cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Middle Distillate Fuel Stability: Straightforward Methods for Improving Quality

Fuel storage instability reactions of middle distillate fuels continue to be a major problem for the Department of Defense. Unlike civilian fuels, military fuels can remain in storage tanks for one or more years. As fuels are drawn from these tanks, the tanks are subsequently topped off with more recently purchased fuels. In many cases, the mixed fuels are not compatible resulting in sediment and sludge formation. This fuel incompatibility results in degradation reactions that form solids which will plug nozzles and filters and render the entire contents of the storage tank unusable. Previous research has shown that certain specific polar organic nitrogen functional groups are involved in fuel instability reactions. These organonitrogen compounds are difficult to completely remove during refining. We report on a simple inexpensive procedure for the removal of these organonitrogen compounds before fuels are mixed in storage tanks.
Serum triiodothyronine concentration in the iodine-deficient rat

A low iodine diet fed to rats resulted in decreased absolute amounts of circulating triiodothyronine and protein-bound iodine (PBI), but an increase in the triiodothyronine: protein-bound iodine ratio. Since baseline protein-bound iodine values were high, it is possible the “normal” diet fed was in fact a high iodine one. In this event, the fall in protein-bound iodine with the low iodine diet would be greater than that in thyroxine concentration. The relative increase in triiodothyronine compared to PBI concentration with the low iodine diet could result from preforential synthesis and secretion of triiodothyronine by the iodine-deficient thyroid; or could be due to accelerated removal of thyroxine due to increased peripheral utilization. Either change could keep body metabolism normal or nearly so over an extended period of iodine want.
Calibration techniques and results in the soft X-ray and extreme ultraviolet for components of the Extreme Ultraviolet Explorer Satellite

The calibration facilities and techniques for the Extreme Ultraviolet Explorer (EUVE) from 44 to 2500 A are described. Key elements include newly designed radiation sources and a collimated monochromatic EUV beam. Sample results for the calibration of the EUVE filters, detectors, gratings, collimators, and optics are summarized.
Surface States on Tungsten

The energy distribution of field-emitted electrons from single-crystal faces of tungsten exhibits structure which is extremely sensitive to surface contaminants. The structure for the (100) plane has the correct shape and energy expected for surface states resulting from spin-orbit---split bands. These results are in good agreement with recent theoretical predictions.
Parallel computation of aerodynamic influence coefficients for aeroelastic analysis on a transputer network

Aeroelastic analysis is mult-disciplinary and computationally expensive. Hence, it can greatly benefit from parallel processing. As part of an effort to develop an aeroelastic analysis capability on a distributed-memory transputer network, a parallel algorithm for the computation of aerodynamic influence coefficients is implemented on a network of 32 transputers. The aerodynamic influence coefficients are calculated using a three-dimensional unsteady aerodynamic model and a panel discretization. Efficiencies up to 85 percent are demonstrated using 32 processors. The effects of subtask ordering, problem size and network topology are presented. A comparison to results on a shared-memory computer indicates that higher speedup is achieved on the distributed-memory system.
The USNRC thermal-hydraulic research program

Abstract The general NRC research philosophy as given in the Five-Year Plan, is quoted so that one can better appreciate the activities in the specific research area of thermal hydraulics (T/H). These activities are then described as they exist in the current version of the Five-Year Plan. A historical perspective of T/H research is next presented, emphasizing the accomplishments leading to the revised ECCS rule and the role of cooperative research with both international and domestic institutions. A plan for increased use of assessed T/H computer codes by the NRC staff is discussed. The need for adequate documentation of completed codes is then described. The paper ends with a short description of future paths for T/H research. The contribution of Dr. S. Levy to the Advanced Code Review Group and the study on Code Scalability Accuracy and uncertainty is acknowledged.
Direct Measurement of Atomic Lifetimes of Cesium and Sodium

An apparatus has been developed which is capable of measuring radiative lifetimes for energy levels that can be reached in absorption. At present, lifetimes in the range 15 nsec to 5 μsec can be measured, but the range can be extended in both directions. The lifetime of the 7p P232 state of cesium is measured to be 111±6 nsec, in moderately good agreement with one previous determination and with a Bates–Damgaard calculation. The lifetime of the 3p2P states of sodium is measured to be 16.1 ± 1 nsec, in excellent agreement with other measurements.
The role of polar localization in the function of an essential Caulobacter crescentus tyrosine kinase

Summary DivL is an essential tyrosine kinase in Caulobacter crescentus that controls an early step in the cell division cycle. We show here that DivL dynamically localizes to the stalk-distal cell pole and less frequently to the stalked cell pole during the S-phase. The kinase is subsequently released from the cell poles late in division and remains dispersed in the newly divided progeny stalk and swarmer cells. Mutational analysis of DivL in a DivL–GFP fusion protein demonstrated that the extreme C-terminus and residues in the conserved four-helix bundle, which is the phosphorylation–dimerization domain, are important for localization. We speculate that the four-helix bundle of the core catalytic domain may serve as a recognition site for the ‘localization machinery’. Unexpectedly, a DivL protein with mutations in the C-terminal localization sequence, and an intact catalytic domain, efficiently complemented a divL null mutation. Thus, subcellular localization of DivL is not essential to its function in cell division regulation. Regulation of cell division by DivL does, however, depend on its localization in the cell membrane.
Robustness and Surgery of Frames

Abstract We characterize frames in R n that are robust to k erasures. The characterization is given in terms of the support of the null space of the synthesis operator of the frame. A necessary and sufficient condition is given for when an (r, k)-surgery on unit-norm tight frames in R 2 are possible. Also a generalization of a known characterization of the existence of tight frames with prescribed norms is given.
Origin and health risks of indoor radon.

Radon has always been a component of ground and air and it has been present in increased concentrations from the moment humans first sought shelter inside dwellings. Recent improvements in the energy efficiency of dwellings have led to increased concentrations of radon and to increased risks of lung cancer. To quantify the magnitude of this risk, well-designed epidemiological studies, including surveys of representative dwellings, are needed, and several are being implemented. In the meantime, the EPA and other agencies have offered guidance on monitoring procedures and remedial measures appropriate for the problem on indoor radon. Recent disclosures of relatively high concentrations of radon and radon decay products in homes in several parts of the country have increased public concern about the problem. More information and education are needed about the health risks of radon, the desirability of implementing monitoring procedures for radon, and about remediation measures when detected levels are above average. Educational resources are needed in communities to address local issues when they arise. These resources should include knowledgeable individuals who can work with state and county health officials to put public concerns into perspective within the local context. Physicians, other health professionals, and medical scientists have the knowledge and credentials to be these individuals. To provide health professionals with knowledge and skills to communicate with the public about the health risks of radon, the American Medical Association has prepared an authoritative report and initiated a series of regional seminars on the origin and health risks of radon. These seminars provide an overview of the problem and address several concerns voiced by health professionals and the public about health risks, measurement techniques, and remediation methods. Seminar participants are encouraged to become active in addressing issues concerning radon in their communities.
Noninvasive Determination of Optical Parameters from One Reflectance Image and Extension to Depth-Resolving

The problem of determining optical parameters from one reflectance image has been solved for homogeneous tissue phantoms within the radiative transfer theory. We further extend this method for depth-resolving in heterogeneous phantoms of pigmented lesions.
Class Backgrounds, Modes of Incorporation, and Puerto Ricans' Pathways Into the Transnational Professional Workforce:

Patterns of labor market incorporation of two samples of middle-class Puerto Ricans (U.S. migrants and return migrants to the Island) are examined in this article. Particular attention is paid to the diverse class backgrounds of Puerto Rican professionals and how these backgrounds (and how they structure migration options) impact educational attainment. The author also examines the resources and opportunities garnered through U.S. citizenship, specifically among those from working-class/poor backgrounds who are more likely to be structurally constrained in their efforts to achieve social mobility. The author further analyzes the direct and indirect impact of these factors on Puerto Ricans' incorporation into mainland and Island labor markets and their entry into the transnational professional workforce.
Optimum-sensitivity active RC bandpass filter

A realisation is given for a 2-pole bandpass filter that requires only resistors and capacitors as passive elements and a negative-immittance convertor as an active element. The realisation uses fewer components than other realisations, is optimally insensitive to variations in the gain of the negative-immittance convertor and provides for independent adjustment of both the resonant frequency and the Qfactor of the circuit.
The not so noble Antonio: a Horneyan analysis of Shakespeare's Merchant of Venice.

Criticism of The Merchant of Venice has focused primarily on the aesthetic and thematic structure of the play and on the treatment of Shylock, whose psychological complexity tends to subvert his role as comic villain. There has been remarkably little discussion of Antonio, despite the fact that he is the title character and that we cannot comprehend the structure of the play without understanding his function. Antonio has been felt by many to be an "inconsistent and unrealized" character (Hinely, 1980, p. 217). According to J. Middleton Murray (1965), "he is a shadow beside Shylock and Portia, and unsubstantial even in comparison with his Venetian entourage" (p. 34). I find Antonio to be one of the most fully developed characters in Shakespearean comedy, far more complex than Shylock. His relationships with Bassanio and Shylock are portrayed in rich mimetic detail and are at the center of the play. In addition to being perhaps the major protagonist in the action, Antonio also serves as an exemplar of the values celebrated by the play. "A kinder gentleman," says Salerio, "treads not the earth" (2.8.35). Antonio is presented as being loyal, generous, unselfish, merciful, the noblest man "that draws breath in Italy" (3.2.294). A psychological analysis of his relationship with Bassanio shows that much of his "noble" behavior is compulsively selfsacrificial, and there is a contradictory side of Antonio that emerges in his treatment of Shylock. His defenses and inner conflicts are reflected in the play as a whole, and his personality seems similar in many ways to Shakespeare's (Paris, 1989). Before we analyze Antonio's character and relationships, let us look briefly at his role in the plot. In order to correct the overemphasis upon Shylock, Harold C. Goddard (1951) reminds us that The Merchant of Venice is "an interweaving of three strands commonly known as the casket story, the bond story, and the ring story" (p. 82). Like most comedies, the play deals with the desire of lovers for union, the forces that block that desire, and the removal of those forces. In Merchant, there are three pairs of lovers whose relationships
On the weak interconnection of composite dynamic systems

The relation of eigenvalue location properties of weakly coupled systems and systems with slow and fast modes in singular perturbation analysis is considered. A "weak interconnection" condition that does not require a set of eigenvalues to be smaller in modulus than another set is introduced. Stability, controllability, sensitivity and optimality are discussed.
Influence of rest periods on the fatigue strength of structural steel

Abstract The effect of rest periods on fatigue life was investigated. Small size specimen and constant load amplitudes were used with a new developed fatigue testing machine in alternating bending. Rest periods of 1.5 min were introduced after each half cycle. The cycling rate was 0.25 cpm. Comparative tests on specimen tested without rest periods showed a substantial increase in fatigue life due to rest periods.
On the cyclonic mean circulation of large lakes

Abstract In large lakes, during the heating season, the combination of surface wind drift and solar heating results in the horizontal transport of some of the absorbed heat into the coastal zone. Large-scale vertical movements associated with alternating upwellings and downwellings distribute the heat over a deeper water mass than at mid-lake. As a result, the mean shape of isotherm surfaces is “domed” and, correspondingly, the lake surface is slightly raised near shore and depressed over the center thermocline dome. The mean circulation in geostrophic equilibrium with this surface elevation field is a cyclonic gyre. In Lake Ontario, the amplitude of the mean surface velocity associated with this gyre is of the order of 3 cm sec-1.
Envisioning sustainable community decision-making

Helping engineering students become strong communicators in diverse situations with diverse audiences is an important challenge for Engineering Communication instructors. Most civil-engineering students have little opportunity to practice the skills involved in working with stakeholders or to experience the collaborative process of communal decision-making, skills that will be particularly useful to them as engineers. To meet this challenge, I have devised a series of activities that engage students in constructing a collaborative space in which to discuss and analyze problem-based technical and social issues: a Town Meeting in which students role-playing environmental engineers present a plan for containing storm-water run-off to a diverse group of townspeople and officials. This mock Town Meeting is then followed by assignments asking students to reflect on what they saw, heard, and learned. This reflective writing reveals, for some students, a growing awareness of the complexity of both communication and engineering problems, as well as a recognition that communication styles vary widely. To enhance the situated learning experience and to facilitate richer assessment of its pedagogical effectiveness, I will expand the exercise to ask students to analyze the engineering design itself and will make more use of student teams to set their own agendas and mini-projects within the overall project module.
Even mode analysis of symmetric coupled microstrip

The analysis formula of Garg and Bahl for computation of the even mode impedance of a symmetric coupled microstrip line is replaced by another algorithm which shows better agreement with Bryant and Weiss data.
Syngas conversion to gasoline-range hydrocarbons over Pd/ZnO/Al2O3 and ZSM-5 composite catalyst system

A composite Pd/ZnO/Al2O3-HZSM-5 (Si/Al=40) catalytic system was evaluated for the synthesis of gasoline-range hydrocarbons directly from synthesis gas. Bifunctional catalyst comprising PdZn metal and acid sites present the required catalytically active sites necessary for the methanol synthesis, methanol dehydration, and methanol-to-gasoline reactions. This system provides a unique catalytic pathway for the production of liquid hydrocarbons directly from syngas. However, selectivity control is difficult and poses many challenges. The composite catalytic system was evaluated under various process conditions. Investigated were the effects of temperature (310-375oC), pressure (300-1000 psig), time-on-stream (50 hrs), and gas-hour space velocity (740-2970 hr-1), using a H2/CO molar syngas ratio of 2.0. By operating at the lower end of the temperature range investigated, liquid hydrocarbon formation was favored, as was decreased amounts of undesirable light hydrocarbons. However, lower operating temperatures also facilitated undesirable CO2 formation via the water-gas shift reaction. Higher operating pressures slightly favored liquid synthesis. Operating at relatively low pressures (e.g. 300 psig) was made possible, whereas for methanol synthesis alone higher pressure are usually required to achieve similar conversion levels (e.g. 1000 psig). Thermodynamic constraints on methanol synthesis are eased by pushing the equilibrium through hydrocarbon formation. Catalytic performance was also evaluated by altering Pdmore » and Zn composition of the Pd/ZnO/Al2O3 catalyst. Of the catalysts and conditions tested, selectivity toward liquid hydrocarbon was highest when using a 5% Pd metal loading and Pd/Zn molar ratio of 0.25 and mixed with HZMS-5, operating at 310oC and 300 psig, CO conversion was 43 % and selectivity (carbon weight basis) to hydrocarbons was 49 wt. %. Of the hydrocarbon fraction, 44wt. % was in the C5-C12 liquid product range and consisted primarily of aromatic polymethylbenzenes. However, as syngas conversion increases with increasing temperature, selectivity to liquid product diminished. This is attributed, in large part, to increased saturation of the olefinic intermediates over PdZn metal sites. Under all the conditions and catalysts evaluated in this study, generating liquid product in high yield was challenging (<10 wt. % C5+ yield).« less
A survey of systems for detecting serial run‐time errors

This paper evaluates the ability of a variety of commercial and non-commercial software products to detect serial run-time errors in C and C++ programs, to issue meaningful messages, and to give the line in the source code where the error occurred. The commercial products Insure++ and Purify performed the best of all the software products we evaluated. Error messages were usually better and clearer when using Insure++ than when using Purify. Our evaluation shows that the overall capability of detecting run-time errors of non-commercial products is significantly lower than the quality of both Purify and Insure++. Of all non-commercial products evaluated, Mpatrol provided the best overall capability to detect run-time errors in C and C++ programs. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Structural Analysis of a Highly Glycosylated and Unliganded gp120-Based Antigen Using Mass Spectrometry †

Structural characterization of the HIV-1 envelope protein gp120 is very important for providing an understanding of the protein's immunogenicity and its binding to cell receptors. So far, the crystallographic structure of gp120 with an intact V3 loop (in the absence of a CD4 coreceptor or antibody) has not been determined. The third variable region (V3) of the gp120 is immunodominant and contains glycosylation signatures that are essential for coreceptor binding and entry of the virus into T-cells. In this study, we characterized the structure of the outer domain of gp120 with an intact V3 loop (gp120-OD8) purified from Drosophila S2 cells utilizing mass spectrometry-based approaches. We mapped the glycosylation sites and calculated the glycosylation occupancy of gp120-OD8; 11 sites from 15 glycosylation motifs were determined as having high-mannose or hybrid glycosylation structures. The specific glycan moieties of nine glycosylation sites from eight unique glycopeptides were determined by a combination of ECD and CID MS approaches. Hydroxyl radical-mediated protein footprinting coupled with mass spectrometry analysis was employed to provide detailed information about protein structure of gp120-OD8 by directly identifying accessible and hydroxyl radical-reactive side chain residues. Comparison of gp120-OD8 experimental footprinting data with a homology model derived from the ligated CD4-gp120-OD8 crystal structure revealed a flexible V3 loop structure in which the V3 tip may provide contacts with the rest of the protein while residues in the V3 base remain solvent accessible. In addition, the data illustrate interactions between specific sugar moieties and amino acid side chains potentially important to the gp120-OD8 structure.
A Quantitative Study of the Food of the Smallmouth Black Bass, Micropterus Dolomieu, in Three Eastern Streams

Abstract A study of the food of 308 adult and 1,076 fingerling smallmouth black bass (Micropterus dolomieu) from the Shenandoah River, South Branch of the Potomac, and Cacapon Rivers is reported. The adults in the latter two rivers consumed a large number of items insignificant in their size. Fast-growing bass from the Shenandoah River had eaten few but large items, chiefly madtoms (Schilbeodcs insignis) and various minnows. The viscera of Shenandoah River smallmouth black bass contained large quantities of fat as compared with the relatively small quantities of fat in the viscera of adult fish from the other two rivers. This characteristic of well-fed, fast-growing smallmouth black bass might be used in determining directly food conditions in a stream. Unlike fry and fingerling smallmouth bass of lakes, the first food of the bass in these rivers consisted mainly of small midge larvae, mayfly nymphs, and occasionally fish. Analyses of the food of fingerling smallmouth bass are given by seasons, and the fo...
Ethnic Variability in the Expression of Hepatic Drug Transporters: Absolute Quantification by an Optimized Targeted Quantitative Proteomic Approach

Hepatic OATPs 1B1, 1B3 and 2B1, as well as P-gp, play important roles in regulating liver uptake and biliary excretion of drugs. The intrinsic ethnic variability in OATP1B1-mediated hepatic uptake of statins has been proposed to underlie the ethnic variability in plasma exposures of statins between Caucasians and Asians. Using a targeted quantitative proteomic approach, we determined hepatic protein concentrations of OATP1B1, OATP1B3, OATP2B1, P-gp, and PMCA4 (a housekeeping protein) in a panel of human livers (n = 141) and compared protein expression across Caucasian, Asian, African-American, and unidentified donors. Using an optimized protocol that included sodium deoxycholate as a membrane protein solubilizer, the hepatic protein expression levels (mean ± S.D.) of these transporters across all livers were determined to be 15.0 ± 6.0, 16.1 ± 8.1, 4.1 ± 1.3, 0.6 ± 0.2, and 2.4 ± 1.0 fmol/μg of total membrane protein, respectively. The scaling factor was 3.5 mg of total membrane protein in 100 mg of wet liver tissue. OATP1B1 protein expression was significantly associated with the c.388A>G (rs2306283, N130D) single nucleotide polymorphism. When compared across ethnicity, the hepatic expression levels of OATP1B1 and OATP1B3 were unexpectedly higher in Asians relative to Caucasians, suggesting that hepatic OATP expression alone does not explain the increased systemic statin levels in Asians compared with Caucasians. These findings may help improve physiologically based pharmacokinetic modeling to predict statin pharmacokinetic profiles and enable extrapolation of pharmacokinetic data of OATP substrates across ethnic groups.
A 4-channel 24–27 GHz CMOS differential phased-array receiver

The paper presents a 24–27 GHz 4-channel CMOS differential phased array receiver front-end with integrated baluns, ESD protection and VGAs. The differential implementation of the phased array significantly reduces the substrate coupling effects. The measured array performance shows an input and output match of ≪ −10 dB, 12–15 dB gain, 7.8–9.5 dB NF, an IIP3 of −9 to −12 dBm, an input P 1dB of −19 to −22 dBm, and a 4-bit phase control with an rms gain and phase errors of ≪ 0.35 dB and ≪ 6°, respectively, all at 24–27 GHz. The measured rms gain and phase errors due to on-chip coupling effects are ≪ 0.25 dB and ≪ 2° at 20–30 GHz. The chip consumes 155 mA from a 1.5 V supply with an area of 4 mm2 and can operate over a 3 GHz instantaneous bandwidth (limited by the gain response).
Neurophysiological mechanisms of sleep-dependent memory consolidation and its facilitation by prenatal choline supplementation

Understanding the role of sleep in memory consolidation is an important topic in cognitive neuroscience because it could help us understand the functions of sleep as well as how memory is being consolidated off-line during sleep. Here we review recent studies that focus on the neurophysiological changes that occur during sleep and how these sleep-dependent changes could benefit memory consolidation. In particular, rapid eye movement (REM) sleep provides a preferential time window for memory consolidation across molecular, cellular and synaptic levels while slow-wave sleep (SWS) provides a second time window for memory consolidation at the neural-network level. It is proposed that high-frequency oscillations in the hippocampus (e.g., ripple events) serve as an endogenous trigger for long-term potentiation that plays a critical role in connecting a variety of sleep-dependent neurophysiological processes. We further suggest that repeated alternation of SWS and REM are needed in order to get a “good night’s sleep”. New findings from studies examining how prenatal choline supplementation produces organizational changes in hippocampal function, may provide a useful model for validating the importance of hippocampal ripple events in facilitating memory consolidation during both REM sleep and SWS. These data support our general conclusion that the types of neural plasticity supported by prenatal choline supplementation and sleep are vital for cognitive health, because they produce a host of neurophysiological changes, some of which are also important for memory consolidation.
Exposing Compounding Uncertainties in Sea Level Rise Assessments

Abstract KETTLE, N.P., 2012. Exposing compounding uncertainties in sea level rise assessments. Coastal communities and ecosystems, including those along the Carolina coast of the eastern United States, are at risk to permanent or episodic inundation, contamination of freshwater supplies, and a host of other climate change related environmental hazards due to sea level rise. In order to guide development of mitigation and adaptation strategies, stakeholders will require information on baseline conditions and projections of change. However, the interpretation of impact assessments is not always straightforward given the uncertainties in measuring relative sea level rise, the challenges in predicting the magnitude of change, and the difficulty in acquiring appropriate data and methodologies for quantifying impacts. In addition, many sea level rise assessments are not at spatial or temporal scales most relevant for decision makers. In the context of sea level rise assessments, this study presents a model to d...
Task-level feedback can explain temporal recruitment of spatially fixed muscle synergies throughout postural perturbations

Recent evidence suggests that complex spatiotemporal patterns of muscle activity can be explained with a low-dimensional set of muscle synergies or M-modes. While it is clear that both spatial and temporal aspects of muscle coordination may be low dimensional, constraints on spatial versus temporal features of muscle coordination likely involve different neural control mechanisms. We hypothesized that the low-dimensional spatial and temporal features of muscle coordination are independent of each other. We further hypothesized that in reactive feedback tasks, spatially fixed muscle coordination patterns—or muscle synergies—are hierarchically recruited via time-varying neural commands based on delayed task-level feedback. We explicitly compared the ability of spatially fixed (SF) versus temporally fixed (TF) muscle synergies to reconstruct the entire time course of muscle activity during postural responses to anterior-posterior support-surface translations. While both SF and TF muscle synergies could account for EMG variability in a postural task, SF muscle synergies produced more consistent and physiologically interpretable results than TF muscle synergies during postural responses to perturbations. Moreover, a majority of SF muscle synergies were consistent in structure when extracted from epochs throughout postural responses. Temporal patterns of SF muscle synergy recruitment were well-reconstructed by delayed feedback of center of mass (CoM) kinematics and reproduced EMG activity of multiple muscles. Consistent with the idea that independent and hierarchical low-dimensional neural control structures define spatial and temporal patterns of muscle activity, our results suggest that CoM kinematics are a task variable used to recruit SF muscle synergies for feedback control of balance.
Antiprogestin mifepristone inhibits the growth of cancer cells of reproductive and non-reproductive origin regardless of progesterone receptor expression

Background Mifepristone (MF) has been largely used in reproductive medicine due to its capacity to modulate the progesterone receptor (PR). The study of MF has been expanded to the field of oncology; yet it remains unclear whether the expression of PR is required for MF to act as an anti-cancer agent. Our laboratory has shown that MF is a potent inhibitor of ovarian cancer cell growth. In this study we questioned whether the growth inhibitory properties of MF observed in ovarian cancer cells would translate to other cancers of reproductive and non-reproductive origin and, importantly, whether its efficacy is related to the expression of cognate PR.
Public Policy and Diffusion of Innovation

Marketers have traditionally studied diffusion of innovation with a primary focus on the individual consumer as a unit of analysis, the major types of findings being characteristics of adopter categories and opinion leadership. We propose that this perspective is not adequate from a macromarketing perspective, in which the goals are to set public policy for societal good or to create an environment which enables the diffusion of an innovation in a way that no single marketer could do alone. In setting public policy which can enable (or inhibit) diffusion of innovation for societal good, a system composed of a mass social infrastructure, a competitive infrastructure, and a technical infrastructure should be considered.
Recovering depth from stereo using ART neural networks

One of the long standing problems in passive stereo vision is that of constructing a range map using only two images providing two views of the same 3-D world scene. It amounts to identifying pairs of corresponding pixels, one pixel in each image, that are associated with the same point on the 3-D world. We are introducing ART-1 neural networks as a primitive capable of addressing the stereo correspondence problem. Using a multi-pass approach it is possible to increase gradually the density of matched points, while at the same time false matches are filtered by requiring close agreement between disparity estimates in a neighborhood. At the end, a reasonably dense disparity map is obtained, to the extent that it allows the reconstruction of the scene using interpolation methods. Our scheme has been tested on stereograms, virtual world scenes generated by computer programs (where the "ground truth" is known) as well as real-world scenes. In all cases the scene reconstructions are shown to be quite realistic.
RTL Test Point Insertion to Reduce Delay Test Volume

In this paper, a novel test point insertion methodology is presented for RTL designs that aim to reduce the data volume of scan-based transition delay tests. Test points are identified based on functional information of RTL primitives using a satisfiability based algorithm. A subset of scan flip-flops is identified for conversion to enhanced-scan, i.e., the values are stored in two flip-flops thereby removing the circuit dependency of the second pattern in broadside transition tests. Using the proposed methodology, the number of specified bits required to test transition faults is reduced thus improving test set compaction. The advantage of test point insertion at RTL is that the extra delay due to multiplexers can be absorbed during logic synthesis. Experimental results show that the proposed methodology can reduce transition test data volume by more than 30% with 1% area overhead and without violating timing constraints.
Being Allowing and yet Directive: Mindfulness Meditation in the Teaching of Developmental Reading and Writing.

Because learning to meditate shares important qualities with learning to be a better reader and writer—for example, dispassionate noticing, becoming more aware of inner processes, a faith in inner wisdom, effort made with a light touch, the cultivation of a practice through simple, regular doing—practice in mindfulness meditation was used to help incoming community college ESL students become more reflective in their writing and more deliberate in their reading practices.
Outcome Differences Between Gastroschisis Repair Methods

Background Gastroschisis is a congenital abdominal wall defect that is repaired with either a primary closure or staged closure. The outcome of these infants may differ because of different closure techniques. In addition to the usual markers of parenteral nutrition (PN) use and length of stay (LOS) as outcome measures, we examined the duration of postoperative acidosis and positive fluid balance as markers for postoperative stress associated with these two techniques. Methods A retrospective review of newborns with gastroschisis was conducted at a free-standing children's hospital from 2002 to 2008. The demographic data, gestational age, birth weight, operative reports, days on PN, LOS, duration of postoperative acidosis and fluid balances were reviewed. Data were analyzed using the Fisher's exact test or unpaired t test. Results Thirty-two infants with gastroschisis were identified. One was excluded from analysis due to incomplete follow-up. The patients were classified as either primary closure (n = 8) or staged repair (n = 23). There was one death in our series. Patients who underwent primary closure had significantly older gestational age and higher birth weight. Primary closure is associated with significantly less duration of postoperative metabolic acidosis and fewer days with positive fluid balance. Patients who had primary repair also had less parenteral nutrition use and shorter length of hospitalization, though not statistically significant. Gastroschisis with associated intestinal atresia was more likely to be repaired with staged closures. Conclusions There are physiologic advantages to primary repair of gastroschisis that can lead to better outcome, but the indications for the choices of closure technique remain unclear. Primary closure should be used when possible.
Improving the Social Communication Skills of At-Risk Preschool Children in a Play Context

This study was designed to examine the effects of a three-component intervention on the social-communicative interactions of six preschool children at risk for language delays and behavior problems. In a multiple baseline design across three dyads, children were taught to (a) plan their play, (b) use conversational social interaction strategies, and (c) self-evaluate their play interactions. The number of social-communicative behaviors by each child increased following introduction of the intervention condition, as did their use of descriptive and request utterances during play sessions. Increases in linguistic complexity and diversity and play complexity also were associated with the intervention. This intervention holds promise for improving social, linguistic, and play behaviors in preschoolers at risk for language delays and behavior problems.
Longitudinal Requirement for CD4+ T Cell Help for Adenovirus Vector–Elicited CD8+ T Cell Responses

Despite the widespread use of replication-incompetent recombinant adenovirus (Ad) vectors as candidate vaccine platforms, the mechanism by which these vectors elicit CD8+ T cell responses remains poorly understood. Our data demonstrate that induction and maintenance of CD8+ T cell responses by Ad vector immunization is longitudinally dependent on CD4+ T cell help for a prolonged period. Depletion of CD4+ T cells in wild type mice within the first 8 d following Ad immunization resulted in dramatically reduced induction of Ag-specific CD8+ T cells, decreased T-bet and eomesodermin expression, impaired KLRG1+ effector differentiation, and atypical expression of the memory markers CD127, CD27, and CD62L. Moreover, these CD8+ T cells failed to protect against a lethal recombinant Listeria monocytogenes challenge. Depletion of CD4+ T cells between weeks 1 and 4 following immunization resulted in increased contraction of memory CD8+ T cells. These data demonstrate a prolonged temporal requirement for CD4+ T cell help for vaccine-elicited CD8+ T cell responses in mice. These findings have important implications in the design of vaccines aimed at eliciting CD8+ T cell responses and may provide insight into the impaired immunogenicity of vaccines in the context of AIDS and other CD4+ T cell immune deficiencies.
Real-time measurement of d- and q-axis currents using Rogowski coil

The control process of many inverter-based systems requires having d- and q-axis currents which have been calculated through a microprocessor-based system. This paper presents a new technique able to direct measure those currents through a non-magnetic current sensor called a Rogowski coil. The basic idea behind this technique is to design a suitable integrator circuit for the coil to convert the actual current passing through it into a proper voltage that indicates the values of its d- and q-axis components. The proposed configuration of the coil and its associated integrator circuit is analyzed and discussed in detail in this paper. A simulation study proves how the proposed method could provide real-time measurement capability.
DAVID Knowledgebase: a gene-centered database integrating heterogeneous gene annotation resources to facilitate high-throughput gene functional analysis

Background: Due to the complex and distributed nature of biological research, our current biological knowledge is spread over many redundant annotation databases maintained by many independent groups. Analysts usually need to visit many of these bioinformatics databases in order to integrate comprehensive annotation information for their genes, which becomes one of the bottlenecks, particularly for the analytic task associated with a large gene list. Thus, a highly centralized and ready-to-use gene-annotation knowledgebase is in demand for high throughput gene functional analysis. Description: The DAVID Knowledgebase is built around the DAVID Gene Concept, a single-linkage method to agglomerate tens of millions of gene/protein identifiers from a variety of public genomic resources into DAVID gene clusters. The grouping of such identifiers improves the cross-reference capability, particularly across NCBI and UniProt systems, enabling more than 40 publicly available functional annotation sources to be comprehensively integrated and centralized by the DAVID gene clusters. The simple, pair-wise, text format files which make up the DAVID Knowledgebase are freely downloadable for various data analysis uses. In addition, a well organized web interface allows users to query different types of heterogeneous annotations in a high-throughput manner. Conclusion: The DAVID Knowledgebase is designed to facilitate high throughput gene functional analysis. For a given gene list, it not only provides the quick accessibility to a wide range of heterogeneous annotation data in a centralized location, but also enriches the level of biological information for an individual gene. Moreover, the entire DAVID Knowledgebase is freely downloadable or searchable at http://david.abcc.ncifcrf.gov/knowledgebase/.
Operation of a Sealed-Tube-Vircator High-Power-Microwave Source

The high-power-microwave (HPM) sources currently under development typically require constant pumping to maintain the high vacuum levels required for operation. This pumping is often done with either a cryo- or turbopumping system, either of which would be difficult to deploy in a compact portable system. A compact sealed-tube virtual cathode oscillator (vircator) source has been developed at Texas Tech University (TTU) that does not require a bulky external vacuum pump for operation. This device has a base vacuum pressure in the low range compared to the majority of laboratory HPM sources having vacuum levels in the - range. The reduced amount of trapped gasses in the sealed-tube ultrahigh-vacuum environment has the potential to greatly impact device performance. The TTU sealed-tube vircator is useful as a testbed for studying HPM source optimization under UHV conditions. Measured operational characteristics of the tube utilizing a carbon fiber cathode and a nickel anode are presented, along with radiated microwave measurements.
The U.S. role in global internet governance

Who should control the Internet? A dozen years after the Internet became a mass medium, this issue has continued to grow in urgency, becoming white hot in fall 2005. At the September 2005 preparatory meeting for the UN World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS), a coalition of countries criticized the United States' unilateral control of the Internet's domain name system (DNS) and proposed the establishment of a multinational Council to supervise it. This proposal emerged from the Final Report of the UN Working Group on Internet Governance. Researchers from the Internet Governance Project, a university-based consortium for policy analysis, have concluded that the United States should internationalize governance of the Internet, but in a way that avoids intrusive, centralized control.
A Comparison of Schemes for Coarse Acquisition of Frequency-Hopped Spread-Spectrum Signals

Three schemes for course acquisition of spread-spectrum signals are compared: stepped serial search, matched filter, and twolevel. Analytical models and formulas are developed which characterize performance in adverse environments. Comparisons are on the basis of miss probability, mean time to search uncertainty region, and relative complexity.
Regeneration of Vertebrate Tissues: Model Systems

Vertebrate animals exhibit four mechanisms of tissue regeneration: re-growth of cellular parts, such as nerve axons; lineage-specific proliferation of differentiated cells with or without dedifferentiation; transdifferentiation and activation of adult stem cells. The most common mechanism is the proliferation and differentiation of adult stem cells, used by epithelia, muscle, bone and blood. In some cases, such as the liver and pancreas, regeneration is accomplished by either lineage-specific proliferation of differentiated cells or a stem cell population, depending on the nature of the damage. All four mechanisms are used by urodele salamanders in the regeneration of limbs. The cellular activities in all these mechanisms are regulated by a wide variety of growth factor signalling pathways and transcription factors. Regenerative medicine uses three major strategies based on knowledge of regenerative mechanisms: transplants of stem cells or their derivatives, construction of bioartificial tissues composed of natural or synthetic biomaterials seeded with cells and the pharmaceutical induction of regeneration at the site of injury by natural or synthetic regeneration-promoting molecules. Key Concepts Regeneration restores the original structure and function of damaged or missing tissues. Tissues use four mechanisms to regenerate: re-growth of cell parts, lineage-specific reproduction of parent cells, transdifferentiation and activation of adult stem cells. Some tissues use more than one mechanism of regeneration. Growth factor signals and transcription factors are important regulators of regeneration. Regenerative medicine uses three strategies to regenerate damaged tissues: cell transplants, bioartificial tissue implants and pharmaceutical induction of regeneration directly at the site of damage by scaffolds or soluble molecules. The source of cells for transplants and bioartificial tissues is a crucial issue for regenerative medicine. Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) and/or transdifferentiation may solve many of the problems presented by adult and embryonic stem cells. Keywords: regeneration; regenerative medicine; stem cells; growth factors; dedifferentiation; compensatory hyperplasia; transdifferentiation; biomaterials
A Geographic Overview of Panama

The Republic of Panama occupies about 77,382 km2 and, despite its relatively small size, displays a remarkable degree of physical and cultural diversity. Part of the country's physical and biological variety can be attributed to its absolute location within the tropics. Panama's relative location, however, is equally responsible for both the physical and cultural complexity of the country. As the land bridge between the Americas and the major link between the world's two largest oceans, Panama is the crossroads of the western hemisphere. The country's position relative to the continents and oceans constitutes its most important situational advantage. This geographic analysis focuses on the physical geography of Panama, with the goal of providing an overview and larger context for the other papers of this volume. It considers the implications of its relative location and summarizes the physical geography of Panama in general terms drawing from geomorphology, climatology, and biogeography. Although the climate is tropical, Panama experiences significant climate diversity over relatively short distances. Panama also has considerable relief within its comparatively small territorial extent. Elevation differences and associated temperature and precipitation patterns produce distinct vegetative regimes and contribute further to the country's biodiversity. The country's most celebrated resource, however, is its unique location at the intersection of the western hemisphere's continents and oceans.
Interleukin-21 activates natural killer cell activity against cetuximab-coated pancreatic tumor cells

Meeting abstracts Natural killer (NK) cells are large granular lymphocytes that play a critical role in anti-cancer mechanisms. These effector cells mediate antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) and produce IFN-γ in response to antibody-coated targets. The monoclonal antibody cetuximab