cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Should Educators and Parents Encourage Other-Gender Interactions? Gender Segregation and Sexism.

We investigated gender differences in the association between gender-segregated peer preferences and sexism in adolescents (15–17 years, 60 boys and 85 girls). To assess gender-segregated peer preferences, adolescents nominated peers for interaction in two contexts: ‘hanging out’ at home and working on a school project. The Modern Sexism Scale [Swim, J. K., K. J. Aikin, W. S. Hall, and B. A. Hunter. 1995. “Sexism and Racism: Old-Fashioned and Modern Prejudices.” Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 68 (2): 199–214] measured two dimensions of sexism: Antagonism towards Women's Demands (believing feminist issues are unimportant) and denial of continuing discrimination (believing gender discrimination no longer exists). For boys, Antagonism towards Women's Demands was associated with gender-segregated peer preferences in the school and home context. For girls, Denial of Continuing Discrimination was associated with gender-segregated peer preferences in the home context. Results are informative for ed...
Thermal Plasma Technology: Where Do We Stand and Where Are We Going?

In this overview, an attempt is made to assess the present and future research and development in thermal plasma processing of materials restricted to (1) thermal plasma coating technologies, (2) thermal plasma synthesis of fine powders, (3) thermal plasma waste destruction, and (4) thermal plasma spheroidization and densification. Since thermal plasma processing is, in general, governed by a large number of parameters, implementation of controls becomes mandatory. The lack of sufficient controls combined with economic drawbacks in some cases has been the main obstacle for the growth of thermal plasma technology. Present R&D efforts, however, address these problems.
Integration and application of TAU in parallel Java environments

Parallel Java environments present challenging problems for performance tools because of Java's rich language system and its multi-level execution platform combined with the integration of native-code application libraries and parallel run-time software. In addition to the desire to provide robust performance measurement and analysis capabilities for the Java language itself, the coupling of different software execution contexts under a uniform performance model needs careful consideration of how events of interest are observed and how cross-context parallel execution information is linked. This paper relates our experience in extending the TAU (Tuning and Analysis Utilities) performance system to a parallel Java environment based on mpiJava. We describe the complexities of the instrumentation model used, how performance measurements are made, and the overhead incurred. A parallel Java application simulating the game of Life is used to show the performance system's capabilities. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Fucosidosis: detection of the carrier state in peripheral blood leukocytes.

We have utilized the fluorogenic substrate 4-methylumbelliferyl-α- l -fucoside to measure the activity of α- l -fucosidase in white blood cells and serum. We have compared the findings with those using the p-nitrophenyl derivative. pH activity curves showed two major peaks of activity in leukocyte lysates, with different specificities to these substrates. α- l -Fucosidase activity was determined in peripheral leukocytes. isolated mononuclear cells (mainly lymphocytes), and granulocytes in 21 members of a family in which fucosidosis had occurred and in normal control subjects. The activity in the leukocytes, lymphocytes, and granulocytes of the normal subjects was 300.7±79.8, 190.1±43.9, and 281.9±73.1 nmoles 4-methylumbelliferone/mg protein/hour with the fluorogenic substrate, and 150.0±31.8, 154.8±21.0, and 148.3±48.3 nmoles p-nitrophenol/mg protein/hour with the colorigenic substrate, respectively. No activity was detected in the patients' cells with the colorigenic substrate, whereas with the fluorogenic substrate the apparent activity varied from 0.5 to 1.1. In the lymphocytes of both of the patients' parents, two grandparents, and six other potential carriers, the activity fell between the normal and patients' values. Great variation in α- l -fucosidase activity, with broad overlap between normal subjects and heterozygotes, was observed in serum and plasma. Our findings indicate that detection of carriers for fucosidosis is possible by direct fucosidase determinations in isolated mononuclear cells.
Functional electrical stimulation and reciprocating gait orthosis for ambulation exercise in a tetraplegic patient: a case study.

The purpose of this paper is to report the cardiopulmonary stresses (as indicated by heart rate, blood pressure, oxygen consumption and task cost) for a tetraplegic individual when walking with electrical stimulation and a gait orthosis as opposed to walking with a gait orthosis alone. Functional electrical stimulation (FES), when interfaced with a reciprocating gait orthosis (RGO), resulted in walking exercise for a C-7 level tetraplegic subject, who was 8 years post-injury. Cardiopulmonary measurements were made and task costs calculated on this individual during progressive velocity walking with the FES-RGO and the orthosis alone (without FES). Results for the tetraplegic individual indicate that there were no significant changes in heart rate at the various walking velocities with respect to the two systems. However, systolic blood pressure was significantly reduced at the three highest walking velocities (1.2, 1.6 and 2.0 kph) when using the FES and orthosis system as compared to orthosis-alone walking (p less than .025, p less than .005 and p less than .025 respectively). Calculated oxygen consumption was significantly reduced and calculated task cost improved at the highest walking velocity (2.0 kph) when using the FES-RGO system as compared to using only the RGO (p less than .025). It is concluded that cardiopulmonary stresses are significantly less for this tetraplegic individual when ambulating at the higher velocities with electrical stimulation and a gait orthosis than when walking with a gait orthosis alone. This may result in improved endurance during each walking session and (consequently) an improved aerobic exercise effect. This might also allow some tetraplegics, who would be unable to walk with the RGO alone, to walk with electrical stimulation and the RGO.
CELLULAR DEPOSITS ON INTRAOCULAR LENSES

. We examined cellular deposits on 14 intraocular lenses (IOL) that were removed after implantation for a variety of clinical reasons. Five of the lenses were cultured to evaluate the growth potential of preexisting cells on the IOLs. The most common cells found were iris pigment epithelial cells. The thickest membranes were probably formed by iris stromal cells. Other cellular deposits included macrophages, multinucleated foreign body giant cells, lens epithelial cells, squamous epithelial ingrowth, red blood cells, uveal melanocytes, and vitreous strands. Cells around the IOL had only limited growth in tissue culture. We propose that a continuous influx of inflammatory cells in conjunction with a disruption of the blood-aqueous barrier may be an important pathogenetic mechanism for the production of thick secondary membranes around an IOL.
Time-related changes in the ultrastructure of osteoclasts after injection of parathyroid hormone in young rats.

The effects of parathyroid hormone (PTH) on the size of the osteoclasts, nuclei, ruffled borders, and clear zones in long bones of thyroparathyroidectomized (TPTX) rats were quantitated as a function of time. These data were compared with the number of osteoclasts in the bone and with plasma calcium levels. A significant increase in the average size of the ruffled borders was demonstrated 30 min after injection of 50 U of purified bovine PTH, and of the clear zones 30–90 min after PTH. This was followed at 90 min by an increase in the average size of the cells. The sizes of ruffled borders and clear zones dropped sharply to control levels after 6 h, whereas the size of the cells remained elevated up to 12 h and returned to control values at 24 h. Plasma calcium levels were increased, but not significantly, between 30 min and 6 h. An increase in the number of osteoclasts was significant after 12 h. Removal of the parathyroid glands did not diminish the normal activity of osteoclasts. In animals with intact glands injection of 50 U of PTH did not cause a significant change in cell size or resorbing apparatus. It is concluded that PTH acts to rapidly stimulate the bone resorptive activity of osteoclasts and to cause a delayed increase in their number.
Focal Length Invariance of Perceptual Image Quality for Long Range Imaging Applications

For long range imaging applications, perceptual image quality will not vary with focal length. Theoretical justification and Modulation Transfer Function (MTF) evidence are presented.
Axonally Synthesized β-Actin and GAP-43 Proteins Support Distinct Modes of Axonal Growth

Increasing evidence points to the importance of local protein synthesis for axonal growth and responses to axotomy, yet there is little insight into the functions of individual locally synthesized proteins. We recently showed that expression of a reporter mRNA with the axonally localizing β-actin mRNA 3′UTR competes with endogenous β-actin and GAP-43 mRNAs for binding to ZBP1 and axonal localization in adult sensory neurons (Donnelly et al., 2011). Here, we show that the 3′UTR of GAP-43 mRNA can deplete axons of endogenous β-actin mRNA. We took advantage of this 3′UTR competition to address the functions of axonally synthesized β-actin and GAP-43 proteins. In cultured rat neurons, increasing axonal synthesis of β-actin protein while decreasing axonal synthesis of GAP-43 protein resulted in short highly branched axons. Decreasing axonal synthesis of β-actin protein while increasing axonal synthesis of GAP-43 protein resulted in long axons with few branches. siRNA-mediated depletion of overall GAP-43 mRNA from dorsal root ganglia (DRGs) decreased the length of axons, while overall depletion of β-actin mRNA from DRGs decreased the number of axon branches. These deficits in axon growth could be rescued by transfecting with siRNA-resistant constructs encoding β-actin or GAP-43 proteins, but only if the mRNAs were targeted for axonal transport. Finally, in ovo electroporation of axonally targeted GAP-43 mRNA increased length and axonally targeted β-actin mRNA increased branching of sensory axons growing into the chick spinal cord. These studies indicate that axonal translation of β-actin mRNA supports axon branching and axonal translation of GAP-43 mRNA supports elongating growth.
Biochemical characterization of a P43,12 complex: Comparison with human and murine class I molecules☆☆☆

Abstract A monoclonal antibody designated as C21 reacting with a p43,12 complex was developed against human thymocytes. It stained predominantly the early hematopoietic cells of the lymphoid lineage and also thymocytes, peripheral B-cells and activated T- and B-cells similarly to OKT10. The heavy chain of this antigen was a glycoprotein of M, 43,000 (p43). Sequential immunoprecipitation with C21 and OKT10 antibodies indicated that they both reacted with an identical heavy-chain molecule. This observation was further documented by two-dimensional analysis. Monoclonal antibody C21 was used to probe a p43,12 complex further. Structural polymorphism of the p43 heavy chain isolated from T- and B-cells of different individuals was not detected by chymotryptic peptide mappIng, although molecules from these cell types possessed a different charge on two-dimensional gels. An unusual observation was made regarding this complex on MOLT4 cells. The light chain co-precipitated from these cells was 12,000 daltons and had a pI distinct from that of β2-microglobulin but similar to the pI of the βt molecule. Comparison between chymotryptic peptide maps of the p43 heavy chain and those of the human and murine class I molecules such as HLA, T6, H-2K, Qa-2 and TL revealed no apparent homology. We have shown, however, that the peptide backbone of p43, as studied by both tunicamycin treatment of cells and endoglycosidase F digestion of immunoprecipitates, was identical in size to that of murine Qa-1. These results suggest that the p43 antigen may be homologous to murine Qa-1 or another class I antigen encoded in the murine TL:Qa region.
Vitamin C inhibits FAS-induced apoptosis in monocytes and U937 cells

The FAS receptor—FAS ligand system is a key apoptotic pathway for cells of the immune system. Ligation of the FAS-receptor (CD95) induces apoptosis by activation of pro—caspase-8 followed by downstream events, including an increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the release of proapoptotic factors from the mitochondria, leading to caspase-3 activation. We investigated the role of vitamin C in FAS-mediated apoptosis and found that intracellular accumulation of pharmacologic concentrations of vitamin C inhibited FAS-induced apoptosis in the monocytic U937 cell line and in fresh human monocytes. Cells were loaded with vitamin C by exposure to dehydroascorbic acid (DHA), thereby circumventing in vitro artifacts associated with the poor transport and pro-oxidant effects of ascorbic acid (AA). Vitamin C inhibition of FAS-mediated apoptosis was associated with reduced activity of caspase-3, -8, and -10, as well as diminished levels of ROS and preservation of mitochondrial membrane integrity. Mechanistic studies indicated that the major effect of vitamin C was inhibition of the activation of caspase-8 with no effect on it enzymatic activity. An independent action of high intracellular concentrations of vitamin C on mitochondrial membrane stabilization was also detected. These studies illuminate the nature of redox-dependent signaling in FAS-induced apoptosis of human monocytes and suggest that vitamin C can modulate the immune system by inhibiting FAS-induced monocyte death. (Blood. 2003;102:336-343)
A cross-cultural check on second stratum personality factor structure-notably of anxiety and exvia

Abstract The experiment aimed to determine the second-order personality factor structure, in Q-data, as reliably at the child level as has been done at the adult level, and simultaneously to check on cross-cultural constancy. The HSPQ was administered to 209 12‐14 year‐old boys and girls in Australia and 296 in the U.S.A., and the 14 scales were intercorrelated and factored separately in each sample. Tests of factor number yielded five factors. Independent rotation to simple structure yielded four factors easily matched across cultures; these are the same as have been recognized in adults: exvia-invia, anxiety-adjustment, cortertia-pathemia, and independence. The practical utility of the result lies in providing weights to get scores from the HSPQ on second order factors such as anxiety and exvia. Among the theoretical outcomes are: (1) the evidence of cross-cultural constancy; (2) the finding that variance from anxiety in children, unlike adults, exceeds that due to exvia; and (3) the demonstration that ...
Problems in the Application of Replacement Theory

A great deal of time and effort has been devoted to the development of quantitative methods for the solution of business management problems. Unfortunately, a tremendous difference exists between the rate at which these methods are being generated and the rate at which they are being applied. This suggests that there exist problems of application which industry is not able to overcome. The purpose of this paper is to present and analyze the difficulties encountered in a single, but representative, area of decision-making, namely, equipment replacement. It is hoped a presentation and analysis of these difficulties will have some effect on the nature of future research activities.
Accurate mapping of forest types using dense seasonal Landsat time-series

An accurate map of forest types is important for proper usage and management of forestry resources. Medium resolution satellite images (e.g., Landsat) have been widely used for forest type mapping because they are able to cover large areas more efficiently than the traditional forest inventory. However, the results of a detailed forest type classification based on these images are still not satisfactory. To improve forest mapping accuracy, this study proposed an operational method to get detailed forest types from dense Landsat time-series incorporating with or without topographic information provided by DEM. This method integrated a feature selection and a training-sample-adding procedure into a hierarchical classification framework. The proposed method has been tested in Vinton County of southeastern Ohio. The detailed forest types include pine forest, oak forest, and mixed-mesophytic forest. The proposed method was trained and validated using ground samples from field plots. The three forest types were classified with an overall accuracy of 90.52% using dense Landsat time-series, while topographic information can only slightly improve the accuracy to 92.63%. Moreover, the comparison between results of using Landsat time-series and a single image reveals that time-series data can largely improve the accuracy of forest type mapping, indicating the importance of phenological information contained in multi-seasonal images for discriminating different forest types. Thanks to zero cost of all input remotely sensed datasets and ease of implementation, this approach has the potential to be applied to map forest types at regional or global scales.
Development of lipoprotein lipase in cultured 3T3-L1 cells.

Abstract The 3T3-L1 mouse fibroblast resembles an adipocyte after reaching a confluent stage of growth. Lipoprotein lipase activity was released with heparin and was present in acetone-ether extracts of these cells. During the early post-confluent period both activities increased rapidly. A wide variation in enzyme activities was noted in subclones suggesting that spontaneous heritable change continues to take place in these cells. Since lipoprotein lipase activity was measurable before triglyceride accumulation, it may be the earliest marker of adipocyte expression in this line. This system appears to offer a unique opportunity to study the processes of cellular differentiation and fat metabolism in vitro .
Robust stabilization of singular systems withH∞-bounded uncertainty

In this paper the problem of robust stabilizing a linear, time-invariant singular system is studied. The characterization is given in terms ofH ∞-bounded perturbations to the numerator and denominator factors of its normalized left coprime factorization. An optimal stability margin is provided in terms of the definition of the Hankel norm of a singular system. The Hankel norm is computed using two generalized Lyapunov equations.
Persistent SAR change detection with posterior models

This paper develops a hierarchical Bayes model for multiple-pass, multiple antenna synthetic aperture radar (SAR) systems with the goal of adaptive change detection. The model is based on decomposing the observed data into a low-rank component and a sparse component, similar to Robust Principal Component Analysis, previously developed by Ding, He, and Carin1 for E/O systems. The developed model also accounts for SAR phenomenology, including antenna and spatial dependencies, speckle and specular noise, and stationary clutter. Monte Carlo methods are used to estimate the posterior distribution of the variables in the model. The performance of the proposed method is analyzed using synthetic images, and it is shown that the performance is robust to a large space of operating characteristics without extensive tuning of hyperparameters. Finally, the method is applied to measured SAR data, providing competitive results compared to standard methods with the additional benefits of uncertainty characterization through a posterior distribution, explicit estimates of both foreground and background components, and flexibility in including other sources of information.
Mechanical failure detection of circuit breakers

The mechanical condition of a circuit breaker, i.e., whether the unit is in normal or abnormal condition, has been evaluated using noninvasive diagnostics, together with signal processing and decision-making techniques. Test procedures involved obtaining vibration signals from transducers placed along the external surfaces of (and, under certain conditions, within the interior of) a circuit breaker. Using the method, quantitative assessment of a circuit breaker can be carried out for any operating condition. Tests of oil and sulfur hexafluoride circuit breakers, under both normal and abnormal conditions, were carried out. In all cases, the abnormalities was detected. >
Effect of cisapride on the QT interval in infants with gastroesophageal reflux.

Objective. We prospectively studied the effect of cisapride per se on QT interval in young infants (3–6 months) with gastroesophageal reflux (GER) in a controlled setting. Study Design. The infants diagnosed with GER and deemed to require therapy with cisapride were divided into 2 groups. Group A comprised infants with GER who underwent an electrocardiogram (ECG) before initiation of therapy with cisapride in the dose of 1 mg per kg per 24 hours, divided into 3 doses. They were reweighed after 7 to 10 days, and the dose was adjusted for their new weight. A repeat ECG was performed after ∼2 weeks (12–18 days) of therapy. The QT interval was measured in each ECG and then the corrected QT interval was calculated by Bazett9s formula. Group B comprised infants with GER who had already been on therapy with cisapride for over 1 month. All infants in group B received cisapride in an approximate dose of 1 mg per kg per 24 hours (.8–1.1 mg/kg/24 hours) given in 3 divided doses. They underwent only 1 ECG, ie, at 1 to 4 months after initiation of therapy. The measurement of the actual dose of cisapride was demonstrated to every parent and a marked measuring syringe was provided. The following categories of infants were not included: those with any underlying cardiopulmonary, renal, or hepatic problem; those with a history of apnea; those using a macrolide antibiotic or azole antifungal at any stage during the study; and infants hospitalized for any reason during the course of the study. Results. Cisapride therapy in the dose of 1 mg/kg/day frequently resulted in a slight increase in the QT interval (pretreatment: 390 ± 18 milliseconds; posttreatment: 400 ± 20 milliseconds) but the increase was still below the accepted upper limit of 440 milliseconds and not statistically significant. Even with prolonged therapy, the pattern of change in QT interval was similar to that with therapy for 2 weeks. Overall, 2 of 100 (2%) infants developed a prolongation of corrected QT interval beyond the normal range (456 and 486 milliseconds). Neither infant had evidence of any arrhythmia or conduction defect on ECG. No additional factor could be identified in either infant to explain prolongation of the QT interval. Conclusion. Our experience suggests that cautious cisapride therapy in young infants in a modest dose does not result in arrhythmias or conduction defects. We recommend that: 1) the dose of cisapride in infants be
What Can a Single Neuron Compute

In this paper we formulate a description of the computation performed by a neuron as a combination of dimensional reduction and nonlinearity. We implement this description for the Hodgkin-Huxley model, identify the most relevant dimensions and find the nonlinearity. A two dimensional description already captures a significant fraction of the information that spikes carry about dynamic inputs. This description also shows that computation in the Hodgkin-Huxley model is more complex than a simple integrate-and-fire or perceptron model.
Effect of prosthetic ankle units on the gait of persons with bilateral trans-femoral amputations

In able-bodied individuals, the ankle joint functions to provide shock absorption, aid in foot clearance during the swing phase, and provides a rocker mechanism during stance phase to facilitate fo...
Brain Circuits That Link Schizophrenia to High Risk of Cigarette Smoking

Schizophrenia is associated with a high prevalence of smoking. Functional connectivity between the dorsal anterior cingulate (dACC) and limbic regions including the ventral striatum, extended amygdala and parahippocampal areas has been previously implicated in the genetics and clinical severity of smoking. In this study, we test the hypothesis that dACC functional circuits are key paths for the high risk of smoking comorbidity in schizophrenia. Resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was performed using the dACC as a seed region in smoking and nonsmoking patients with schizophrenia (n = 54), matched controls (n = 65), and nonpsychotic first-degree relatives (n = 24). Multiple regions had decreased connectivity with the dACC in schizophrenia patients when compared with matched controls (n = 65). Several of these functional circuits were also associated with nicotine addiction severity; the largest cluster included limbic areas such as the parahippocampal, extended amygdala, ventral striatal, and posterior insula regions, indicating an overlap of schizophrenia and nicotine addiction on to this circuit. These same functional connectivity-defined circuits were also significantly impaired in schizophrenia nonsmokers compared with control nonsmokers and in nonpsychotic first-degree relatives. Functional connectivity between the dACC and limbic regions is inherently abnormal in schizophrenia, related to its genetic liability regardless of smoking, and overlaps with a nicotine addiction-related circuit. Our findings establish a biologically defined brain circuit mechanism that contributes to the high prevalence of smoking.
Effects of Vitamin D Supplementation in Older African American Women

Context: Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) is lower in women with darker skin color. Is it due to lower skin production, lower absorption, or different metabolism of vitamin D? Objectives: The objective of the study was to measure the effect of vitamin D3 on serum 25OHD and serum PTH in older African American women with vitamin D insufficiency and the serum 25OHD 20 ng/mL or less (<50 nmol/L). The results can be used to estimate the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA). Design and Setting: This was a randomized, double-blind placebo trial at Creighton University Medical Center and Indiana University Medical Center. Participants: Participants were 110 healthy older African American women. Interventions: The intervention consisted of participants randomly assigned to placebo, vitamin D3 400, 800, 1600, 2400, 3200, 4000, or 4800 IU daily; calcium supplements were given to maintain total calcium intake of 1200–1400 mg/d. Main Outcome Measurements: Change in serum 25OHD and serum PTH levels at 12 months was mea...
Dust Ejection and Stream Formation via Cathode Spot Ignition at the Surface of a Dielectric-Covered Electrode

Cathode spots have been observed to form on an electrode surface covered with dielectric powder when biased at large negative voltages in the presence of a background plasma. The ignition of cathode spots leads to the ejection of the powder particles, which subsequently form dust streams. Particle imaging velocimetry (PIV) techniques are used to track the ejected particles and obtain the distribution of particle ejection velocities.
Attributions About Rape in a Continuum of Dissolving Marital Relationships

This study explored what actions taken by married women to dissolve their marital relationships might result in different attributions about husband rape perpetration. A sample of 233 undergraduates (120 men, 114 women) read one of three rape scenarios in which a married woman changed her marital status with her husband perpetrator (moved out, legally separated, or divorced). Two other scenarios (currently married and stranger) were used as comparison situations. Participants answered questions to assess their rape-supportive and sex role stereotypical attributions of victim blame. Results indicated that participants endorsed the most rape-supportive attributions in the currently married situation. Participants made intermediate levels of rape-supportive attributions in the legally separated, moved out, and divorced scenarios. The least rape-supportive attributions were made in the stranger rape situation. Across all scenarios, men were more likely to make rape-supportive and sex role stereotypical victim...
dl-2,6-diamino-4-hexynoic acid, a Growth Inhibitor

dl-2,6-Diamino-4-hexynoic acid, a lysine analog, was synthesized by the interaction of N-(4-chloro-2-butynyl)phthalimide and the sodium salt of ethyl acetamidomalonate. A two-step hydrolysis yielded the desired acetylenic diamino acid. dl-Lysine, identical with the known amino acid, was obtained by the reduction of the triple bond in I. This acetylenic analog of lysine inhibited the growth of DNA, RNA, and protein synthesis in resting cell suspensions of pneumococci at a concentration of 100 mcg./ml.
On the Number of Close-and-Equal Pairs of Bits in a String (with Implications on the Security of RSA’s L.S.B) (Extended Abstract)

We consider the following problem: Let s be a n-bit string with m ones and n – m zeros. Denote by C E t(s) the number of pairs, of equal bits which are within distance t apart, in the string s. What is the minimum value of C E t(·), when the minimum is taken over all n-bit strings which consists of m ones and n – m zeros?
Adaptive load migration systems for PVM

Adaptive load distribution is necessary for parallel applications to co-exist effectively with other jobs in a network of shared, heterogeneous workstations. We present three methods that provide such support for PVM applications. Two of these methods, MPVM (migratable PVM) and UPVM (user-level PVM), adapt to changes in the workstation environment by transparently migrating the virtual processors (VPs) of the parallel application. A VP in MPVM is a Unix process, while UPVM defines lightweight process-like VPs. The third method, ADM (adaptive data movement), is a programming methodology for writing programs that perform adaptive load distribution through data movement. These methods are discussed and compared in terms of effectiveness, usability and performance. >
Progressive expansion of an L-selectin-negative CD8 cell with anti-feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) suppressor function in the circulation of FIV-infected cats

The acute stage of feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) infection is characterized by the appearance of a major CD8 subpopulation with reduced expression of the CD8 beta chain (CD8alpha+betalo). CD8 antiviral activity was subsequently shown to be mediated by the CD8alpha+betalo phenotype, which is the dominant CD8 phenotype in long-term infected cats. Two- and three-color flow cytometric analysis demonstrated that the CD8alpha+betalo subset is L-selectin negative (CD62L-) and has increased expression of CD44, CD49d, and CD18, consistent with an activation phenotype. The CD8alpha+betaloCD62L- cells but not the CD8alpha+betahiCD62L+ cells demonstrated strong antiviral activity in the FIV acute-infection assay. The progressive expansion of the CD8alpha+betaloCD62L- effector subset cells in FIV-infected cats parallels that seen in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients, suggesting that failure in homeostatic mechanisms regulating lymphocyte activation or trafficking (or both) may be a consequence of both HIV and FIV infections.
Poly[(2-alkoxy-5-methyl-1,3-phenylene vinylene)-alt-(phenylene vinylene)] derivatives with different contents of cis- and trans-olefins: The effect of the olefin bond geometry and conjugation length on luminescence

Poly[(2-alkyloxy-5-methyl-1,3-phenylenevinylene)-alt-(1,3-phenylenevinylene)]s (8) and poly[(2-alkyloxy-5-methyl-1,3-phenylenevinylene)-alt-(1,4-phenylenevinylene)]s (10) were synthesized by the Wittig reaction to provide materials containing 45–62% cis-vinylene bonds. The optical characteristics of 8 and 10 were compared with those of their respective isomers, 3 and 4, the cis-vinylene contents of which were significantly lower (9–16%). Although a greater fraction of cis-CHCH linkages caused the absorption maximum (λmax) of 8 and 10 to be slightly blueshifted (by ∼3–6 nm) from that of 3 and 4, the impact of the vinylene bond geometry appeared to be negligible on their fluorescence spectra. The fluorescence quantum efficiencies of 8 and 10 were estimated to be approximately 0.25 and 0.72, respectively. Both 8 (λmax ≈ 445 or 462 nm) and 10 (λmax ≈ 480 or 506 nm) were electroluminescent, showing effective color tuning by the controlled insertion of m-phenylene moieties. The external electroluminescence quantum efficiencies were determined to be 4.26 × 10−3% for 8 and 0.63% for 10. The cis/trans-vinylene bond ratio had a great impact on the electroluminescence device performance of 8 but a much smaller impact on the performance of 10. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 42: 303–316, 2004
Discerning liability for contamination by poultry integrators and producers under US federal law

The application of poultry litter on land over many years may lead to excessive quantities of nutrients in soils and water contamination. In a watershed in Oklahoma and Arkansas, litter applications by large numbers of poultry producers have led the state of Oklahoma to bring a lawsuit against poultry integrators under the federal Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA). Oklahoma alleges that poultry waste is being disposed of as a hazardous substance, and that the poultry integrators are facilitating the disposal by placing birds at facilities that deposit litter on fields that do not need additional nutrients. Oklahoma is requesting that the integrators be ordered to pay for all monetary damages suffered and incurred by the state to remedy such wrongful conduct. The state also seeks a permanent injunction requiring the defendants to abate their pollution-causing conduct and other relief, including punitive and exemplary damages. While poultry litter may not appear to be a hazardous substance, in 2005 a federal district court found that it was a substance regulated by CERCLA. Thus, the poultry industry and producers might avoid liability by qualifying for a CERCLA exception. Two are available: federally permitted releases and normal applications of fertiliser. However, despite qualifying under these exceptions, it is incumbent on producers and the industry to recognise that public concerns about environmental contamination require greater efforts. All producers should be employing best management practices and limit applications of litter to only those amounts needed for crop production. Additional voluntary and mandatory oversight might be advantageous in precluding shirkers from engaging in unacceptable practices that contaminate land and water resources.
Chemical pleurodesis with doxycycline 1 g

We evaluated the utility of a single 1-g dose of doxycycline in the treatment of malignant and nonmalignant pleural effusions and refractory pneumothoraces in 27 consecutive patients requiring pleurodesis. After the evacuation of all retained air or fluid, and premedication with intravenous narcotic analgesics and intrapleural lidocaine 200 mg, the patients received doxycycline 1 g in 50 ml normal saline instilled through the chest tube. This was followed by instillation of 100-200 ml of air to facilitate dispersion. The chest tube was removed when the drainage was less than 150 ml/day. Twenty-three of 27 patients were evaluated at 30 days. Six (67%) of the nine patients with pneumothoraces achieved a response, and both patients with nonmalignant pleural effusions had a complete response. Of the 12 patients with malignant pleural effusion, 8 (67%) achieved a complete response, 2 had a partial response, and 2 had no response. Twenty-two (81%) of 27 patients experienced adverse effects with pleurodesis, with pain (81%) and fever (11%) being the most prevalent. In this limited number of patients, doxycycline 1 g appeared to be safe and effective for the treatment of pleural effusions and pneumothoraces. The 1-g dose must be compared with the standard 500-mg dose and with other established agents.
Anxiety Sensitivity and Retaliatory Aggressive Behavior in Research Volunteers

An important focus of recent aggression research has been to identify personality variables that influence the expression of aggression. One such variable may be anxiety sensitivity (AS). Individuals high in AS fear unpleasant anxiety-related physiological sensations and perhaps physiological arousal in general. Accordingly, people high in AS are motivated to avoid situations that produce these sensations. With respect to aggressive encounters, an intense attack by an opponent involves significant physiological arousal. High anxiety-sensitive individuals may therefore attempt to decrease the intensity of the interaction by responding in a non-aggressive or conciliatory manner. To test this possibility, 112 community volunteers completed a measure of AS and a well-validated laboratory task designed to assess aggressive behavior. As predicted, an inverse relation between AS and extreme aggressive responding was found. Specifically, as AS increases, retaliatory aggression is less likely after intense attack by an opponent.
ReCAP: Feasibility and Accuracy of Extracting Cancer Stage Information From Narrative Electronic Health Record Data

QUESTION ASKED:Cancer stage, one of the most important prognostic factors for cancer-specific survival, is often documented in narrative form in electronic health records (EHRs), and as such is difficult to abstract by registrars and other secondary data users, including clinicians participating in quality reporting activities. Can the cancer stage be accurately extracted by natural language processing (NLP) of the text from EHRs?SUMMARY ANSWER:In a combined dataset of N = 2,323 patients with lung cancer (training set: n = 1,103; validation set n = 1,220), we analyzed 751,880 documents and discovered at least one stage statement for 98.6% of patients (median of 24 documents with stage statements per patient). Despite a high degree of discordance in patient records (83.6% of patients had conflicting stage statements in their HER; Fig 2), algorithmically derived stage accuracy was very high in the validation set, κ = 0.906 (95% CI, 0.873 to 0.939), as compared with the gold standard of tumor registrar–deriv...
Satisfaction with food services: insights from a college cafeteria

Abstract College students' food service needs is an important area that needs more research. While the importance of offering quality education is paramount, for many colleges that are embattled in their quest to retain students, attention to food services can be important. Administrators must, therefore, consider the total offering which includes food services. This study examines college students' satisfaction with their food service establishments. A model was built from available information and tested using data from a survey conducted at a college in northwestern Pennsylvania. The results suggest that the three most important variables that explain student satisfaction include staff behavior, food quality, and price. Other significant variables include atmosphere, responsiveness, and cleanliness. Attention to these variables could enable those in charge of food services to deliver greater value and satisfaction to enhance students' overall educational experience.
N-type voltage-dependent calcium channels mediate the nicotinic enhancement of GABA release in chick brain

N-type voltage-dependent calcium channels mediate the nicotinic enhancement of GABA release in chick brain. The role of voltage-dependent calcium channels (VDCCs) in the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR)-mediated enhancement of spontaneous GABAergic inhibitory postsynaptic currents (IPSCs) was investigated in chick brain slices. Whole cell recordings of neurons in the lateral spiriform (SpL) and ventral lateral geniculate (LGNv) nuclei showed that cadmium chloride (CdCl2) blocked the carbachol-induced increase of spontaneous GABAergic IPSCs, indicating that VDCCs might be involved. To conclusively show a role for VDCCs, the presynaptic effect of carbachol on SpL and LGNv neurons was examined in the presence of selective blockers of VDCC subtypes. ω-Conotoxin GVIA, a selective antagonist of N-type channels, significantly reduced the nAChR-mediated enhancement of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) release in the SpL by 78% compared with control responses. Nifedipine, an L-type channel blocker, and ω-Agatoxin...
Obese Individuals' Perception of Body Image:

To test differences in size of body image of underweight, normal weight, and overweight people, 105 undergraduates were administered a Draw-A-Person test. The torso and head of the figure drawings were each assigned a number from 0 to 3 according to the degree their dimensions represented obese characteristics. Obese Ss drew significantly larger figures, indicating larger body images than normal or underweight Ss.
Why Study Equations over Finite Fields

Finite field solutions to equations are related in a subtle and intriguing way to rational solutions and complex solutions.
Characterization and Modeling of a Gallium Nitride Power HEMT

In this paper, a simple and accurate circuit-simulator compact model for gallium nitride (GaN) high electron mobility transistor is proposed and validated under both static and switching conditions. A novel feature of this model is that it is valid also in the third quadrant, which is important when the device operates as a freewheeling diode. The only measurements required for the parameter extraction are simple I–V static characteristics and C–V characteristics. A detailed parameter extraction procedure is presented. Furthermore, a double-pulse test-bench is built to characterize the resistive and inductive switching behavior of the GaN device. A simulation model is built in Pspice software tool, considering the parasitic elements associated with the printed circuit board interconnections and other test-bench components (load resistor, load inductor, and current shunt monitor). The Pspice simulation results are compared with experimental results. The comparison shows good agreement between simulation and experimental results under both resistive and inductive switching conditions. Operation in the third quadrant under inductive switching is also validated.
An autonomous quadrotor avoiding a helicopter in low-altitude flights

Recent advances in sensing and computing technology has made unmanned aerial vehicles/systems (UAV/UAS) low cost but still increasingly capable of executing complex missions in challenging environments. They have gained popularity in a vast range of civilian applications, including search and rescue, disaster relief, and filming. Recently, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has issued the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) on UAS certifications [1], indicating that a large number of UAS will be present in the National Airspace System (NAS) in the near future. The NASA UTM project is an effort on enabling low-altitude UAS flights [2]. Big value envisaged by Amazon Prime Air [3] happens only when the drone is able to fly itself tens of miles from the distribution center to people’s homes autonomously. One prerequisite for such flights is collision avoidance. Our research aims at drones that travel in class G airspace. This article is an exploration of the drone collision avoidance problem in urban areas. The main contribution is a safety control framework that enables a UAS to perform collision avoidance with manned aircraft during autonomous navigation.
Acute Decompensated Heart Failure: Presentation, Physical Exam, and Laboratory Evaluation

ADHF may be a manifestation of any abnormality of cardiovascular function. Most patients have a prior history of heart failure. Patients with chronic heart failure may have a history of gradually worsening symptoms of pulmonary and systemic venous congestion over several days to weeks or may have more rapid development of symptoms commonly associated with a clear precipitant (examples: new onset atrial fibrillation with rapid ventricular response in a patient with HFpEF; ACS in a patient with an ischemic cardiomyopathy). Approximately 25 % of patients with ADHF have new onset or de novo heart failure – many of these patients have associated ACS or poorly controlled hypertension [1].
Preliminary Investigation on Generation of Electricity Using Micro Wind Turbines Placed on A Car

Wind energy is one of the prominent resources for renewable energy and it is traditionally extracted using stationary wind turbines. However, it can also be extracted using mini or micro wind turbines on a moving body, such as an automobile, while cruising at high speeds on freeways. If the electricity is produced using air flowing around the vehicle without affecting aerodynamic performance of the vehicle, it can be used to charge up the battery or power up additional accessories of the vehicle. For the first time , in the present work, a preliminary investigation was carried out to generate electricity by utilizing air flow on a moving car. Initially, a correlation between the car speed and wind velocity was established using an anemometer. Placing a set of two micro wind turbines along with two micro generators on the rear end of the car trunk, the present study investigated the feasibility of generating electricity from these micro wind turbines while evaluating the effect of drag force on the performance of the car through the experimental approach and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations. Both approaches confirmed negligible effect of drag force on the vehicle performance in terms of gas mileage and changes in drag coefficient values. Following these studies, the micro wind turbines were also tested for electricity generation at various cruising speeds of the car ranging from 50 to 80 mph on the freeways. The voltage and power generated always showed an increasing trend with increasing the car speed, however they saturated when a cut off limit was setup with the voltage controllers. A maximum voltage of 3.5 V and a maximum current of 0.8 A were generated by each micro wind turbine when a cut off limit was used along with a load consisting of four LED bulbs in parallel with 3.5 V and 0.2 A rating each. On the other hand, when the tests were repeated without using the cut-off limit, a maximum voltage of 18.91 V and a maximum current of 0.65 A were recorded with a load of six flash bulbs in series (flash bulb rating – 4.8 V and 0.5 A each). These studies clearly demonstrate the flexibility to vary the voltage and current outputs from the micro wind turbines indicating a possibility for utilizing the wind energy on the cars at high speeds. Article History : Received Sept 5 th 2016; Received in revised form Dec 6 th 2016 ; Accepted January 4 th 2017; Available online How to Cite This Article : Bangi, V.K.T., Chaudhary, Y., Guduru, R.K., Aung, K.T and Reddy, G.N. (2017) Preliminary investigation on generation of electricity using micro wind turbines placed on a car. Int. Journal of Renewable Energy Development, 6(1), 75-81. http://dx.doi.org/10.14710/ijred.6.1.75-81
Zero state common mode voltage control in motor drives through inverter topology

Wide bandgap devices are believed to replace Si devices in next generation drives, due to their superior characteristics such as low loss, high speed, and high temperature operating capabilities. However, the adoption of these devices also brings up new challenges on common mode voltage related issues, such as ground leakage current, common mode EMI emission, and bearing current. As a potential solution, this paper proposes a novel method for controlling the common mode voltage of motor drives during zero switching states by gating the two extra switches between DC bus and inverter in a regulated manner. The relationship between gating timing and common mode voltage amplitude during zero states are particularly investigated and quantified for the proposed approach.