cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Autobiography and Selfhood in the Practice of Adult Learning

This article problematizes the role of autobiographical narratives in adult learning and suggests that the life histories produced by adult learners in our classrooms are, in important senses, fictions. Rather than being the free expressions of experience and selfhood, students’ narratives are multiply overdetermined, both by the cultural frames that are available to them and by the conditions of story-telling in our classrooms. These include the values and assumptions that underlie our practices, the aspects of self that are called into being by the narratives we elicit, and the conventions of character and plot within which our students are taught to write Thus for all our valorizing of individuality and uniqueness, there are only some stories we allow our students to tell and only some forms of selfhood we allow to emerge in the process of telling them.
Directed differentiation of human embryonic stem cells into corticofugal neurons uncovers heterogeneous Fezf2-expressing subpopulations.

Understanding how neuronal diversity is achieved within the cerebral cortex remains a major challenge in neuroscience. The advent of human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) as a model system provides a unique opportunity to study human corticogenesis in vitro and to identify the mechanisms that promote neuronal differentiation to achieve neuronal diversity in human brain. The transcription factor Fezf2 is necessary and sufficient for the specification of subcerebral projection neurons in mouse. However, its function during human corticogenesis is poorly understood. This study reports the differentiation of a hFezf2-YFP hESC reporter line into corticofugal projection neurons capable of extending axons toward the spinal cord upon transplantation into neonatal mouse brains. Additionally, we show that triple inhibition of the TGFs/BMP/Wnt-Shh pathway promotes the generation of hFezf2-expressing cells in vitro. Finally, this study unveils the isolation of two novel and distinct populations of hFezf2-YFP expressing cells reminiscent of the distinct Fezf2-expressing neuronal subtypes in the developing mouse brain. Overall our data suggest that the directed differentiation of hESCs into corticofugal neurons provides a useful model to identify the molecular mechanisms regulating human corticofugal differentiation and survival.
Response of a circular cylindrical shell to disturbances in a half‐space—numerical results

In this paper we present numerical results representing the response of an elastic cylindrical shell to disturbances in an elastic half-space. These numerical results show the radial displacement at the middle surface of the shell and the hoop stress in the shell. The incident disturbance is in the form of a plane dilatational wave or a Rayleigh wave.
INS integrated motion analysis for autonomous vehicle navigation

The use of inertial navigation system (INS) measurements to enhance the quality and robustness of motion analysis techniques used for obstacle detection is discussed with particular reference to autonomous vehicle navigation. The approach to obstacle detection used here employs motion analysis of imagery generated by a passive sensor. Motion analysis of imagery obtained during vehicle travel is used to generate range measurements to points within the field of view of the sensor, which can then be used to provide obstacle detection. Results obtained with an INS integrated motion analysis approach are reviewed.
Uterine sarcomas: analysis of failures with special emphasis on the use of adjuvant radiation therapy.

There were 47 failures among 73 verified cases of uterine sarcoma reported at the University of Rochester Tumor Registry from 1955 to 1975; they constitute the subject of this report. Of 33 patients initially treated with surgery only [S], 19 patients (58%) failed; 20 of 31 patients (65%) treated with surgery and radiation [S + R] failed; 8 of 9 patients (89%) treated by radiation alone [R] failed. According to pathology, failures occurred in 33 of 44 patients (75%) with mixed mesodermal sarcomas (MMS), 7 of 20 patients (35%) with leiomyosarcoma (LMS), 4 of 6 patients with endometrial stromal sarcomas (ESS), and 3 of 3 patients with other types of sarcoma. Once corrected by stage, there were no significant differences in failure rates, spread patterns or survival among these main histologic variants. Twenty of 41 patients (56%) with Stage I tumors failed with an average failure time of 32 months. Twenty-seven of 32 patients (84%) with Stages II, III, and IV tumor failed; their average failure time was only 9 months. The mean failure time for both the patients treated with [S] and [S + R] was 22 months; for patients treated by [R] it was 3 months. Isolated pelvic failures constituted only 4% of all failures, failures both in the pelvis and in distant sites, 49%, and distant metastases, 47%. There was a marked decrease in pelvic failures in patients treated with [S + R] when compared to those who received [S]. Adjuvant radiation proved to increase tumor control in the pelvis but did not influence the final outcome because over 90% of all failures developed distant spread outside the pelvis. The most common distant failures were in the upper abdomen (mainly omentum and peritoneum) and in the lungs. Lung metastases alone was the only site of failure in 16% of the instances. A comprehensive treatment approach based on the spread and failure patterns will be proposed.
Rheology of Thixotropic Montmorillonite Dispersions II: Kinetics of Structural Recovery

Methodology has been developed to study the kinetics of the structural recovery (build-up) of thixotropic montmorillonite dispersions. The recovery process can be described by means of a coefficient of thixotropic recovery with time, R. Thus: R = (T2 – T1)/(log t2 – log t1), where T2 and T1 are the torques necessary to overcome the resistance encountered by a special spindle which is simultaneously rotated and lowered into the dispersion at times t2 and t1 respectively, after breakdown of structure by agitation. The effects of aging, concentration, method of preparation (hot process, cold process, ultrasonic treatment), and addition of polysorbate 80, zinc oxide, or glycerin upon structural strength (static yield value) and coefficient of thixotropic recovery have been determined.
Variational methods for time-dependent classical many-particle systems

Abstract A variational method for the classical Liouville equation is introduced that facilitates the development of theories for non-equilibrium classical systems. The method is based on the introduction of a complex-valued auxiliary quantity Ψ that is related to the classical position-momentum probability density ρ via ρ = Ψ ∗ Ψ . A functional of Ψ is developed whose extrema imply that ρ satisfies the Liouville equation. Multiscale methods are used to develop trial functions to be optimized by the variational principle. The present variational principle with multiscale trial functions can capture both the microscopic and the coarse-grained descriptions, thereby yielding theories that account for the two way exchange of information across multiple scales in space and time. Equations of the Smoluchowski form for the coarse-grained state probability density are obtained. Constraints on the initial state of the N -particle probability density for which the aforementioned equation is closed and conserves probability are presented. The methodology has applicability to a wide range of systems including macromolecular assemblies, ionic liquids, and nanoparticles.
Emerging biomarkers in head and neck cancer in the era of genomics

The molecular characteristics and clinical outcomes of head and neck cancer vary widely. In this Review, the authors focus on established and emerging biomarkers that are most relevant to nasopharyngeal carcinoma and head and neck squamous-cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Applications and limitations of currently established biomarkers are discussed, and ongoing efforts to shift from prognostic to predictive biomarker development with the goal of delivering individualized cancer therapy is highlighted.
Genetic requirements for RAD51- and RAD54-independent break-induced replication repair of a chromosomal double-strand break.

Broken chromosomes can be repaired by several homologous recombination mechanisms, including gene conversion and break-induced replication (BIR). In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, an HO endonuclease-induced double-strand break (DSB) is normally repaired by gene conversion. Previously, we have shown that in the absence of RAD52, repair is nearly absent and diploid cells lose the broken chromosome; however, in cells lacking RAD51, gene conversion is absent but cells can repair the DSB by BIR. We now report that gene conversion is also abolished when RAD54, RAD55, and RAD57 are deleted but BIR occurs, as with rad51Δ cells. DSB-induced gene conversion is not significantly affected when RAD50, RAD59, TID1 (RDH54), SRS2, or SGS1 is deleted. Various double mutations largely eliminate both gene conversion and BIR, including rad51Δ rad50Δ, rad51Δ rad59Δ, and rad54Δ tid1Δ. These results demonstrate that there is a RAD51- and RAD54-independent BIR pathway that requires RAD59, TID1, RAD50, and presumably MRE11 and XRS2. The similar genetic requirements for BIR and telomere maintenance in the absence of telomerase also suggest that these two processes proceed by similar mechanisms.
Disruption Of Interactions Between AKAP79/150 And KCNQ K+ Channels By Ca2+/Calmodulin Observed Using TIRF/FRET

KCNQ2-5 subunits encode the M-current, a K+ conductance that controls neuronal excitability. Stimulation of Gq/11-coupled receptors depresses M current via multiple intracellular signals, including depletion of PIP2, generation of Ca2+/calmodulin, and phosphorylation of KCNQ2 by PKC, recruited to the channels by AKAP79/150. We examined the interplay between these signals via FRET measurements performed under total internal reflection fluorescence (TIRF) microscopy, in which mostly membrane events are isolated. CHO cells were transfected with CFP-tagged KCNQ2-4, and a YFP-tagged construct containing the first 153 residues of AKAP79 (AKAP791-153) shown to be sufficient for binding to KCNQ2, PKC and receptors (Hoshi et al., Nat Cell Biol. 7:1066-73). We found significant FRET between all KCNQ2-4 subunits and AKAP791-153 (13 ± 1.3%, 7.1 ± 2.0% and 10.1 ± 2.0% for KCNQ2-4, respectively). Since Ca2+/calmodulin binding not only inhibits M channels (Gamper and Shapiro, JGP 122:17-31), but also acts on AKAP79/150 (Faux and Scott, JBC 272:17038-17044), we asked whether calmodulin alters KCNQ channel-AKAP79/150 interactions. Indeed, FRET between all CFP-KCNQ2-4 subunits and YFP-AKAP791-153 was much less in cells also co-transfected with wild-type calmodulin, but not when dominant-negative calmodulin was used that cannot bind Ca2+. FRET was also substantial between the CFP-KCNQ2 (R345E) mutant that cannot bind calmodulin and YFP-AKAP791-153, which was however not reduced by calmodulin co-expression. Furthermore, the FRET between KCNQ2-4 and AKAP791-153 was also not reduced when the cells were depleted of PIP2 by co-expression of a PIP2 phosphatase. We conclude that calcified, but not apo, calmodulin interferes with KCNQ subunit-AKP79/150 interactions by binding to the channels, likely reducing their affinity for AKAP79/150, and that M channel-AKAP79/150 interactions may serve to anchor PKC to M-channel containing microdomains, where it stands poised to phosphorylate the channels upon stimulation of appropriate Gq/11-coupled receptors.
Sympathetic ganglia augment growth of neuroblastoma in vitro

Abstract The sympathetic nervous system modulates the growth of C-1300 mouse neuroblastoma (C-1300 NB) in vitro . We now report that the presence of sympathetic cervical ganglia in cultures containing C-1300 NB or dispersed S-20 neuroblastoma (S-20 NB) cells augments growth of these tumors in vitro . Sympathetic ganglia-conditioned medium increases proliferation and survival of S-20 NB cells, indicating that nervous system-derived growth factors can exert an effect on neoplastic cells.
Aquatic prey capture in ray-finned fishes: a century of progress and new directions.

The head of ray-finned fishes is structurally complex and is composed of numerous bony, muscular, and ligamentous elements capable of intricate movement. Nearly two centuries of research have been devoted to understanding the function of this cranial musculoskele- tal system during prey capture in the dense and viscous aquatic medium. Most fishes generate some amount of inertial suction to capture prey in water. In this overview we trace the history of functional morphological analyses of suction feeding in ray-finned fishes, with a particular focus on the mechanisms by which suction is generated, and present new data using a novel flow imaging tech- nique that enables quantification of the water flow field into the mouth. We begin with a brief overview of studies of cranial anatomy and then summarize progress on un- derstanding function as new information was brought to light by the application of various forms of technology, including high-speed cinematography and video, pressure, impedance, and bone strain measurement. We also pro- vide data from a new technique, digital particle image velocimetry (DPIV) that allows us to quantify patterns of flow into the mouth. We believe that there are three gen- eral areas in which future progress needs to occur. First, quantitative three-dimensional studies of buccal and oper- cular cavity dimensions during prey capture are needed; sonomicrometry and endoscopy are techniques likely to yield these data. Second, a thorough quantitative analysis of the flow field into the mouth during prey capture is necessary to understand the effect of head movement on water in the vicinity of the prey; three-dimensional DPIV analyses will help to provide these data. Third, a more precise understanding of the fitness effects of structural and functional variables in the head coupled with rigorous statistical analyses will allow us to better understand the evolutionary consequences of intra- and interspecific vari- ation in cranial morphology and function. J. Morphol. 248: 99 -119, 2001. © 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Attenuation of hypoxia-ischemia-induced monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 expression in brain of neonatal mice deficient in interleukin-1 converting enzyme.

Abstract Interleukin-1β (IL-1β) upregulates expression of the chemokine monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) in many experimental models. In neonatal rodent brain, hypoxia–ischemia rapidly stimulates expression of this chemokine, although the role of IL-1β in regulating this response is unknown. Interleukin-1 converting enzyme (ICE) is a cysteine protease that cleaves inactive pro-IL-1β to generate mature IL-1β. Neonatal mice with a homozygous deletion of ICE (ICE −/−) are resistant to moderate, but not to severe cerebral hypoxic–ischemic insults, relative to their wild-type controls. We hypothesized that their resistance to moderate hypoxic–ischemic insults is mediated by suppression of the acute inflammatory response to brain injury in the absence of IL-1β, and that hypoxia–ischemia induced MCP-1 expression would be attenuated in ICE −/− animals. To test this hypothesis, paired litters of 9–10-day-old ICE −/− and wild-type mice underwent right carotid ligation, followed by 40, 70 or 120 min exposure to 10% O2 and ischemia-induced changes in MCP-1 mRNA and protein were compared, using a semi-quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction assay and an ELISA, respectively. With a lesioning protocol that elicits minimal injury in wild-types (ligation+40 min 10% O2), there was an attenuation of hypoxia–ischemia-induced MCP-1 production at 8 h post-hypoxia; in contrast, in animals that underwent longer periods of hypoxia–ischemia the magnitude of injury-induced induced MCP-1 production did not differ between wild-type and ICE −/− animals. These results demonstrate both that the acute inflammatory response to hypoxia–ischemia is attenuated in ICE −/− animals, and also that hypoxic–ischemic brain injury stimulates MCP-1 expression even in the absence of IL-1β activity.
Sphingolipid metabolism in leucocytes. I. Incorporation of(14)C-glucose and (14)C-galactose into glycosphingolipids by intact human leucocytes.

Glucosyl ceramide and lactosyl ceramide have been isolated from intact human leucocytes. Incubation of intact white blood cells with either(14)C-glucose or(14)C-galactose resulted in the incorporation of these tracers into the glycosphingolipids. The products were extracted by conventional procedures and purified by combined silicic acid column and thin-layer chromatography. The bulk of the radioactivity was found in the monohexoside and dihexoside ceramide fractions.Acid hydrolysis yielded glucose as the principal carbohydrate of the monohexoside ceramide, regardless of the sugar precursor employed. In the dihexoside ceramide fraction, galactose was liberated as the major sugar component. The specific activities of the lactosyl ceramide was found to be greater than that of the corresponding glucosyl ceramide.
VHDL Design for Real Time Motion Estimation Video Applications

The VHDL design code and its implementation using 0.25 μm technology have been demonstrated for the real time video applications. The processing time of a frame running at 400 MHz was estimated to be 8.1 ms for QCIF and CIF Sequences, which accommodates more than 120 frames per second, and this warrant real time video codec. The design was validated and simulated using ModelSim from Mentor Graphics tools, and then verified using both the VHDL testbench and the Matlab® Image processing toolbox. Various alternate search algorithms have been proposed and simulated using Matlab for their real time processing. Skipping "every other column" (SC), and skipping "every other row and column" (SRC) algorithm, "optimal local neighborhood search" (OLNS), and limited-optimal neighborhood search (L-OLNS) have been demonstrated. The microprocessor as a controller is based on RISC processor and it uses pipelining to gain clocking efficiency.
Arsenate uptake and release in relation to the inhibition of transport and glycolysis in yeast.

Abstract The amount of arsenate in yeast cells exposed to arsenate plus fermentable sugar for varying periods of time is determined by the kinetics of influx and efflux. Influx occurs only in the presence of fermentable substrate via a transport mechanism that can be divided by kinetic properties into two components with Michaelis constants of 4 × 10−6 and 4 × 10−4. During exposure to arsenate the transport system is gradually reduced in capacity and, with sufficient concentrations of arsenate, may be almost completely inactivated. At the same time, previously absorbed arsenate leaks out of the cell with first-order kinetics. The balance of inward transport, inactivation of the transport system, and outward leakage results in the arsenate content of the cell reaching a maximal value and then decreasing. Arsenate also inhibits the fermentation of the intact cell, but only to a maximal extent of 60 per cent, compared to 100 per cent in broken cells. The data indicate that only a small fraction of the cellular arsenate is involved in the inhibition of metabolism and of transport and that its distribution and metabolic turnover must be complicated. Simple fractionations of cellular arsenate confirm this supposition.
Efficacy of high-dose oral leucovorin and 5-fluorouracil in advanced colorectal carcinoma. Plasma and tissue pharmacokinetics.

Thirty-one evaluable patients with advanced colorectal cancer were treated with oral leucovorin (LV) 500 mg/m2, administered hourly in four divided doses weekly for 6 weeks. Six patients received intravenous 5-FU at 450 mg/m2 and the remainder at 600 mg/m2 weekly for 6 weeks. This schedule was repeated after a 2-week rest period without medication. None of the patients had received previous chemotherapy. The results of the study showed an overall complete remission (CR) and partial remission (PR) of 45%. All responding patients received the 600-mg/m2 dose of 5-FU. There were five CR and nine PR. An additional seven (23%) patients had stable disease. Two of the seven received the 450-mg/m2 dose of 5-FU and the remainder received 600 mg/m2. The median disease-free interval for CR patients exceeded 25 months, while the interval for PR patients was 11.8 months. The median survival for CR patients was over 26.7 months and 16.5 months for the PR patients. The median survival for stable patients was 9.5 months and 5.5 months for patients with progressive disease. Toxicity included diarrhea in 70% of patients, excess lacrimal secretion in 35%, and nausea and vomiting in 25%. There were no treatment-related deaths in this group. The authors conclude from this Phase I study that the optimal 5-FU dose is 600 mg/m2 combined with high-dose oral leucovorin for the treatment of advanced colorectal carcinoma.
Interfacial magnetoelectric coupling in tricomponent superlattices

Using first-principles density-functional theory, we investigate the interfacial magnetoelectric coupling in a tricomponent superlattice composed of a ferromagnetic metal (FM), ferroelectric (FE), and normal metal. Using Fe/FE/Pt as a model system, we show that a net and cumulative interfacial magnetization is induced in the FM metal near the FM/FE interface. A careful analysis of the magnetic moments in Fe reveals that the interfacial magnetization is a consequence of a complex interplay of interfacial charge transfer, chemical bonding, and spin-dependent electrostatic screening. The last effect is linear in the FE polarization, is switchable upon its reversal, and yields a substantial interfacial magnetoelectric coupling.
Flavonoid chemistry of Coreopsis grandiflora (Compositae).

The leaf flavonoid chemistryof Coreopsis grandiflora, which includes var.harveyana, var.longipes, var.saxicola and the typical var.grandiflora, is quite uniform with 6-hy-droxyquercetin 7-O-glucoside, luteolin 7-O-glucoside, marein-maritimein chal-cone-aurone pair and lanceolin-leptosin chalcone-aurone pair as consistent com-ponents. Flavonoid data lend support to the hypothesis that the hexaploid var.longipes originated from parents which would be included withinC. grandiflora, i.e., there is no evidence that other species were involved in its formation. One population of var.grandiflora and several collections of var.saxicola contain additional flavonoid components in the form of flavonol 3-O-glycosides. In nearly all instances the additional compounds are attributable to hybridization withC. lanceolata orC. pubescens because these flavonols are characteristic of these two species and morphological considerations also suggest it. Flavonoid chemistry supports the treatment of var.saxicola as a variety ofC. grandiflora rather than as a distinct species.
Mechanisms driving stratification in Delaware Bay estuary

An observational study in the middle reach of Delaware Bay shows that vertical stratification is often enhanced during flood tide relative to ebb tide, contrary to the tidal variability predicted by the tidal straining mechanism. This tidal period variability was more pronounced during times of high river discharge when the tidally mean stratification was higher. This tidal variability in stratification is caused by two reinforcing processes. In the along-channel direction, the upstream advection of a salinity front at mid-depth causes an increase of the vertical stratification during the flood tide and a decrease during the ebb tide. In the cross-channel direction, the tilting of isohalines during the ebb reduces vertical stratification, and the subsequent readjustment of the salinity field during the flood enhances the water column stability. A diagnosis of the cross-channel momentum balance reveals that the lateral flows are driven by the interplay of Coriolis forcing and the cross-channel pressure gradient. During the flood tide, these two forces mostly reinforce each other, while the opposite occurs during the ebb tide. This sets up a lateral circulation that is clockwise (looking landward) during the first half of the flood and then reverses and remains counterclockwise during most of the ebb tide. Past maximum ebb, the cross-channel baroclinic term, overcomes Coriolis and reverses the lateral flows.
Plasma processing of PET in an oxygen decoupled plasma source

Samples of poly(ethylene terepthalate) (PET), 200 mm, were exposed to an energetic oxygen discharge from a decoupled plasma source, in order to modify local surface properties. Samples were placed at two distances, 13 cm and 20 cm, from the top of the discharge coil to assess the interaction between the sample and the DPS discharge. The discharge was generated at 13.56 MHz in oxygen at varying pressures of 100 –1000 mtorr at applied power levels of 250 – 1000 watts. Optical emission spectroscopy (OES) from 250 nm – 900 nm was used to characterize the interaction between the oxygen discharge and the samples during processing. Atomic species of oxygen decreased and molecular species of OH and CO increased during processing, particularly with increased applied power and pressure. Surface modification was monitored using the sessile drop method. The samples showed a reduction in contact angle indicating a change from a hydrophobic condition to a hydrophilic condition with processing. Visible changes were also seen in the samples ranging from a light roughening of the surfaces at lower applied power levels to distortion and melting of the samples at applied power levels of 750 and 1000 watts, with more damage occurring at the closest distance to the discharge.
Larval environmental stress alters Aedes aegypti competence for Sindbis virus

OBJECTIVE To evaluate how stress at the larval stage alters adult mosquito performance and susceptibility to viral infection. METHODS We used a model system consisting of Sindbis virus (SINV) and the yellow fever mosquito Aedes aegypti. Larvae were either reared under optimal conditions (control) or exposed to one of four types of stressors; suboptimal nutrients, starvation, elevated temperature, and a low dose of the insecticide malathion and adult females were fed SINV infectious blood meal. Differential expressions of stress, immune-specific and detoxification genes was measured in fourth instar larvae (HSP70, HSP83, cecropin, defensin, transferrin and CYP6Z6) and 3-day-old females (cecropin, defensin, transferrin) to identify plausible molecular mechanisms associated with mosquito response to stress. RESULTS There were stress-specific variations in mosquito performance (survival, development time, female size), but all stressors had a consistent effect of significantly increasing susceptibility to viral infection and dissemination relative to the controls. Three genes were up-regulated in fourth instar larvae exposed to temperature stress (cecropin, defensin and CYP6Z6) compared to single genes in suboptimal nutrient (cecropin) and malathion (transferrin) stress treatments and down-regulation of all the six genes in starvation treatments. In adult samples, transferrin was up-regulated in all but starvation treatments while defensin was up-regulated in starvation and temperature stress treatments. CONCLUSIONS Stress during larval development may cause alterations in adult mosquito phenotype and immunity that can increase their susceptibility to pathogens.
Using SNAPPS to Facilitate the Expression of Clinical Reasoning and Uncertainties: A Randomized Comparison Group Trial

Purpose When medical students present cases to preceptors, they focus mainly on factual information and reveal little about their diagnostic reasoning or uncertainties. Do third-year students using the six-step, learner-centered SNAPPS technique (Summarize history and findings, Narrow the differential; Analyze the differential; Probe preceptor about uncertainties; Plan management; Select case-related issues for self-study) for case presentations to family medicine ambulatory care preceptors express clinical reasoning and learning issues more than students not trained in the technique?
Female Pornography Use and Sexual Coercion Perpetration

The issue of the impact of pornography on sexual violence has been controversial for several decades with the publication of conflicting findings making the relationship between these two phenomena murky at best. In addition, this field of research has generally focused on sexual assault and almost exclusively on male perpetrators. This study examines how pornography is related to female sexual aggression and coerciveness. Women have been found to perpetrate sexual coercion at a rate similar to males (Struckman-Johnson and Struckman-Johnson 1994). In this study, pornography use among females was found to be a significant predictor of all forms of sexual aggression, except physical violence and intimidation.
Concurrent Scheduling In Flexible Automation

Advancements in integrated automation, computers, and machine tool technology have led to the development of machines that are very versatile. Flexible automation is the computer-based integration of these versatile machines. An important operational consideration for flexible automation is the scheduling of production. The conventional approach to flexible automation scheduling is a sequential decision process that sequentially involves ( 1) the loading of resources on the machines, (2) the routing of jobs to the loaded machines, and (3) the sequencing of the jobs at each machine. In this paper, a concurrent approach is performs the above three decisions. Defining illustrative small problems, and implementing this concurrent scheduling approach on them, we show that machine utilization and productivity may be improved over the sequential approach. Furthermore, we provide a mathematical p rograrnming network heuristic that performs well on larger, problems. Its application to some actual problems in the scheduling of operational flexible manufacturing systems indicates that the approach is indeed promising.
Setting environmental standards: A statistician's perspective

Governmental environmental protection is commonly implemented by specifying a standard value of pollution, measured or actual, not to be exceeded. This article considers the standard for ozone pollution in the United States, interprets it using a hypothesis testing framework, and shows (in a simplified setting) how a statistician could implement this standard. The statistician's implementation is contrasted with the implementation by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Some of the issues raised by these contrasting implementations are illustrated using ozone data from three areas in the United States. This article also examines potential biases in using data collected for standard compliance monitoring purposes to assess the health effects of ozone.
Waveform fusion in sonar signal processing

In active sonar systems, proper selection of the transmitted waveform is critical for target detection and parameter estimation, especially with the existence of clutter (reverberation). Two commonly used waveforms (constant frequency (CF) and linear frequency modulated (LFM)) are studied. Their characteristics are complementary both with respect to their accuracies and their sensitivity to the blind zero-Doppler ridge. Several fusion schemes of the two kinds of waveforms are explored and fusion results are studied both analytically and from simulation. It is concluded that fusion of the information of different waveforms can be not only more robust, but in some cases outright preferable, in term of detection probability and estimation accuracy.
Optical bistable behavior of a planar quasi-waveguide interferometer made with a conjugated organic polymer film

Optical bistable behavior in a quasi-waveguide interferometer with the third-order nonlinearity of the guiding film of a soluble polydiacetylene (poly-4BCMU) is demonstrated. This device shows input–output behavior analogous to that of a nonlinear Fabry–Perot etalon. The value of χ(3) for poly-4BCMU estimated from the switching power is considerably higher than the earlier reported nonresonant values measured by other methods.
Millimeter Wave Detection of Localized Anomalies in the Space Shuttle External Fuel Tank Insulating Foam

The Space Shuttle Columbia's catastrophic accident emphasizes the growing need for developing and applying effective, robust, and life-cycle-oriented nondestructive testing (NDT) methods for inspecting the shuttle external fuel tank spray on foam insulation (SOFI). Millimeter-wave NDT techniques were one of the methods chosen for evaluating their potential for inspecting these structures. Several panels with embedded anomalies (mainly voids) were produced and tested for this purpose. Near-field and far-field millimeter-wave NDT methods were used for producing images of the anomalies in these panels. This paper presents the results of an investigation for the purpose of detecting localized anomalies in several SOFI panels. To this end, continuous-wave reflectometers at single frequencies of 33.5, 70, or 100 GHz representing a relatively wide range of millimeter-wave spectrum [Ka-band (26.5-40 GHz) to W-band (75-110 GHz)] and utilizing different types of radiators were employed. The resulting raw images revealed a significant amount of information about the interior of these panels. However, using simple image processing techniques, the results were improved in particular as it relates to detecting the smaller anomalies. This paper presents the results of this investigation and a discussion of these results.
An Efficient Implementation of Motion Estimation with Weight Prediction for ITU-T H.264 | MPEG-4 AVC

ITU-T H.264 \ MPEG-4 AVC includes weight prediction in inter prediction process to improve coding efficiency when encoding video with a fading scene. Weight prediction, however, increases complexity of motion estimation (ME) process significantly either in terms of additional operation or extra memory requirement. AVC standard performs weight prediction by scaling pixel value of the reference block to match with the fading effect. To follow this approach in ME, scaling operation has to be done at every pixel of all search blocks or pre-calculated before encoding. This paper proposes an efficient implementation method of weight prediction by scaling pixel value of the current block with an inverse of the weight factor instead. The proposed method reduces both the number of operations and memory requirement while sacrificing a negligible loss due to rounding error.
Relevance of evolutionary history for food web structure.

Explaining the structure of ecosystems is one of the great challenges of ecology. Simple models for food web structure aim at disentangling the complexity of ecological interaction networks and detect the main forces that are responsible for their shape. Trophic interactions are influenced by species traits, which in turn are largely determined by evolutionary history. Closely related species are more likely to share similar traits, such as body size, feeding mode and habitat preference than distant ones. Here, we present a theoretical framework for analysing whether evolutionary history—represented by taxonomic classification—provides valuable information on food web structure. In doing so, we measure which taxonomic ranks better explain species interactions. Our analysis is based on partitioning of the species into taxonomic units. For each partition, we compute the likelihood that a probabilistic model for food web structure reproduces the data using this information. We find that taxonomic partitions produce significantly higher likelihoods than expected at random. Marginal likelihoods (Bayes factors) are used to perform model selection among taxonomic ranks. We show that food webs are best explained by the coarser taxonomic ranks (kingdom to class). Our methods provide a way to explicitly include evolutionary history in models for food web structure.
Code space: touch + air gesture hybrid interactions for supporting developer meetings

We present Code Space, a system that contributes touch + air gesture hybrid interactions to support co-located, small group developer meetings by democratizing access, control, and sharing of information across multiple personal devices and public displays. Our system uses a combination of a shared multi-touch screen, mobile touch devices, and Microsoft Kinect sensors. We describe cross-device interactions, which use a combination of in-air pointing for social disclosure of commands, targeting and mode setting, combined with touch for command execution and precise gestures. In a formative study, professional developers were positive about the interaction design, and most felt that pointing with hands or devices and forming hand postures are socially acceptable. Users also felt that the techniques adequately disclosed who was interacting and that existing social protocols would help to dictate most permissions, but also felt that our lightweight permission feature helped presenters manage incoming content.
Cancer proteomics by quantitative shotgun proteomics

A major scientific challenge at the present time for cancer research is the determination of the underlying biological basis for cancer development. It is further complicated by the heterogeneity of cancer's origin. Understanding the molecular basis of cancer requires studying the dynamic and spatial interactions among proteins in cells, signaling events among cancer cells, and interactions between the cancer cells and the tumor microenvironment. Recently, it has been proposed that large-scale protein expression analysis of cancer cell proteomes promises to be valuable for investigating mechanisms of cancer transformation. Advances in mass spectrometry technologies and bioinformatics tools provide a tremendous opportunity to qualitatively and quantitatively interrogate dynamic protein-protein interactions and differential regulation of cellular signaling pathways associated with tumor development. In this review, progress in shotgun proteomics technologies for examining the molecular basis of cancer development will be presented and discussed.
In the Public Interest

In today's economic and political climate, there is a growing trend toward less governmental intervention in the economy and more reliance on the private sector for the delivery of a variety of services. Deficit politics, airline deregulation, and the prospect of a windfall of cash has prompted many local units of government that own and operate airports to consider selling or leasing these facilities to private investors. Airport privatization has emerged as a contentious issue, with weighty arguments on both sides of the debate. This article examines these arguments and presents several models of airport privatization. The authors suggest that the most aggressive form of privatization–full divestiture–is unlikely to produce the benefits advertised by its proponents. However, less radical forms of privatization serve as useful models for future airport ownership and operation. The authors conclude that, given the great variation in the types of airports in the United States system, no single model is sufficient.
Race, Power, and Democracy in the Graduate Classroom.

In this chapter, three graduates and a faculty member analyze efforts to create a democratic practice in the context of their doctoral program in adult education.
Single carbon nanotube based photodiodes for infrared detection

The photobehavior of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) has attracted great attention because of their unique cylinder structure and outstanding electrical properties. Much experimental progress toward nanotubes based photodetector has been reported. But it is still unclear whether the photoinduced conductivity change is caused by heating effect or quantum effect for the reported results. Moreover, the sensitivity of the CNT based IR detector needs to be further improved for real applications. In this paper, a single carbon nanotube based photodiode for infrared (IR) detection is constructed by assembling a single CNT to form connections with a pair of electrodes. By forming Schottky contact with an electrode, a semiconductive CNT is assembled into a Schottky diode. The photogenerated electron-hole pairs within the Schottky barrier are separated by an external electric field or the built-in field, producing a photocurrent. Since a semiconductive CNT normally forms Schottky contacts with both electrodes, the photocurrents generated by the two reversely connected Schottky diodes will cancel each other. Experimental results show that, at zero bias, the photocurrent varied from positive to negative as the IR spot center was moved from one electrode to another one. This proved that the photocurrent is caused by the photovoltaic effect in stead of the heating effect. To optimize the performance of the detector, a heterogeneous electrodes structure is designed to maximize the difference between the photocurrents of the two Schottky barriers. Different contact metals are selected such as an Ohmic contact is formed at one electrode and a Schottky barrier is formaed at another electrode. Experimental results show that the signal to dark current ratio of a heterogeneous detector is thousand times higher than the ratio of a homogeneous detector.
Measuring participant rurality in Web-based interventions

Web-based health behavior change programs can reach large groups of disparate participants and thus they provide promise of becoming important public health tools. Data on participant rurality can complement other demographic measures to deepen our understanding of the success of these programs. Specifically, analysis of participant rurality can inform recruitment and social marketing efforts, and facilitate the targeting and tailoring of program content. Rurality analysis can also help evaluate the effectiveness of interventions across population groupings. We describe how the RUCAs (Rural-Urban Commuting Area Codes) methodology can be used to examine results from two Randomized Controlled Trials of Web-based tobacco cessation programs: the ChewFree.com project for smokeless tobacco cessation and the Smokers' Health Improvement Program (SHIP) project for smoking cessation. Using RUCAs methodology helped to highlight the extent to which both Web-based interventions reached a substantial percentage of rural participants. The ChewFree program was found to have more rural participation which is consistent with the greater prevalence of smokeless tobacco use in rural settings as well as ChewFree's multifaceted recruitment program that specifically targeted rural settings. Researchers of Web-based health behavior change programs targeted to the US should routinely include RUCAs as a part of analyzing participant demographics. Researchers in other countries should examine rurality indices germane to their country.
SMART: an efficient, scalable, and robust streaming video system

SMART, the acronym of scalable media adaptation and robust transport, is a suite of compression and transmission technologies for efficient, scalable, adaptive, and robust video streaming over the best-effort Internet. It consists of two indispensable parts: SMART video coding and SMART video streaming. The SMART video coding part is an efficient DCT-based universal fine granularity scalable coding scheme. Since the SMART video coding scheme adopts multiple-loop prediction and drifting reduction techniques at the macroblock level, it can achieve high coding efficiency at a wide range of bit rates. More importantly, it provides all sorts of scalabilities, that is, quality, temporal, spatial, and complexity scalabilities, in order to accommodate heterogeneous time-variant networks and different devices. The SMART video streaming part is a transport scheme that fully takes advantages of the special features of the scalable bitstreams. An accurate bandwidth estimation method is first discussed as the prerequisite of network adaptation. Then, flexible error resilience technique and unequal error protection strategy are investigated to enhance the robustness of streaming SMART bitstream. The SMART system shows excellent performances with regard to high coding efficiency, flexible channel bandwidth adaptation, smooth playback, and superior error robustness in static and dynamic experiments.
Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis changes allow seasonal modulation of corticosterone in a bird

We examined possible mechanisms underlying seasonal stress modulation in Lapland longspurs (Calcarius lapponicus), a species that breeds and molts (the energetically costly replacement of feathers)...
Definition, Abgrenzung und Klassifikation von Fehlern

In diesem Kapitel werden zunachst Merkmale der Definition von Fehlern dargestellt. Anschliesend werden Zusammenhange zwischen Fehlern und verwandten Begriffen aufgezeigt und Abgrenzungen zu diesen vorgenommen. Schlieslich werden einige zentrale Fehlertaxonomien prasentiert.
An exact formulation of thin film contact resistance with dissimilar materials

Summary form only given. Thin film contact is a very important issue in many areas, such as integrated circuits, thin film devices, carbon nanotube and carbon nanofiber based cathodes and interconnects, field emitters, etc. In high energy density physics, the electrical contacts between the electrode plates and in Z-pinch wire arrays are crucial for high current delivery. This paper presents results of thin film contact resistance with dissimilar materials, based on an exact analytic formulation of a model for both cylindrical and Cartesian geometry. In the cylindrical geometry, the model consists of a long cylindrical rod of radius a standing on the center of large thin-film circular disk of thickness h, and radius b (>; a). The rod's electrical resistivity and the thin film's electrical resistivity may have an arbitrary ratio. We found that, over a large range of parameters, the contact resistance does not depend on b as long as either b >;>; a or b >;>; h. We also found that the contact resistance is insensitive to the resistivity ratio for a/h ; 1. Our calculations are verified in various known limits. We obtained the condition under which the thin film contact resistance is minimized, for arbitrary resistivity ratio. Electric field patterns will also be presented that show crowding of the field lines in the contact region for h >;>; a and for a >;>; h. The contact resistance for the Cartesian thin-film geometry will be presented. Our theory was validated against MAXWELL 3D simulation, and against conformal mapping results for unity resistivity ratio. Optimal conditions to minimize the thin film contact resistance are identified.
The problems of liminal states, line drawing, and false dichotomies.

This commentary focuses on the tenuous line between health and disease and the conflicting characterizations of genetic predisposition that sometimes place it on one side of that line, and sometimes on the other. For example, GINA uses the line between health and disease to distinguish between, respectively, the healthy (including, those with genetic predispositions), who are shielded from discrimination, and those with ‘manifested illness,’ who are not. At the same time, some have argued that the Americans with Disabilities Act protects individuals with genetic predispositions, relying on a label akin to disability, as opposed to health, to characterize this group. Similarly, courts have described genetic predisposition as a disease of sorts to justify insurance payment for medical intervention. Attempts to fit genetic predisposition neatly into the binary world of health or illness can be problematic because this dichotomy doesn't capture the complex continuum between those states. Some individuals reside in yet another ‘liminal’ state when they develop mild symptoms or biomarkers, placing them somewhere between genetic predisposition and actual disease manifestation. As a result, they may be unprotected under existing frameworks. Liminal states are therefore problematic not only with respect to insurance reimbursement, but in other areas as well.