cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
X-rays and hard ultraviolet radiation from the first galaxies: ionization bubbles and 21-cm observations

The first stars and quasars are known sources of hard ionizing radiation in the first billion years of the Universe. We examine the joint effects of X-rays and hard ultraviolet (UV) radiation from such first-light sources on the hydrogen and helium reionization of the intergalactic medium (IGM) at early times, and the associated heating. We study the growth and evolution of individual H ii, He ii and He iii regions around early galaxies with first stars and/or quasi-stellar object populations. We find that in the presence of helium-ionizing radiation, X-rays may not dominate the ionization and thermal history of the IGM at z ~ 10–20, contributing relatively modest increases to IGM ionization and heating up to ~10^3–10^5 K in IGM temperatures. We also calculate the 21-cm signal expected from a number of scenarios with metal-free starbursts and quasars in varying combinations and masses at these redshifts. The peak values for the spin temperature reach ~10^4–10^5 K in such cases. The maximum values for the 21-cm brightness temperature are around 30–40 mK in emission, while the net values of the 21-cm absorption signal range from ~a few to 60 mK on scales of 0.01–1 Mpc. We find that the 21-cm signature of X-ray versus UV ionization could be distinct, with the emission signal expected from X-rays alone occurring at smaller scales than that from UV radiation, resulting from the inherently different spatial scales at which X-ray and UV ionization/heating manifests. This difference is time-dependent and becomes harder to distinguish with an increasing X-ray contribution to the total ionizing photon production. Such differing scale-dependent contributions from X-ray and UV photons may therefore ‘blur’ the 21-cm signature of the percolation of ionized bubbles around early haloes (depending on whether a cosmic X-ray or UV background is built up first) and affect the interpretation of 21-cm data constraints on reionization.
Interlibrary loan – a new frontier!

Interlibrary loan and document delivery have become an area of great change in today’s library. New ILL requests now go to the online queue immediately for processing. Once authenticated, a user can input as many requests as they want at that time. Work has begun on a project called DRSS ± Distributed Resource Sharing System, which is being co‐developed by the CIC libraries and OCLC. Michigan State and University of Michigan are also beginning a project to test a new desktop document delivery system called Prospero.
Lifetime tests on a high ohms/square metalized high crystalline polypropylene film capacitor with application to a Marx modulator

This paper presents accelerated lifetime tests on a polypropylene film capacitor. Experimental parameters (20% droop, 5 Hz repetition rate) simulate anticipated operating conditions encountered in the SLAC P2 Marx. Elevated film electric field stress is utilized as the acceleration parameter. Results indicate that, for the particular film of interest, a film stress of ∼290 V/μm corresponds to a 105 hour lifetime. In addition, the voltage scaling exponent for this film is 13.1.
Growth hormone, dehydroepiandrosterone and adiponectin levels in non-alcoholic steatohepatitis: an endocrine signature for advanced fibrosis in obese patients.

Background and Aims Liver-related clinical consequences of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) are seen only in the minority of patients with advanced fibrosis. The aim of our study was to generate insight into a potential endocrine basis of steatohepatitis with advanced fibrosis in NAFLD. Methods Biopsy and blood samples were prospectively collected from patients with medically complicated obesity. Patients were categorized, according to liver histology, into: (i) normal, (ii) simple steatosis (SS), (iii) non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) with fibrosis stage (FS) 0–1 and (iv) NASH with FS ≥ 2. A broad panel of potential biomarkers included DHEA-S, growth hormone (GH), homeostasis model assessment-insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), leptin, resistin, adiponectin and cytokeratin 18 (CK-18) fragments. Results We studied 160 patients (mean BMI 46.8 ± 8.2 kg/m2). Liver biopsies demonstrated normal histology in 10%, SS in 45%, NASH with FS 0–1 in 37.5% and NASH with FS ≥ 2 in 7.5%. C-reactive protein, IL-6, GH, CK-18, adiponectin, HOMA-IR and quantitative insulin sensitivity check index (QUICKI) were significantly associated with NASH in univariate analysis, but overall predictivity of these parameters was low (AUC ROC = 0.62–0.68). In contrast, all patients with NASH with FS ≥ 2 had insulin resistance, as measured by QUICKI, and GH levels <0.45 ng/ml and all but one patient with NASH FS 2–3 had low DHEA levels (<123 μg/dl). Conclusions Low serum levels of GH and DHEA are very common in patients with NASH with more advanced fibrosis. Other biomarkers, including CK-18 fragment levels, have predictivity characteristics that would be of low clinical utility for distinguishing patients with normal histology or SS from those with NASH. These findings demonstrate an endocrine profile associated with advanced fibrosis.
Pilot study of a Web-based compliance monitoring device for patients with congestive heart failure.

Abstract BACKGROUND: Web-based home care monitoring systems can assess medication compliance, health status, quality of life, and physiologic parameters. They may help overcome some of the limitations associated with current congestive heart failure management models. OBJECTIVES: This pilot study compared the effects of a self-care and medication compliance device, linked to a Web-based monitoring system, to the effects of usual care alone on compliance with recommended self-care behaviors; medication taking; quality of life; distance walked during a 6-minute walk test; and New York Heart Association Functional Class. We also assessed patient experiences living with the compliance device. METHODS: We enrolled 18 patients with Functional Class II-III congestive heart failure in an urban VA Medical Center. The patients were randomized into 2 groups. Group A received usual care plus the compliance device. Group B (controls) received usual care only. Data were collected using the compliance device, the Heart Failure Self-Care Behavior Scale, pill counts, 6-minute walk test, and the Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire at baseline and at 3 months follow-up. RESULTS: At baseline and at 3 months, there were no differences between the compliance device group and the usual care group in self-care behaviors, pill counts, 6-minute walk-test distance, or Functional Class. However, quality of life improved significantly from baseline to 3-month follow-up (ANOVA, P = .006). This difference was due to an improvement in quality of life for the monitor group (P = .002) but not the usual care only group (P = .113). Patients in the compliance device group had a 94% medication compliance rate, 81% compliance with daily blood pressure monitoring, and 85% compliance with daily weight monitoring as compared to 51% for blood pressure monitoring and 79% for weight monitoring in the usual care group (P = NS). CONCLUSION: These are promising pilot results that, if replicated in a larger sample, may significantly improve care and outcomes for patients with heart failure.
Scalable medium access control for in-network data aggregation

We present conflict-free and contention-based medium access control (MAC) protocols designed for resource-aware data collection in sensor networks. We are interested in the performance of these schemes when used in in-network data aggregation systems. We introduce a Listen-and-Suppress (LAS) MAC protocol paradigm which can conserve network and node resources and cut delays through the interaction between the constituent nodes. In LAS-TDMA and LAS-CSMA, nodes listen to the channel and suppress their transmissions and sleep if their data is not needed. Under these conditions, we compare conflict-free scheduling and random scheduling in a general setting along several performance metrics. We find that, for conflict-free scheduling, collecting the aggregate minimum or maximum of a data value in records residing on n nodes in the network requires, on average, O(lg n) record transmissions and O(n lg n) listens collectively. Without our scheme, n transmissions and n2 collective listens are required. We simulate in the random scheduling domain, and examine how delay can be reduced by increasing the offered load on the channel at the cost of greater power dissipation due to collisions. For networks of 20 nodes, LAS-CSMA reduces the average delay by 58% in comparison to CSMA, and for networks of 100 nodes, it reduces the average delay by 80%.
An analysis of Hansen–Scheinkman moment estimators for discretely and randomly sampled diffusions

We derive closed form expansions for the asymptotic distribution of Hansen and Scheinkman (1995) moment estimators for discretely, and possibly randomly, sampled diffusions. This result makes it possible to select optimal moment conditions as well as to assess the efficiency of the resulting parameter estimators relative to likelihood-based estimators, or to an alternative type of moment conditions.
ACQUISITION AND RETENTION OF ESPERANTO: THE CASE FOR ERROR CORRECTION AND IMMEDIATE FEEDBACK

Participants completed 5 laboratory examinations during which the number of responses permitted (1 response, up to 4 responses) and the timing of feedback (no feedback control: Scantron form; delayed feedback: end-of-test, 24-hr delay; immediate feedback: assistant, response form) were manipulated. Participants completed a 100-item cumulative final examination which included 10 items from each laboratory examination, plus 50 entirely new items; this cumulative examination was presented again 3 and 6 months later to determine if the timing of feedback affected retention. Timing of feedback and opportunity to engage in iterative responding (IR) interacted significantly to enhance the cumulative final examination performance of participants provided with immediate feedback, with comparable performance demonstrated when immediate feedback was provided by either an experimental assistant or the Immediate Feedback Assessment Technique (IF AT) form. Together with prior reports from our laboratory, these results highlight the robustness of immediate feedback and IR to facilitate learning in a manner that is comparable between laboratory and classroom settings, although the size of the immediate feedback effect observed in the laboratory is less robust than that observed in the classroom.
Effect of vitamin B12 status on performance of the lactating ewe and gluconeogenesis from propionate.

Abstract Ewes fed a diet containing .06ppm cobalt prior to and after parturition were used to examine effects of hydroxycobalamin supplementation upon production of milk. Four ewes were assigned to each of three treatments after hand milking at 3 wk postpartum. At 7 wk postpartum, B 12 concentrations in liver were enhanced in the group receiving intramuscular injections of 200 μ g on alternate days (750 ng/g wet liver) relative to low groups that received 20 and 0 μ g on alternate days (190 and 200 ng/g wet liver). Following 1 wk of treatment, B 12 enhanced ewes had greater daily intake of feed and increased live weight. Vitamin B 12 status was without significant effect on production of milk, total solids, fat, and solids-not-fat at 4, 5, and 6-wk milkings; however, production of milk protein was increased for B 12 -enhanced ewes. After lactations were terminated and feed intakes standardized, slices of liver obtained from B 12 -enhanced ewes incorporated 2-carbon 14-labeled propionate into glucose at rates greater than did slices from low B 12 ewes. Subclinical changes affecting production may occur in lactating sheep when B 12 status is at the lower end of what usually is considered the normal range.
The long chain approximation in free radical reaction systems

A long chain approximation is presented for the analysis of free radical mechanisms. This permits the calculation of relative concentrations on the basis of the chain propagation reactions alone and is valid for large chain lengths. An application is given to the calculation of product distributions in the high-pressure thermal cracking n-hexadecane and comparisons are made with existing experimental data. Due to the meager information on rate constants and to the limited accuracy of the data these comparisons indicate the plausibility of the approximation but do not provide a measure of its accuracy.
RELIABILITY-BASED CASTING PROCESS DESIGN OPTIMIZATION

Deterministic optimum designs are unreliable without consideration of the statistical and physical uncertainties in the casting process. In the present research, casting simulation is integrated with a general purpose reliability based design optimisation (RBDO) software tool that considers uncertainties in both the input variables as well as in the model itself. The output consists of an optimal design that meets a specified reliability. An example casting process design is presented where the shape of a riser is optimised while considering uncertainties in the fill level and riser diameter. It is shown that RBDO provides a much different optimum design than a traditional deterministic approach. The deterministic optimal solution offers a 12% increase in casting yield over typical safety margin design practice, but has an unacceptable 61% probability of failure. The RBDO design has a 7% increase in casting yield over the safety margin approach and a probability of failure of 4·6%.
14-3-3 Regulates 1-Aminocyclopropane-1-Carboxylate Synthase Protein Turnover in Arabidopsis

14-3-3 proteins are a family of conserved phospho-specific binding proteins involved in diverse physiological processes. Plants have large 14-3-3 gene families, and many binding partners have been identified, though relatively few functions have been defined. Here, we demonstrate that 14-3-3 proteins interact with multiple 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate synthase (ACS) isoforms in Arabidopsis thaliana. ACS catalyzes the generally rate-limiting step in the biosynthesis of the phytohormone ethylene. This interaction increases the stability of the ACS proteins. 14-3-3s also interact with the ETHYLENE-OVERPRODUCER1 (ETO1)/ETO1-LIKE (EOLs), a group of three functionally redundant proteins that are components of a CULLIN-3 E3 ubiquitin ligase that target a subset of the ACS proteins for rapid degradation by the 26S proteasome. In contrast with ACS, the interaction with 14-3-3 destabilizes the ETO1/EOLs. The level of the ETO1/EOLs in vivo plays a role in mediating ACS protein turnover, with increased levels leading to a decrease in ACS protein levels. These studies demonstrate that regulation of ethylene biosynthesis occurs by a mechanism in which 14-3-3 proteins act through a direct interaction and stabilization of ACS and through decreasing the abundance of the ubiquitin ligases that target a subset of ACS proteins for degradation.
Managerial responsibilities on the micro level

I t is possible to think of the responsibilities of corporate managers on either the macro level--accountable to w h o m o r the micro level--accountable for what. Discussions of managerial responsibilities on the macro "to whom" level have been ongoing for years, certainly since Berle and Means (1936) first noted the replacement of company owners by professional managers, without reaching a widely accepted conclusion. Perhaps instead of continuing those discussions it would be well to move back a step, or down a notch, and begin to consider the micro, "for what" responsibilities of management. What activities should corporate managers be held accountable to perform, and to perform well? Before starting to discuss the activities we can reasonably expect the managers of business firms to perform, and perform well, let me make a few comments about the problem of reaching a widely shared conclusion on the responsibilities of management at the macro level. It is a basic tenet of commercial law that managers are accountable primarily to the owners of the business. It is a basic principle of neoclassical economics that managers are accountable solely to the stockholders of the firm. People who adopt the very logical thought s tructures-the "ways of looking at the w o r l d ' o f either the legal system o r the market paradigm are not easily going to give up one of their most crucial underlying assumptions. We may d isagree-and by "we" I mean the normative ethicists and social philosophers who are contributing articles to this special edition of Business Horizons---but that does not mean that we will be able to convince attorneys o r economists. Most of us in this issue believe that the macro responsibilities of corporate managers have to be extended to the society of which the company is a part, rather than be limited to a small segment of owners within that society. Most of us think that a substantial numbet of compelling arguments have been presented in support of that view (Stone 1975, Velasquez 1982, DeGeorge 1982, Hosmer 1984, McCoy 1985, Bowie 1991). Most of us recognize, however, that we have not convinced advocates of the rule To get managers to act ethically, we must hold them accountable on an ethical level of management.
Ma'i Aitu: The Cultural Logic of Possession in Samoa

Ma'i aitu, literally "spirit sickness," is the Samoan term for possession.' In Samoa, possession consists in a behavioral patois that derives from a cultural logic. This article investigates the most common form of possession in Samoa, which afflicts young women, and which concerns the problematics of gender.2 Therefore, the task of this essay will be to supply a "grammar" for the patois about gender latent in ma'i aitu by describing the logic through which Samoans comprehend gender identity. The essay begins with an analysis of Samoan cultural assumptions about feminine gender. However, "axioms" of feminine gender compose a portion of Samoan thought about norms in general and about gender norms for both sexes and are, therefore, situated within this larger context. Next the essay considers a class of female spirits who frequently possess young women and who constitute a corollary of Samoan thought about femininity. Lastly the essay delineates the logical structures that underlie typical features of spirit sickness in young women. The resulting "grammar" will then be used to decode several actual cases.3 One further set of premises needs clarification before the analysis begins. Elsewhere I have argued that, because Samoa is highly com-
Flow cytometric determination of the photoinduced toxicity of anthracene to the green alga Selenastrum Capricornutum

Certain PAHs are photosensitizers and in the presence of solar radiation can cause toxicity to aquatic plants and animals. The photoinduced toxicity of anthracene to the green alga Selenastrum capricornutum was assessed by the use of flow cytometry to measure cell size, cellular chlorophyll concentration, and cell viability. Anthracene was slightly toxic in the absence of UV-A radiation. The detection of the direct toxicity of anthracene in this study at a concentration of 19 [mu]g/L anthracene resulted from the use of sensitive flow cytometric measures. There was a significant interaction between anthracene and UV-A radiation, which, in combination, caused significant toxic effects on Selenastrum capricornutum. The most sensitive flow cytometric measure of toxicity was the stress index (SI), which was predictive of longer term effects on cell growth. The 28-h EC50 and EC10 and for the SI for Selenastrum capricornutum were 16.1 and 8.3 [mu]g/L anthracene, respectively, at 125 [mu]W/cm[sup 2] UV-A. All combinations for anthracene and UV-A that inhibited algal growth also caused a significantly greater number of nonviable cells. The flow cytometric methods used in this study proved to be sensitive, predictive measures of the direct and photo-induced toxicity of anthracene and UV-A radiation to Selenastrum capricornutum.
SOUTHEASTERN AMERICAN KESTREL (FALCO SPARVERIUS PAULUS) NESTING IN TUBULAR, CROSS-ARMED ELECTRICAL TRANSMISSION TOWERS IN SOUTH-CENTRAL GEORGIA

REPRODUCCION DE FALCO SPARVERIUS PAULUS EN LOS BRAZOS TUBULARES DE TORRES DE TRANSMISIoN ELECTRICA EN EL CENTRO-SUR DE GEORGIA Encontramos a la subespecie suroriental de Falco sparverius (F. s. paulus) reproduciendose en los brazos tubulares de torres de transmision electrica de 230 kV entre la subestacion Offerman en el oriente y Putney en el occidente, en el centro-sur del estado de Georgia. Esta subespecie ha sido recientemente categorizada como amenazada en Georgia. Con base en datos obtenidos a partir de censos recientes y de censos de aves reproductivas (Breeding Bird Survey), nuestras investigaciones sugieren que esta poblacion del centro-sur de Georgia es la poblacion reproductiva mas grande de F. sparverius de todo el estado. Con 270 parejas nidificantes encontradas en cada uno de los dos veranos de nuestro estudio, esta poblacion probablemente es la mas grande del sur de los Estados Unidos, con excepcion del centro de Florida. El mayor uso de las torres de transmision tuvo lugar en el 60% centra...
Equating stimulus intensities by means of the GSR

The purpose of this study was to match intensities of stimuli of different sense modalities on the basis of the magnitude of GSR. Twenty-five college students received repeated presentations of each of 6 different intensities of a 1,000 cps tone (43, 48, 53, 58, 63, and 68 db re:.0002 dynes/cm2, in 42 dB of background noise) alternating with a ¼ in. square patch of white light of 0.36 ft.-c. Average GSR magnitude was determined, for each of these stimuli. A graph of the relationship between tone intensity and magnitude of GSR was plotted separately for each S and a tone intensity equivalent to the light was determined by interpolating the average magnitude of response to the light in this graph.
Assessing contribution of DOC from sediments to a drinking-water reservoir using optical profiling

Downing, B.D., B.A. Bergamaschi, D.G. Evans and E. Boss. 2008. Estimating source-specific contributions of DOC into a drinking-water reservoir using optical profiling. Lake Reserv. Manage. 24:381–391. Understanding the sources of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in drinking-water reservoirs is an important management issue because DOC may form disinfection by-products, interfere with disinfection, or increase treatment costs. DOC may be derived from a host of sources—algal production of DOC in the reservoir, marginal production of DOC from mucks and vascular plants at the margins, and sediments in the reservoir. The purpose of this study was to assess if release of DOC from reservoir sediments containing ferric chloride coagulant was a significant source of DOC to the reservoir. We examined the source-specific contributions of DOC using a profiling system to measure the in situ distribution of optical properties of absorption and fluorescence at various locations in the reservoir. Vertical optical profiles were coupled with discrete water samples measured in the laboratory for DOC concentration and optical properties: absorption spectra and excitation emission matrix spectra (EEMs). Modeling the in situ optical data permitted estimation of the bulk DOC profile in the reservoir as well as separation into source-specific contributions. Analysis of the source-specific profiles and their associated optical characteristics indicated that the sedimentary source of DOC to the reservoir is significant and that this DOC is labile in the reservoir. We conclude that optical profiling is a useful technique for understanding complex biogeochemical processes in a reservoir.
Influence of the pseudophyllidean cestode Schistocephalus solidus on oocyte development in the threespine stickleback Gasterosteus aculeatus.

The objective of this study was to investigate the means by which Schistocephalus solidus might reduce annual fecundity in female threespine stickleback fish (Gasterosteus aculeatus) through processes of oocyte development. Histological examinations of specimens from one lake in Alaska in 2000 and 2001 were used to analyse the effects of S. solidus on recruitment of primary growth oocytes into vitellogenesis, atresia of vitellogenic oocytes, and the interspawning interval. The ratio of primary growth to late secondary growth (late vitellogenic) oocytes was significantly greater (P<0·01) among infected fish than uninfected ones in early-season samples from 2000 and 2001, revealing a decrease in recruitment of oocytes from primary growth into vitellogenic oocytes among infected females. The difference was marginally non-significant (P=0·087) in a mid-season sample from 2001 due to reductions in the entire pool of vitellogenic (early and late secondary growth) oocytes recruited prior to the spawning season in this determinate-fecundity species. Atresia among all vitellogenic oocytes was low and did not differ between infected and uninfected females. Histological estimations of the interspawning interval using post-ovulatory follicles showed no significant differences between infected and uninfected fish, suggesting that the number of spawnings in stickleback females each spawning season is unaffected by S. solidus infection. Thus, annual fecundity appears to be reduced only through recruitment of oocytes into vitellogenesis.
Analytical Study of the Effects of Grid Resistance on Grid-Connected PV Systems: Modeling and Simulation

Lot of issues associated with grid-connected PV system have appeared. One of the issues is the variations of grid impedance. In the traditional real and reactive power calculations, the resistance of the transmission line is usually neglected. But, the resistance of the distribution line may not be negligible. In a distribution network, the R/X ratio varies between 0.5 and 7. The variations in the resistance may affect the system stability. This study presents two models of a gridconnected PV system to address the effects of the grid resistance on the system. A mathematical model is built to determine the power equations, and then, power is calculated. MATLAB is used to implement the mathematical model. Also, a Simulation model is designed and simulated in SIMPLIS to calculate the power. A set of studies is performed for both models to determine the grid resistance effects. The results from both models are plotted and compared.
Enormous Anomaly? Left-Right Parallels in Recent Writing About Race

Do you ever have the eerie feeling that far-left writers in the Critical Race Theory school and new-age conservatives of color like Clarence Thomas and Shelby Steele are saying much the same thing? This article points out how these two bodies of civil rights writing converge on a critique of liberalism and how this convergence accounts for the many parallels one finds there, including discontent with affirmative action and distrust of big government.
Smart Mobile Virtual Humans: “Chat with Me!”

In this study, we are interested in exploring whether people would talk with 3D animated virtual humans using a smartphone for a longer amount of time as a sign of feeling rapport [5], compared to non-animated or audio-only characters in everyday life. Based on previous studies [2, 7, 10], users prefer animated characters in emotionally engaged interactions when the characters were displayed on mobile devices, yet in a lab setting. We aimed to reach a broad range of users outside of the lab in natural settings to investigate the potential of our virtual human on smartphones to facilitate casual, yet emotionally engaging conversation. We also found that the literature has not reached a consensus regarding the ideal gaze patterns for a virtual human, one thing researchers agree on is that inappropriate gaze could negatively impact conversations at times, even worse than receiving no visual feedback at all [1, 4]. Everyday life may bring the experience of awkwardness or uncomfortable sentiments in reaction to continuous mutual gaze. On the other hand, gaze aversion could also make a speaker think their partner is not listening. Our work further aims to address this question of what constitutes appropriate eye gaze in emotionally engaged interactions.
Calculated Properties of Carbon Defects in Silicon

The energies of carbon defects in silicon have been calculated, using an empirical classical potential, and used to infer defect properties and reactions. The results accord well with a variety of experimental data, including defect structures, activation energies for defect motion, and coupling to strain.
94 Immunomodulation l Sepsis: More Harm than Good?

The systemic inflammatory response that typifies septic shock can induce widespread tissue injury, endothelial dysfunction and lethality. Interventions that disrupt the systemic inflammatory response have been the central treatment strategy for septic shock for decades. In experimental models, inhibitors of generalized inflammation are of clear survival benefit when the inducing stimulus is LPS or other bacterial toxins. However, the response to inhibitors of inflammation in actual infection models such as pneumonia, peritonitis or soft tissue infections generate variable results with improvement in some animal models and harm in others. Intrinsic counter regulatory mechanisms that accompany systemic inflammation can induce a prolonged phase of relative immune suppression. Attempts to restore immune function by immunoadjuvants have become a potential therapy for sepsis. Genomic evidence indicates that activation of innate immunity and depression of adaptive immunity occurs simultaneously in the very early phases of septic shock. The magnitude of the change from resting state is the most predictive outcome rather than specific patterns of immune dysfunction. Non-resolving information poses a real challenge from a therapeutic prospective in patients with septic shock. A new generation of anti-inflammatory agents and anticoagulants are now in clinical development along with a variety of immunostimulants that promote adaptive immune function and inhibitors of negative regulators of inflammation such as programed cell death (PD-1) or B and T lymphocyte attenuator. These interventions are in clinical trials, and the results will determine the direction in which experimental therapeutics take in the near future in the management of septic shock.
Performance: Excellence: Achieving Horizontal Velocity in the Long Jump and the Triple Jump Hop

(1988). Performance: Excellence: Achieving Horizontal Velocity in the Long Jump and the Triple Jump Hop. Strategies: Vol. 1, No. 5, pp. 19-20.
Relationships between intracellular amino acid levels and protection against injury to isolated proximal tubules.

Metabolism and cellular levels of glycine, alanine, and other relevant amino acids in proximal tubules were studied during models of acute injury and protection by glycine. Freeze-clamped, normal r...
Breed effects and heterosis in advanced generations of composite populations for reproduction and maternal traits of beef cattle.

Heterosis effects in F1 dams producing F2 progeny and retained heterosis in combined F2 and F3 dams producing F3 and F4 progeny were evaluated in dams 2 yr old, in dams greater than or equal to 5 yr old, and in dams of all ages. Traits included pregnant percentage, calf crop born percentage, calf crop weaned percentage, 200-d calf weight per heifer or cow exposed, and 200-d calf weight. Breed effects were evaluated in the nine parental breeds (Red Poll [R], Hereford [H], Angus [A], Limousin [L], Braunvieh [B], Pinzgauer [P], Gelbvieh [G], Simmental [S], and Charolais [C]) that contributed to the three composite populations (MARC I = 1/4 B, 1/4 C, 1/4 L, 1/8 H, 1/8 A; MARC II = 1/4 G, 1/4 S, 1/4 H, 1/4 A; and MARC III = 1/4 R, 1/4 P, 1/4 H, 1/4 A). Breed effects were significant for all traits evaluated in the three age groupings and generally were greatest in 2-yr-old dams and smallest in dams greater than or equal to 5 yr old. Heterosis effects for 200-d calf weight were relatively uniform among age groupings and among the three composite populations and heterosis retained was equal to, or greater than, expectation based on retained heterozygosity. Heterosis effects in animals of all ages for reproductive traits in F1 dams producing F2 progeny differed among the three composite populations, as did heterosis retained in combined F2 and F3 dams producing F3 and F4 progeny. In dams of all ages, heterosis retained for reproductive traits in F2 and F3 dams producing F3 and F4 progeny did not differ (P greater than .05) from expectation based on retained heterozygosity in two of the three composite populations, but loss of heterosis was greater (P less than .05) than expectation based on retained heterozygosity in one of the three composite populations for calf crop born percentage, calf crop weaned percentage, and 200-d calf weight per heifer or cow exposed. This reduction was the result of increased fetal loss between pregnancy diagnosis and parturition.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Adapting to life at the end of the line: How Drosophila telomeric retrotransposons cope with their job.

Drosophila telomeres are remarkable because they are maintained by telomere-specific retrotransposons, rather than the enzyme telomerase that maintains telomeres in almost every other eukaryotic organism. Successive transpositions of the Drosophila retrotransposons onto chromosome ends produce long head-to-tail arrays that are analogous in form and function to the long arrays of short repeats produced by telomerase in other organisms. Nevertheless, Drosophila telomere repeats are retrotransposons, complex entities three orders of magnitude longer than simple telomerase repeats. During the >40–60 My they have been coevolving with their host, these retrotransposons perforce have evolved a complex relationship with Drosophila cells to maintain populations of active elements while carrying out functions analogous to those of telomerase repeats in other organisms. Although they have assumed a vital role in maintaining the Drosophila genome, the three Drosophila telomere-specific elements are non-LTR retrotrans...
A network under stress: using embeddedness to understand uncertainty management and resilience in campus emergencies

ABSTRACTPersistent school shootings have generated ongoing pressure to assess and enhance crisis communication effectiveness via strategies such as resilience-building and post-crisis restoration. A network perspective offers a robust, multilevel approach for examining complex information flows among community, campus, and individual actors affected by crises. Drawing on relational and structural embeddedness and Uncertainty Management Theory, we offer nine propositions that help explain structural and relational changes in a network over time. Although theoretically driven, these propositions are primarily functional, offering practical implications for safety officials and administrators trying to understand, prepare for, and respond to crises. Thus, we suggest measures and recommendations to improve information flow, uncertainty management, and resilience before, during, and after a crisis.
Association of microRNA 146 with middle ear hyperplasia in pediatric otitis media

Abstract Objective Toll-like receptor signaling activated by bacterial otitis media pathogens in the middle ear has been shown to play a key role in OM susceptibility, pathogenesis and recovery. Recent studies implicate microRNA 146 (miR-146) in regulation of inflammation via negative feedback of toll-like receptor signaling (TLR) in a wide variety of tissues, however its involvement in otitis media is unknown. Methods Human middle ear epithelial cells were stimulated with proinflammatory cytokines, interleukin 1 beta or tumor necrosis factor alpha, for two to twenty-four hours. Middle ear biopsies were collected from children with otitis media with effusion (n = 20), recurrent otitis media (n = 9), and control subjects undergoing cochlear implantation (n = 10). miR-146a, miR-146b expression was assayed by quantitative PCR (qPCR). Expression of miR-146 targets involved in TLR signaling, IRAK1 and TRAF6, was assayed by qPCR in middle ear biopsies. Middle ear biopsies were cryosectioned and epithelial thickness measured by a certified pathologist. Results Proinflammatory cytokines induced expression of miR-146 in middle ear epithelial cells in vitro. Middle ear miR-146a and miR-146b expression was elevated in otitis media patients relative to control subjects and correlated with middle ear epithelial thickness. A trend towards inverse correlation was observed between miR-146 and TRAF6 expression in the clinical population. Conclusions This report is the first to assess miRNA expression in a clinical population with OM. Findings herein suggest miR-146 may play a role in OM.
A haptic interface with adjustable feedback for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) -model, control, and test

Market forecasts for the civilian use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) show a sustained growth in the long term. To increase awareness for operators, a three degree-of-freedom haptic interface is introduced to provide helpful operational assistance for UAV motion control. Furthermore, an adjustable feedback is implemented in the interface with different combinations of force. In this paper, the kinematics of the haptic manipulator are analyzed first. Specifically, by studying the relation between angular and linear motion, a kinematic model is established to derive the Jacobian matrix and the inverse kinematics of the manipulator. Then, the Newton-Euler equations are introduced to characterize the system dynamics. Finally, these dynamics are incorporated into the adjustable feedback control strategy which accounts for the stiffness and damping effects. The control strategy is evaluated based on the performance of human operators. It is demonstrated that by adding adjustable feedback, the operators' performance can be improved by 16% in position error and 45.7% in test completion time in comparison to non-feedback haptic devices.
High-pressure Seebeck coefficients and thermoelectric behaviors of Bi and PbTe measured using a Paris-Edinburgh cell.

A new sample cell assembly design for the Paris-Edinburgh type large-volume press for simultaneous measurements of X-ray diffraction, electrical resistance, Seebeck coefficient and relative changes in the thermal conductance at high pressures has been developed. The feasibility of performing in situ measurements of the Seebeck coefficient and thermal measurements is demonstrated by observing well known solid–solid phase transitions of bismuth (Bi) up to 3 GPa and 450 K. A reversible polarity flip has been observed in the Seebeck coefficient across the Bi-I to Bi-II phase boundary. Also, successful Seebeck coefficient measurements have been performed for the classical high-temperature thermoelectric material PbTe under high pressure and temperature conditions. In addition, the relative change in the thermal conductivity was measured and a relative change in ZT, the dimensionless figure of merit, is described. This new capability enables pressure-induced structural changes to be directly correlated to electrical and thermal properties.
Developing a hybrid mesoscale model to predict the impact of oxidative stress damage to individual microtubules on overall cytoskeletal mechanics

Recent experimental evidence has shown that cigarette smoke metal-catalyzed oxidation of tubulin causes microtubule depolymerization, which can result in endothelial cell contraction and vessel wall breakdown (FASEB J. 19:1096, 2005). This may be a mechanism for cigarette smoke enhancement of deleterious health effects of inflammatory disease. To understand how stochastic damage at the microscale level can translate to global properties of cell mechanics, we have developed an integrated mesoscale model of individual microtubule dynamics to predict and overall dynamics and mechanical properties of the cytoskeleton. Our model is founded on previously developed models of aspects of microtubule properties and parameters from published experimental data. The majority of existing individual microtubule models were developed to study dynamic instability, and they use the mean-field approach calculating the microtubule assembly and disassembly probability distributions. Based on this approach, we employ a Monte Carlo simulation of individual microtubules growing and shrinking in time and 3D spatial domains. Published models based on experimental evidence are used to incorporate microtubule bending, forces on individual microtubules, and the relationship between force and velocity into our hybrid model, resulting in a coupled stochastic and deterministic simulation. To calculate global mechanical properties of the cytoskeleton, multiple microtubules are simultaneously simulated in a random network and passively connected by "virtual" actin filaments, and the kinetic and potential energies of the overall configuration are dynamically computed using results from the tensegrity theory. We are validating our model by simulating the effect of taxol on microtubules and comparing our results with experimental data. The model is able to duplicate experimental observations (Mol. Biol. Cell 10:947, 1999) on the effect of taxol increasing rescue frequency, decreasing microtubule growth and shrinkage velocity, and strongly increasing pause frequency, percentage and duration. We are currently simulating the ability of taxol and other drugs to compensate for microtubule depolymerization due to oxidative stress, and consequently stabilizing the overall cytoskeletal structure. We are also comparing the predictions of our model to simultaneous experimental measurements of microtubule network dynamics in cultured cells transfected with GFP-tubulin and cell mechanics measured by atomic force microscopy (AFM)
Localized stability certificates for spatially distributed systems

We consider a class of spatially distributed linear systems with finite bandwidth. By means of spatial localization techniques, it is shown that exponential stability of this class of systems can be verified in a decentralized and spatially localized fashion, which is practically relevant to many real-world applications. Our proposed necessary and sufficient stability certificates are independent of the dimension of the entire system. Moreover, they only require localized knowledge about the state matrix of the system, which makes these verifiable conditions desirable for design of robust spatially distributed linear systems against subsystem failure and replacement.
Characterization of the near-surface nanocrystalline microstructure of ultrasonically treated Ti-6Al-4V using ASTAR™/precession electron diffraction technique

Abstract The surface of Ti-6Al-4V was treated mechanically by applying ultrasonic nanocrystal surface modification. The effect of this treatment on the hardness, compressive residual stresses and fatigue performance were investigated. It is shown that in terms of the measured nanoindentation hardness values and the presence of compressive residual stresses, the treated sample only differed from the as-received sample in the first 200–300 µm area far from the surface. Also, the microstructure very close to the treated surface (
The Effects of a Business Executive Mentoring Program on College Students: A Study on Augmenting Workforce Readiness Capacity

Workforce readiness in college students occurs when graduates have core basic knowledge and the ability to apply their skills in the workplace. Business executives place a high value on the applied skills — sometimes referred to as soft skills — of professionalism, communication, leadership, critical thinking, and self-confidence. Workforce readiness and job success depend on a combination of social, personal, and applied cognitive skills. The literature identifies ways in which augmenting these skills can be accomplished, and mentoring could be an effective mechanism. Theoretically grounded empirical research is needed to both expand our understanding of workforce readiness and to inform effective mentoring. The context of our investigation is a mentoring program at a college of business. We examine the workforce readiness of students who participated in a mentoring program, drawing on mentoring theory. We gathered survey data over two years from a college of business and analyzed the resulting dataset through Partial Least Squares. The results reveal that mentoring makes a difference in increasing the workforce readiness of students. This study provides directions for researchers and implications for how business executives should mentor students for greater workplace effectiveness. The study has theoretical implications in showing that a theory of mentoring can very possibly be extended to students in a college of business.
Risky Business: Understanding Student Intellectual Risk Taking in Management Education:

The demands of today’s ever-changing work environment often require that employees engage in intellectual risk taking (IRT) by being resourceful, trying new things, and asking questions even at the...
A scalable nonlinear fluid–structure interaction solver based on a Schwarz preconditioner with isogeometric unstructured coarse spaces in 3D

Abstract Nonlinear fluid–structure interaction (FSI) problems on unstructured meshes in 3D appear in many applications in science and engineering, such as vibration analysis of aircrafts and patient-specific diagnosis of cardiovascular diseases. In this work, we develop a highly scalable, parallel algorithmic and software framework for FSI problems consisting of a nonlinear fluid system and a nonlinear solid system, that are coupled monolithically. The FSI system is discretized by a stabilized finite element method in space and a fully implicit backward difference scheme in time. To solve the large, sparse system of nonlinear algebraic equations at each time step, we propose an inexact Newton–Krylov method together with a multilevel, smoothed Schwarz preconditioner with isogeometric coarse meshes generated by a geometry preserving coarsening algorithm. Here “geometry” includes the boundary of the computational domain and the wet interface between the fluid and the solid. We show numerically that the proposed algorithm and implementation are highly scalable in terms of the number of linear and nonlinear iterations and the total compute time on a supercomputer with more than 10,000 processor cores for several problems with hundreds of millions of unknowns.
Robust optical see-through head-mounted display calibration: Taking anisotropic nature of user interaction errors into account

Uncertainty in measurement of point correspondences negatively affects the accuracy and precision in the calibration of head-mounted displays (HMD). In general, the distribution of alignment errors for optical see-through calibration are not isotropic, and one can estimate its distribution based on interaction requirements of a given calibration process and the user's measurable head motion and hand-eye coordination characteristics. Current calibration methods, however, mostly utilize the Direct Linear Transformation (DLT) method which minimizes Euclidean distances for HMD projection matrix estimation, disregarding the anisotropicity in the alignment errors. We utilize the error covariance in order to take the anisotropic nature of error distribution into account. The main hypothesis of this study is that using Mahalonobis distance within the nonlinear optimization can improve the accuracy of the HMD calibration. The simulation results indicate that our new method outperforms the standard DLT method both in accuracy and precision, and is more robust against user alignment errors. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time that anisotropic noise has been accommodated in the optical see-through HMD calibration.