cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Chemically mediated behavior in Acari: Adapations for finding hosts and mates

Ticks and mites respond to a limited spectrum of stimuli in their search for hosts and mates. Airborne chemical signals include carbon dioxide, ammonia, organic acids, terpenoids, 2,6-dichlorophenol, and other phenolic compounds. These are detected primarily by sensilla in and adjacent to Haller's organ. Most ixodid species examined have one or more multiporose sensilla that detect such volatiles. These olfactoreceptors enable the ticks to respond to remote volatile chemicals from hosts and from the other ticks, e.g., sex pheromones. Other sensilla, probably mechanogustatory in function, also occur on the tarsi. Gustatory sensilla on the palps detect assembly pheromones that enable ticks and mites to respond to conspecific or heterospecific chemical stimuli in their environment. Responses to those stimuli in ticks result in clustering, i.e., arrestant behavior. Arrestant behavior also occurs in certain mites. Finally, cheliceral chemosensilla enable ticks to recognize specific phagostimulants in host blood, e.g., ATP and glutathione, that stimulate feeding. InDennacentor variabilis andD. andersoni, these same cheliceral chemosensilla recognize species-specific genital sex pheromones in the vulvae of conspecific mates, without which they do not copulate.
HER-2/neu expression in locally advanced breast carcinomas: pre-and post-neoadjuvant chemotherapy.

Clinical studies have shown a correlation of HER-2/neu amplification/over-expression and favorable response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy and anti-HER-2/neu antibody treatment. However, contradictory findings also have been reported. Some tumors may develop resistance to neoadjuvant chemotherapy after an initial period of sensitivity. Our study attempts to evaluate the effects of neoadjuvant chemotherapy on HER-2/neu status in locally advanced breast cancer. Thirty-nine patients with locally advanced breast cancers established by core needle biopsy received neoadjuvant chemotherapy and were compared with 60 patients with breast cancers who did not receive neoadjuvant chemotherapy. IHC for HER-2/neu was performed on paraffin sections of the core biopsy before treatment and the excised specimen following chemotherapy and scored as Negative (0-1 + ), 2 + and 3+. The results of the study and the controls were compared and analyzed using Fisher’s exact test. HER-2/neu IHC scores decreased in 28.5% (15/39) of patients receiving neo-adjuvant chemotherapy compared to 11.7% (7/60) of patients in the control (p> 0.013). HER-2/neu IHC status changed from strongly positive to negative (3+ to 0) in five of 39 (12.5%) in the study group and in 2 of 60 (3.3%) in con-trol group 0 = 0.104). For patients receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy in whom the tumor becomes refractory to chemotherapy or recurs, repeat testing for HER-2/neu status may be necessary. Elimination of HER-2/neu positive tumor cells may account for the changes in the IHC scores and the development of resistance to neoadjuvant chemotherapy.
Matchings in random superpositions of bipartite trees

Abstract We consider the superpositions of r ⩾ 2 bipartite trees with n vertices in each bipartite set and find that for r ⩾ 3 almost all superpositions have a perfect matching. When r = 2, at least 98% of all superpositions have perfect matchings.
A Survey of Engineering Education Outside the United States: Implications for the Ideal Engineering Program

Undergraduate engineering programs in fourteen countries are surveyed to determine the status of engineering education outside the United States and to analyze the implications for the ideal engineering program of the future here in the United States. The items surveyed include the number of years required to obtain an engineering degree, title of the engineering degree, high school preparation for engineering programs, cost of education, completion rates for engineering degrees, entrance requirements, mathematical requirements, and support for laboratory work. The most notable aspects of engineering education outside the United States are: • Stronger high school preparation and requirements in mathematics and science • Longer period of time required for an engineering degree • Advanced level of mathematics required in engineering programs • Low cost of education It appears that in most countries engineering education is more intense and rigorous than in the United States. In formulating the ideal engineering program of the future we must be sensitive to competing programs in the rest of the world.
Cardiac catheterization and test occlusion of the interatrial communication after the fenestrated Fontan operation

Objectives. Our objective was to determine whether catheterization data obtained after a fenestrated Fontan operation influenced patient management or predicted functional status. Background. Cardiac catheterization after a fenestrated Fontan operation is undertaken to identify residual lesions and to observe the patient's response to test occlusion of the baffle fenestration. Methods. Sixty patients undergoing both a fenestrated Fontan operation before July 1991 and a postoperative catheterization before March 1992 were included in the study. Catheterization data were collected according to a test occlusion protocol; these data were reviewed, and the patient's clinical status at follow-up was ascertained. Results. Test occlusion resulted in a significant increase in systemic venous pressure, arterial oxygen saturation and arteriovenous difference in oxygen content (p < 0.0001). After test occlusion, systemic venous pressure was 40% higher and systemic venous saturation 23% lower among patients with an unfavorable versus a favorable response to test occlusion, although differences between the two groups were subtle or inapparent in the baseline state. Branch pulmonary artery stenosis (identified and balloon dilated in 6 patients) and grade 2 or 3 aortopulmonary collateral vessels (identified and coil embolized in 20) were associated with elevation in systemic venous pressure (p < 0.01). After an average of 2 years of follow-up, there were no deaths, and 50 (83%) of 60 patients were in New York Heart Association functional class I. The only postoperative characteristic significantly associated with being in functional class I at follow-up was a systemic venous pressure <17 mm Hg. Conclusions. Cardiac catheterization with test occlusion of the interatrial communication provides useful information after a fenestrated Fontan operation. Conditions associated with elevated systemic venous pressure should be sought and treated, and the response of systemic venous pressure to test occlusion should be considered when deciding whether to close an interatrial communication.
Gap junctions and conduction of cardiac excitation.

c p t t o i Gap junction remodeling and cardiac disease Changes in function and/or remodeling of connexins occur in almost all major arrhythmogenic cardiac disorders. However, since these diseases are often associated with alterations in all major components of cell and tissue function, potentially involving changes in hundreds of genes and proteins, it is often difficult, if not impossible, to delineate a specific arrhythmogenic role for connexin remodeling. In cardiac failure and ischemic heart disease, remodeling of cell-to-cell coupling is likely to play a significant role in arrhythmogenesis. It is generally agreed that cardiac failure leads to a decrease in Cx43 immunosignals and an increase in Cx45 immunosignals in gap junctions, associated with a decrease in cell-to-cell coupling and propagation velocity. Studies associating the pattern and intensity of Cx43 immunosignals in humans with the occurrence of ventricular arrhythmias have suggested that the inhomogeneity of connexin expression in gap junctions rather than its average decrease may represent an arrhythmogenic mechanism in heart failure. In cardiac ischemia, dephosphorylation of onnexins and the associated cell-to-cell uncoupling occur ithin approximately 15 minutes after acute oxygen withrawal, and tissue surviving from myocardial infarction xhibits marked connexin remodeling. The role of connexin remodeling in atrial fibrillation is more disputed. Experimental studies have shown a relatively large variety of changes without delineating a clear picture. However, somatic mutations in both major atrial onnexins, Cx43 and Cx40, have recently been associated ith lone atrial fibrillation. Although these cases seem to e rare, they may help to explain the role of connexin emodeling in atrial propagation. Whether the association etween mutations in atrial connexins and arrhythmogensis reflects a direct effect of changed cell-to-cell coupling r whether additional changes contribute to the disturbed lectrical function remains to be shown.
Univentricular heart with systemic outflow obstruction: Palliation by primary Damus procedure

In 24 consecutive infants (19 male and 5 female) with complex forms of single-ventricle physiology and systemic outflow obstruction, a modified Damus operation without the use of exogenous material was undertaken in conjunction with creation of an aortopulmonary shunt 3.5 mm in diameter. The median age at operation was 6 days (range, 1 to 170 days) and the median weight, 3.4 kg (range, 2.6 to 4.6 kg). There were nine early deaths. All 15 survivors (median follow-up, 6.5 months) were clinically well without major systemic ventricular dysfunction or atrioventricular or arterial valve regurgitation. Ten of them have undergone a superior vena cava—pulmonary shunt (one death), and 1 has required patch angioplasty of the aortic arch and innominate artery with revision of the aortopulmonary shunt. The 4 other survivors are awaiting a cavopulmonary shunt. Univariate analysis yielded the chronologic rank for an individual procedure (higher risk of death early in the series), presence of aortic arch atresia, and presence or absence of transposition of the great arteries as predictors of death. This aggressive surgical approach provides excellent early palliation, and because the operation prevents abnormal ventricular hypertrophy from pressure or volume overload, systemic ventricular function is optimally conserved for a future Fontan-type procedure.
An improved technique for obtaining quantitative aerodynamic heat-transfer data with surface coating materials.

Phase change photographs used for quantitative aerodynamic heat transfer data with surface coating materials
A Program of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome Education for Nurses in Romania

After the fall of the communist government in Romania, many children were found to be human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infected. The majority of these children were abandoned and currently live in orphanages. The children have been cared for on a day-to-day basis by nurses with little general nursing education and even less HIV education. The Romanian-American Pediatric AIDS Education and Clinical Research Program was established at Texas Children's Hospital and Baylor College of Medicine in May, 1996 to aid in the education of Romanian nurses. Syllabi developed by the U.S. nursing team were initially piloted in three pediatric HIV centers in Romania in July, 1997. Since that time, two annual nursing symposia have been held offering topics on general pediatrics and HIV-related content. The purpose of this article is to describe a program of HIV education for nurses in Romania.
Enhanced visualization of the bile duct via parallel white light and indocyanine green fluorescence laparoscopic imaging

Despite best efforts, bile duct injury during laparoscopic cholecystectomy is a major potential complication. Precise detection method of extrahepatic bile duct during laparoscopic procedures would minimize the risk of injury. Towards this goal, we have developed a compact imaging instrumentation designed to enable simultaneous acquisition of conventional white color and NIR fluorescence endoscopic/laparoscopic imaging using ICG as contrast agent. The capabilities of this system, which offers optimized sensitivity and functionality, are demonstrated for the detection of the bile duct in an animal model. This design could also provide a low-cost real-time surgical navigation capability to enhance the efficacy of a variety of other image-guided minimally invasive procedures.
Symptoms, self-efficacy, and physical activity among individuals with multiple sclerosis

Using social-cognitive theory, we examined the associations among symptoms, self-efficacy, and physical activity in 196 individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS). Participants completed symptoms, self-efficacy, and physical activity measures and wore an accelerometer for 7 days. There was a moderate inverse correlation between symptoms and physical activity (varphi = -.42). Subsequent analyses indicated that symptoms had direct negative relationships with self-efficacy (gamma = -.32) and physical activity (gamma = -.24), and self-efficacy had a direct positive relationship with physical activity (beta = .57). This study provides initial support for symptoms as a correlate of physical activity in individuals with MS. Monitoring symptoms during a physical activity program and altering the exercise prescription during symptom exacerbation might be a method for increasing exercise adherence.
Category-Based Screening in Choice of Complementary Products

Abstract Consumers often make complex choices involving complementary categories, such as cell phones and service plans. In the fast-growing high-tech and entertainment industries, products from complementary categories are often incompatible with one another. This research shows that when choosing a pair of such complementary products, a consumer is likely to use a two-stage decision strategy: screening by one category first to narrow down the number of pairs for further evaluation in the second stage. In the presence of incompatibility, screening by one category rather than by the other may lead to different choice outcomes. The authors develop a behavioral theory–driven choice model that accounts for both preference heterogeneity and structural heterogeneity of decision strategies to examine the extent to which consumers engage in category-based screening. Analysis of data from a 2 × 2 conjoint choice experiment reveals that consumers tend to screen a category that has higher intracategory differentiat...
Anagram solution times as a function of initial visual pattern: Familiar vs unfamiliar typeface

Sixteen undergraduates each solved eight anagrams. The typeface in which the anagrams were presented was varied between Ss, and letter moves until solution were varied within Ss. Problems presented in a familiar typeface were more quickly solved than problems presented in an unfamiliar typeface (p <.005). This effect was more pronounced for 3-move problems than for 1-move problems (p <.05). It was concluded that anagram solution involves a covert rearrangement of the anagram’s letters, and that this rearrangement has an imaginai element under partial control of the initial visual pattern of the anagram.
Reduction and removal of SO2 and NOx from simulated flue gas using iron oxide as catalyst/absorbent

Iron oxide supported on alumina is a promising catalyst/absorbent for use in the simultaneous removal of NOx and SOx from power plant stack gases. A dry-contacting process is under development which would operate under net reducing conditions at temperatures of 370° to 540°C. Iron oxide is converted to the ferrous state, NO is reduced to N2 or NH3, and SO2 is removed as ferrous sulfide or sulfate. Regeneration with air produces SO2 and reforms Fe2O3. The reduction of SO2 by CO and H2 was studied in fixed-bed reactors to determine the effects of temperature and of the other reactive components of flue gas (excepting fly ash) on the rate of reaction and the products formed. H2S and COS react with FeO to form FeS. Under readily attainable conditions, virtually complete removal of sulfur compounds was achieved for gas-phase residence times of about 1 to 10 ms. NO and O2 were also reduced. Conditions under which oxygen poisons the catalyst were determined.
Ciprofloxacin plus Piperacillin Compared with Tobramycin plus Piperacillin as Empirical Therapy in Febrile Neutropenic Patients: A Randomized, Double-Blind Trial

BACKGROUND Therapy with an aminoglycoside and a beta-lactam remains common empirical therapy for febrile neutropenic patients. Concerns of aminoglycoside-induced ototoxicity and nephrotoxicity have led to studies of alternate regimens. OBJECTIVE To determine whether ciprofloxacin-piperacillin is equivalent to tobramycin-piperacillin as empirical therapy for neutropenic fever. DESIGN Randomized, double-blind multicenter trial. SETTING Seven U.S. university-affiliated hospitals and one private research center. PATIENTS Febrile (temperature >/= 38 degrees C), neutropenic (neutrophil level < 1 x 10(9) cells/L) hospitalized patients who had leukemia, lymphoma, or solid tumors, or were undergoing bone marrow transplantation. INTERVENTIONS Patients received piperacillin, 50 mg/kg of body weight intravenously every 4 hours, and ciprofloxacin, 400 mg intravenously every 8 hours, or tobramycin, 2 mg/kg intravenously every 8 hours. MEASUREMENTS Success was defined as resolution of infection and previously positive cultures without the need to give additional antimicrobial agents. RESULTS 543 febrile episodes were evaluated, of which 471 were clinically evaluable (234 in the ciprofloxacin-piperacillin group and 237 in the tobramycin-piperacillin group). Success rates in the ciprofloxacin-piperacillin group (63 of 234 febrile episodes) and tobramycin-piperacillin group (52 of 237 episodes) were similar (27% vs. 22%, respectively; difference, 5.0 percentage points [95% CI, -2.3 to 12.8 percentage points]), as was survival (96.2% of patients receiving ciprofloxacin-piperacillin versus 94.1% of patients receiving tobramycin-piperacillin; difference, 2.1 percentage points [CI, -2.2 to 6.4 percentage points]). Additions to the initial antimicrobial regimen were the most common reason for treatment failure in both groups (accounting for 67% of failures in the ciprofloxacin-piperacillin group and 72% in the tobramycin-piperacillin group; difference, 5.0 percentage points [CI, -13.8 to 3.7 percentage points]). Fevers resolved faster in patients receiving ciprofloxacin-piperacillin than in patients receiving tobramycin-piperacillin (mean, 5 vs. 6 days) (P = 0.005). No significant differences in adverse events or toxicity were noted (P = 0.083). CONCLUSION Ciprofloxacin-piperacillin is as safe and effective as tobramycin-piperacillin for empirical therapy of neutropenic fever.
Long-term efficacy of simple behavioral therapy for daytime wetting in children.

Purpose: Behavioral therapy has proved benefit for children with daytime wetting but most studies have used biofeedback techniques and provide no long-term assessment of results. We previously reported similar results using simple behavioral therapy without biofeedback. We report the long-term efficacy of behavioral therapy for daytime wetting.Materials and Methods: Our program of behavioral therapy included timed voiding, modification of fluid intake, positive reinforcement techniques and pelvic floor (Kegel) exercises to promote pelvic floor strengthening and relaxation. Questionnaires to assess therapeutic efficacy were mailed to patients who had completed therapy more than 1 year previously.Results: A total of 48 patients responded. Mean ages at the time of the initial clinic visit and questionnaire were 8.2 and 12.9 years, respectively. Improvement in symptoms was noted in approximately 74% of the cases during the first year following therapy. At a mean of 4.7 years after treatment 59.4% of the patie...
Patterns of Forest Phylogenetic Community Structure across the United States and Their Possible Forest Health Implications

The analysis of phylogenetic relationships among co-occurring tree species offers insights into the ecological organization of forest communities from an evolutionary perspective and, when employed regionally across thousands of plots, can assist in forest health assessment. Phylogenetic clustering of species, when species are more closely related than expected by chance, suggests a process of evolutionary niche conservatism. Because such communities share much evolutionary history and an affinity for similar environmental conditions, they may be particularly susceptible to threats such as insects and diseases and shifting climate conditions. Meanwhile, a pattern of phylogenetic evenness, in which the species are less closely related than by chance, may indicate competitive exclusion or interspecies facilitation. The ecological integrity of such communities may be less at risk because they may encompass a wider variety of evolutionary adaptations. Using a network of more than 100,000 forest inventory plots across the conterminous United States, we tested whether community phylogenetic structure was significantly clustered or even at multiple scales. Clustering predominated across most of the study area, indicating the widespread significance of evolutionary niche conservatism, except in areas of the west. Phylogenetic structure varied along environmental gradients, suggesting that clustering predominates in more favorable locations and evenness predominates in areas with harsher environments. These results have implications for broad-scale forest health monitoring.
Publication rate as a function of laboratory size in a biomedical research institution

At the Rockefeller University in 1977–78, the number of all publications of a research group in a year was approximately proportional to the number of individuals in that group during the year. The number of primary research publications of a group in a year was also approximately proportional to the number of individuals in that group during the year. The observed frequency distribution of laboratory size was statistically indistinguishable from a 0-truncated negative binomial distribution, which is the equilibrium frequency distribution of size predicted by stochastic models for the dynamics of freely-forming primate social groups.
Measuring Trauma: Considerations for Assessing Complex and Non-PTSD Criterion A Childhood Trauma

The current definition of a traumatic event in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5; American Psychiatric Association, 2013) may be too narrow to describe the myriad of difficult childhood experiences. Furthermore, youth may develop a distinct pattern of symptoms in relation to complex or multiple childhood trauma experiences, the proposed developmental trauma disorder (DTD; B. A. van der Kolk, 2005 ) We developed and utilized a new measure, the Potentially Traumatic Experiences Questionnaire (PTEQ), to assess patterns in childhood trauma exposure. We used 2 item formats (open ended vs. closed ended) in order to explore potential differences in reporting. Furthermore, we assessed for symptoms associated with DTD following exposure to complex childhood trauma in a sample of adolescents. Participants were 186 adolescents ages 18 and 19 years old who were asked to report retrospectively on their difficult childhood experiences. The results showed that participants reported multiple events that would not be considered traumatic according to DSM-5 Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Criterion A, and those who completed the PTEQ with closed-ended items reported more differentiated trauma types than participants who completed the open-ended questionnaire. Also, participants who reported multiple or chronic events were more likely to endorse symptoms associated with DTD. This study has implications for the diagnosis and treatment of complex trauma experiences in youth.
Frequency-dependent bifurcation in electromechanical microfluidic structures

Dielectric liquids rise up between vertically oriented, parallel electrodes if a voltage is applied. The resulting hydrostatic equilibrium balances the upward-directed ponderomotive force with the downward-directed gravitational force. Coating the electrodes with a dielectric layer makes it possible to achieve a similar, but now frequency-dependent effect with conductive liquids. If the electrodes (either coated or uncoated) are made slightly convergent, with the spacing closer at the top, the electric field coupled hydrostatic equilibrium exhibits a bifurcation. In this paper, a simple theory based on the Maxwell stress tensor and a linear RC circuit model is used to predict the frequency-dependent height-of-rise and the bifurcation phenomena. In the experiments, we used parylene-coated stainless steel electrodes, 24 mm long and 6.5 mm wide, to observe the height-of-rise of DI water and 1 mM KCl solution over the frequency range from 50 Hz to 20 kHz. The frequency-dependent experimental height-of-rise data, including the critical voltage and column height at which bifurcation occurs, are consistent with theoretical predictions. A simple model based on this theory successfully predicts the trapped liquid volume. Bifurcation phenomena have potential implications for the dynamic behavior of microfluidic schemes based on electrowetting and dielectrophoretic liquid actuation.
MEASUREMENT OF LAMINAR JET VELOCITY DISTRIBUTIONS IN LIQUID-LIQUID SYSTEMS USING FLASH PHOTOLYSIS

The feasibility of using Rash photolysis to measure jet velocity profiles was investigated in the region near the nozzle exit for xylene jets injected vertically into a mutually saturated stationary immiscible water phase. Dye trace measurements obtained from high speed motion pictures were optically corrected, and velocity profiles were obtained by a streamline generation mass balance technique. The standard deviation in axial velocities was less than 8%. Profiles close to the nozzle exit showed good agreement with the fully developed parabolic profile within the nozzle, and downstream profiles were similar to those predicted by existing approximate theories.
Large-Scale Pattern Storage and Retrieval Using Generalized Brain-State-in-a-Box Neural Networks

In this paper, a generalized Brain-State-in-a-Box (gBSB)-based hybrid neural network is proposed for storing and retrieving pattern sequences. The hybrid network consists of autoassociative and heteroassociative parts. Then, a large-scale image storage and retrieval neural system is constructed using the gBSB-based hybrid neural network and the pattern decomposition concept. The notion of the deadbeat stability is employed to describe the stability property of the vertices of the hypercube to which the trajectories of the gBSB neural system are constrained. Extensive simulations of large scale pattern and image storing and retrieval are presented to illustrate the results obtained.
No Evidence for Consistent Virus-Specific Immunity in Simian Immunodeficiency Virus-Exposed, Uninfected Rhesus Monkeys

Defining the immune correlates of the protection against human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) acquisition in individuals who are exposed to HIV-1 but do not become infected may provide important direction for the creation of an HIV-1 vaccine. We have employed the simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV)/rhesus monkey model to determine whether monkeys can be repeatedly exposed to a primate lentivirus by a mucosal route and escape infection and whether virus-specific immune correlates of protection from infection can be identified in uninfected monkeys. Five of 18 rhesus monkeys exposed 18 times by intrarectal inoculation to SIVmac251 or SIVsmE660 were resistant to infection, indicating that the exposed/uninfected phenotype can be reproduced in a nonhuman primate AIDS model. However, routine peripheral blood lymphocyte gamma interferon enzyme-linked immunospot (ELISPOT), tetramer, and intracellular cytokine staining assays, as well as cytokine-augmented ELISPOT and peptide-stimulated tetramer assays, failed to define a systemic antigen-specific cellular immune correlate to this protection. Further, local cell-mediated immunity could not be demonstrated by tetramer assays of these protected monkeys, and local humoral immunity was not associated with protection against acquisition of virus in another cohort of mucosally exposed monkeys. Therefore, resistance to mucosal infection in these monkeys may not be mediated by adaptive virus-specific immune mechanisms. Rather, innate immune mechanisms or an intact epithelial barrier may be responsible for protection against mucosal infection in this population of monkeys.
Survival of Euglena gracilis Exposed to Sublethal Temperature and Hexavalent Chromium

SYNOPSIS. At room temperature (˜20 C) the concentration of 1 mg/liter of chromium, as CrO 3, and a 3–h exposure were the conditions at which most Euglena gracilis survived. Euglena subjected to 31.5 ± 0.5 C for 1 h, then cooled to room temperature and treated with Cr, was as sensitive to 0.001 mg/liter as to 10 mg liter. When simultaneously subjected to 31.5 ± 0.5 C and Cr, survival of Euglena was 50% at concentrations down to 0.001 mg/liter by the end of 3 h.
On integration of the coexistence equation for binary vapor-liquid equilibrium

Numerical integration of the coexistence equation for isothermal P-x data can be carried out by standard techniques. Two questions are considered with respect to this procedure: (a) Do continuous, analytic P-x relations exist which fail to provide thermodynamically acceptable results? (b) Does it matter from what point one starts the numerical integration? It is the purpose of this paper to demonstrate in each case that the answer is affirmative.
Simulation of the Variability in Next-Generation Microelectronic Capacitors with Polycrystalline Dielectrics

Monte Carlo simulations of capacitors with polycrystalline (Bax, Sr1−x)TiO3 (BST) dielectrics were performed. The variation in capacitors due to the polycrystalline microstructure of the dielectric was investigated, as well as the effects of varying the distribution of crystal sizes. When a lognormal probability density function (pdf) was used to approximate the crystal area pdf and the average number of crystals per capacitor was near 100, it was found that the minimum capacitance value was nearly independent of the standard deviation of crystal area distribution. Both the mean and maximum capacitance values were found to increase as the width of the standard deviation increased.
A Real-Time Linux system for autonomous navigation and flight attitude control of an uninhabited aerial vehicle

A Commercial-Off-The-Shelf PC-104 system using the Real Time Linux operating system is used for flight attitude control and navigation for autonomous flight testing of the Stingray UAV. The fast, time critical tasks of attitude control of the aircraft are placed in real time tasks in kernel space. The slower navigation routines, based on GPS data, is a user space task that provides attitude commands to the real time tasks. Data from the GPS, and attitude controllers are stored on board the aircraft for post-flight analysis. For these flight tests, the take-off and landing of the Stingray UAV will be by an external pilot.
Investigation of Radar Subsurface Sounding through Seasonal Cycles Collected by Mars Shallow Radar (SHARAD) in the South Polar Area

Radar subsurface sounding has been applied to many different geological problems on Earth, including quantifying thickness of ice sheets, depth of bedrock and water table, and fracture imaging. Advancements in radar subsurface sounding technology have made exploration of other planets, such as Mars, possible. Usage of this method to understand planetary geology has thus increased dramatically within the past three decades, as it provides non-intrusive and rapid imaging that has aided in interpreting the natural history and current condition of Mars [1]. Mars Shallow Radar (SHARAD), which complements Mars Advanced Radar for Subsurface and Ionosphere Sounding (MARSIS) on Mars Express, is a nadir-looking synthetic-aperture radar that currently collects both surface and subsurface data on Mars. SHARAD is provided by the Agenzia Spaziale Italiana as a facility instrument mounted on the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) [2]. SHARAD is designed to resolve smaller objects or finer layers than MARSIS, achieving sub-kilometer depth resolution due to its higher center frequency and bandwidth, which are 20 MHz and 10 MHz, respectively (Table 1) [2]. SHARAD’s signal, as a tradeoff, is rarely able to record a basal reflection, unlike MARSIS. Therefore, SHARAD’s primary objective is to map dielectric interfaces between layers down to a few hundred meters in selected areas, such as the polar layered deposits and stratigraphy within sedimentary rocks [3]. This investigation focuses on the change of SHARAD’s signal characteristic over seasonal cycles in the south polar layered deposits, especially the solid CO2 frost on the surface. Unlike the solid Table 1. SHARAD and MARSIS Instrument Parameters [2].
Functional connectivity with ventromedial prefrontal cortex reflects subjective value for social rewards

According to many studies, the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (VMPFC) encodes the subjective value of disparate rewards on a common scale. Yet, a host of other reward factors—likely represented outside of VMPFC—must be integrated to construct such signals for valuation. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), we tested whether the interactions between posterior VMPFC and functionally connected brain regions predict subjective value. During fMRI scanning, participants rated the attractiveness of unfamiliar faces. We found that activation in dorsal anterior cingulate cortex, anterior VMPFC and caudate increased with higher attractiveness ratings. Using data from a post-scan task in which participants spent money to view attractive faces, we quantified each individual’s subjective value for attractiveness. We found that connectivity between posterior VMPFC and regions frequently modulated by social information—including the temporal-parietal junction (TPJ) and middle temporal gyrus—was correlated with individual differences in subjective value. Crucially, these additional regions explained unique variation in subjective value beyond that extracted from value regions alone. These findings indicate not only that posterior VMPFC interacts with additional brain regions during valuation, but also that these additional regions carry information employed to construct the subjective value for social reward.
Reciprocal transfer effects on denitrifying community composition and activity at forest and meadow sites in the Cascade Mountains of Oregon

In order to examine the effects of disturbance, vegetation type, and microclimate on denitrification and denitrifier community composition, experimental plots were established at the H. J. Andrews Experimental Forest in the Cascade Mountains of Oregon. Soil cores were reciprocally transplanted between meadow and forest and samples were collected after 1 and 2 years. Denitrifying enzyme activity (DEA) was measured using the acetylene block assay and terminal restriction length polymorphism profiles were generated with nosZ primers that target the gene coding for nitrous oxide reductase. Nitrate concentrations, C mineralization, and water content were measured to gain additional insights into soil properties controlling DEA. Meadow soils were significantly higher in DEA than forest soils, and the highest DEA levels were observed in cores transferred from the meadow into the forest. Nitrate concentrations were also different between forest and meadow soils, but did not correlate to DEA. DEA was higher in open versus closed cores, suggesting an association between denitrification and the rhizosphere. Denitrifier communities of undisturbed forest and meadow soils shifted through a 4-year period but remained distinct from each other. Similarly, denitrifier communities clustered by vegetation type of origin regardless of manipulation, suggesting that the overall denitrifier communities are well buffered against environmental changes.
Surfing for thinness: a pilot study of pro-eating disorder Web site usage in adolescents with eating disorders.

OBJECTIVE. Pro–eating disorder Web sites are communities of individuals who engage in disordered eating and use the Internet to discuss their activities. Pro-recovery sites, which are less numerous, express a recovery-oriented perspective. This pilot study investigated the awareness and usage of pro–eating disorder Web sites among adolescents with eating disorders and their parents and explored associations with health and quality of life. PATIENTS AND METHODS. This was a cross-sectional study of 698 families of patients (aged 10–22 years) diagnosed with an eating disorder at Stanford between 1997 and 2004. Anonymous surveys were mailed and offered in clinic. Survey content included questions about disease severity, health outcomes, Web site usage, and parental knowledge of eating disorder Web site usage. RESULTS. Surveys were returned by 182 individuals: 76 patients and 106 parents. Parents frequently (52.8%) were aware of pro–eating disorder sites, but an equal number did not know whether their child visited these sites, and only 27.6% had discussed them with their child. Most (62.5%) parents, however, did not know about pro-recovery sites. Forty-one percent of patients visited pro-recovery sites, 35.5% visited pro–eating disorder sites, 25.0% visited both, and 48.7% visited neither. While visiting pro–eating disorder sites, 96.0% reported learning new weight loss or purging techniques. However, 46.4% of pro-recovery site visitors also learned new techniques. Pro–eating disorder site users did not differ from nonusers in health outcomes but reported spending less time on school or schoolwork and had a longer duration of illness. Users of both pro–eating disorder and pro-recovery sites were hospitalized more than users of neither site. CONCLUSIONS. Pro–eating disorder site usage was prevalent among adolescents with eating disorders, yet parents had little knowledge of this. Although use of these sites was not associated with other health outcomes, usage may have a negative impact on quality of life and result in adolescents’ learning about and adopting disordered eating behaviors.
Coincident posttraumatic stress disorder and depression predict alcohol abuse during and after deployment among Army National Guard soldiers

Abstract Background Although alcohol problems are common in military personnel, data examining the relationship between psychiatric conditions and alcohol abuse occurring de novo peri-/post-deployment are limited. We examined whether pre-existing or coincident depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) predicted new onset peri-/post-deployment alcohol abuse among Ohio Army National Guard (OHARNG) soldiers. Methods We analyzed data from a sample of OHARNG who enlisted between June 2008 and February 2009. Participants who had ever been deployed and who did not report an alcohol abuse disorder prior to deployment were eligible. Participants completed interviews assessing alcohol abuse, depression, PTSD, and the timing of onset of these conditions. Logistic regression was used to determine the correlates of peri-/post-deployment alcohol abuse. Results Of 963 participants, 113 (11.7%) screened positive for peri-/post-deployment alcohol abuse, of whom 35 (34.0%) and 23 (32.9%) also reported peri-/post-deployment depression and PTSD, respectively. Soldiers with coincident depression (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 3.9, 95%CI: 2.0–7.2, p p Conclusions Coincident depression and PTSD were predictive of developing peri-/post-deployment alcohol abuse, and thus may constitute an etiologic pathway through which deployment-related exposures increase the risk of alcohol-related problems.
Parity nonconservation in hydrogen

We discuss the prospects for parity violation experiments in atomic hydrogen and deuterium to contribute to testing the Standard Model (SM). We find that, if parity experiments in hydrogen can be done, they remain highly desirable because there is negligible atomic-physics uncertainty and low energy tests of weak neutral current interactions are needed to probe for new physics beyond the SM. Analysis of a generic APV experiment in deuterium indicates that a 0.3% measurement of C1D requires development of a slow (77K) metastable beam of ≈ 5×1014D(2S)s − 1 per hyperfine component. The advent of UV radiation from free electron laser (FEL) technology could allow production of such a beam.
Performance analysis of priority schemes for IEEE 802.11 and IEEE 802.11e wireless LANs

The IEEE 802.11 distributed coordination function (DCF) enables fast installation with minimal management and maintenance costs, and is a very robust protocol for the best effort service in wireless medium. However, the current DCF is unsuitable for real-time applications. This paper studies backoff-based priority schemes for IEEE 802.11 and the emerging IEEE 802.11e standard by differentiating the minimum backoff window size, the backoff window-increasing factor, and the retransmission limit. An analytical model is proposed to derive saturation throughputs, saturation delays, and frame-dropping probabilities of different priority classes for all proposed priority schemes. Simulations are conducted to validate analytical results. The proposed priority schemes can be easily implemented, and the results from this paper are beneficial in designing good priority parameters.
Moments in the Methodology of Meso History

Meso history is that branch of the history of sociology that focuses on social relations, that is, patterns of connection among groups, group members, and group meanings, as explanatory factors in the shaping of sociology. The methodology of meso history consists of strategies for discovering, documenting and patterning connections. This paper explores those strategies in terms of three moments generic to the research process in social science– moments of movement from intellectual curiosity to conceptualization, from research question to data collection and from data to presentation of findings–focusing on the distinctive permutations on this research process that occur in the practice of meso history.
Phosphorylation and specific ubiquitin acceptor sites are required for ubiquitination and degradation of the IFNAR1 subunit of type I interferon receptor.

Ubiquitination, endocytosis, and lysosomal degradation of the IFNAR1 (interferon α receptor 1) subunit of the type I interferon (IFN) receptor is mediated by the SCFβ-Trcp (Skp1-Cullin1-F-box protein β transducin repeat-containing protein) E3 ubiquitin ligase in a phosphorylation-dependent manner. In addition, stability of IFNAR1 is regulated by its binding to Tyk2 kinase. Here we characterize the determinants of IFNAR1 ubiquitination and degradation. We found that the integrity of two Ser residues at positions 535 and 539 within the specific destruction motif present in the cytoplasmic tail of IFNAR1 is essential for the ability of IFNAR1 to recruit β-Trcp as well as to undergo efficient ubiquitination and degradation. Using an antibody that specifically recognizes IFNAR1 phosphorylated on Ser535 we found that IFNAR1 is phosphorylated on this residue in cells. This phosphorylation is promoted by treatment of cells with IFNα. Although the cytoplasmic tail of IFNAR1 contains seven Lys residues that could function as potential ubiquitin acceptor sites, we found that only three (Lys501, Lys525, and Lys526), all located proximal to the destruction motif, are essential for ubiquitination and degradation of IFNAR1. Expression of Tyk2 stabilized IFNAR1 in a manner that was dependent neither on its binding to β-Trcp nor IFNAR1 ubiquitination. We discuss the complexities and specifics of the ubiquitination and degradation of IFNAR1, which is a β-Trcp substrate that undergoes degradation via a lysosomal pathway.
Contact dermatitis: a comparative and translational review of the literature

Background Contact dermatitis (CD) is an inflammatory skin condition induced by direct contact with a specific chemical. Irritant CD (ICD) is a nonspecific inflammatory cutaneous reaction to an irritating agent. Allergic CD (ACD) is an immune-mediated antigen-specific skin reaction to an allergenic chemical. Objectives and methods The biomedical literature (human, basic science, veterinary) was reviewed to evaluate the current state of knowledge regarding CD. Results The incidence of human CD remains unclear, but represents up to 90–95% of all occupational skin diseases. The prevalence of CD has not been established in veterinary medicine. The pathogenesis of CD is not fully understood, but involves a complex cascade of events between resident skin cells, relocated immune cells, pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines. The main difference between ICD and ACD is that ACD is an antigen-specific reaction to an allergenic irritating agent whereas ICD is not antigen-specific. To date, there is no fully validated diagnostic test available for CD. Thus, its clinical diagnosis relies on the patient's history, clinical examination, dermatological tests and, in some cases, research-based assays. The most important factor in CD management is the identification and avoidance of the culprit irritant or allergen. In addition, various topical and systemic therapies can be considered. Conclusion and clinical relevance CD is a relatively common occupational skin disease in human beings, but the prevalence in veterinary medicine is undefined. It can lead to debilitating clinical signs. Further research in human medicine and even more so in veterinary patients, will be required in order to allow for an evidence-based approach in its diagnosis and management.
From Kalman Filtering to Innovations, Martingales, Scattering and Other Nice Things

This paper is an account of the development of some of several researches inspired by Kalman’s seminal work on linear least-squares estimation for processes with known state-space models.
Unsupervised Discovery of Biographical Structure from Text

We present a method for discovering abstract event classes in biographies, based on a probabilistic latent-variable model. Taking as input timestamped text, we exploit latent correlations among events to learn a set of event classes (such as B ORN , G RADUATES H IGH S CHOOL , and B ECOMES C ITIZEN ), along with the typical times in a person’s life when those events occur. In a quantitative evaluation at the task of predicting a person’s age for a given event, we find that our generative model outperforms a strong linear regression baseline, along with simpler variants of the model that ablate some features. The abstract event classes that we learn allow us to perform a large-scale analysis of 242,970 Wikipedia biographies. Though it is known that women are greatly underrepresented on Wikipedia—not only as editors (Wikipedia, 2011) but also as subjects of articles (Reagle and Rhue, 2011)—we find that there is a bias in their characterization as well, with biographies of women containing significantly more emphasis on events of marriage and divorce than biographies of men.
Caring for Families

Too often physicians and other members of the interdisciplinary team (IDT) shudder when the note, “Please call Mrs. Jones’ daughter” appears on the chart. The goal of this chapter is to examine attitudes, review and apply knowledge, and illustrate skills that will improve the performance of all practitioners who must work with families in the Post-Acute and Long-Term Care (PA/LTC) setting.
Remote Sensing of Clouds using Satellites, Lidars, CLF/XLF and IR Cameras at the Pierre Auger Observatory

Clouds in the field of view of the fluorescence detectors affect the detection of the extensive air showers. Several remote sensing techniques are used to detect night-time clouds over the 3000 km 2 of the Pierre Auger Observatory. Four lidars at the fluorescence detector sites are performing different patterns of scans of the surrounding sky detecting clouds. Two laser facilities (CLF and XLF) are shooting into the sky delivering cloud cover above them every 15 minutes. Four IR cameras detect the presence of clouds within the FOV of the fluorescence detectors every 5 minutes. A method using GOES-12 and GOES-13 satellites identifies night-time clouds twice per hour with a spatial resolution of 2.4 km by 5.5 km over the Observatory. We upload all this information into several databases to be used for the reconstruction of cosmic ray events and to find exotic events.