cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Supporting CS Students Living with Mental Illnesses: Sharing Experiences, Establishing Support, and Discussing Best Practices

Recent studies have demonstrated the prevalence of mental health issues and illnesses among students in higher education, especially in STEM degree programs like computing. While we work as a community towards solutions that benefit the mental health of all students, we must also take targeted action towards supporting students with diagnosed mental illnesses (e.g. major depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia). This should begin by allowing these often unheard students an opportunity to voice their invisible experiences in a safe space. This will start creating a shared understanding among faculty and students of how these illnesses can affect the educational experience, as well as how our common university practices can affect the lives of those living with these illnesses. This space will give students an understanding that their voices and experiences are valued and heard by the general academic community. We hope this will also show students that they are not alone and grant an opportunity for them to connect with others and establish networks of support. We will end this session discussing and disseminating best practices for supporting this community.
Contribution of mobile sources to secondary formation of carbonyl compounds

In the 2014 National Air Toxics Assessment (NATA), the carbonyl compounds formaldehyde and acetaldehyde were identified as key cancer risk drivers and acrolein was identified as one of the three air toxics that drive most of the noncancer risk. In this assessment, averaged across the Continental United States, about 75% of ambient formaldehyde and acetaldehyde, and about 18% of acrolein, is formed secondarily. This study was conducted to estimate the potential contribution to these secondarily formed carbonyl compounds from mobile sources. To develop such estimates, we conducted several CMAQ runs, where emissions are set to zero for different mobile source sectors, to determine their potential contribution. Although zeroing out emissions from an individual sector can offer only a rough approximation of how the sector might contribute to overall secondary concentrations, our results suggest that across the U. S., mobile sources contribute about 6-18% to secondary formaldehyde, 0-10% to secondary acetaldehyde, and 0-70% to secondary acrolein, depending on location. Implications: Photochemical modeling of carbonyl compounds was conducted with emissions set to zero for various mobile source sectors to determine their contribution to secondary concentrations. Results indicated mobile sources contributed to total and secondary concentrations of formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, and acrolein in many locations across the U.S. with acrolein the dominant contributor in some locations. However, biogenic sources dominated secondary formaldehyde and acetaldehyde, and fires dominated secondary acrolein.
Runtime Variability Monitor for Data Retention Characteristics of Commercial NAND Flash Memory

With the scaling of flash memory cells, long-term data retention has become one of the important reliability constraints. For ensuring long-term data integrity, the storage controller employs several smart memory management techniques such as error correction code (ECC), optimal read and data refresh. However, the controller algorithm will be enhanced if the page-to-page variability within the NAND memory chip can be predicted. In this paper, we investigate the variability of data retention characteristics within a given memory chip in terms of bit error rate after high temperature bake. We find that there are a significant page-to-page and block-to-block variability on a fresh MLC memory chip. In addition, we show a method to predict the variability based on run-time characterization of the memory array.
Deep Learning-Based Advances in Protein Structure Prediction

Obtaining an accurate description of protein structure is a fundamental step toward understanding the underpinning of biology. Although recent advances in experimental approaches have greatly enhanced our capabilities to experimentally determine protein structures, the gap between the number of protein sequences and known protein structures is ever increasing. Computational protein structure prediction is one of the ways to fill this gap. Recently, the protein structure prediction field has witnessed a lot of advances due to Deep Learning (DL)-based approaches as evidenced by the success of AlphaFold2 in the most recent Critical Assessment of protein Structure Prediction (CASP14). In this article, we highlight important milestones and progresses in the field of protein structure prediction due to DL-based methods as observed in CASP experiments. We describe advances in various steps of protein structure prediction pipeline viz. protein contact map prediction, protein distogram prediction, protein real-valued distance prediction, and Quality Assessment/refinement. We also highlight some end-to-end DL-based approaches for protein structure prediction approaches. Additionally, as there have been some recent DL-based advances in protein structure determination using Cryo-Electron (Cryo-EM) microscopy based, we also highlight some of the important progress in the field. Finally, we provide an outlook and possible future research directions for DL-based approaches in the protein structure prediction arena.
Advancing Equity in Graduate Pathways: Examining the Factors that Sustain and Develop Computing Graduate Aspirations

In light of the need to both grow and diversify graduate enrollments in computing fields, this quantitative study examined variables associated with students’ initial aspirations for computing grad...
The Ross-Konno procedure for congenital aortic stenosis

Left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) obstruction can result from supravalvular, valvular and/or subvalvular etiologies. Congenital aortic valvular stenosis is frequently associated with aortic annular hypoplasia. Aortoventriculoplasty with pulmonary autograft, “The Ross-Konno” operation, provides more or less a radical solution to multilevel LVOT obstruction by enlarging the aortic annulus and the subvalvular area, thus relieving both valvular and subvalvular obstructions. In addition to this, the procedure carries the major advantage of having a competent autograft in the LVOT. An autograft that has the potential for growth and provides excellent quality of life without the need for anticoagulation. The procedure is most commonly performed as a complete root implantation, harvesting the coronary arteries as buttons, and harvesting the autograft with a muscle skirt to allow a single unit reconstruction of the LVOT. The procedure has been modified over time to minimize the risk of conduction tissue injury and the development of complete heart block by modifying the interventricular septal incision. The Ross-Konno procedure has changed the approach to patients with complex multilevel LVOT obstruction. However, while it can be performed early in life, one should be aware that this procedure is technically demanding and can be associated with a higher surgical risk. Nevertheless, it is considered “the ultimate solution” for those with complex multilevel LVOT obstruction.
Water Reduction Engineering

The transpiration mechanism has been proposed for rerouting as it is the main cause of groundwater loss which is also causing significant global warming by releasing water vapor into the air. Since electrostatic force has the tendency to tug down the water, a static electricity force creating plastic tank has been proposed to install at the bottom of plants to capture the transpiration water vapor and treat it in situ by applying UV technology to meet the daily water demand throughout the world.
Allocation to Industry Portfolios Under Markov Switching Returns

This paper proposes a Gibbs Sampling approach to modeling returns on industry portfolios. We examine how parameter uncertainty in the returns process with regime shifts affects the optimal portfolio choice in the long run for a static buy-and-hold investor. We find that after we incorporate parameter uncertainty and take into account the possible regime shifts in the returns process, the allocation to stocks can be smaller in the long run. We find this result to be true for both the NASDAQ portfolio and the individual high tech and manufacturing sector portfolios. Finally, we include dividend yields and the Treasury bill rate as predictor variables in our model with regime switching returns and find that the effect of these predictor variables is minimal: the allocation to stocks is still generally smaller in the long run.
Game theory as a unifying structure for a variety of robot tasks

The use of game theory as a general formalism for representing, comparing, and providing insight into solutions to a wide class of robotics problems is proposed. It is shown how game theory can be applied to problems of multiple robot coordination, high-level strategy planning, information gathering through manipulation and/or sensor planning, and pursuit-evasion scenarios. A very general game structure is considered which has broad application. Some preliminary experiments on a two-robot corridor navigation problem in which the robots have independent tasks, and the equilibria in a dynamic game with a rolling time horizon are used for coordination. >
Linear coupling of rms emittances

A general formulation of the linearly coupled rms emittances in two degrees of freedom is given. This formulation shows clearly what can be done to the emittances and how best to design for the necessary coupling.
Hospital Isolation and Precaution Guidelines

Infections acquired in hospitals have been recognized as a significant cause of morbidity and mortality since before the era of Semmelweis and Lister. Hospital isolation and precaution procedures have evolved along highly individualistic lines depending on the facilities, patient population and the degree of concern regarding nosocomial infections at a particular hospital. In recent years, a number of valuable manuals which offer details of isolation and precaution techniques as well as recommendations for the hospital control of particular infectious diseases have become available. These include: 1. Public Health Service, U. S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare: Isolation Techniques Used in Hospitals. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1970. 2. Report of the Committee on Infectious Diseases, ed. 16. Evanston, Illinois: American Academy of Pediatrics, 1970. 3. Infection Control in the Hospital, ed. 2. Chicago: American Hospital Association, 1970. 4. Benenson, A. S. (ed.): Control of Communicable Diseases in Man, ed. 11. New York: American Public Health Association, 1970. 5. Top, F. H. (ed.): Control of Infectious Diseases in General Hospitals. New York: American Public Health Association, 1967. In an attempt to synthesize these recommendations into a more easily utilized form, the following alphabetical listing of diseases and conditions has been developed by members of the Infections Control Committee at the Children9s Hospital Medical Center. It should be stressed that these are guidelines based on current understanding of the natural history and epidemiology of certain infections. In our hospital, modifications are frequently necessary due to heavy demand for the limited isolation facilities.
Choosing the Right Expert System Building Approach

The analytical hierarchy process (AHP) is used to systematically examine the relative appropriateness of contending expert system building approaches—algorithmic programming languages, symbolic programming languages, expert system shells, and knowledge engineering environments based upon characteristics of application domains and development environments. Two expert system projects, Back Expert, and R&D Expert, illustrate the value of this methodology. Domain and development environment characteristics identified in the AHP approach are then used to construct rule-based and Lotus 1-2-3 expert systems for selecting the right expert system building approach.
Some non-quasireflexive spaces having unique isomorphic preduals

It is shown that the dual spaces of certain James-Lindenstrauss spaces are spaces which are non-quasireflexive but have unique isomorphic preduals.
Residential Satisfaction and the Suburban Homeowner

(1982). Residential Satisfaction and the Suburban Homeowner. Urban Geography: Vol. 3, No. 4, pp. 315-327.
The Effect of Simulation Style on Performance

Despite the fact that luggage screening occurs with the dynamic presentation of images, most luggage screening research is conducted with static images. Although some research has suggested that performance with static and dynamic images is equivalent, this has not been addressed in the context of complex visual search tasks such as luggage screening. Participants completed a luggage screening task under either static or dynamic conditions to test the hypothesis that performance would vary by condition. A series of 2 (block) x 3 (condition) mixed ANOVAs revealed that sensitivity was higher in the scrolling condition than in the 3 second condition and that this effect may have been due to presentation time. Results also revealed that performance workload was lower in the 9 second condition than in the scrolling or 3 second condition. Luggage screening simulation styles may be an important consideration when designing research to test the effectiveness of different performance enhancement devices or the imp...
Kinetics and mechanism of blue tetrazolium reaction with corticosteroids.

Abstract The kinetics of the reaction of blue tetrazolium with corticosteroids were investigated under pseudo-first-order conditions. The reaction rates for various corticosteroids were determined at various temperatures, and the enthalpy and entropy of activation for these compounds were determined. A mechanism is proposed in which an electron pair and a proton are transferred to blue tetrazolium from the anion formed by the action of tetramethylammonium hydroxide on the -carbonyl moiety of the corticosteroid. The proposed mechanism is consistent with previous experimental results.
Language, Gender, and Context in an Immigrant Ministry: New Spaces for the Pastor's Wife

Dans une communaute immigree mexicaine du Missouri, l'A. examine la division des roles entre le pasteur evangelique et sa femme. L'A. montre comment la femme du pasteur prolonge la mission confiee a son mari dans le cadre du plan d'integration des Hispaniques de l'Eglise methodiste unifiee. En prenant une part active au ministere, elle etablit un pont entre les deux cultures
Fluorine donors and Ti 3 + ions in TiO 2 crystals

Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) and electron-nuclear double resonance (ENDOR) are used to identify and characterize neutral fluorine donors in ${\text{TiO}}_{2}$ crystals having the rutile structure. The fluorine ions substitute for oxygen and are present as unintentional impurities. Isolated singly ionized fluorine donors in an as-grown (fully oxidized) crystal convert to their neutral charge state during exposure to 442 nm laser light at 6 K. These donors return to the singly ionized charge state within a few seconds when the light is removed. In contrast, the neutral fluorine donors are observed at 6 K without photoexcitation after a crystal is reduced at $600\text{ }\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}\text{C}$ in flowing nitrogen gas. The angular dependences of the EPR and ENDOR spectra provide a complete set of spin-Hamiltonian parameters (principal values are 1.9746, 1.9782, and 1.9430 for the $g$ matrix and $\ensuremath{-}0.23$, 0.47, and 5.15 MHz for the $^{19}\text{F}$ hyperfine matrix). These matrices suggest that the unpaired electron is localized primarily on one of the two equivalent neighboring substitutional titanium ions, i.e., the ground state of the neutral fluorine donor in rutile-structured ${\text{TiO}}_{2}$ is a ${\text{Ti}}^{3+}$ ion adjacent to a ${\text{F}}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ ion.
Quantifying Elastic Vortex Growth of DNA Solutions in Planar Micro-Bends

Quantitative measurements are obtained for DNA flows in planar abrupt 90° micro-bends. Micro-particle image velocimetry (μPIV) is utilized to characterize flow fields including the secondary flow region in the inner, upstream corner of the bend where vortex growth is observed. The presence and strength of the elastic vortex is quantified at high resolution for increasing Reynolds and Weissenberg number (9.9 × 10−7 < Re < 4.2 × 10−3, 0.42 < Wi < 42). Velocity fields of a Newtonian fluid (water) in the micro-bend do not contain a secondary flow. Understanding the viscoelastic flow behavior of complex biological fluids anticipated for use in biomedical microdevices is critical for the advancement of optimized designs comprised of numerous spatially varying canonical microfluidic components.Copyright © 2014 by ASME
Hydrocarbon production and photochemical ozone formation in forest burn plumes

Ozone production in forest slash burn plumes is described. Plumes from controlled fires in Washington were monitored using an instrumented aircraft. Ozone, nitrogen oxides, condensation nuclei, and visual range were measured continuously. The slash burn plumes were found to contain significant quantities of ozone. A buildup of 40-50 ppb above the ambient background ozone concentrations was not unusual. Many photochemically reactive olefins were also detected in the plume. (8 graphs, 1 map, 15 references, 2 tables)
Limited Liability Contracts between Principal and Agent

Abstract The optimal strategy of the principal is examined in an environment where there are ( ex post ) limitations on the maximum penalty that can be imposed on a riskneutral agent. Contrary to the case in which such limitations are not imposed, it is in the principal's interest to deliberately forego the opportunity to induce socially efficient behavior, and to instead design a contract that induces the agent to realize an efficient outcome only in the most productive state of nature and (perhaps) in certain very unproductive states. The properties of the contract are examined in detail.
Photodirected assembly of polyelectrolyte complexes

Abstract When oppositely-charged polymers are mixed in water they self-assemble into polyelectrolyte complexes (PECs). These complexes have numerous technological applications that require control over their shape. To this end, we show how PEC geometry can be tailored through photodirected assembly. A commonly-used weak polycation, poly(allylamine) (PAH), was co-dissolved in a basic solution (significantly above its effective pKa) with a commonly-used polyanion, poly(styrene sulfonate) (PSS), and a photoacid generator (diphenyliodonium nitrate). The solution was then irradiated with UV light through photomasks to spatially control the protonation (and therefore the ionization) of PAH. The ionization resulted in the formation of insoluble PECs, whose shapes were predictably tuned by varying the photoirradiation pattern. Also analyzed were the phase behavior of PAH/PSS/diphenyliodonium nitrate mixtures, and the kinetics and spatial resolution limits of their photodirected assembly. This revealed that pH-mediated photodirected assembly works well for macroscopic structures (i.e., larger than about a millimeter in size), but is impeded by ion diffusion when smaller irradiation sites are used.
Off-energy shell behavior of a single-term separable energy-dependent potential

Abstract Excellent fits to on-shell t -matrix elements of a realistic local potential are obtained using a single-term energy-dependent separable potential in each of five channels. The comparison of half-off-shell t -matrix elements is also very favorable. The optical potential used contains absorption as well as spin-orbit contributions and is appropriate for the low energy n- 27 Al system. The separable potential is constructed so as to have the correct t -matrix pole locations and residues in each of the five channels.
Role of Apolipoprotein E Receptors in Regulating the Differential in vivo Neurotrophic Effects of Apolipoprotein E

Apolipoprotein E (apoE) is known to bind to at least five receptors, including the low-density lipoprotein (LDL) receptor-related protein (LRP), very low density LDL receptor (VLDL-R), LDL-R, apoE receptor 2 (apoER2), and megalin/gp330. In this context, the main objective of the present study was to better understand the contributions of LRP and LDL-R to the in vivo neurotrophic effects of apoE. For this purpose, apoE-deficient and receptor-associated protein (RAP)-deficient mice were infused with recombinant apoE3, RAP, or saline. Infusion of apoE3 into apoE-deficient mice resulted in amelioration of degenerative alterations of pyramidal neurons, but had no effect on somatostatin-producing interneurons. In contrast, infusion of apoE3 into RAP-deficient mice resulted in amelioration of degenerative alterations of somatostatin-producing interneurons. LRP and LDL-R levels were significantly reduced in RAP-deficient mice, but significantly increased in the apoE-deficient mice. In contrast, levels of apoE were reduced in the RAP-deficient mice compared to wildtype controls, suggesting that neurotrophic effects of apoE3 in the RAP-deficient mice were related to a combined deficit in endogenous apoE and selected apoE receptors. Furthermore, in apoE-deficient mice, infusion of apoE3 had a neurotrophic effect on somatostatin-producing interneurons only when combined with RAP, suggesting that increased expression of apoE receptors in apoE-deficient mice prevented apoE from rescuing somatostatin-producing neurons. This study supports the contention that some of the in vivo neurotrophic effects of apoE are mediated by LRP and LDL-R and that a critical balance between levels of apoE and its receptors is necessary for the differential neurotrophic effects to appear.
Culture sportive et violence faite aux femmes

Cet article est un essai critique qui tente de degager une perspective d'analyse sociale nouvelle pour une problematique qui, elle, ne l'est pas. Les questions suivantes sont soulevees: Y a-t-il des rapports possibles entre la socialisation masculine, la culture sportive et la violence a l'egard des femmes Existe-t-il une jonction entre "masculinite et sport" et "masculinite et violence" envers les femmes» La socialisation andro centrique qui domine la culture sportive actuelle contribue-t-elle a la violence envers les femmes Cette recherche, subventionnee par le CRSH, espere demontrer que la culture sportive contribue a la naturaliser » la violence et, ce faisant, perpetue la violence faite aux femmes. Le defi consiste donc a construire une vision de l'inacceptabilite devant la culture sportive en tant que lieu d'apprentissage et de la legitimation de la violence masculine.
Electroepitaxy of multicomponent systems - Ternary and quarternary compounds

A theoretical model is presented which accounts for the electroepitaxial growth kinetics and composition of multicomponent compounds in terms of mass transport in the liquid and phase diagram relationships. The mass transport in the interface is dominated by electromigration in the absence of convection and by diffusion in the presence of convection. The composition of the solid is controlled by the Peltier effect at the growth interface and by the diffusion and mobility constants of the solute components and the growth velocity (current density). Thus, for a given solution composition, the composition of the solid can be varied by varying the current density. For a given current density the composition remains constant even in the case of relatively thick epitaxial layers. All aspects of the model were found to be in good agreement with the growth and composition characteristics of Ga/x-1/Al/x/As layers.
Getting past “rational man/emotional woman”: comments on research programs in happiness economics and interpersonal relations

Orthodox neoclassical economics portrays reason as far more important than emotion, autonomy as more characteristic of economic life than social connection, and, more generally, things culturally and cognitively associated with masculinity as more central than things associated with femininity. Research from contemporary neuroscience suggests that such biases are related to certain automatic processes in the brain, and feminist scholarship suggests ways of getting beyond them. The “happiness” and “interpersonal relations” economics research programs have made substantial progress in overcoming a number of these biases, bringing into consideration by economists a wide range of phenomena which were previously neglected. Analysis from a feminist economics perspective suggests several fronts on which research could most profitably continue.
Biochemical factors underlying the age-related sensitivity of turkeys to aflatoxin B1

Poultry are some of the most sensitive species to the toxic effects of aflatoxin B(1) (AFB(1)), and younger poultry are more sensitive to this mycotoxin. To elucidate the mechanisms for this age-related susceptibility, various enzyme activities relevant to AFB(1) were measured in liver microsomes prepared from male turkeys 9, 41 and 65 days of age. Hepatic microsomal o-dealkylation of methoxy- and pentoxyresorufin significantly increased, while that of ethoxyresorufin decreased with age. Microsomal AFB(1) activation to the reactive AFB(1)-8,9-epoxide (AFBO) was most efficient in the youngest birds, with apparent K(m) and V(max) values of 168 and 19, 110 and 6, and 116 microM and 10 nmol/mg/min for 9, 41 and 65-day-old birds, respectively. The activity of hepatic cytosolic glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) was deficient in the youngest age group, but were higher in the older groups. There was also an age-related increase in the expression of GST isoforms Yc, Yc(2), as well as AFB(1)-aldehyde reductase (AFAR). However, livers from all ages lacked specific GST-mediated conjugation of AFBO, indicating that turkeys are deficient in this key AFB(1)-detoxification pathway. Our data indicate that efficient activation may underlie the extreme sensitivity of young turkeys to the toxic effects of AFB(1).
Putative photoacoustic damage in skin induced by pulsed arf excimer laser

Abstract Argon-fluoride excimer laser ablation of guinea pig stratum corneum causes deeper tissue damage than expected for thermal or photochemical mechanisms, suggesting that photo-acoustic waves have a role in tissue damage. Laser irradiation (193 nm, 14-ns pulse) at two different radiant exposures, 62 and 156 mJ/cm 2 per pulse, was used to ablate the 15-μm-thick stratum corneum of the skin. Light and electron microscopy of immediate biopsies demonstrated damage to fibroblasts as deep as 88 and 220 μm, respectively, below the ablation site. These depths are far in excess of the optical penetration depth of 193-nm light (1/e depth=1.5μm). The damage is unlikely to be due to a photochemical mechanism because (a) the photons will not penetrate to these depths, (b) it is a long distance for toxic photoproducts to diffuse, and (c) damage is proportional to laser pulse intensity and not the total dose that accumulates in the residual tissue; therefore, reciprocity does not hold. Damage due to a thermal mechanism is not expected because there is not sufficient energy deposited in the tissue to cause significant heating at such depths. The damage is most likely due to a photoacoustic mechanism because (a) photoacoustic waves can propagate deep into tissue, (b) the depth of damage increases with increasing laser pulse intensity rather than with increasing total residual energy, and (c) the effects are immediate. These effects should be considered in the evaluation of short pulse, high peak power laser-tissue interactions.
Absorption of 3H‐Benzocaine from Ointments following Rectal Administration in Rats

Total radioactivity in the blood of rats for 5 hr following rectal administration of 3H-benzocaine in oleaginous, absorption, emulsion (water-in-oil and oil-in water), and water-soluble ointment vehicles was measured. The release was greatest from the water-soluble vehicle and followed the same relative order as seen in an earlier in vitro experiment. No intact benzocaine was found in the blood using radiochromatography. In vitro hydrolysis of benzocaine by rat blood did not occur as determined with the techniques of this experiment.
Study of Short-Run Grain Movements on the Inland Waterway System

Time series techniques-particularly impulse-response functions and variance decompositions-are used to characterize the short-run relationships between 17 variables in a vector autoregressive model designed to trace the short-run interconnections among variables affecting lockages on the Mississippi and Illinois Rivers. The model contains five categories of variables: lockages, barge rates, grain bids, rail rates, and rail deliveries. Variance decompositions are constructed that identify barge rates as the most important variable affecting lockages at both short and long horizons. Barge rates are, in turn, explained largely by lockages and rail rates, indicating two-way feedback or bidirectional causality between lockages and barge rates. Impulse-response functions are also examined. The variance decompositions indicate that barge rates are important in explaining lockages, and the impulse-response functions show how lockages and other variables respond to such shocks. In general, there is a substitution ...
Flavoring exposure in food manufacturing

Flavorings are substances that alter or enhance the taste of food. Workers in the food-manufacturing industry, where flavorings are added to many products, may be exposed to any number of flavoring compounds. Although thousands of flavoring substances are in use, little is known about most of these in terms of worker health effects, and few have occupational exposure guidelines. Exposure assessment surveys were conducted at nine food production facilities and one flavor manufacturer where a total of 105 area and 74 personal samples were collected for 13 flavoring compounds including five ketones, five aldehydes, and three acids. The majority of the samples were below the limit of detection (LOD) for most compounds. Diacetyl had eight area and four personal samples above the LOD, whereas 2,3-pentanedione had three area samples above the LOD. The detectable values ranged from 25–3124 ppb and 15–172 ppb for diacetyl and 2,3-pentanedione respectively. These values exceed the proposed National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) recommended exposure limit for these compounds. The aldehydes had the most detectable samples, with each of them having >50% of the samples above the LOD. Acetaldehyde had all but two samples above the LOD, however, these samples were below the OSHA PEL. It appears that in the food-manufacturing facilities surveyed here, exposure to the ketones occurs infrequently, however levels above the proposed NIOSH REL were found. Conversely, aldehyde exposure appears to be ubiquitous.
Stochastic Volatility Model with Time‐dependent Skew

A formula is derived for the ‘effective’ skew in a stochastic volatility model with a time‐dependent local volatility function. The formula relates the total amount of skew generated by the model over a given time period to the time‐dependent slope of the instantaneous local volatility function. A new ‘effective’ volatility approximation is also derived. The utility of the formulas is demonstrated by building a forward Libor model that can be calibrated to swaption smiles that vary across the swaption grid.
Compensation of infinite-dimensional input dynamics☆

Abstract We present a tutorial introduction to methods for stabilization of systems with infinite-dimensional input dynamics including delays, diffusion, counter-convection and wave propagation. The methods are based on techniques originally developed for boundary control of partial differential equations. We consider multi-input linear time-invariant systems with input dynamics governed by distributed delays, and diffusion with counter-convection or wave PDEs. For the special case of single-input linear time-invariant systems with a single discrete delay we prove robustness of the control law to a small uncertainty in the delay and in the case of completely unknown delay we present an adaptive control approach. For this special case, we also present a method for compensating arbitrarily large but known time-varying delays. Finally, we consider nonlinear control problems in the presence of arbitrarily long input delays.
Total synthesis of farylhydrazones A and B

Herein we report a concise total synthesis of farylhydrazones A and B, naturally occurring phenylhydrazones recently isolated from cultures of the Cordyceps-colonizing fungus Isaria farinosa, completed in six and five steps respectively starting from 2-nitrobenzoic acid. The synthesis is completely scalable, and highly convergent—making it adaptable for the preparation of analogues and investigation into the biological activity of these unique natural products.
Sublethal effects of three ectoparasites on fish

Vulnerability to predation, resistance to high temperature, weight-length relationships, and fecundity were compared for fish with and without or with light and heavy infestations of three ectoparasites. The fish and parasites were fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) with anchor worm (Lernaea cyprinaceae); brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) with gill lice (Salmincola edwardsii); and yellow perch (Perca flavescens) with black-spot (Neascus of Crassiphiala bulboglossa). The only sublethal effect found was that of gill lice, which reduced resistance of brook trout to high temperature. None of the three ectoparasites increased vulnerability offish to predation by piscivorous fish.
The reactions of lanthanum with the straight chain polyphosphates

Abstract From pH measurements at 25°C in a medium whose ionic strength was maintained at 0·1 with tetramethylammonium chloride, stability constants for the 1:1 and protonated 1:1 complexes of the straight chain polyphosphates with Lanthanum have been calculated. The precipitation of the polyphosphates with lanthanum has also been studied and a double salt of lanthanum with sodium pyrophosphate has been reported.
Cytokine and T-cell subset abnormalities in immunodeficient wasted mice

Abstract Wasted mice bear an autosomal recessive mutation ( wst / wst ) that manifests itself in neurologic abnormalities, immunologic deficiency, and faulty DNA repair evident by 21 days of age. The immunodeficiency is characterized by a reduction in the thymus-to-body weight ratio, low levels of IgA plasma cells at secretory sites, and increased sensitivity of T-cells to the killing effects of ionizing radiation. Experiments were designed to examine measures of T-cell activity in wasted mice. The initial experiments established that wst / wst mice have percentages of thymic and splenic Thyl + cells equivalent to those of control littermates. Further studies of T-cell subpopulations with thymocytes revealed normal percentages of CD4 + and CD8 + cells in wst / wst mice; however, double-labeling experiments showed that CD8 + cells were predominantly CD4 − in wst / wst mice, whereas in controls most CD8 + cells also expressed CD4 + . Mesenteric lymph node T-cell subpopulations were similar in wasted and control mice. Because cytokines play a significant role in the regulation of the immune response and also interact with a variety of cellular systems, we examined the expression of different cytokine and related genes (IL1, IL2, IL2R, TNF, IL5, γ-interferon, β-TGF) in lymphoid tissues from wasted mice as well as from littermate and parental controls. Studies of RNA from lymphoid tissues of wasted mice using dot blot and Northern blot hybridizations revealed a deficiency of IL5 mRNA in thymus and spleen, decreased expression of IL2R in thymus (but not spleen), increased expression of IL1 in spleen (but not thymus), and increased expression of IL2, γ-interferon, and β-TGF in both spleen and thymus, relative to controls. Expression of TNF mRNA in lymphoid tissues was unaffected by the wasted mutation. These results suggest a role for cytokine imbalance in the pathogenesis of the immunodeficiency and other abnormalities of wasted mice.
Sulfur adsorption and sulfidation of transition metal carbides as hydrotreating catalysts

Abstract The formation of MoSxCy compounds has been observed on/in the surface of molybdenum-sulfide catalysts during the hydrodesulfurization (HDS) process, and it is a major factor for determining the activity of molybdenum-carbide catalysts. Density functional theory (DFT) was employed to investigate the adsorption of sulfur and sulfidation of transition metal carbides from groups 4–6 in the periodic table, including extended surfaces [MC(0 0 1) (M = Ti, V, Mo, Ta)], nanocrystals [M14C13 (M = Ti, V, Mo)] and metcar [M8C12 (M = Ti, V, Mo)] nanoparticles. It was found that with increasing carbon/metal ratio, the reactivity of the metal carbides towards sulfur decreased in the sequence: Mo2C > M14C13, M8C12 > MC(0 0 1). In terms of sulfidation, M8C12 and MC(0 0 1) display a stronger resistance than M14C13. The presence of corner or edge sites in the M14C13 nanocrystal favors the formation of MoSxCy compounds. Following Sabatier's principle, our results suggest that flat MC(0 0 1) surfaces are too inert to catalyze HDS reactions, while M14C13 is too active to resist the sulfidation that leads to degradation of the carbides. For reactions involving sulfur and sulfur-containing molecules, nanoparticles adopting the special geometry of metcars should display a better catalytic activity than the corresponding bulk materials and carbide nanoparticles that have a cubic-based structure like nanocrystals. Indeed, DFT calculations indicate that Ti8C12 and Mo8C12 are good catalysts for the HDS of thiophene.
Production of three plasminogen activators and an inhibitor in keratinocyte cultures

Abstract Keratinocyte function in extracellular proteolysis was investigated. Keratinocytes derived from rat tongue ventral epithelium were maintained and serially propagated under conditions which support continuous expansion of epithelial colonies but are restrictive to fibroblast proliferation (30–32°C and pH 6.8–7.0). These cultures, and cultures of an established, terminally differentiating keratinocyte line, also derived from the ventral epithelium of the rat tongue, released substantial plasminogen activator activity as visualized by the fibrin-agar overlay technique. In addition, keratinocytes grown directly on 3 H-labeled fibrin lysed this substrate in a plasmin-assisted process. The presence of serum modulated the kinetics of the reaction in a manner which suggests that a constant inhibitor tonus serves to contain the proteolytic reaction in the tissues and to prevent a chain reaction. Electrophoretic resolution of keratinocyte secretory proteins and of cell lysates revealed three distinct activators migrating at molecular weights of 48 000, 66 000 and 95 000. The keratinocytes also manufactured inhibitor(s) of the fibrinolytic reaction mainly directed against the activation step. The inhibitory activity was present in serum-free culture harvest media in quantities sufficient to completely annihilate the endogenous activators.
Integration as sequence detection in a feedforward neural integrator

In neural integrator networks, transient inputs are accumulated into sustained output signals that reflect the mathematical integral, over time, of their inputs. This computation has been identified as an important component of a wide variety of brain functions ranging from accumulation of sensory evidence for decision making to the motor control of eye movements. All current network models of neural integration assume that the conversion of transient inputs to sustained responses is accomplished by feedback among recurrently connected neuronal elements. Here we show that neural integration can occur even in feedforward networks and describe the properties of this novel class of integrators. We consider a feedforward network consisting of multiple stages that each have a time constant τ with which they linearly filter their inputs. We show that the effective dynamics of this network can be reduced to that of a simple network consisting of a linear chain of neurons with input entering one end and getting successively filtered by each successive stage of the network. As a result of this filtering, later stages of the network have prolonged responses that peak at successively later times. Thus, the network effectively forms a delay-line set of basis functions that are localized in time and that can be flexibly summed to generate a variety of temporal responses. We show analytically that with appropriate choices of synaptic weights, the network can perform a nearly perfect integral of its inputs over a duration of time of order Nτ, where N is the number of stages in the network. We further show that although the performance of the network is best understood in terms of basis functions corresponding to a delay-line, the responses of the actual neurons in the network will generally be linear combinations of these basis functions that may not be easily recognized as originating from dynamics governed by a delay line. The robustness of the network to uniform changes in all synaptic weights can be shown analytically to be similar to that of linear recurrent networks, exhibiting exponential decay of the integrated activity if the weights are too small and exponential growth until signals begin to exit the network if the weights are too large. We show that proper tuning of the weights can be accomplished by a homeostatic learning rule in which neurons scale their intrinsic gain and/or synaptic weights until their activity reaches an average target level over time. In conclusion, this work suggests a novel mechanism for neural integration. Although we focus on its role as an integrator, the network bears strong similarities to previous networks proposed for temporal sequence recognition and production. This suggests that common underlying principles may be relevant to a host of temporal processing computations.
Polymorphism in human uterine collagen.

Fifty percent of human uterine collagen has been solubilized by limited pepsin digestion. Carboxymethyl cellulose-, Bio-gel A-Sm-chromatography and amino acid analysis revealed that the solubilized collagen consists of 20% Type III and 80% Type I collagen. Reduction and alkylation reactions indicated that the αl(III) collagen is in the tissue as a trimer with the chain composition [α1(III)]3.
PLANNING THE HEALTH SCIENCES LIBRARY : A NEW BUILDING FOR INFORMATION SERVICES

Planning for a new Health Sciences Library at the University of Maryland at Baltimore extended over more than 15 years. The program plan was created through an interactive process with the architects, involving all the staff from the library and computing/communications groups, now together in a umbrella organization known as Information Services. The layout for the new building was developed to promote interactions and to integrate staff and services on each floor.
The binding of antigen by immobilized antibody: Influence of a variable adsorption rate coefficient on external diffusion limited kinetics

Abstract The influence of reaction-order and external mass-transfer limitations on the binding kinetics of antigen in solution to antibody covalently attached to a cylindrical fiber-optic biosensor is presented. Both single-step and dual-step binding of antigen to antibody are considered. Nonspecific binding and heterogeneity in binding are also mentioned. An increase in the Damkohler number decreases the saturation level of the antigen close to the surface and the rate of antigen attachment to the antibody covalently bound on the surface for reactions of orders one, one and one-half, and two. As expected, an increase in the initial antigen concentration in solution increases the saturation level of the antigen close to the surface, and the rate of antigen attachment to the antibody covalently bound on the surface for all the reaction orders considered. Nondimensional plots presented in the analysis help extend the analysis to different antigen-antibody systems. A decrease in the external diffusional limitations decreases the effect of reaction order on the saturation levels of antigen close to the surface and the rate of attachment of the antigen in solution to the antibody on the surface. A variable rate coefficient for adsorption provides a more realistic picture of the events occurring on the fiber-optic surface. A decreasing variable rate coefficient for adsorption has the same effect as that of a decreasing Damkohler number, and also introduces nonlinearity in the attachment of the antigen to the antibody immobilized on the surface.
What's new in ophthalmic surgery?

Cataract surgery with intraocular lens implantation continues to be the most commonly performed ophthalmic procedure performed in the United States, with approximately 1.5 million cataract operations in the United States annually. Refractive surgical procedures, such as laser corneal ablation, have become the second most common operation. These corneal laser procedures include LASEK (laser epithelial keratomileusis), LASIK (laser in-situ keratomileusis), and PRK (photorefractive keratectomy). Currently in FDA trials are new refractive procedures where intraocular “contact lenses” are inserted into the normal phakic (clear lens) eye. Other procedures being studied under the category of refractive surgery are presbyopia operations. In presbyopia surgical procedures, the sclera is relaxed or expanded in the region of the pars plana to delay or prevent the onset of loss of near vision with age. In vitreoretinal surgery, the treatment of age-related macular degeneration remains a major focus. Retinal translocation techniques and the use of microchip implantation in severe central visual loss continue to be studied. Laser therapy with either photosensitive dyes or intraocular use of anti-VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor) agents are becoming common practice.
Metacognition in Alzheimer’s Disease

It has long been recognized that a significant proportion of patients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) display some degree of unawareness for disease related memory loss. Historically, the majority of studies examining awareness in AD have implemented subjective assessment tools including clinician rating scales and informant based discrepancy measures. In the past two decades, there has been increasing focus on the objective assessment of metacognition in AD. These studies have made important strides in advancing our understanding of the nature of awareness deficits in AD and the mechanisms which may contribute to metacognitive variability in AD. However, there are several methodological issues that may complicate interpretation of existing data and that require consideration as this field moves forward. This chapter will: (1) review several commonly used subjective and objective approaches to measuring memory awareness in AD; (2) highlight important dissociations that characterize metacognitive functioning in AD; (3) evaluate specific models of metacognitive deficits (i.e., anosognosia) in AD and; (4) discuss future directions for metacognitive research in AD.