cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Electric-field-induced phase diagrams of blue-phase systems.

The effect of electric field on the phase behavior in several blue-phase systems has been studied in detail using optical reflection. The phase diagram of a CB15-E9 mixture (where CB15 represents 4-cyano-4'-(2''-methylbutyl)-biphenyl and E9 represents a British Drug House eutectic biphenyl mixture shows an extensive temperature range in which the field-induced tetragonal and tetragonal and hexagonal phases exist. Phase diagrams of CB15-M18 and CB15-M24 mixtures (M18 represents 4-cyano-4'-hexyloxy-biphenyl and M24 represents 4-cyano-4'-octyloxy-biphenyl) do not show evidence for the tetragonal phase, but exhibit unusual topologies of phase boundaries near the cholesteric\char21{}blue-phase I\char21{}blue-phase II triple point. At sufficiently high field, the cholesteric phase transforms upon heating to a phase other than blue phase I in all the mixtures.
Performance comparison of explicit and implicit token-passing networks

Abstract Two classes of collision-avoidance local area networks are considered. In explicit token-passing networks, a station must acquire a special permit, called a token, before it can transmit its message. In implicit token-passing networks, however, no special permit is required. Instead, stations rely on a set of network events to schedule their transmission. The characteristics of these two classes of networks are discussed, and their performance is compared.
Reconfigurable microfluidics with integrated aptasensors for monitoring intercellular communication

We report the development of a microsystem integrating anti-TNF-α aptasensors with vacuum-actuatable microfluidic devices that may be used to monitor intercellular communications. Actuatable chambers were used to expose to mitogen a group of ~600 cells while not stimulating another group of monocytes only 600 μm away. Co-localizing groups of cells with miniature 300 μm diameter aptamer-modified electrodes enabled monitoring of TNF-α release from each group independently. The microsystem allowed observation of the sequence of events that included 1) mitogenic activation of the first group of monocytes to produce TNF-α, 2) diffusion of TNF-α to the location of the second group of cells and 3) activation of the second group of cells resulting in the production of TNF-α by these cells. Thus, we were able to experimentally verify reciprocal paracrine crosstalk between the two groups of cells secreting the same signalling molecule. Given the prevalence of such cellular communications during injury, cancer or immune response and the dearth of available monitoring techniques, the microsystem described here is envisioned to have significant impact on cell biology.
Obstructive uropathy in laboratory mice.

SummaryProteinaceous bladder plugs are reported as a cause of acute urinary obstruction and death in laboratory mice.
The Martian Thermosphere-Ionosphere at High and Low Solar Activities

Abstract We compare here models of the thermosphere/ionosphere of Mars at low and high solar activities, and we present heating rates and efficiencies due to the absorption of solar radiation in the 18 to 2000 A range. Using neutral model densities from the NCAR Mars Thermospheric General Circulation Model (MTGCM) of Bougher and co-workers, and solar fluxes from W. K. Tobiska, we have modeled the density profiles of 14 ions and 5 minor neutral species. We predict the variations in the ion densities with solar activity, and describe the sources and sinks of the ions. The major sources and sinks differ in some respects from those for the Venus ionosphere, and these differences are discussed as well. We find that the predicted total electron density profile computed using solar fluxes from Tobiska is somewhat different from that obtained using the fluxes of Hinteregger. One possible conclusion is that, at the time of Mariners 6 and 7, the soft x-ray fluxes were midway between those of the Tobiska and Hinteregger spectra.
Design of Near Optimal Decision Rules in Multistage Adaptive Mixed-Integer Optimization

In recent years, decision rules have been established as the preferred solution method for addressing computationally demanding, multistage adaptive optimization problems. Despite their success, existing decision rules (a) are typically constrained by their a priori design and (b) do not incorporate in their modeling adaptive binary decisions. To address these problems, we first derive the structure for optimal decision rules involving continuous and binary variables as piecewise linear and piecewise constant functions, respectively. We then propose a methodology for the optimal design of such decision rules that have a finite number of pieces and solve the problem robustly using mixed-integer optimization. We demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed methods in the context of two multistage inventory control problems. We provide global lower bounds and show that our approach is (i) practically tractable and (ii) provides high quality solutions that outperform alternative methods.
Examination of work task and criteria choices for the relevance judgment process

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to better understand the dynamic nature of the relevance judgment process and the influence of work task on that process.Design/methodology/approach – The empirical study reported here examined the information seeking behavior of a group of undergraduate college students assigned a set of research assignments (work tasks). Subjects recorded their selection of documents used for an assignment and the criteria used to judge those documents relevant. Statistical analysis was used to associate relevance judgments and the criteria used to make those judgments with work tasks.Findings – Findings indicate a strong statistical association between work task and criteria used to judge relevance. Findings also include identification of specific criteria used to judge relevance and the relative importance of those criteria based on frequency of selection of criteria for a work task.Research limitations/implications – Findings provide additional insights into the dynamic nature o...
Primary Care Physicians’ Perceptions of Psychiatric Disorders and Treatment Approaches in Young and Middle-Aged Adult Patients

Two hundred thirty-four primary care physicians were surveyed concerning psychiatric disorders observed, treated, or referred among young and middle-aged adult patients in their practices. Responses were analyzed by age of physician, specialty, type of practice, and location of practice. The problems for which referrals or consultations were typically sought varied primarily by specialty and setting. Treatments utilized differed mainly by age, specialty, and setting. Sources of consultation and referral most often used varied depending on the respondent's specialty, setting, and type of practice. The results suggest several areas of significant teaching opportunities for consultation-liaison psychiatrists with their primary care colleagues.
“Our Leaders Are Us”: Youth Activism in Social Movements Project

In this article, we describe the development and implementation of a project, “Our Leaders Are Us: Youth Activism in Social Movements”, that we undertook with New York City high school students exploring events leading up to and following the Supreme Court’s landmark decision in Brown. As part of a 50th anniversary celebration of the Brown decision, we designed a series of three workshops that sought to extend urban students’ knowledge of Brown, segregation, and activism and to examine the roles of young people in critical civil rights campaigns. In addition, we discussed with students the ways in which young people can be involved in contemporary social movements and the strategies they can use to effect what they perceive to be needed changes in their lives. Along with the researchers’ extensive field notes, the participating students completed questionnaires throughout the project so that their understanding of Brown and related issues could be documented. Using our findings, we suggest ways that educators can develop and implement similar programs for use in schools.
Deadly Love: Images of Dating Violence in the “Twilight Saga”

It has been well established that adolescents face a high risk of dating violence in the United States. One explanation links these behaviors to attitudes and behaviors that are reflected in the me...
Effect of prostaglandin F2α dosage and stage of estrous cycle on the estrous response and corpus luteum function in beef heifers

Ninety-five normal cyclic crossbred beef heifers were used to determine if the proportions of heifers showing estrus, intervals to estrus and corpus luteum (CL) function were influenced by PGF2alpha dosage and (or) the stage of luteal phase when PGF2alpha was administered. Heifers were assigned randomly to treatments in a 4x3 factorial arrangement. Treatments were 5, 10, 25 or 30 mg PGF2alpha injected either in early (5 to 9 d), mid (10 to 14 d) or late (15 to 19 d) stages of the luteal phase. Jugular samples were taken at 0 h and at 8 h-intervals for 48 h and again at 60 h after PGF2alpha treatment for progesterone assay. Heifers were observed for estrus continuously for 120 h PGF2alpha treatment. The proportion of heifers showing estrus was dependent upon (P 0.05) among dosages but tended (P=0.10) to be longer in heifers treated during the mid luteal stage (67 h) than in heifers treated in the two other stages (56 h). A greater proportion of heifers (P<0.05) showed estrus by 60 h after PGF2alpha when treated during the early and late luteal stages (75.5%) than for heifers treated during the mid luteal stage (30.4%). Patterns of progesterone concentrations were influenced (P=0.08) by the three way interaction of dosage, stage and time. In heifers that showed estrus, rate of decline in progesterone tended (P=0.07) to be slower during the mid luteal stage than during the early and late stages. Progesterone did not drop below 1 ng/ml until 32 h in heifers treated during the mid luteal stage; whereas progesterone dropped below 1 ng/ml by 24 h in heifers treated during the early and late stages. These data may be useful in designing more efficient systems for using PGF2alpha or its analogues in estrus synchronization of beef cattle.
Implementing Istanbul Protocol standards for forensic evidence of torture in Kyrgyzstan

The Kyrgyz government declared a policy of "zero tolerance" for torture and began reforms to stop such practice, a regular occurrence in the country's daily life. This study presents the results of 10 forensic evaluations of individuals alleging torture; they represent 35% of all criminal investigations into torture for the January 2011-July 2012 period. All individuals evaluated were male with an average age of 34 years. Police officers were implicated as perpetrators in all cases. All individuals reported being subjected to threats and blunt force trauma from punches, kicks, and blows with objects such as police batons. The most common conditions documented during the evaluations were traumatic brain injury and chronic seizures. Psychological sequelae included post-traumatic stress disorder and major depressive disorder, which was diagnosed in seven individuals. In all cases, the physical and psychological evidence was highly consistent with individual allegations of abuse. These forensic evaluations, which represent the first ever to be conducted in Kyrgyzstan in accordance with Istanbul Protocol standards, provide critical insight into torture practices in the country. The evaluations indicate a pattern of brutal torture practices and inadequate governmental and nongovernmental forensic evaluations. Language: en
A Rat Model of Ventricular Fibrillation and Resuscitation by Conventional Closed-chest Technique.

A rat model of electrically-induced ventricular fibrillation followed by cardiac resuscitation using a closed chest technique that incorporates the basic components of cardiopulmonary resuscitation in humans is herein described. The model was developed in 1988 and has been used in approximately 70 peer-reviewed publications examining a myriad of resuscitation aspects including its physiology and pathophysiology, determinants of resuscitability, pharmacologic interventions, and even the effects of cell therapies. The model featured in this presentation includes: (1) vascular catheterization to measure aortic and right atrial pressures, to measure cardiac output by thermodilution, and to electrically induce ventricular fibrillation; and (2) tracheal intubation for positive pressure ventilation with oxygen enriched gas and assessment of the end-tidal CO2. A typical sequence of intervention entails: (1) electrical induction of ventricular fibrillation, (2) chest compression using a mechanical piston device concomitantly with positive pressure ventilation delivering oxygen-enriched gas, (3) electrical shocks to terminate ventricular fibrillation and reestablish cardiac activity, (4) assessment of post-resuscitation hemodynamic and metabolic function, and (5) assessment of survival and recovery of organ function. A robust inventory of measurements is available that includes – but is not limited to – hemodynamic, metabolic, and tissue measurements. The model has been highly effective in developing new resuscitation concepts and examining novel therapeutic interventions before their testing in larger and translationally more relevant animal models of cardiac arrest and resuscitation.
Mutagenic activity of hymenovin, a sesquiterpene lactone from western bitterweed.

Summary Hymenovin, the major toxic constituent of the poisonous range plant Hymenoxys odorata, was shown to be mutagenic in the Ames Salmonella typhimurium test for mutagens and potential carcinogens. An in vitro rat-liver metabolizing system did not alter the mutagenic activity significantly. Tenulin and helenalin, two other sesquiterpene lactones found in range plants, were inactive in the test.
Notch sensitivity of PEEK in monotonic tension

Poly(ether-ether-ketone) (PEEK) has been used as a load bearing orthopaedic implant material with clinical success. All of the orthopaedic applications contain stress concentrations (notches) in their design; however, little work has been done to examine the stress-strain behavior of PEEK in the presence of a notch. This work examines both the stress-strain behavior and the fracture behavior of neat PEEK in a uniaxial loaded condition, and in circumferentially grooved round bar specimens with different elastic stress concentration factors. It was found that the material shows ductile necking in the smooth condition and that this is almost completely suppressed in the notched conditions. Additionally, the deformation and fracture micromechanisms changed drastically, from one of plastic deformation and void coalescence to one dominated by crazing and brittle fast fracture. This change in mechanism was explained via Neuber's theory of stresses at a notch.
Placement of alkyl substituents on the C-7 piperazine ring of fluoroquinolones: dramatic differential effects on mammalian topoisomerase II and DNA gyrase.

quinolone wereprepared andtested inaDNA cleavage assaywithcalf thymus topoisomerase II.Positioning ofthemethyl groups on theC-7piperazineringinfluenced potency against themammalianenzyme;thecis-3,5-dimethyl configuration didnotstimulate cleavage atdrugconcentrations less thanorequal to2,000 ,uM,whilethetrans configuration was active atdruglevels as lowas 36p,M.Removalofthecis-methyl groupsproduced a compound that was onlysixfold less potent thantheantitumor agent etoposide instimulating enzyme-mediated DNA cleavage. Thecis- andtrans-methyl substitutions on thepiperazine thatconferred potency against the mammalian typeII enzyme hadlittle effect on bacterial DNA gyrasecleavage activity, suggesting that an asymmetric barrier exists withthemammalianenzymewhichinfluences productive quinolone interaction, favoring theless bulky trans-3,5-dimethylpiperazine substituent atC-7. Quinolones areantibacterial agents thattarget DNA gyrase(atypeIItopoisomerase) astheir primary mechanism of activity. Thesimilarities inthebiochemical mechanisms and aminoacid sequencesbetweenDNA gyraseandmammalian topoisomerase 11 (6)haveprompted several investigators to determine whetherquinolones couldexhibit potent inhibitoryeffects on theeukaryotic enzyme.Whilethequinolones approved forclinical use as antibacterial agents are not potentinhibitors ofeukaryotic topoisomerase II,theexperimental quinolones CP-115,953 andCP-67,804 haverecently beenshowntoinduceenzyme-mediated DNA cleavage in vitro atconcentrations comparable tothoseoftheanticancer agentetoposide (8,9).Relative activity against themammalian topoisomerase paralleled thecytotoxic potency ofthese novelquinolones against cultured eukaryotic cells (2,8).Our previous studies haveshownthatthe6,8-difluoro-1-cyclopropyl substitution pattern on thequinolone nucleus imparts potenttopoisomerase IIactivity (1,8).Recently, a new 7-(cis-3,5-dimethylpiperazinyl)-6,8-difluoro-5-amino-1-cyclopropyl-substituted quinolone (AT-4140, sparfloxacin) has beendescribed (7). Inour studies, thisquinolone isnot potentatinducing topoisomerase II-mediated DNA cleavage,even though ithasthe6,8-difluoro-1-cyclopropyl structure.Inordertodefine thestructural parameters thatinfluence topoisomerase II potencywithinthisseries, several substituted analogs were prepared andtested ina DNA cleavage assay withenzyme purified fromcalfthymus. Results suggest that an asymmetric barrier thataffects the potencyofquinolones against this eukaryotic topoisomerase II exists on theenzyme.A bulky cis-3,5-dimethyl piperazine substituent attheC-7position inthisseries appears to markedly reducepotencyforinducing enzyme-mediated DNA cleavage. (This workwas presented inpartattheFourth Conference
IF MEN COULD GET PREGNANT: BETH SINGER AND CAROL GILLIGAN ON ABORTION

I argue here that Beth Singer's analysis of rights as operative social norms allows us to make sense of the personal and political complexities of the abortion debate. In particular, I argue that it is only by means of Singer's analysis that we, as feminists, can reconcile our conviction that Carol Gilligan's celebration of empathy and partiality gestures toward something definitive of our moral experience with the need to avail ourselves of the politically efficacious language of rights.
ATTITUDES OF WOMEN OVER 50 TOWARD APPAREL AND MEDIA

This study was designed to measure attitudes of women over 50 years of age concerning apparel and media. A factor analysis of survey responses indicated that the items fell into five meaningful clu...
Model-Based Static Source Code Analysis of Java Programs with Applications to Android Security

We combine static analysis techniques with model- based deductive verification using SMT solvers to provide a framework that, given an analysis aspect of the source code, automatically generates an analyzer capable of inferring information about that aspect. The analyzer is generated by translating the collecting semantics of a program to a "marked" formula in first order logic over multiple underlying theories. The "marking" can be thought of as a set of holes or contexts corresponding to the "uninterpreted" APIs invoked in the program. Just as a program imports packages and uses methods from classes in those packages, we import the semantics of the API invocations as first order logic assertions. These assertions constitute the models used by the analyzer. Logical specification of the desired program behavior (rather its negation) is incorporated as a first order logic formula. An SMT-LIB formula solver treats the combined formula as a "constraint" and "solves" it. The "solved form" can be used to identify logical (security) errors in Java (Android) programs. Security properties of Android are represented as constraints and the analysis aims to show that these constraints are respected.
Durkheim's theory of fatalistic suicide: a cross-national approach.

Summary A neglected area of Durkheim's theory of suicide is the part where he deals with the opposite of egoistic suicide: fatalistic suicide or suicide resulting from overregulation. The present paper operationalized overregulation in political terms. A regression analysis using United Nations data on 45 nations found that indicators of totalitarianism, such as declarations of martial law and banning a political party, were significantly related to the rate of suicide independent of the control variables. A one percent increase in government sanctions was associated with a .13 percent increase in suicide.
Efficient construction of multibit tries for IP lookup

Srinivasan and Varghese (see ACM Trans. Comput. Syst., p.1-40, 1999) have proposed the use of multibit tries to represent routing tables used for Internet (IP) address lookups. They propose dynamic programming algorithms to determine the strides of optimal multibit fixed-stride and variable-stride tries. We improve on these algorithms by providing alternative dynamic programming formulations for both fixed- and variable-stride tries. While the asymptotic complexities of our algorithms are the same as those for the corresponding algorithms of Srinivasan and Varghese, experiments using real IPv4 routing table data indicate that our algorithms run considerably faster. Our fixed-stride trie algorithm is two to four times faster on a SUN workstation and 1.5 to three times faster on a Pentium IV PC. On a SUN workstation, our variable-stride trie algorithm is between two and 17 times faster than the corresponding algorithm of Srinivasan and Varghese; on a Pentium IV PC, our algorithm is between three and 47 times faster. An added feature of our variable-stride trie algorithm is the ability to insert and delete prefixes taking a fraction of the time needed to construct an optimal variable-stride trie "from scratch".
Inside Front Cover: Tailoring Cell Adhesion Using Surface‐Grafted Polymer Gradient Assemblies (Adv. Mater. 23/2005)

A three-step approach to tailor cell adhesion via surface-grafted polymer gradients is shown in this image from the work of Genzer and co-workers on p. 2802. Surface-anchored polymer assemblies with gradients in polymer molecular weight and/or grafting density are first employed to tailor adsorption of the protein, which in turn governs the number density as well as the extent of spreading of osteoblastic cells. Increasing the surface coverage of the polymer results in a decrease in the amount of protein adsorbed, which causes a decrease in the number of cells adhered and a change in cell morphology.
SimClus: an effective algorithm for clustering with a lower bound on similarity

Clustering algorithms generally accept a parameter k from the user, which determines the number of clusters sought. However, in many application domains, like document categorization, social network clustering, and frequent pattern summarization, the proper value of k is difficult to guess. An alternative clustering formulation that does not require k is to impose a lower bound on the similarity between an object and its corresponding cluster representative. Such a formulation chooses exactly one representative for every cluster and minimizes the representative count. It has many additional benefits. For instance, it supports overlapping clusters in a natural way. Moreover, for every cluster, it selects a representative object, which can be effectively used in summarization or semi-supervised classification task. In this work, we propose an algorithm, SimClus, for clustering with lower bound on similarity. It achieves a O(log n) approximation bound on the number of clusters, whereas for the best previous algorithm the bound can be as poor as O(n). Experiments on real and synthetic data sets show that our algorithm produces more than 40% fewer representative objects, yet offers the same or better clustering quality. We also propose a dynamic variant of the algorithm, which can be effectively used in an on-line setting.
Trade Liberalization and the Relative Wages for More‐Skilled Workers in Costa Rica

A prominent argument regarding the effects of trade liberalization on the dispersion of wages in LDCs is that trade liberalization should lower the relative demand for more-skilled workers by inducing between-sector shifts towards sectors intensive in unskilled labor. Based on a disaggregating, nonparametric approach that imposes little structure on the data, the paper presents evidence that trade liberalization in Costa Rica led to an increase in relative demand. Other findings are consistent with the “skill-enhancing-trade hypothesis,” whereby trade liberalization induces an acceleration of physical capital imports, which raises relative demand through capital–skill complimentarily.
Improving Design Assessment Thru Improving Reliability Prediction Tools

Reliability prediction tools are design aids that assist engineers in selecting the appropriate system design. These tools aid engineers in comparing design alternatives and determining the impact of system parameters on the chosen design approach. This paper discusses the limitations imposed on reliability prediction tools by mathematics and the choices of their developers. A brief list of the limitations and capabilities of three current reliability prediction tools is presented in the paper. The paper also discusses four ways of overcoming reliability prediction tool limitations: selecting complementary tools, improving our understanding of computer system behavior, expanding reliability prediction tool capabilities, and employing a paradigm of reliability prediction tool use.
Influence of salinity on the growth of Akashiwo sanguinea and Prorocentrum micans (Dinophyta) under acclimated conditions and abrupt changes

AbstractThe aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of salinity (S) fluctuations on the growth and carrying capacity of the dinoflagellates Akashiwo sanguinea and Prorocentrum micans, isolated from coastal water in southern Brazil, and the relationship between salinity and their distribution in the environment. The effect of salinity on these species was tested under acclimated conditions and abrupt salinity changes. Cultures were acclimated for one month (S 10, 15, 20, 25, 30 and 35), and the optimum growth was established. The acclimated cultures that presented optimal growth were transferred, without acclimation, to higher and lower salinities. A. sanguinea showed maximum growth at salinity 25 with a broad tolerance (S 10–35), and carrying capacity was highest and lowest at salinities of 30 and 10, respectively. P. micans grew better and had a higher carrying capacity at a higher salinity (25–35). The response of cells to salinity variation was also species-specific: no change (P. micans) or an...
A 1080p H.264/AVC Baseline Residual Encoder for a Fine-Grained Many-Core System

This paper presents a baseline residual encoder for H.264/AVC on a programmable fine-grained many-core processing array that utilizes no application-specific hardware. The software encoder contains integer transform, quantization, and context-based adaptive variable length coding functions. By exploiting fine-grained data and task-level parallelism, the residual encoder is partitioned and mapped to an array of 25 small processors. The proposed encoder encodes video sequences with variable frame sizes and can encode 1080p high-definition television at 30 f/s with 293 mW average power consumption by adjusting each processor to workload-based optimal clock frequencies and dual supply voltages-a 38.4% power reduction compared to operation with only one clock frequency and supply voltage. In comparison to published implementations on the TI C642 digital signal processing platform, the design has approximately 2.9-3.7 times higher scaled throughput, 11.2-15.0 times higher throughput per chip area, and 4.5-5.8 times lower energy per pixel. Compared to a heterogeneous single instruction, multiple data architecture customized for H.264, the presented design has 2.8-3.6 times greater throughput, 4.5-5.9 times higher area efficiency, and similar energy efficiency. The proposed fine-grained parallelization methodology provides a new approach to program a large number of simple processors allowing for a higher level of parallelization and energy-efficiency for video encoding than conventional processors while avoiding the cost and design time of implementing an application specific integrated circuit or other application-specific hardware.
Glycylglycine π→π* and Charge Transfer Transition Moment Orientations: Near-Resonance Raman Single-Crystal Measurements

We have grown a novel crystal of hydrated gycylglycine (Gly-Gly), determined its crystal structure, and measured its Raman tensor at 488, and 244 nm, close to resonance. This crystal has 8 molecules of (Gly-Gly) and 12 molecules of water per unit cell. The Gly-Gly hydrogen-bonds in a β-sheet-like structure where all of the amide planes are parallel. We report here the development of a general method to use preresonance single-crystal Raman measurements to determine the direction of the molecular electronic transition moments. We utilize the UV (244 nm) excited Raman tensor and relationships derived here to accurately determine the transition moment orientation of the amide and carboxylate group π→π* transitions and the orientation of a charge transfer transition from the carboxylate group to the amide group. The amide π→π* (NV1) transition moment is found to be in the peptide plane at an angle of −46° ± 3° to the amide carbonyl bond. The carboxylate π→π* (NV1‘) transition moment is oriented almost paralle...
Selecting outcome measures for clinical trials of behavioral disturbances of dementia.

The usefulness of data generated by clinical trials of patients with behavioral disturbances of dementia depends heavily on the study design and the measures used to determine patient outcomes. Several rating scales are available to assess general behavioral problems, agitation, and depression in patients with dementia. The appropriate rating tool depends not only on the purpose of the study but also on whether the measure meets the criteria discussed subsequently.
Spectral control of THz thermal radiation using an electromagnetic crystal

Terahertz (THz) frequency radiation has many spectroscopic and imaging applications. Because it suffers from a limited propagation distance in air due to strong water absorption and a historic lack of inexpensive sources, radiation in the THz frequency range has not been commercialized to its fullest extent [1]. Thermal generation of THz radiation is one common source, even though THz frequencies are well below the room temperature thermal emission maximum. We are exploring the degree to which we can control the spectral emission of a heated source in the THz frequency range using electromagnetic band gap or electromagnetic crystal structures. In particular, we are experimentally investigating a simple 1D, bilayered electromagnetic crystal structure composed of air and silicon slabs. Thermal radiation from electromagnetic crystals has been studied experimentally for higher frequency ranges [2], as well as theoretically, but often only for infinite lattices [3], [4], [5]. It has even been claimed to have measured output powers larger than the corresponding blackbody levels, although this is still controversial [6], [7]. Our ultimate goal is to be able to control the spectral emission of an electromagnetic crystal in the THz region by engineering its band structure. Controlled thermal emission could be used for applications as diverse as solar energy [8].
Familial Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease with a five-repeat octapeptide insert mutation

We report a familial form of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, associated with a unique insert mutation of the PRNP gene in an American family of Ukrainian origin. Ten family members exhibited early age at onset and longduration illnesses characterized primarily by personality changes, cognitive impairment, and spasticity. The proband, presenting at age 42 years, exhibited a fairly stable, nonprogressive course over 7 years, followed by precipitous decline and death in the eighth year. Other affected family members exhibited marked clinical heterogeneity. Each tested affected member had an insert mutation consisting of five extra octapeptide repeats between codons 51 and 91 of the PRNP gene on chromosome 20. Examination of two autopsy cases showed classic spongiform change, neuronal loss and astrocytosis in one case, and minimal pathologic abnormality in the other case. This report documents a new insert mutation of the PRNP gene, and confirms the early age of onset, characteristically prolonged clinical course, and clinical and pathologic heterogeneity seen in such mutations. NEUROLOGY 1996;47: 727-733
Antenna-to-medium coupling loss

This paper presents an improved estimate of one of the more important systems parameters on a scatter circuit, namely, the antenna-to-medium coupling loss, The work presented in this paper differs from the earlier work of Booker and de Bettencourt in that it permits evaluating the coupling loss even when nonconical, nonidentical antennas are used at either end of the scatter circuit, and it also permits taking the anisotropy of atmospheric turbulence into account. An important conclusion is reached that the coupling loss is not shared equally by the two antennas (i.e., transmitting and receiving) even if they are identical. This is a phenomenon which should be fully appreciated by engineers designing a scatter circuit or when measuring the coupling loss experimentally.
A hierarchical strategy for learning of robot walking strategies in natural terrain environments

In this paper, we present a hierarchical methodology that learns new walking gaits autonomously while operating in an uncharted environment, such as on the Mars planetary surface or in the remote Antarctica environment. The focus is to maintain persistent forward locomotion along the body axis, while navigating in natural terrain environments. The hierarchical strategy consists of a finite state machine that models the state of leg orientations coupled with a modified evolutionary algorithm to learn necessary leg movement sequences. Locomotion behavior is assessed by monitoring the robot's progress toward a specified goal location. Details of the methodology are discussed, and experimental results with a six-legged robot are presented.
A new approach for case presentation classes

This paper describes an approach for those courses in which student teams make a single major presentation, each presentation based upon a different case during the course. While the presentation role with all of its advantages is retained, two new roles, that of board of directors and that of evaluators are introduced. The new roles provide several advantages over the traditional approach. The number of role-active participants in each case is tripled while the number of viewpoints with which the case is approached is similarly increased. The learning experiences from the cases deepen as students take on not only a presentation role, but also that of a board of directors with the responsibility for questioning the presenters and of evaluators judging and commenting upon the other participating teams. The performances of all three teams are discussed openly in review sessions after each case. The strengths and weaknesses of all the teams are identified first by the student teams themselves and then by the instructor. The entire evaluation and discussion are used as learning opportunities for all in the class. In course evaluations, the students have indicated strong appreciation and positive attitudes toward this new case study organization format.
Impaired endothelium-mediated relaxation in isolated cerebral arteries from insulin-resistant rats.

Insulin resistance (IR) impairs vascular responses in peripheral arteries. However, the effects of IR on cerebrovascular control mechanisms are completely unexplored. We examined the vascular funct...
Advancing Neuroscience through Epigenetics: Molecular Mechanisms of Learning and Memory

Humans share 96% of our 30,000 genes with Chimpanzees. The 1,200 genes that differ appear at first glance insufficient to describe what makes us human and them apes. However, we are now discovering that the mechanisms that regulate how genes are expressed tell a much richer story than our DNA alone. Sections of our DNA are constantly being turned on or off, marked for easy access, or secluded and hidden away, all in response to ongoing cellular activity. In the brain, neurons encode information-in effect memories-at the cellular level. Yet while memories may last a lifetime, neurons are dynamic structures. Every protein in the synapse undergoes some form of turnover, some with half-lives of only hours. How can a memory persist beyond the lifetimes of its constitutive molecular building blocks? Epigenetics-changes in gene expression that do not alter the underlying DNA sequence-may be the answer. In this article, epigenetic mechanisms including DNA methylation and acetylation or methylation of the histone proteins that package DNA are described in the context of animal learning. Through the interaction of these modifications a "histone code" is emerging wherein individual memories leave unique memory traces at the molecular level with distinct time courses. A better understanding of these mechanisms has implications for treatment of memory disorders caused by normal aging or diseases including schizophrenia, Alzheimer's, depression, and drug addiction.
Vocational Personality Traits in Counselor Education and School Psychology Students

We assessed the vocational personality of 104 graduate students in school counseling, mental health counseling, and school psychology programs using Holland's (1997) theory of personality and career choice. The correlational findings confirmed the importance of vocational personality traits in relation to the academic performance of graduate students. Among the Self-Directed Search–Revised vocational personality types, the Investigative type emerged as a consistent predictor of performance on all sections of the Graduate Record Examination. The participants from 3 graduate programs predominantly identified Social as their primary vocational personality type, with variability in the secondary and tertiary code positions. The student group with the highest degree of congruence, defined as the degree of fit between one's personality and the environment, had the highest graduate grade point average, indicating the relationship between the degree of congruence and achievement. Theoretical and practical implications of the findings are discussed.
Dimensional scalability of supervised and unsupervised concept drift detection: An empirical study

Big Data presents challenges for predictive analytic algorithms due to the possibility of non-stationary populations. Concept drift detection algorithms can be used to detect changes in underlying distribution in order to retrain. Most concept drift detection methods are known to scale to a relatively low number of features (a few hundred). However, in many areas, datasets with thousands or even tens of thousands of features are becoming common. This paper studies the behavior of supervised concept drift detection algorithms (Drift Detection Method (DDM), Early Drift Detection Method (EDDM)) and unsupervised algorithm (Friedman and Rafsky's algorithm) on high-dimensional datatsets. Our goal was to find if these algorithms can scale, first by studying the growth of execution time with the dimension of the dataset, and second by studying their comparative accuracy on high-dimensional datasets. The algorithms were run on datasets consisting of up to 100,000 features. Results show a linear growth of the execution time with respect to the dimension in each algorithm. The performance of unsupervised algorithm degraded significantly on datasets close to 100,000 dimensions. Our results also show that the drift detection accuracy of the three algorithms did not degrade as the number of features increase.
Membrane Transport of Platinum Compounds

Small molecules cross membranes by either passive diffusion or are transported actively by transmembrane proteins. If given enough time, however, essentially any molecule will diffuse across a lipid bilayer down its concentration gradient. The rate at which this happens depends on size of the molecule and its hydrophobicity (solubility in oil). Based on these observations most platinum compounds which are small uncharged molecules, are expected to cross membranes relatively easily by passive diffusion. This is, however, only partly true. On the one hand platinum compounds, and specificly cisplatin (cDDP), cross membranes by passive diffusion since the accumulation is not saturable nor is it inhibited by structural analogs. On the other hand, cisplatin transport can be modulated both by a variety of pharmacologic agents that do not cause general permeabilization of the membrane, and by the activation of intracellular signal transduction pathways. Whatever is responsible for the transport modulation, probably more than one mechanism is involved in the transport of platinum compounds across cell membranes. The importance of each of these transport mechanisms is still unclear, however transport of platinum compounds is often down modulated during the emergence of platinum drug resistance. Therefore most of the studies dealing with transport of platinum compounds are performed in platinum drug-resistant variants. In this chapter we will describe the current understanding of membrane transport of platinum compounds in both sensitive and resistant cells and the importance of specific transport molecules in the sequestration of platinum compounds and platinum complexes.
Exogenous nitric oxide (NO) generated by NO-plasma treatment modulates osteoprogenitor cells early differentiation

In this study, we investigated whether nitric oxide (NO) generated using a non-thermal plasma system can mediate osteoblastic differentiation of osteoprogenitor cells without creating toxicity. Our objective was to create an NO delivery mechanism using NO-dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma that can generate and transport NO with controlled concentration to the area of interest to regulate osteoprogenitor cell activity. We built a non-thermal atmospheric pressure DBD plasma nozzle system based on our previously published design and similar designs in the literature. The electrical and spectral analyses demonstrated that N2 dissociated into NO under typical DBD voltage–current characteristics. We treated osteoprogenitor cells (MC3T3-E1) using NO-plasma treatment system. Our results demonstrated that we could control NO concentration within cell culture media and could introduce NO into the intracellular space using NO-plasma treatment with various treatment times. We confirmed that NO-plasma treatment maintained cell viability and did not create any toxicity even with prolonged treatment durations. Finally, we demonstrated that NO-plasma treatment induced early osteogenic differentiation in the absence of pro-osteogenic growth factors/proteins. These findings suggest that through the NO-plasma treatment system we are able to generate and transport tissue-specific amounts of NO to an area of interest to mediate osteoprogenitor cell activity without subsequent toxicity. This opens up the possibility to develop DBD plasma-assisted tissue-specific NO delivery strategies for therapeutic intervention in the prevention and treatment of bone diseases.
For a Ruthless Criticism of U.S. Politics

The central goal of most American politics scholarship – and, indeed, of much of modern political science – is to foster more precise accounts of political and social life, that is, accounts that reduce uncertainty about politics and society. Drawing on Marx’s call for a “ruthless criticism,” this article outlines the contours and promise of a more disruptive American politics. Rather than reduce uncertainty about politics and society, disruptive scholarship unveils points of tension at which they are contingent and mutable – in a sense, rendering them more uncertain. In the process, I argue, this scholarship articulates important possibilities for democratic and egalitarian change. To illustrate the promise of disruptive research, I examine the American politics literatures on intersectionality and policy feedback, both of which have a significant but often underappreciated capacity to reveal crucial points of sociopolitical tension. I conclude by suggesting how scholars of U.S. politics might better develop the disruptive potential of their collective work.
Oil Companies and Host Community: A Probable Scenario for Reciprocal Empowerment

The paper is an incisive theoretical overview of the continuing conflict between oil companies and host communities in the Niger-Delta of Nigeria. It examine the contending issues around the substantive functions of oil companies and the latent consequences of environmental degradation which has remained a constant source of friction between oil companies and host communities. The paper adopts structural functionalism or holism as a theoretical model for understanding and creating a threshold for peace in the Niger Delta. The methodology adopted for this paper is rather crypt and largely ethnographic, involving long drawn interviews and non-participant observation of both oil workers and indigenes of the host community. Finally, the paper fosters synergy and recommends a scenario for reciprocal empowerment between oil companies and the host community in the Niger-Delta of Nigeria.
Unequal Cell Sizes in Marketing Experiments: Use of the General Linear Hypothesis:

The analysis of marketing data is frequently complicated by factorial designs with unequal cell sizes. This article discusses the marketing research advantages and problems of the General Linear Hy...
Molecularly mediated thin film assembly of nanoparticles on flexible devices: electrical conductivity versus device strains in different gas/vapor environment.

The ability to precisely control nanoparticle-enabled electrical devices for applications involving conformal wrapping/bending adaptability in various complex sensing environments requires an understanding of the electrical correlation with the device strain and exposure to the molecular environment. This report describes novel findings of an investigation of molecularly mediated thin film assembly of gold nanoparticles on flexible chemiresistor devices under different device strains and exposure molecules. Both theoretical and experimental data have revealed that the electrical conductivity of the nanoparticle assembly depends on a combination of the device strain and the exposure molecules. Under no device strain, the electrical conductivity is sensitive to the molecular nature in the exposure environment, revealing a clear increase in electrical conductivity with the dielectric constant of vapor molecules. Under small device strains, the electrical conductivity is shown to respond sensitively to the st...
CLS education at a new crossroad.

OBJECTIVE To provide an overview of the history of CLS education at selected points in time; to describe issues facing CLS education today; and to discuss possible directions for CLS education in the future.
Shifting the abject: Examining abjected adolescence in teacher thinking

ABSTRACTTeachers’ efforts to re-consider adolescence as a historically-situated social category exposes how dominant biological and psychological discourses of adolescence position youth who do not fit “proper” expectations of adolescence as abject. In this seven-month study with experienced White and Black teachers working with poor youth of color, I employ Kristeva's notion of abjection to show how teachers’ recognition of their own complicity in the abjection of youth in their school offered them an opportunity to re-consider dominant conceptions of adolescence in their curriculum. Understanding their participation in larger discourses that aim to regulate abjected adolescents/ce, teachers’ views of specific students in their school who suffered as a result of teachers seeing them as abject created opportunities for re-thinking adolescence as a category.