cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Spectrum-aware dynamic channel assignment in cognitive radio networks

During the past few years, cognitive radio networks (CRNs) have emerged as a solution for the problems created due to fixed spectrum allocation such as inefficient usage of licensed spectrum. CRNs aim at solving this problem by exploiting the spectrum holes (the spectrum not being used by primary radio nodes at a particular time) and allocating the spectrum dynamically. In this paper, we address the problem of dynamic channel assignment for cognitive radio users in multi-radio multichannel cognitive radio networks (MRMC-CRNs). We propose an efficient spectrum-aware dynamic channel assignment (SA-DCA) strategy for such networks. SA-DCA utilizes available channels and assigns them to multiple radio interfaces of cognitive radio nodes based on primary radio unoccupancy, minimum interference to primary radio nodes, maximum connectivity and minimum interference between cognitive radio nodes. We perform simulations in NS-2 and compare the performance of SA-DCA with two related strategies. Simulation results show that SA-DCA assigns channels efficiently and results in significantly reduced interference to primary radio nodes and increased packet delivery ratio in MRMC-CRNs.
Immunofluorescence studies on sera of patients with breast carcinoma

Immunofluorescence studies on sera of patients with breast carcinoma are described. Sera from 42 patients with breast carcinoma 4 with fibrocystic disease and 45 blood bank donors were included in the tests. 31 of the 46 sera revealed positive reactions consisting of faint nucleolar and strong cytoplasmic fluorescence in cells of disease or osteosarcomas. None of the sera reacted with giant cell tumor cells rhabdonyosarcoma cells Levine-3 cell line human embryo kidney culture producing Rauscher leukemia cells normal human embryo cells or human adult skin cells. Control (blood bank donors) sera were negative with the cells of all cultures. Results of absorption studies of the positive sera indicated that the fluorescence reaction may be due to a tumor antigen and not to age blood type number of children treatments familial history of cancer or presence or absence of metastasis.(AUTHORS MODIFIED)
A latent variable transformation model approach for exploring dysphagia

Multiple outcomes are often collected in applications where the quantity of interest cannot be measured directly or is difficult or expensive to measure. In a head and neck cancer study conducted at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, the investigators wanted to determine the effect of clinical and treatment factors on unobservable dysphagia through collected multiple outcomes of mixed types. Latent variable models are commonly adopted in this setting. These models stipulate that multiple collected outcomes are conditionally independent given the latent factor. Mixed types of outcomes (e.g., continuous vs. ordinal) and censored outcomes present statistical challenges, however, as a natural analog of the multivariate normal distribution does not exist for mixed data. Recently, Lin et al. proposed a semiparametric latent variable transformation model for mixed outcome data; however, it may not readily accommodate event time outcomes where censoring is present. In this paper, we extend the work of Lin et al. by proposing both semiparametric and parametric latent variable models that allow for the estimation of the latent factor in the presence of measurable outcomes of mixed types, including censored outcomes. Both approaches allow for a direct estimate of the treatment (or other covariate) effect on the unobserved latent variable, greatly enhancing the interpretability of the models. The semiparametric approach has the added advantage of allowing the relationship between the measurable outcomes and latent variables to be unspecified, rendering more robust inference. The parametric and semiparametric models can also be used together, providing a comprehensive modeling strategy for complicated latent variable problems. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Bird and Mammal Sex-Chromosome Orthologs Map to the Same Autosomal Region in a Salamander (Ambystoma)

We tested hypotheses concerning the origin of bird and mammal sex chromosomes by mapping the location of amniote sex-chromosome loci in a salamander amphibian (Ambystoma). We found that ambystomatid orthologs of human X and chicken Z sex chromosomes map to neighboring regions of a common Ambystoma linkage group 2 (ALG2). We show statistically that the proportion of human X and chicken Z orthologs observed on ALG2 is significantly different from the proportion that would be expected by chance. We further show that conserved syntenies between ALG2 and amniote chromosomes are identified as overlapping conserved syntenies when all available chicken (N = 3120) and human (N = 14,922) RefSeq orthologs are reciprocally compared. In particular, the data suggest that chromosomal regions from chicken chromosomes (GGA) Z and 4 and from human chromosomes (HSA) 9, 4, X, 5, and 8 were linked ancestrally. A more distant outgroup comparison with the pufferfish Tetraodon nigroviridis reveals ALG2/GGAZ/HSAX syntenies among three pairs of ancestral chromosome duplicates. Overall, our results suggest that sex chromosomal regions of birds and mammals were recruited from a common ancestral chromosome, and thus our findings conflict with the currently accepted hypothesis of separate autosomal origins. We note that our results were obtained using the most immediate outgroup to the amniote clade (mammals, birds, and other reptiles) while the currently accepted hypothesis is primarily based upon conserved syntenies between in-group taxa (birds and mammals). Our study illustrates the importance of an amphibian outgroup perspective in identifying ancestral amniote gene orders and in reconstructing patterns of vertebrate sex-chromosome evolution.
σ Bonds: Electronic structure, photophysics, and photochemistry of oligosilanes

The making and breaking of σ bonds is an integral part of almost all photochemi- cal reactions. Yet, the electronic states of σ electrons are not nearly as well understood as the states of π-electron systems. Efforts in our laboratory to enhance the current state of their un- derstanding are described, using the specific example of oligosilanes. We address the intrin- sically cyclic nature of σ delocalization and its dependence on chain length and conforma- tion, both in terms of theory and spectroscopic experiments, from the simplest disilane chromophore to the spectral properties of the individual conformers of permethylated hep- tasilane. We also describe a new low-energy luminescence from certain conformers of per- methylated oligosilanes.
Studies on the genetic and non-genetic (physiological) variation of human erythrocyte glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase

The thermostability profile of seven different electrophoretic variants of human erythrocyte GOT found in 13 different, unrelated families from a racially heterogeneous population was examined. The five different slow-variant and the two different fast-variant classes could be grouped into four different thermostability classes which were termed unstable, less stable, normal and more stable than normal. The thermostability differences among and within the electrophoretic variant classes permitted differentiation of the 13 individuals possessing an electrophoretic variant phenotype into a total of ten different variants.
Necessary and sufficient conditions to linearize doubly recursive programs in logic databases

Linearization of nonlinear recursive programs is an important issue in logic databases for both practical and theoretical reasons. If a nonlinear recursive program can be transformed into an equivalent linear recursive program, then it may be computed more efficiently than when the tranformation is not possible. We provide a set of necessary and sufficient conditions for a simple doubly recursive program to be equivalent to a simple linear recursive program. The necessary and sufficient conditions can be verified effectively.
Comparison of treecodes for computing electrostatic potentials in charged particle systems with disjoint targets and sources.

In molecular simulations, it is sometimes necessary to compute the electrostatic potential at M target sites due to a disjoint set of N charged source particles. Direct summation requires O(MN) operations, which is prohibitively expensive when M and N are large. Here, we consider two alternative tree-based methods that reduce the cost. The standard particle-cluster treecode partitions the N sources into an octree and applies a far-field approximation, whereas a recently developed clusterparticle treecode instead partitions the M targets into an octree and applies a near-field approximation. We compare the two treecodes with direct summation and document their accuracy, CPU run time, and memory usage. We find that the particle-cluster treecode is faster when N > M, that is, when the sources outnumber the targets, and conversely, the cluster-particle treecode is faster when M > N, that is, when the targets outnumber the sources. Hence, the two treecodes provide useful tools for computing electrostatic potentials in charged particle systems with disjoint targets and sources. V C 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Alternate Assessment Scores and Life Outcomes for Students with Significant Disabilities: Are They Related?

This study investigated the extent to which alternate assessment scores for 12th- grade students in Kentucky's Alternate Portfolio Program for students with significant disabilities correlated with a measure of post-school outcomes for these students approximately one year after completing school. Forty-one former students participated in the study and in a comprehensive interview with their families. Life outcomes were measured through an author-developed tool, the Life Dimensions Scoring Rubric. No significant relationship was found between these two measures, indicating that for this sample alternate assessment scores were not related to post-school outcomes. Factors that may have contributed to these results are discussed, as well as some of the recurrent themes that emerged from the interviews. Suggestions for future research are also presented.
Analysis of Outflow Boundary Collisions in North-Central Alabama

Abstract Ninety-four outflow boundary (OB) collisions were documented in north-central Alabama over the summers of 2005–07 using the Advanced Radar for Meteorological and Operational Research (ARMOR) dual-polarimetric radar located at the Huntsville, Alabama, airport. These data were used to extend and verify previous research and to look for new correlations among the various factors that lead to convective initiation (CI) from OB collisions more frequently. For this study, CI is defined as the first occurrence of a ≥35-dBZ radar echo at an elevation angle of 0.8° and within 10 km of the point of collision, from a convective cloud. The radar reflectivity and angle of collision between both OBs along with time of day at which CI occurs most often were analyzed. Also, the presence of cumulus clouds along either/both OBs, or within the area of collision, was examined using Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite-12 (GOES-12) visible imagery. A more detailed analysis of 23 of the 94 OBs that passed...
Real-time X-ray fan-beam z-axis position measurement

The control of fan beam z-axis position is important for the production of highest-quality computerized tomography (CT) images. The authors describe a special measurement technique that produces an accurate real-time analog measurement of the fan beam z-axis position using a set of triangular masks over conventional detector cells. Data obtained from the masked detector cells are normalized to make the position signal independent of radiological dose and collimator aperture setting. The resulting position signal is ideally suited for closed-loop fan beam position control. >
Theoretical modeling of longitudinal variations of electric field and line impedance in TEM cells

Longitudinal variations of the electric field inside a TEM cell have been observed in an in-depth experimental investigation and reported by M.L. Crawford et al. (see IEEE Trans. Instrum. Meas., vol.26, pp.225-230, Sept. 1977). Here, the authors present a theoretical approach to modeling these variations using standard transmission-line techniques, since only the dominant mode, TEM mode, is considered in this analysis. In addition, longitudinal variations of line impedance in the TEM cell are modeled. Their relations with voltage standing wave ratio (VSWR), losses, cell dimensions, and terminal load impedance are reflected in the expressions derived. Numerical results agree well with the reported experimental data at some frequencies. Concepts concerning longitudinal nonuniformity of both the field and the line impedance are proposed. >
Dual-band frequency selective surfaces with higher-order band-pass responses

In the past few decades, Frequency Selective Surfaces (FSS) have been the subject of many studies. They have been used in many applications such as filters, radomes, polarizers, and wireless security [1]-[3]. Conventional FSSs consist of a two-dimensional (2D) periodic arrangement of certain shapes of metallic elements or aperture elements within a metallic screen. The spectral and spatial responses of these structures are affected by various physical and electrical parameters such as the shape and type of the constituting elements, inter-element spacing, and dielectric substrate parameters. Due to the rapid development in wireless communications, there has been a great demand to increase the communication capacity and the capabilities of multi function and multi frequency systems. As an important component of this system, the design of multi-band FSS has attracted more attention. Many different techniques have been used to design multi-band frequency selective surfaces. This is achieved either by applying perturbation to the structure [4] or by using multi-resonant constituting elements [5]. Recently, a new technique for designing second-order dual-band FSS has been reported [6]. In this technique, a combination of resonant elements and non-resonant sub-wavelength elements are used. At the lower band of operation, the unit cell of the FSS is composed of non-resonant sub-wavelength elements, while at the higher band of operation the unit cell of the FSS will act as a compact resonant slot structure with truncated ground planes. One restriction in these types of multi-band FSS structures is the large separation between the two bands.
Classification of Heart Tissue from Bipolar and Unipolar Intramural Potentials

The purpose of this study is to evaluate how well bipolar and intramural potentials are able to classify the state of the myocardium (normal or infarcted) proximal to the electrode recording sites. Nine mongrel dogs with anterior myocardial infarcts were used to generate a database for the study. Classification of the myocardium as normal or infarcted was attempted from potentials recorded in and around the infarcted region using electrodes within plunge needles. In addition to the potentials, the database contains the locations of the plunge needles, the grossly visible borders of the infarcts, and the epicardium and endocardium of both ventricles.
Thyroglossal duct cyst excision—The Sistrunk procedure

Thyroglossal duct cyst (TGDC) excision is the most common midline congenital malformation of the neck. It results from incomplete involution of the thyroglossal duct, which connects the base of tongue to the thyroid. Since the adoption of the Sistrunk procedure, the rate of recurrence has been dramatically reduced. Pitfalls during the procedure are not removing the central portion of the hyoid bone and a cuff of tissue along the tract of the TGDC. Careful dissection and attention not to deviate from the midline avoid injury to the hypoglossal nerve.
Sideways Plate Push Test for Detonating Solid Explosives

A Sideways Plate Push Test has been developed to quantitatively measure the radial acceleration history of a thin metal plate driven by a detonating solid explosive using Fabry-Perot laser interferometry. This test is designed to compliment the radial expansion cylinder test and axial plate push tests for detonating solid explosives by measuring very precisely the velocity of the metal plate as the explosive reaction products expand from the Von Neumann spike to a volume of approximately three times the initial volume. 1.27 cm thick slabs of LX-14 (HMX-based) and LX-17 (TATB-based) were detonated to radially accelerate 0.5 mm thick copper and tantalum plates. The measured radial velocity histories of the plates were compared to two-dimensional hydrodynamic computer code calculations of the experiment. These comparisons showed that the Chapman-Jouguet (CJ) description of detonation, which neglects the effect of the chemical reaction zone, generally slightly overestimates the radial velocity history of the plate and that the Ignition and Growth Zeldovich-Von Neumann-Doring (ZND) reactive flow model, which includes the momentum associated with the chemical reaction zone, yields good agreement with the Fabry-Perot results. This Sideways Plate Push Test is very useful for determining explosive energy release for applications which depend on the high pressure, early time expansion of the detonation reaction products.
A Review of Heat Transfer Issues in Hydrogen Storage Technologies

Significant heat transfer issues associated with four alternative hydrogen storage methods are identified and discussed, with particular emphasis on technologies for vehicle applications. For compressed hydrogen storage, efficient heat transfer during compression and intercooling decreases compression work. In addition, enhanced heat transfer inside the tank during the fueling process can minimize additional compression work. For liquid hydrogen storage, improved thermal insulation of cryogenic tanks can significantly reduce energy loss caused by liquid boil-off. For storage systems using metal hydrides, enhanced heat transfer is essential because of the low effective thermal conductivity of particle beds. Enhanced heat transfer is also necessary to ensure that both hydriding and dehydriding processes achieve completion and to prevent hydride bed meltdown. For hydrogen storage in the form of chemical hydrides, innovative vehicle cooling design will be needed to enable their acceptance.
Stress Measurement in Graphite/Epoxy Composites By X-Ray Diffraction from Fillers

The purpose of this work was to measure stresses in graphite/epoxy composites by diffracting X-rays from crystalline filler particles embedded in unidirectional laminates before curing. Particles used were Ag, Nb and CdO, having sharp diffraction peaks at large diffraction angles, θ. The diffraction peaks shift linearly with applied stress in the fiber direction and have stress sensitivities of (2.6, 3.9 and 1.9) X 10-4 deg 2θ/MPa for Ag, Nb and CdO respectively. Elastic strains in filler particles measured by X-rays are proportional to the corresponding composite strains in agreement with the model of H. T. Hahn. Residual strains and stresses in filler particles were also obtained.
Association of anemia correction with health related quality of life in patients not on dialysis

ABSTRACTObjective: This was an open-label study to asses the association of changes in hemoglobin with changes in health related quality of life (HRQOL) in patients treated with darbepoetin alfa.Methods: Originally, 81 chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients not on dialysis and naive to erythropoiesis stimulating agents (ESA) were randomly assigned into two open-label groups (3 : 1). As a majority of control group patients opted out of control status, this study reports on the single arm study analysis that was performed on the 48 patients who received the drug through week 16. Sixty-two patients received once-weekly darbepoetin alfa in addition to conservative management for CKD. Instruments that measured general (SF‐36, FACT-anemia, FACT-fatigue, ADL and IADL) and disease specific (KDQOL) HRQOL domains were administered at baseline and after 8, 16, and 24 weeks.Results: Compared to baseline values, mean HRQOL subscales were significantly improved in the treatment group at 16 weeks ( p < 0.05 for SF‐36 phy...
Elastic/Plastic Indentation Damage in Ceramics: The Lateral Crack System

The mechanics of lateral crack propagation in a sharp-indenter contact field are described. The driving force for fracture has its origin in the residual component of the elastic/plastic field, which becomes dominant as the indenter is unloaded. Expressions for equilibrium crack evolution are derived, with due allowance for the close proximity of crack plane and specimen free surface. As with the median/radial crack system considered in an earlier paper, the ratio hardness-to-modulus complements toughness in the fracture relations. The basic predictions of the theory are examined in terms of experimental measurements of lateral crack dimensions in materials with a wide range of mechanical properties. The prospects of predicting the extent of lateral fracture in other ceramics, and thence of establishing a base for analyzing such important practical properties as surface erosion, are discussed.
Response of a grounded dielectric slab to an impulse line source using leaky modes

Describes how expansions in leaky (or improper) modes may be used to represent the continuous spectrum in an open radiating waveguide. The technique requires a thorough knowledge of the life history of the improper modes as they migrate from improper to proper Riemann surfaces. The method is illustrated by finding the electric field resulting from an impulsively forced current located in the free space above a grounded dielectric slab. >
The Sm-Protein Methyltransferase, Dart5, Is Essential for Germ-Cell Specification and Maintenance

Summary Background The C-terminal tails of spliceosomal Sm proteins contain symmetrical dimethylarginine (sDMA) residues in vivo. The precise function of this posttranslational modification in the biogenesis of small nuclear ribonucleoproteins (snRNPs) and pre-mRNA splicing remains largely uncharacterized. Here, we examine the organismal and cellular consequences of loss of symmetric dimethylation of Sm proteins in Drosophila . Results Genetic disruption of dart5 , the fly ortholog of human PRMT5 , results in the complete loss of sDMA residues on spliceosomal Sm proteins. Similarly, valois , a previously characterized grandchildless gene, is also required for sDMA modification of Sm proteins. In the absence of dart5 , snRNP biogenesis is surprisingly unaffected, and homozygous mutant animals are completely viable. Instead, Dart5 protein is required for maturation of spermatocytes in males and for germ-cell specification in females. Embryos laid by dart5 mutants fail to form pole cells, and Tudor localization is disrupted in stage 10 oocytes. Transgenic expression of Dart5 exclusively within the female germline rescues pole-cell formation, whereas ubiquitous expression rescues sDMA modification of Sm proteins and male sterility. Conclusions We have shown that Dart5-mediated methylation of Sm proteins is not essential for snRNP biogenesis. The results uncover a novel role for dart5 in specification of the germline and in spermatocyte maturation. Because disruption of both dart5 and valois causes the specific loss of sDMA-modified Sm proteins and studies in C. elegans show that Sm proteins are required for germ-granule localization, we propose that Sm protein methylation is a pivotal event in germ-cell development.
Microtoming coupled to microarray analysis to evaluate the spatial metabolic status of Geobacter sulfurreducens biofilms

Further insight into the metabolic status of cells within anode biofilms is essential for understanding the functioning of microbial fuel cells and developing strategies to optimize their power output. Cells throughout anode biofilms of Geobacter sulfurreducens reduced the metabolic stains: 5-cyano-2,3ditolyl tetrazolium chloride and Redox Green, suggesting metabolic activity throughout the biofilm. To compare the metabolic status of cells growing close to the anode versus cells in the outer portion of the anode biofilm, anode biofilms were encased in resin and sectioned into inner (0–20lm from anode surface) and outer (30–60lm) fractions. Transcriptional analysis revealed that, at a twofold threshold, 146 genes had significant (Po0.05) differences in transcript abundance between the inner and outer biofilm sections. Only 1 gene, GSU0093, a hypothetical ATP-binding cassette transporter, had significantly higher transcript abundances in the outer biofilm. Genes with lower transcript abundance in the outer biofilm included genes for ribosomal proteins and NADH dehydrogenase, suggesting lower metabolic rates. However, differences in transcript abundance were relatively low (othreefold) and the expression of genes for the tricarboxylic acid cycle enzymes was not significantly lower. Lower expression of genes involved in stress responses in the outer biofilm may reflect the development of low pH near the surface of the anode. The results of this study suggest that cells throughout the biofilm are metabolically active and can potentially contribute to current production. The microtoming/microarray strategy described here may be useful for evaluating gene
A collision detection algorithm based on velocity and distance bounds

The collision detection problem is encountered whenever objects are to be manipulated in the real world. Efficient solutions to this problem must intelligently decide when in time and where in space to check for interference among the objects. Complete solutions must guarantee that no collision can be overlooked. Useful solutions should also report the precise space/time points at which colliding objects begin and end contact. An algorithm based on velocity and distance bounds is described which is both useful and complete. Experiments are presented which measure the efficiency of the algorithm on a variety of test cases. The algorithm is contrasted with existing collision detection methods.
Building the Trident Scientific Workflow Workbench for Data Management in the Cloud

Scientific workflows have gained popularity for modeling and executing in silico experiments by scientists for problem-solving. These workflows primarily engage in computation and data transformation tasks to perform scientific analysis in the Science Cloud. Increasingly workflows are gaining use in managing the scientific data when they arrive from external sensors and are prepared for becoming science ready and available for use in the Cloud. While not directly part of the scientific analysis, these workflows operating behind the Cloud on behalf of the -data valets? play an important role in end-to-end management of scientific data products. They share several features with traditional scientific workflows: both are data intensive and use Cloud resources. However, they also differ in significant respects, for example, in the reliability required, scheduling constraints and the use of provenance collected. In this article, we investigate these two classes of workflows – Science Application workflows and Data Preparation workflows – and use these to drive common and distinct requirements from workflow systems for eScience in the Cloud. We use workflow examples from two collaborations, the NEPTUNE oceanography project and the Pan-STARRS astronomy project, to draw out our comparison. Our analysis of these workflows classes can guide the evolution of workflow systems to support emerging applications in the Cloud and the Trident Scientific Workbench is one such workflow system that has directly benefitted from this to meet the needs of these two eScience projects
Prefix Parallel Adder Virtual Implementation in Reversible Logic

This paper demonstrates a simplified approach for reversible logic synthesis based on direct translation of the circuit VHDL description into virtual Fredkin gates. We investigate the size and speed of such a reversible logic implementation of the Brent-Kung Parallel Prefix Adder (PPA) in comparison to a standard logic implementation. Using the Altera Corporation's Quartic II synthesis and simulation tool, we show that our virtual reversible logic implementation follows the O(log2n) delay and O(n) cost of the standard logic implementation.
Influencing a partner to use a condom. A college student perspective.

Many heterosexuals continue to engage in unprotected sexual intercourse despite the risk of contracting AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases. When sex partners do not initially agree upon condom use influence strategies may be used to persuade one to either use or not use condoms. The authors examined the opinions and experiences of 393 college students with condom power strategies. Participants were recruited from introductory psychology courses at UCLA and were of mean age 19 years. Overall they gender-typed strategies as feminine when the goal was to persuade a partner to use condoms and masculine when trying to avoid condom use. Effectiveness and comfort ratings of the strategies varied by student gender and tactic being evaluated. Gender differences were also noted in students actual experiences with the strategies. Men used seduction most often when trying to encourage condom use while women most often withheld sex. To encourage avoiding condom use men were more likely than women to use seduction reward and information.
A MODEL OF REVISION IN NATURAL LANGUAGE GENERATION

We outline a model of generation with revision, focusing on improving textual coherence. We argue that high quality text is more easily produced by iteratively revising and regenerating, as people do, rather than by using an architecturally more complex single pass generator. As a general area of study, the revision process presents interesting problems: Recognition of flaws in text requires a descriptive theory of what constitutes well written prose and a parser which can build a representation in those terms. Improving text requires associating flaws with strategies for improvement. The strategies, in turn, need to know what adjustments to the decisions made during the initial generation will produce appropriate modifications to the text. We compare our treatment of revision with those of Mann and Moore (1981), Gabriel (1984), and Mann (1983).
‘Wandering and settled tribes’: biopolitics, citizenship, and the racialized migrant

This paper argues that purportedly outdated racial categories continue to resonate in contemporary forms of racialization. I examine the use of metaphors of rootedness and shadows by a contemporary UK migrant advocacy organization and its allies to justify migrant regularization and manage illicit circulation. I argue that the distinction between rooted and rootless peoples draws on the colonial and racial distinctions between wandering and settled peoples. Contemporary notions of citizenship continue to draw upon and activate racial forms of differentiation. Citizenship is thus part of a form of racial governance that operates not only along biological but also social and cultural lines, infusing race into the structures, practices, and techniques of governance.
The Ties That Bind

The effects of social capital on school improvement make it important to understand how teachers forge, maintain, or forfeit collegial relationships. Two common explanations focused on formal organizational features and individual characteristics do not address how social capital accrues from informal dynamics of teachers’ interactions in communities. Our longitudinal study of teacher networks in four urban public schools finds that teachers in larger communities and communities with stronger cohesion are more likely to interact with each other over time. Teachers who frequently span community boundaries are less likely to continue interacting. These community-level characteristics are stronger predictors than teacher traits and formal organization. Our results have implications for how schools can support teachers in maintaining relationships and generating social capital.
Autophagostimulant from Culex pipiens Larvae: Distinction from Other Mosquito Larval Factors

After distillation, the autophagostimulant activity of Culex pipiens L. larval water (millipore-filtered water in which kaolin-glutted larvae have been held overnight at a density of 1–3/ml) was found in the residue, whereas distillate fractions were inactive. After washing larval water with ether, virtually all activity was found in the aqueous phase. These separatory characteristics distinguish the C. pipiens autophagostimulant from growth-inhibiting factors produced by larvae of other mosquito species. More potent phagostimulant activity, also ether-insoluble, occurred in overcrowded larval water (10 larvael/ml, with restricted surface area and food provided for 3 days), but no evidence was obtained that such waters contained a growth-inhibitory factor of the sort produced by Culex quinquefasciatus Say larvae. Water in which C. pipiens pupae or eggs had been held overnight sometimes stimulated increased larval ingestion, but generally the activity was trivial vs. that of larval water. Larval, pupal, and egg waters elicited preferential oviposition in choice tests vs. distilled water. For larval water, oviposition-inducing activity was most evident, after fractionation procedures, in the 1st distillate collected, showing that the larval autophagostimulant (not present in distillates) and the principal oviposition attractant are different materials. The ecological implications of the several mosquito-larval factors now known are discussed.
The Effect of Aging Time, Sex, Strain and Age on Cooking Time of Turkey Meat,

Abstract IN roasting turkeys it is difficult to determine the optimum point of doneness. Various subjective tests such as feeling the flesh, moving a joint or pricking the flesh have given inconsistent results (Alexander et al., 1951). One problem has been that “doneness” in the final analysis is a subjective estimate that varies widely among people and between sections of the country. Evidence of this is shown in criteria for doneness; Goertz and Stacy (1960) roasted turkeys to a specific endpoint temperature, Lewis et al. (1958) used a combination of time and internal temperature, and Marion et al. (1958) cooked chicken halves for a specified time. Considerable variation has existed not only in temperature end-point but also in the location to be tested for doneness. The National Turkey Federation (1947) recommends a 190°F. (88°C.) end-point in the center of the inside of the thigh muscle. Goertz et al. (1960) reported an …
Mycorrhizal fungi enhance growth and nutrient uptake of prickly-pear cactus (Opuntia albicarpa Scheinvar ‘Reyna’) plantlets after ex vitro transplantation

SummaryWe studied the effects of a mixed Mexican arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungal inoculum (composed of Glomus albidum, G. diaphanum, and G. clamides) and low phosphate supply (0 and 11 |j,g P ml-1) on growth and nutrient uptake of micropropagated prickly-pear cactus (Opuntia albicarpa Scheinvar Reyna) plantlets. After seven months of glasshouse culture, there was 100% survival of the micropropagated plantlets. Mycorrhizal colonization occurred rapidly within 5 d of inoculation, with the development of internal hyphae in root cortical cells. At the end of the study, high levels (48-54%) of colonization were observed. Plantlets transferred to soil began to grow actively with no lag phase. However, plant growth rate was significantly affected by treatments. Poorest growth occurred with uninoculated plantlets that lacked supplementary P supply. In contrast, the combination of mycorrhizal colonization and supplementary P significantly increased shoot length, shoot and root DM and surface area of the plantle...
Lymph node sampling rates and predictors of nodal metastasis in pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor resections: the UCSF experience with 149 patients.

ObjectivesThe decision to perform pancreas-preserving procedures or standard resections for pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (PNETs) is often based on the perceived risk of malignancy, including potential nodal involvement. We sought to identify clinicopathological factors that predict nodal disease
A speed adaptive sensorless flux observer for the induction motor drive using Sylvester criterion design

The paper presents the design of a speed and flux observer for the sensorless induction motor (IM) drive. The design is based on the full-order model of the IM in the stationary reference frame. The proposed method consists of an observer with linear feedback that yields the motor fluxes and also estimates the speed using an adaptive law. Convergence conditions are formulated based on Lyapunov's nonlinear stability theory - the design of the feedback gains is done using Sylvester criterion. While this observer structure was discussed in the literature previously, the novelty of the method is given by the Sylvester criterion formulation - this uncovers interesting inequalities and offers insight into the design choices and stability margins of the observer. The method can be used to obtain the field orientation angle and speed needed in a sensorless IM drive. The theory is supported by simulations and experiments.
White Backlash, the ‘Taxpaying’ Public, and Educational Citizenship

This article argues that well before the taxpayer revolts of the 1970s, taxpayer identity was a consciously privileged claim that both obscured class divisions among whites and elevated those racia...
Public Office and the Public Sphere

Matheus Miller was a public figure. Among the important events of his life he listed the offices he held, a public career that extended over the last decade of his life. It began inauspiciously however. In October 1673, Augsburg’s highest Lutheran officials, the Stadtpfleger and Burgomaster, chose him to be captain of a newly formed company of militia.1 Matheus refused, only to have his refusal denied.
The Null Case of the Paradox of the Plankton

Speculation about, and investigation of, blooms has a long history, extending back to Biblical time. My own career in bloom research was very brief. It began in June, 1951, when I was given the sonorous title of Chief of Red Tide Investigations by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and arrived in Sarasota, Florida just in time to celebrate my 23 birthday. I resigned - to everyone’s delight - in November, 1953. I have published only two papers on Red Tides, both in 1953. One of these waited at least ten years before it was at all widely read (Kierstead and Slobodkin, 1953). The other has not yet been rediscovered but I am still hopeful (Slobodkin, 1953). Since then I have followed the literature at a distance.
Free vascularized lymph node transfer for treatment of lymphedema: A systematic evidence based review.

Summary Background Free vascularized lymph node transfer (VLNT) is a relatively novel technique for treatment of lymphedema. The purpose of this systematic review was to evaluate the current evidence on VLNT and to determine if there is objective data concerning improved outcomes. Methods A literature search of PubMed, EMBASE and CENTRAL electronic databases was conducted to identify articles written in the English language on VLNT for treatment of lymphedema. Publications were selected according to inclusion criteria. Papers reporting adjunct techniques and those that did not describe outcomes were excluded. Data including patient demographics, surgical technique, complications and outcomes were extracted. A quality score was calculated for each article. Results Eighteen studies were included with an overall study population of 305 patients. Mean quality score of articles was 5.3 with levels of evidence range from II to IV. Among 182 patients who underwent limb circumference assessment, 165 (91%) showed postoperative improvement. Reduction of limb volume was noted in 98 of 114 (86%) patients. Ninety two patients underwent lymphoscintigraphy/lymphangiography and 55 (60%) demonstrated moderate or significant improvement of flow. Patient satisfaction was questioned in 105 patients and with exception of 7 patients, all reported a high satisfaction level with significant relief in symptoms and improved quality of life. Publications also reported a reduction in infectious episodes. Conclusion VLNT appears to provide improvement in lymphedema. More studies with standardized methods for reporting outcomes and uniform patient selection are needed to evaluate this technique thoroughly.
Deregulation and the Great Recession: The 1990s and the 2000s

The term Clintonomics has often been used to describe the economic policies pursued by the economic team of President Bill Clinton. The Clinton years were some of the best years in the recent economic history of the United States. After the massive financial upheavals of the late eighties and early nineties, the economy settled into a period of steady growth and stable deficits. All the main candidates had campaigned on the platform of bringing down the budget deficit and limiting increases to the national debt to varying degrees, and Clinton delivered. The GDP per capita increased, homeownership rates went up, the unemployment and inflation rates dropped, the national debt diminished, and the country saw a budget surplus for the first time in decades. The president could boast of having created the most jobs under any single administration.
Power spectra based classification of cancerous nevoscope skin images

This paper describes a new method to discriminate between benign and malignant skin cancer samples obtained from the nevoscope which is one of the most commonly used skin imaging apparatus amidst an array of others including the electron microscope and the spectrometer. Although there have been various approaches in the literature proposed for skin cancer detection, they lack from not being very robust to noise and variations in the input images and the effective computational cost. In particular, the work done in [1] makes use of basic feature extraction and an expert system to help in differentiating the skin samples. It involves extraction of many different features and human intervention. In this paper we propose a new approach to skin cancer classification problem based on power spectrum estimation in the frequency domain and demonstrates that significant changes between the two classes can be derived. The periodogram is a means for the spectrum estimation and effectively utilized here in. In the implementation, periodograms of sampled windows of the two classes, benign and malignant skin lesions, are compared to classify them in their respective classes. This is achieved by observing the variations in different window sizes for sampling and determining the most discriminative window size, respectively. The experimental results show that power spectra based classification of cancerous nevoscope skin images is an effective means (i.e almost 97% accurate classification) of non-invasively detecting skin cancer with potential applications in biomedical imaging and related technologies(eg. preventive health care, biopsy, dermatology, etc.).
Hybrid robotic coronary artery bypass grafting: how do we do it

We present the case of a 58-year-old Jehovah’s Witness admitted to our Institution with unstable angina for the previous two weeks. Past medical history included hypertension, hyperlipidemia and previous testicular cancer treated with resection and chemotherapy about 15 years earlier. At admission, a trans-esophageal echocardiogram (TEE) showed preserved ejection fraction (EF) with no regional wall abnormalities or valve disease. A left heart catheterization showed two-vessel disease, including a calcified ostial left anterior descending artery (LAD) lesion and a focal right coronary artery lesion. After discussion with the patient, primary physician and interventional cardiologist, informed consent was obtained for a hybrid revascularization, including robotic coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) with left internal mammary artery (LIMA) to LAD followed by a percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) on the right coronary lesion with a drug eluting stent (DES).
Behaviorally oriented nutrition education at a Russian summer camp improves children’s dietary choices: a quasi-experimental study

It is presently unknown whether behaviorally oriented, theory-based nutrition education from a Western context could be effective for improving healthy eating behavior and its psychosocial determinants among Russian children. Effective nutrition education delivered in summer programs could potentially impact dietary patterns and play an important role in efforts to reduce childhood obesity. We hypothesized that nutrition education including an additional behavioral skills component would be superior to nutrition education without this component and that boys and girls would differ in their response to nutrition education. Boys (n = 19) and girls (n = 21), aged 8–12 years, were assigned to one of two conditions receiving 15 daily sessions of behaviorally oriented, theory-based nutrition education. One condition received an additional skills training component, including activities such as snack preparation, role-playing, and games. An innovative objective measure was used to assess change in healthy snack choices. Psychosocial determinants of healthy eating (i.e., healthy eating knowledge, fruit self-efficacy, vegetable self-efficacy, healthy eating attitudes, and fruit and vegetable enjoyment) were assessed via questionnaire. Across both educational conditions, there were significant improvements in healthy snack choices (p 0.05). Among the six outcomes, there was one significant sex difference for fruit and vegetable enjoyment change score (p = 0.002), as girls showed a larger increase in enjoyment over time compared to boys, and the overall nutrition education effects differed by sex (F = 3.03, p = 0.019). Nutrition education, with or without behavioral skills training, was associated with improved healthy snack choices, healthy eating attitudes, and knowledge, but the impact differed by sex. Future research should evaluate the long-term impacts of behaviorally oriented nutrition education among Russian boys and girls. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03077464
Optimal Transmission Range in Sleeping Wireless Networks

Assigning the transmission range for wireless networks is a critical aspect that has been well studied. But, there has been no work on assigning optimal transmission ranges in energy-constrained wireless networks, where nodes periodically sleep in order to prolong the life-time. In this paper, we focus on building an analytical model for networks with mostly sleeping nodes. We study the impact of varying transmission ranges for different networks subjected to varied network loads on both per hop delay and end-to-end delay. Our model is general enough to be applied to any type sleep scheduling mechanism. Extensive simulation results in ns-2 validate our model.