cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Nonmyopic sensor scheduling and its efficient implementation for target tracking applications

We propose two nonmyopic sensor scheduling algorithms for target tracking applications. We consider a scenario where a bearing-only sensor is constrained to move in a finite number of directions to track a target in a two-dimensional plane. Both algorithms provide the best sensor sequence by minimizing a predicted expected scheduler cost over a finite time-horizon. The first algorithm approximately computes the scheduler costs based on the predicted covariance matrix of the tracker error. The second algorithm uses the unscented transform in conjunction with a particle filter to approximate covariance-based costs or information-theoretic costs. We also propose the use of two branch-and-bound-based optimal pruning algorithms for efficient implementation of the scheduling algorithms. We design the first pruning algorithm by combining branch-and-bound with a breadth-first search and a greedy-search; the second pruning algorithm combines branch-and-bound with a uniform-cost search. Simulation results demonstrate the advantage of nonmyopic scheduling over myopic scheduling and the significant savings in computational and memory resources when using the pruning algorithms.
Adsorption of gas-phase oxygen atoms on Pt(1 0 0)-hex-R0.7°: Evidence of a metastable chemisorbed phase

Abstract We utilized temperature programmed desorption (TPD) and low energy electron diffraction (LEED) to study the chemisorption of gas-phase oxygen atoms on Pt(1 0 0)-hex-R0.7° at 450 K and 573 K, and find that the types and relative populations of oxygen phases that develop are highly dependent on the surface temperature during adsorption. At both temperatures, oxygen atoms initially adsorb on defects associated with the surface reconstruction. Increasing the coverage to about 0.32 ML (monolayers) at 573 K causes deconstruction and population of a phase with apparent (3 × 1) symmetry that desorbs in a single feature centered at about 672 K. Saturating at 0.63 ML leads to the formation of an additional “complex” ordered phase that desorbs in a sharp feature exhibiting autocatalytic behavior as it shifts from approximately 631 K to 642 K. Uptake at 450 K also initiates deconstruction, but in this case two desorption maxima at about 652 K and 672 K grow simultaneously with increasing coverage to about 0.32 ML. The feature at 672 K is associated with the disordered (3 × 1) phase, while the feature at 652 K has not been previously reported. We attribute this new feature to desorption from disordered arrangements of high oxygen concentrations on (1 × 1) surface regions. As the coverage increases to about 0.51 ML, small amounts of the complex phase grow, while this “high-concentration” (1 × 1) and the (3 × 1) phases continue to develop. We conclude that the complex phase is energetically preferred over the high-concentration (1 × 1) phase, but kinetic barriers hinder its formation at 450 K, causing oxygen to become trapped in the high-concentration (1 × 1) phase. Therefore, the high-concentration (1 × 1) phase is metastable relative to the complex phase. Lastly, above about 0.51 ML, further adsorption at 450 K promotes the growth of Pt oxide islands as detailed in a future investigation.
Effects of aroclor 1254 on proteins of mouse liver: Application of two‐dimensional electrophoretic protein mapping

Liver proteins of male C57BL/6T mice treated with 0, 50, or 250 mg/kg Aroclor 1254 were analyzed by high-resolution two-dimensional (2-D) electrophoresis. The resulting patterns were processed using a computerized image analysis system and quantitative data selected for a total of 150 protein spots. On the basis of an analysis of liver proteins form five animals in each treatment group, we found 31 proteins that showed quantitative differences attributable to treatment with chlorinated hydrocarbons at a high level of statistical significance. One of the altered proteins appears to be Mitcon:2, a heat-shock sensitive mitochondrial matrix polypeptide; another appears likely to be microsomal cytochrome b5. The results indicate that quantitative 2-D protein mapping may reveal much more detail regarding the in vivo effects of toxic xenobiotics than has previously been available, and thus allow a more informative approach to the testing of toxic compounds.
Effect of a Pion-Pion Scattering Resonance on Nucleon Structure

The electromagnetic properties of the nucleon have recently been studied by the dispersion-relation method. Although qualitatively successful in accounting for the isotopic vector properties of the nucleon, these treatments proved incapable of explaining simultaneously the value of the magnetic moment and the radii of the charge and moment distributions. It is shown that the inclusion of a strong pion-pion interaction could explain these aspects of nucleon structure. (W.D.M.)
Chemical interactions between dissolved organic matter and low-molecular weight organic compounds: Impacts on membrane separation

Abstract This work considers the hypothesis that the association of trace-level hydrophobic organic compounds with dissolved organic matter (DOM), similar to macromolecular materials found in natural water systems, may influence the contaminant's ability to permeate across synthetic membranes. A batch dialysis system using semipermeable membranes in conjunction with a model lipid phase was used to explore the impact of systematic changes in solution-chemistry on the permeability of four low-molecular weight organic compounds (LMWOCs) of environmental concern: cyclonite, atrazine, naphthalene, and 2,4-dichlorophenol. Similar to previous studies, no correlation could be drawn between molecular weight and contaminant permeability across the membrane for the four LMWOCs. However, contaminant transport was observed to depend on the polarity and hydrophobicity of the LMWOCs. Moreover, the interactions between the organic compounds and DOM varied as a function of solution chemistry (i.e., pH and divalent electrolyte concentration). These results demonstrate considerable variability in the importance and the underlying mechanisms of interactions that may occur between LMWOCs and natural organic matter during membrane separations.
Kinetics of 3′-Deoxy-3′-[F-18]Fluorothymidine Uptake and Retention in Dogs

We have developed 3'-deoxy-3'-[F-18] fluorothymidine ([F-18]FLT) as an agent to image cellular proliferation with PET. Recent work has demonstrated that [F-18]FLT is stable to degradation and produces high contrast images of proliferating tissues and tumors. To increase our understanding for the use of this agent we have explored the kinetics of [F-18]FLT clearance from the blood and uptake into tissues in normal and tumor bearing dogs. The results indicate that [F-18]FLT is readily modeled in canines with a three-compartment model, with parameter k(3) representing phosphorylation by thymidine kinase. During the first 60 minutes, little loss was measured from the phosphorylated compartment, therefore parameter k(4) could not be differentiated from zero. The extraction of marrow from normal dogs was consistent with this model and demonstrated retention of phosphorylated [F-18]FLT. It is concluded that [F-18]FLT produces images of the DNA synthetic pathway by phosphorylation via thymidine kinase. This pathway can be readily modeled using a three-compartment model.
Optional shift behavior in children as a function of overtraining, irrelevant stimuli, and age

Abstract Second- and fourth-grade children were trained on an initial, two-choice simultaneous discrimination with either variable or constant irrelevant stimulation. They were given either zero or 50 overtraining trials after attaining criterion and prior to presentation of an optional shift discrimination. More reversal (RV) shifts were made after variable as compared with constant irrelevant training. Overtraining increased the number of RV shifts when the irrelevant dimension has been variable, and decreased the number of RV shifts when the irrelevant dimension had been constant. Fourth-grade children made more RV shifts, but primarily after constant irrelevant training. The results were discussed in terms of mediating theories of discriminative learning.
Seismic Behavior of Wood-framed Structures with Viscous Fluid Dampers

Abstract The suitability of viscous fluid dampers for seismic protection of light-framed wood buildings is investigated in this paper. Nonlinear finite-element models of wood building components (shear wall) and systems (three-dimensional buildings) are developed and numerical analyses are performed to evaluate their response to seismic loading. For both the single wall and the building system, seismic protection is provided by installing viscous fluid dampers within the wall cavities. The results of the numerical analyses demonstrate the ability of fluid dampers to dissipate a significant portion of seismic input energy, reducing the inelastic strain energy demand on the wood framing system. In addition, the study revealed some important practical issues associated with implementation of fluid dampers within light wood-framed buildings.
Learning logs in introductory literature courses

This article explores the beneficial and sometimes unpredictable implications of a daily reflective writing exercise for introductory literature courses: the learning log. Pseudonymous samples of student writing, coupled with instructor commentary, gesture toward ways in which the learning log's continual implementation and modification foster a learning and teaching environment in which students and teachers can experience a greater degree of equality and engagement. The article draws upon in-class experiences, and student data collected between 2001 and 2006, in order to illustrate the learning log's potential to instill introductory literature courses with a sense of participatory innovation and creative democriticization.
The Present Trend of Collegiate Instruction in Poultry Husbandry

Abstract Agricultural education is young. Until recently it has enjoyed so rapid a growth, found itself so popular and life so interesting, that the pains it has felt now and then, have been accorded little attention. When these pains have forced their way into consciousness, they all have been looked upon as growing pains, inevitable and unimportant. On occasion they have been treated with temporary palliatives, sometimes harmless, sometimes habit forming and harmful, and then promptly forgotten. Due to numerous causes collegiate agricultural education recently has been brought to take more careful stock of itself than ever before. Among these causes may be mentioned: first, the passing of the first flush of youthful enthusiasm followed by the agricultural depression with its attendant decreases in enrollment in agricultural courses; second, the rapid and widespread development of agricultural courses in high schools and other secondary schools, combined with the growth of agricultural extension . . .
Validation of Morbidity Survey Data by Comparison with Hospital Records

Abstract * This investigation was supported by a research grant (RG-1792) from the National Institutes of Health, U. S. Public Health Service. Presented at the 113th Annual Meeting of the American Statistical Association, Washington, D. C., December 29, 1953.
“How's the Baby Doing?” Struggling with Narratives of Progress in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

In this at once biographical and autobiographical piece (cf. Shapiro 1988), I describe the processes of "knowledge-making" of one neonatal intensive care parent. In particular, I investigate the ways that narratives of linear progress informed my efforts to understand my son's condition and future prospects, that is, to engage in lay prognostication. In examining and comparing the three metaphors most commonly used to describe my son's changing condition-roller coaster, graduation, and course-I explore how the discrepancy between narratives of linear progress and the complex and volatile condition of many premature and/or critically ill babies is discursively managed in a neonatal intensive care unit.
Stochastic Optimal Energy Dispatch

This paper presents a useful algorithm to incorporate the effects of uncertain system parameters into optimal power dispatch. This method employs the multivariate Gram-Charlier series as means of modeling the probability density function (p.d.f.) which characterizes the uncertain parameters. The proposed method is a direct ettelilob of existing techniques: therefore, minimal additional computation effort is necessary. Potential applications include the calculation of probabilistic parameters (eg., probability, expectation) relating to power dispatch. An example of such a parameter the probability of a bus voltage out of range during optimal dispatch. A practical example is pursued to demonstrate the usefulness of the method.
Weather patterns in Southern West Pakistan

Southern West Pakistan is an area of transition between the Indian summer monsoon system to the east and the winter cyclonic system of southwest Asia to the west. As a transition area, it receives scanty, unreliable rainfall averaging less than 10 in. (254 mm) per year from several storm types. Six main weather patterns cross the region: the large subtropical anticylonic high pressure cell which predominates most of the year; western depressions originating over the Mediterranean Sea; Arabian Sea cyclones; local thunderstorms and dust storms; a modified monsoon pattern; and eastern depressions originating over the Bay of Bengal or central India. A discussion of the physical and synoptic characteristics for each weather pattern and storm type is presented and summary charts of the weather patterns are included.
Family Perceptions of the Usual Source of Care among Children with Asthma by Race/Ethnicity, Language, and Family Income

A usual source of care (USC) can serve as the foundation for good primary health care and is critical for children living with a chronic health condition. This study applies national data to the following objectives: (1) describe family reports of the presence and characteristics of the USC for children with asthma; (2) examine evidence of systematic differences in the USC for these children with asthma by race/ethnicity, English language proficiency in Hispanic respondents, and family income; and (3) conduct multivariate analysis adjusting for possible confounding factors to examine independent effects of race/ethnicity, language, and income. Data from the 1996-2000 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) were analyzed. Overall, 95% of children with asthma had a USC, with Spanish-speaking Hispanics least likely to report a USC (89%). There were significant differences in USC attributes by race/ethnicity, language, and income, with the largest differences by type of provider and accessibility. Hispanics with poor English language proficiency had the greatest accessibility barriers.
Testing for Between-Group Differences in Within-Group Interrater Agreement

Users of rwg may find situations where they want to compare the levels of within-group agreement across two or more groups. F tests are presented that compare two values of rwg, rwg(J), or r*wg(J), and recommendations are made for comparing pairwise group values for three or more groups with a control for alpha inflation. More robust and flexible methods based on O'Brien's test are then recommended when sufficient raw data are available. The meaning of findings that agreement statistics are either the same or different across groups is discussed in light of simultaneous comparisons of mean differences. Examples are shown to demonstrate the robust methods using employee responses to questions regarding climate perceptions of organizational support for employee development activities. Other scenarios where the F test may prove useful are discussed, and directions for future research are provided.
A novel variational approach for modeling sub-0.1 micron MOS devices including Quantum Mechanical interface charge confinement effects

In this work we develop and demonstrate a novel variational methodology for modeling deep sub-micron (10 nm-100 nm) three-dimensional (3D) MOS devices that includes the important Quantum Mechanical (QM) interface charge confinement effect.
miR-23a regulation of X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis (XIAP) contributes to sex differences in the response to cerebral ischemia

It is increasingly recognized that the mechanisms underlying ischemic cell death are sexually dimorphic. Stroke-induced cell death in males is initiated by the mitochondrial release of apoptosis-inducing factor, resulting in caspase-independent cell death. In contrast, ischemic cell death in females is primarily triggered by mitochondrial cytochrome c release with subsequent caspase activation. Because X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis (XIAP) is the primary endogenous inhibitor of caspases, its regulation may play a unique role in the response to injury in females. XIAP mRNA levels were higher in females at baseline. Stroke induced a significant decrease in XIAP mRNA in females, whereas no changes were seen in the male brain. However, XIAP protein levels were decreased in both sexes after stroke. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) predominantly induce translational repression and are emerging as a major regulators of mRNA and subsequent protein expression after ischemia. The miRNA miR-23a was predicted to bind XIAP mRNA. miR-23a directly bound the 3′ UTR of XIAP, and miR-23a inhibition led to an increase in XIAP mRNA in vitro, demonstrating that XIAP is a previously uncharacterized target for miR-23a. miR-23a levels differed in male and female ischemic brains, providing evidence for sex-specific miRNA expression in stroke. Embelin, a small-molecule inhibitor of XIAP, decreased the interaction between XIAP and caspase-3 and led to enhanced caspase activity. Embelin treatment significantly exacerbated stroke-induced injury in females but had no effect in males, demonstrating that XIAP is an important mediator of sex-specific responses after stroke.
All in the Family: A Retrospective Study Comparing Sibling Bullying and Peer Bullying

Extensive bullying research has primarily focused on activities between peers in school settings, but some evidence suggests bullying may occur in other situations. If so, other contexts could potentially benefit from the wealth of peer bullying research. A sample of 392 young adults answered questions about their experiences with sibling and peer bullying behaviors. Participants also provided responses concerning a sibling or peer vignette that focused on reporting bullying behaviors. Results indicated that participants view bullying behaviors between peers and siblings as somewhat similar, but sibling bullying behaviors compared to peer bullying behaviors are reported to be perpetrated and experienced more often. When considering a hypothetical situation such sibling bullying behaviors, however, are less likely to be reported outside the family than peer bullying behaviors. Additionally, females are more likely than males to report outside the family. Participants who had more prior involvement in bullying are less likely to say they would report the described sibling bullying behaviors. Considering sibling bullying may not be thought of as bullying and may not be reported outside the family, implications for policy and future research are discussed.
Age-related increase of sIAHP in prefrontal pyramidal cells of monkeys: relationship to cognition

Abstract Reduced excitability, due to an increase in the slow afterhyperpolarization (and its underlying current sI AHP ), occurs in CA1 pyramidal cells in aged cognitively-impaired, but not cognitively-unimpaired, rodents. We sought to determine whether similar age-related changes in the sI AHP occur in pyramidal cells in the rhesus monkey dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC). Whole-cell patch-clamp recordings were obtained from layer 3 and layer 5 pyramidal cells in dlPFC slices prepared from young (9.6 ± 0.7 years old) and aged (22.3 ± 0.7 years old) behaviorally characterized subjects. The amplitude of the sI AHP was significantly greater in layer 3 (but not layer 5) cells from aged-impaired compared with both aged-unimpaired and young monkeys, which did not differ. Aged layer 3, but not layer 5, cells exhibited significantly increased action potential firing rates, but there was no relationship between sI AHP and firing rate. Thus, in monkey dlPFC layer 3 cells, an increase in sI AHP is associated with age-related cognitive decline; however, this increase is not associated with a reduction in excitability.
Rule-based systems formalized within a software architectural style

This article considers the utilization of architectural styles in the formal design of knowledge-based systems. The formal model of a style is an approach to systems modeling that allows software developers to understand and prove properties about the system design in terms of its components, connectors, configurations, and constraints. This allows commonality of design to be easily understood and captured, leading to a better understanding of the role that an architectural abstraction would have in another complex system, embedded context, or system integration. In this article, a formal rule-based architectural style is presented in detail using the Z notation. The benefits of depicting the rule-based system as an architectural style include reusability, understandability, and the allowance for formal software analysis and integration techniques. The ability to define the rule-based architectural style in this way, illustrates the power, clarity, and flexibility of this specification form over traditional formal specification approaches. In addition, it extends current verification approaches for knowledge-based systems beyond the knowledge base only.
US Women Federal Court Judges Appointed by President Carter

There is considerable disagreement as to whether any gender differences on the bench are symbolic, substantive, or both. This paper, based on never-before published surveys and personal interviews conducted in the early 1980s, contributes to that discussion by describing what women appointed to the federal bench by President Carter between 1976 and 1980 had to say about gender differences in their first years in office. I conclude that these early experiences and comments by women on the bench are still relevant today and presage much of the research on judicial gender which has followed.
Chemisorption of oxygen onto activated carbon can enhance the stability of biological perchlorate reduction in fixed bed biofilm reactors

Fixed bed biofilm reactors with granular activated carbon (GAC) or glass beads as support media were used to eval uate the influence of short-term (12 h) and long-term (23 days) increases of influent dissolved oxygen (DO) concen trations on biological perchlorate removal. The goal was to evaluate the extent by which chemisorption of oxygen to GAC can enhance the stability of biological perchlorate reduction. Baseline influent concentrations were 50 μg/L of perchlorate, 2 mg/L of acetate as C, and 1 mg/L of DO. Perchlorate removal in the glass bead reactor seized immediately after increasing influent DO concentrations from 1 to 4 mg/L since glass beads have no sorptive capacity. In the biologically active carbon (BAC) reactor, chemisorption of oxygen to GAC removed a substantial fraction of the influent DO, and perchlorate removal was maintained during short-term increases of influent DO levels up to 8 mg/ L. During long-term exposure to influent DO concentrations of 8.5 mg/L, effluent perchlorate and DO concentra tions increased slowly. Subsequent exposure of the BAC reactor bed to low DO concentrations partially regenerated the capacity for oxygen chemisorption. Microbial analyses indicated similar microbial communities in both reactors, which confirmed that the differences in reactor performance during dynamic loading conditions could be attributed to the sorptive properties of GAC. Using a sorptive biofilm support medium can enhance biological perchlorate re moval under dynamic loading conditions.
Comment on wormhole correlations

Wormhole solutions to the euclidean field equations have been found for a U(1) Goldstone boson, interacting gravitationally. Using these solutions we discuss the interactions or correlations between wormholes. Some remarks, concerning the effects of wormhole correlaions on the locality of the effective theory below the wormhole scale and on the importance of large wormholes, are presented.
A stable bidentate protein binder achieved via DNA self-assembly driven ligand migration

Herein we disclose the development of two complementary single stranded DNA-small molecule chimeras (DCs) that by themselves only bind weakly to a protein target (human serum albumin; HSA). However, upon self-assembly, the DC duplex facilitates a ligand migration reaction leading to a covalently fastened high-affinity, bidentate, protein-binder that resides at the terminus of only one of the DC strands. Due to this specific localization, the bidentate projection remains intact—and thus the system continues to strongly bind HSA—even under conditions that denature and degrade the DNA scaffolds.
Some Effects of Composition and Microstructure on the B2↔DO3 Ordered Phase Transition in Fe3Al Alloys

Binary Fe-28 at.% Al alloys (Fe3Al-type) transform from B2→DO3 ordered phases at 550°C upon cooling. More complex Fe-28Al alloys can have B2↔DO3 transition temperatures that range from 530 to 670°C. The kinetics of the B2→DO3 ordered phase transition also appear to be affected by alloy composition and by matrix dislocation microstructure. The binary and Nb-containing ternary alloys have rapid B2→DO3 transition kinetics during cooling. However, the ternary or more complex alloys that contain Cr have relatively slower phase transition kinetics during similar cooling. Deformation of a complex Fe-28Al-5Cr alloy in the B2 phase regime creates a very high matrix dislocation concentration, which coincides with complete suppression of the B2→DO3 phase transition during cooling.
Cerebral amyloid angiopathy and its co-occurrence with Alzheimer's disease and other cerebrovascular neuropathologic changes

We examined the relationship between cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA), Alzheimer's disease neuropathologic changes, other vascular brain pathologies, and cognition in a large multicenter autopsy sample. Data were obtained from the National Alzheimer's Coordinating Center on autopsied subjects (N = 3976) who died between 2002 and 2012. Descriptive statistics and multivariable regression models estimated the associations between CAA and other pathologies, and between CAA severity and cognitive test scores proximal to death. CAA tended to co-occur with Alzheimer's disease neuropathologic changes but a minority of cases were discrepant. CAA was absent in 22% (n = 520) of subjects with frequent neuritic plaques but present in 20.9% (n = 91) of subjects with no neuritic plaques. In subjects with no/sparse neuritic plaques, nonhemorrhagic brain infarcts were more common in those with CAA pathology than without (p = 0.007). In subjects without the APOE e4 allele, CAA severity was associated with lower cognition proximal to death, factoring in other pathologies. The presence of CAA in patients without Alzheimer's disease may indicate a distinct cerebrovascular condition.
The Impact Of Students Expectations Of Grades And Perceptions Of Course Difficulty, Workload, And Pace On Faculty Evaluations

Decisions concerning tenure, promotion, and merit raises are of crucial importance to college and university faculty. These decisions are greatly affected by the evaluation of faculty by their students. It is often argued that student evaluations of faculty are influenced by a number of factors that do not reflect the important elements of university level instruction, such as subject knowledge and clarity of exposition. Rather, some faculty believe that if a professor is an easy grader, has a low workload, or if the class itself is considered easy, he or she is more likely to receive a favorable student evaluation. This paper utilizes a sample of faculty evaluations from the College of Business of a small southeastern university to investigate these hypotheses.
A Simple Methylene Blue-Azure Ii-Basic Fuchsin Stain for Epoxy-Embedded Tissue Sections

One micron-thick sections of tissues fixed in glutaraldehyde, or in glutaraldehyde followed by osmium tetroxide, and embedded in a variety of plastic resins were stained in a methylene blue-azure II solution at 65 C, then counterstained in 0.05% basic fuchsin in 2.5% ethanol at room temperature (24 C). Considerable variation was found in methylene blue-azure II staining times for different embedding media. Aged Epon-812 required less staining time than freshly polymerized blocks of Epon-812. The procedure is a simple, rapid staining technique suitable for photomicrography and tissue orientation for electron microscopy.
Solute activity coefficients in dilute aqueous electrolyte mixutes. III. The ternary system HCLO/sub 4/ + UO/sub 2/(CLO/sub 4/)/sub 2/ + H/sub 2/O at 25/sup 0/C

Isopiestic vapor pressure comparison measurements were conducted with the three-component system HClO/sub 4/ + UO/sub 2/(ClO/sub 4/)/sub 2/ + H/sub 2/O in the concentration range between I = 0.05 and 1.9 m. Analysis of the mixture composition and concentration dependence of the osmotic coefficients with the Scatchard neutral-electrolyte and ion-component methods and with the Pitzer ion-component methods gave equally satisfactory results. Prediction of the observed osmotic coefficients by two-component approximations was satisfactory, and the data agreed well with values estimated with a model based on the osmolal fraction. A fair concordance was also found between predicted solute activity coefficients from simple models and values derived from complete treatments which included interaction terms.
Recurrent AKT mutations in human cancers: functional consequences and effects on drug sensitivity

Precision oncology trials based on tumor gene sequencing depend on robust knowledge about the phenotypic consequences of the genetic variants identified in patients' tumors. Mutations in AKT1-3 occur in 3-5% of human cancers. Although a single hotspot mutation, E17K, is the most common, well characterized activating mutations account for a minority of Akt variants that have been identified in large tumor sequencing studies to date. In order to determine the potential clinical relevance of both common and rare Akt mutations, we expressed a set of over twenty recurrent Akt mutants in three different cell lines and evaluated activation of Akt pathway signaling and effects on growth. We determined their relative sensitivity to allosteric and ATP-competitive Akt inhibitors in clinical development. Most Akt mutants did not activate pathway signaling compared to wild type Akt and did not affect growth properties. In addition, the most common activating Akt mutations, including Akt1 E17K, L52R, and Q79K conferred neither sensitivity nor resistance to Akt inhibitors. Equivocal evidence was found that Akt1 D323H and Akt2 W80C mutants are relatively resistant to the allosteric Akt inhibitor MK-2206, but not an ATP-competitive inhibitor. Our results suggest that the vast majority of rare Akt variants are passenger mutations with no effect on drug sensitivity. The hypothesis that activating Akt mutations predict for Akt inhibitor sensitivity remains to be tested clinically, but is not yet supported by our preclinical data.
QUALITY IMPROVEMENT : AN OVERVIEW

Clinicians are being held accountable for the quality of the care they provide in an unprecedented way. Quality improvement (QI), a scientifically based method, can help health care managers and clinicians improve health care through the elimination of waste and inefficiency. QI is a comprehensive approach that is based on an understanding of variation and uses tools specifically designed to help professionals understand and improve processes. The article gives an overview of quality improvement as a useful method for improving the process of clinical practice. Improving the process of care is an important step toward achieving quality outcomes for all health care customers.
High-Order Numerical Methods for Electrical Discharge Modeling

A new computer code has been developed to model the behavior of weakly-ionized gases through a three-species uid model coupled to either the Poisson equation or the full set of Maxwell’s equations. The three-dimensional numerical implementation involves compact spatial dierences of up to sixth order accuracy, driven by a fourth-order Runge-Kutta time marching scheme. Sample calculations are presented here for three test cases: a DC discharge in one dimension, a three-dimensional rectangular waveguide problem, and a onedimensional wave propagation problem in a warm, collisional plasma. In all cases, good agreement was obtained between the numerical solutions and either analytical solutions or previously-published numerical solutions.
Physiologic and plasma hormone correlates of survival in endotoxic dogs: Effects of opiate antagonists

Two groups of awake dogs were given an iv bolus of endotoxin (3.0 mg/kg from Salmonella typhimurium); one group (n = 9) was pretreated with either naloxone (2.0 mg/kg iv bolus with 1.7 mg/kg.h; n = 6) or naltrexone (2.0 mg/kg iv bolus with repeat bolus of 1.0 mg/kg at 1, 3 and 5 h; n = 3) and the second group (n = 10) received no opiate antagonist. All of nine dogs that were pretreated with an antagonist survived for 24 h, compared to only five of ten dogs that were not pretreated. Survival correlated with improved BP (mean of 91 vs. 61 mm Hg) and cardiac output (3.9 vs. 2.45 L/min) measured during the first 3 h after the infliction of shock. However, both antagonist-treated and nonantagonist-treated survivors had BP and cardiac output which were statistically lower than their baseline values or saline-treated controls at comparable times. Nonsurvivors had significantly higher levels of norepinephrine (peak level: 1149 ng/ml) and epinephrine (peak level: 31.29 ng/ml) than survivors. Opiate antagonists thus appeared to increase survival in a subgroup of dogs that might not otherwise have survived if they had not been so treated; this survival was associated with improved hemodynamics, but not with increased adrenergic activity.
Single-leg balance and core motor control in children: when does the risk for ACL injury occurs?

Introduction While numerous publications have demonstrated the correlation of poor single-leg balance and core motor control with an increased risk of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries in skeletally mature female athletes, few have analysed the preadolescent population regarding when indeed comparative deficits in balance and core control actually occur. The purpose of this study was to assess whether the neuromotor factors that place mature females at increased risk of ACL injury actually are present in preadolescents and if so when. Methods This study used simplified modifications of classic drop-jump testing as well as single-leg balance tests performed on stable and unstable surfaces to assess balance and core motor control. 84 children (males and females) ranging in age from 6 to 13 years were divided into 4 equally sized groups based on their academic classes. Each group was compared with each other, and compared with a cohort of 205 collegiate athletes. The latter served as a comparative norm of mature athletes who had performed the same or similar testing. Results Outcomes revealed that the preadolescent population performed poorly on the tests when compared with the collegiate population but the children matured with age until the eldest subgroups compared more favourably with the college-aged athletes. Girls appear to mature at a slightly earlier pace than boys. This study focusing on preadolescent children concluded that the neuromuscular changes that place females at greater risk of injury do not appear to occur prior to adolescence. Conclusions Based on the outcomes of this study, it is suggested that sex differences regarding balance and core control deficits that can increase risk of ACL injuries likely occur after grade school (age 12–13).
Can Might Make Rights?: The Challenge of Justice System Reform

As we argued in earlier chapters, building the rule of law requires not only basic security and functioning institutions but also a strong degree of public support and confidence. People need to know that they can resolve disputes without resorting to violence, that the law will protect them from abusive government officials and predatory nonstate actors alike, and that their fundamental rights will be secure. But for people to have good reason for confidence in the rule of law as a cultural matter, we also emphasized the need for laws and law-making processes that enjoy legitimacy, for legal institutions that function fairly, and for a government that is prepared to be bound by law. Strengthening the rule of law, in short, is both a practical project of institution-building and a cultural project of shaping attitudes and commitments. This chapter examines one piece of this mosaic: building fair, effective justice systems in the wake of military interventions. Beyond the immediate task of establishing security, longer-term efforts to strengthen a country's justice system – including its courts, police, and prisons – are a vital part of building the rule of law after intervention. In countries as diverse as Afghanistan, Iraq, East Timor, Kosovo, Bosnia, Haiti, and Sierra Leone, among others, interveners have worked with local leaders to recruit and train police, appoint and train judges, build and furnish courthouses, and improve often deplorable prison conditions.
Introducing the spiked p-n junction for tunnel devices and current gain

By serendipity, a novel feature has appeared in regrown GaN p-n junctions. When the device is exposed to atmosphere in between the growth of the n and p regions, a sheet layer of donors (primarily oxygen) incorporates at the junction interface [1,2]. This has been argued to decrease the depletion width, which boosts tunneling currents to acceptable levels for contacts to GaN LEDs [1].
Parent, Teacher, and School Stakeholder Perspectives on Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Programming for Latino Youth

Teen pregnancy remains a public health concern particularly among Latinos, whose pregnancy rate of 83.5 per 1000 girls constitutes one of the highest rates of teen pregnancy among all ethnic and racial groups in the United States. To enhance the effectiveness of interventions for diverse Latino populations in the US, it is crucial to assess the community’s understanding of the etiology of the problem of adolescent pregnancy and to implement programs that reflect the local community’s beliefs and preferences. We present findings from six focus groups held with parents (n = 18), teachers (n = 23) and school stakeholders (n = 8) regarding teen pregnancy prevention among Latino youth at a high school located in a large, Midwestern city. Two investigators analyzed data iteratively using a template organizing approach. A consensus emerged across the groups regarding content that emphasized respect for oneself and one’s family, a focus on personal and shared responsibility in reproductive health behavior, information about the “realities” or consequences associated with engaging in sexual activity, and information about contraceptives. The strong request from participants to include a parental education component reflects the community’s belief that parents play a crucial, protective role in the socialization and development of adolescent sexual behavior, a view that is supported by empirical research. Findings highlight the importance of involving local school communities in identifying adolescent pregnancy prevention strategies that are responsive to the community’s cultural values, beliefs, and preferences, as well as the school’s capacity and teacher preferences.
The Impact of Supermarkets on Farmers, Consumers, and Food Security in Developing Countries

Since the 1990s, food systems in developing countries have been undergoing technological and institutional changes as vast and rapid as any in history. Three intersecting trends are reinforcing these changes. First, entire food systems are becoming more private, with a far larger role for market forces and a much smaller role for government-owned parastatals and cooperatives. Policy efforts to isolate domestic food economies from the world market have increasingly been unsuccessful in the face of market incentives for private traders. Second, food systems are becoming more integrated, with the same firm often dealing with farmers, traders, processors, and consumers. This integration is a stark change from food-marketing sectors that traditionally had been highly decentralized, very small scale and labor intensive, and usually extremely competitive, although often operating at high cost because of poor infrastructure and high commercial risks. Third, food systems are becoming more global, with foreign direct investment (FDI) bringing state-of-the-art management and logistical techniques as well as access to (and competition from) global markets. Globalization is more than a “buzzword” in developing countries; it is a day-to-day reality for many farmers and consumers. The rapid spread of supermarkets is the key to understanding all three forces and how they are interacting. The rise of supermarkets and the changed role of governments in domestic food systems raise serious questions in three domains: (1) the fate of small farmers who need to diversify into higher-valued products than staple grains because “market-led diversification” now means “supermarket led”; (2) the impact on welfare of consumers (including nutritional impact) because consumers increasingly face a confusing array of new choices, not all of which are nutritious, when shopping in supermarkets; and finally, (3) who plans for a country’s food security (the government or supermarkets), who should be responsible for ensuring stable supplies of staple foods (politicians or the market), and who has responsibility for improving the quality of diets.
Abstract A62: Immune and T cell receptor heterogeneity in distinct tumors within individual melanoma patients

There have been significant advances in the treatment of melanoma in the past several years through the use of molecularly targeted therapy and immune checkpoint blockade, however the majority of patients still progress on therapy. There is a critical need to understand the differential responses to these types of therapy. Significant genomic heterogeneity has been described in multiple lesions within the same patient, which may contribute to the development of resistance to therapy. However, immune heterogeneity within multiple tumors from the same patient has not been well characterized. The goal of the present study is to better understand heterogeneity in the immune infiltrate from multiple melanoma tumor sites in the same patient in the setting of treatment, with the underlying hypothesis that differences in immune infiltrate may account for differential responses to therapy. In these studies, we prospectively evaluated 8 tumors from 4 patients during the course of therapy on targeted therapy or immunotherapy. Tissues were evaluated by polychromatic flow cytometry in combination with immunohistochemical analysis of tissue sections. We utilized a 35-marker flow cytometry panel (with 5 leukocyte subsets) to perform a deep analysis of the leukocyte composition with a focus on 1) T cells/regulatory T cells, 2) natural killer/T/B cells, 3) tumor associated macrophages and fibroblasts, 4) dendritic cells, and 5) polymorphonuclear leukocytes. In addition, we performed sequencing of the CDR3 region of the T cell receptor (TCR) β gene to gain insight into differences in T cell clonality between distinct tumors within the same patient. Results demonstrate significant inter-tumoral immune heterogeneity in the majority of patients studied (3 of 4). There were significant differences in CD4+, CD8+, and regulatory T cells (p Citation Format: Alexandre Reuben, Rodabe N. Amaria, Cara Haymaker, Marie Andree Forget, Chantale Bernatchez, Pei-ling Chen, Michael Tetzlaff, Michael A. Davies, Karen C. Dwyer, Jennifer A. Wargo, Zachary A. Cooper. Immune and T cell receptor heterogeneity in distinct tumors within individual melanoma patients. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference: Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy: A New Chapter; December 1-4, 2014; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Immunol Res 2015;3(10 Suppl):Abstract nr A62.
Chapter 4 – Social Nonprimate Animals

Animals are widely divergent in their behavioral expressions. Some are social while others have a nonsocial nature. Expressions of behavior have developed in each species as a matter of survival and reproduction. We assume that whatever behavior they demonstrate is the one that suits their needs to obtain these objectives. Many animals express an aggregative tendency for one reason or another, but aggregations may or may not have a social quality. Once we understand that animals which aggregate and experience agonistic encounters with other members of their group and with which dominance establishment is best demonstrated in social animals, it is logical to inquire about which species exhibit social behavior. Sociality exists at many levels in the kingdom Animalia, from barely social to eusocial. Sociality has arisen independently in many organisms, and the degree of sociality possessed by a species depends on where in the natural selection process the species exists. Invertebrates and vertebrates have both evolved variable degrees of sociality, the most fundamental characteristics being parental investment, cooperativeness, and competition among colony members and group defense. After deliberating on the rise of sociality, each major group of organisms that shows social qualities is discussed, pointing out that the social nature of animal aggregations is looked upon differently, depending on the group being examined and the views of the examiner. Yet, their behaviors are quite similar. Certain animals have risen to the highest level of sociality: eusociality, characterized by demonstrating: (1) care of the young, (2) reproductive division of labor, and (3) an overlap of generations. Most social species never reach a eusocial status. Invertebrates that demonstrate some degree of sociality are arachnids, insects, and mollusks. Of these, only the insects have a clearly defined eusocial nature. Eusocial insect species are found in the following groups: ants, honeybees, bumblebees, paper wasps, and termites. Vertebrates discussed are fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals, the latter group including coati mundis, dogs, wolves, lions, elephants, cetaceans, and mole rats. Of these, only the mole rats have risen to a eusocial status. While humans are complex social animals, they do not quite express a eusocial nature to the degree that is shown in certain insects and mole rats. While only distantly related, certain polistine wasps and mole rats express remarkably similar eusocial behavior and physiological changes while establishing a dominance hierarchy. Agonistic confrontations between members of their colonies result in a despotic dominance hierarchy, which causes physiological differences in subordinates. Their behavior is compared with the behavior of other social species, including humans.