cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Recall of semantic domains.

The order of recall of lists of words learned incidentally was analyzed by multidimensional scaling similarity matrices based on the number of times words were retrieved next to each other. For the semantic domains of mammals, birds, and kinship terms, retrieval from very long-term memory, both for groups and individuals, and recall of recently learned lists produced multidimensional solutions similar to published solutions based on judged relatedness and associative overlap. For the squares of the Monopoly board and the names of the members of the Lawrence University faculty, for which clear a priori category structures exist, the form of clustering in the order and timing of recall that is commonly found in recall of lists learned recently in the laboratory was also found in the retrieval of lists learned incidentally through multiple exposures over long periods of time in the real world.
Immunotherapy for multiple myeloma.

The potential potency of the immune system in targeting malignant plasma cells in multiple myeloma is best demonstrated in the allogeneic transplant setting, where durable responses can be achieved. However, allogeneic transplantation is associated with significant morbidity and mortality related to graft versus host disease, due to the non-specific nature of allo-reactive T cell responses mediated by donor lymphocytes. Immunotherapeutic approaches that more specifically target the malignant plasma cells have the potential to improve outcomes in multiple myeloma. The development of clinically efficacious immunotherapy in multiple myeloma is dependent on achieving a greater understanding of the complex interactions between the immunologic milieu and the growth of the malignant plasma cell clone. A number of antigens have been identified on malignant plasma cells that may be targeted by both humoral and cell mediated immunotherapeutic strategies. Encouraging results have been demonstrated both pre-clinicall...
Applications of ultrafast mode-locked laser diodes in synchronous optical networks

Semiconductor laser diodes play an important role in synchronous optical networks as sources of optical modelocked pulse trains with robust timing stability. In this paper, it is demonstrated how these diodes may be used in such applications as optical clock distribution, photonic network synchronization, and all-optic clock recovery. Emphasis is placed on all-optical clock recovery with preliminary results presented.
Reaction paths for decyclization of methylcyclopentane over PtAl2O3 catalyst

Abstract It is shown that the decyclization of methylcyclopentane on dual-functional Pt Al 2 O 3 catalyst can proceed by an acid-dependent route in addition to an acid-independent platinum catalyzed mechanism. Evidence is based on data obtained using poisoning techniques, in which either the platinum function, or acid function, or both, were de-activated, and also by using the mixed catalyst technique. With only the monofunctional platinum mechanism operative, the distribution of decyclization products is nearly statistical; with only the acid-dependent route, the distribution suggests a carbonium ion mechanism. The observed hydrogen dependency of the acid-catalyzed reaction is consistent with simultaneous monofunctional acid and dual-functional modes of operation.
A minicomputer program for stimulus control and analog data for discrete trial paradigms in biological preparations: Classical conditioning

The application of computer technology to classical conditioning requires: control software that will repeatedly generate stimulus events, and analog-to-digital (A/D) recording capabilities for the resolution of analog data from phasic response systems (e.g., nictitating membrane extension, leg flexion). An earlier software package implemented on a 4K PDP-8/E (Millenson, Kehoe, Tait, & Gormezano, 1973) successfully met these requirements. However, the program’s capabilities were restricted to the presentation of only two unique stimuli with a maximum of 4 sec duration, and data reduction in only uniphasic response systems. The present program, employing the same hardware, relaxed these previous constraints and extended the range of data analysis through the revamping of the interactive assembler, operating system, and on-line data processing routines.
Lectin-dependent T-lymphocyte and natural killer cytotoxic deficiencies in human newborns

Abstract Two cytotoxic assays, lectin-dependent cytotoxicity and natural killer (NK) cytotoxicity, were used to assess the competence of cord blood and neonatal peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) and T-cell cytotoxic reactions. The effect of exogenous interferon was also studied. Results were compared with cytotoxic capabilities of adult cells and cells from patients with primary immunodeficiency syndromes. Lectin-dependent cytotoxicity (LDCC), a property of both T and non-T cells, was assessed by lysis of chromium-labeled EL4 tumor target cells in the presence or absence of exogenous fibroblast interferon (IFN-β). Natural killer cytotoxicity was assessed by lysis of two different chromium-labeled tumor target cells, Molt 4f and K562 in the presence or absence of IFN-β. Lectin-dependent cytotoxicity (LDCC) of PBMC of cord blood (32 ± 4% SEM) and adult cells (36 ± 2% SEM) were equivalent but neonatal cells had slightly decreased LDCC (22 ± 3% lysis). T-depleted cells from cord or neonatal blood had increased LDCC but T-enriched (>95% sheep erythrocyte rosette-forming cells) from both cord (22 ± 3%) and neonatal blood (18 ± 5%) had significantly reduced LDCC compared to 55 ± 2% for adult T cells. This deficiency corrects with age and is near normal after age 2. Preincubation with IFN-β did not enhance LDCC of newborn or adult cells. The LDCC of some cord T cells was markedly reduced and was in the same low range as patients with severe combined immunodeficiency. Natural killer (NK) cytotoxicity of PBMC from cord and adult cells was equivalent at three effector:target ratios against the Molt 4f target but against the K562 target, cord PBMC had significantly less NK activity (22 ± 11 SD) compared to adult NK activity (50.5 ± 22.2 SD) at a 50:1 effector:target ratio. Similar differences were noted at 25:1 and 10:1 target:effector ratios. NK cytotoxicity against Molt 4f targets of adult cells was significantly enhanced by preincubation with IFN-β but NK of cord cells was only variably enhanced. By contrast, IFN-β enhanced NK against K562 targets of both adult and cord cells, adult greater (67.7 ± 20) than cord cells (37.8 ± 2.0). These T-cell effector deficiencies are in marked contrast to the vigorous proliferative responses of newborn T cells, and parallel deficiencies of certain neonatal lymphokines. These defects may explain the newborns' enhanced susceptibility to intracellular viruses and to congenital viral infections.
Fmr1 knockout mice are impaired in a leverpress escape/avoidance task

Fragile X syndrome (FXS) is the most common form of inherited mental retardation (MR). FXS is typically caused by a mutation of the Fmr1 gene (Verkerk et al. 1991, Cell 65, 905-914). To better understand the role of Fmr1 and its gene product fragile X mental-retardation protein (FMRP) in central nervous system function, researchers have turned to the use of animal model systems to generate an Fmr1 knockout (KO) mouse that is deficient in FMRP (Bakker et al. 1994, Cell 78, 23-33). Unfortunately, a number of studies have found no consistent, robust learning and memory impairment in the Fmr1 KO mice. We conducted a study to assess the performance of Fmr1 KO and wildtype (WT) animals in a leverpress escape/avoidance paradigm. Fmr1 KO and WT littermates were studied in four daily 1-h sessions. The Fmr1 KO mice performed fewer avoidance and total responses than WT mice. The KO animals were not simply deficient in avoidance, but a within-factor ANOVA revealed that they did not acquire the leverpress response to any appreciable degree. Observation during the sessions indicated that the Fmr1 KO animals clearly responded to the shock, eliminating an obvious sensory explanation for the deficit. The fact that other studies have found that the KO mice displayed increased exploratory and locomotor activity compared with WT controls argues against a motoric deficit. Future studies will attempt to delineate the nature of the behavioral deficit as well as attempt to rescue the response with glutamatergic or dopaminergic agents.
Antiviral memory CD8 T-cell differentiation, maintenance, and secondary expansion occur independently of MyD88

Inflammatory signals induced during infection regulate T-cell expansion, differentiation, and memory formation. Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are inflammatory mediators that allow innate immune cells to recognize and respond to invading pathogens. In addition to their role in innate immune cells, we have found that signals delivered through the TLR adapter protein myeloid differentiation protein 88 (MyD88) play a critical, T cell–intrinsic role in supporting the survival and accumulation of antigen-specific effector cells after acute viral infection. However, the importance of MyD88-dependent signals in regulating the generation and maintenance of memory T cells remained unclear. To address this, we used a novel, inducible knockout system to examine whether MyD88 is required for optimal memory CD8 T-cell generation and responses after lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus infection. We show that whereas MyD88 is critical for initial T-cell expansion, it is not required for the subsequent differentiation and stable maintenance of a memory T-cell population. Furthermore, in contrast to naive CD8 T cells, memory CD8 T cells do not depend on MyD88 for their secondary expansion. Our findings clarify the importance of MyD88 during distinct phases of the antiviral T-cell response and establish differential dependence on MyD88 signaling as a novel characteristic that distinguishes naive from memory CD8 T cells.
Laser ablation in analytical chemistry - A review

Laser ablation is becoming a dominant technology for direct solid sampling in analytical chemistry. Laser ablation refers to the process in which an intense burst of energy delivered by a short laser pulse is used to sample (remove a portion of) a material. The advantages of laser ablation chemical analysis include direct characterization of solids, no chemical procedures for dissolution, reduced risk of contamination or sample loss, analysis of very small samples not separable for solution analysis, and determination of spatial distributions of elemental composition. This review describes recent research to understand and utilize laser ablation for direct solid sampling, with emphasis on sample introduction to an inductively coupled plasma (ICP). Current research related to contemporary experimental systems, calibration and optimization, and fractionation is discussed, with a summary of applications in several areas.
Pre-threshold conductance and polarization effects in amorphous semiconductor switches

Abstract It is shown that the conductance and threshold parameters of threshold switches depend on the manner in which switching systems are addressed. Slow voltage ramps lead to internal polarization; fast square pulses do not. The polarization processes influence all switching operations performed sequentially; their room-temperature relaxation time is of the order of several milliseconds. The observations are interpreted on the basis of a space charge model involving injected carriers, subsequently trapped.
Singular self-adjoint boundary value problems for the differential equation =

1. Introduction. Let L he a linear differential operator. Eigenfunction expansions for self-adjoint boundary value problems associated with the differential equation Zx=Xx on an infinite interval have been treated by various authors, beginning with Weyl [4] in 1910. Boundary value problems on a finite interval for differential equations of the form Lx=\Mx, where M is another linear differential operator whose order is less than that of L, have been discussed by Kamke [3]. The purpose of the first part of this paper is to improve the results of Kamke and to state them in a form suitable for the study of boundary value problems on an infinite interval. In the remainder of the paper the methods used by Coddington and Levinson [l ] for the equation Lx=\x are modified to study the equation Lx—\Mx on an infinite interval. 2. Self-adjoint boundary value problems on a finite interval. We consider the problem Lx=\Mx, Ux = 0 on the finite interval /, a^t^b. Here Lx = ZXo £>Wx(n-'\ Mx= YJ-o qi(t)x^m-l), are formally self-adjoint differential operators, with pi(t) and c7,(7) complex-valued functions with the properties that pi(t) is of class C"-' on I, qi(t) is of class Cm_ 0 and K such that (Mu, u)^d(u, u) and (Lu, u)^K(u, u) ior all uED.
Lösungsmitteleffekte bei der radikalpolymerisation I. Beeinflussung der startgeschwindigkeit bei der polymerisation von styrol mit AIBN als initiator

In einer Reihe von Losungsmitteln wurde die Zerfallskonstante des Azodiisobutyronitrils (AIBN) nach der Methode der UV-Spektroskopie gemessen. Ferner wurde die Summe der Geschwindigkeiten von Kettenstart und Abbruch durch Primarradikale unter Verwendung von 14C-markiertem Initiator bestimmt. Mit beiden Methoden ergibt sich eine betrachtliche Abhangigkeit der Zerfallsgeschwindigkeit des AIBN vom Medium, welche bei der exakten Auswertung kinetischer Daten nicht vernachlassigt werden sollte. The rate constant of the decomposition of azobisisobutyronitrile (AIBN) measured by UV spectroscopy in a series of solvents. Furthermore the sum of the rates of chain initiation and termination by primary radicals has been determined using 14C-labelled catalyst. It follows from both sets of experiments that the rate of decomposition of AIBN depends considerably on the medium. This dependence cannot be neglected in an exact evaluation of kinetic data.
Control of Replication Timing by a Transcriptional Silencer

Abstract Background: Eukaryotic DNA replication starts at many origins. Some origins are used early in S phase, while others are programmed to fire later. In general, late replication is correlated with transcriptional inactivity and with location near the nuclear periphery. However, the mechanisms that determine replication timing are unclear, and the cause-and-effect relationship between late replication, transcriptional inactivity, and location at the nuclear periphery is unknown. Results: Using budding yeast, we show that a transcriptional silencer, HMR-E , can reset the time of initiation of ARS305 from early to late. This resetting requires Sir proteins, which are silencers of transcription. Resetting can also be achieved by targeting Sir4 to ARS305 . HMR-E sequences and targeted Sir4, both of which cause late replication of ARS305 , also cause transcriptional silencing of the nearby APA1 gene. Conclusions: Sir proteins are sufficient to reprogram an origin from early to late; that is, Sir proteins are a cause of late replication. Presumably, the tight chromatin structure promoted by Sir proteins favors both transcriptional inactivity and late replication.
Risk of genital human papillomavirus infection in women with human immunodeficiency virus‐induced immunosuppression

This study examined the risk factors for genital human papillomavirus (HPV) infection, including HIV-related immunosuppression as well as demographic and behavioral factors. Subjects were 207 women with known HIV serologic status, the majority of whom were intravenous drug users recruited from a methadone treatment program in the Bronx, New York. A structured questionnaire interview, cervico-vaginal lavage, and CD4 cell measurements we're obtained. HPV genomes in the cervico-vaginal cells were detected by Southern-blot hybridization. HPV prevalence was 23% among HIV seronegatives, 45% among HIV seropositives with CD4 percent >20 and 61% among HIV seropositives with CD4 percent ≤20. Multivariate analysis identified the following independent risk factors that were significantly associated with HPV positivity: HIV-related immunosuppression, <35 years of age, and never used oral contraceptive pills. HIV-related immunosuppression was also associated with a stronger Southern-blot signal strength. HIV infection, however, did not increase the susceptibility to HPV infection with the oncogenic types (16, 18, 31, 33 and 35). Women with HIV infection or immunosuppression had a higher prevalence of HPV infection with the oncogenic types, but they also had an increased prevalence of infection with other HPV types as compared to the HIV-seronegative women. The results suggest that HIV-related immunosuppression increases the risk of genital HPV infection and has an effect on HPV replication.
An unusual consequence of stereotactic colloid cyst aspiration: case report.

SUMMARY The removal of a colloid cyst of the third ventricle by stereotactic cyst aspiration is frequently performed as an alternative to a transcortical-transventricular or transcallosal operative route. A consequence of a CT-guided stereotactic aspiration, where residual colloid cyst material has been dislodged into the lateral ventricle and likened to an intraventricular mouse, is described.
Therapy of Mycobacterium marinum Infections: Use of Tetracyclines vs Rifampin

We describe four patients with Mycobacterium marinum infections who did not respond to two- to six-week courses of therapy with tetracycline, minocycline, and doxycycline. All four patients had prompt responses to therapy with either rifampin alone (two patients) or rifampin in combination with ethambutol. Results of antimicrobial sensitivity tests may be helpful in guiding therapy. Rifampin may be the drug of choice for treatment of these infections.
Standardisation versus adaptation of business practices in Europe: 20 years of the Single European Market and two decades of (scarce) research

Shortly before and after the creation of the Single European Market and, partially, in the early 2000s, international marketing researchers had shown a vivid interest in the effects of European Union harmonisation on marketing strategies. Questions about the benefits of standardisation or adaptation strategies were asked and propositions were made. The last decade, however, has shown a relative paucity of interest by management scholars in the topic - a void that is being explored by articles in this special section.
Wideband space-time communication with implicit channel feedback

We consider wideband communication (e.g., using OFDM) over a typical cellular "downlink," in which the base station may have several antenna elements, while the mobile has 1or 2 antenna elements. The following are our major findings: (a) Implicit channel feedback regarding the covariance matrix for the downlink space-time channel can be obtained, without any power or bandwidth overhead, by suitably averaging uplink channel measurements across frequency. This approach applies to both time division duplex (TDD) and frequency division duplex (FDD) systems. The covariance feedback can be used to obtain better performance on the downlink, at lower encoding and decoding complexity, compared to standard space-time coding. (b) The conventional design without channel feedback is to space the transmit antennas far enough apart so as to ensure uncorrelated responses. However, when implicit feedback is available, much better performance is obtained by significantly smaller antenna spacing, optimized such that the number of dominant eigenmodes of the channel matches the (small) number of receive antenna elements.
Ion pairs—IV Chlorocuprate equilibria in acetic acid solutions

Abstract Spectra are reported for copper solutions in glacial acetic acid, in the presence of excess LiCl or LiBr, and the species responsible for the principal peaks are identified as Li 2 CuCl 4 (planar), 375 mμ; Li 2 CuCl 4 (distorted tetrahedral), 450 mμ; LiCuBr 3 , 625 mμ; and Li 2 CuBr 4 (distorted tetrahedral), 510 mμ. The equilibria in the lithium chloride solutions have been studied in detail over a range of water and lithium acetate concentrations. There are four principal copper containing species present, CuAc 2 , CuCl 2 , and the two types of Li 2 CuCl 4 . The molar absorptivities and equilibrium constants vary with water and salt concentrations, and equations are presented which represent the experimental data over a wide range of solvent composition.
COST OF DEFENSE IN THE CONTEXT OF PLANT COMPETITION: BRASSICA RAPA MAY GROW AND DEFEND

Theory on costs of plant defense against herbivory in stressful environments predicts that costs should increase when competition is intense. This amplifies a fundamental dilemma that plants are thought to face: allocate limited resources to grow fast enough to compete, or invest these resources in secondary metabolites to maintain defense. We studied costs associated with genetic and environmental variation in secondary metabolite pro- duction of Brassica rapa in the presence and absence of the generalist competitor Lolium perenne. We used experimental quantitative genetics (artificial selection) to manipulate genetic variation, and herbivore-induction treatments to produce environmental variation in myrosinase and glucosinolate concentrations and resistance. Glucosinolates, and their byproducts after breakdown by myrosinase, are known to affect herbivory on plants in the Brassicaceae family. Defense costs were significant in the absence of competitors, but in contrast to theoretical predictions, costs of constitutive defense (measured as growth rates) were not detectable and the cost of induced defense remained the same in the competitive environment. To understand what factors made constitutive defense costs not detectable under competition we conducted several experiments to assess the effects of limited re- sources and allelopathy on costs and benefits of the defense chemicals. None of the ex- periments involving nutrient supply and weak competition supported the hypothesis that the lack of defense costs in competitive environments was due to limited resources. Instead, the breakdown products of the glucosinolate-myrosinase reaction appeared to function as allelopathic agents, which may benefit B. rapa plants in competition, thereby reducing net costs of chemical defense. We found that: (1) the effects of exogenous glucosinolates on Lolium root length depended on the presence of myrosinase. (2) In the absence of nutrients, Lolium root lengths were shorter when seeds germinated with B. rapa. (3) Genetic increases in glucosinolate concentration negatively affected Lolium seedling growth only when there were simultaneous genetic increases in myrosinase concentration. Activated carbon treat- ments designed to neutralize allelopathic effects and restore costs in the competitive en- vironments were, however, not statistically significant. When plant defenses also function to benefit plants in competitive interactions, plants may evolve to compete and defend.
Sources of false positives in computer-assisted CT colonography

The application of computer-aided detection (CAD) is expected to improve reader sensitivity and to reduce inter-observer variance in computed tomographic (CT) colonography. However, current CAD systems display a large number of false-positive (FP) detections. The reviewing of a large number of FP CAD detections increases interpretation time, and it may also reduce the specificity and/or sensitivity of a computer-assisted reader. Therefore, it is important to be aware of the patterns and pitfalls of FP CAD detections. This pictorial essay reviews common sources of FP CAD detections that have been observed in the literature and in our experiments in computer-assisted CT colonography. Also the recommended computer-assisted reading technique is described.
Graduate Students' Perceptions of Privacy and Closed Circuit Television Systems in Public Settings

This qualitative study used grounded theory to examine how university graduate students felt about closed circuit television CCTV as it relates to the privacy and safety of students on campuses. As a result of violence at a few universities, more administrators are considering the implementation of CCTV systems. Because graduate students are an important part of the university population, their views were solicited. A qualitative approach was used because of the lack of previous research on this particular topic. Themes that emerged from interviews with 10 graduate students at a large Midwestern land-grant university were identified as: right to safety, right to privacy, personal privacy responsibilities, post-CCTV sense of privacy, post-CCTV sense of safety, crime displacement, false sense of safety, and international perspectives. The findings provide insight into graduate students' perceptions of a CCTV system and have implications for implementation decisions regarding such a system. Additionally, the findings were utilized to formulate hypotheses for a larger scale research project.
Chronic experimental allergic encephalomyelitis produced by bovine proteolipid apoprotein: Immunological studies in rabbits

A chronic experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE) has been produced in rabbits sensitized with bovine white matter proteolipid apoprotein. Eleven of 12 animals developed clinical disease one to six months after immunization with a single dose of the apoprotein. The clinical course was characterized by posterior ataxia, flaccid paralysis progressing to spastic paralysis, and incontinence. Spontaneous relapses and remissions were observed in 3 rabbits. Histologically, acute and chronic encephalomyelitis accompanied by primary demyelination were observed. Serum antibody production, assayed by both an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and an electroblot procedure, did not correlate with either the clinical course or the histopathological findings. Delayed hypersensitivity to proteolipid apoprotein was observed in all rabbits prior to the onset of clinical signs. The data suggest that lymphocytes specifically sensitized to the proteolipid may be involved in the pathogenesis of the demyelination in chronic EAE.
Cloning and characterization of a Golgin-related gene from the large-scale polymorphism linked to the PML gene.

Abstract Megabase-scale mapping of the PML gene locus revealed the presence of a large-scale insertion–deletion polymorphism located 25 kb downstream of the PML gene. The polymorphism is organized as a head-to-tail tandem 25-kb repeat containing one to five units. Characterization of the first repeat unit downstream of PML revealed the presence of a gene with strong homology to a family of Golgin-related proteins. The gene, designated GLP (for Golgin linked to PML), is strongly expressed as a 6-kb transcript in normal human testis. In situ hybridization of normal human testis demonstrated that the expression of GLP was restricted to late meiotic germ cells. There was weak expression in late pachytene spermatocytes and strong expression in spermatids. GLP is 50% homologous to other Golgin-related proteins including the vesicle docking protein GM130. Southern blot hybridization of genomic DNA with a GLP probe demonstrated numerous homologous bands outside the PML locus. Three of these loci have been mapped by fluorescence in situ hybridization to chromosome loci 9q34.1, 15q11–q13, and 15q22–q24. Hybridization of a GLP cDNA probe to a zoo blot demonstrated multiple signals in nonhuman primates but not in other species and suggested the duplication of an ancestral locus around 20 million years ago.
The decompositions of metastable [C4H8O]+˙ ions and the [C4H8O]+˙ potential surface

Collisionally activated decomposition (CA) spectra of [C4H8O]+˙ ions and the products of their metastable decompositions are used to refine a previously presented picture of the reactions of [C4H8O]+˙ ions. Metastable [C4H8O]+˙ isomers predominantly rearrange to the 2-butanone ion and decompose by loss of methyl and ethyl, although up to 38% of the methyl losses take place by other pathways to form . The CA spectra of many of the [C4H8O]+˙ ions with the oxygen on the first carbon are very similar, consistent with those ions isomerizing largely to common structures before or after collision. However, several of these ions have unique CA spectra, so they must remain structurally distinct from the majority of the [C4H8O]+˙ ions below energies required for decomposition. The CA spectra of ions with the oxygen on the second carbon are distinct from those of ions with the oxygen on the first carbon, so there is limited interconversion of the non-decomposing forms of the two types of ions. A potential energy diagram for the reactions of metastable [C4H8O]+˙ ions is constructed from appearance energy measurements. As would be expected, the relative importances of most of the [C4H8O]+˙ isomerizations seem to be inversely related to the activation energies for those processes. Some parallels between the isomerizations of [C4H8O]+˙ ions and those of related ions are pointed out.
Covert Mestizaje and the strategy of “passing” in Diego Muñoz Camargo's Historia de Tlaxcala

(1997). Covert Mestizaje and the strategy of “passing” in Diego Munoz Camargo's Historia de Tlaxcala. Colonial Latin American Review: Vol. 6, No. 1, pp. 41-58.
Spatial and physical frames of reference in positioning a limb

Splints attached to the right forearm were used to rotate the forearm’s physical reference frame, as defined by the eigenvectors of its inertia tensor, relative to its spatial reference frame. In two experiments, when subjects were required to orient the forearm parallel to, or at 45° to, the environmental horizontal, they produced limb orientations that were systematically deflected from the forearm’s longitudinal spatial axis in the direction of the forearm’s physical axes. The position sense seems to be based on inertial eigenvectors rather than on joint angles or gravitational torques.
Logics for Classes of Boolean Monoids

This paper presents the algebraic and Kripke model soundness and completeness of a logic over Boolean monoids. An additional axiom added to the logic will cause the resulting monoid models to be representable as monoids of relations. A star operator, interpreted as reflexive, transitive closure, is conservatively added to the logic. The star operator is a relative modal operator, i.e., one that is defined in terms of another modal operator. A further example, relative possibility, of this type of operator is given. A separate axiom, antilogism, added to the logic causes the Kripke models to support a collection of abstract topological uniformities which become concrete when the Kripke models are dual to monoids of relations. The machinery for the star operator is shown to be a recasting of Scott-Montague neighborhood models. An interpretation of the Kripke frames and properties thereof is presented in terms of certain CMOS transister networks and some circuit transformation equivalences. The worlds of the Kripke frame are wires and the Kripke relation is a specialized CMOS pass transistor network.
Limit analysis of weak layers under embankments

ABSTRACT Limit loads on finite layers of weak soil over a rigid base are analyzed using the upper bound approach. The soil is considered cohesive, and the Tresca yield condition is used to describe its strength. Strength increasing with depth is considered, and different strengths of the base interface are accounted for. The analysis is performed having the design of embankments in mind, and it makes it possible to account for the arbitrary horizontal component of the load generated by the horizontal thrust in the embankment. Results are compared to the lower bound solutions of particular cases available in the literature. Even though the upper bound approach was used, the solutions presented fall very close to the lower bound solutions. The advantage of the solutions presented in this paper is in easier calculations of bearing capacity, especially when the soil strength increases with depth, and in accounting for the arbitrary horizontal load transmitted from the embankment to the foundation soil. A proposal for arriving at critical heights of both unreinforced and reinforced embankments is given.
Prognostic and Pathogenetic Value of Combining Clinical and Biochemical Indices in Patients With Acute Lung Injury

Background No single clinical or biologic marker reliably predicts clinical outcomes in acute lung injury (ALI)/ARDS. We hypothesized that a combination of biologic and clinical markers would be superior to either biomarkers or clinical factors alone in predicting ALI/ARDS mortality and would provide insight into the pathogenesis of clinical ALI/ARDS. Methods Eight biologic markers that reflect endothelial and epithelial injury, inflammation, and coagulation (von Willebrand factor antigen, surfactant protein D [SP-D]), tumor necrosis factor receptor-1, interleukin [IL]-6, IL-8, intercellular adhesion molecule-1, protein C, plasminogen activator inhibitor-1) were measured in baseline plasma from 549 patients in the ARDSNet trial of low vs high positive end-expiratory pressure. Mortality was modeled with multivariable logistic regression. Predictors were selected using backward elimination. Comparisons between candidate models were based on the receiver operating characteristics (ROC) and tests of integrated discrimination improvement. Results Clinical predictors (Acute Physiology And Chronic Health Evaluation III [APACHE III], organ failures, age, underlying cause, alveolar-arterial oxygen gradient, plateau pressure) predicted mortality with an area under the ROC curve (AUC) of 0.82; a combination of eight biomarkers and the clinical predictors had an AUC of 0.85. The best performing biomarkers were the neutrophil chemotactic factor, IL-8, and SP-D, a product of alveolar type 2 cells, supporting the concept that acute inflammation and alveolar epithelial injury are important pathogenetic pathways in human ALI/ARDS. Conclusions A combination of biomarkers and clinical predictors is superior to clinical predictors or biomarkers alone for predicting mortality in ALI/ARDS and may be useful for stratifying patients in clinical trials. From a pathogenesis perspective, the degree of acute inflammation and alveolar epithelial injury are highly associated with the outcome of human ALI/ARDS.
Interaction second virial coefficients and binary interaction parameters for the CO2 C2H6 systems between 250 and 300 K

We have determined the interaction second virial coefficients (B12) for the CO2 C2H6 system between 250 and 300K using a Burnett-isochoric apparatus. The technique follows a procedure suggested by Hall and Eubank (1973) and extended by Holste et al. (1980). Combined errors for B12 are within 1.2 cm3/mol. In addition, values for the binary interaction parameter k12 calculated from our B12 values show difinite temperature dependence.
Integrated identification and robust control for paper machines

An integrated modeling and robust multivariable control approach is presented for paper machines. An application of this approach is demonstrated on a high-fidelity simulator. Modeling relies on input-output data, collected from an identification experiment at the desired operating condition. An estimate of the process model along with the uncertainty bounds that describe the confidence limits of the model, consistent with the robust control theory, is obtained. The results are used to design an multivariable controller based on loop-shaping principles and guided by the estimated uncertainty bounds. The simulations demonstrate the suitability of the approach and illustrate that the technique can be used to provide high bandwidth performance for both servo and regulatory control.
Unpredictable, unpreventable and impersonal medicine: global disaster response in the 21st century

The United Nations has recognized the devastating consequences of “unpredictable, unpreventable and impersonal” disasters—at least US $2 trillion in economic damage and more than 1.3 million lives lost from natural disasters in the last two decades alone. In many disasters (both natural and man-made) hundreds—and in major earthquakes, thousands—of lives are lost in the first days following the event because of the lack of medical/surgical facilities to treat those with potentially survivable injuries. Disasters disrupt and destroy not only medical facilities in the disaster zone but also infrastructure (roads, airports, electricity) and potentially local healthcare personnel as well. To minimize morbidity and mortality from disasters, medical treatment must begin immediately, within minutes ideally, but certainly within 24 h (not the days to weeks currently seen in medical response to disasters). This requires that all resources—medical equipment and support, and healthcare personnel—be portable and readily available; transport to the disaster site will usually require helicopters, as military medical response teams in developed countries have demonstrated. Some of the resources available and in development for immediate medical response for disasters—from portable CT scanners to telesurgical capabilities—are described. For immediate deployment, these resources—medical equipment and personnel—must be ready for deployment on a moment’s notice and not require administrative approvals or bureaucratic authorizations from numerous national and international agencies, as is presently the case. Following the “trauma center/stroke center” model, disaster response incorporating “disaster response centers” would be seamlessly integrated into the ongoing daily healthcare delivery systems worldwide, from medical education and specialty training (resident/registrar) to acute and subacute intensive care to long-term rehabilitation. The benefits of such a global disaster response network extend far beyond the lives saved: universal standards for medical education and healthcare delivery, as well as the global development of medical equipment and infrastructure, would follow. Capitalizing on the humanitarian nature of disaster response—with its suspension of the cultural, socioeconomic and political barriers that often paralyze international cooperation and development—disaster response can be predictable, loss of life can be preventable and benefits can be both personal and societal.
Computational intelligence in financial engineering trading competition: a system for project-based learning

This paper discusses the implementation of the Trading Competition held at the 2014 IEEE Computational Intelligence in Financial Engineering conference (CIFEr 2014). Participants in the competition were asked to hedge a simulated portfolio of assets, worth approximately $54 million. The winner was the individual whose portfolio most closely generated a 1% annualized return based on daily tracking. The goal of the competition was to provide participants with the opportunity to learn portfolio management and hedging skill. Self-assessments indicate that contestants improved their portfolio management skills and enjoyed their experience. This paper discusses methods used to generate the simulated stock and option prices and to construct the trading platform. All of the software used in the competition is being made open source in the hope that students, professors, and practitioners improve on the idea of the competition, thereby facilitating project-based learning for the future practitioners of economics, finance, and financial engineering.
Biomechanical assessment of radial optic neurotomy.

Purpose A biomechanical model was constructed to simulate the potential therapeutic effect that the surgical procedure radial optic neurotomy (RON) would have on an eye with a central retinal vein occlusion. Design Experimental study. Controls Model eyes undergoing RON were compared to control eyes under the same baseline conditions. Intervention Radial optic neurotomy. We modeled the optic nerve, lamina cribrosa, and the sclera separately and then reassembled the components. Material properties of the sclera and lamina cribrosa were extracted from the literature and both stiff and more elastic values were used for the optic nerve. Intraocular and arterial pressures were varied across a wide range in the analysis. Main Outcome Measure Change in central retinal vein lumen size. Results Over a clinically relevant range of boundary conditions, the increase in the lumen area of the central retinal vein lumen after RON remained trivial, ranging from 1% to a maximum of 5%. Conclusions The biomechanical effect of RON is negligible, and is unlikely to be a procedure that could mechanically ameliorate the clinical sequelae of a central vein occlusion.
Relationship between HER2 status and prognosis in women with brain metastases from breast cancer.

Purpose To analyze factors affecting outcomes in breast cancer patients with brain metastases (BM) and characterize the role of HER 2 status. Methods and Materials We identified 264 breast cancer patients treated between 1999 and 2008 for BM. HER 2 status was known definitively for 172 patients and was used to define cohorts in which survival and risk factors were analyzed. Results Kaplan-Meier survival analysis demonstrated improved mean overall survival (105.7 vs. 74.3 months, p p p HER 2+ patients relative to those with HER 2− breast cancer. HER 2+ status was an independent, positive prognostic factor for survival on univariate and multivariate hazard analysis (hazard ratio: overall survival=0.66, 0.18; NS=0.50, 0.34). Additionally, subgroup analysis suggests that stereotactic radiosurgery may be of particular benefit in patients with HER 2+ tumors. Conclusions Overall survival, NS, and RS are improved in patients with HER 2+ tumors, relative to those with HER 2− lesions, and HER 2 amplification is independently associated with increased survival in patients with BM from breast cancer. Our findings suggest that the prognosis of HER 2+ patients may be better than that of otherwise similar patients who are HER 2− and that stereotactic radiosurgery may be beneficial for some patients with HER 2+ lesions.
Expressiveness and Creativeness Metaphorical Images of Nursing

Metaphors are a personal expression and form of self-awareness, providing a way of describing an experience with dissimilar concepts to convey meaning. Metaphors create new meaning and provide a deeper insight into the human spirit. They are grounded in reality and day-to-day life experiences. Reflective practitioners incorporate and integrate their vast knowledge base of experience, skills, and attitudes to assist in formulating their practice as a metaphor. It is through this experience and reflection that nurses can creatively express their images of self and nursing.
Low threshold current 1.5- mu m buried heterostructure lasers using strained quaternary quantum wells

Buried heterostructure lasers operating at a wavelength of 1.5 mu m with four compressively strained quaternary quantum wells (strain approximately 1.8%, thickness approximately 90 AA) and current blocking layers were made using atmospheric pressure metalorganic chemical vapor deposition. Pulsed room-temperature threshold currents for uncoated devices as low as 4.1 mA and as low as 0.8 mA for devices with high reflectivity mirror coatings are reported. The dependence of threshold current on active region width is consistent with broad-area laser measurements. >
Short-Course Gentamicin in Combination with Daptomycin or Vancomycin against Staphylococcus aureus in an In Vitro Pharmacodynamic Model with Simulated Endocardial Vegetations

The ability to maximize bactericidal activity while minimizing toxicity is a therapeutic goal in the treatment of infective endocarditis. We evaluated the impact of administering short-course regimens of gentamicin in combination with daptomycin or vancomycin against one methicillin-susceptible (MSSA 1199) and one methicillin-resistant (MRSA 494) Staphylococcus aureus isolate using an in vitro pharmacodynamic model with simulated endocardial vegetations over 96 h. Human therapeutic dosing regimens for daptomycin (6 and 8 mg/kg of body weight), vancomycin, and gentamicin were simulated. Short-course combination regimens involving gentamicin were administered either as a single 5-mg/kg dose or three 1-mg/kg doses for only the first 24 h and compared to the regimens administered for the full 96-h duration. For all experiments, physiologic conditions of albumin, calcium, and pH were simulated. Both regimens of daptomycin achieved 99.9% kill by 32 h and maintained bactericidal activity against both isolates, which was significantly different from vancomycin, which displayed bacteriostatic activity (P < 0.05). The effects of all short-course regimens of gentamicin were equal to those of the full-duration regimens in combination with daptomycin. Adding three doses of gentamicin (1 mg/kg) to daptomycin resulted in enhancement and bactericidal activity at 24 h against both MRSA and MSSA. The addition of a single dose of gentamicin (5 mg/kg) enhanced or improved the activity of daptomycin and resulted in early bactericidal activity at 4 h against both isolates. The addition of three doses of gentamicin (1 mg/kg) did not improve the activity of vancomycin. However, the addition of a single 5-mg/kg dose of gentamicin to vancomycin resulted in early enhancement at 4 h and 99.9% kill at 32 h for MRSA. These results suggest that a single high dose of gentamicin in combination with daptomycin or vancomycin may be of utility to maximize synergistic and bactericidal activity and minimize toxicity. Further investigation is warranted.
A developmental model for the evolution of artificial neural networks

We present a model of decentralized growth and development for artificial neural networks (ANNs), inspired by developmental biology and the physiology of nervous systems. In this model, each individual artificial neuron is an autonomous unit whose behavior is determined only by the genetic information it harbors and local concentrations of substrates. The chemicals and substrates, in turn, are modeled by a simple artificial chemistry. While the system is designed to allow for the evolution of complex networks, we demonstrate the power of the artificial chemistry by analyzing engineered (handwritten) genomes that lead to the growth of simple networks with behaviors known from physiology. To evolve more complex structures, a Java-based, platform-independent, asynchronous, distributed genetic algorithm (GA) has been implemented that allows users to participate in evolutionary experiments via the World Wide Web.
Timing of Prescribed Burns Affects Abundance and Composition of Arthropods in the Texas Hill Country

Prior research has demonstrated that fire can be an important structuring force for plant communities in prairies and grasslands. However, investigations of land-management techniques, such as prescribed fire, often overlook responses of local fauna, particularly the arthropods. In this study, we examined a previously unappreciated, although potentially important, component of fire ecology by asking, does the timing of prescribed burns alter community structure of arthropods? At a site in the Texas Hill Country, we used sweep-net sampling to collected arthropods from experimental plots that had been treated with a summer-burn or winter-burn regime. Summer-burn plots supported .170% more individual arthropods than winter burns. Although overall diversity of arthropods did not significantly differ between treatments, there were significantly more carnivorous arthropods and marginally more herbivorous arthropods after fire in summer relative to fire in winter. Effects of timing were particularly strong for Cicadellidae (leaf hoppers) and Tetragnathidae (long-jawed spiders). Our results demonstrate that timing of prescribed fire can substantially alter composition of resident communities of arthropods. Furthermore, these data highlight the importance of examining composition of the community, in addition to diversity indices, when assessing response of arthropods to land-management techniques.