cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Implementation of a Hydrodynamic Model-Based Navigation System for a Low-Cost AUV Fleet

This work implements a hydrodynamic model-based localization and navigation system for low-cost autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) that are limited to a micro-electro mechanical system (MEMS) inertial measurement unit (IMU). The hydrodynamic model of this work is uniquely developed to directly determine the linear velocities of the vehicle using the measured vehicle angular rates and propeller speed as inputs. The proposed system was tested in the field using a fleet of low-cost Bluefin SandShark AUVs. Implementation of the model-based localization system and fusing of the solution into the vehicle navigation loop was conducted using backseat computers of the AUV fleet that run mission orientated operating suite -interval programming (MOOS-IvP). With the model-based navigation system, the maximum localization error (i.e., in comparison to a long baseline (LBL) based ground-truth position) was limited to 15 m and 30 m for two 650-second and 1070-second long missions. Extrapolation of the position drift shows that the model-based localization system is able to limit the position uncertainty to less than 100 m by the end of hour-long mission; whereas, the drift in the default IMU-based localization solution was over 1 km per hour. This is a considerable improvement by only using a MEMS IMU that generally costs less than $100. Furthermore, this work is a step towards generalizing and automating the process of hydrodynamic modeling, model parameter estimation and data fusion (i.e., fusing the localization solution with those from other available aiding sensors and feeding to the navigation loop) so that a model-based localization system can be implemented in any AUV that has backseat computing capability.
The health profile of newly-arrived refugee women and girls and the role of region of origin: using a population-based dataset in California between 2013 and 2017

There has been an increasing number of refugee women globally; yet, there is little recent data describing the health profile of refugee women by region of origin in the United States. It is important to monitor the health status of women by region of origin to provide needed targeted interventions. We analyzed the Refugee Health Electronic Information System (RHEIS), a population-based dataset that included 14,060 female refugees who entered California between October 3, 2013 and February 15, 2017. We assessed differences in health status by region of origin. Almost one out of three women experienced a traumatic event. Women from Africa and Latin America and the Caribbean experienced higher levels of trauma compared to other regions, including sexual assault, physical, and weapon assault. More than half of women and girls (56.6%) reported experiences of persecution, with Southeast Asians reporting the highest levels. Among women of reproductive age, 7.0% of women were currently pregnant at the time of arrival to the US, 19.0% ever had a spontaneous abortion, and 8.6% reported ever having an abortion. One in three women from Africa reported female genital cutting. Moreover, 80.0% of women reported needing language assistance at the time of their health assessment. Refugee women and girls experience high levels of trauma and persecution, suggesting the need for trauma-informed care. Those working with refugee women, such as resettlement agencies and health providers, should be equipped with information about antenatal care, nutrition, and pregnancy to newly arrived women. Lastly, differences in health status by region of origin indicate a need for tailored interventions and linguistically appropriate health information.
Blocking-Resilient Communications in Information-Centric Networks Using Router Redirection

Information-centric network (ICN) designs are susceptible to censorship especially packet filtering based on content names. Previous works on censorship circumvention in ICN either have high processing times or use proxies that can be blocked easily by the censoring agents. We design a new censorship circumvention approach for ICN using router redirection that enables a client in a censored region to retrieve blocked content from a censored destination without the censoring agent detecting the use of a censorship circumvention tool. We conduct ndnSIM-based simulation experiments showing that our approach is practical with only a modest end-to-end delay overhead.
Killing, Extortion, and Fraud in Nanjing City in 1593–1594

A chance find of a file of legal cases handled by the Nanjing Court of Judicial Review in 1593 and the Nanjing Ministry of Justice in 1594 casts some rare light on how life was lived in the homes a...
Taxi and Mobility: Modeling Taxi Demand Using ARMA and Linear Regression

Abstract Demand for taxis varies over time. Finding the factors that affect demand and understanding the dynamics of taxi demand will benefit different groups. It helps planners to improve their transportation systems and also help drivers to reduce their empty vacant time. This paper focuses on modeling and analyzing the taxi demand, using the demand for other transportation modes and weather conditions. We started with the linear regression model, and then combined with a time series models. This combined model is called “linear regression with ARMA errors”. (ARMA: Auto Regressive Moving Average). We considered the borough of Manhattan in New York City, and collected three months of data of yellow cabs, subway, Uber, bike, temperature, and precipitation. The observations for each variable, are aggregated hourly. We analysed these data sets and removed their seasonality, and then applied the models to those data sets. The power of time series model in explaining a variable is discussed and the results show that the developed model outperforms the linear regression, by improving the R-squared more than %30.
Agriculture and natural resources business owners economic and communication concerns early in the COVID-19 pandemic

The purpose of this study was to describe agriculture and natural resource (ANR) leader business owners’ initial concerns and feelings about the impacts of the 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Based on the theories of opinion leadership and bounded rationality, researchers analyzed survey findings to identify and describe ANR business owners’ 1) business and economic concerns associated with COVID-19, 2) communication concerns associated with COVID-19, and 3) any other concerns or impacts experienced due to COVID-19. Findings indicated that the majority of respondents were concerned about their bottom lines, employees missing work, and their abilities to provide employees a safe workplace. Additionally, respondents were concerned about the impact of COVID-19 on the U.S. economy. Regarding communication concerns, respondents were concerned about others sharing inaccurate COVID-19 information. When asked about additional concerns related to COVID-19, many respondents noted their concerns about economic impacts, personal and business finances, and canceled events causing them to become unable to interact with customers. Overall, the biggest concerns were related to economic impacts and misinformation. Recommendations for future research are to continue to assess this population as the pandemic continues, and again when the health crisis ends to understand the recovery process for ANR leader business owners.
Effects of process factors on the performance of electrochemical disinfection for wastewater in a continuous-flow cell reactor

Although electrochemical disinfection has been shown to be an effective approach to inactivate bacteria in saline water, the effects of process parameters and reactor design for its application in low-salinity water have not been well understood. In this study, factorial experiments were performed to investigate the direct and confounded effects of applied current (5–20 mA), contact time (2.5–20 min), anode surface area (185–370 cm2), and chloride concentration (50–400 mg L−1) on the disinfection efficiency in fresh water and the secondary effluent of municipal wastewater. An electrochemical disinfection reactor cell with an internal volume of 75 cm3 was designed and fabricated. Residence time distribution analysis showed that the internal mixing of the reactor is similar to that of a dispersed plug-flow reactor. All studied process parameters showed significant effect on the kill efficiency, with the applied current and contact time having the most dominant effect. Although the effect of chloride concentration, which is responsible for electrochemical production of free chlorine in water, is statistically significant, it is not as prominent as those reported for high salinity water. A synergistic effect between chloride concentration and anode surface area was identified, leading to high kill efficiency (99.9%, 3 log kill) at low current density (0.0135 mA cm−2). Response surface modeling results suggested that a scaled-up disinfection reactor can be designed using large anode surface area with long contact time for high chloride water (400 mg L−1) or high current density with short contact time for low chloride water (50 mg L−1). The power requirement of a portable system treating 37.85 m3 day−1 (10,000 gpd) of municipal wastewater was estimated to be 1.9 to 8.3 kW to achieve a 3 log kill, depending on the reactor design.
The lived experience of severe maternal morbidity among Black women

Black women are 3-4 times more likely to die from a pregnancy-related complication and twice as likely to experience severe maternal morbidity when compared to white women in the United States. The risks for pregnancy-related maternal mortality are well documented, yet Black women's experiences of life-threatening morbidity are essentially absent in the nursing literature. The purpose of this interpretive phenomenological study was to understand the experiences of Black women who developed severe maternal morbidity. Face-to-face, one-to-one, in-depth conversational interviews were conducted with nine Black women who experienced life-threatening complications during childbirth or postpartum. Five essential themes emerged (1) I Only Know What I Know; (2) How You Cared for Me; (3) Race Matters; (4) Faced with Uncertainty; and (5) Still Healing. These themes illuminate the complexity of Black women's subjective interpretations of severe maternal morbidity, and reveal ways in which racism, not race, places Black women at risk for poor maternal health outcomes. The author envisions greater equity for Black mothers entrusted to nursing care, guided by nursing theories informed by these study findings.
To Lend or Not to Lend: Revealed Attitudes towards Gender, Ethnicity, Weight, and Age in the U.S.

This paper investigates attitudes towards gender, ethnicity, weight, and age in the U.S. from peer-to-peer credit markets. With detailed data on both the lending decision and loan performance, we are substantially better able to distinguish between taste based discrimination consistent with Becker (1957) and statistical discrimination than extant studies which suffer from significant correlated omitted variable problems.On the one hand, our results suggest that women, African Americans, and older people receive favorable treatment. On other hand, we find significant taste-based discrimination against Hispanics, Asians, younger, and overweight people. Overall, these findings are consistent with a positive shift in attitudes towards women and African-Americans, at least among individual investors that participate in peer-to-peer lending markets. At the same time, negative attitudes towards Hispanics, Asians, and possibly overweight people (still) exist.
Genetic consequences of glacial survival: the late Quaternary history of balsam poplar (Populus balsamifera L.) in North America

Aim Beringia, the unglaciated region encompassing the former Bering land bridge, as well as the land between the Lena and Mackenzie rivers, is recognized as an important refugium for arctic plants during the last ice age. Compelling palaeobotanical evidence also supports the presence of small populations of boreal trees within Beringia during the Last Glacial Maximum. The occurrence of balsam poplar (Populus balsamifera) in Beringia provides a unique opportunity to assess the implications of persistence in a refugium on present-day genetic diversity for this boreal tree species. Location North America. Methods We sequenced three variable non-coding regions of the chloroplast genome (cpDNA) from 40 widely distributed populations of balsam poplar across its North American range. We assessed patterns of genetic diversity, geographic structure and historical demography between glaciated and unglaciated regions of the balsam poplar’s range. We also utilized a coalescent model to test for divergence between regions. Results Levels of genetic diversity were consistently greater for populations at the southern margin (θW = 0.00122) than in the central (θW = 0.00086) or northern (θW = 0.00034) regions of the current distribution of balsam poplar, and diversity decreased with increasing latitude (R2 = 0.49, P < 0.01). We detected low, but significant, structure (FCT = 0.05, P = 0.05), among regions of P. balsamifera’s distribution. The cpDNA genealogy was shallow, however, showing an absence of highly differentiated chloroplast haplotypes. Coalescent analyses supported a model of divergence between the southern ice margin and the northern unglaciated region of balsam poplar’s distribution, but analyses of other regional comparisons did not converge. Main conclusions The palaeobotanical record supports the presence of a Beringian refugium for balsam poplar, but we were unable to definitively identify the presence of known refugial populations based on genetic data alone. Balsam poplar populations from Beringia are not a significant reservoir of cpDNA diversity today. Unique alleles that may have been present in the small, isolated populations that survived within Beringia were probably lost through genetic drift or swamped by post-glacial, northward migration from populations south of the ice sheets.
Using CART to generate partially synthetic public use microdata

To limit disclosure risks, one approach is to release partially synthetic, public use microdata sets. These comprise the units originally surveyed, but some collected values, for example sensitive values at high risk of disclosure or values of key identifiers, are replaced with multiple imputations. This article presents and evaluates the use of classification and regression trees to generate partially synthetic data. Two potential applications of CART are studied via simulation: (i) generate synthetic data for sensitive variables; and, (ii) generate synthetic data for variables that are key identifiers.
The child as a collaborator in pediatric pain management : Implications for clinical practice

An emerging biopsychosocial reconceptualization of pain supports much-needed improvements in pediatric pain management in medical and dental settings. This new perspective emphasizes coping and control perceptions while integrating developmental factors in a multi-factorial model of pain. Changes in clinical practice suggested by this approach have begun to show evidence of significantly enhancing pain management for children and may also have more positive long-term learning effects. These changes entail increasing the child's active involvement in assessing and managing his or her own pain in order to maximize coping and control perceptions. Psychologists can support these changes through interventions at both individual and systems levels.
The Impact of Industry Structure and Penalty Policies on Incentives for Compliance and Regulatory Enforcement

This paper examines the optimal fine for violations of environmental regulations, taking into account financial constraints facing regulated firms and the hierarchical structure of regulatory enforcement. Contrary to the existing literature, which suggests that maximal fines are sub-optimal, we find that the optimal fine is either the maximum amount the firm can afford to pay or zero (i.e., no regulation). The impact of a change in industry structure on the optimal fine, firm compliance and regulatory resource strategies is considered. We identify conditions under which the equilibrium level of regulatory resources decreases with an increase in the number of firms in the industry.
Long-term outcome of highly sensitized African American patients transplanted with deceased donor kidneys.

Summary Undertaking transplantation in highly sensitized African American (AA) patients as transplant recipients represents a unique challenge. We retrospectively compared the outcomes of AA with non-African American (NAA) patients who had panel reactive antibody >80% and received deceased donor (DD) kidneys by virtual crossmatch. Immunosuppressive regimen included basiliximab induction and tacrolimus, mycophenolate acid and steroids maintenance. Among 835 consecutive transplants from 1998 to 2007, 142 (17%) were sensitized patients including 89 (16.6%) AA and 53 (17.7%) NAA patients. The AA group had similar 5-year incidence of acute rejection as NAA group (21.4% vs. 26.4%, P = 0.25). Kaplan–Meier estimated graft survival at 1, 3 and 5 years were 91%, 85% and 82% in AA group, and 94%, 79% and 71% in NAA group (P = 0.08). The death-censored graft survival at 1, 3, and 5 years were 93%, 86% and 84% in AA group, and 96%, 83% and 78% in NAA group (P = 0.11). The 1, 3, and 5 years patient survivals were 93%, 88% and 85% in AA group, and 96%, 96% and 94% in NAA group (P = 0.17). Highly sensitized AA patients could be transplanted with DD kidneys at a similar rate as NAA patients, and they may not have a higher incidence of rejection or an inferior graft survival than NAA patients.
Effects of s-(trityl)-l-cysteine and its analogs on cell surface properties of leukemia l1210 cells.

Abstract S -trityl- l -cysteine (NSC 83265) and selected analogs were examined by conventional and new techniques to identify drug effects on intracellular macromolecule biosynthesis and on cell surface properties. These compounds inhibit growth of murine leukemia cells in vivo , and interfere with incorporation of precursors into nucleic acid and protein in culture. The drugs also cause disorganization of cell membranes, affecting barriers to actinomycin D uptake and producing alterations in membrane charge distribution measured by a two-phase aqueous polymer system.
Influence of Conductivity Dissipation on Benthic Macroinvertebrates in the North Fork Holston River, Virginia Downstream of a Point Source Brine Discharge during Severe Low-Flow Conditions

ABSTRACT The North Fork Holston River (NFHR) was examined in fall 2005 to determine the potential impact of a brine discharge on benthic macroinvertebrates. Conductivity of the discharge ranged from 5900 to 10,930 μ S/cm with a highest measurement of 18,000 μ S/cm. During normal flow, conductivity dissipates rapidly downstream of the discharge; however, low-flow conditions in 2005 hindered dissipation. Benthic macroinvertebrate surveys determined statistically significant differences (p = .05) in all metrices between sites excluding taxa richness. Hydropsychid caddisflies were the predominant taxa at the first two sites below the brine discharge, accounting for 74.3 and 68.8% of the organisms collected. Therefore, Ephemeroptera-Plecoptera-Trichoptera (EPT) abundance minus Hydropsychidae [EPT-H] was the most predictive parameter measured. When hydropsychids were removed from statistical analyses, mean EPT abundance was highest at upstream reference sites 1 and 2 (256 and 297, respectively) and reduced at a...
Montesquieu on Ancient Greek Foreign Relations Toward National Self-Interest and International Peace

Montesquieu famously claims that modernity ushered in gentle mores and peaceful relations among countries. Consulting Montesquieu’s teaching on Greek foreign policy, both republican and imperial, elucidates the character of these peaceful mores. Montesquieu weaves a modernization tale from primitive ancient Greece to modern commercial states, all to teach the reader to overcome any lingering attachment to glory and to adopt the rational standards of national interest and self-preservation. This account provides important insights on the relationship between realism and idealism in Montesquieu’s international relations teaching and helps scholars to rethink how these categories are construed.
Plasma angiotensin II: Interdependence on sodium and calcium homeostasis

Interactions between sodium and calcium metabolism and the renin angiotensin system (RAS) have been studied. In rats drinking highly palatable 0.5% sodium chloride solution for a 6 month period, plasma angiotensin II (p[AII]) levels after 6 months did not differ from control animals drinking water. However, plasma ionized calcium (p[iCa]) levels were significantly reduced compared to controls. In a third group of animals which drank saline, but consumed a calcium supplemented chow (2% calcium by weight vs. 1%), p[AII] was significantly elevated above both other groups. Further experiments were performed to study short term (4 weeks) changes in calcium intake and p[AII] levels. Diets contained high (4%), normal (1%) and low (0.05%) calcium content. All animals drank water. Plasma total calcium (p[tCa]) and p[iCa] concentration were elevated in the 4% calcium group compared with 1% calcium. In the 0.05% calcium group, p[iCa] was significantly reduced compared with the 1% group. Compared with the 1% calcium group, 4% calcium animals showed significant elevation of p[AII] levels. A slight, insignificant elevation was observed in 0.05% calcium rats compared with those consuming 1% calcium. A final experiment studied animals on the same calcium intakes (0.05, 1 and 4%), but consuming 0.5% saline in place of water. No differences in p[iCa], p[tCa] or p[AII] were observed in these experiments. However, consumption of saline lead to the expected reduction in p[AII] levels which was absent after 6 months in the earlier studies, indicating that normal levels of p[AII] in saline drinkers after 6 months was not a measurement error.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Network models of frequency modulated sweep detection.

Frequency modulated (FM) sweeps are common in species-specific vocalizations, including human speech. Auditory neurons selective for the direction and rate of frequency change in FM sweeps are present across species, but the synaptic mechanisms underlying such selectivity are only beginning to be understood. Even less is known about mechanisms of experience-dependent changes in FM sweep selectivity. We present three network models of synaptic mechanisms of FM sweep direction and rate selectivity that explains experimental data: (1) The ‘facilitation’ model contains frequency selective cells operating as coincidence detectors, summing up multiple excitatory inputs with different time delays. (2) The ‘duration tuned’ model depends on interactions between delayed excitation and early inhibition. The strength of delayed excitation determines the preferred duration. Inhibitory rebound can reinforce the delayed excitation. (3) The ‘inhibitory sideband’ model uses frequency selective inputs to a network of excitatory and inhibitory cells. The strength and asymmetry of these connections results in neurons responsive to sweeps in a single direction of sufficient sweep rate. Variations of these properties, can explain the diversity of rate-dependent direction selectivity seen across species. We show that the inhibitory sideband model can be trained using spike timing dependent plasticity (STDP) to develop direction selectivity from a non-selective network. These models provide a means to compare the proposed synaptic and spectrotemporal mechanisms of FM sweep processing and can be utilized to explore cellular mechanisms underlying experience- or training-dependent changes in spectrotemporal processing across animal models. Given the analogy between FM sweeps and visual motion, these models can serve a broader function in studying stimulus movement across sensory epithelia.
Techniques For Characterizing Optical System Fabrication

A theory has been developed for representing fabricated optical components by a set of easily identified local coordinate systems linked by physically relevant stationary pivot points. The use of stationary pivot modeling has many advantages when attempting to make performance predictions on complex optical systems during the fabrication and assembly process. In this paper, the basic techniques for modeling fabricated optical components by stationary pivots are developed and some applications discussed.
Teriparatide Increases Bone Formation and Bone Mineral Density in Adult Women With Anorexia Nervosa

Context: Anorexia nervosa (AN), a prevalent psychiatric disorder predominantly affecting women, is characterized by self-induced starvation and low body weight. Increased clinical fractures are common, and most women have low bone mineral density (BMD). Previously investigated treatments have led to no or modest increases in BMD in AN. Objective: Our objective was to investigate the effect of teriparatide (TPT; human PTH[1–34]), an anabolic agent, on low bone mass in women with AN. Design, Setting, and Patients: This randomized, placebo-controlled trial at a clinical research center included 21 women with AN: 10 (mean age ± SEM, 47 ± 2.7 years) treated with TPT and 11 (47.1 ± 2.3 years) treated with placebo. Interventions: TPT (20 μg SC) or placebo was administered for 6 months. Main Outcome Measures: Our primary outcome measure was change in BMD of the spine and hip by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry. Secondary outcome measures included changes in serum N-terminal propeptide of type 1 procollagen (P1NP)...
Summary and Recapitulation of Tectonic Papers: ABSTRACT

Brief review of the papers which were presented and synthesis of the ideas expressed. End_of_Article - Last_Page 794------------
Embedding Multiple Assessments in Classroom Activities

The Mechanical Engineering Technology program of Purdue University at Columbus/Southeast Indiana is a small program with only two full-time faculty and typically has 4-8 graduates per year. In preparing for its first ever ABET accreditation evaluation in the fall of 2005, the faculty conducted a survey of graduates from the last three years and received nine responses. Such a small response contributed to the concern that this method of assessment might not provide much useful data regarding assessment of program outcomes and objectives. As a result of this and limited resources, the faculty of the MET program in Columbus focused their efforts on direct assessment of program outcomes by using classroom assignments, lab reports and exam questions. An example of an embedded assessment utilized by the MET faculty is a laboratory report. The Mechanical Engineering Technology program consists of many classes that have laboratory activities. The rubric used for lab reports is a fifteen part rubric that varies from 1 to 4. Lab reports are assessed for spelling/grammar, participation, calculations, appearance, analysis, summary, conclusions and drawings/diagrams among other categories. Assessments can be made of technical content (program outcome (PO 1), verbal communications including both written content and graphical communications (PO 3), experimental understanding and teamwork. While these assessments are useful for gauging learning and are used in the MET program continuous quality improvement process, they also make grading considerably easier. A two-page form was also developed which summarized the assessment points for each program outcome. The first page of the form includes the mission statements of Purdue University, the MET program objectives, the MET program outcomes, the core learning objectives of the particular course in which the assessment is performed and the details of the assessment point. These details include the specific core learning objective, the applicable program outcome and the rubric for the assessment. The second page of the form includes the results of the assessment, those teaching techniques that the faculty member wants to retain and those that he wants to change.Copyright © 2006 by ASME
Some problems in finite dams with an application to insurance risk

This paper considers a finite dam in continuous time fed by inputs, with a negative exponential distribution, whose arrival times form a Poisson process; there is a continuous release at unit rate, and overflow is allowed. Various results have been obtained by appropriate limiting methods from an analogous discrete time process, for which it is possible to find some solutions directly by determinantal methods. First the stationary dam content distribution is found. The distribution of the probability of first emptiness is obtained both when overflow is, and is not allowed. This is followed by the probability the overflow before emptiness, which is then applied to determine the exact solution for an insurance risk problem with claims having a negative exponential distribution. The time-dependent content distribution is found, and the analogy with queueing theory is discussed.
Computed Tomography (CT) Scan Findings of the Paranasal Sinuses in Cystic Fibrosis

Nearly all patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) have abnormal findings on plain paranasal sinus radiographs. To establish this relationship more accurately, 58 CF patients with nasal symptoms were ev...
Challenges for mid-IR interband cascade lasers

We review the state-of-the-art performance of interband cascade lasers emitting in the 3-5 μm spectral band and discuss the prospects for future improvements. New five-stage designs produce a combination of pulsed roomtemperature threshold current densities of 400-500 A/cm2 and internal losses as low as ≈ 6 cm-1 for broad-area devices. A 4.4-μm-wide ridge fabricated from one of these wafers and emitting at 3.7 μm lased cw to 335 K, which is the highest cw operating temperature for any semiconductor laser in the 3.0-4.6 μm spectral range. A 10-μm-wide ridge with high-reflection and anti-reflection facet coatings produced up to 59 mW of cw power at 298 K, and displayed a maximum wall-plug efficiency of 3.4%. Corrugated-sidewall distributed-feedback lasers from similar material produce 45 mW of cw power in a single spectral mode at -20°C, with maximum wall-plug efficiency of 7.6%. The current tuning range for temperatures between 0 and 25°C is ≥11 nm.
Preferential effects of nicotine and 4-(N-methyl- N-nitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone on mitochondrial glutathione S-transferase a4-4 induction and increased oxidative stress in the rat brain

We have investigated the in vivo effects of the tobacco-specific toxins nicotine and 4-(N-methyl-N-nitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK) on antioxidant defense systems in the mitochondrial, microsomal, and cytosolic compartments of rat brain, lung, and liver. Nicotine induced maximum oxidative stress in brain mitochondria, as seen from a 1.9-fold (P < 0.001) increase in thiobarbituric acid-reactive substance (TBARS) and a 2-fold (P < 0.001) increase in glutathione S-transferase (GST) A4-4 (also referred to as rGST 8-8) activities. These changes were accompanied by a 25-40% increase in reactive oxygen species and a 20-30% decrease in alcohol dehydrogenase activities. The 4-(N-methyl-N-nitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone-induced oxidative damage was apparent in the microsomal fraction of brain, lung, and liver, and it also increased 4-hydroxynonenal specific GST A4-4 activity in the brain and lung mitochondrial matrix fraction. The levels of microsomal thiobarbituric acid reactive substance, cytochrome P4502E1 activity, and reactive oxygen species were also increased significantly (P < 0.001) in all tissues. Both of these toxins induced the level of GST A4-4 mRNA in the brain, while they caused a marked reduction in the liver GST A4-4 mRNA pool. Additionally, the brain mitochondrial matrix showed a markedly higher level of 4-hydroxynonenal specific GST activity and mGST A4-4 antibody-reactive protein than did the cytosolic fraction. In conclusion, the present study provides evidence for the occurrence of GST A4-4 enzyme activity in mammalian mitochondria, in addition to demonstrating that both mitochondria and microsomes are intracellular targets for nicotine- and NNK-induced organ toxicity.
Novel application of ink-jet-printing technology in multi-domain alignment liquid-crystal displays

— Based on the drop-on-demand characteristics of ink-jet printing, the multi-domain alignment liquid-crystal display (LCD) could be achieved by using patterned polyimide materials. These polyimide ink locations with different alignment procedures could be defined in a single pixel, depending on the designer 's setting. In this paper, we combined the electro-optical design, polyimide ink formulation, and ink-jetting technology to demonstrate the application of multi-domain alignment liquid-crystal display manufactory. The first one was a multi-domain vertical-alignment LCD. After the horizontal alignment material pattern on the vertical alignment film, the viewing angle would reach 150° without compensation film. The second one was a single-cell-gap transflective LCD within integrating the horizontal alignment in the transmissive region and hybrid alignment in the reflective one in the same pixel. In addition, this transflective LCD was also demonstrated in the form of a 2.4-in. 170-ppi prototype.
Stimulation of tof function and pl-proximal transcription by the N gene product of coliphage lambda

Abstract Transcriptional studies of gene expression in coliphage λ reveal a complex set of interactions involving host RNA polymerase and the positive and negative regulatory functions of the phage genes N and cro, respectively. The N product, which is known for its anti-terminating effect, was also found to stimulate up to 4-fold the rate of transcription in the pL-N region, as determined by comparing induced λN+cro− and λN−cro− lysogens. In contrast, the Tof function of the cro gene product rapidly turns off transcription in the same region shortly after thermal induction of λN+cro+ lysogens. In λN−cro+ lysogens, however, this early turn-off was not observed, suggesting that the effective level of Tof function is reached only under N+ conditions. This N requirement for the early expression of Tof function in λ was also observed in induced prophages lacking all phage genes except those in the N-cI-cII region and, in addition, was found not to be satisfied by the analogous N product from phage λimm21. Furthermore, it was found that neither the phage mutation nutL− nor the host mutation nusA− blocks the effect of N protein on Tof function, indicating that antitermination per se is not required for Tof expression. However, since the expression of Tof function is blocked in the groN− host, which has an alteration in the β subunit of RNA polymerase, an interaction involving λ N protein and the host RNA polymerase might be required for Tof expression. Although these results are in apparent contradiction with the Fed phenomenon, we do find at late times after induction, when comparing N-cro+ N−cro− lysogens, that the rate of transcription under cro− conditions is up to 2-fold higher in the pL-proximal region and up to 10-fold higher in the exo-gam region. This indicates that the residual read-through transcription of red-gam genes under N− conditions is controlled by cro. One may conclude that, although the cro product may function through an operator-repressor type of interaction at the promoter-operator regions, its action at pL and pR may be augmented by more complex interactions involving Escherichia coli RNA polymerase and the λ regulatory protein N.
Flexible and scalable digital signatures in TPM 2.0

Trusted Platform Modules (TPM) are multipurpose hardware chips, which provide support for various cryptographic functions. Flexibility, scalability and high performance are critical features for a TPM. In this paper, we present the new method for implementing digital signatures that has been included in TPM version 2.0. The core part of this method is a single TPM signature primitive, which can be called by different software programmes, in order to implement signature schemes and cryptographic protocols with different security and privacy features. We prove security of the TPM signature primitive under the static Diffie-Hellman assumption and the random oracle model. We demonstrate how to call this TPM signature primitive to implement anonymous signatures (Direct Anonymous Attestation), pseudonym systems (U-Prove), and conventional signatures (the Schnorr signature). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first signature primitive implemented in a limited hardware environment capable of supporting various signature schemes without adding additional hardware complexity compared to a hardware implementation of a conventional signature scheme.
Evaluation of Seven Sampling Techniques for Wireworms (Coleoptera: Elateridae)

During 1995 and 1996, 7 sampling techniques were examined to develop a farmer or consultant-oriented system of sampling for wireworms (Coleoptera: Elateridae) to determine field populations. In an intensive sampling program, the soil core (absolute) sampling technique was compared with 6 relative sampling techniques [corn ( Zea mays L.)/wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.) bait, melon ( Cucumis melo L.) bait, potato ( Solanum tuberosum L.) bait, wire-mesh bait, pheromone trap, and pitfall trap]. In an extensive sampling program, the corn/wheat bait was examined for its utility in Conservation Reserve Program habitats. Each relative method was evaluated for its precision and accuracy in determining populations of Elateridae. The corn/wheat bait showed the highest level of precision and accuracy in the intensive sampling program. Acceptable levels of precision for the corn/wheat baits were also found in the extensive sampling program. In terms of cost, the corn/wheat bait was a cost-effective method for a sampling program. When examining relative net precision, the corn/wheat bait was the most efficient and effective sampling technique for determining wireworm populations in agricultural habitats and in conservation land returning to production.
Symbolic Interaction and Retirement Adjustment: An Empirical Assessment.

Using a variety of indicators of retirement adjustment most studies have focused on two variables as the critical ones: the kind of work the individual was involved in prior to retirement with its concomitant style of life or the individual's pre-retirement attitudes. Focusing on the latter variable and using a symbolic interaction perspective, it was hypothesized that the individual's significant others are crucial to both the development of his pre-retirement attitudes and his post-retirement adjustment. The data upheld both the predicted relationships, and further suggest that the social world of older people is comprised of both primary groups and proximate others. The Lowenthal and Haven concept of confidants as a major factor in the adjustment of older people, though valuable, too narrowly defines their social world. The broader concept of significant others comprised of both confidants and proximate others seems more realistic.
Cancer opinionnaire: Medical students' attitudes toward psychosocial cancer care

A questionnaire assessing attitudes toward psychosocial cancer care (the Cancer Opinionnaire) was constructed. Factor analysis revealed five factors: outcome expectations; candor; interest in treating cancer; psychosocial concerns: role of the physician; and psychosocial concerns: importance to the patient. Reliabilities ranged from 0.68 to 0.82. A multivariate analysis of variance indicated that second-year students, who had been exposed to a required first-year course stressing biopsychosocial concerns of medical care, expressed more positive attitudes than did entering first-year students. Additionally, female medical students expressed more positive attitudes than did male students. Addressing biopsychosocial concerns in the beginning of medical education may help establish a more open and fertile ground upon which later training will be received.
What sustainability is not

SUMMARY In the span of years of seminars and lectures I have given on sustainable use of the planet, sustainable development, leaving a habitable planet for our descendants, and similar titles, a small but exceedingly vocal group has attempted, during the discussion period or the talk itself, to link sustainability with environmental extremism. Almost without exception, objections to sustainability have been without foundation. The most common accusations are that sustainability is: (1) a subterfuge to protect endangered species, (2) anti-technology, (3) anti-industry, (4) anti-humans, (5) anti-private property, and (6) anti-change. Consequently, stating what sustainability is not is often helpful, and repetition of it may be necessary, depending on the depth of the misunderstanding in the audience. This discussion covers some, but far from all, common objections to sustainability. As sustainability has become better understood, attempts to associate it with environmental extremism should have diminished....
Maternal zinc and fetal neural tube defects

Among the factors implicated in the heterogeneous etiology of neural tube defects (NTDs) is the trace element zinc (Zn). In a case-control study, we collected midtrimester maternal toenail samples for multiple trace element analyses, including Zn, which were assayed by neutron activation analysis. We studied 17 women with NTD offspring and 1,787 controls. The crude OR for NTD comparing Zn values greater than normal range to normal Zn values was 3.2 (95% CI 1.1,9.7). These results were not materially affected when adjustment was made for folic acid supplementation. An overall increased risk for NTD associated with increasing toenail Zn was also evident. A matched subset of 17 cases and 73 controls yielded a crude OR of 3.1 (95% CI 0.9,10.3) when cases with elevated Zn (greater than or equal to 120 ppm) were compared to those with normal Zn. Matched analyses controlling for folic acid supplements, family history of NTD, assay batch, age of mother and year of delivery yielded an OR of 5.0 (95% CI 1.1,21.6). This study reveals an association between increased toenail Zn in the second trimester of pregnancy and the risk of having a child with an NTD. Whether Zn sequestration has resulted in relative Zn deficiency at the site of neural tube closure remains uncertain.
Myogenic cell lineages

For many years the mechanisms by which skeletal muscles in higher vertebrates come to be composed of diverse fiber types distributed in distinctive patterns has interested cell and developmental biologists. The fiber composition of skeletal muscles varies from class to class and from muscle to muscle within the vertebrates. The developmental basis for these events is the subject of this review. Because an individual multinucleate vertebrate skeletal muscle fiber is formed by the fusion of many individual myoblasts, more attention, in recent times, has been directed toward the origins and differences among myoblasts, and more emphasis has been placed on the lineal relationship of myoblasts to fibers. This is a review of studies related to the concepts of myogenic cell lineage in higher vertebrate development with emphases on some of the most challenging problems of myogenesis including the embryonic origins of myogenic precursor cells, the mechanisms of fiber type diversity and patterning, the distinctions among myoblasts during myogenesis, and the current hypotheses of how a variety of factors, intrinsic and extrinsic to the myoblast, determine the definitive phenotype of a muscle fiber.
Estimating occupancy and abundance of stream amphibians using environmental DNA from filtered water samples

Environmental DNA (eDNA) methods for detecting aquatic species are advancing rapidly, but with little evaluation of field protocols or precision of resulting estimates. We compared sampling results...
The influence of spatial resolution and smoothing on the detectability of resting-state and task fMRI

Abstract Functional MRI blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) signal changes can be subtle, motivating the use of imaging parameters and processing strategies that maximize the temporal signal-to-noise ratio (tSNR) and thus the detection power of neuronal activity-induced fluctuations. Previous studies have shown that acquiring data at higher spatial resolutions results in greater percent BOLD signal changes, and furthermore that spatially smoothing higher resolution fMRI data improves tSNR beyond that of data originally acquired at a lower resolution. However, higher resolution images come at the cost of increased acquisition time, and the number of image volumes also influences detectability. The goal of our study is to determine how the detection power of neuronally induced BOLD fluctuations acquired at higher spatial resolutions and then spatially smoothed compares to data acquired at the lower resolutions with the same imaging duration. The number of time points acquired during a given amount of imaging time is a practical consideration given the limited ability of certain populations to lie still in the MRI scanner. We compare acquisitions at three different in-plane spatial resolutions (3.50 × 3.50 mm 2 , 2.33 × 2.33 mm 2 , 1.75 × 1.75 mm 2 ) in terms of their tSNR, contrast-to-noise ratio, and the power to detect both task-related activation and resting-state functional connectivity. The impact of SENSE acceleration, which speeds up acquisition time increasing the number of images collected, is also evaluated. Our results show that after spatially smoothing the data to the same intrinsic resolution, lower resolution acquisitions have a slightly higher detection power of task-activation in some, but not all, brain areas. There were no significant differences in functional connectivity as a function of resolution after smoothing. Similarly, the reduced tSNR of fMRI data acquired with a SENSE factor of 2 is offset by the greater number of images acquired, resulting in few significant differences in detection power of either functional activation or connectivity after spatial smoothing.
Predicting Scaling Effect on the Notched Strength of Prepreg and Fiber Tow-Placed Laminated Composites

The effect of scaling on the notched strength and response of composite plates was investigated. Unidirectional prepreg and tow-placed laminated composites, both of which were made of the same fibers and resin system, were considered. In order to predict the scaling effect, the local damage accumulative inside the notched composites was considered. A finite element analysis based on an accumulative damage model previously proposed was developed for analyzing the response and tensile failure of composite laminates containing a slit or a circular hole of various sizes. The model consists of a constitutive equation which relates the damaged material to an accumulated damage state; and damage accumulation criteria which predict the state of damage as a function of the applied stresses. The free-edge induced damage was not considered in the model.The effect of scaling on the notched strength of laminated composites was evaluated by comparing the results of the calculations from the analysis with the test data ...