cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Transcriptional profiling of the murine cutaneous response during initial and subsequent infestations with Ixodes scapularis nymphs

Ixodes scapularis ticks are hematophagous arthropods capable of transmitting many infectious agents to humans. The process of blood feeding is an extended and continuous interplay between tick and host responses. While this process has been studied extensively in vitro, no global understanding of the host response to ticks has emerged. To address this issue, we used PCR-arrays to measure skin-specific expression of 233 discrete genes at 8 time points during primary and secondary infestations of mice with pathogen-free I. scapularis nymphs. Selected results were then validated at the mRNA and protein levels by additional real-time PCR and bioplex assay. Primary infestation was characterized by the late induction of an innate immune response. Lectin pattern recognition receptors, cytokines, and chemokines were upregulated consistent with increased neutrophil and macrophage migration. Gene ontology and pathway analyses of downregulated genes suggested inhibition of gene transcription and Th17 immunity. During the secondary infestation, additional genes were modulated suggesting a broader involvement of immune cells including CD8 and CD4 positive T lymphocytes. The cytokine response showed a mixed Th1/Th2 profile with a potential for T regulatory cell activity. Key gene ontology clusters observed during the secondary infestation were cell migration and activation. Matrix metalloproteinases were upregulated, apoptosis-related genes were differentially modulated, and immunoreceptor signaling molecules were upregulated. In contrast, transcripts related to mitogenic, WNT, Hedgehog, and stress pathways were downregulated. Our results support a model of tick feeding where lectin pattern recognition receptors orchestrate an innate inflammatory response during primary infestation that primes a mixed Th1/Th2 response upon secondary exposure. Tick feeding inhibits gene transcription and Th17 immunity. Salivary molecules may also inhibit upregulation of mitogenic, WNT, Hedgehog, and stress pathways and enhance the activity of T regulatory cells, production of IL-10, and suppressors of cytokine signaling molecules (SOCS). This study provides the first comprehensive transcriptional analysis of the murine host response at the I. scapularis bite site and suggests both a potential model of the host cutaneous response and candidate genes for further description and investigation.
BILIARY KINETICS OF HORSES AS DETERMINED BY QUANTITATIVE NUCLEAR SCINTIGRAPHY

A technique for hepatobiliary scanning in horses in described. The images acquired were also analyzed by computer, and the normal temporal parameters of the study were described for both fasted and fed horses. No significant differences were found between fasted and fed animals. Maximum activity in the liver was reached within 10 minutes in all cases, and reached 50% of maximum by 36.2 ± 13.8 minutes in fasted horses, and 26.2 ± 4.5 minutes in fed horses. Maximum activity within the bile duct was reached by 14.6 ± 4.2 minutes in fed horses and 18.0 ± 5.7 minutes in fasted horses. The time after injection to 50% of maximum was 30.4 ± 7.1 minutes in fasted horses and 21.0 ± 5.4 minutes in fed horses. This technique shows promise for the evaluation of equine patients with hepatobiliary disease.
Graffiti-ID: matching and retrieval of graffiti images

Graffiti are abundant in most urban neighborhoods and are considered a nuisance and an eyesore. Yet, law enforcement agencies have found them to be useful for understanding gang activities, and uncovering the extent of a gang's territory in large metropolitan areas. The current method for matching and retrieving graffiti is based on a manual database search that is not only inaccurate but also time consuming. We present a content-based image retrieval (CBIR) system for automatic matching and retrieval of graffiti images. Our system represents each graffiti image by a bag of SIFT (Scale Invariant Feature Transform) features. The similarity between a query image and a graffiti image in the database is computed based on the number of matched SIFT features between the two images under certain geometric constraints. Experimental results on two graffiti databases with thousands of graffiti images show encouraging results.
Visualization of data on unfolded hypercubes

We present a new method to visualize data of the form y = f(x 1, x 2, x 3, x 4) that can be extended to n-dimensions. The essence of the method consists of slicing the data until the dimensions of the slices are reduced to n = 4 and then “unfold” the data into 3D space. Specifically, we map a visual representation of y onto the boundaries of a hypercube or other polytope and unfold those boundaries into 3D space. The display of the data provides a structural representation of 2D slices which can be adjusted and manipulated, allowing geometric properties like connectivity to be easily studied.
Fischer–Tropsch synthesis: effect of water on the deactivation of Pt promoted Co/Al2O3 catalysts

Abstract The effect of water on the deactivation of a Pt promoted Co/Al2O3 catalyst [15%Co-Pt(0.5%)/Al2O3] during Fischer–Tropsch (FT) synthesis was studied in a continuously stirred tank reactor (CSTR) by (1) varying the conversion through changes of the space velocity and (2) by including additional water into the feed gas. At higher space velocities (>2 SL/gcat/h), the catalyst was exposed to low water partial pressures and exhibited stable activity. The runs with lower space velocities resulted in higher water partial pressures and higher catalyst deactivation rates. The addition of small amounts of water slightly decreased CO conversion and the effect was reversible. Increasing the amount of added water to provide PH2O/PCO∼1 in the feed resulted in a permanent deactivation of the catalyst. The higher CO2 selectivity indicated that cobalt oxide or another catalytic form of cobalt such as cobalt aluminate was formed under higher water partial pressure.
A multilevel distributed system concept for computerized traffic control applications

Most computerized traffic control systems that are now operational use a central computer to perform virtually all data processing tasks. These systems operate satisfactorily, but it is believed that this system design approach is now stretched to its limit of practical capability. The recent availability of economical microprocessors and their successful application to traffic signal controllers suggests that investigations should be conducted into the formulation of traffic control system concepts that make full use of microprocessor capabilities and thereby identify improved systems for future applications, particularly those that relate to the concept of traffic management systems that is currently in favor. This paper describes a Multilevel Distributed System (MLDS) concept designed to meet future traffic control and traffic management system requirements as currently envisioned.
Physics of swelling and cracking soils

Abstract The environment of a layer of swelling, unsaturated soil is described by two quantities: The most direct choices are an overburden pressure P and a tensiometer pressure P w . Their difference, P - ρ w is the swelling pressure, ρ w . The water volume fraction θ of rigid unsaturated soils depends only on ρ s . The porosity f of saturated swelling soils depends only on P w . Thus, it is convenient to regard the characteristics of general unsaturated swelling soils as dependent on ρ w and ρ 3 . Simplifying to monotonic histories, the characteristics can be represented by two functions, θ ( p w , P s ) and f ( p w , P s ). Introducing Darcy's law and the continuity condition leads to solutions for steady or unsteady state profiles subject to a “unidirectional” rheological constraint (zero horizontal strain). The advantage of this approach is that all the quantities employed can be measured physically and in situ. This contrasts to the use by Philip, Bolt, and others of an “overburden potential” described by an integral over a series of states of the properties of the soil. The motivation for this simpler approach was an interest in the nature of the irreversible or hysteretic characteristic of swelling soils. Experimentally, the advantage of a system based on directly measurable quantities is obvious. Surface cracking of swelling soils is discussed in the same terms but under a different (isotropic) rheological constraint.
Prospects for Autoimmune Disease Research Advances in Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a common chronic inflammatory disease associated with progressive destruction of diarthrodial joints, substantial morbidity and economic burden, and a shortened lifespan. Significant progress has been made in understanding the pathogenesis of RA, and increasingly effective therapies have been introduced, including anti-tumor necrosis factor alpha agents. Advances made in the past quarter century will pale in comparison to those anticipated for the next 25 years, including delineation of the genetic basis of disease susceptibility and severity, genetic definition of disease subtypes that differ in severity and response to therapy, and prompt initiation of effective individualized treatment based on genetic and environmental assessment. Reconstructive surgery will become increasingly unnecessary and the morbidity, economic burden, and mortality due to RA will be reduced substantially.
Construction of plasmid vectors with unique PstI cloning sites in a signal sequence coding region

We have constructed a series of plasmids with unique PstI restriction sites within or near the pre-penicillinase signal sequence for protein secretion. To do this, we devised a rapid, simple method to eliminate undesirable unique restriction sites within plasmids while maintaining antibiotic resistance. We thus obtained a plasmid with a conveniently located, unique HincII site in the penicillinase gene of plasmid pBR322 which was used to generate, with BAL 31 exonuclease, deletions extending into the region encoding the signal sequence. DNA inserted into these plasmids can be translated in all three reading frames both including signal sequence, or starting immediately beyond it.
On the optimal lifetime of cooperative routing for multi-hop wireless sensor networks

Theoretically optimal performance and behavior of a routing protocol are very important because they can be used to guide the design of practical protocols. Motivated by the promising lifetime performance of an existing online cooperative transmission (CT) routing protocol for wireless sensor networks (WSNs), we formulate the lifetime optimization problem of cooperative routing using linear programming (LP), which requires considerations of CT's unique characteristics and sophisticated variable definitions. By using our LP, one can obtain the optimal lifetime of multi-hop WSNs that use cooperative routing, which can serve as a performance bound or a benchmark to compare to the lifetimes of existing routing protocols. Through the evaluations of our LP, we show the benefit of cooperative routing and usefulness of our LP formulation.
Learning to coordinate in a beauty contest game

We study a dynamic game in which a group of players attempt to coordinate on a desired, but only partially known, outcome. The desired outcome is represented by an unknown state of the world. Agents' stage payoffs are represented by a quadratic utility function that captures the kind of trade-off exemplified by the Keynesian beauty contest: each agent's stage payoff is decreasing in the distance between her action and the unknown state; it is also decreasing in the distance between her action and the average action taken by other agents. The agents thus have the incentive to correctly estimate the state while trying to coordinate with and learn from others. We show that myopic, but Bayesian, agents who repeatedly play this game and observe the actions of their neighbors in a connected network eventually succeed in coordinating on a single action. However, as we show through an example, the consensus action is not necessarily optimal given all the available information.
Requirements and Data Content Evaluation of Industry In-House Data Management System

This paper presents an industrial case study performed on an in-house developed data management system for an automation firm. This data management system has been in use and evolving over a span of fifteen years. To ensure the system is robust to withstand the future growth of the corporation, a study is done to identify deficiencies that may prohibit efficient large scale data management. Specifically, this case study focused on the means in which project requirements are managed and explored the issues of perceived utility in the system. Two major findings are presented: completion metrics are not consistent or expressive of the actual needs and there is no linking between the activities and the original client requirements. Thus, the results of the study were used to depict the potential vulnerability of such deficiencies.Copyright © 2010 by ASME
Internal Cooling Inside an L-Shaped Duct With Pin-Fin Turbulators Under Rotating and Non-Rotating Conditions With and Without Sand Particles

Computations were performed to study the flow and heat transfer in an L-shaped duct with pin fin turbulators arranged in a staggered fashion under rotating and non-rotating conditions. Parameters investigated include rotational speed (0, 10,000, 20,000 rpm), distance of the L-shaped duct from the center of rotation (280, 600 mm), and orientation of L-shaped duct with respect to centerline of rotation (0 and 65 degrees). Computations were also performed to examine trajectory of particles in the L-shaped duct under rotating and non-rotating conditions with particle diameters of 0.1, 1.0, and 5.0 micrometers. This computational study is based on an Eulerian-Lagrangian formulation cast in a non-inertial frame of reference fixed on the rotating L-shaped duct. The ensemble average continuity, Navier-Stokes, and energy equations closed by the ideal gas equation of state and the two-equation realizeable k-e turbulence model were used for the gas phase, and Lagrangian tracking with interphase transport of momentum and energy were employed for the particles.
The past and the future of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender studies

Since 1983, when the Journal of Communication published a special issue titled "Ferment in the Field," the field of communication has experienced enough upheaval and transformation to make one wonder what all the fuss wasabout back in the early 1980s. The authors of that collection seemed particularly focused on the debate, then raging but in hindsight clearly overstated, between "critical" and "administrative" camps within communication studies. However, in the 2 decades since, the sheer volume of change in the spheres of technology, media, politics, economics, and culture has provided ample ferment in nearly every division and province of communication theory and research. Is there a branch of the field not confronting the combined impact of the information technology revolution, the galloping conglomeration of corporate media, the swallowing of politics and policy discourse by the insatiable appetite of entertainment, the relentless march of neoliberal economics and globalization in the post-Cold War world order? Granted, the basic parameters of interpersonal communication may not shift in the winds of technology, politics, and fashion, but even here communication scholars are undoubtedly paying attention to the advent of computer-mediated channels and virtual communities. In this context, despite the stiff competition, it might still he argued that no domain of communication studies has experienced a transformation as radical as gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered (GLBT) studies, or its pierced and tattooed younger sibling, queer studies, neither of which were even visible on the map charted by the editors of the 1983 journal o 'Communication collection.
Facilitation Strategies Used by Job Coaches in Supported Employment Settings: A Preliminary Investigation:

Coworker perceptions of facilitation strategies provided by job coaches, and needed by coworkers, and discrepancies between facilitation strategies provided by job coaches and those perceived as being needed by co-workers were analyzed in relation to the types and frequency of problems reported to be exhibited by supported employees (N = 83). The results of this preliminary investigation indicated that when the frequency of work problems was low, the majority of the problems resulted in the need for and provision of less intensive facilitation strategies. Coworkers perceived they needed either low or a mixed level of support, not a high level of support, even when the frequency of work problems was high, except when the problems were related to challenging behaviors such as self-injury and property destruction. The most intriguing finding was that job coaches generally used the level of facilitation strategies that matched coworker needs.
Attention, short-term memory, and academic performance

In order to evaluate the relationship between attention and academic performance, 132 novel Russian-letter trigrams were used as stimuli. Each was presented for 2 sec, then one of 132-response-recognition quadrigae of trigrams, containing the previously shown stimulus trigram and 3 foils was shown for 2 sec. S’s task was to choose the correct response trigram from among the quadriga. Large differences in performance occurred, depending upon which element of the trigram was varied in the response quadrigae. An interaction between the varying element in the trigram and the position of the particular trigram within the overall list also occurred. Correlations between performance on this task and the academic performance of the students were all essentially zero.
God in the "Border Zones"

The adaptation of the Orthodox Church to the new religious diversity is perhaps one of the most painful processes of contemporary religious life in Moldova.
Zero-Field Splitting, Field-Dependent Magnetization of Mixed-Valent S = 3/2 Diruthenium(II,III) Tetracarboxylates

The 2 K field-dependent magnetization, M(H), of S = 3/2 [RuII/III2(OAc)4]+ was studied. [RuII/III2(OAc)4]+ exhibits an unusually low magnetization with respect to that predicted by the classical Brillouin function. This reduced value is a consequence of the large anisotropy arising from the large zero-field splitting (ZFS), D (+63 ± 11 cm-1), of the [RuII/III2(OAc)4]+ cation, which alters the energy levels with respect to the isotropic energy levels used to derive the Brillouin function. Analytical expressions for the parallel and perpendicular components of M(H) that include zero-field splitting (ZFS), D, and interdimer coupling, θ, are presented for S = 3/2. The expression was derived from second-order perturbation theory for |D| ≫ gμΒH. The experimental data fit very well with g = 2.24 ± 0.01, D = +69.5 cm-1 (D/kB = +100 K), and 0 > θ > −0.6 K indicative of very weak interdimer interactions for both [RuII/III2(OAc)4]Cl and [RuII/III2(OAc)4]3[CoIII(CN)6].
Large scale 3D EM inversion using optimized simulation grids nonconformal to the model space

We analyse a strategy to optimize the computational effort of largescale electromagnetic (EM) modeling and particularly inversion, the latter usually requiring a large number of forward modeling solutions. While we are interested in finely gridded earth models to capture realistic structures, the forward modeling operator may act upon a coarser simulation grid, or a subsection of the model grid, thus providing significant potential for computational speed-up. After briefly outlining the methodology of the grid transfers and its implications on the inversion scheme, we demonstrate the method on a marine CSEM survey example.
Computed (AM1) relative stabilities of polycyclic arynes are simply related to the steric and electronic properties of the parent hydrocarbons

The relative stabilities of all possible ortho-bisdehydro derivatives of 13 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons are computed using AM1 molecular orbital calculations. These are found to depend on the bond order of the corresponding CC bond in the parent arene (a measure of the ability of the arene to accommodate the shorter CC bond) in a regular and predictable manner. Secondary effects associated with the relief of steric strain involving hydrogens in congested “bay” and, especially, “fjord” regions are also apparent.
The influence of talking on diastolic blood pressure readings.

Recent research disclosed a number of variables which may distort blood pressure readings, but little attention has been paid to talking as such a variable. To investigate the effect of talking on diastolic blood pressure, 48 subjects with one previous diastolic blood pressure reading of 90 mm Hg or more and not taking antihypertensives, were recruited from an outpatient hypertension clinic. Three diastolic blood pressure readings under each of three sequentially counter-balanced treatment conditions were obtained: no talking, reading neutral material for part of the procedure, and reading neutral material continuously. Blood pressure increased significantly (p less than .01) under both talking conditions. Implications for nursing education, practice, and future research are discussed.
The presence of both negative and positive elements in the 5′-flanking sequence of the rat Na, K-ATPase α3 subunit gene are required for brain expression in transgenic mice

The Na,K-ATPase is an integral plasma membrane protein consisting of alpha and beta subunits, each of which has discrete isoforms expressed in a tissue-specific manner. Of the three functional alpha isoform genes, the one encoding the alpha 3 isoform is the most tissue-restricted in its expression, being found primarily in the brain. To identify regions of the alpha 3 isoform gene that are involved in directing expression in the brain, a 1.6 kb 5'-flanking sequence was attached to a reporter gene, chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT). The alpha 3-CAT chimeric gene construct was microinjected into fertilized mouse eggs, and transgenic mice were produced. Analysis of adult transgenic mice from different lines revealed that the transgene is expressed primarily in the brain. To further delineate regions that are needed for conferring expression in this tissue, systematic deletions of the 5'-flanking sequence of the alpha 3-CAT fusion constructs were made and analyzed, again using transgenic mice. The results from these analyses indicate that DNA sequences required for mediating brain-specific expression of the alpha 3 isoform gene are present within 210 bp upstream of the transcription initiation site. alpha 3-CAT promoter constructs containing scanning mutations in this region were also assayed in transgenic mice. These studies have identified both a functional neural-restrictive silencer element as well as a positively acting cis element.
Fracture energy of glass-alumina interfaces via the bimaterial bend test

The fracture energies of glass-alumina interfaces mere measured using the bimaterial bend test. These experiments comprise one of the few studies in which the bimaterial bend test has been applied to an all-ceramic materials system. The experiment was used to evaluate the effect of materials purity, processing and environmental conditions on the interface toughness, Changes in interface fracture energy were measured as a function of glass content, interface roughness, phase angle, and testing atmosphere. Alumina glass content and testing atmosphere had the greatest effect on the interface toughness and the overall mechanical behavior of the composite, The effect of phase angle of loading on the interface fracture energy was assessed over several degrees by varying the relative heights of the two layers. The results from these interface fracture experiments offer insight into the fracture behavior of multiphase and composite ceramics where deflection of cracks at bimaterial interfaces is an important concern.
The Changing Role of Mass Media in Preventing Excessive Alcohol Use

Previous reviews have shown that mass media interventions have limited impact on alcohol use and alcohol-related problems, at least when delivered using a ‘universal’ strategy. This paper begins by reviewing recent mass media programs which have employed this strategy. It then goes on to describe alternative strategies through which mass media programs can be delivered. Specific examples of these alternative approaches are discussed.
Coordinated formation control for multi-robot systems with communication constraints

Multi-robot formation control with communication constraints has been attracting more and more attentions because of its wide applications in many areas. The existing methods usually need to put some assumptions on the communication constraints, such as delay bounds. These assumptions cannot be always satisfied in real communication networks like the Internet. This paper proposes a non-time based coordination method for multi-robot formation control with random communication delays. Different from previous methods, a nontime reference is used and a perceptive coordination scheme is designed. The stability of the system is analyzed. Experiments were implemented on a multi-robot system to illustrate the effectiveness of the method.
A review of the approach of NASA projects to planetary protection compliance

The approaches to planetary protection compliance by several space projects in the period between Galileo and the present are reviewed. The emphasis is on missions to Mars, based on the historical record and the specificity of planetary protection requirements for that planet. However, an interesting change in requirements dating back to Galileo's launch led many years later to the protection of Europa and the choice of ending the mission with an entry into Jupiter. An analogy exists for Cassini at Saturn, with the potential for protecting Titan from the orbiter (not the Huygens probe of course). The Mars missions in the period include successes and failures. Planetary protection implementation is discussed for Mars observer, Mars pathfinder, Mars global surveyor, Mars polar lander, Mars climate orbiter, Mars odyssey, and Mars exploration rover. Next, some recent developments in planetary protection implementation for spacecraft being prepared for launch are presented. Finally, new planetary protection requirements adopted by COSPAR, which NASA is expected to follow, are described.
Near-infrared imaging of the sinuses: preliminary evaluation of a new technology for diagnosing maxillary sinusitis

Diagnosing sinusitis remains a challenge for primary care physicians. There is a need for a simple, office-based technique to aid in the diagnosis of sinusitis without the cost and radiation risk of con- ventional radiologic imaging. We designed a low-cost near-infrared NIR device to transilluminate the maxillary sinuses. The use of NIR light allows for greater interrogation of deep-tissue structures as com- pared to visible light. NIR imaging of 21 patients was performed and compared with computed tomography CT scans. Individual maxil- lary sinuses were scored on a scale from 0 to 2 based on their degree of aeration present on CT and similarly based on the NIR signal pen- etration into the maxilla on NIR images. Our results showed that air- filled and fluid/tissue-filled spaces can be reasonably distinguished by their differing NIR signal penetration patterns, with average NIR im- aging scores for fluid-filled maxillary sinuses 0.93±0.78, n=29 sig- nificantly lower than those for normal maxillary sinuses 1.62±0.57, n=13 p=0.003. NIR imaging of the sinuses is a simple, safe, and cost-effective modality that can potentially aid in the diagnosis of si- nusitis. Long-term, significant device refinement and large clinical tri- als will be needed to determine the diagnostic accuracy of this tech-
A food web/landscape interaction model for microtine rodent density cycles

I present here a conceptual model that combines several factors known individually to be important in microtine population dynamics, but are insufficient separately as causal agents. Specifically, I bring together insights from trophic web theory, particularly the role of generalist and specialist predators, with landscape theory, particularly the influence of habitat patchiness on demographic processes. The resulting trophic/ROMPA interaction model (TRIM) is sufficiently complex and realistic to be used as a substrate for building even more complex and/or locally specific models. Yet, it remains simple enough to be general and widely applicable. The model suggests that predators are an important but not sufficient factor in causing multi-annual cycles greater than two years in length. In a patchy system, generalist predators have a slightly more severe impact than do specialists, and spillover predation plays a significant role. The ratio of optimal to marginal patch areas (ROMPA) influences the tendency for multi-annual cycles to occur such that medium ratios generate the strongest tendency toward cycling. However, cycles can occur with high ROMPA and specialist predators. Communities with more than three trophic levels and greater species diversity will be less likely to show cycles. Finally, it should be noted that the model combines factors intrinsic to microtines, extrinsic food-web interactions, and contextual landscape processes into an integrated framework. A plethora of null hypotheses are thereby generated against which population data can be compared.
Traffic grooming in ip over wdm optical networks

Telecommunication networks evolve as technology advances and society changes. Optical communications employing Wavelength Division Multiplexing (WDM) has become the dominant technology for use in backbone networks. As IP gains in popularity, the traffic pattern in carrier networks is increasingly becoming data centric. This has led to a change in the network infrastructure and many researchers believe that networks are evolving towards the slim two-layer model of IP over WDM. In this dissertation, we address several fundamental issues of the grooming network design—the process of multiplexing, demultiplexing and switching lower rate traffic stream onto and off of higher capacity wavelengths, in the context of IP over WDM. We explain how wavelength continuity constraint and wavelength usage constraint affect network performance. Based on our research, we infer that, in practical WDM networks with wavelength usage constraint, increasing the total number of available wavelengths in a fiber is an attractive alternative to employing wavelength conversion. We investigate traffic grooming performed in IP layer, where the sub-wavelength level IP packets are grouped together in electrical domain before they are sent to the WDM layer. We study IP traffic grooming problem with the objective to minimize the number of transmitters and receivers needed in the WDM layer. We propose three routing strategies for allocating dynamic traffic requests and evaluate their blocking performance. The third issue addressed in this dissertation is IP traffic grooming in a recently proposed architecture called light trails. We define the light trail design problem and identify the minimum number of light trails to carry the given traffic demand. We formulate an ILP and develop two heuristic approaches for obtaining fast and near-optimal solutions in large networks. We finally address the issue of fault management in grooming networks. We study shared and dedicated protection against single link failure in WDM grooming networks and develop an ILP formulation for each of them. We extend our research on the full protection design to partial protection where the backup capacity is smaller than the primary capacity. We present ILP formulations and design a dynamic routing strategy named shortest-available-least-congested routing.
Reforming Suburbia: The Planned Communities of Irvine, Columbia, and The Woodlands by Ann Forsyth

Ann Forsyth, Reforming Suburbia: The Planned Communities of Irvine, Columbia, and The Woodlands (Berkeley: University of California Press, 2005).In Reforming Suburbia: The Planned Communities of Ir...
Renal osteodystrophy: pathogenesis and management

Several biochemical and hormonal abnormalities associated with renal insufficiency lead to complex disorders of bone which are described by the term renal osteodystrophy. Assessment of renal osteodystrophy in its early stages is primarily biochemical since symptoms generally do not occur until osteodystrophy is advanced. Therapy should be initiated early in the course of renal insufficiency in order to prevent the development of severe skeletal abnormalities. Foremost among the multiple factors involved in the pathogenesis of hyperparathyroidism are retention of phosphorus and low levels of calcitriol. The principal therapies for the prevention and treatment of hyperparathyroidism include the use of calcium salts taken with meals, as phosphorus binders, to prevent the absorption of phosphorus from the intestine, correction of acidosis and careful use of vitamin D metabolites such as calcitriol or 1-alpha-hydroxycholecalciferol. The prevalence of aluminum induced osteomalacia appears to be declining as aluminum salts have been replaced by calcium containing phosphate binders and there is increased attention to adequate water purification for dialysis. Other disorders such as adynamic bone and the accumulation of beta 2-microglobulin may require bone biopsy for accurate diagnosis and are more difficult to treat effectively.
Interactive simulated robot construction and controller evolution

A robot's morphology affects not only its capabilities, but also its evolvability. Here we introduce an evolutionary robotics platform that will enable us to investigate the ability of non-roboticists to collectively explore the design space of evolvable robot body plans. Users create robots in a simulator using an interactive interface, then let evolution find a controller that enables efficient locomotion. The user can change the morphology of the robot and test the new design iteratively, altering the design based on the assessment of the robot's performance after a period of evolution of the controller. We investigate whether there is a correlation between the methods users choose to build robots and the evolvability of the robots.
Tevatron Serial Data Repeater System

A ten megabit per second serial data repeater system has been developed for the 6.28km Tevatron accelerator. The repeaters are positioned at each of the thirty service buildings and accommodate control and abort system communications as well as distribution of the Tevatron time and energy clocks. The repeaters are transparent to the particular protocol of the transmissions. Serial data are encoded locally as unipolar two volt signals employing the self-clocking Manchester Bi-Phase code. The repeaters modulate the local signals to low-power bursts of 50 MHz rf carrier for the 260m transmission between service buildings. The repeaters also demodulate the transmission and restructure the data for local utilization. The employment of frequency discrimination techniques yields high immunity to the characteristic noise spectrum.
Tech Talk: An Investigation of Blogging in Technology Innovation Discourse

Web logs, or ldquoblogs,rdquo are fast developing in diverse social and business contexts as influential sources of discourse, knowledge, and community development. In this paper, we investigate an aspect of blogging highly relevant to professional communication: the fast-developing world of ldquotech blogging.rdquo Tech blogs are blogs that focus on information technology innovation and the high-tech industry. We examine nine months of blog entries gathered by an internet aggregator site dedicated to technology news and commentary. Our analysis provides insights on the discourse of tech bloggers and an elite subgroup (ldquoA-list bloggersrdquo), on the discursive practices of this virtual community, and on issues of identity and legitimacy. Our findings hold implications for tech bloggers as well as for managers who need to navigate the expanding blogosphere and for technical communicators who can benefit from using the information that tech bloggers produce.
Lessons Learned From the Provision and Funding of Employment Services for the MR/DD Population: Implications for Assessing the Adequacy of the SSA Ticket to Work

The goal of Ticket to Work is to support job acquisition and job retention among Social Security Administration (SSA) disability beneficiaries in job situations where earnings are sufficient to move these individuals off SSA disability cash benefits. This article considers the adequacy of provider payment incentives through the Ticket to Work for helping persons with mental retardation/developmental disabilities (MR/DD) achieve employment outcomes. It examines the work support strategies that have demonstrated their effectiveness in assisting persons with MR/DD acquire and retain employment, particularly with SSI and SSDI recipients. It analyzes the experience to date in using performance-based funding to purchase job acquisition and retention services, and the implications of this experience for the implementation of the Ticket to Work reforms. Specific areas related to the Ticket to Work addressed in the article include: the ceilings on current proposed milestone-outcome and outcome payments in the Tick...
Sphingosine kinase 1 mediation of expression of the anaphylatoxin receptor C5L2 dampens the inflammatory response to endotoxin.

The complement anaphylatoxin C5a has a pathogenetic role in endotoxin-induced lung inflammatory injury by regulating phagocytic cell migration and activation. Endotoxin and C5a activate the enzyme sphingosine kinase (Sphk) 1 to generate the signaling lipid sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P), a critical regulator of phagocyte function. We assessed the function of Sphk1 and S1P in experimental lung inflammatory injury and determined their roles in anaphylatoxin receptor signaling and on the expression of the two C5a receptors, C5aR (CD88) and C5L2, on phagocytes. We report that Sphk1 gene deficient (Sphk1−/−) mice had augmented lung inflammatory response to endotoxin compared to wild type mice. Sphk1 was required for C5a-mediated reduction in cytokine and chemokine production by macrophages. Moreover, neutrophils from Sphk1−/− mice failed to upregulate the anaphylatoxin receptor C5L2 in response to LPS. Exogenous S1P restored C5L2 cell surface expression of Sphk1−/− mouse neutrophils to wild type levels but had no effect on cell surface expression of the other anaphylatoxin receptor, CD88. These results provide the first genetic evidence of the crucial role of Sphk1 in regulating the balance between expression of CD88 and C5L2 in phagocytes. S1P-mediated up-regulation of C5L2 is a novel therapeutic target for mitigating endotoxin-induced lung inflammatory injury.
ApoA-II versus ApoA-I: two for one is not always a good deal.

Apolipoprotein A-I (apoA-I), the major protein of HDL, is probably among the most intensively studied of all proteins. It functions in HDL assembly, in the removal of excess cholesterol from cells, and in the transport of cholesterol from peripheral tissues to the liver, a process known as “reverse cholesterol transport.” It is a cofactor for lecithin:cholesterol acyl transferase (LCAT), the enzyme responsible for cholesterol esterification in HDL, and it stabilizes certain antioxidant enzymes, such as serum paraoxonase, that are carried on HDL.1,2 Rare null mutations of apoA-I in human populations are associated with early coronary heart disease,3 and overexpression of apoA-I in transgenic mice protects against atherogenesis.4 An exciting recent development was the 4-angstrom-resolution x-ray structure for the helical part of apoA-I, encompassing residues 44 to 243 (reviewed by Segrest et al5). See page 1977 In contrast, apolipoprotein A-II (apoA-II), the second most abundant protein of HDL, has no known function, and it has been the subject of few detailed studies. Its presence in HDL has been reported to decrease,6 or have no influence on, cholesterol efflux from cells,7,8 nor is it a cofactor for any known enzyme. Rare individuals lacking apoA-II appear to have normal plasma lipids.9 In fact, all of the known effects of apoA-II are deleterious. In studies with mice and humans, apoA-II levels have been associated with increased susceptibility to atherosclerosis,10–13 increased free fatty acid levels,14,15 increased body fat,15,16 and increased insulin resistance.15,17 Undoubtedly, apoA-II has some unknown beneficial functions, possibly related to fatty acid metabolism or host defense. In this issue of Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology , …
Integration of Bayes detection with target tracking

Existing detection systems generally are operated using a fixed threshold and optimized to the Neyman-Pearson criterion. An alternative is Bayes detection, in which the threshold varies according to the ratio of prior probabilities. In a recursive target tracker such as the probabilistic data association filter (PDAF), such priors are available in the form of a predicted location and associated covariance; however, the information is not at present made available to the detector. Put another way, in a standard detection/tracking implementation, information flows only one way: from detector to tracker. Here, we explore the idea of two-way information flow, in which the tracker instructs the detector where to look for a target, and the detector returns what it has found, more specifically, we show that the Bayesian detection threshold is lowered in the vicinity of the predicted measurement, and we explain the appropriate modification to the PDAF. The implementation is simple, and the performance is remarkably good.
The case for near real-time production scheduling in a highly automated semiconductor manufacturing environment

The problem of scheduling wafer lots on tools in the semiconductor fabrication facility is considered. We look at the role of scheduling in the organization and identify some of the major factors that make this problem difficult to solve in the current environment. From a semiconductor manufacturing perspective, the real drivers for pursuing scheduling are identified, as we attempt to make the case for investment in solving the near real-time scheduling problem. We also take a look at some of the manufacturing requirements and the implications that these requirements have on the solution methodology. Finally, we take a brief look at some of the existing work on scheduling in the semiconductor fab and try to identify gaps that freed to be closed for the widespread use of scheduling in this industry
Unusual patterns of susceptibility to degradation of DNA isolated from tissues in Peromyscus californicus.

Summary Isolation of intact, high molecular weight genomic DNA from the livers of 2 subspecies of Peramyscus califamicus without excessive degradation was typically unattainable, whereas highly intact DNA from livers of other Peramyscus (field mice) species is invariably obtained using the same isolation methods. Additionally, highly intact DNA was obtained from splenic tissues of adult P. califamicus and hepatic tissue of juvenile animals, indicating that the phenomenon is tissue-specific and age-related.
Evolution of a Secondary Sexual Dimorphism in the Toad, Bufo marinus

Abstract Adult females of the toad Bufo marinus significantly exceed adult males in snout–vent length (SVL), but at any SVL, adult males greatly exceed adult females in the robustness of the forelimbs. Secondary sexual shape dimorphism results from greater size and mass of the skeletal elements of males, and especially from their hypertrophied forelimb musculature. The dimorphism is particularly pronounced for those elements of the musculo-skeletal apparatus known or presumed to function in amplexus, and this intersexual difference is hypothesized to have evolved under sexual selection. Reproductively successful males (those found in amplexus) significantly exceed unsuccessful males (calling, nonamplectant males) in SVL, an example of the large-male mating advantage commonly seen in anuran amphibians. However, independent of body size, amplectant males significantly exceed nonamplectant males in forelimb muscle mass, suggesting that it is not large body size per se that confers a mating advantage but rath...
Oomycetes: Lagenidium giganteum.

ABSTRACT Lagenidium giganteum is a facultative parasite of mosquito larvae that initiates infection by production of biflagellate zoospores that selectively recognize and attach to larval cuticle. Following penetration of the cuticle, the parasite proliferates within the host, killing it within 24–60 h. Under optimum conditions the mycelia differentiate to produce asexual and/or sexual reproductive structures that produce zoospores within hours (asexual stage) to amplify the initial infection, or remain dormant for days, months or years (sexual stage), until conditions are conducive to mosquito breeding and spore germination. Recycling following a single application has been documented for up to 8–10 years. Environmental conditions that reduce or eliminate zoospore production, including temperature extremes (less than 16°C or greater than 32°C) and moderate levels of salinity and organic load, preclude use of the parasite for operational mosquito control. Three formulations of L. giganteum have been regis...
The reversal index (RI) as a joint function of drive and incentive level

The spatial reversal performance of pigeons were studied in a formbox task under two levels of motivation and two levels of incentive. While both absolute error scores and latency were found to be significantly related to both D and K, the reversal index (RI) was found to be insensitive to both variables.
Excited-State Behavior of Luminescent Glutathione-Protected Gold Clusters

The excited-state behavior of luminescent gold clusters provides new insights in understanding their photocatalytic activity in the visible region. The excited state of glutathione-protected gold nanoclusters (AuGSH), which is characterized by the long-lived excited state (τ = 780 ns), arises from the ligand-to-metal type transition. These AuGSH clusters are in a partially oxidized state (Au(I)) and are readily reduced by chemical or electrochemical methods. Interestingly, a metal core transition with short-lived lifetime (τ < 3 ps) appears along with a longer lifetime in reduced AuGSH clusters. The role of the oxidation state of gold clusters in dictating the photocatalytic reduction of methyl viologen is discussed.
The effects of exercise frequency on executive function in individuals with Parkinson's disease

Abstract Introduction Cognitive function impairments can be observed early in Parkinson's disease (PD). Although exercise is considered a valuable tool in delaying the progression of disease related outcomes, the optimal frequency of exercise interventions has not been identified. Our purpose was to identify the effects of different frequencies of chronic exercise training on aspects of executive function, specifically cognitive flexibility and working memory in PD. Methods Forty-three participants (M age = 68.5 (SD = 11.3), 26 males), with idiopathic PD completed a category switching task and an N-back task at baseline and after 12 weeks of multimodal exercise training. The participants were divided into two training frequency groups: high-frequency: 4–5 times each week (N = 23, M age = 68.6 (SD = 5.8), 16 males), and low-frequency: 3 times or less each week (N = 20, M age = 67.6 (SD = 4.5), 10 males). Results Both frequency groups improved in executive function, showing improved global switch-cost accuracy (F (1, 41) = 5.08, p Conclusions A high frequency, multimodal exercise program involving aerobic, strength, and flexibility exercises has a better impact on executive functioning in PD than a low-frequency exercise intervention.