cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Corneal morphogenesis during development and diseases.

Objective: To review the use of genetically modified mouse lines for elucidating corneal morphogenesis during embryonic development and diseases. Methods: Transgenesis and gene-targeting techniques were used to create doxycycline-inducible mouse models (tet-On) to express transgenes or ablation of LoxP-modified genes or both in corneal cells, e.g., epithelial cells, and keratocytes and periocular mesenchymal cells of neural crest origin. Results: Two driver mouse lines, i.e., Krt12-rtTA and Kera-rtTA, were created, which express reverse tetracycline transcription activator (rtTA) in corneal epithelial cells and keratocytes, respectively. Bitransgenic (Krt12-rtTA/tet-o-FGF7) and triple transgenic mice (Krt12rtTA/tet-o-Cre/Ctnnb1fE3 and Kera-rtTA/tet-o-Cre/Ctnnb1fE3) were obtained through cross-breeding tet-o-FGF7, tet-o-Cre, and Ctnnb1fE3 mice. On doxycycline induction, overexpression of FGF7 by corneal epithelial cells of bitransgenic Krt12-rtTA/tet-o-FGF7 mice caused nuclear translocation of β-catenin and epithelium hyperplasia resembling human ocular surface squamous neoplasia; in triple transgenic mice (Krt12rtTA/tet-o-Cre/Ctnnb1fE3), constitutive nuclear translocation of mutant β-catenin (loss of exon 3) leads to hyper proliferation of corneal epithelial cells; in comparison of expression of β-catenin mutant protein by migrating, periocular mesenchymal cells of Kera-rtTA/tet-o-Cre/Ctnnb1fE3 caused eyelid malformation. Conclusions: Use of genetically modified mice is of great value to study the pathophysiology of ocular surface defects resulting from genetic mutations.
Developmentally Appropriate Practices and Children's Perception of Self-Competence in Head Start Classrooms.

The present project studied the relationship between the use of developmentally appropriate practices and children's perception of self-competence in Head Start classrooms. Self-competence is defined as children's confidence in succeeding in certain tasks. Developmentally appropriate practices (DAP) as proposed by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) are teaching practices that are age appropriate, individually appropriate and culturally appropriate. Seventy-two children attending six Head Start centres participated in the study. Trained researchers filled out the Rating Scale to assess the use Developmentally Appropriate Practices in Early Childhood Classrooms. The participating children's perceived self-competence was measured using the Pictorial Scale of Perceived Competence and Social Acceptance. Correlational analysis showed that some of the subscales assessing the use of developmentally appropriate practices were correlated with two of the subscales of the children's ...
The endoplasmic reticulum chaperone Cosmc directly promotes in vitro folding of T-synthase.

The T-synthase is the key β3-galactosyltransferase essential for biosynthesis of core 1 O-glycans (Galβ1–3GalNAcα1-Ser/Thr) in animal cell glycoproteins. Here we describe the novel ability of an endoplasmic reticulum-localized molecular chaperone termed Cosmc to specifically interact with partly denatured T-synthase in vitro to cause partial restoration of activity. By contrast, a mutated form of Cosmc observed in patients with Tn syndrome has reduced chaperone function. The chaperone activity of Cosmc is specific, does not require ATP in vitro, and is effective toward T-synthase but not another β-galactosyltransferase. Cosmc represents the first ER chaperone identified to be required for folding of a glycosyltransferase.
NGF and bFGF protect rat hippocampal and human cortical neurons against hypoglycemic damage by stabilizing calcium homeostasis

NGF and bFGF have recently been shown to have biological activity in central neurons, but their normal functions and mechanisms of action are unknown. Since central neurons are particularly vulnerable to hypoglycemia that occurs with ischemia or insulin overdose, we tested the hypothesis that growth factors can protect neurons against hypoglycemic damage. NGF and bFGF each prevented glucose deprivation-induced neuronal damage in human cerebral cortical and rat hippocampal cell cultures (EGF was ineffective). Protection was afforded when the growth factors were administered before (NGF and bFGF) or up to 12 hr following (NGF) the onset of hypoglycemia. Direct measurements of intracellular calcium levels and manipulations of calcium influx demonstrated that sustained elevations in intracellular calcium levels mediated the hypoglycemic damage. NGF and bFGF each prevented the hypoglycemia-induced elevations of intracellular calcium. These findings indicate that growth factors can stabilize neuronal calcium homeostasis in central neurons and thereby protect them against environmental insults.
The potential usefulness of interleukin-2 activated bone marrow cells as an active therapeutic tool against cytomegalovirus infection in a bone marrow transplantation setting

Bone marrow transplantation (BMT) has been used in recent years for the treatment of immunodeficiency disease, aplastic anemia, and leukemia. However, there are a number of serious problems and limitations associated with autologous or allogeneic BMT. One of these is an increase in opportunistic infections, of which cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is one of the most important. Cytomegalovirus has been associated with more frequent deaths than any other single agent, with no reproducibly successful or therapy currently available. Recently usage of interleukin-2 or immunomodulation has been suggested as a powerful modality to combat infectious disease. In this study we showed that bone marrow activated in interleukin-2 for 2 days has the ability to lyse spleen cells infected for 3 days with murine CMV (acute infection model) or salivary gland cells infected for 7 days (chronic infection model), while nonactivated bone marrow or natural killer (NK) cells showed no such lysis. The majority of activated cells involved in lysis were antiasialo GM 1 − , Thy-1±, indicating a population of cells other than the natural killer-cell population involved.
OLEDs on fibers and AFM cantilevers

This talk will discuss recent work on novel device architectures that include ITO-free OLEDs deposited on fibers, on highly corrugated surfaces and sharp tips for for solid-state lighting and microscopy applications.
Hybrid-System Simulation for National Airspace System Safety Analysis

Analysis of large, complex systems requires simulations of hybrid-system dynamics (i.e., dynamics best described by a combination ofcontinuous-time and discrete-event models) and their interactions. To serve as valuable research tools, such simulations must also be computationally efficient, readily modifiable, capable of simulating systems using models of a wide range of fidelity, and easily reconfigurable to simulate parts or all of the system of interest. The development of a simulation architecture meeting these criteria is described. Issues with its development are described conceptually, and its application to safety analysis of the national airspace system is discussed. In particular, an object-oriented approach to hybrid-system simulation is detailed, and computationally efficient methods of updating the simulation are described and compared. New asynchronous with resynchronization methods of timing individual objects are applied in an example, demonstrating a significant improvement in simulation efficiency.
Linkage of a Candidate Gene Locus to Familial Combined Hyperlipidemia: Lecithin:Cholesterol Acyltransferase on 16q

Abstract—Familial combined hyperlipidemia (FCHL) is a common lipid disorder characterized by elevated levels of plasma cholesterol and triglycerides that is present in 10% to 20% of patients with premature coronary artery disease. To study the pathophysiological basis and genetics of FCHL, we previously reported recruitment of 18 large families. We now report linkage studies of 14 candidate genes selected for their potential involvement in the aspects of lipid and lipoprotein metabolism that are altered in FCHL. We used highly polymorphic markers linked to the candidate genes, and these markers were analyzed using several complementary, nonparametric statistical allele-sharing linkage methodologies. This current sample has been extended over the one in which we identified an association with the apolipoprotein (apo) AI-CIII-AIV gene cluster. We observed evidence for linkage of this region and FCHL (P<0.001), providing additional support for its involvement in FCHL. We also identified a new locus showing s...
Dirichlet control of unsteady Navier–Stokes type system related to Soret convection by boundary penalty method

In this paper, we study the boundary penalty method for optimal control of unsteady Navier–Stokes type system that has been proposed as an alternative for Dirichlet boundary control. Existence and uniqueness of solutions are demonstrated and existence of optimal control for a class of optimal control problems is established. The asymptotic behavior of solution, with respect to the penalty parameter ϵ , is studied. In particular, we prove convergence of solutions of penalized control problem to the corresponding solutions of the Dirichlet control problem, as the penalty parameter goes to zero. We also derive an optimality system and determine optimal solutions. In order to illustrate the theoretical results and the practical utility of control, we numerically address the problem of controlling unsteady convection with Soret effect using a gradient-based method. Numerical results show the effectiveness of the approach.
Evaluation of inactivation methods for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus in noncellular blood products

Background Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) has been detected in the blood of infected individuals, which may have the potential to contaminate donated blood and plasma-derived products in the event of a future outbreak. Effective methods for inactivating the SARS-CoV in protein solutions are described in this report. Study design and methods Heat, ultraviolet (UV) irradiation, octanoic acid, and solvent/detergent (S/D) methods were tested individually for their ability to inactivate SARS-CoV in protein solutions appropriately mimicking blood-derived products. Treated samples were tested for inactivation in a tissue culture growth assay. Results Viral inactivation by heat treatment at 60 degrees C required 15 to 30 minutes to inactivate the SARS-CoV. UVC efficiently inactivated SARS-CoV in 40 minutes, whereas UVA required the addition of psoralen to enhance inactivation of the virus. The presence of bovine serum albumin limited the ability of UVC and UVA to inactivate SARS-CoV and octanoic acid treatment does not reduce the infectivity of SARS-CoV-spiked protein solutions. S/D treatment required 2, 4, and up to 24 hours for Triton X-100, Tween 80, and sodium cholate inactivation, respectively. Conclusion Heat, UVC irradiation, and S/D treatments effectively inactivate SARS-CoV, whereas octanoic acid treatment is insufficient for inactivation of the virus.
Neotectonic Note: The Ruby–East Humboldt Range, Northeastern Nevada

The northwest flank of the Ruby–East Humboldt Range is bounded by a 73-km-long normal fault that is composed of three distinct sections, each separated by a 3- to 5-km-wide left step in fault trace. Stratigraphic, structural, and soil relations observed in a trench across the northern section of the fault at Reed Creek indicate the last surface rupture occurred between 4800 and 7600 cal yr B.P., preceded by tens of thousands of years of tectonic quiescence on the fault. Morphologic analyses of single-event scarp profiles suggest that the length of the range front ruptured during a relatively short period of time in the Holocene and allow that the last rupture was synchronous along the entire range front. Offset of a late Pleistocene glacial moraine along the central section of the fault places a maximum bound on the vertical separation rate of the fault at between 0.06 and 0.2 mm/yr.
Measurement of the complex permittivity of low-loss planar microwave substrates using aperture-coupled microstrip resonators

This paper describes a technique for the determination of the complex permittivity of low-loss dielectric substrates at microwave frequencies. The technique utilizes an aperture-coupled microstrip resonator fed using a microstrip line in a two layer configuration. The ends of the resonator are shorted in order to avoid radiation. The technique can also be used for the measurement of the complex permittivity of other electronic materials such as thin and thick film materials at microwave frequencies. Nonresonant modes and conductor losses are taken into account in the analysis to improve the accuracy of the results. Analysis procedure as well as experimental results are presented. >
Wanted Posters: A Call for Research

Wanted posters are an important investigative tool, yet there has been no psychological research on their effec- tiveness. This paper demonstrates that wanted poster tasks are significantly different from other police procedures, such as lineups and composites, making generalizations from these other procedures questionable. A call is made for research on this as yet unexplored topic.
Low power selftimed design using CMOS differential circuits

An implementation of the four-states data representation using a modified CMOS differential logic is presented. By using this four-states representation power consumption of a selftimed circuit may be reduced by as much as half of the usual three-states encoding scheme.
Gaussian transfer functions for multi-field volume visualization

Volume rendering is a flexible technique for visualizing dense 3D volumetric datasets. A central element of volume rendering is the conversion between data values and observable quantities such as color and opacity. This process is usually realized through the use of transfer functions that are precomputed and stored in lookup tables. For multidimensional transfer functions applied to multivariate data, these lookup tables become prohibitively large. We propose the direct evaluation of a particular type of transfer functions based on a sum of Gaussians. Because of their simple form (in terms of number of parameters), these functions and their analytic integrals along line segments can be evaluated efficiently on current graphics hardware, obviating the need for precomputed lookup tables. We have adopted these transfer functions because they are well suited for classification based on a unique combination of multiple data values that localize features in the transfer function domain. We apply this technique to the visualization of several multivariate datasets (CT, cryosection) that are difficult to classify and render accurately at interactive rates using traditional approaches.
A multi-agent system-based intelligent control system for a power plant

A large-scale power system has been required to have a new control system to operate at a higher level of automation, flexibility, and robustness. In this panel, a multi-agent system based intelligent control system (MAS-ICS) is presented as an alternative methodology to control a large-scale power plant. Design of architectures for single agents and an organization of the multi-agent system is described as the foundation of the intelligent control system. The MAS-ICS has several functions that provide efficient ways to control locally and globally, and to accommodate and overcome the complexity in the large-scale distributed systems. Moreover, it is shown that the fundamental principle of MAS can be applied well in the large-scale distributed complex power system.
Euclase: a live development environment with constraints and FSMs

Euclase is a live development environment focused on creating interactive web applications. It uses a programming model that combines constraints and finite state machines to specify interactive behaviors. Euclase is "live" in the sense that while the user is developing code, their program is always executing. Changes made to the source of the program are reflected immediately in the running program. We identify some of the implementation and design challenges of making our development environment live, including performance issues, ensuring predictability, dealing with errors in the source, and handling edge cases such as the removal of code that is currently running. We also discuss how Euclase's use of finite state machines and constraints can help alleviate these difficulties.
AMPK and mTOR in Cellular Energy Homeostasis and Drug Targets

The mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) is a central controller of cell growth and proliferation. mTOR forms two distinct complexes, mTOR complex 1 (mTORC1) and mTOR complex 2 (mTORC2). mTORC1 is regulated by multiple signals such as growth factors, amino acids, and cellular energy and regulates numerous essential cellular processes including translation, transcription, and autophagy. The AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is a cellular energy sensor and signal transducer that is regulated by a wide array of metabolic stresses. These two pathways serve as a signaling nexus for regulating cellular metabolism, energy homeostasis, and cell growth, and dysregulation of each pathway may contribute to the development of metabolic disorders such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, and cancer. This review focuses on our current understanding of the relationship between AMPK and mTORC1 signaling and discusses their roles in cellular and organismal energy homeostasis.
Pregnancy planning status and health behaviors among nonpregnant women in a California managed health care organization.

CONTEXT: Women's behaviors before and during pregnancy can affect their infants' health. Particularly because many births in the United States are unintended, it is important to understand women's health behaviors and pregnancy planning status before they become pregnant. METHODS: A telephone survey of nonpregnant women of childbearing age who belonged to a Southern California managed care plan was conducted from 1998 through 2000. Survey data were analyzed in logistic regression models assessing differences in selected behaviors between women planning pregnancy and others. RESULTS: Compared with women not planning pregnancy, those planning pregnancy within the next year (“soon”) were less likely to report smoking (odds ratio, 0.6), and more likely to report taking a multivitamin regularly (1.4) and having had a health care visit in the past year (1.6). Women planning a pregnancy more than one year in the future had elevated odds of reporting alcohol use (1.4); they were similar to women not planning pregnancy with respect to multi-vitamin use and smoking behavior. Women planning pregnancy soon were more likely than women not planning pregnancy to report that a health care professional had talked to them about taking a vitamin or mineral supplement (1.6). CONCLUSIONS All women of childbearing age need information about the importance of engaging in healthy behaviors. Health care providers who have regular contact with such women should send clear messages about the adverse effects of alcohol and smoking during pregnancy and the importance of taking a multivitamin regularly, regardless of women's pregnancy plans, before they become pregnant.
Applying the Technology Acceptance Model and Flow Theory to Online Consumer Behavior

In this study, we consider the online consumer as both a shopper and a computer user. We test constructs from information systems (Technology Acceptance Model), marketing (Consumer Behavior), and psychology (Flow and Environmental Psychology) in an integrated theoretical framework of online consumer behavior. Specifically, we examine how emotional and cognitive responses to visiting a Web-based store for the first time can influence online consumers' intention to return and their likelihood to make unplanned purchases. The instrumentation shows reasonably good measurement properties and the constructs are validated as a nomological network.A questionnaire-based empirical study is used to test this nomological network. Results confirm the double identity of the online consumer as a shopper and a computer user because both shopping enjoyment and perceived usefulness of the site strongly predict intention to return. Our results on unplanned purchases are not conclusive. We also test some individual and Web site factors that can affect the consumer's emotional and cognitive responses. Product involvement, Web skills, challenges, and use of value-added search mechanisms all have a significant impact on the Web consumer. The study provides a more rounded, albeit partial, view of the online consumer and is a significant steptowards a better understanding of consumer behavior on the Web. The validated metrics should be of use to researchers and practitioners alike.
The relationship of broiler breast color to meat quality and shelf-life

A total of three experiments were conducted to compare physical and microbiological properties of raw and marinated broiler breast fillets selected as being either lighter or darker than normal. Visibly light- and dark-colored breast fillets were divided into marinated and control groups, and vacuum-tumbled for 20 min at 4 C under 80 kPa pressure. Breast fillets from the four treatment groups were evaluated for shear values, raw and cooked meat pH, drip-loss, cook-loss, water-holding capacity, and 7 d psychrotrophic count. The light-colored fillets were significantly lighter, less red, and more yellow than the dark fillets. Lightness values increased when fillets were marinated. Moreover, the light fillets had a lower pH than dark fillets. The pH values of raw and cooked breast meat were related to meat color but not marination. Dark-colored fillets had significantly higher marination pick-up and a higher fraction of bound moisture and significantly lower drip and cook-loss. No differences were observed in shear values between color or marination treatments. There were no significant differences in psychrotrophic plate counts (PPC) or capacitance detection times (CDT) due to color or treatment at Day 1. After 7 d of storage at 4 C, PPC was significantly lower for marinated samples. No correlations were observed between pH and PPC, CDT, or odor. Based on these differences in physical and microbiological properties, further processors may consider separating breast fillets according to color.
The Impact of Conversational Navigational Guides on the Learning, Use, and Perceptions of Users of a Web Site

Knowledge management systems will presumably benefit from intelligent interfaces, including those with animated conversational agents. One of the functions of an animated conversational agent is to serve as a navigational guide that nudges the user how to use the interface in a productive way. This is a different function from delivering the content of the material. We conducted a study on college students who used a web facility in one of four navigational guide conditions: Full Guide (speech and face), Voice Guide, Print Guide, and No Guide. The web site was the Human Use Regulatory Affairs Advisor (HURAA), a web-based facility that provides help and training on research ethics, based on documents and regulations in United States Federal agencies. The college students used HURAA to complete a number of learning modules and document retrieval tasks. There was no significant facilitation of any of the guides on several measures of learning and performance, compared with the No Guide condition. This result suggests that the potential benefits of conversational guides are not ubiquitous, but they may save time and increase learning under specific conditions that are yet to be isolated.
Computer generation of symbolic kinematics for robot manipulators

Computer generation of symbolic solutions for the direct and inverse robot kinematics is a desired capability not previously available to robotics engineers. In this article, we present a methodology for the design of a software system capable of solving the direct and inverse kinematics for n degree of freedom (dof) manipulators in symbolic form. The inputs to the system are the Denavit-Hartenberg parameters of the manipulator. The outputs of the system are the direct and inverse kinematics solutions in symbolic form. The system consists of a symbolic processor to perform matrix and algebraic manipulations and an expert system to solve the class of nonlinear equations involved in the solution of the inverse kinematics problem. The system can be used to study robot kinematics configurations whose inverse kinematics solutions are not known to exist a priori. Two examples are included to illustrate its capabilities. The first example provides explicit analytical solutions, previously believed nonexistent, for a 3 dof manipulator. A second example is included for a robot whose inverse kinematics solution requires intensive algebraic manipulations.
Promoting African 'Owned and Operated' Development: A Reflection on The New Partnership for African Development (NEPAD)

Though a very recent new African international regime spearheaded by the 'Renaissance' foreign policy of a Post Apartheid African leadership, Africa's New Partnership for African Development (NEPAD) reflects important departures in 'African Affairs' policy, allowing for more integrated African development as well as for new forms of participation for the continent in the global economy.Nevertheless, while representing in theory and practice a long-standing debate across the continent on issues involving economic development and globalization, in 2001, during the incipient stages of NEPAD's establishment, the general sentiment toward its goal as a continental 'self reliant' path to development – 'owned' by Africans – was heavily criticized by African policy analysts. The criticism charged that because NEPAD followed a development strategy that relied on global capital and dependent development, its objectives were doomed to fail despite the document's pan nationalistic intentions.The current article explores the extent to which NEPAD's ideological vision to combine collective political nationalism ushered in by the African Renaissance with economic globalization is plausible and achievable as a viable and realizable response to the world's poorest continent's millennium development goals. The article further analyzes the intellectual roots of NEPAD's G-8 induced African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) revealing the shortcomings of approaching African development from the global hegemony of democracy and good governance.The article thus concludes alternatively that NEPAD's winning strategy may come from the development blueprint's emerging status as a continental regional institution driven by a renewed pan Africanist ideology.
Using passive object garbage collection algorithms for garbage collection of active objects

With the increasing use of active object systems, agents and concurrent object oriented languages like Java, the problem of garbage collection (GC) of unused resources has become more complex. Since active objects are autonomous computational agents, unlike passive object systems the criterion for identifying garbage in active objects cannot be based solely on reachability from a root set. This has led to development of specialized algorithms for GC of active objects. We reduce the problem of GC of active objects to that of passive objects by providing a transformation of the active object reference graph to a passive object reference graph so that if a garbage collector for a passive object system is applied to the transformed graph, precisely those objects are collected which correspond to garbage objects in the original active object reference graph. The transformation technique enables us to reuse the algorithms already developed for passive objects systems. We provide a proof of correctness of the transformation and discuss its cost. An advantage of the transformation is that it can prove valuable for mixed systems of active and passive objects by providing a common approach to GC.
Acinic cell carcinoma of breast: morphologic and immunohistochemical review of a rare breast cancer subtype

Acinic cell carcinoma of breast is a rare subtype of triple-negative breast carcinoma and demonstrates extensive morphologic overlap with acinic cell carcinoma of the salivary gland. In this study, we perform a detailed morphologic and immunohistochemical description of 2 cases of this rare entity and undertake a comprehensive review of all reported cases of breast acinic cell carcinoma in the English language literature to date. One-third of reported cases of breast acinic cell carcinoma have been associated with the presence of a ductal carcinoma not otherwise specified component, which is frequently poorly differentiated. Breast acinic cell carcinoma can demonstrate focal morphologic features similar to microglandular adenosis; these areas are frequently negative for collagen IV and laminin on immunohistochemistry. The true relationship between these 2 entities remains unclear, but we advocate that microglandular adenosis-like areas at the periphery of a breast acinic cell carcinoma should be considered part of the carcinomatous process and re-excised if this process extends to the initial surgical margins.
Threats to the scientific status of experimental consumer psychology: A Darwinian perspective

Multiple scandals involving falsified experimental data have shaken the discipline of social psychology, and by extension, the kinds of consumer and marketing research that rely on it. A methodology thought to have unassailable scientific credentials—the statistical analysis of controlled laboratory experiments—emerges as peculiarly vulnerable to falsity, for reasons that can be traced back to selective pressure during journal publication. This article argues that absent a fundamental change in publication criteria, false experimental findings are likely to multiply over time. Alternative solutions to the multiplication of false findings are evaluated, and a recommendation to abolish journal scarcity, and thereby relieve selective pressure, is offered as the solution best able to attack the problem at its root.
Excretion of urinary N-C14-methyl morphine and pulmonary C14O2 in the monkey and dog after subcutaneous injection of the labelled drug.

The results of urinary excretion and C/sup 14/O/sub 2/ elimination experiments in dogs and monkeys receiving 2.0 mg/kg of N-C/sup 14/-methyl morphine, subcutaneously, were as follows: dogs excreted 13 to 15% of the total dose as free morphine and 48 to 52% as conjugated morphine and about 0.2% as exhaled C/sup 14/O/sub 2/. Monkeys excreted 6 to 14% as free morphine and 55 to 71% as conjugated morphine and about 1% as exhaled C/sup 14/O/sub 2/. (auth)
Design and Synthesis of a Series of Nitrogen-Rich Energetic Cocrystals of 5,5′-Dinitro-2H,2H′-3,3′-bi-1,2,4-triazole (DNBT)

A series of three energetic cocrystals containing 5,5′-dinitro-2H,2H′-3,3′-bi-1,2,4-triazole (DNBT) were obtained. These incorporate a class of energetic materials that has seen significant synthetic work, the azole family (tetrazoles, triazole, pyrazole, etc.), and yet have struggled to see broad application. A cocrystal was obtained with the triazole 5-amino-3-nitro-1H-1,2,4-triazole (ANTA) in a stoichiometry of 2:1 (ANTA:DNBT). Two cocrystals were obtained with the pyrazoles 1H,4H-3,6-dinitropyrazolo[4,3-c]pyrazole (DNPP) and 3,4-dinitropyrazole (3,4-DNP) in ratios of 1:1 (DNPP:DNBT) and 2:1 (3,4-DNP:DNBT). All three cocrystals, 2:1 ANTA/DNBT (1), 1:1 DNPP/DNBT (2), and 2:1 3,4-DNP/DNBT (3), have high densities (>1.800 g/cm3) and high predicted detonation velocities (>8000 m/s). In small-scale impact drop tests, cocrystals 1 and 2 were both found to be insensitive, whereas cocrystal 3 possesses sensitivity between that of its two pure components 3,4-DNP and DNBT. The hydrogen bonding motif of the three...
Plane Waves in 3D Periodic Distributions of Particles with High-Order Multipole Polarizabilities

Plane wave propagation in 3D periodic arrays of particles with high-order multipole polarizabilities is studied by generalizing the method for dipole scatterer arrays, based on the relationship between the local field and the induced multipoles.
Analysis on epidemiological features of patients with epidemic cerebrospinal meningitis in Quzhou from 1985 to 2010

Objective To study the epidemiological characteristics of epidemic cerebrospinal meningitis and to provide scientific evidence for the prevention.Methods Descriptive epidemiological analysis was conducted for the data collected from 1985 to 2010.Results A total of 985 patients with epidemic cerebrospinal meningitis including 39 deaths were reported in Quzhou city over a 26 year period,among which 877(89.04%) patients were diagnosed from 1985 to 1990.Most cases appeared from February to April and were children under 15 years old,followed by farmers and students.Conclusions Although the epidemiological study indicated that the number of patients with epidemic cerebrospinal meningitis decreased gradually from 1985 to 2010,the high risk of the infection still exists because of presence of healthy carriers.
Stability of Spatial Distributions of Stink Bugs, Boll Injury, and NDVI in Cotton

A 3-yr study was conducted to determine the degree of aggregation of stink bugs and boll injury in cotton, Gossypium hirsutum L., and their spatial association with a multispectral vegetation index (normalized difference vegetation index [NDVI]). Using the spatial analysis by distance indices analyses, stink bugs were less frequently aggregated (17% for adults and 4% for nymphs) than boll injury (36%). NDVI values were also significantly aggregated within fields in 19 of 48 analyses (40%), with the majority of significant indices occurring in July and August. Paired NDVI datasets from different sampling dates were frequently associated (86.5% for weekly intervals among datasets). Spatial distributions of both stink bugs and boll injury were less stable than for NDVI, with positive associations varying from 12.5 to 25% for adult stink bugs for weekly intervals, depending on species. Spatial distributions of boll injury from stink bug feeding were more stable than stink bugs, with 46% positive associations among paired datasets with weekly intervals. NDVI values were positively associated with boll injury from stink bug feeding in 11 out of 22 analyses, with no significant negative associations. This indicates that NDVI has potential as a component of site-specific management. Future work should continue to examine the value of remote sensing for insect management in cotton, with an aim to develop tools such as risk assessment maps that will help growers to reduce insecticide inputs.
Schizencephaly and Behavioral Correlates

The MRI appearance and neuropsychologic and speech/language evaluations in three patients with schizencephaly are described from the Department of Radiology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI.
The Seattle Midlife Women’s Health Study: a longitudinal prospective study of women during the menopausal transition and early postmenopause

The need for longitudinal, population-based studies to illuminate women’s experiences of symptoms during the menopausal transition motivated the development of the Seattle Midlife Women’s Health Study. Longitudinal, population-based study of symptoms women experienced between the Late Reproductive stage of reproductive aging and the early postmenopause. Data collection began in 1990 with 508 women ages 35–55 and continued to 2013. Entry criteria included age, at least one period in past 12 months, uterus intact and at least 1 ovary. Women were studied up to 5 years postmenopause. Data collection included yearly health questionnaires, health diaries, urinary hormonal assays, menstrual calendars and buccal cell smears. Contributions of the study included development of a method for staging the menopausal transition; development of bleeding criteria to differentiate bleeding episodes from intermenstrual bleeding from menstrual calendars; identification of hormonal changes associated with menopausal transition stages; assessment of the effects of menopausal transition factors, aging, stress-related factors, health factors, social factors on symptoms, particularly hot flashes, depressed mood, pain, cognitive, sexual desire, and sleep disruption symptoms, and urinary incontinence symptoms; identification of naturally occurring clusters of symptoms women experienced during the menopausal transition and early postmenopause; and assessment of gene polymorphisms associated with events such as onset of the early and late menopausal transition stages and symptoms. Over the course of the longitudinal Seattle Midlife Women's Health Study, investigators contributed to understanding of symptoms women experience during the menopausal transition and early postmenopause as well as methods of staging reproductive aging.
Regulation of Pyruvate Dehydrogenase Kinase 4 in the Heart through Degradation by the Lon Protease in Response to Mitochondrial Substrate Availability.

Cardiac metabolic inflexibility is driven by robust up-regulation of pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase 4 (PDK4) and phosphorylation-dependent inhibition of pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH) within a single day of feeding mice a high fat diet. In the current study, we have discovered that PDK4 is a short lived protein (t½ ∼ 1 h) and is specifically degraded by the mitochondrial protease Lon. Lon does not rapidly degrade PDK1 and -2, indicating specificity toward the PDK isoform that is a potent modulator of metabolic flexibility. Moreover, PDK4 degradation appears regulated by dissociation from the PDH complex dependent on the respiratory state and energetic substrate availability of mouse heart mitochondria. Finally, we demonstrate that pharmacologic inhibition of PDK4 promotes PDK4 degradation in vitro and in vivo. These findings reveal a novel strategy to manipulate PDH activity by selectively targeting PDK4 content through dissociation and proteolysis.
Quantum channel construction with circuit quantum electrodynamics

Quantum channels can describe all transformations allowed by quantum mechanics. We adapt two existing works [S. Lloyd and L. Viola, Phys. Rev. A 65, 010101 (2001) and E. Andersson and D. K. L. Oi, Phys. Rev. A 77, 052104 (2008)] to superconducting circuits, featuring a single qubit ancilla with quantum nondemolition readout and adaptive control. This construction is efficient in both ancilla dimension and circuit depth. We point out various applications of quantum channel construction, including system stabilization and quantum error correction, Markovian and exotic channel simulation, implementation of generalized quantum measurements, and more general quantum instruments. Efficient construction of arbitrary quantum channels opens up exciting new possibilities for quantum control, quantum sensing, and information processing tasks.
Jak w zaprojektowanym Wszechświecie zdefiniować to, co niezaprojektowane

The argument from design, recast today in the Intelligent Design movement, relies critically on the contrast of designed things with undesigned things. This poses a problem for Christians, however, because they affirm that God designed the whole universe. How then can we call anything undesigned? I argue that this problem is equivalent to the problem of free will, or the problem of moral evil, and as such can be addressed by the same philosophical frameworks developed in the past for addressing those issues, in particular the notions of different levels of description and Augustine’s different levels of giftedness.
Stepwise inference of likely dynamic flux distributions from metabolic time series data.

Motivation Most metabolic pathways contain more reactions than metabolites and therefore have a wide stoichiometric matrix that corresponds to infinitely many possible flux distributions that are perfectly compatible with the dynamics of the metabolites in a given dataset. This under-determinedness poses a challenge for the quantitative characterization of flux distributions from time series data and thus for the design of adequate, predictive models. Here we propose a method that reduces the degrees of freedom in a stepwise manner and leads to a dynamic flux distribution that is, in a statistical sense, likely to be close to the true distribution. Results We applied the proposed method to the lignin biosynthesis pathway in switchgrass. The system consists of 16 metabolites and 23 enzymatic reactions. It has seven degrees of freedom and therefore admits a large space of dynamic flux distributions that all fit a set of metabolic time series data equally well. The proposed method reduces this space in a systematic and biologically reasonable manner and converges to a likely dynamic flux distribution in just a few iterations. The estimated solution and the true flux distribution, which is known in this case, show excellent agreement and thereby lend support to the method. Availability and implementation The computational model was implemented in MATLAB (version R2014a, The MathWorks, Natick, MA). The source code is available at https://github.gatech.edu/VoitLab/Stepwise-Inference-of-Likely-Dynamic-Flux-Distributions and www.bst.bme.gatech.edu/research.php . Contact mojdeh@gatech.edu or eberhard.voit@bme.gatech.edu. Supplementary information Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Social Support and Health-Related Quality of Life Among Low-Income Women: Findings from Community-Based Participatory Research.

Objectives This study examined the association between social support and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among low-income women in the southeastern region of the United States. Methods Analysis was performed on data from a community needs assessment survey that was designed to explore social determinants of health and QoL indicators using a community-based participatory research approach. The study sample comprised 132 women aged 18 years old and older. Bivariate analysis and logistic regressions with bootstrapping were performed. Results Social support was predictive of physical and mental HRQoL in a contrasting fashion, suggesting a complex relation. Other social determinants of global HRQoL independent of social support status include marital and employment status, maternal age, and income. Our results also demonstrate complex interaction patterns across race, social support, and HRQoL. Conclusions The linkage between social support and HRQoL may not be a simple relation, as previously assumed. Rather, it is characterized by multifaceted interactions through which social determinants of health modulate the impact of social support on HRQoL. These are new findings.
P-209 Communication – how to make it clearer

The Issue We needed cost effective in-house communication skills education to suit all levels of staff and volunteers to ensure they had the knowledge, skills and confidence to communicate effectively with patients, their families and with each other. Why it is important All of our staff and volunteers will at some time be supporting people in distress. Clinical staff often have ‘big’ conversations with their patients – breaking bad news etc. They can only do this if they have the right communication skills and the confidence to use them. What was done We developed a three- tier programme of interactive communication skills workshops called CLEARER. Communication CARE A two-hour workshop at an introductory level to develop basic skills for communicating compassionately and sensitively with others. CLEAR A four-hour workshop at a foundation level to develop skills to hold clear, sensitive and honest conversations about care options, explore patient experiences, needs, priorities and choices. CLEAREST A full day workshop at an intermediate level aimed at qualified clinical staff that develops skills reflecting, analysing and applying communication strategies to ensure effective compassionate conversations in challenging circumstances. Workshops have been delivered regularly since 2013. Evaluation Participants completed post workshop evaluations and were observed in practice using their skills. Outcomes Staff reported increased confidence in having ‘big’ conversations and supporting people in distress. Feedback form patients and their families indicates staff and volunteers do communicate effectively and compassionately. Future The demand for workshops from outside the hospice exceeded the capacity to provide them. To address this issue we have worked with our Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) who were looking to provide communication skills education to people working in health and social care. The CCGs are adopting our CLEARER Communication Programme and supporting the training of facilitators to deliver the workshops.
Remote Connectivity to Cisco Router

This chapter explains the steps to configure remote connectivity to the router. This chapter starts by explaining SSH configuration. This chapter then explains how to protect Telnet/SSH sessions with passwords only and how to protect them with a username and a password. Finally, this chapter explains the steps to configure an Access-list to prevent Telnet/SSH sessions from being initiated from and untrusted source even if they had access to the username and password. This chapter includes four training scenarios.
Indirect land use change from ethanol production: the case of sugarcane expansion at the farm level on the Brazilian Cerrado

ABSTRACTThe expansion of sugarcane production in the Brazilian Cerrado has resulted in indirect land use change (ILUC), occurring when displaced land uses in one location are reallocated to another. Studies, however, usually identify ILUC at the regional or national level far from the original area of a displaced land use. This study examines the occurrence of ILUC due to sugarcane expansion for ethanol production at the farm level in the Brazilian Cerrado. It fills a gap in the literature by examining socioeconomic, policy and farm-level factors that influence ILUC at the farm level in the Brazilian Cerrado using face-to-face enumerated surveys. Results indicate that ILUC did occur at the farm (producer) scale and farmers who undertook ILUC intensified agricultural production on their farms. Results inform policymakers on how the intensification of agricultural practices may make it potentially difficult to keep protected lands out of production, reducing the environmental benefits from sugarcane-based b...
On the promotion of human flourishing

Many empirical studies throughout the social and biomedical sciences focus only on very narrow outcomes such as income, or a single specific disease state, or a measure of positive affect. Human well-being or flourishing, however, consists in a much broader range of states and outcomes, certainly including mental and physical health, but also encompassing happiness and life satisfaction, meaning and purpose, character and virtue, and close social relationships. The empirical literature from longitudinal, experimental, and quasiexperimental studies is reviewed in attempt to identify major determinants of human flourishing, broadly conceived. Measures of human flourishing are proposed. Discussion is given to the implications of a broader conception of human flourishing, and of the research reviewed, for policy, and for future research in the biomedical and social sciences.
Framing Egg Donation: A Dichotomous Split

ABSTRACTReproductive medicine has depended upon the altruistic motivations of women to donate eggs. Donors are lauded for these self-sacrificing actions but are treated as a product during the selection and donation process. This process highlights the contradictory behaviors as evidence to the dichotomous split of the definition of women as “virgins” or “whores,” by attracting women to donate as the former and treating them as the latter.