cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Queueing theory as a modeling tool for bacterial interaction: Implications for microbial fuel cells

Microbial communities play a significant role in bioremediation, plant growth promotion, human and animal digestion, drive elemental cycles, the carbon-cycle and cleaning water. They are also posed to be the engines of renewable energy via microbial fuel cells which can reverse the process of electrosynthesis. While the diffusion of chemical signals in the surrounding medium of biological systems has been heavily studied, the electron transfer mechanism occurring in living cells and its role in cell-cell interaction is less understood. Recent experimental observations open up new frontiers in the design of electron-based communication and energy networks in microbial communities, which may coexist with the more well-known interaction strategies based on molecular diffusion. In this position paper, a series of modeling strategies is proposed, informed by experiment, to describe the large-scale interaction of bacterial communities. A new queueing theoretic model for the internal workings of a bacterium is described as well as methods based on statistical physics to scale up the queuing models. The goal is to couple modeling with experiment to optimize the design of microbial fuel cells.
Leader Incentives and Civil War Outcomes

This article examines the influence that rebel and state leaders have on civil war outcomes, arguing that incentives to avoid punishment influence their strategic decision making during war. Leaders in civil war face punishment from two sources: internal audiences and opponents. I hypothesize that leaders who bear responsibility for involvement in the war have a higher expectation of punishment from both sources following unfavorable war performance, and thus, have incentives to continue the fight in the hope of turning the tide and avoiding the negative consequences of defeat. These incentives, in turn, make leaders who bear responsibility more likely to fight to an extreme outcome and less likely to make concessions to end the war. These propositions are tested on an original data set identifying all rebel and state leaders in all civil conflict dyads ongoing between 1980 and 2011. Results support the hypothesized relationships between leader responsibility and war outcomes.
Free space management for cut-based placement [IC layout]

IP blocks and large macro cells are increasingly prevalent in physical design, actually causing an increase in the available free space for the dust logic. We observe that top-down placement, based on recursive bisection with multilevel partitioning, performs poorly on these porous designs. However, analytic solvers have the ability to find the natural distribution of cells in the layout. Consequently, we propose an enhancement to cut-based placement called analytic constraint generation (ACG). ACG utilizes an analytic engine to set constraints for the multi-level partitioner. We show that for real industry designs, ACG significantly improves the performance of cut-based placement, as implemented within a state-of-the-art industrial placer.
Time Perception and Timing, Neural Basis of

First page of article Keywords: time perception; timing; temporal memory; basal ganglia; dopamine; cerebellum
On the presence of the genus Branchipus Schaeffer, 1766 (Crustacea: Anostraca) in Macedonia

The fairy shrimp genus Branchipus Schaeffer, 1766 is represented in Macedonia by two species: Branchipus schaefferi Fischer, 1834 and Branchipus intermedius Orghidan, 1947. Branchipus schaefferi appears frequently and in high abundance in the rice fields of eastern Macedonia. Branchipus intermedius is present only in several neighboring shallow rainpools, less than 20 cm in depth, scattered over a high-mountain plateau (elevation about 1950 m) on the Bistra Mountain in western Macedonia.
Low–Temperature Anodic Bonding Facilitated by Lithium–Exchanged Sodium Borosilicate Glass

A critical issue during the hermetic packaging of microelectro-mechanical system (MEMS) devices has been the need for lower glass-to-silicon bonding temperatures. Ion exchange, a technique traditionally used to modify the mechanical and optical properties of glasses, has been employed to reduce the temperature typically required to anodically bond glass to silicon. Lithium ion exchange techniques were used to lower the anodic bonding temperature to as low as 230°C using a point-cathode configuration and to 200°C using a commercial bonder.
A. J. Davis’s Belmead

In 1845 Philip St. George Cocke commissioned Alexander Jackson Davis to design a Gothic revival villa for Belmead. In doing so he radically departed from the tradition of Palladian and classical architecture that had characterized elite Virginia plantations since the mid-eighteenth century. In A. J. Davis’s Belmead: Picturesque Aesthetics in the Land of Slavery, Daniel Bluestone argues that a Davis design resonated differently on the banks of the James River than on the banks of the Hudson. The appeal of Davis’s design lay in its sensitivity to the reciprocity between buildings and landscape, highlighting Cocke’s advocacy of greater stewardship of the land in the place of generations of ruinous agricultural practices. Beyond his villa and his land, Cocke commissioned Davis to design Belmead’s slave quarters. This was an attempt to harmonize himself with his slaves and the nation with an agricultural system based upon chattel slavery rather than yeomen farmers. This essay encourages us to look beyond the universals that often frame architectural history discussions of picturesque aesthetics to situate picturesque designs more precisely within a place-centered context of client vision and socio-cultural meaning.
An in vitro model of ischemia: metabolic and electrical alterations in the hippocampal slice

The transverse guinea pig hippocampal slice preparation was used to model the metabolic changes which occur in vivo during ischemia and recovery. Perfusing brain slices with medium devoid of glucose and oxygen elicits rapid decreases in phosphocreatine, ATP, intracellular pH, and in the evoked field potential recorded in the dentate gyrus. AMP and creatine rise during this period, while ADP and lactate levels remain unchanged. Cyclic AMP exhibits a transient increase in concentration. With the exception of ADP and lactate, these responses are very similar to those observed during in vivo ischemia. The return of glucose and oxygen to the incubation medium reverses these metabolic and electrophysiological effects and also leads to pronounced elevations in cyclic nucleotide concentrations. Metabolite concentrations approach, but do not reach, in vitro steady state levels during the first 30 min of recovery. Total adenylate and creatine steady state levels are approximately 50% of in vivo concentrations. The results suggest that, although hippocampal slices differ metabolically from in vivo tissue, they exhibit a similar pattern of metabolic responses to ischemic and reflow conditions.
Cd8+ T Cells Can Block Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 (HSV-1) Reactivation from Latency in Sensory Neurons

Recurrent herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) disease usually results from reactivation of latent virus in sensory neurons and transmission to peripheral sites. Therefore, defining the mechanisms that maintain HSV-1 in a latent state in sensory neurons may provide new approaches to reducing susceptibility to recurrent herpetic disease. After primary HSV-1 corneal infection, CD8+ T cells infiltrate the trigeminal ganglia (TGs) of mice, and are retained in latently infected ganglia. Here we demonstrate that CD8+ T cells that are present in the TGs at the time of excision can maintain HSV-1 in a latent state in sensory neurons in ex vivo TG cultures. Latently infected neurons expressed viral genome and some expressed HSV-1 immediate early and early proteins, but did not produce HSV-1 late proteins or infectious virions. Addition of anti-CD8α monoclonal antibody 5 d after culture initiation induced HSV-1 reactivation, as demonstrated by production of viral late proteins and infectious virions. Thus, CD8+ T cells can prevent HSV-1 reactivation without destroying the infected neurons. We propose that when the intrinsic capacity of neurons to inhibit HSV-1 reactivation from latency is compromised, production of HSV-1 immediate early and early proteins might activate CD8+ T cells aborting virion production.
Turbulent flow over three-dimensional dunes: 2. Fluid and bed stresses

[1] Dunes formed in response to fluid flow exert a total boundary stress on the fluid that is made up of form drag and skin friction, the latter of which is generally considered important for predicting sediment transport and dune evolution. Previous research has used various methods to estimate the total stress and its subcomponents, with recent work suggesting the application of a spatial average to the equations of motion. A complete, three-dimensional (3-D) form of this analysis is derived and applied to recent measurements of turbulent open-channel flow over 3-D dunes. Spatial averages of Reynolds shear stresses over 3-D dunes cannot be used to predict total boundary shear stress. However, estimations of total boundary shear stress from the spatially averaged equations of motion agree with not only the sum of form drag and skin friction but also the direct measurements of average free surface slope. Form-induced stresses from secondary circulations augment the relatively low Reynolds shear stresses over the 3-D dunes. These low turbulence levels have ramifications for sediment transport predictions, in that use of the total boundary shear stress in prediction of sediment transport over 3-D dunes must account for these low turbulence levels so as not to overpredict transport rates.
Population genomics of inversion polymorphisms in Drosophila melanogaster.

Chromosomal inversions have been an enduring interest of population geneticists since their discovery in Drosophila melanogaster. Numerous lines of evidence suggest powerful selective pressures govern the distributions of polymorphic inversions, and these observations have spurred the development of many explanatory models. However, due to a paucity of nucleotide data, little progress has been made towards investigating selective hypotheses or towards inferring the genealogical histories of inversions, which can inform models of inversion evolution and suggest selective mechanisms. Here, we utilize population genomic data to address persisting gaps in our knowledge of D. melanogaster's inversions. We develop a method, termed Reference-Assisted Reassembly, to assemble unbiased, highly accurate sequences near inversion breakpoints, which we use to estimate the age and the geographic origins of polymorphic inversions. We find that inversions are young, and most are African in origin, which is consistent with the demography of the species. The data suggest that inversions interact with polymorphism not only in breakpoint regions but also chromosome-wide. Inversions remain differentiated at low levels from standard haplotypes even in regions that are distant from breakpoints. Although genetic exchange appears fairly extensive, we identify numerous regions that are qualitatively consistent with selective hypotheses. Finally, we show that In(1)Be, which we estimate to be ∼60 years old (95% CI 5.9 to 372.8 years), has likely achieved high frequency via sex-ratio segregation distortion in males. With deeper sampling, it will be possible to build on our inferences of inversion histories to rigorously test selective models—particularly those that postulate that inversions achieve a selective advantage through the maintenance of co-adapted allele complexes.
Reversal of cerulenin inhibition ofMycobacterium avium by octanoate

Mycobacterium avium is an opportunistic pathogen that may cause either localized or, in persons with acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), disseminated disease. Under certain conditionsM. avium exhibits a requirement for fatty acid for maximum production of colony-forming units (CFU). However, cerulenin, a drug that inhibits fatty acid synthetase, inhibited the growth ofM. avium LM1 (serovar 1) with a minimal inhibitory concentration of 10 μg/ml regardless of oleic acid supplementation at 50 μg/ml. Cerulenin at 10 μg/ml also inhibited the growth of five other strains ofM. avium isolated from AIDS patients. Octanoate, oleate, and palmitate, individually or in two-way combinations, were tested for ability to reverse the effect of cerulenin. Octanoate at 50 μg/ml could reverse the bactericidal effect of cerulenin at 10 μg/ml and the bacteriostatic effect of the drug at 5 μg/ml. Because cerulenin when effectively inhibiting production of CFU also prevented cell elongation, the data suggest that octanoate, or a metabolic product, is critical to cell division ofM. avium.
Adsorption of Dibenzothiophenes on Nanoporous Carbons: Identification of Specific Adsorption Sites Governing Capacity and Selectivity†

Adsorption of dibenzothiophene (DBT) and 4,6-dimethyldibenzothiophene (4,6-DMDBT) from simulated diesel fuel with 20 ppmw total concentration of sulfur was investigated on polymer-derived carbon and its oxidized counterpart. The initial and exhausted carbons were characterized using the adsorption of nitrogen, thermal analysis, potentiometric titration, X-ray fluorescence (XRF), mass spectrometry (MS), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The selectivities for DBT and 4,6-DMDBT adsorption were calculated with reference to naphthalene. Both the capacity and selectivity for DBT and 4,6-DMDBT removal from model diesel fuel increase with an increase in the volume of pores similar in sizes to DBT molecules, which is about 7 A. The specific geometry of those pores in relation to the sizes of DBT and 4,6-DMDBT causes their adsorption to be stronger than that of arenes. Functional groups present on the surface in larger pores (about 100 A) contribute to adsorption via polar interactions. The oxidative effect o...
Reduction of infarct size in vivo with ischemic preconditioning: Mathematical evidence for protection via non-ischemic tissue

We constructed a mathematical model of ischemic preconditioning based on experimental data obtained from rat hearts. In this animal model of low collateral blood flow, we found that infarct size in preconditioned hearts, expressed as a percentage of area at risk, increased as the size of the area at risk increased (r = 0.76, p = 0.0007). In contrast, infarct size in control hearts appeared independent of changes in area at risk. Similarly, the lateral distance between the edge of the area at risk and the edge of the area of necrosis did not vary with risk region in control hearts, but in preconditioned hearts, lateral distance decreased as the size of the area at risk increased (r = -0.67, p = 0.0046). We used these findings to develop a simple model which provided mathematical relationships between lateral distance and area at risk and between infarct size and area at risk for both control and preconditioned hearts that were consistent with the experimental data. These relationships led us to propose that in preconditioned hearts 1) a protective substance may be produced or activated throughout the heart, and 2) that the protective substance may be transported by diffusion. If we assumed uniform production of protective substance in an amount proportional to the size of the ischemic and non-ischemic areas, we were able to derive, using a simple diffusion model, relationships between the above variables that were consistent with our mathematical model and with the experimental data. Although our model does not identify the protective substance, its implications provide ideas for additional crucial experiments that may enhance our understanding of ischemic preconditioning.
Premature induction of labor with dilinoleyl lecithin in rabbits.

Extract: Dilinoleyl lecithin (DLL), identified as a component of a crude mixture of soya bean phospholipids (SBP), was obtained in highly pure form by synthesis. The DLL was administered to 25-day pregnant rabbits in doses of 1.0 and 2.0 g/rabbit. One unit of oxytocin was administered intramuscularly 24, 48, and 49 hr after infusion, and the rabbits were observed for abortion. The abortion rate after the 1.0-g dose of DLL was 56.9 ± 6.9% and that after the 2.0-g dose was 100.0 ± 0%; the rate in controls was 2.6 ± 2.6%.
Frequency of RFA colour polymorphisms of human acrocentric chromosomes in caucasians: interrelationship with QFQ polymorphisms.

SUMMARY One hundred normal Caucasians were studied by sequential QFQ and RFA in order to estimate the type and frequency of variation. Colour variants were classified into 1 of 6 colours by RFA and intensity variations into 1 of 5 levels by QFQ. The interrelationship between QFQ and RFA variants was also examined. It was found that there was no consistent relationship between negative or brilliant QFQ variants and the various colours observed with RFA. RFA colour polymorphisms for chromosomes 13, 14, 15, 21 and 22 were 33.0, 38.0, 28.0, 50.0 and 24.5% while QFQ frequencies were 56.5, 10.0, 10.0, 15.5 and 10.0% respectively. RFA is especially useful in studying the inheritance of chromosome 21.
Standards of weight and height for Holstein heifers.

To develop a modern appraisal of growth of Holstein dairy heifers, height at withers and heart girth (body weight) data were collected for 5723 heifers representing 163 commercial Holstein dairy herds from October 1983 through May 1985. Quadratic regression equations of height and weight on age were computed for each herd. Estimated weight and height of heifers at 24 mo from these equations were found to be correlated with herd variables such as herd average milk production and age at first calving. Means and standard deviations for height and weight were determined for each age (1 through 24 mo). Third order regressions on age were fitted to the means to describe height and weight. Estimated height (cm) and weight (kg) at 6, 12, 18, and 24 mo were 101.0, 167.2; 117.6, 299.1; 127.4, 420.6; and 132.7, 516.2. A subset of data containing heifers in 89 herds that had a herd average milk production of >7264 kg were also fitted to third order regression on age. Weight and height of dairy heifers are moderately larger in herds with >7264 kg average milk production. Based on the entire data set, commercial Holstein herds in Pennsylvania have heifers somewhat larger than those used to develop National Research Council recommendations.
Can oyster restoration reverse cultural eutrophication in Chesapeake Bay

We investigated the hypothesis that effects of cultural eutrophication can be reversed through natural resource restoration via addition of an oyster module to a predictive eutrophication model. We explored the potential effects of native oyster restoration on dissolved oxygen (DO), chlorophyll, light attenuation, and submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) in eutrophic Chesapeake Bay. A tenfold increase in existing oyster biomass is projected to reduce system-wide summer surface chlorophyll by approximately 1 mg m−3, increase summer-average deep-water DO by 0.25 g m−3, add 2100 kg C (20%) to summer SAV biomass, and remove 30,000 kg d−1 nitrogen through enhanced denitrification. The influence of osyter restoration on deep extensive pelagic waters is limited. Oyster restoration is recommended as a supplement to nutrient load reduction, not as a substitute.
An experimental approach for the analysis of early-age behaviour of high-performance concrete structures under restrained shrinkage

Abstract This paper presents a systematic approach for the experimental testing and analysis of the early-age thermo-mechanical behaviour of large prismatic high-performance concrete specimens under restrained autogenous shrinkage and realistic temperature conditions. The loading system can apply a partial degree of restraint in order to enable the characterisation of high-performance concrete specimens without premature termination of the test in case of significant restrained shrinkage. The instrumentation system can measure the strains and other parameters from the setting time with high accuracy and reliability. The analysis method takes into account the temperature effects on the measured properties and provides equations to determine the time-evolution of shrinkage, thermal expansion, stiffness and creep of the concrete. Results from the testing of 200 × 200 × 1000 mm specimens made with a 0.34 water–cement ratio concrete are presented, analysed and discussed in the paper to demonstrate the application of the proposed approach.
Flow patterns in a model of a contracting muscle.

A permeable flexible 'capillary' enclosed with fluid in a compliant capsule simulated the muscle. Transmural pressure determined capillary conductance (flow/pressure). Capsular compression ('contraction') collapsed the capillary, reduced conductance, and filtered fluid back into the capillary. Decompression dropped intracapsular pressure, and conductance increased (hyperaemia). Effects of strength, duration, number of compressions, arterial, and venous pressures resembled results in man.
1139 QUALITY OF LIFE AFTER PROLONGED NON-TRAUMATIC COMA IN CHILDREN: A REAPPRAISAL

Recent advances in medical technology have resulted in a reduced mortality of critically ill children, but quality of life in these survivors remains ill-defined. Such information is of particular importance in an era when physicians are frequently called upon to decide whether and when to discontinue extraordinary measures of life support. We report the outcome (follow-up 1-7 yrs) in 16 children ages 6 mos-16 yrs in coma of non-traumatic origin for longer than 5 days. The 8 girls and 8 boys remained in coma for periods of 6-180 days (median 17.5 days) and 12 children remained in deep coma 1-35 days (median 10.9 days). Major neurological residua (seizures, developmental retardation, blindness) occurred in 4, minor residua (MBD, minimal motor deficits, personality disorder) in 7, and no deficits were observed in 5 children. After recovery 6 were average or superior in intelligence and 2 additional children exhibited no decrement in I.Q. The liklihood of sequelae appeared related to etiology and occurred in all cases of anoxia (5/5), frequently after encephalitis (5/8) but in none of the children with Reye Syndrome (0/3) Duration of deep coma as well as the presence of increased intracranial pressure for more than 2 days appeared to influence outcome. However seizures, the necessity of assisted ventilation, or the duration of light coma was not of any predictive value. Our results suggest that a significant proportion of children surviving prolonged coma of non-traumatic origin are able to attain a meaningful quality of life.
Trends in the use of tissue culture in forest improvement

We have analyzed and described the problems and potentials of using tissue culture in micropropagation and biotechnologies related to forest improvement. Trends in forest management concepts, commerical micropropagation, and tissue culture biotechnologies are discussed. Our analysis suggests that tissue culture will contribute significantly to the improvement of forests through exploitation of existing genotypes and production of new, commercially valuable genotypes. Such changes may significantly influence worldwide management decisions in forestry.
A mechanistic study of photodecomposition of acenaphthylene on a dry silica surface

Abstract The photochemistry of acenaphthylene (AC) has been studied on a dry silica surface at very low coverages (less than 10% of a monolayer) under aerated conditions. Adsorption of AC onto silica surface from cyclohexane follows a Freundlich adsorption isotherm, demonstrating a range of weak interactions between AC and the surface active sites. Photolysis of AC at the solid-air interface led to the formation of photo-oxidation products formed via the addition of singlet molecular oxygen to ground-state AC, and photodimers (cis and trans). The oxidation products include 1,2-acenaphthenedione (1), 2-hydroxy-1-acenaphthenone (2), 1,8-naphthalenedicarboxaldehyde (3) and 1,8-naphthalic anhydride (4). The yield of dimers increases as the surface coverage is raised. Both the excited singlet state and the excited triplet state of AC are involved in the observed dimerization on the surface.
TEMPORAL CONSTRAINTS IN THE USE OF DEMONSTRATIVES IN IBERIAN SPANISH

Natural linguistic data show that a close relationship exists among demonstratives and time in Spanish. Such connection appears to be of a pragmatic nature whereby linguistic expressions that encode or denote time license the use of demonstratives under certain conditions.The aforementioned connection time-demonstration occurs when speakers employ demonstratives to refer to objects within the textual world (i.e. discourse referents). In this paper I explore the temporal constraints that impose restrictions in the use of demonstratives in Spanish and argue in favor of characterizing the relationship time-demonstration as a discourse deixis phenomenon in close connection with time deixis. The co-referential link that gets established between the distal demonstrative and the temporal expression is formalized and a presuppositional characterization provided for the three demonstratives in their discourse-deictic use.
Type and level of position in academic libraries related to communication behavior

Abstract This article indicates that the type and amount of communication used in dealing with work-related matters in academic libraries vary with job types, organizational levels, and the nature of the media.
Chemical Composition of Martian Soil and Rocks: Complex Mixing and Sedimentary Transport

Chemical compositions of Martian soil and rocks indicate complex mixing relationships. Mixing of rock and soil clearly takes place and explains some of the chemical variation because sulfur, chlorine, magnesium, and perhaps iron are positively correlated due to their control from a secondary 'sedimentary' mineralogy (e.g., Mg- and possibly Fe-sulfate; Fe-oxides) that is present within the soils. Certain deviations from simple soil-rock mixing are consistent with mineralogical fractionation of detrital iron and titanium oxides during sedimentary transport.
Extraction of bankcheck items by mathematical morphology

This paper presents a technique for extracting the user-entered information from bankcheck images based on a layout-driven item extraction method. The baselines of checks are detected and eliminated by using gray-level mathematical morphology. A priori information about the positions of data is integrated into a combination of top-down and bottom-up analyses of check images. The handwritten information is extracted by a local thresholding technique and the information lost during baseline elimination is restored by mathematical morphology with dynamic kernels. A goal-directed evaluation of the extraction approaches is proposed, and both qualitative and quantitative analyses show noticeable advantages of the proposed approach over the existing approaches.
Studies on the Chemotherapy of Experimental Schistosomiasis*: II. N-(9-Xanthenyl)amides

Thirty-five N-(9-xanthenyl)amides have been prepared and tested for their activity against experimentally induced Schistosoma mansoni in Swiss albino mice. Miracil D has been used as the standard of reference. Ten of the compounds show some activity. None, however, appears to be as active in mice as Miracil D.
Nuclei of Embryonic Stem Cells Reprogram Somatic Cells

The restricted potential of a differentiated cell can be reverted back to a pluripotent state by cell fusion; totipotency can even be regained after somatic cell nuclear transfer. To identify factors involved in resetting the genetic program of a differentiated cell, we fused embryonic stem cells (ESCs) with neurosphere cells (NSCs). The fusion activated Oct4, a gene essential for pluripotency, in NSCs. To further identify whether cytoplasmic or nuclear factors are responsible for its reactivation, we fused either karyoplasts or cytoplasts of ESCs with NSCs. Our results show that ESC karyoplasts could induce Oct4 expression in the somatic genome, but cytoplasts lacked this ability. In addition, mitomycin C-treated ESCs, although incapable of DNA replication and cell division, could reprogram 5-azacytidine-treated NSCs. We therefore conclude that the Oct4 reprogramming capacity resides in the ESC karyoplast and that gene reactivation is independent of DNA replication and cell division.
Algorithm for dramatically improved efficiency in ADC linearity test

For high performance analog and mixed-signal products, production test is a significant contributor to the recurring manufacturing cost. For high resolution ADCs, the cost of build can be dominated by test cost, of which linearity test cost is often the largest component. This paper introduces a new algorithm that dramatically reduces ADC linearity test cost. The algorithm takes a system identification approach using a segmented non-parametric model that captures both linear errors (mismatches, etc.) and truly nonlinear errors (voltage coefficients, etc.). By avoiding the gross inefficiencies inherent in conventional linearity test solutions, the new algorithm is able to reduce the required test data by a factor of over 100. The algorithm works for various types of ADCs, including SARs and pipelines. Simulation results and measurements against the gold standard servo-loop test validate the accuracy of the new solution. Results from multiple case studies involving both good and poor ADCs demonstrate that the new method achieved several times better precision than standard histogram test, while using two orders of magnitude less test data and hence test time.
Global linear stability analysis of viscoelastic flow through a periodic channel

Abstract We investigate the linear stability of the non-separated viscoelastic creeping flow through a periodically constricted channel. Global linear stability analysis against two-dimensional perturbations is performed by using two methods: (i) direct evaluation of the eigenspectrum of the generalized eigenvalue problem and (ii) time integration of the linearized governing equations. The Oldroyd-B constitutive equation is used to model the viscoelastic stress. Spatial discretization is accomplished by spectral collocation by employing Chebyshev expansion on a staggered grid in the wall normal direction and Fourier expansion in the axial direction. A stationary mode of instability is observed with critical weissenberg number that decreases with increasing channel wall amplitude and frequency. The critical eigenfunction is localized near the walls and has large axial wavenumbers. An analysis has been performed to assess the different contributions arising from the viscoelastic stress and velocity gradients to the mechanical energy budget of the critical disturbance. This study revealed that the instability arises due to the coupling of the shear components of the base flow velocity gradient with the viscoelastic stress perturbations.
Sequential folding of a messenger RNA molecule.

Abstract The existence of a new, efficient algorithm for secondary structure prediction enables us to study the folding pattern of a messenger RNA chain. Our results indicate that successively longer RNA sequences with the same 5′-ends fold sequentially, usually keeping the stable close-range hairpin loops and rearranging the long-range stems. This path will shorten the time the messenger RNA molecule needs in order to attain its preferred structure. It can also align splicing sites in a favorable orientation before the whole molecule is synthesized. Our studies were carried out on the simian virus 40 late precursor and processed mRNA.
Distributed Sensor Objects for Intrusion Detection Systems

Effective intrusion detection requires the analysis of enormous volumes of data collected from distributed sensor objects. Traditionally, this analysis has been performed on central servers. The alternative has been to limit data collection to network flow data, with the side effect of reducing intrusion detection effectiveness. This research examined an alternative, namely the incorporation of more intelligent sensor objects. We discuss the infrastructure required to support such a metaphor, the potential tradeoffs, and a novel algorithm for such an intelligent distributed sensor object.
Interpersonal persuasion in a vertical society‐the case of Japan

(1971). Interpersonal persuasion in a vertical society‐the case of Japan. Speech Monographs: Vol. 38, No. 2, pp. 148-154.
MAGNETIC INTERACTIONS IN Sm(Fe/Mn)6Sn6 INTERMETALLICS

The magnetic structure of the transition metal sublattice in induction-melted SmMn6-xFexSn6 intermetallic alloys (x = 0, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, and 2.0) K have been studied by x-ray and neutron diffraction techniques and SQUID measurements. These intermetallics crystallize in the HoFe6Sn6-type structure with the space group I mmm while the SmMn6-xFexSn6 intermetallic alloys (x = 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, and 2.0) have the TbFe6Sn6-type structure with the space group C mcm. Lattice constant, a, b, c, and unit cell volume contract with increasing iron content The net magnetization exhibits a small magnitude variation within the iron content range investigated. The magnetic moment of the iron sublattice couples positively with ferromagnetically coupled manganese and samarium moments. The Curie temperature (Tc) first increases, goes through a maximum at about x = 1.5, and then decrease again with the increasing iron content. The easy direction of magnetization for all of the samples is parallel to the bc plane of the unit cell ...
Hepatic resection for primary hepatolithiasis: a single-center Western experience.

Background The incidence (0.6% to 1.3%) of primary hepatolithiasis (PHL), also known as Oriental cholangiohepatitis, is increasing in Western countries and the treatment remains challenging. We analyzed the outcomes of patients undergoing hepatic resection (HR) for PHL at a single Western center. Study Design The records of all patients undergoing HR for PHL between August 1998 and January 2012 were reviewed. Patients were required to have preserved liver function (Child-Pugh class A) with no evidence of portal hypertension. Diagnosis of disease recurrence was based on radiographic and clinical findings. Results Of the 30 patients who underwent HR, 63.3% presented with earlier failed therapeutic strategies. The majority of the patients were female (63.3%), presented with cholangitis (66.6%), left-sided (66.6%), and unilateral (90.0%) disease, and underwent left-sided hepatic resection (76.6%). Previously created choledochoduodenostomies (13.3%) were all revised into Roux-en-Y hepaticojejunostomy anastomoses in conjunction with the HR. The incidence of concomitant cholangiocarcinoma was 23.3%, with a mean tumor size of 4.2 cm. Perioperative morbidity and mortality rates were 6.6% and 0%, respectively. At a median follow-up of 35 months, all patients had complete intrahepatic stone clearance. One patient required postoperative ERCP. Of the 7 patients with cholangiocarcinoma, 2 had cancer recurrence within the first year of the HR. The remaining patients are disease-free at a median follow-up of 21 months. Conclusions Hepatic resection is a safe and definitive treatment option in the management of PHL. It achieves excellent short- and long-term results. The high incidence of concomitant cholangiocarcinoma makes a compelling argument for resection of all involved hepatic segments, when possible.
STUDY OF THE SPLIT DEFECT IN SWISS CHEESE.

Abstract One of the least understood defects that occurs in Swiss cheese is the formation of fissures or cracks called glass, glasler, or splits. This phenomenon appears in some lots of Swiss cheese while receiving additional curing in the finished cooler after removal from the warm room. It is found most frequently in aged cheese. There usually are no undesirable flavors, but such cheese is difficult to slice efficiently for retail sale. The growing popularity of small-sized consumer packages has made the splitting of Swiss cheese an important economic problem, especially since the defect tends to occur spasmodically. Ultimately, this defect must be caused by lack of curd plasticity, as is commonly believed, or by some abnormality in the curing fermentation. To date, however, it has not been possible to demonstrate significant differences in the flora of split and normal cheese (3). Insight into the mechanism of the defect should make it easier to determine if fermentative abnormalities are responsible.
Polysaccharides, mimotopes and vaccines for fungal and encapsulated pathogens

Vaccination is a rational alternative to treatment for Cryptococcus neoformans infections, as these infections are currently intractable in immunocompromised (including HIV-infected) individuals. Vaccines composed of the cryptococcal capsular polysaccharide glucuronoxylomannan (GXM), the key C. neoformans virulence factor, elicit protective antibodies in mice, although deleterious antibodies can also be induced. By contrast, polysaccharides are poor immunogens in HIV-infected humans and others with B-cell defects. Peptide mimotopes of GXM can induce protective immunity to C. neoformans in mice, however, our knowledge of the mechanisms of mimotope-induced protection is incomplete and further work is needed if polysaccharide- or mimotope-based vaccines are to be used to manage C. neoformans infection.
Automated Spectral Imaging for Clinical Diagnostics

Bio-Rad Laboratories supplies imaging equipment for many applications in the life sciences. As part of our effort to offer more flexibility to the investigator, we are developing a microscope-based imaging spectrometer for the automated detection and analysis of either conventionally or fluorescently labeled samples. Immediate applications will include the use of fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) technology. The field of cytogenetics has benefited greatly from the increased sensitivity of FISH producing simplified analysis of complex chromosomal rearrangements. FISH methods for identification lends itself to automation more easily than the current cytogenetics industry standard of G- banding, however, the methods are complementary. Several technologies have been demonstrated successfully for analyzing the signals from labeled samples, including filter exchanging and interferometry. The detection system lends itself to other fluorescent applications including the display of labeled tissue sections, DNA chips, capillary electrophoresis or any other system using color as an event marker. Enhanced displays of conventionally stained specimens will also be possible.© (1998) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Web-based technologies: reaching their ultimate potential on restricted budgets

Academic institutions' dependence on web-based technologies to improve efficiency in class offerings, academic records, and office documentation is increasing at a rapid pace. The resource constraints of most academic institutions require that the technology be flexible, expandable, easily maintained, and cost efficient. The VNet platform suite directly meets these needs and provides capabilities far beyond those available in current products. VNet is a modern web-based operating system and applications platform suite, which is presently being developed and implemented at the University of Houston. Besides serving as a central access point to available electronic campus resources, VNet also provides additional innovative services to students, faculty, administrators and staff. VNet is thus changing the way the University community communicates and exchanges information by:centralizing information environment for administration and academic services,replacing obsolete and time-consuming paper forms with modern web electronic forms, allowing staff to archive all documents electronically for fast web retrieval,providing faculty real-time access to cost centers and remote management of financial accounts, making modern technology multimedia services such as streaming course lectures and news bulletin boards easily accessible, andestablishing a secure and fast environment for development of new web applications. Our target audiences include 1) large, modern academic institutions aiming to remain at the forefront of technology by utilizing the most user-friendly, cost-effective products in the market and 2) smaller institutions desiring to incorporate advanced technology in to their core activities on restricted budgets.
A Multi-Year Evaluation of the Effects of a Response to Intervention (RTI) Model on Identification of Children for Special Education.

Abstract The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of implementation of a systematic response to intervention (RTI) model on the identification and evaluation of children for special education. Using a multiple baseline design, a systematic model of assessment and intervention was introduced in consecutive years for all elementary schools ( N = 5) in the district. Effect of the RTI model on number of evaluations conducted, percentage of evaluated children who qualified for services, and proportion of identified children by sex and ethnicity before and after implementation of the model was examined. Additionally, outcomes for children who did not have an adequate response to intervention versus those who were at-risk but responded successfully to short-term intervention were examined. A cost analysis of use of the model was provided. The degree to which data obtained were used by the decision-making team was also examined. The assessment and intervention procedures, decision rules, and schoolwide training methods are described in detail and practical implications are discussed.
Rejoinder to Bagus and Howden on Borrowing Short and Lending Long

In Barnett and Block (J Bus Ethics 88(4):711–716, 2009a), the present authors claim that borrowing short and lending long is fraudulent, and thus ought to be prohibited on legal grounds. Bagus and Howden (J Bus Ethics 90(3):399, 2009) take issue with our ethical analysis. The present paper is our response to these authors; it is an attempt to defend Barnett and Block (J Bus Ethics 88(4):711–716, 2009a) against the very interesting and important, although we believe, erroneous, criticisms of Bagus and Howden (J Bus Ethics 90(3):399, 2009).
Genetic factors in substance abuse based on studies of Tourette Syndrome and ADHD probands and relatives. I. Drug abuse

Prior studies have suggested childhood attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) as a risk factor for alcohol abuse in adults. Gilles de la Tourette Syndrome, a hereditary tic and impulse disorder, is clinically and genetically similar to ADHD. To examine the hypothesis that individuals carrying the Gts gene are at increased risk to develop alcohol use problems, the same TS (Tourette Syndrome) and ADHD probands, relatives and controls used in the prior study of drug abuse were also studied using a structured questionnaire based on the Diagnostic Interview Schedule and the MAST test. The frequency of a positive response to any of 16 different questions concerning alcohol abuse showed a highly significant increase with increased genetic loading for Gts and ADHD genes. The percentage of more than one positive response in TS probands was markedly influenced by the presence of comorbid ADHD, discipline, obsessive-compulsive or drug abuse problems. Comorbid drug abuse problems were the best predictor of alcohol abuse problems. These results suggest that the genes responsible for TS and ADHD play an important role in alcohol abuse/dependence as well as drug abuse/dependence. One of the elements common to all of these disorders may be mutant genes affecting serotonin metabolism.
A Quantitative Analysis of Binary Solids Segregation in Large-Particle Gas-Fluidized Beds

Abstract Vertical solids segregation profiles were measured for a variety of binary large-particle systems in a 10.2-cm diameter air-fluidized bed. The observed segregation patterns are compared with patterns previously reported for small-particle fluidized beds. It is found that large-particle segregation can be quantified in terms of a dimensionless index that is a more general form of an index previously used for small particles. The new index has a statistical basis in that it is developed directly from the axial composition variance. It is also demonstrated that the index can be derived from a differential segregation model that appears to simulate the observed large-particle segregation patterns. The large-particle data are successfully correlated with the generalized index using a functional form that is related to a previous small-particle correlation. This similarity between large- and small-particle correlation functions suggests a broad-ranging, fundamental relationship.
Hardware implementation of Block GC3 lossless compression algorithm for direct-write lithography systems

Future lithography systems must produce chips with smaller feature sizes, while maintaining throughput comparable to today's optical lithography systems. This places stringent data handling requirements on the design of any direct-write maskless system. To achieve the throughput of one wafer layer per minute with a direct-write maskless lithography system, using 22 nm pixels for 45 nm technology, a data rate of 12 Tb/s is required. In our past research, we have developed a datapath architecture for direct-write lithography systems, and have shown that lossless compression plays a key role in reducing throughput requirements of such systems. Our approach integrates a low complexity hardware-based decoder with the writers, in order to decode a compressed data layer in real time on the fly. In doing so, we have developed a spectrum of lossless compression algorithms for integrated circuit rasterized layout data to provide a tradeoff between compression efficiency and hardware complexity, the most promising of which is Block Golomb Context Copy Coding (Block GC3). In this paper, we present the synthesis results of the Block GC3 decoder for both FPGA and ASIC implementations. For one Block GC3 decoder, 3233 slice flip-flops and 3086 4-input LUTs are utilized in a Xilinx Virtex II Pro 70 FPGA, which corresponds to 4% of its resources, along with 1.7 KB of internal memory. The system runs at 100 MHz clock rate, with the overall output rate of 495 Mb/s for a single decoder. The corresponding ASIC implementation results in a 0.07 mm 2 design with the maximum output rate of 2.47 Gb/s. In addition to the decoder implementation results, we discuss other hardware implementation issues for the writer system data path, including on-chip input/output buffering, error propagation control, and input data stream packaging. This hardware data path implementation is independent of the writer systems or data link types, and can be integrated with arbitrary directwrite lithography systems.
The Sensor Kinase KinB Regulates Virulence in Acute Pseudomonas aeruginosa Infection

Two-component sensors are widely used by bacteria to sense and respond to the environment. Pseudomonas aeruginosa has one of the largest sets of two-component sensors known in bacteria, which likely contributes to its unique ability to adapt to multiple environments, including the human host. Several of these two-component sensors, such as GacS and RetS, have been shown to play roles in virulence in rodent infection models. However, the role and function of the majority of these two-component sensors remain unknown. Danio rerio is a recently characterized model host for pathogenesis-related studies that is amenable to higher-throughput analysis than mammalian models. Using zebrafish embryos as a model host, we have systematically tested the role of 60 two-component sensors and identified 6 sensors that are required for P. aeruginosa virulence. We found that KinB is required for acute infection in zebrafish embryos and regulates a number of virulence-associated phenotypes, including quorum sensing, biofilm formation, and motility. Its regulation of these phenotypes is independent of its kinase activity and its known response regulator AlgB, suggesting that it does not fit the canonical two-component sensor-response regulator model.