing. We show theoretically and experimentally that distortions (in this case limited field of view) occur on readout, and we propose solutions to improve the quality of the retrieved images.
The Role of Range Restriction and Criterion Contamination in Assessing Differential Validity by Race/Ethnicity

Berry et al.’s (J Appl Psychol 96:881–906, 2011) meta-analysis of cognitive ability test validity data across employment, college admissions, and military domains demonstrated that validity is lower for Black and Hispanic subgroups than for Asian and White subgroups. However, Berry et al. relied on observed test-criterion correlations and it is therefore not clear whether validity differences generalize beyond observed validities. The present study investigates the roles that range restriction and criterion contamination play in differential validity. A large dataset (N > 140,000) containing SAT scores and college grades of Asian, Black, Hispanic, and White test takers was used. Within-race corrections for multivariate range restriction were applied. Differential validity analyses were carried out using freshman GPA versus individual course grades as criteria to control for the contaminating influence of individual differences between students in course choice. Observed validities underestimated the magnitude of validity differences between subgroups relative to when range restriction and criterion contamination were controlled. Analyses also demonstrate that validity differences would translate to larger regression slope differences (i.e., differential prediction). Subgroup differences in range restriction and/or individual differences in course choice cannot account for lower validity of the SAT for Black and Hispanic subgroups. Controlling for these factors increased subgroup validity differences. Future research must look to other explanations for subgroup validity differences. The present study is the first differential validity study to simultaneously control for range restriction and individual differences in course choice, and answers a call to investigate potential causes of differential validity.
Contextual predictors of perception of school danger among rural youths: baseline results from the rural adaptation project

Students' perceptions of school danger have been associated with several negative academic, behavioral, and developmental outcomes. However, little research has focused on which contextual factors influence rural youths' perceptions of school danger. Through hierarchical regression analyses, the study presented in this article explored the relative importance of parent, peer, school experience, and neighborhood factors in predicting perception of school danger in a sample of low-income, ethnically diverse, rural youths. Of the included contextual predictor groups, results indicate that both peer and school experience predictors are the most influential contributors in explaining students' perceptions of school danger. The article concludes with a discussion of the implications for intervention programming and further research. Language: en
Energizing China: first itself, next the world

In the past eight years, China has begun to update its power industry, not only to satisfy its own great needs, but also with an eye to becoming a supplier to the rest of the developing world. A description is given of China's power system, which, in terms of generating capacity, is now the fourth largest in the world (behind the US, the Soviet Union, and Japan), and of China's plans for further development. Prospects for China in the world market are examined. >
Cognitive development through creative dramatics

Because creative dramatics is flexible and entertaining, it has gained popularity as a medium for teaching verbal fluency, spontaneity, and originality. Teachers should not underestimate the value of creative drama by limiting its scope to these objectives, however. Synpractic and social language, differentiation, categorization, and constructive alternativism, all vital to a child's cognitive processes, can be advanced as well.
Three-Dimensional Ovarian Organ Culture as a Tool to Study Normal Ovarian Surface Epithelial Wound Repair

Ovarian cancers are primarily derived from a single layer of epithelial cells surrounding the ovary, the ovarian surface epithelium (OSE). Ovarian surface proliferation is associated with ovulation and has been suggested to play a role in ovarian surface transformation and cancer progression. Aspects of ovarian surface repair after ovulation include proliferation, migration, and surface regeneration. To study ovarian surface repair, an organ culture system was developed that supports the proliferation, encapsulation, and repair of an artificially wounded surface. Wounded mouse ovaries embedded into an alginate hydrogel matrix have normal OSE cells as demonstrated by expression of cytokeratin 8, vimentin, N-cadherin, and a lack of E-cadherin. Normal OSE cells began proliferating and migrating around wounded surfaces after 1 d of culture. Organ cultures were propagated in medium supplemented with BSA and fetal bovine serum to determine optimal growth conditions. BSA cultured organs had OSE that proliferated significantly more than controls until d 4, whereas fetal bovine serum cultured organs had significantly more surface area encapsulated by OSE. Overall, a three-dimensional ovarian organ culture supports the growth of normal OSE in response to artificial wounding and provides a novel system for investigating wound repair as it relates to the possible role of ovulation and ovarian cancer.
Nuclear Technology and Norm Stewardship: US Nonproliferation Policies Revisited

There is a lively debate in constructivism today regarding the constitutive and regulatory power of international norms. First-generation studies assume that when states support norms they have fully “internalized” normative ideals. However, the scholarship tends to privilege structure over agency and may not account well for changes in state policies that impact normative architectures. This study extends recent work on agentic constructivism and international law to develop a typology of “norm stewardship” and model of norm change. It conducts a plausibility probe of the new stewardship model by comparing case studies of US policies on exports of sensitive uranium enrichment and reprocessing (ENR) technologies. Case evidence suggests that variations in norm internalization and dissonant norm strains impact multilateral initiatives on nonproliferation. This study concludes with a discussion of wider implications of norm stewardship for theories of international cooperation.
Inhibitory Effects of Exogenously Induced Hyperprolactinemia on the Endogenous Cyclic Release of Luteinizing Hormone and Prolactin in the Estrogen-Primed Ovariectomized Rat

The inhibitory effects of acute hyperprolactinemia on the cyclic release of LH and PRL were examined in the ovariectomized estradiol-treated rat. In Exp 1, animals were ovariectomized (day 0) and received sc injections of ovine (o) PRL (4 mg/kg BW) or vehicle beginning at 0900 h on day 4, 6, or 7 postovariectomy and continuing every 8 h until 0900 h on day 9. All animals were given Silastic capsules containing estradiol (E2) on day 7, were cannulated via the external jugular vein on day 8, and were bled at 0900 and 1030 h and at hourly intervals between 1200-1800 h on day 9. No effect of oPRL treatment on the cyclic release of LH was seen in 1-week ovariectomized rats regardless of the duration of PRL treatment. The endogenous rat PRL surge was attenuated by treatment with oPRL. In Exp 2, animals were ovariectomized (day 0) and, beginning on day 11 or 14 postovariectomy, received sc injections of oPRL or vehicle every 8 h until 0900 h on day 16. On day 14, animals received Silastic E2 capsules. The following day (day 15), the external jugular vein was cannulated, and at 1800 h, E2 capsules were removed from half of the rats. On day 16, rats were bled at the times outlined in Exp 1. When E2 levels were maintained by the continuous presence of an E2 capsule, hyperprolactinemia did not suppress the cyclic release of LH and only attenuated or shifted the timing of the rat PRL surge. In marked contrast, when E2 stimulation was discontinuous, oPRL abolished the steroid-induced LH surge in all animals treated with oPRL beginning on day 11 and in 57% of the animals treated beginning on day 14. Treatment with oPRL abolished the endogenous PRL surge in all animals regardless of the duration of PRL exposure. In conclusion, oPRL-induced hyperprolactinemia can inhibit E2-induced LH and PRL surges in long term ovariectomized rats under conditions of discontinuous E2 exposure. In contrast, when estrogen levels are maintained, hyperprolactinemia had no effect on the LH surge and only attenuated or shifted the timing of the endogenous PRL surge. Thus, the long term ovariectomized rat receiving discontinuous E2 provides a model that is particularly suited for the study of the possible neural mechanisms by which PRL inhibits cyclic release of LH.
A Transformative Vision of the Media

Are you the author of a new or upcoming book that relates to teaching or research in media ethics? If so, please ask your publisher to send a review copy to the address listed below. Wendy N. Wyatt...
Digital Physical Activity Data Collection and Use by Endurance Runners and Distance Cyclists

The introduction of sensor technologies to sports has allowed athletes to quantify and track their performance, adding an information-based layer to athletic practices. This information layer is particularly prevalent in practices involving formal competition and high levels of physical endurance, such as biking and running. We interviewed 20 athletes who participated in distance cycling or endurance running and also had experience using these technologies. This paper presents two cases and a number of shorter descriptive examples from these interviews that illustrate the factors salient to the introduction of these athletes to their respective sports, their continued participation in running or cycling, and their use of physical activity data. The effects of these data and logging practices among these individuals are examined, including some of the tensions that these athletes have with respect to quantifications of their performance and how they see themselves as athletic individuals in light of the increased presence of digital data. Educational implications are also discussed.
Characterizing the Yvc1p Mediated Hyperosmotic Shock Response in S. Cerevisiae

Ca2+ signaling is an integral part of many forms of cell communication, both in higher eukaryotes and yeast. Yvc1p, the Saccharomyces cerevisiae TRP channel, conducts Ca2+ from the vacuolar storage compartment to the cytoplasm in response to extracellular hyperosmotic shock. The Ca2+ release is transient, lasting for only a few minutes.We are characterizing Yvc1p's functional role in this response by using the luminescent jellyfish protein aequorin as an in vivo Ca2+ reporter. Aequorin binds free cytoplasmic Ca2+ and luminesces. Our data indicate that the response is dependent on the osmolarity of solution and not ionic charge. In addition, we find that Ca2+ release is optimal at an intermediate concentration of osmolyte, in the range of 3 Osmoles/Liter. At higher concentrations than this, the response is diminished. The response is pH sensitive, decreasing in both magnitude and speed at alkaline pH.We are also interested in whether the vacuole undergoes morphological changes in response to the hyperosmotic shock. We are currently using FM4-64 to visualize the vacuole with fluorescence spectroscopy, with the goal of determining the extent to which the size of individual vacuoles changes upon hyperosmotic shock.
Interfacial tensions in systems of three liquid phases

Abstract The spinning drop method has advantages for careful studies of triphasic liquid systems. The possible distributions of phases and thin-film states are adduced, their stability is discussed, and those observed to date are noted. Procedures for producing or removing a third phase during spinning are described. The triangle inequality, and Antonov's rule as a limiting case, are derived from thermodynamic arguments. Interfacial tension measurements of a convenient ternary system, n-butanol-n-hexadecane-water, and of several quaternary alcohol-hydrocarbon-water-sodium chloride systems are reported. We find that when three liquid phases coexist, Antonov's rule is satisfied in the entire three-phase region within experimental error which is less than that sometimes attributed to the capillary rise method. However, from lens behavior it appears that Antonov's rule is not strictly obeyed and may be irrelevant to systems in which pressure and chemical potential respond to external fields and curved menisci.
Can We Predict Hemorrhagic Cystitis Based on BK Viremia

BK virus is a small nonenveloped, double-stranded DNA virus from the polyomaviridae family. It was originally isolated from a renal transplantation patient with ureteric stenosis [1]. BK virus is widespread in the general population, with 90% of the population positive by adulthood [2]. Primary infection causes mild respiratory illness and then the virus enters a latent phase, particularly in the urogenital tract (kidneys, urinary bladder, prostate) and lymphoid tissues (tonsils). Periodically, BK virus reactivates and sheds into the urine of 5% to 10% of healthy hosts without symptoms [3]. However, BK virus reactivation is common in immune-compromised patients, and it causes a variety of clinical manifestations, including asymptomatic hematuria, hemorrhagic cystitis, ureteral stenosis, and interstitial nephritis [4-6]. Hemorrhagic cystitis (HC) is the most prevalent complication among recipients of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), with an incidence ranging from 10% to 25%, and it is associated with significant morbidity and mortality [7]. In 1986, Arthur et al. [8] published a series of 53 patients showing that HC occurred 4 times more frequently in patients who excreted BK virus than in those who did not. It is now generally believed that BK virus infection during HSCT is due to reactivation of latent virus, although new or reinfection has also been postulated. Many studies later identified a quantitative association between BK virus and late HC, and the studies have noted that BK viruria preceded or coincided with the onset of disease [4,8]. However, 40% to 50% of HSCT patients with persistent BK viruria remained free of HC, indicating that other factors, such as conditioning regimen intensity, acute GVHD, severity of immune suppression, unrelated donor, and presence of anti-BK virus IgG before transplantation, contributed to the development of HC [4,5]. In this issue of Biology of Bone Marrow Transplantation, Laskin et al. [9] study the correlation between BK PCR and HC in a previously completed prospective cohort of 88 children (ages, 1.8 to 15.2 years) who received HSCT at single transplantation center. The study collected plasma weekly from day 0 until day þ100. Plasma BK PCR with at least 1 measurement between days 0 to 14, 15 to 85, and 100 4 after HSCT established 4 cut-off values for BK PCR as follows: 0; 1 to 9999; 10,000 to 99,9999; and 100,000 PCR copies/ mL. The BK PCR in urine was measured only in symptomatic
PABA/NO as an anticancer lead: analogue synthesis, structure revision, solution chemistry, reactivity toward glutathione, and in vitro activity.

PABA/NO is a diazeniumdiolate of structure Me2NN(O)NOAr (where Ar is a 5-substituted-2,4-dinitrophenyl ring whose 5-substituent is N-methyl-p-aminobenzoic acid). It has shown activity against human ovarian cancer xenografts in mice rivaling that of cisplatin, but it is poorly soluble and relatively unstable in water. Here we report structure-based optimization efforts resulting in three analogues with improved solubility and stability in aqueous solution. We sought to explain PABA/NO's physicochemical uniqueness among these four compounds, whose aminobenzoic acid precursors differ structurally only in the presence or absence of the N-methyl group and/or the position of the carboxyl moiety (meta or para). Studies revealed that PABA/NO's N-methyl-p-aminobenzoic acid substituent is bound to the dinitrobenzene ring via its carboxyl oxygen while the other three are linked through the aniline nitrogen. This constitutes a revision of the previously published PABA/NO structure. All four analogues reacted with GSH...
Anatomic and functional imaging at 1.5 Tesla.

The anatomic and functional imaging capability of MRI is discussed. MRI will be a superb method for demonstrating anatomy, however, its real clinical impact may not become apparent until vascular imaging and functional imaging have been more fully developed.
The Effects of Cadence, Impact, and Step on Physiological Responses to Aerobic Dance Exercise

Abstract The physiological responses to aerobic dance exercise of varied impact (high, low), step (less arm movement vs. more arm movement), and cadence (124 vs. 138 beats-min−1) were investigated. Experienced, female aerobic dancers (N = 16) performed activities that combined the levels of impact and step for 3 trials of 8-min each. Dependent variables included heart rate, percentage of maximal heart rate, oxygen consumption, percentage of maximal oxygen consumption, and respiratory exchange ratio. Repeated measures analyses of variance indicated a significant Impact × Step interaction whereby oxygen consumption was greater for the high impact-less arm movement activity (jog), while the low impact-more arm movement activity (power jack) was greater for heart rate. The interaction of aerobic dance characteristics (e.g., impact, arm movement) that may alter physiological responses to aerobic dance exercise should be identified in future aerobic dance routines and studies.
SU‐GG‐I‐01: Improving the Utility of In‐Room Video Camera Systems for Continuous Surveillance of Patient Motion During Radiation Treatment

Purpose: To improve the utility of in‐room video‐based system for continuous quantitative monitoring of patient motion independent of environmental changes in lighting and geometry. Method and Materials: A video‐based tracking system was developed using a webcam with 600 by 450 pixels and Microsoft Visual C++. It is mounted at the end of the treatment couch to constantly view a specified region on the patient's torso of 50 cm by 30 cm at 55 degrees viewing angle. Small high contrast “sticky” markers are placed within the viewing region for easy detection. Environmental disturbances such as changes in machine positions and lightings are minimized through appropriate real‐time image subtraction and processing techniques. An alarm is activated when the patient movement is deemed out‐of‐tolerance. For validation, a lead ball phantom and a flat “sticky” marker of 1 cm diameter each were used to determine detectable target displacements. Each tracking session was automatically recorded for further data analysis. Pre‐clinical evaluations were performed on two subjects. Results: Target displacements of (2, 2, 5) mm for the lead ball phantom and (4,4,7) mm for the flat phantom are readily detected in the lateral, superior‐inferior and vertical directions respectively. Most importantly, the system detects these changes in the presence of environmental disturbances which include large changes in room lighting, and couch and gantry positions. The system fails when the camera's view is obstructed. Conclusion: Our system provides an effective approach to track and monitor patient position after highly accurate setup, such as using cone‐beam CT. It is considerably lower in cost relative to existing commercial tracking systems. The use of more optimal markers and 2 cameras are under investigation to improve detection resolution. With further refinement, the system can be adapted for routine clinical use that is superior to present in‐room video‐monitoring systems.
Capillary-Channeled Polymer (C-CP) Films as Processing Platforms for Protein Analysis by Matrix-Assisted Laser/Desorption Ionization Mass Spectrometry (MALDI-MS)

Polypropylene (PP) capillary-channeled polymer (C-CP) films have parallel, μm-sized channels that induce solution wicking via capillary action. Efficient mass transport from the solution phase to the channel surface leads to adsorption of hydrophobic protein solutes. The basic premise by which C-CP films can be used as media to manipulate analyte solutions (e.g., proteins in buffer), for the purpose of desalting or chromatographic separation prior to MALDI-MS analysis is presented here. Cytochrome c and myoglobin prepared in a Tris-HCl buffer, and ribonuclease A, lysozyme, and transferrin prepared in phosphate buffered saline (PBS), are used as the test solutions to demonstrate the desalting concept. Protein analysis is performed after deposition on a C-CP film with and without a water washing step, followed by spray deposition of a typical sinapinic acid matrix. Extracted MALDI mass spectra exhibit much improved signal-to-noise characteristics after water washing. A mixture of cytochrome c and myoglobin (2 μL of 2.5 μM each in Tris-HCl buffer) was applied, washed with water and spatially separated via simple capillary action (wicking) using a reversed-phase solvent composition of 0.1% trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) in 50:50 acetonitrile (ACN):H2O. Subsequent application of sinapinic acid followed by imaging of the film using MALDI-MS reveals that as the protein solution is wicked down the film, separation occurs.
The Stone Tool Technology of Ishi and the Yana of North Central California: Inferences for Hunter-Gatherer Cultural Identity in Historic California

Recent developments in the Ishi “saga” have generated tremendous media attention, as well as opinions offered by a number of academics. Few of these opinion pieces have been based on much empirical data or historical evidence. An examination of Ishi's stone tool technology, particularly projectile point production, his physical morphology, and regional ethnohistoric oral history suggest a very different persona and cultural history for Ishi than previously reported. Rarely in archaeological or ethnographic contexts do we have an observable relationship between ethnicity, acculturation, and prehistoric technology. In the case of Ishi's short five-year stay at the Museum of Anthropology, University of California, all of these important elements converge. The data analysis here and resulting inferences have definite ramifications for the current debate surrounding projectile point style and cultural identity, as well as the long term effects of marginalization by invading and hostile non-Yana societies. [Ishi, projectile point technology, style and information, Native California, cultural identity]
Bayesian incentive compatible mechanisms

We study the problem of optimal mechanism design for incomplete information Stackelberg games with several followers in which each follower, guided by his own probability assessments concerning the characteristics of the other followers, behaves as a Bayesian in choosing a reporting strategy. Allowing for uncountably many types and infinite dimensional type descriptions, we present a new, general existence result for Bayesian incentive compatible (BIC) mechanisms. Because the existence problem is infinite dimensional, novel existence arguments are required. Our existence proof is based on two results: one on the sequential closure of the subset of BIC mechanisms with respect toK-convergence, and the other, a new result on sequential compactness in spaces of vector-valued functions.
Impact Force of a Rigid-Plastic Missile

Calcul de la vitesse critique et de la force de contact en fonction du temps ainsi que des variations au cours du temps des autres parametres du processus de choc
Classical Gravity with Higher Derivatives

Inclusion of the four-derivative terms ∫RμνRμν(−g)1/2 and ∫R2(−g)1/2 into the gravitational action gives a class of effectively multimass models of gravity. In addition to the usual massless excitations of the field, there are now, for general amounts of the two new terms, massive spin-two and massive scalar excitations, with a total of eight degrees of freedom. The massive spin-two part of the field has negative energy. Specific ratios of the two new terms give models with either the massive tensor or the massive scalar missing, with correspondingly fewer degrees of freedom. The static, linearized solutions of the field equations are combinations of Newtonian and Yukawa potentials. Owing to the Yukawa form of the corrections, observational evidence sets only very weak restrictions on the new masses. The acceptable static metric solutions in the full nonlinear theory are regular at the origin. The dynamical content of the linearized field is analyzed by reducing the fourth-order field equations to separated second-order equations, related by coupling to external sources in a fixed ratio. This analysis is carried out into the various helicity components using the transverse-traceless decomposition of the metric.
A communication-avoiding implicit-explicit method for a free-surface ocean model

We examine a nonlinear elimination method for the free-surface ocean equations based on barotropic-baroclinic decomposition. The two dimensional scalar continuity equation is treated implicitly with a preconditioned Jacobian-free Newton-Krylov method (JFNK). The remaining three dimensional equations are subcycled explicitly within the JFNK residual evaluation with a method known as nonlinear elimination. In this approach, the memory footprint of the underlying Krylov vector is greatly reduced over that required by fully coupled implicit methods. The method is second-order accurate and scales algorithmically, with allowed timesteps much larger than fully explicit methods. Moreover, the hierarchical nature of the algorithm lends itself readily to emerging architectures. In particular, we introduce a communication staging strategy for the three dimensional explicit system that greatly reduces the communication costs of the algorithm and provides a key advantage as communication costs continue to dominate relative to floating point costs in emerging architectures.
Type I Interferons Keep Activated T Cells Alive

Antigen injection into animals causes antigen-specific T cells to become activated and, rapidly thereafter, die. This antigen-induced death is inhibited by inflammation. To find out how inflammation has this effect, various cytokines were tested for their ability to interfere with the rapid death of activated T cells. T cells were activated in vivo, isolated, and cultured with the test reagents. Two groups of cytokines were active, members of the interleukin 2 family and the interferons (IFNs) α and β. This activity of IFN-α/β has not been described previously. It was due to direct effects of the IFNs on the T cells and was not mediated by induction of a second cytokine such as interleukin 15. IFN-γ did not slow the death of activated T cells, and therefore the activity of IFN-α/β was not mediated only by activation of Stat 1, a protein that is affected by both classes of IFN. IFN-α/β did not raise the levels of Bcl-2 or Bcl-XL in T cells. Therefore, their activity was distinct from that of members of the interleukin 2 family or CD28 engagement. Since IFN-α/β are very efficiently generated in response to viral and bacterial infections, these molecules may be among the signals that the immune system uses to prevent activated T cell death during infections.
Chiral symmetry properties of U(1) lattice gauge theory with scalar and fermion fields

Abstract We report new results in three areas concerning the chiral transition in U(1) lattice gauge-Higgs theory with fermions. First, the case of a theory with two differently charged fermions simultaneously present is studied, and it is shown analytically that there are two associated continuous chiral phase transitions. Second, a general theorem is proved classifying the strong gauge-coupling behavior of any U(1) theory with a fermion and Higgs fields of arbitrary nonzero charges q f and q h : such a theory has a chiral transitions along the β g = 0 line if and only if q f is a nonzero multiple of q h . Third, new data is presented on the chiral transition with quenched fermions in the interiof of the phase diagram at small or zero gauge-Higgs coupling, completing our earlier mapping of the chiral phase boundary.
Prompt: an innovative design tool

We describe a system, Prompt, used to design physical systems. Prompt employs a multi-level approach to design. When simple constraint propagation over prototypes [Adda85] fails, Prompt can significantly modify prototypes by reasoning about their structure and physics. Prompt derives the behavior of a prototype from its structure using knowledge of physics stored in a Graph of Models. It then uses heuristics called Modification Operators to control the process of modifying the prototypes. In this paper we describe how our system works in the domain of structural design. We describe the kinds of analysis Prompt performs on beams and how it makes innovative changes to prototypes.
Rhizoconcretions in Vitric Ash-Fall Tuff, Nye County, Nevada

Small, vertically elongate concretionlike structures, here called rhizoconcretions, are found in scattered localities in and near the southern part of the Belted Range of Nye County, Nevada. The rhizoconcretions occur within a stratigraphically restricted zone in bedded vitric ash-fall tuff of late Tertiary age. The rhizoconcretions differ in mineralogy from their host rock in that they are cemented by a binder of undetermined composition, possibly a zeolite, whereas the host tuffs are un-cemented. These structures appear to have formed during diagenesis of the tuff by means of capillary movement of subsurface waters that reacted with volcanic glass within the conduits to form the cementing material.
Acculturative Stress Among Cuban American College Students: Exploring the Mediating Pathways Between Acculturation and Psychosocial Functioning

We examined different dimensions of acculturative stress in mediating the association between acculturation and psychosocial functioning among 199 Cuban American college students (M age = 20.1 years) in Miami. Results showed that heritage-cultural orientation was directly associated with self-esteem. No other direct relations emerged. Spanish competency pressures and pressures against acculturation mediated the relationships between heritage-cultural orientation and internalizing symptoms, whereas pressures to acculturate mediated the association between American cultural orientation and self-esteem. These findings highlight the unique roles of different components of acculturative stress in the relationship of heritage and American cultural orientation to Cuban American adolescents’ psychosocial well-being. Implications regarding the multidimensionality of acculturation and of acculturative stress are discussed.
Ion Channels, Natural Nanovalves

Ion channels are proteins with holes down their middle that control the flow of ions and electric current across otherwise impermeable biological membranes. The flow of sodium, potassium, calcium (divalent), and chloride ions have been central issues in biology for more than a century. The flow of current is responsible for the signals of the nervous system that propagate over long distances (meters). The concentration of divalent calcium ions is a 'universal' signal that controls many different systems inside cells. The concentration of divalent calcium and other messenger ions has a role in life rather like the role of the voltage in different wires of a computer. Ion channels also help much larger solutes (e.g., organic acid and bases; perhaps polypeptides) to cross membranes but much less is known about these systems. Ion channels can select and control the movement of different types of ions because the holes in channel proteins are a few times larger than the (crystal radii of the) ions themselves. Biology uses ion channels as selective valves to control flow and thus concentration of crucial chemical signals. For example, the concentration of divalent calcium ions determines whether muscles contract or not. Ion channels have a role in biology similar to the role of transistors in computers and technology. Ion Channels Control Concentrations Important To Life The Way Computers Control Voltages Important To Computers.
LHlf: lock-free linear hashing (poster paper)

LHlf is a new hash table designed to allow very high levels of concurrency. The table is lock free and grows and shrinks auto-matically according to the number of items in the table. Insertions, lookups and deletions are never blocked. LHlf is based on linear hashing but adopts recursive split-ordering of the items within a bucket to be able to split and merge lists in a lock free manner. LHlf is as fast as the best previous lock-free design and in addition it offers stable performance, uses less space, and supports both expansions and contractions.
Boosting Cancer Immunotherapy with Anti-CD137 Antibody Therapy

In the past 5 years, immunomodulatory antibodies have revolutionized cancer immunotherapy. CD137, a member of the tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily, represents a promising target for enhancing antitumor immune responses. CD137 helps regulate the activation of many immune cells, including CD4(+) T cells, CD8(+) T cells, dendritic cells, and natural killer cells. Recent studies indicate that the antitumor efficacy of therapeutic tumor-targeting antibodies can be augmented by the addition of agonistic antibodies targeting CD137. As ligation of CD137 provides a costimulatory signal in multiple immune cell subsets, combination therapy of CD137 antibody with therapeutic antibodies and/or vaccination has the potential to improve cancer treatment. Recently, clinical trials of combination therapies with agonistic anti-CD137 mAbs have been launched. In this review, we discuss the recent advances and clinical promise of agonistic anti-CD137 monoclonal antibody therapy.
Human Visual System—Spatial Visual Processing

The human visual system is a remarkably versatile and powerful spatial image processor. The eye itself is only a small part of the visual mechanism. The task of analyzing and comprehending the visual world is so complex that the brain devotes between one-third and one-half of the entire cerebral cortex to solving it: all of the occipital lobe and large parts of the parietal, temporal, and frontal lobes as well. To appreciate the magnitude of the task of visual processing, it is useful to consider some of the problems that the visual system must address in the course of analyzing visual images. Solutions to initial problems are discussed. Details on the visual processing of the eye including visual analysis and coding strategies and cortical processing are given. Keywords: problems; solutions; visual processing; eyes; photoreceptors; retinal processing; coding strategies; cortical processing