cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
PIPS: A Procedure For Interactive Pyramid Segmentation

The Procedure for Interactive Pyramid Segementation was designed to identify regions of spatially connected and spectrally homogeneous pixels in multispectral image data, and to allow these regions to be interactively manipulated without the use of processing parameters. The objective is to provide the user with the capability to easily extract and identify regions corresponding to target objects of interest. The approach is to segment a multispectral image into a set of regions and to allow the analyst to interactively refine the segmentation by direct manipulation. The user can elect to: interactively display maps of the spatial distribution of regions for any designated image subset; display the statistics of a given region; and label, merge, or split regions.
A Fable of Foreknowledge and Freedom

Weeter and Duvall were good friends and philosophical colleagues. Their friendship was served by the fact that they shared a number of important philosophical commitments. Both, for instance, were theists. Both also devoutly believed in possible worlds, propositions, and essences. And furthermore, both were ardent libertarians. However, they parted ways on one issue which was a frequent point of dispute between them; namely, divine foreknowledge. Weeter held that God knows the future in detail, including our future choices. Duvall, however, denied this, for he could not see how we can be truly free if God knows in advance every move we will ever make. As he often put it: 'If God knows I will have a steak for dinner tonight, then it is necessarily true that I will have steak tonight. And if that is the case, what becomes of my freedom to have, say, fish instead?' To this, Weeter would also retort: 'You are free to have fish or steak or anything else for that matter. The point is simply that God's knowledge of what you will have does not in any way determine your choice'. And so it went on. Now God heard all this, of course, and eventually he became weary of it. So one day he appeared to Weeter and said: 'I have an idea for a little experiment which will convince Duvall that I do, in fact, have detailed knowledge of the future, even though you do have real options in your choices. Here is what we are going to do. I will tell you what Duvall will have for dinner for the next five nights and I want you to write this information on five slips of paper and seal them in five envelopes, each labelled with the appropriate day. Weeter got the five slips of paper and wrote down what God said Duvall would eat for the next five nights. Monday it was to be lasagna; Tuesday, lobster; Wednesday, prime rib; Thursday, chef's salad; and Friday, liver and onions. After Weeter had sealed the envelopes, God continued: 'You are to tell Duvall that I have given you this information, but don't tell him what I have predicted he will eat each night. You are to go to dinner with him for the next five nights and after he has eaten each evening, you are to open the envelope for that day and show
Causation and Intelligibility

I shall venture to affirm, as a general proposition which admits of no exception, that the knowledge of this relation is not, in any instance, attained by reasonings a priori, but arises entirely from experience, when we find that any particular objects are constantly conjoined with each other.
Endoscopic-assisted disruption of urinary calculi using a holmium:YAG laser in standing horses.

Objective— To describe a technique for endoscope-assisted disruption and removal of urinary calculi using a holmium:YAG laser in sedated, standing horses. Study design— Retrospective study. Animals— Six horses with urinary calculi. Methods— A holmium:YAG laser was used to disrupt naturally occurring urinary calculi in horses (4 geldings, 1 stallion, 1 mare). Ischial urethrotomy was performed in male horses to provide a portal for the endoscope and laser fiber. Calculus fragments were removed by a combination of lavage, transendoscopic basket snare removal, forceps, and digital manipulation. Ischial urethrotomies healed by second intention. Follow-up was obtained by recheck examination and telephone interview of owners. Results— No major operative or postoperative complications occurred. Two calculi (1 stallion and 1 mare) were fragmented by a combination of laser ablation and manual disruption with a lithotrite. Postoperative dysuria occurred in the mare, but resolved after 1 month. Mean (± SD) follow-up was 306 ± 149 days; no other complications were reported. Conclusions— Calcium carbonate urinary calculi (up to 15 cm in diameter) in horses can be effectively fragmented with a holmium:YAG laser. It is not known if this technique would be completely effective for larger calculi or extremely dense calculi. Clinical relevance— Calculus disruption by an endoscopically assisted holmium:YAG laser offers a minimally invasive method that can be performed in standing horses and that minimizes patient risk.
Vehicular air pollution, playgrounds, and youth athletic fields.

In spite of epidemiological evidence concerning vehicular air pollution and adverse respiratory/cardiovascular health, many athletic fields and school playgrounds are adjacent to high traffic roadways and could present long-term health risks for exercising children and young adults. Particulate matter (PM1,0.02–1.0 μm diameter) number counts were taken serially at four elementary school athletic/playground fields and at one university soccer field. Elementary school PM1 measurements were taken over 17 days; measurements at the university soccer field were taken over 62 days. The high-traffic-location elementary school field demonstrated higher 17-day [PM1] than the moderate and 2 low traffic elementary school fields (48,890 ± 34,260, 16,730 ± 10,550, 11,960 ± 6680, 10,030 ± 6280, respective mean counts; p < .05). The 62-day mean PM1 values at the university soccer field ranged from 115,000 to 134,000 particles cm− 3. Lowest mean values were recorded at measurement sites furthest from the highway (∼34,000 ...
Teachers’ Perceptions of the Implementation of the Literacy Common Core State Standards for English Language Learners and Students With Disabilities

This qualitative study explored the experiences of U.S. teachers of English language learners (ELLs) and students with disabilities (SWDs) as they sought to align the new Common Core State Standards (CCSS) with previously used standards and instructional approaches during the first year of CCSS implementation. Open-ended interviews were conducted with 20 ELL and SWD literacy teachers to investigate (1) the teachers’ experiences as they began the alignment of their curriculum and teaching methods with the CCSS, (2) the teachers’ perceptions of the support that they received and that they still require, and (3) the teachers’ perceptions of the challenges to and potential for implementation. Four themes emerged from analysis of the interview data: alignment to the CCSS, teacher comfort level, best teaching practices, and challenges of teaching literacy. The authors conclude that broad-based alliances across schools, districts, and communities are needed to support professional development that responds authe...
False Discovery Rate Based Sensor Decision Rules for the Network-Wide Distributed Detection Problem

This paper presents a new framework for distributed target detection in wireless sensor networks (WSNs). In distributed detection, quantized decisions from local sensors are transmitted to a sink (also known as the fusion center) which combines these decisions to come up with a global decision. Traditionally, while collaboratively detecting the presence or absence of a target in a sensor field, multiple networked sensors use identical decision rules for decision making. This decision rule is obtained by imposing a strict control on the probability of one or more local false alarms from the entire sensor network. This error rate is known as the family-wise error rate (FWER) in the statistical literature. In this paper, we propose the control of the false discovery rate (FDR), defined as the ratio of the number of local false alarms to the total number of local detections, instead of the FWER, to determine possible nonidentical local sensor decision rules. Under the assumption that the fusion center uses a test statistic which is linear in "count" (i.e., the total number of local detections) to reach the global decision regarding the presence or absence of a target, we demonstrate that the control of the FDR to determine the local sensor decision rules, instead of employing identical decision rules, can substantially improve the global detection performance.
The antiangiogenic agents TNP-470 and 2-methoxyestradiol inhibit the growth of angiosarcoma in mice.

Abstract Background: Endothelial malignancies, such as angiosarcoma and hemangioendothelioma, are often resistant to chemotherapy and surgery, and may result in death. Improved means of therapy are needed for these disorders. Objective: We wanted to determine whether angiosarcoma can be treated with angiogenesis inhibitors in mice. Methods: Mice were inoculated with a cell line that gives rise to angiosarcoma and were treated with the angiogenesis inhibitors 2-methoxyestradiol and TNP-470. Response to therapy was monitored by measurement of tumors. Results: TNP-470 caused an 84% reduction in tumor size, and 2-methoxyestradiol caused a 68% reduction in tumor size. Conclusion: Angiogenesis inhibitors are highly effective in treatment of angiosarcoma in mice. Clinical trials of these agents in humans with angiosarcoma and hemangioendothelioma are warranted. (J Am Acad Dermatol 1999;40:925-9.)
An American Obsession: Science, Medicine, and Homosexuality in Modern Society

An American Obsession: Science, Medicine, and Homosexuality in Modern Society. Jennifer Terry. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1999. ix. 537 pp., photographs, notes, bibliography, index.
Detecting load conditions in human walking using expectation maximization and neural networks

Weight carrying conditions in human subjects is classified using a mixture of Gaussian based classifier and neural networks. Expectation maximization (EM) algorithm is used to learn the model parameters for the mixture of Gaussian (MOG) based classifier. Since variables change in time as the human subjects walk, and likelihood score in a mixture model is usually calculated for stationary data, a scoring system is developed to calculate how likely a time sequence of variables belongs to a particular distribution. A neural network (NN) based classifier is also developed which uses the traditional back-propagation algorithm for training. The results obtained show overall 74.1% accuracy using MOG and 66.4% using NN for the test set in a binary classification task of detecting “load” or “no-load” conditions using just two variables. The lower accuracy using NN is not surprising as averaged variables are provided as inputs to the NN while MOG is able to use the dynamic information. In another classification task with four classes and using two variables, the accuracy was 37.2% using MOG and 34.2% using NN on the test set which are both better than chance. Accuracy of NN using 7 variables was 81.4% for binary classification and 41.3% for four-class classification. An interesting finding from these results is that NN (using 7 averaged variables) performed better than human perceivers who were asked to judge based on stick figure animations of subjects walking. Another interesting revelation from this study was that the covariance matrices from the MOG model revealed “anti-phase” locking of the elbow and stoop angle as the subjects walk.
WARSIM 2000: A Case for Technological Subject Matter Experts:

WARSIM, the U.S. Army’s next-generation simulation and intended land component of JSIMS is supposed to replace several existing “legacy” simulations. With the cancellation of JSIMS as a result of technological and organizational hurdles, we review the literature documenting the development of WARSIM’s requirements specifications; analyze some particularly challenging requirements manifested in Operational Requirements Documents; describe the methodology through which those requirements were composed and drafted; and propose a framework that would integrate the analysis and input of technological subject matter experts who can adequately assess the feasibility of developing and fielding future systems.
Paper chromatographic determination of muscarine in Inocybe species.

A relatively simple, paper chromatographic method was developed for the quantitation of muscarine in dried mushroom tissue. Application of the procedure to 34 species of Inocybe revealed detectable quantities of muscarine ranging from 0.01 to 0.80% in approximately 75% of them. No significant relationship was found between distribution of muscarine and infrageneric taxonomy of the genus Inocybe.
Response Surface Model Using the Sorted k-Fold Approach

Complex engineering problems are represented by surrogate models in order to find the optimum design points with greater computational efficiency. The least-squares response surface methodology is one of the most commonly used approximation models and has been widely applied to optimization problems in the field of aerospace. In this paper, we propose a new surrogate modeling technique called the sorted k-fold approach with which the entire sample points are sorted based on the residuals and then grouped into k data sets. Multiple response surfaces are constructed while one data set used for cross-validating the representative response surface is omitted. Each response surface is weighted based on how well it can predict the cross-validating data response. Our investigations reveal that this approach has a higher ability of obtaining accurate predictions than the least-squares response surface methodology when tested at a large number of validation points. When the method is applied to benchmark problems ...
Bound-state quark and gluon contributions to structure functions in QCD☆

Abstract One can distinguish two types of contributions to the quark and gluon structure functions of hadrons in quantum chromodynamics: “intrinsic” contributions, which are due to the direct scattering on the bound-state constituents, and “extrinsic” contributions, which are derived from particles created in the collision. In this talk, I discuss several aspects of deep inelastic structure functions in which the bound-state structure of the proton plays a crucial role: (1) the properties of the intrinsic gluon distribution associated with the proton bound-state wavefunction; (2) the separation of the quark structure function of the proton into intrinsic “bound-valence” and extrinsic “non- valence” components which takes into account the Pauli principle; (3) the properties and identification of intrinsic heavy quark structure functions; and (4) a theory of shadowing and anti-shadowing of nuclear structure functions, directly related to quark-nucleon interactions and the gluon saturation phenomenon.
Insight into Source/Channel Duality and More based on an Intuitive Covering/Packing Lemma

The issue of source/channel duality is as old as information theory itself. Whereas type covering has been identified as a basis for source coding and sphere packing as the basis for channel coding, very little effort has been directed at tying covering and packing together. In this paper, a covering result has been derived which gives asymptotically optimal packing as well. We propose our covering/packing lemma as a mathematical basis of duality. Our lemma also sheds light on outstanding issues of source coding such as explicit rate-distortion tradeoff and unifying basis for lossless and lossy coding.
Substrate mapping and catheter ablation of ventricular tachycardia after right ventriculotomy.

Tetralogy of Fallot is one of the most common forms of cyanotic congenital heart disease, estimated to occur in 0.26 per 1000 live births.1 Long-term survival depends on definitive surgery; happily, survival after complete repair can now be expected in 98% of cases. Initial surgery may be palliative with the placement of a shunt, but complete repair is now offered in infancy with the expectation of survival well into adulthood. Although tetralogy patients occasionally require permanent pacemakers for atrioventricular block, and many will need to undergo periodic pulmonic valve and conduit replacement, by far the most worrisome problem such patients face is the prospect of sudden death. In the early days of corrective surgery, when this catastrophic outcome was first observed, it was initially hypothesized that atrioventricular block might be responsible.2 Subsequently, attention shifted to the problem of malignant ventricular arrhythmias.3 It is now widely accepted that ventricular tachycardia in such patients is the likely cause of sudden death and is likely to be macroreentrant in nature. Article p 2241 Although clear risk factors within the tetralogy population …
Effect of Particle Size Distribution on Sintering

Studies have been performed examining the effect of the geometric standard deviation (1nσ) of lognormal distributions of tungsten powders on the resulting microstructure and sintering behaviour. Lognormal powder size distribution with controlled mean size and 1nσ were produced by classifying bulk powders into narrow size cuts and reblending in the desired proportions. Sintering behaviour of the blend was evaluated by comparing densification rates of samples with different 1nσ values at each of several constant mean particle sizes. Specimen microstructures were evaluated in detail to better understand the observed sintering behaviour.
A high-pressure synthesis of hydrothermally stable periodic mesoporous crystalline aluminosilica materials

We report a synthetic route to mesoporous crystalline aluminosilica materials using high pressure and temperature. In the first step a large-pore periodic mesoporous aluminosilica SBA-15 material was filled with carbon at ambient pressure. We observed that crystallization of the pore walls of periodic mesoporous aluminosilica/carbon composites occurred at 2 GPa and a temperature of 650 °C without significant distortion of the mesostructure. Combustive removal of carbon from the crystallized composite in air led to the formation of periodic mesoporous crystalline aluminosilica materials. These materials are steam stable and are resistant to shrinkage under the harsh conditions of hydrothermal treatment at 800 °C.
Analysis of CSG's Inter-Area Power Oscillations with a Point of View of Time-frequency

EEMD and HVD are two novel signal processing methods possible recent years for analysis of the power system oscillaton.With these methods and wavelet this paper studies the CSG.'s inter-area oscillation in the three events occurred recent years.The results show that there have been both non-stationary and stationary oscillations in CSG,and the methods of HVD and wavelet work well to deal with non-stationary oscillations,but the conventional Prony analysis does not.
SOLIDIFICATION TREATMENT OF OILY AND SOUR SLUDGE FROM REJECTION STATION OF WELL NO.72 IN MOXI

All kinds of oily and sour sludge are produced in the production of oil and gas and have brought contamination in the oilfield. Oily and sour sludge from rejection station of well No.72 in Moxi gas field has been studied by means of solidification method. Result shows that application of suitable hardener can solidify the sludge and both the strength of curing substances and concentration of its lixivium can meet the needs of sanitation landfill.
The vitamin D-binding protein gene: Quantitation of amplified nucleic acids by ELISA

We have utilized enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to quantitate PCR-amplified DNA. This method was used to measure mRNA for the vitamin D-binding protein (Gc), beta-actin and the transferrin receptor (TR) gene in the Hep3B cell line. Total RNA from Hep3B cells was reverse transcribed to obtain cDNA, which was amplified in the presence of digoxigenin-dUTP by PCR. The PCR products were then hybridized in liquid phase to a biotinylated, nested capture probe for the respective sequences. The hybridized products were bound to a streptavidin-coated ELISA plate and were detected by an alkaline-phosphatase-conjugated antibody to digoxigenin. ELISA standard curves for Gc and control genes, beta-actin and TR, were obtained after PCR amplification of serial dilutions of Hep3B total RNA. As an external standard, an ELISA standard curve for Gc was obtained after PCR amplification of serial dilutions of a full-length Gc cDNA insert obtained from a recombinant plasmid. Thus, we were able to develop a non-isotopic quantitation assay for PCR-amplified DNA that is highly sensitive and has the specificity of hybridization-based methods.
Purification of plasmalogens usingRhizopus delemar lipase andNaja naja naja phospholipase A2

Bovine heart ChoGpl (choline glycerophospholipid) and bovine brain EtnGpl (ethanolamine glycerophospholipid) contain diacyl, alkenylacyl and alkylacyl analogs. Purification of plasmalogens was achieved usingR. delemar lipase andN. naja naja phospholipase A2 digestion. TheR. delemar lipase hydrolyzes the acyl bond at the 1-position of 1,2-diacyl glycerophospholipids. TheN. naja naja phospholipase A2 has greater activity with diacyl and alkylacyl than with alkenylacyl glycerophospholipids. These enzymes were mainly used to remove diacyl and alkylacyl analogs respectively. When the diacyl types were removed by double incubation withR. delemar lipase, the plasmalogen content was 94.2%±0.21% (mean±S.E.M., n=4) for PlsCho (plasmenylcholine) and 94.9%±0.19% (mean±S.E.M., n=3) for PlsEtn (plasmenylethanolamine). Recoveries were 74% and 88% respectively. These partially purified plasmalogens were treated withN. naja naja phospholipase A2. Finally, 97.7%±0.24% (mean±S.E.M., n=4) and 98.8%±0.27% (mean±S.E.M., n=3) pure plasmalogens were obtained for PlsCho and PlsEtn respectively. Plasmalogens were recovered in an overall yield of 7.7%±0.7% (mean±S.E.M., n=4) and 10.2%±1.2% (mean±S.E.M., n=3) for PlsCho and PlsEtn.
Eros and sexuality in antiquity. Book review essay on homosexuality in ancient Greece.

(1990). Eros and Sexuality in Antiquity. The Psychoanalytic Quarterly: Vol. 59, No. 1, pp. 75-101.
Forces of Nature

An Age-Old Dream — understanding all the forces of nature as different aspects of a single fundamental force — has actually been realized to some extent during the past decade. A theory that unifies two of the four known basic forces was successfully developed, thus merging the electromagnetic force that holds together atoms and molecules with the weak nuclear force that governs the decay of radioactive matter. A comprehensive theory of a third type of force, namely the strong nuclear force that binds subatomic particles, has also been developed. Furthermore, concerted efforts aimed at unifying in turn both of these theories are now being made at many laboratories around the globe.
Four Cases of Anti-PM/Scl Antibody-positive Juvenile Overlap Syndrome with Features of Myositis and Systemic Sclerosis.

To the Editor: Overlap syndromes of systemic sclerosis (SSc)/myositis are rare and have primarily been described in adults. Relatively few cases of childhood SSc/myositis overlap have been reported1,2,3,4,5,6,7. In our case series, 4 patients diagnosed with juvenile overlap syndrome of myositis with SSc are described (Table 1). All 4 cases were positive for anti-PM/Scl and eventually developed symptoms consistent with overlap SSc/myositis. View this table: Table 1. Four pediatric patients with SSc/myositis overlap syndrome. Patient 1 was an 8-year-old white male who presented with diffuse hand swelling, tight skin, and contractures of the metacarpophalangeal (MCP), proximal interphalangeal (PIP), and distal interphalangeal joints and wrists of 3-month duration. His muscle strength was normal. He had Gottron papules over his MCP and PIP joints, cracking of the tips of his fingers and toes (without ulceration), and erythema over his elbows and knees. He denied Raynaud phenomenon (RP), fatigue, dysphagia, or dyspnea. Myositis antibody panel demonstrated positive anti-PM/Scl antibodies, and he was diagnosed with overlap SSc/myositis syndrome. One year after diagnosis, he had substantial improvement in his functional ability while receiving therapy, but not complete symptom resolution. Patient 2 was an African American female diagnosed with juvenile dermatomyositis (JDM) at age 6 when she … Address correspondence to Dr. L. Fotis, Pediatrics, Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine, One Children’s Place, St. Louis, Missouri 63110-1010, USA. E-mail: Fotis_l{at}kids.wustl.edu
The genus Haymondia A.N.Egan & B.Pan bis (Fabaceae) in Thailand

A synopsis of the genus Haymondia A.N.Egan & B.Pan bis in Thailand, comprised of a single species: H. wallichii (DC.) A.N.Egan & B.Pan bis, is given. The genus and species descriptions are provided, along with nomenclature, vernacular names, distributional data and specimens examined.
Comparative Outcomes Following CP-R, CVP-R and CHOP-R in Patients with Waldenstrom's Macroglobulinemia.

Since the adoption of rituximab as a mainstay of therapy in non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, there has been growing debate on the importance of adriamycin and vincristine as treatment components used in the therapy of indolent non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, including Waldenstrom’s macroglobulinemia (WM). We therefore examined the outcome of symptomatic WM patients who required therapy based on consensus guidelines and received treatment at our Institution with CP-R (n=20), CVP-R (n=17), or CHOP-R (n=23). Baseline characteristics for all 3 cohorts were as follows: Responses to therapy, including median decrease in serum IgM and best response for IgM, Hct, and PLT counts were as follows: Adverse events attributed to therapy, including rituximab related IgM flare were as follows: The results of this study demonstrate comparable response characteristics among WM patients treated with CP-R, CVP-R, or CHOP-R though a trend for attainment of more CR/nCR was observed among those patients receiving CVP-R and CHOP-R. Importantly, significantly more toxicity was observed, particularly neutropenic fever and treatment related neuropathy among patients treated with CVP-R and CHOP-R versus CP-R. The results of this study suggest that in WM, the use of CPR may provide analogous treatment responses to more intense cyclophosphamide based regimens, while minimizing treatment related complications.
Advanced Underwater Robot Research at Autonomous Systems Laboratory

Abstract As the ocean attracts great attention on environmental issues and resources as well as scientific and military tasks, the need for and use of underwater robotic systems has become more apparent. Underwater robotics represent a fast growing research area and promising industry as advanced technologies in various subsystems develop and potential application areasare explored. Great efforts have been made in developing autonomous underwater robots or vehicles (AUVs) to overcome challenging scientific and engineering problems caused by the unstructured and hazardous ocean environment. With the development of new materials, advanced computing and sensorytechnology, as well as theoretical advancements, R & D activities in the AUV community have increased. This paper describes advanced underwater robot research activities at the Autonomous Systems Laboratory
StairStepper: An Adaptive Remedial iSTART Module.

This paper introduces StairStepper, a new addition to Interactive Strategy Training for Active Reading and Thinking (iSTART), an intelligent tutoring system (ITS) that provides adaptive self-explanation training and practice. Whereas iSTART focuses on improving comprehension at levels geared toward answering challenging questions associated with complex texts, StairStepper focuses on improving learners’ performance when reading grade-level expository texts. StairStepper is designed as a scaffolded practice activity wherein text difficulty level and task are adapted according to learners’ performance. This offers a unique module that provides reading comprehension tutoring through a combination of self-explanation practice and answering of multiple-choice questions representative of those found in standardized tests.
α5 nAChR modulation of the prefrontal cortex makes attention resilient

A loss-of-function polymorphism in the α5 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) subunit gene has been linked to both drug abuse and schizophrenia. The α5 nAChR subunit is strategically positioned in the prefrontal cortex (PFC), where a loss-of-function in this subunit may contribute to cognitive disruptions in both disorders. However, the specific contribution of α5 to PFC-dependent cognitive functions has yet to be illustrated. In the present studies, we used RNA interference to knockdown the α5 nAChR subunit in the PFC of adult rats. We provide evidence that through its contribution to cholinergic modulation of cholinergic modulation of neurons in the PFC, the α5 nAChR plays a specific role in the recovery of attention task performance following distraction. Our combined data reveal the potent ability of this subunit to modulate the PFC and cognitive functions controlled by this brain region that are impaired in disease.
Strained Organic Molecules

In its spectacular evolution through the past decades, the orbital theory of molecular structure has steadily progressed from simple semiempirical models of limited application (e.g., π-electron theories for planar systems) to elaborate ab initio models which include all electrons and are applicable to general molecular geometries.(1–6) Furthermore, the power of present generation computers means that these ab initio techniques can now be feasibly applied to rather large molecular systems (i.e., -50–75 electrons). As a result, the past few years have seen major progress in our understanding of a fundamentally important aspect of organic chemistry—the nature of strained organic molecules.(7,8) Although current semiempirical techniques provide much important information about strained molecules(2,9,10) ab initio studies have been imperative because the strained molecules transcend our usual concepts about the nature of bonding and thus, among other things, play a vital role in helping extend and recalibrate semiempirical methods. Ab initio capability for treating large molecules is very important in this connection, since many of the most intriguing aspects of strained systems only appear in rather large systems (i.e., 223c5-10 heavy atoms), especially the polycyclic variety.
Associations between psychometrically assessed life history strategy and daily behavior: data from the Electronically Activated Recorder (EAR).

Life history theory has generated cogent, well-supported hypotheses about individual differences in human biodemographic traits (e.g., age at sexual maturity) and psychometric traits (e.g., conscientiousness), but little is known about how variation in life history strategy (LHS) is manifest in quotidian human behavior. Here I test predicted associations between the self-report Arizona Life History Battery and frequencies of 12 behaviors observed over 72 h in 91 US college students using the Electronically Activated Recorder (EAR), a method of gathering periodic brief audio recordings as participants go about their daily lives. Bayesian multi-level aggregated binomial regression analysis found no strong associations between ALHB scores and behavior frequencies. One behavior, presence at amusement venues (bars, concerts, sports events) was weakly positively associated with ALHB-assessed slow LHS, contrary to prediction. These results may represent a challenge to the ALHB's validity. However, it remains possible that situational influences on behavior, which were not measured in the present study, moderate the relationships between psychometrically-assessed LHS and quotidian behavior.
The Expression of the Gene for the Large Subunit of Ribulose 1,5-Bisphosphate Carboxylase in Maize

During the past few years it has been established by DNA-RNA hybridization and physical mapping that the circular 85 × 106-dalton chloroplast chromosome of Zea mays contains genes for tRNAs for at least 16 amino acids (1) and two sets of genes for rRNAs (2). The chloroplast gene for ribosomal LC4 protein (3, 4) has been located on the Chlamydomonas reinhardi chloroplast chromosome by transmission genetics (5). We have now located physically the site of the gene for the large subunit (L) of the enzyme ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate (RuBP) carboxylase on the maize chloroplast genome. This has been possible because of progress in the physical mapping of this genome (6) and the availability of chloroplast (et) DNA sequences cloned in bacterial plasmids as well as the development of linked transcription-translation systems (7).
The T-lymphocyte response to varicella-zoster viral proteins.

The importance of cellular immunity in the host’s response to varicella-zoster virus (VZV) is manifested clinically by the severity of varicella in children with congenital or acquired T-cell deficiencies (1). The frequent occurrence of herpes zoster with suppression of cellular immunity implies that such immunity is also required to prevent symptoms due to viral reactivation. When a VZV antigen preparation made from sonicated infected cells was used to stimulate T lymphocytes, the early acquisition of VZV-specific T-cell proliferation was found to correlate with mild primary VZV infection, the absence of VZV cellular immunity was associated with progressive varicella, and diminished VZV T-cell immunity defined periods of susceptibility to recurrent VZV in patients with malignancy (2–5). In contrast, immunoglobulin deficiencies have not been associated with severe primary VZV disease, and VZV IgG antibody titers are not usually low at the onset of herpes zoster.
Nodulation Gene Expression in Rhizobium Meliloti

We have used formal genetic analysis and molecular and biochemical approaches to understand the control of nodulation (nod)gene promoters by NodD 1 and NodD3, and to understand the role and control ofsyrM in the alfalfa symbiont Rhizobium meliloti. In particular, we are interested in how nod gene activation occurs at the level of transcription initiation. One approach to such an analysis is to try to achieve regulatable gene expression in vitro. We have initiated a biochemical approach by purifying the components known to be involved in nod gene expression and trying to reconstitute transcription initiation. We have also identified likely genes encoding protein components of RNA polymerase.
Relationship between Phenolic and Antioxidant Concentration of Humulus lupulus and Alpha Acid Content

AbstractIt has been well established that beer is an excellent source of polyphenols, due in part to the contribution of xanthohumol and other compounds from hops. The intent of this study was to e...
The $2\times2$ Matrix Mortality Problem and Invertible Matrices

By modifying the proof of a paper by O. Bournez and M. Branicky, we establish that the Matrix Mortality Problem is decidable with any finite set of $2\times2$ matrices which has at most one invertible matrix. The same modification also shows that the number of non-invertible matrices is irrelevant.
Clinical analysis with subacute necrotizing lymphadenitis

Objective To investigate etiological factors, clinical characteristic and related laboratory findings of subacute necrotizing lymphadenitis and improve the acknowledgement of subacute necrotizing lymphadenitis. Methods We analyzed 14 cases of subacute necrotizing lymphadenitis who had been diagnosed by lymph node biopsy retrospectively. Results The most of patients were school children with mean age of 10.4 ± 2.9) years. The ratio of male to female was 1.8∶1 .The main clinical symptoms were that lymph nodes were swelling and pressing-pain in 14 cases (100%) and fever in 13 cases (92.9%), rash in 2 cases (14.3%),hepatosplenomegaly in 2 cases (14.3%).The white blood cell count was (2.3 ～ 7.4) × 109/L in 14 cases and average count was (3.90 ± 0.35) × 109/L. The white blood cell count showed leukopenia in 10 cases (71.4%) and none showed heighten. Twelve cases were tested by CRP and the result of 8 cases elevated slightly (10 ～ 30 mg/dl). Thirteen cases underwent ESR examination and the result of 11 cases showed higher than that of normal level (20mm/h)(82.6%). The average ESR risen value was 40mm/h and topmost value was 70 mm/h. Eight cases underwent anti-nuclear antibody test and 2 cases of them were positive. Twelve cases underwent EB virus antibody test and 4 cases of them were positive. Eleven cases underwent blood Mycoplasma-IgM examination and one of them was positive. Six cases underwent coxsackie virus antibody and one of them was positive.Coxsackie and EB virus infected in one case. Lymph node biopsy was found necrotic fragments in different sizes. The cellular hyperplasia was found around the necrotic area and plasma cells, neutrophils, and eosinophils were found rarely in these areas. The DNA of EB virus was negative in lymph nodes. Eight cases of all were treated by prednisone and effect showed well 1.5 ～ 2.0 mg/(kg·d)). One of all was recurrence and the rest recovered well. Blood routine examination was used when they were under a stable condition, five cases of them showed normal white blood cells. Conclusion Those with fever of unknown origin combined with lymphadenectasis are suggested to have an early lymph node biopsy. The process is self-limited and glucocorticoid therapy is effective to those impatients. The long-term follow up is required as recurrence and development of SLE have reported. EB virus was not an etiological factor of SNL. Leucocyte can be used as one of the indicators of improvement. Key words: Subacute necrotizing lymphadenitis; lymphadenectasis; Fever; Glucocorticoid
Asymptotic Variance of Test Statistics in the ML and QML Frameworks

In this study, we consider the test statistics that can be written as the sample average of data and derive their limiting distributions under the maximum likelihood (ML) and the quasi-maximum likelihood (QML) frameworks. We first generalize the asymptotic variance formula suggested in Pierce (Ann Stat 10(2):475–478, 1982) in the ML framework and illustrate its applications through some well-known test statistics: (1) the skewness statistic, (2) the kurtosis statistic, (3) the Cox statistic, (4) the information matrix test statistic, and (5) the Durbin’s h-statistic. We next provide a similar result in the QML setting and illustrate its applications by providing two examples. Illustrations show the simplicity and the effectiveness of our results for the asymptotic variance of test statistics, and therefore, they are recommended for practical applications.
Farming down the drain: Unintended consequences of the Food Safety Modernization Act’s Produce Rule on small and very small farms

Abstract The Food Safety Modernization Act of 2011 (FSMA) was the first significant reform in 70 years of the food production regulations governing the safety of human and animal foods produced for consumption in the United States. FSMA intended to provide policies that proactively prevent foodborne illnesses, establish science-based food safety standards, and include supply chain partners to ensure systematic prevention of foodborne illnesses. Yet these intentions may also drive small farms out of business, create food supply shortages, stifle food innovation, and harm the environment and consumer health. We propose that policy makers and managers consider reducing unnecessary documentation requirements, incentivizing innovative food technologies that improve food safety, improving the capacity and efficiency of testing labs, and increasing consumer awareness of food safety.
Electrochemically active materials and wearable biosensors for the in situ analysis of body fluids for human healthcare

The increasing demand for minimal to noninvasive in situ analysis of body fluids, such as sweat, interstitial fluid, and tears, has driven rapid development of electrochemically active materials and wearable biosensors. The mechanically soft and deformable nature of these biosensors enables them to efficiently adapt to the geometric nonlinearity of a specific part of the human body. The integration of these biosensors with a fully miniaturized wireless telemetry system enables displaying real-time data in a mobile device and/or reporting to an encrypted server for post analysis. These features are essential for the long-term, unobtrusive monitoring of biochemical activity in ambulatory care settings for improved management of many chronic diseases, such as diabetes, gout, and Parkinson’s disease. Herein, we present the latest innovations of wearable electrochemical sensors tailored for human skin or eyes with a focus on their materials, designs, sensing mechanisms, and clinical implications. Wearable electronic devices are under development which can monitor health by analyzing bodily fluids such as sweat. Electronic components placed inside the body or on the skin that constantly monitor our bodies could become a key part of future healthcare strategies. Chi Hwan Lee and coworkers from Purdue University, West Lafayette, USA, have reviewed recent advances in a variety of wearable devices that can be worn to electrochemically analyze bodily fluids. They discuss the materials required for these components, which need to be mechanically soft and deformable to conform to the body as it moves, the mechanisms used for sensing and the different wireless connection configurations. The devices can test sweat, tears and the interstitial fluid that surrounds cells for monitoring diseases such as diabetes, gout, and Parkinson’s disease. Schematic illustrations of various bodily fluids to detect human diseases such as diabetes, gout, and Parkinson’s disease through the use of wearable electrochemical biosensors
An Exploratory Look at an Approach to Completing an Impact Study

An Economic Impact Study tries to measure the amount of spending and/or financial benefit accomplished by a specific organization, institution or activity within a defined geographic area. Using the Economic and Service Impact Report generated for Iona College and published in 2015, the author of this study discusses the difficulties, challenges, and limitations associated with the assumptions, methods and calculations utilized during an impact study. The purpose is to aid others in anticipating the design and implementation challenges so as to enable others to execute an impact study.
Designing a business faculty LibGuide

Library LibGuides for students are popular. But not much has been written about the development, use, and promotion of library LibGuides designed specifically for faculty. This article reviews a sa...
Demographic Dynamics of a Population of Northern Mockingbirds (Mimus polyglottus) in New Orleans, U.S.A., before and after Hurricane Katrina

Northern Mockingbirds (Mimus polyglottus) were studied between 1995 and 2015 on a university campus in New Orleans, U.S.A., spanning the 2005 landfall of Hurricane Katrina. The storm subjected the city to high winds and a prolonged flood. Nesting success showed a spike for 3 y after the storm, after which it gradually sank back to near pre-storm levels. Number of broods detected jumped from the first to the second year after the storm on campus and at two nearby residential sites. Success of males in acquiring mates improved from the first nesting season after the storm to the second across the three sites. Results draw attention to the importance of considering top-down effects in analyzing the recovery of storm-impacted birds.
On the synoptic climatology of summer rainfall over central Sudan

The rainy season lasts from May through October in the southern parts of central Sudan, being concentrated to July and August in the latitude of Khartoum, while the extreme north of the country has no proper rainy season. In relation to this temporal and spatial variation of rainfall, development and decay of the summer circulation over the Sudan are studied on the basis of mean monthly pressure, relative humidity, surface streamline charts, 300 mb contour maps, and meridional-vertical cross-sections. The Intertropical Front (ITF) is identified as a discontinuity in the surface moisture and wind field.
Pohost, Gerald M.: The Evolution of Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance (CMR)

First page of article Keywords: NMR; CMR; SCMR; SMRM; ISMRM; JCMR; SCMR in China
Jammer forensics: Localization in peer to peer networks based on Q-learning

Jamming attacks are a class of network denial of service attacks that can easily be carried out in wireless networks. In order to be able to repair a network in the presence of such attacks, it is desirable to identify the location of jammed nodes and the congested area that is affected by the jammer. In this paper, we propose the design of a Q-learning based attack-localization algorithm that is integrated with the OLSR routing protocol. Our Q-learning attack-localization algorithm is distributed, asynchronous and can identify the location of the jammer in run-time as the attack takes place. We examine the performance of our approach using NS3 network simulations under two different network topologies, and for both naive and intelligent attack scenarios.
Axonal Dopamine Receptors Activate Peripheral Spike Initiation in a Stomatogastric Motor Neuron

We studied the effects of dopamine on the stomatogastric ganglion (STG) of the lobster, Homarus americanus. The two pyloric dilator (PD) neurons are active in the pyloric rhythm, have somata in the STG, and send axons many centimeters to innervate muscles of the stomach. Dopamine application to the stomatogastric nervous system when the PD neurons were rhythmically active evoked additional action potentials during the PD neuron interburst intervals. These action potentials were peripherally generated at a region between the STG and the first bilateral branch, approximately 1 cm away from the STG, and traveled antidromically to the neuropil and orthodromically to the pyloric dilator muscles. Focal applications of dopamine to the nerves showed that spikes could be initiated in almost the entire peripheral axon of the PD neurons. Dopamine also evoked spikes in isolated peripheral axons. The concentration threshold for peripheral spike initiation was at or below 10-9 m dopamine. Thus, the peripheral axon can play an important role in shaping the output signaling to the muscles by the motor neuron.
Dynamic delamination crack propagation in a graphite/epoxy laminate

The dynamic delamination crack propagation behavior during ballistic tests of (90/0)5s T-300/934 graphite/epoxy laminates with embedded interfacial cracks was investigated using high speed photography. The impact on the beam-like specimen was produced with a silicon rubber ball, and the crack propagation speeds and the threshold impact velocities required to initiate dynamic crack propagation were determined for several crack positions. The results suggest that the mode of crack propagation depends on the specimen geometry as well as the loading condition. A simplified finite element analysis of the experimental data obtained from one of the midplane-cracked specimens was used to estimate the critical strain energy release rate, which may determine the onset of unstable crack propagation.
Intelligent Document Gateway: A Service System Case Study and Analysis

In today’s fast paced world, it is necessary to process business ­documents expediently, accurately, and diligently. In other words, processing has to be fast, errors must be prevented (or caught and corrected quickly), and documents cannot be lost or misplaced. The failure to meet these criteria, depending on the type and purpose of the documents, can have serious business, legal, or safety consequences. In this paper, we evaluated a B2B order placement service system that allows clients to place orders for products and services over a network. We describe the order placement service before and after deploying the Intelligent Document Gateway (IDG), a document-centric business process automation technology from IBM Research. Using service science perspective and service systems frameworks, we provide an analysis of how IDG improved the value proposition for both the service providers and service clients.