cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Initial Assessment of Physiological Response to UV-B Irradiation Using Fluorescence Measurements

Fluorescence emissions obtained by excitation at 280 and 340 nm (280EX 300-520 nm ; 340EX 360-800 nm) were used to discriminate physiological change induced by ultraviolet B (UV-B) irradiation in two cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) cultivars, Poinsett (UV-B sensitive) and Ashley (insensitive). Plants were grown in chambers with controlled spectral irradiation, including biologically effective UV-B irradiation (21 or 0.3 kJ m -2 d -1 ) provided for 5 days with photosynthetically active radiation (-38 mol m -2 d -1 ), Differentiating UV-B induced effects and cultivar differences proved more successful with a dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) leaf extract than with freshly excised, intact leaves. Poinsett exhibited significantly lower (P≤0.01) fluorescence for most wavelengths or spectral ratios, whether excited at 280 or 340 nm. The single dominant UV-A fluorescence peak observed in all 280EX emission spectra (330-350 nm) was shifted in DMSO from 340 to 350 nm in UV-B irradiated plants (with a significantly higher F350/F475 ratio, P ≤ 0.001). This could indicate that UV-B irradiation altered the relative amounts of soluble protein invested in enzymes for photosynthesis (e.g., rubisco) versus UV-B protective compounds. In 340EX spectra, UV-B exposed plants also had higher blue/far-red ratios, possibly due to enhanced production of an antioxidant, blue fluorescing compound known to accumulate after UV-B induced degradation of rubisco. In DMSO, this ratio (F450/F730) was linearly related to the total carotenoid/Chl pigment ratio, with qualitatively different responses for the two cultivars. For 340EX spectra, UV-B effects were most successfully discriminated by the far-red peak, alone or included in a ratio with either red or blue fluorescence. UV-B irradiated plants exhibited a significantly lower (P ≤0.001) far-red peak in DMSO and lower far-red/red fluorescence ratios in both media, indicating loss of chlorophyll. The F730/F680 ratio for DMSO was log-linearly dependent on total chlorophyll content (r 2 =0.58 ; P≤0.001). Chlorophyll (Chl) a and b were reduced (P≤0.01) and the Chl a/b (P ≤0.05) and carotenoid/Chl (P≤0.001) ratios were higher under UV-B irradiation. This experiment provides further evidence that UV-B induced damage includes degradation of Chl and photosynthetic function, while photoprotection involves the antioxidant defense system.
Analyzing manipulator and feel system effects in aircraft flight control

The response characteristics of modern, highly augmented aircraft have reached the point where the vehicle and control system dynamics have begun to interact adversely with the actuation dynamics of the human pilot. Actuation dynamics include the characteristics of both the pilot's neuromuscular system and those of the manipulator and feel system by which the pilot's will is imparted to the aircraft. To address this problem, a simple pilot/vehicle model is developed that can be used both to interpret pertinent flight-test and simulation results and to serve as a tractable tool for assessing proposed changes in manipulator-feel system characteristics. The model hypothesizes proprioceptive information to be a fundamental feedback quantity in the pilot's ability to adopt the compensation characteristics required by the crossover model of the human pilot. The model includes manipulator-feel system dynamics, vestibular (motion) feedback, and a rudimentary form of biodynamic feedback. Simple frequency domain control system analysis techniques are applied to the study of manipulator and force feel system effects and to an analysis of the roll ratchet phenomenon. >
Validity and reliability of the Wood Motor Success Screening Tool in a special physical education learning laboratory.

Summary The purpose of this study was to estimate the concurrent validity and test-retest reliability of the Wood Motor Success Screening Tool. Participants were 66 children with learning and behavioral disabilities (44 boys and 22 girls; M of age = 7.6 yr.; SD of age = 1.8 yr.). The concurrent validity was checked using the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency-Short Form as the criterion measure. A Pearson product-moment correlation of .84 (p <.01), a sensitivity index of .88, and a specificity index of .64 were found for estimating the concurrent validity. The test-retest reliability was checked using scores on the Wood Motor Success Screening Tool administered twice within a week. An intraclass correlation coefficient of .93 from the one-way analysis of variance was found for estimating the test-retest reliability. These results indicated that this test is valid and reliable for assessing young children.
Studies on the placental transfer of phosphate in the guinea pig. I. The transfer from mother to foetus.

Summary. In a study of the placental transfer of phosphorus in the guinea pig the transfer of inorganic phosphate from mother to foetus has been investigated from the 29th day to term with the aid of radioactive phosphorus. The inorganic phosphate in the maternal plasma was found to be the main source of phosphorus to the foetus. If most of the placental uptake of phosphate not needed in placental growth was considered to be transferred to the conceptus, enough inorganic phosphate is supplied to cover the foetal needs for phosphorus. hut the safety margin is small. especially late in gestation. The amount of phosphorus retained in foetal growth per day increases with advancing gestation. and the increase is linear from the 38th day to term. The amount retained in placental growth is nearly constant. during the period studied. If the maternal plasma, as our previous studies indicate, contains a labile, non-diffusible phosphorus compound. which is broken down to inorganic phosphate in the course of the chemical determination. it is either present in too small quantities to influence the results, or it is utilized by the conceptuses to the same extent as the inorganic phosphate in the maternal plasma. The foetal plasma was found to contain twice as much inorganic phosphate as the maternal plasma. The transfer of phosphate front mother to foetus thus takes place against a concentration gradient.
Pulmonary artery resuscitation for isolated ductal origin of a pulmonary artery.

Objective Ductal origin of a pulmonary artery (DOPA) is commonly misdiagnosed as agenesis of a pulmonary artery (PA), which may result in inadequate treatment. The objective is to describe the results of resuscitation of unilateral DOPA. Methods This study is a retrospective review of all patients with unilateral DOPA who underwent PA resuscitation at Texas Children's Hospital from 1993 to 2012. Patients with other cardiac or contralateral lung anomalies were excluded. Results Ten patients, median age 2 years (range, 3 days to 9 years), with unilateral DOPA were included. Symptoms were present in 6 patients. Cardiac catheterization was performed in all and showed a patent duct or a ductal stump in most patients and a small PA on wedge angiography of the pulmonary veins. Two patients underwent single-stage centralization. The other 8 underwent ductal stenting (n = 2) or a systemic-to-PA shunt (n = 6) as the first stage before centralization. The 2 patients with ductal stenting developed pulmonary edema. The 2 patients with a cryopreserved vein shunt developed early thrombosis requiring reintervention. Nine patients have undergone centralization. Six patients have required further interventional procedures. There have been no deaths. Symptoms and lung hypoplasia have improved in all patients. Median relative lung perfusion at follow-up was 26% (range, 12%-46%) with significant improvement in the size of the affected PA. Conclusions PA resuscitation is effective at restoring flow to the affected lung resulting in improved diameter of the PA, lung growth, and resolution of symptoms. PA resuscitation should be considered in all children with DOPA, including those beyond infancy.
Engineering an education for the future

Faced with rapid and unremitting change in the disciplines of electrical and computer engineering (ECE), some educators argue that they should deliberately not respond aggressively. Rather, educators should focus on fundamentals that will serve the students well for an entire career. Although the authors agree, they go on to explain that this approach largely begs the question of what those fundamentals are. Of course, it is desirable to impart all feasible fundamentals, but that seems impossible given the expanding breadth of knowledge required in the ECE field. Thus, the question this article addresses is: What are the fundamental skills and knowledge that are important for a future career in ECE? What should be the educational priorities? The authors believe that the center of gravity of most undergraduate curricula today is too far on the side of attempting to train the small cadre of technical experts, a hopeless task within a four- or five-year program. The authors advocate an alternative vision in which the undergraduate program focuses on a limited and carefully chosen set of core ideas, supplemented by real-world examples and importantly by student self-exploration and learning. Such an undergraduate program also emphasizes breadth, an exposure to a range of technical issues, as well as mathematics, science, humanities and social sciences. After the undergraduate experience, the students divide themselves into several groups: one group chooses to leave with an undergraduate degree; a second group stays for a master's degree; while the third group stays for a doctorate.
Analysis of stand density effects on canopy structure: a conceptual approach

A few assumptions were used to generate a series of specific, quantitative predictions for the relationships between stand density and various dimensional measures of canopy structure. The predictions, each indicating an increase in mean crown size as density decreased, appeared to be reasonable and intuitive. Predictions were compared to data for two conifer species with different crown forms, Pinus contorta var. latifolia and Abies lasiocarpa. Results of these comparisons were mixed — the linear, directly measured dimensions were consistent with predicted relationships, but dimensions calculated from the linear measures were not. Re-examination of the original assumptions indicated that the model should account for crown shyness (engagement/disengagement) to adequately reflect the influence of stand density on canopy structure. The results also indicated a strong association between stand height and measures of mean crown size. Mean crown size of lodgepole pine was altered much more by density than was mean crown size of subalpine fir, due primarily to the different relative shade tolerances of the two species. Some of the observed differences between species may also reflect the range of densities examined and uneven spacing in the unmanaged natural stands.
Phonatory and phonetic characteristics of prelinguistic vocal development in cri du chat syndrome

Abstract A longitudinal case study of a child with cri du chat syndrome was undertaken to provide descriptive data on early phonatory and phonetic development in comfort state vocalizations. Vocal samples collected when the child was between 8 and 26 months of age were analyzed using perceptual and acoustic methods. Results indicated that the high vocal fundamental frequently documented in cries of infants with cri du chat syndrome was also a characteristic of comfort state vocalizations of this child. An analysis of intonation patterns indicated there was a predominance of falling intonation contours and limited interutterance variation of fundamental frequency. Phonetic development was quite delayed, with major acquisitions in babbling showing marked delay relative to chronological age. Acquisition of the first spoken word had not occured by the age of twenty-six months. Results suggest that significant cognitive and/or motor delays may have an influence on the integrity of early vocal development, which calls into question the notion that babbling development proceeds relatively independently of other developmental domains.
Time as a trigger of interaction and collaboration in research teams: a diary study

There is scarce research on how working teams adjust themselves to external conditions such as time. It is crucial to understand how teams deal with such circumstances so as to provide resources for them. We present a diary study, which focuses on the complete life spans of collaboration of four research teams. Each team of two was assigned to choose a research topic and prepare a presentation on an assigned date. The findings suggest that groups' interaction, collaboration and communication media choice were triggered by members' perception of time and research deadlines. This poster proposes that timing and teams' dynamic interaction and collaboration are inter-dependent, and that teams prefer rich media to compensate for the time constraints. Implications for theory, research, and practice are drawn.
Calculated elastic constants and anisotropy of Mg2SiO4 spinel at high pressure

We calculated the elastic properties of Mg2SiO4 spinel, using the plane-wave pseudopotential method. The athermal elastic constants were calculated directly from the stress-strain relations up to 30 GPa, which encompasses the experimentally observed stability field of spinel. The calculated elastic constants are in very good agreement with Brillouin scattering data at zero pressure. We calculated the isotropically averaged elastic wave velocities and the anisotropy from our single crystal elastic constants. We find that the elastic anisotropy is weak (azimuthal and polarization anisotropy of S-waves: 5%, azimuthal P-wave anisotropy: 2.5%, at zero pressure) compared to other silicates and oxides. The anisotropy decreases initially with increasing pressure, changing sign at 17GPa before increasing in magnitude at higher pressures. At typical pressures of the earth's transition zone (20–25 GPa), the elastic anisotropy is 1% and 2% for P- and S-waves respectively.
Activity of medullary reticular formation neurons in the unrestrained cat during waking and sleep

Summary Single units, recorded in the medial medullary reticular formation (RF) in unrestrained, behaving cats, discharged in conjunction with specific movements and postures. Most cells were also active during REM sleep. Discharge rates in active waking and REM sleep were positively correlated and discharge patterns in these states were similar. We conclude that activity in these cells is related to the motor activation occurring in a non-specific way to motor tone or to REM sleep atonia. We discharge was related in a non-specific way to motor tone or to REM sleep atonia. We discuss mechanisms by which medullary units with specific motor relations may give rise when stimulated to the relatively non-specific motor effects previously reported.
Transient Temperature Response of Pulsed-Laser-Induced Heating for Nanoshell-Based Hyperthermia Treatment

This paper aims to address the transient phenomenon in pulsed-laser-induced heating for nanoshell-based hyperthermia. Within the framework of dual phase lag model, the transient temperature with the relaxation behavior involved was compared with that based on Fourier's law. The temporal variation of temperature is investigated under the irradiation of pulsed laser, as well as continuous-wave (CW) laser. A semianalytical solution of 1-D nonhomogenous dual phase lag equation in spherical coordinates is presented. The results show that the transient temperature with relaxation behavior considered is generally higher than that predicted by a classical diffusion model. The magnitude of difference depends on pulsewidth, duty cycle, and repetition rate. The maximal transient temperature is as high as 350 times the steady-state temperature in a CW case. The biological effect caused by the overheating in a short period needs to be studied further.
Cytomegalovirus-Antigenemia-Positive and Polymerase-Chain-Reaction-Negative Transplant Patient

1. What is CMV, and why is CMV infection significant in transplant recipients? 2. What laboratory tests are used for the detection of active CMV infection? 3. What is pp65 antigenemia? 4. What is real-time PCR? 5. What are the advantages of using real-time PCR over other methods for detecting (eg, viral culture) and/or quantifying viral DNA? 6. How do you explain the patient’s test results? 7. What assay(s) would you use to definitively explain the test results?
On polymerase chain reaction tests for estimating prevalence of malaria in birds.

Molecular diagnostics have the potential to detect parasites at lower intensities than direct inspection such as microscopy. However, techniques using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) are sufficiently complex that different laboratories may implement them with varying attention to purity of DNA, recognition of artifacts, and resolution of multiple bands. The result is that some laboratories may be unable to get a published protocol to work or abandon it prematurely. Comparisons of prevalance of maleria in the blood of birds involving the same primers with different implementations show that the original published implementation was most accurate. In particular, false negatives by PCR in samples where parasites can be detected by microscopy reflect problems with laboratory procedure.
Management Effects on Breeding and Foraging Numbers and Movements of Double-Crested Cormorants in the Les Cheneaux Islands, Lake Huron, Michigan

The yellow perch fishery of the Les Cheneaux Islands (LCI) region of Lake Huron, MI suffered a collapse in 2000, attributed in part to the increase of double-crested cormorants (Phalacrocorax auritus) in the region. A management program involving egg-oiling and lethal culling was initiated in 2004 to reduce cormorant foraging on yellow perch in the LCI. Counts of cormorant nests, nests oiled, cormorants culled, and aerial counts and telemetry surveys were used to evaluate management. Management contributed to a 74% reduction of cormorants on breeding colonies from 2004 to 2007. Cormorants used the LCI area significantly more (P<0.05) than surrounding areas. Aerial counts of foraging cormorants declined significantly (P<0.05) over the entire survey area but not within the LCI proper. However, aerial counts of cormorants in the LCI were five-fold less than cormorant counts in the same area in 1995. Reduced cormorant numbers were attributed in part to the elimination of cormorant nesting on a large colony due to the introduction of raccoons. Although the numbers of cormorants using the LCI did not decline, flocks were significantly smaller and more dispersed after management began. The reduced number of cormorants from 1995 levels and more dispersed foraging likely reduced predation on fish stocks including yellow perch in the LCI. Our findings indicate that the relationship between reduction in cormorant breeding numbers and reduced cormorant foraging in a given area is complex and may be influenced by density dependent factors such as intraspecific competition and quality of the forage base.
Parent Behavioral Training to Modify Child Noncompliance Treatment Generalization Across Time and from Home to School

Two experiments examined temporal and setting generality of treatment effects resulting from parent behavior training. In Experiment I, pretreatment, post-treatment, 6 month follow-up, and 12 month follow-up data were collected in the home by independent observers. Subjects were 10 mother-child pairs who had been referred for treatment for the child's noncompliance. All treatment occurred in a clinic setting. The results indicated that parent and child behavior changes and parent perceptions of child behavior change that were achieved by treatment were maintained during follow-up. In Experiment II, eight children and their mothers were treated in a clinic setting for the child's noncompliance. Data were collected before and after treatment in the home and in each child's school by independent observers. School data were also collected for untreated control children. In the home of the treated children both parent and child behaviors and parent perceptions of child behavior changed in the predicted directi...
Transmission electron microscope observations of C-banded skipjack tuna chromosomes

C-banded mitotic chromosomes of Katsuwonus pelamis (Linnaeus) were examined by transmission electron microscope (TEM) and results compared with light microscopy images. Advantages of the TEM technique are noted.
Wilms' tumor: Reduced-dose radiotherapy in advanced-stage Wilms' tumor with favorable histology

Abstract Fifty-two children with favorable histology Wilms' tumor who had residual abdominal disease (Surgical Stages III and IV) were treated from 1979 to 1988 on a protocol designed to assess the effectiveness of reduced radiation doses. All patients received three-agent chemotherapy, beginning within 1 week after surgery. To permit assessment of disease response to initial chemotherapy, radiation therapy was delayed for a median of 28 days after surgery (range, 14–71 days). Total doses of abdominal radiation were limited to 12 Gy, given as 150 cGy daily fractions; 18 patients with Stage IV disease received 12 Gy bilateral pulmonary irradiation. Two year disease-free survival was 85% and 71% for Stage III and IV, respectively ( p = .24). Abdominal relapses occurred in 3 cases (5.7%). The interval between surgery and initiation of irradiation was not related to disease-free survival. Of several patient and disease-related factors analyzed, only patient age was related to outcome. Disease-free survival was 100% at 3 years for children under the age of 3 versus 78% for children greater than age 3 ( p = .05). Reduced-dose abdominal radiotherapy in conjunction with multi-agent chemotherapy and surgery provided excellent disease control with minimal toxicity in advanced-stage, favorable histology Wilms' tumor.
Progress toward Implementation of a Second-Dose Measles Immunization Requirement for All Schoolchildren in the United States

In 1998, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices and the American Academy of Pediatrics recommended that states ensure that all children in grades kindergarten through 12 receive 2 doses of measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine by 2001. In 2000, the National Immunization Program surveyed states, the District of Columbia, and United States territories, commonwealths, and protectorates to assess progress toward this goal. Almost all respondents (53 [98%] of 54) reported a second-dose requirement for entry to elementary school, middle school, or both. By fall of 2001, most (82%) school-aged children in the United States were in grades requiring a second dose of measles vaccine. For 29 responding programs, the requirement did not yet affect all grades. By 2009, 52 of 54 responding programs will require a second dose for all grades. Although not all states have achieved coverage of all schoolchildren with 2 doses of MMR vaccine, most states are well on their way toward this goal.
NWELL CMOS fabrication process for the Virginia Microelectronics Center

The VMC is developing a CMOS process to help teach microelectronics students the techniques of semiconductor fabrication. It is also intended to be a vehicle for the implementation of VLSI digital and analog circuit designs at VCU. The development of the CMOS process is an on-going senior electrical engineering project. The long-term goal is to fabricate and test CMOS devices entirely in the VMC. To achieve this goal, we must construct a process flow, design a mask set, understand the fundamentals of basic test chip circuit layout design, and become educated on process tool operations. This project is being completed by building upon the n-well test chip layout developed at Rochester Institute of Technology.
Software-based diagnosis for processors

Software-based self-test (SBST) is emerging as a promising technology for enabling at-speed test of high-speed microprocessors using low-cost testers. We explore the fault diagnosis capability of SBST, in which functional information can be used to guide and facilitate the generation of diagnostic tests. By using a large number of carefully constructed diagnostic test programs, the fault universe can be divided into fine-grained partitions, each corresponding to a unique pass/fail pattern. We evaluate the quality of diagnosis by constructing diagnostic-tree-based fault dictionaries. We demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed method by applying it to a processor example. Experimental results show its potential as an effective method for diagnosing larger processors.
Anonymizing weighted social network graphs

The increasing popularity of social networks has initiated a fertile research area in information extraction and data mining. Although such analysis can facilitate better understanding of sociological, behavioral, and other interesting phenomena, there is a growing concern about personal privacy being breached, thereby requiring effective anonymization techniques. In this paper, we consider edge weight anonymization in social graphs. Our approach builds a linear programming (LP) model which preserves properties of the graph that are expressible as linear functions of the edge weights. Such properties form the foundations of many important graph-theoretic algorithms such as shortest paths, k-nearest neighbors, minimum spanning tree, etc. Off-the-shelf LP solvers can then be used to find solutions to the resulting model where the computed solution constitutes the weights in the anonymized graph. As a proof of concept, we choose the shortest paths problem, and experimentally evaluate the proposed techniques using real social network data sets.
Design of an External Fixator and Motion Application System for Use in an In Vivo Fracture Study

In the United States, there are approximately 1 million fractures annually [1]. These fractures can be treated successfully with the use of casts or internal fixation (i.e. screws, bone plates, or intramedullary rods). However, for approximately 1 out of 20 people with a fracture, these treatments are not successful and result in either a malunion or a non-union. A malunion or a non-union reduces the ability of the bone to withstand the loads it is intended to take. This can cause pain and suffering for the patient. Clinically, non-unions can be treated using mechanical stimulation via an external fixator. Current treatments and the literature suggest that the mechanical environment of a healing fracture callus can influence tissue differentiation, perhaps even stimulate healing [2,3,4,5,6,7]. This leads to the overarching question, what is the precise relationship between the local mechanical environment of a fracture and patterns of bone repair? In order to answer this question, one must be able to control and measure the amount of motion or force applied to the fracture so as to properly relate the healing patterns with a particular stimulus.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
The impairment of glucogenesis by gram negative infection.

In vitro studies of gluconeogenesis in rat liver tissue have been carried out. The rates of glucogenesis of liver slices from rats suffering from a Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection and rats injected with a lethal dose of Escherichia coli endotoxin have been measured. The liver content of certain key glucogenic enzymes was also measured in these animals. The specific enzymes studied were glucose-6-phosphatase, fructose-1,6-diphosphatase and phosphoenol-pyruvate carboxykinase. The overall rate of glucogenesis in liver slices was shown to be impaired by infection and endotoxemia. The liver activity of glucose-6-phoshpatase was significantly lower in the infected and endotoxic animals than in controls. The other enzymes studied appeared unaffected.
Nasal augmentation using the mandibular coronoid as an autogenous graft: Report of case

Abstract The nose is one of the most important elements in facial esthetics. This is supported by the fact that in our society the most commonly requested esthetic surgery is the rhinoplasty. Many of the patients encountered by the oral and maxillofacial surgeon present with multiple functional as well as esthetic concerns, and simultaneous orthognathic and rhinoplastic surgery can be accomplished with favorable results.1 It is important in these situations that the surgeon understand the possible changes in the nasal configuration secondary to orthognathic surgery. Because nasal dorsal deficiencies are minimally affected by maxillary surgery, simultaneous surgical correction can be accomplished.1 The following is a case report describing a simultaneous orthognathic and rhinoplastic surgery in which nasal dorsal augmentation was accomplished using the mandibular coronoid process as an autogenous bone graft.
Waiting for Broadband: Local Competition and the Spatial Distribution of Advanced Telecommunication Services in the United States

With the passage of the Telecommunications Act of 1996, Congress directed the Federal Communications Commission and all fifty U.S. states to encourage the deployment of advanced telecommunication capability in a reasonable and timely manner. Today, with the rollout of advanced data services such as digital subscriber lines (xDSL), cable modems, and fixed wire- less technologies, broadband has become an important component of telecommunication service and competition. Unfortunately, the deployment of last-mile infrastructure enabling high-speed access has proceeded more slowly than anticipated and competition in many areas is relatively sparse. More importantly, there are significant differences in the availability of broadband services between urban and rural areas. This paper explores aspects of broadband access as a function of market demand and provider competition. Data collected from the Federal Commu- nications Commission is analyzed using a geographic information system and spatial statistical techniques. Results suggest significant spatial variation in broadband Internet access as a func- tion of provider competition in the United States.
Minimum Lp-norm two-dimensional phase unwrapping

We develop an algorithm for the minimum Lp-norm solution to the two-dimensional phase unwrapping problem. Rather than its being a mathematically intractable problem, we show that the governing equations are equivalent to those that describe weighted least-squares phase unwrapping. The only exception is that the weights are data dependent. In addition, we show that the minimum Lp-norm solution is obtained by embedding the transform-based methods for unweighted and weighted least squares within a simple iterative structure. The data-dependent weights are generated within the algorithm and need not be supplied explicitly by the user. Interesting and useful solutions to many phase unwrapping problems can be obtained when p< 2. Specifically, the minimum L0-norm solution requires the solution phase gradients to equal the input data phase gradients in as many places as possible. This concept provides an interesting link to branch-cut unwrapping methods, where none existed previously.
Negotiating Games: Cities, Sports, and the Winner’s Curse

Requests for subsidies from North American cities for the sports facilities used by professional teams continues. While teams elsewhere are expected to use their own revenues and income from lotteries or gaming for their facilities, demands for subsidies are heard. In addition, bids to host national and international competitions are also expected to include public subsidies. This article explores the bargaining games between communities and teams. Its goal is to understand if any city can escape from negotiations and avoid the winner’s curse by reducing or eliminating the need to offer a subsidy. A framework is developed that a larger community can utilize to minimize subsidies. If larger cities correctly understand the dynamic relationship of capital to their internal and external environments, they may well take the initial steps toward deescalating the competition that creates a winner’s curse for the public sector and protect the interests of both small and large cities.
Repeated modification of early limb morphogenesis programmes underlies the convergence of relative limb length in Anolis lizards

The independent evolution of similar morphologies has long been a subject of considerable interest to biologists. Does phenotypic convergence reflect the primacy of natural selection, or does development set the course of evolution by channelling variation in certain directions? Here, we examine the ontogenetic origins of relative limb length variation among Anolis lizard habitat specialists to address whether convergent phenotypes have arisen through convergent developmental trajectories. Despite the numerous developmental processes that could potentially contribute to variation in adult limb length, our analyses reveal that, in Anolis lizards, such variation is repeatedly the result of changes occurring very early in development, prior to formation of the cartilaginous long bone anlagen.
CONVERGENCE OF AN ALGORITHM SIMULATING LOEWNER CURVES

The development of Schramm-Loewner evolution (SLE) as the scaling limits of discrete models from statistical physics makes direct simulation of SLE an important task. The most common method, suggested by Marshall and Rohde (MR05), is to sample Brownian motion at discrete times, interpolate appropriately in between and solve explicitly the Loewner equation with this approximation. This algorithm always produces piecewise smooth non self-intersecting curves whereas SLE has been proven to be simple for 2 (0;4), self-touching for 2 (4;8) and space-filling for 8. In this paper we show that this sequence of curves converges to SLE for all 6 8 by giving a condition on deterministic driving functions to ensure the sup-norm convergence of simulated curves when we use this algorithm.
Fast Easy Unsupervised Domain Adaptation with Marginalized Structured Dropout

Unsupervised domain adaptation often relies on transforming the instance representation. However, most such approaches are designed for bag-of-words models, and ignore the structured features present in many problems in NLP. We propose a new technique called marginalized structured dropout, which exploits feature structure to obtain a remarkably simple and efficient feature projection. Applied to the task of fine-grained part-of-speech tagging on a dataset of historical Portuguese, marginalized structured dropout yields state-of-the-art accuracy while increasing speed by more than an order-ofmagnitude over previous work.
South African Court Affirms Refugees’ Right to Self-Employment

While previously guaranteed the right to seek employment, refugees and asylum-seekers in South Africa now have the right to apply for and renew permits for their own businesses.
Childhood Obesity, School Food & Education: The Role of the Law

Child obesity is a growing cause for concern in both North America and the United Kingdom. Despite a number of initiatives to tackle the problem, rates of childhood obesity continue to rise on both sides of the Atlantic. Nowhere is the problem more acute than the UK, which is believed to have the fastest-growing rate of obesity in the developed world. In 2001, 23 per cent of British women and 21 per cent of British men were obese, compared to 8 per cent of women and 6 per cent of men in 1980. Childhood obesity has almost doubled since the mid 1980s. Indeed, between 1996 and 2001, the proportion of overweight children aged 6 to 15 years old increased by 7 per cent, whilst the International Obesity Task Force (IOTF), has warned that over 40 per cent of the UK population could be obese "within a generation". This paper examines the changes in English education law which have facilitated this increase in obesity rates, and considers too the changes which have recently been made or are currently under consideration in order to try to reverse the trend.
Electrochemical Reduction of CO2 using Supported Cu2O Catalysts

We have studied the electrochemical reduction of CO2 to produce short chain hydrocarbons and alcohols using supported Cu2O electrocatalysts. The catalysts are prepared using Cu2O nanoparticles formed by chemical reduction of aqueous CuCl2 mixed with polyethylene glycol surfactant, followed by addition of NaOH and L-ascorbic acid (sodium). The nanoparticles are then added to a Nafion/ethanol solution and coated onto a carbon fiber support. When tested used for CO2 electroreduction at −1.5 V(NHE), the Cu2O particles are reduced to metallic Cu, but the hydrocarbon product distribution remains different from that reported for conventional metallic Cu electrodes. Ethylene is the major hydrocarbon produced, with a Faradaic efficiency around 25%, while the efficiency for CH4 formation is reduced to around 1%. The major alcohol product is ethanol, with a Faradaic efficiency around 6%. The relative formation rates of the individual products are discussed in terms of the relevant branch points in recent computational models for the overall reaction mechanism.
Complicated grief symptoms in caregivers of persons with lung cancer: the role of family conflict, intrapsychic strains, and hospice utilization

Guided by a stress process conceptual model, this study examines social and psychological determinants of complicated grief symptoms focusing on family conflict, intrapsychic strains, and the potential moderating effect of care quality and hospice utilization. Relying on data from 152 spouse and adult child lung cancer caregiver survey respondents, drawn from an ancillary study of the Assessment of Cancer CarE and SatiSfaction (ACCESS) in Wisconsin, hierarchical multiple regression analysis was used to examine determinants of complicated grief. After controlling for contextual factors and time since death, complicated grief symptoms were higher among caregivers with less education, among families with lower prior conflict but higher conflict at the endof-life, who had family members who had difficulty accepting the illness, and who were caring for patients with greater fear of death. Additionally, hospice utilization moderated the effect of fear of death on complicated grief. Findings suggest that family conflict, intrapsychic strains, and hospice utilization may help to explain the variability found in complicated grief symptoms among bereaved caregivers. Implications for enhancing complicated grief assessment tools and preventative interventions across the continuum of cancer care are highlighted.
On the Bonding Mechanism in Cold Spray of Deformable hex-BN-Ni Clusters

Bond strength and the lubrication potential of coatings made of 7 µm Hexagonal Boron Nitride particles encapsulated with nickel (hBN-Ni), and deposited onto aluminum 6061 substrates via cold spray were examined; for all tests, N2 was used as the carrier gas at a temperature of 480 °C and pressure of 2.4 MPa. Results showed significant improvement in both wear resistance and reduced surface friction. Coated samples also demonstrated unexpected high bond strength, which was much greater than pure nickel cold sprayed onto aluminum. However, while the results were truly promising, the primary reason for the observed high bond strength could not be explained using existing cold spray theories which were primarily developed for pure metal particles. Based on the present findings compared to cold-sprayed layers of composite nickel-nickel (nickel particles encapsulated with nickel), a mechanism for bonding of hBN-Ni particles to aluminum based on the level of plastic deformation and hardenability is proposed. Indeed, the high bond strength between the coating and substrate is related to the relatively high initial ductility of the nickel encapsulation, compliance of the hBN, as well as the ensuing significant plastic deformation of the composite particles during cold spray deposition.
Effects of Huangqi Injection on Renal Tubulointerstitial Fibrosis in Rats

Objective:To investigate the effect of Huangqi Injection on renal tubulointerstitial fibrosis caused by unilateral ureteral obstruction(UUO) in rats.Methods:Thirty-six sprague-dawley rats were randomly divided into control group(group A),UUO model group(group B) and treatment group(group C).Group C was intraperitoneal injected with Huangqi Injection(5 ml·kg-1·d-1) from 1 day before operation to 9 days after the operation.At the 10 day of UUO,rats were killed and the operated kidneys were collected.Tissue was processed to paraffic sections and stained by HE,PAS and picrosirius-red staining.The pathological change and relative volume of interstitium and collage of the cortex was observed by microscope.The expression of TGF-β1,α-SMA and collagen Ⅰ were examined by immnohistochemistry.The expression of HSP47 were examined by immnoblotting.Results:The kidneys of group B show markedly expanded interstitium and cellular infiltration.The kidneys of group C had a modest expansion of interstitium and cellular infiltration.The relative volume of cortical interstitium and collage were higher in both group B and C than in group A(P0.01),and it was lower in group C than in group B(P0.01).The expressions of TGF-β1,α-SMA,collagen I and HSP47 were higher in the group B and C than in the group A(P0.05),but they were lower in group C than in group B(P0.05).Conclusion:Huangqi Injection can down-regulation the expression of TGF-β1,α-SMA,collagen Ⅰ and HSP47.It could ameliorate pathological and prevent progress of renal tubulointerstitial fibrosis in rats.
Investigation of Knowledge, Attitude and Practice on AIDSamong Railway Workers in Chengdu

Objective To understand the status of Knowledge, Attitude and Practice(KAP) on AIDS among Railway Workers in Chengdu, and to provide a basis for carrying out the health education accordingly. Methods A propaganda and education on AIDS prevention was held in Chengdu Railway Station at 2013. A questionnaire survey was carried out among 608 railway worker in Locomotive Deport, Vehicle Depot, Passenger Transport Depot, Police Department. Results The total correct rate of KAP was 81.85%. It was 84.43% in male and 80.23% in female(P0.01). It was 76.14%, 80.51%, 82.19%, 84.35% and 87.85% at the education level of primary school, junior high school, senior high school, junior college and undergraduate college respectively(P0.01). It was 85.39%, 83.75%, 80.99% and 75.42% at the age from 20 to 29, 30 to 39, 40 to 49 and 50 to 60 years old respectively(P0.01). It was 82.72%, 75.50%, 90.85% and 79.31% in the Locomotive Deport, Vehicle Depot, Passenger Transport Depot and Police Department respectively(P0.01). Conclusions The correct rate of KAP was satisfied among Railway Workers in Chengdu. Different results were observed in various groups such as different genders, ages, educational levels and occupations.
Epidemic situation of malaria in Zibo city from 2005 to 2011

Objective To analyze the epidemic characteristics of malaria incidence in Zibo city from 2005 to 2011 so as to provide strategies for malaria prevention and control.Methods Data on cases of malaria control and prevention from 2005 to 2011 were collected,and then summarized the characteristics of incidence and regularity of prevalence.Results There were 52 reported cases of malaria from 2005 to 2011 in Zibo city,43 cases were vivax malaria,9 cases were falciparum malaria,34 cases were imported malaria,and 18 cases were local cases with history of malaria.There were 41 male cases and 11 female cases,the youngest case was 18 years old,the oldest was 87 years old,and the average age was(48.12±18.45),the young and middle-aged accounted for most of the cases.Cases were reported every year from 2005 to 2011,June to October were the incidence peak time.Conclusions It is necessary to intensify the surveillance of malaria and the management of floating population should be strengthened.
A new concept in mica paper insulation

Fiber Modified Isomica provides the electrical design engineer the tools needed to overcome many critical insulation problems at a reasonable cost. The unimpregnated nature of the tape coupled with its physical strength makes it suitable for many taping applications previously not considered for reconstituted mica products. The very high mica content suggests a practical way of obtaining the reliability of mica insulation in a wide variety of rotating electrical apparatus.
Fugitive Slaves and Maroon Communities

One of the more usual modes of resistance by slaves, and one that has parallels with the aims of larger types of collective resistance such as the slave wars, was running away. To control this behavior, slave owners used threats, the services of professional slave hunters, the force of law, and the posting of information and rewards that encouraged others to arrest and return the fugitives.
Special Olympics Unified Sports: Changes in Male Athletes During a Basketball Season

The purpose was to describe the changes occurring in athletes with and without mental retardation (MR) during participation in a Special Olympics Unified Sports program. The method was evaluation research. Participants were 58 males (24 with MR, 34 without MR) in Grades 6-8. Before- and after-program data were collected on the Self-Esteem Inventory (Zigler, 1994), the Adjective Checklist (Siperstein, 1980), the Friendship Activity Scale (Siperstein, 1980), and the Basketball Sports Skills Assessment (Special Olympics, 1992). Athletes (Special Olympics Athletes and Partners) participated in an after-school basketball program for 8 weeks, 1.5 hr per session, three times per week. Dependent t tests revealed that each group scored significantly higher after participation in the program than before on all tests.
Towards a New Model for Causal Reasoning in Expert Systems

This paper presents ideas for improved conditional probability assessment and improved expert systems consultations. It cautions that knowledge engineers may sometimes be imprecise when capturing causal information from experts: their elicitation questions may not distinguish between causal and correlational expertise. This paper shows why and how such models cannot support normative inferencing over conditional probabilities as if they were all based on frequencies in the long run. In some cases, these probabilities are instead causal theory-based judgments, and therefore are not traditional conditional probabilities. This paper argues that these should be processed as if they were causal strength probabilities or causal propensity probabilities. This paper reviews the literature on causal and probability judgment, and then presents a probabilistic inferencing model that integrates theory-based causal probabilities with frequency-based conditional probabilities. The paper also proposes guidelines for elicitation questions that knowledge engineers may use to avoid conflating causal theory-based judgment with frequency based judgment.