cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Autism spectrum disorders and inborn errors of metabolism: an update.

Abstract Background Autism spectrum disorder is characterized by social communicative deficits with restricted interests occurring in about 1% of the population. Although its exact cause is not known, several factors have been implicated in its etiology, including inborn errors of metabolism. Although relatively uncommon, these disorders frequently occur in countries with high rates of consanguinity and are often associated with behavioral problems, such as hyperactivity and aggression. The aim of this review is to examine the association of autism with these conditions. Method A computer-assisted search was performed to identify the most common inborn errors of metabolism associated with autism. Results The following disorders were identified: phenylketonuria, glucose-6-phosphatase deficiency, propionic acidemia, adenosine deaminase deficiency, Smith–Lemli–Opitz syndrome and mitochondrial disorders, and the recently described branched chain ketoacid dehydrogenase kinase deficiency. Conclusion The risk of autistic features is increased in children with inborn errors of metabolism, especially in the presence of cognitive and behavioral deficits. We propose that affected children should be screened for autism.
Epithelioid sarcoma and epithelioid hemangioendothelioma: an immunocytochemical and lectin-histochemical comparison.

Epithelioid sarcoma (ES) and epithelioid hemangioendothelioma (EH) both occur preferentially in the soft tissues, and may be confused with one another microscopically. We compared 8 examples of each tumor immunohistochemically, using formalin-fixed tissue, the ABC method, unconjugatedUlex europaeus I agglutinin (UEA), rabbit antibody to UEA, and monoclonal antibodies to epithelial membrane antigen (EMA), cytokeratin (CK), factor VIII-related antigen (FVIIIRAG), and blood group isoantigens A, B, and H (BGI). Six of 8 cases of ES, and 7 of 8 epithelioid hemangioendotheliomas bound UEA; similarly, 6 of 8 ES cases were reactive for BGI, as were 4 of 8 examples of EH. All epithelioid sarcomas were positive for CK, and 7 displayed EMA, whereas these antigens were lacking in EH. Conversely, 5 of 8 cases of EH contained FVIIIRAG, which was absent in all examples of ES. These findings underscore the nonspecificity of UEA-binding and BGI-expression as markers of endothelial differentiation. Moreover, they suggest that sole reliance upon these immunohistologic reactants for the identification of vascular tumors may result in diagnostic error. Inasmuch as ES and EH differ in biological behavior, such a mistake would be significant. Thus, we advocate the inclusion of immunostains for EMA, CK, and FVIIIRAG in the evaluation of histologically-similar cases of epithelioid sarcoma and epithelioid hemangioendothelioma.
A sufficient condition for the complete reducibility of the regular representation

The “Mackey machine” is heavily employed to prove the following theorem. Let G be a separable locally compact group. Suppose that every positive definite function p on G which vanishes at infinity is associated with the regular representation R, i.e., p(g) = (Rgϑ, ϑ) for some L2 function ϑ. Then R decomposes into a direct sum of irreducible representations. This generalizes the theorem of Figa-Talamanca for unimodular groups. Although we use his result several times, our techniques are basically very different, the most difficult part occurring in a connected Lie group context.
Patterns of venom synthesis and use in the fire ant, Solenopsis invicta

In the life of the fire ant, Solenopsis invicta, venom plays several important roles, including prey capture, defense, and antimicrobial action. Although this venom’s chemistry, pharmacology, and effects on humans have been extensively studied, its patterns of synthesis and use have not. We determined the ability of different-aged workers to synthesize venom, and measured the amount of venom workers delivered per sting. Newly eclosed workers contained little or no venom in their reservoirs. The rate of synthesis was highest in workers aged 1 day after adult eclosion (1.17 mg venom/day for workers with headwidths of 1 mm), declined by 75% in workers aged 15 days (0.30 mg venom/day), and was negligible thereafter. Inducing ants to sting dummies as surrogates for humans, workers were found to deliver an average of 0.66 nl per sting, amounting to 3.1% of the average individual venom supply. Older workers (foragers) delivered less venom per sting than mid-age workers (reserves) and venom dose from nest-defenders was 55% higher in the spring than in the rest of the year. Thus, fire ant venom synthesis is limited to early life, and injected venom dose appears to be modulated. Economic explanations for the observed venom-use patterns are discussed. q 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Henry Manne: Intellectual Entrepreneur

This Chapter in the book Pioneers of Law and Economics discusses the remarkable career of Henry Manne. Writing when there was a theory vacuum in legal academia, Manne breathed life into corporate law by using economic principles to formulate a sweeping new theory of the corporation. Then he took his show on the road with seminars, programs and ultimately a law school to create a market for his ideas. The Chapter shows that Manne was an entrepreneur not only in bringing people and ideas together, but also in the Schumpeterian sense Manne discussed in his work on insider trading - an active participant in the creative destruction of the existing paradigm rather than merely a manager of existing ideas. Manne's career demonstrates that, under the right conditions, a single scholar can leave noticeable ripples in the stream of intellectual history. By demonstrating that corporations, and by inference other important institutions, are best analyzed in market terms, and by creating an intellectual market for these and other economic ideas, Manne changed the way scholars, judges, regulators and others think about the role of law in society.
Effect of temperature on viability of sporangiospores of Rhizopus and Mucor species

The effect of storage temperature on viability of sporangiospores of Mucor and Rhizopus species has been studied. Sporangiospores of Rhizopus sexualis and R. stolonifer are very susceptible to chilling temperatures, but the rate of loss of viability is dependent on temperature, storage medium and initiation of germination. ‘Dormant’ spores of strains of R. sexualis are more susceptible than those of R. stolonifer. Sporangiospores of Mucor piriformis do not lose viability under any of the treatments during storage at temperatures as low as −1 °C for 3 weeks.
A Validation Methodology for Human Behavior Representation Models

The Department of Defense (DoD) relies heavily on mathematical models and computer simulations to analyze and acquire new weapon systems. Models and simulations help decision makers understand the differences between systems and provide insights into the implications of weapon system tradeoffs. Given this key role, the credibility of simulations is paramount. For combat models, this is gained through the verification, validation, and accreditation process required of DoD analytical models prior to their use in weapon systems acquisition and other studies. The nature of nondeterministic human behavior makes validation of models of human behavior representation contingent on the judgments of subject matter experts that are routinely acquired using a face validation methodology. In an attempt to better understand the strengths and weaknesses of assessing human behavior representation using experts and the face validation methodology, the authors conducted experiments to identify issues critical to utilizing human experts for the purpose of ascertaining ways to enrich the validation process for models relying on human behavior representation. The research was limited to the behaviors of individuals engaged in close combat in an urban environment. This paper presents the study methodology, data analysis, and recommendations for mitigating attendant problems with validation of human behavior representation models.
Intraoperative digital specimen mammography: a significant improvement in operative efficiency.

BACKGROUND: The goal of this study was to determine the length of operative time and its effect on surgeon productivity with the use of intraoperative digital specimen mammography (IDSM) compared to standard specimen mammography (SSM). METHODS: A retrospective chart review was performed on 344 consecutive patients from a single breast surgeon from 2003 to 2010. Operative time was compared between procedures using SSM vs IDSM. Surgeon productivity was evaluated by the number of wire-localized excisions performed prior to and after implementation of IDSM. RESULTS: Two hundred thirty patients underwent SSM and 114 underwent IDSM. Average operative time in the SSM group was 78 minutes vs 68 minutes in the IDSM group (P ,.0001). In the first 2 years after implementation of IDSM, the number of wire-localized excisions performed increased by 20%. CONCLUSIONS: Operative times were significantly shorter with the use of IDSM vs SSM, and this was associated with an increase in surgeon productivity.
Minimum vertex cover problem for coupled interdependent networks with cascading failures

Abstract This paper defines and analyzes a generalization of the classical minimum vertex cover problem to the case of two-layer interdependent networks with cascading node failures that can be caused by two common types of interdependence. Previous studies on interdependent networks mainly addressed the issues of cascading failures from a numerical simulations perspective, whereas this paper proposes an exact optimization-based approach for identifying a minimum-cardinality set of nodes, whose deletion would effectively disable both network layers through cascading failure mechanisms. We analyze the computational complexity and linear 0–1 formulations of the defined problems, as well as prove an LP approximation ratio result that generalizes the well-known 2-approximation for the classical minimum vertex cover problem. In addition, we introduce the concept of a “depth of cascade” (i.e., the maximum possible length of a sequence of cascading failures for a given interdependent network) and show that for any problem instance this parameter can be explicitly derived via a polynomial-time procedure.
The geological completeness of paleontological sampling in North America

A growing body of work has quantitatively linked many macroevolutionary patterns, including short- and long-term changes in biodiversity, rates of taxonomic extinction and origination, and patterns of extinction selectivity, to temporal variability in the sedimentary rock record. Here we establish a new framework for more rigorously testing alternative hypotheses for these and many other results by documenting the large-scale spatiotemporal intersection of the North American sedimentary rock and fossil records. To do this, we combined 30,387 fossil collections in the spatially explicit Paleobiology Database with a comprehensive macrostratigraphic database consisting of 18,815 sedimentary lithostratigraphic units compiled from 814 geographic regions distributed across the United States and Canada. The geological completeness of paleontological sampling, here defined as the proportion of the available sedimentary rock record that has been documented to have at least one fossil occurrence, irrespective of taxonomy or environment, is measured at four different levels of stratigraphic resolution: (1) lithostratigraphic rock units, (2) hiatus-bound rock packages, (3) regional stratigraphic columns, and (4) sediment coverage area (km2). Mean completeness estimates for 86 Phanerozoic time intervals (approximately stages; median duration 5.3 Myr) range from 0.18 per interval in the case of lithostratigraphic rock units to 0.23 per interval for stratigraphic columns and sediment coverage area. Completeness estimates at all four levels of stratigraphic resolution exhibit similar temporal variation, including a significant long-term increase during the Phanerozoic that is accentuated by an abrupt Campanian–Maastrichtian peak. This Late Cretaceous peak in completeness is approximately five times greater than the least complete Phanerozoic time intervals (Early Cambrian, Early Devonian, late Permian, and Early Cretaceous). Geological completeness in the Cenozoic is, on average, approximately 40% greater than in the Paleozoic. Temporal patterns of geological completeness do not appear to be controlled exclusively by variation in the frequency of subsurface rock units or an increase over time in the proportion of terrestrial rock, but instead may be general features of both the marine and terrestrial fossil records.
Nonparametric Bayesian inference on multivariate exponential families

We develop a model by choosing the maximum entropy distribution from the set of models satisfying certain smoothness and independence criteria; we show that inference on this model generalizes local kernel estimation to the context of Bayesian inference on stochastic processes. Our model enables Bayesian inference in contexts when standard techniques like Gaussian process inference are too expensive to apply. Exact inference on our model is possible for any likelihood function from the exponential family. Inference is then highly efficient, requiring only O (log N) time and O (N) space at run time. We demonstrate our algorithm on several problems and show quantifiable improvement in both speed and performance relative to models based on the Gaussian process.
Milk and Milk Products

The cow is the most efficient producer of milk. Cow’s milk is defined as “the lacteal secretion practically free from colostrum, obtained by the complete milking of one or more healthy cows, which contains not less than 8¼% of milk-solids-not-fat and not less than 3¼% of milkfat” (Federal Security Agency 1951). The average gross composition of cow’s milk is recorded as follows (Watt and Merrill 1963): water, 87%; fat, 3.6%; lactose, 4.9%; proteins, 3.5%; and ash (minerals), 0.7%.
Folate polyglutamate and monoglutamate accumulation in normal and SV40‐transformed human fibroblasts

Folate polyglutamate and monoglutamate accumulation was measured in normal diploid and SV40-transformed human fibroblasts by Sephadex G-10 gel filtration chromatography. The cells were first depleted of folates and then provided with limiting amounts of [3H]-folic acid in order that the cells would accumulate only forms of folate necessary for proliferation. Both the normal and the transformed cells accumulated monoglutamate and polyglutamate forms, but by 72 hours of labeling the transformed cells contained 3-10 times more polyglutamate than the normal cells. The growth rates for the normal and transformed cells were similar at this limiting folic acid concentration. Thus, if folate polyglutamates are more important for the proliferation of SV40-transformed cells than the normal cells, then inhibition of polyglutamate formation may be an important potential target for chemotherapy.
Tertiary sulfonium as a cationic functional group for hydroxide exchange membranes

Tertiary sulfonium is introduced as the cationic functional group for hydroxide exchange membranes (HEMs). The methoxyl-substituted triarylsulfonium functionalized HEM (i.e., PSf-MeOTASOH) exhibits excellent thermal stability (TOD: 242 °C), acceptable hydroxide conductivity (15.4 mS cm−1 at 20 °C), and good chemical stability. Our work shows that, similar to nitrogen and phosphorus, a sulfur element with designed side groups can also be used to construct HEM cationic functional groups.
The Structure and Characterization of [1,11-Bis(2-Hydroxybenzyl)-1,4,8,11-Tetraazaundecane]Iron(III) Perchlorate

The structure of an Fe(III) complex of reduced Schiff base is reported. The title compound, C21H30ClFeN4O6 (I), crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P21/n with cell constants: a = 9.988(2) A, b = 20.430(5) A, c = 11.415(3) A, β = 105.480(4)°. It contains a six-coordinate FeN4O2 cation where the ligand is a reduced Schiff base resulting from the NaBH4 reduction of the condensation product between salicylaldehyde and 1,4,8,11-tetraazaundecane. Due to the increased flexibility of the saturated backbone of the ligand compared to the Schiff base from which it was synthesized, the complex adopts a trans-FeN4O2 conformation. There is extensive hydrogen bonding between the amine H atoms and the anion O atoms. The structure of an Fe(III) complex of reduced Schiff base is reported which adopts a trans-FeN4O2 conformation where the ligand is a reduced hexadentate Schiff base resulting from the NaBH4 reduction of the condensation product between salicylaldehyde and 1,4,8,11-tetraazaundecane.
Bartonella sp. Bacteremia in Patients with Neurological and Neurocognitive Dysfunction

We detected infection with a Bartonella species (B. henselae or B. vinsonii subsp. berkhoffii) in blood samples from six immunocompetent patients who presented with a chronic neurological or neurocognitive syndrome including seizures, ataxia, memory loss, and/or tremors. Each of these patients had substantial animal contact or recent arthropod exposure as a potential risk factor for Bartonella infection. Additional studies should be performed to clarify the potential role of Bartonella spp. as a cause of chronic neurological and neurocognitive dysfunction.
Making It Real: Sim-School a Backdrop for Contextualizing Teacher Preparation

Researchers and teacher educators have called for contextualizing the learning of pedagogy and content within the complex context of schools. This account provides an overview of a web-based simulation called Sim-School © that provides a realistic framework for students to contextualize curricular decisions, differentiate instruction, and reflect on their practice. The Sim-School© project addresses the question: What new opportunities can technology provide to help education programs better prepare preservice teachers for the diversity of school settings and the array of challenges they will face in the future? Qualitative and quantitative results are discussed in the investigation of the project’s effectiveness.
Marketable Permits: What's all the Fuss About?

The command and control approach to government regulation of pollution is clearly not working for many problems. While the theoretical case for applying market mechanisms to control pollution as an alternative is persuasive, there are several stumbling blocks which arise in their application. This paper examines some of the key implementation issues which must be addressed in designing a marketable permit scheme. The issues are brought into focus by considering a particular example – the control of sulfur oxides emissions in Los Angeles.
Courtship and agonistic behavior in mouflon sheep

Abstract Although native to Corsica and Sardinia, mouflon sheep (Ovis orientalis musimon) have been widely introduced to other areas, including the United States. This study examines the courtship and agonistic behavior of 2 captive mixed-sex herds in west-central Texas, U.S.A. These herds were observed in large enclosures on game ranches during the autumn of 1980. Inter- or intra-sexual interactions consisted of one or more repeated behavioral postures (i.e. low stretch, twist, foreleg kick, sniff rear, urination, flehmen, mount, horn threat, chest push, neck fighting, head butt, clash, horn rubbing, chase). Ninety-five male-male, 63 female-female and 155 male-female interactions were observed. Low intensity agonistic displays (with total number of occurrences in the interactions given in paren-theses) such as foreleg kicks (154) and twists (141) were most frequently seen in male-male interactions. Although head butting (96) was commonly observed in male-male encounters, clashes (52) were also prominent. In female-female agonistic interactions, an unexpectedly high frequency of head butts (99) were regularly exhibited. Agonistic and courtship behavior patterns such as twist (131) and flehmen (106) were prominent in the behavior of males toward females. Although males would occasionally head butt a female (22), they seemed to inhibit clashing in their interactions with the hornless females. In most cases, female-female interactions were initiated by head butts (46) and male-male encounters began with either a head butt (23) or twist (18). Male-female interactions showed more variation in the behaviors which initiated the encounter, but usually began with a twist (39), flehmen (29) or low stretch (20) by the male. The observations of mouflon in this study conformed well with previous reports of sheep behavior.
A Comparative Evaluation of the Management of Learning Grid Applied to the Business Policy Learning Environment

Two independent sections completed the business policy course utilizing two different modes of learning. One section participated in a business game, studied business cases, and read assigned readings. The other section did not utilize readings but participated in the same game and cases. A pre- and post-test indicated significant levels of learning in both sections. No differences in conceptualization for the study and its interpretation are provided by the use of The Management of Learning Grid.
Explanation in Systems Biology: Is It All About Mechanisms?

As the mechanistic understanding of how biological systems function continues to become more refined, the power of scientists to manipulate and control them for the sake of achieving concrete practical goals increases. Proponents of the recent movement for a new mechanistic philosophy of biology have taken up the task of defining the theoretical conditions that would promote such understanding. In this paper, the case of systems biology serves to highlight some of the limitations of the explanatory models that are grounded on their philosophical accounts of mechanism. In light of the prominent role played by mechanisms in top-down and bottom-up systems biology, I argue that a purely mechanism-based framework that complies with the constraints stipulated by the new mechanists is adequate for producing useful explanations of biological phenomena in the context of the systems approach. Nevertheless, this framework remains limited in its capacity to carry out the comprehensive explanatory integration demanded for the holistic understanding of complex biological systems whose attainment constitutes systems biology’s most ambitious objective. In addition, in their current formulation the models endorsed by the new mechanists are not sufficient for capturing the rich explanatory pluralism that characterizes the practice of systems biology. The fact that a pragmatic view of the practice of systems biology reveals its pluralistic character suggests that moving beyond theoretical considerations provides useful insights into the nature of explanation. I propose, however, that philosophers do not need to make a choice between adopting either a theoretical or a pragmatic attitude: both perspectives contribute in a mutually complementary way to constructive thinking about explanation in biology.
Transforming global communication research with a view to the margins

This commentary makes the case for keeping marginal perspectives and experiences in clear view as we try to decenter the West/North in the field of global communication and social change. Otherwise, we risk replacing current blinders with new ones. To be truly relevant, we need to take into account the experiential reality of people who have historically been marginalized, but also those who continue to become marginalized by current economic and political forces, including neoliberal policies and practices. In addition, it will be useful to build upon existing bases of knowledge in the South within academia but also residing within marginalized communities. Such a grounded and reflexive approach promises to challenge our current perspectives and theories, harkening toward new paradigms.
Female Ownership and Firm Performance: Study of Informal Firms across Developing Countries

This study examines the relationship of female ownership with various performance indicators and willingness to register for informal (un-registered) firms. In addition, we study if the impacts of investment climate measures on firm performance differ for male-owned and female-owned firms. Using unique World Bank datasets that capture several firm and owner characteristics, and investment climate measures, we analyze firm level data across 14 developing countries across the world. We find female ownership has significant negative associations with total sales and labor productivity, a significant positive association with the number of female workers employed by the firm, and non- significant association with the probability of access to finance. The associated coefficients have high magnitudes, ranging from 20-40%. The relationship between female ownership and firm performance indicators vary by firm size and level of educational attainment of the firm’s largest owner. These findings are further supported by a series of robustness checks.
Breeding for biochemical quality traits of pearl millet fodder – A review

Pearl millet [Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br.] is a dual-purpose crop. A number of biochemical characters viz., oxalic acid content, crude protein %, crude fiber %, mineral %, ash %, calcium %, sugar content, fat % etc., have been reported in this crop to cause a great variation in quality of fodder. Various studies revealed that both additive and non additive components of variation were important for an the biochemical characters. Therefore, reciprocal recurrent selection appears to be the best approach for improvement of these biochemical quality traits of fodder in pearl millet. The improved populations developed through reciprocal recurrent selection may be exploited through development of composites and synthetics. The improved population may also be exploited by isolation of superior inbreeds with high SCA for various biochemical parameters. These inbreeds with high SCA may be used to develop hybrids.
Unspanned Macroeconomic Risks in Oil Futures

Recent research introduces macroeconomic data into bond pricing models; no studies to date do so for futures pricing models. This paper fills that gap by developing a macro-finance model for commodity futures. I find evidence that real economic activity is an important and unspanned factor in the oil futures market. Both risk premiums and oil price forecasts are materially altered by introducing the macroeconomic data into the model. The model yields a precise estimate of the cost of carry, which is 40% less volatile than the standard proxy and more strongly related to current and future inventory levels.
Factor XIa inhibitors: A review of the patent literature

ABSTRACTIntroduction: Anticoagulants are the mainstay for prevention and/or treatment of thrombotic disorders. Each clinically used anticoagulant is associated with significant adverse consequences, especially bleeding. Factor XIa (FXIa), a key factor involved in the amplification of procoagulation signal, has been suggested as a major target for anticoagulant drug discovery because of reduced risk of bleeding.Areas covered: Our literature search uncovered dozens of industrial and academic patents on the discovery of novel FXIa/FXI inhibitors. Small peptidomimetics, sulfated glycosaminoglycan mimetics, polypeptides, antisense oligonucleotides, and monoclonal antibodies have been developed as inhibitors of FXIa. Although many agents are in early discovery/development phases, the activity and safety of a few have been evaluated in various animal models and in humans.Expert opinion: FXIa is a promising drug target for development of effective anticoagulants with limited bleeding complications. Literature rev...
Robust privacy-preserving fingerprint authentication

This paper presents the first scalable, efficient, and reliable privacy-preserving fingerprint authentication based on minutiae representation. Our method is provably secure by leveraging the Yao's classic Garbled Circuit (GC) protocol. While the concept of using GC for secure fingerprint matching has been suggested earlier, to the best of our knowledge, no prior reliable method or implementation applicable to real fingerprint data has been available. Our technique achieves both accuracy and practicability by customizing a widely adopted minutiae-based fingerprint matching algorithm, Bozorth matcher, as our core authentication engine. We modify the Bozorth matcher and identify certain sensitive parts of this algorithm. For these critical parts, we create a sequential circuit description which can be efficiently synthesized and customized to GC using the TinyGarble framework. We show evaluations of our modified matching algorithm on a standard fingerprint database FVC2002 DB2 to demonstrate its reliability. The implementation of privacy-preserving fingerprint authentication using Synopsis Design Compiler on a commercial Intel processor shows the efficiency and scalability of the proposed methodologies.
Long-Term Incentives to Underperform in the Short Term

A firm's manager may choose to underperform in the short-term in order to boost subsequent pay: the apparent value of subsequent incentive compensation is diminished, requiring more overall pay to meet the manager's outside option. A greater weight on short-term compensation can counteract these incentives, provided liquidity constraints do not bind. Shifting to more long-term compensation, such as restricted stock and vesting conditions, generally worsens illiquidity and incentive compatibility problems. An extension considers reporting: managers have an incentive to under-report the firm's value, which can be remedied by granting short-term stock-based compensation.
Resolving Trademark Duality in the Twenty-First Century: Making Trademarks Internet-Ready

Quasi-market regulation tool, quasi-investment property; trademark's historical role as both consumer-information signifier and producer-investment asset has led to increasingly confusing treatment under US law. The potentially borderless markets of cyberspace, with their new marketing techniques and new competitive spaces, have only heightened this confusion. Instead of ignoring the dual nature of trademarks, it is time to acknowledge their evolved nature as both traditional reputation-based source designators and non-traditional information assets, and revise the law to reflect the different protection norms required for these two different types of “marks.” In short, it is time to recognize that a new type of trademark has developed – an asset-information mark whose uses and rights are distinctly different from the source designator function trademark law has traditionally protected.
Fatigue Behavior of Scs-6/Titanium/Titan1ium Aluminide Hybrid Laminated Composite

The fatigue behavior of the SCS-6 silicon carbide fiber-reinforced Ti-6Al-4V/Ti-25Al- 10Nb hybrid laminated composite was investigated at room temperature. The accumulation of fatigue damage in the form of matrix cracking was measured as a function of loading cycles and applied stress levels. The residual stiffness and residual tensile strength of the post-fatigued specimens were determined. The comparison of the crack growth behavior of the hybrid composite with both the SCS-6/Ti-6-4 and SCS-6/Ti-25-10 composites will also be discussed.
Genetic Algorithms for Shortest Path Routing of Autonomous Gliders

Onboard power resources pose inevitable limitations on the flight performance of any aerial vehicle regardless of its type, size or mission. Popular soaring techniques recognized to be providing significant energy savings are primarily based on climbing air currents with upward trends called thermals. Intelligent routing strategies yet need to be developed in order to increase the autonomy of the vehicles applying soaring flight methods. One of the main concerns associated with the thermals is their physical nature which requires addressing non-stationary rising air currents potentially drifting in time. In such dynamic applications the performance of the routing schemes evaluated a priori deviates from the optimal one. If the changes on the thermal map are accommodated using online soaring algorithms, an emerging discussion would be focused on the extent to which the prohibitive computational costs of these routing strategies can be supported. In this paper we propose a path planning algorithm serving the purpose of energy efficient soaring route generation with the requirements formulated in the form of a Vehicle Routing Problem (VRP). We define the flight mission of the autonomous aerial vehicle as reaching the assigned destination in minimum time with no expenditure of an onboard power supply and interpret this formulation as Shortest Path (SP) routing. Genetic Algorithms (GAs) based on the natural evolution paradigm are used to reach near-optimal solutions. Accordingly, the thermal locations are represented by the genes on the chromosomes describing the feasible thermal soaring routes. A specific problem scenario is presented for an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) where the flight path generated via GAs is compared to the solution reached by an available exact thermal soaring algorithm. Simulation results are provided to confirm the route reached by the GAs to be coinciding with the optimal route obtained by iterating the Floyd-Warshall (FW) Algorithm.
Effects of vicarious experiences of nature, environmental attitudes, and outdoor recreation benefits on support for increased funding allocations

ABSTRACTThis study examined the effects of vicarious experiences of nature, environmental attitudes, and recreation benefits sought by participants on their support for funding of natural resources and alternative energy options. Using a national scenic trail user survey, results demonstrated that vicarious experiences of nature influenced environmental attitudes and experiential benefits. Support for increased funding allocations was directly influenced by both attitudes and experiential benefits, though attitude was a stronger predictor than benefits. Vicarious educational experiences and funding support were not directly related, but the relationship was mediated via both attitudes and recreation benefits.
Endodontic Therapy, 6th ed.

Franklin S. Weine St. Louis, MO: Mosby, 2004. 630 pp. Illus., indexed. $95.00 hardcover ISBN 0-323-01943-9 The book is an excellent guide to everything one needs to know about endodontics. Its primary aim is to streamline the science of endodontics into an accessible format for undergraduate
ATP sensitive potassium channel openers: A new class of ocular hypotensive agents

ATP sensitive potassium (KATP) channels connect the metabolic and energetic state of cells due to their sensitivity to ATP and ADP concentrations. KATP channels have been identified in multiple tissues and organs of the body including heart, pancreas, vascular smooth muscles and skeletal muscles. These channels are obligatory hetero-octamers and contain four sulfonylurea (SUR) and four potassium inward rectifier (Kir) subunits. Based on the particular type of SUR and Kir present, there are several tissue specific subtypes of KATP channels, each with their own unique set of functions. Recently, KATP channels have been reported in human and mouse ocular tissues. In ex vivo and in vivo model systems, KATP channel openers showed significant ocular hypotensive properties with no appearance of toxic side effects. Additionally, when used in conjunction with known intraocular pressure lowering drugs, an additive effect on IOP reduction was observed. These KATP channel openers have also been reported to protect the retinal ganglion cells during ischemic stress and glutamate induced toxicity suggesting a neuroprotective property for this drug class. Medications that are currently used for treating ocular hypertensive diseases like glaucoma do not directly protect the affected retinal cells, are sometimes ineffective and may show significant side effects. In light of this, KATP channel openers with both ocular hypotensive and neuroprotective properties, have the potential to develop into a new class of glaucoma therapeutics.
Reserach on conjunct polymerization mechanism of PVC paste resins produced

Characteristics of conjunct polymerization process for PVC paste resins were introduced as well as the theoretical basis for the design of formula.Mechanisms for the suspension polymerization and microsuspension polymerization of vinyl chloride in the conjunct polymerization process were detailed.
How do you perform your hepatic arterial anastomosis? Traditional or straight?

Arterial complications are a major source of morbidity and mortality after orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT). The incidence of hepatic artery thrombosis (HAT) ranges from 1.6% to 8%, with a mortality rate that ranges from 11% to 35%. We have described herein a technique of arterial anastomosis aiming to perform the anastomosis as straight as possible to avoid any kinking, redundancy, or malposition of the artery when the liver is released in its final position. We compared this technique with the traditional technique of arterial anastomosis using an aortic Carrel patch, namely, 198 OLT (group A) with the traditional technique and 117 OLT (group B) with the modified technique. An aorto-hepatic bypass was necessary in 25% of the cases in group A and in 21% of the cases in group B (P = .33). Vascular anomalies were present in 20% of cases in group A and in 27.5% in group B (P = .14). Fourteen cases (7%) of HAT developed in group A versus 0 cases in group B (P = .003). In group B, we experienced 2 (1.7%) late arterial stenoses that were successfully treated using percutaneous transluminal angioplasty. The 14 cases of HAT occurring in group A were successfully managed using immediate surgical revascularization with graft salvage in 6 cases (43%), whereas the remaining 8 cases needed urgent retransplantation. We suggest that a technique of arterial anastomosis aimed at avoiding kinking, redundancy, or malposition of the artery may be a viable option to reduce the risk of HAT after OLT.
Etiological study on cases with viral diarrhea in Ningxia during 2011

Objective To investigate the etiological characteristics of human rotavirus （HRV）,human calicivirus （HuCV）,human astrovirus （HAstV） and human enteral adenovirus （HAdV）in Ningxia province during 2011. Methods Stool specimen was collected from acute diarrhea case of Ningxia during 2011. HRV was detected by ELISA and serotype/genotype identified on those RT-PCR positive specimens. HuCV,HAstV and HAdV were detected by RT-PCR. Results In this study,a total of 690 specimens were detected,with the infection rates of HRV,HuCV,HAstV and HAdV as 2.17%,21.74%,3.19%and 6.52%,respectively. Co-infections were found in 4.20%of all the samples being tested. Among 15 HRV positive cases,serotypes G1,G3 and P[4]were the most predominant strains. Conclusion Children who were under 2 years of age were the majority among patients infected by diarrhea viruses while HuCV was recognized as the main pathogen responsible for the viral diarrhea casses in Ningxia,2011. Key words: Viral diarrhea; Human rotavirus; Human calicivirus; Human astrovirus; Human enteral adenovirus
The indoleamine melatonin as a free radical scavenger, electron donor, and antioxidant. In vitro and in vivo studies.

Following its discovery in bovine pineal tissue in the late 1950s (Lerner et al, 1958) melatonin was functionally linked to the reproductive system (Hoffman and Reiter, 1965). Soon after its discovery, the pineal gland, which is a primary source for circulating melatonin, was shown to be functionally dependent on the photoperiodic cycle (Quay, 1964; Snyder et al., 1964), found to regulate photoperiod-mediated reproductive physiology (Czyba et al., 1964; Hoffman and Reiter, 1965, Reiter, 1973), and shown to depend on its sympathetic innervation for its activity (Reiter and Hester, 1966).
The Manager as Office Executive: Emotivism Embodied in a Character

MacIntyre’s account of the manager focuses on the office executive, that is, the bureaucrat. MacIntyre has in mind the career professional, appointed on the basis of certifiable qualifications and compensated accordingly, charged with managing a specific, limited area according to written policies and rules, and applying those in an impersonal manner within a hierarchical structure. To understand more deeply MacIntyre’s conception of this character, three of the sources that most influence his account of the bureaucratic manager are investigated: Marxism, British analytic philosophy, and the sociology of Max Weber. This character, criticized by MacIntyre, is virtually identical to the sort of executive praised by Milton Friedman in his famous article, “The Social Responsibility of Business Is to Increase Profits.”
Clothing and social movements: Tibet and the politics of dress

AbstractThe ‘cultural turn’ in social movement studies has brought a renewed outlook on new social movements and lifestyle movements. In this development on the symbolic challenge of contemporary movements, research has expanded to both music and art. However, little is known about the role of clothing in movements and how activists use it for social change. In making the case for a greater consideration of clothing’s tactical use in identity work, this paper explores the case of the Tibetan Lhakar movement. I argue that for Lhakar activists, clothing is the materialization of the political consciousness of the movement and symbolically acts as a mechanism of communication in shaping its political goals. By using social media to observe individualized collective actions of wearing Tibetan clothing, the paper demonstrates how activists frame and create new political opportunity structures for civic participation in a one party state that controls all speech and movement.
Stressed snakes strike first: Hormone levels and defensive behavior in free ranging cottonmouths (Agkistrodon piscivorus).

Abstract Stress is believed to be an important factor mediating animal behavior. Here we explore the relationship between concentrations of a stress hormone and defensive behavior of a snake. The cottonmouth (Agkistrodon piscivorus) is an abundant, large-bodied pitviper that is well known for its intense defensive behaviors. The defensive behaviors and hormonal ecology of cottonmouths have been studied extensively, but the interaction between these is not well understood. We conducted field trials, recording the snake’s behavior and obtaining blood samples to quantify plasma CORT concentrations, both upon first encountering a snake and after a 30 min standardized confinement stressor. We found that snakes with elevated levels of baseline CORT at first encounter were more likely to strike than exhibit a threat display when approached in the field. However, this behavior was not related to the magnitude of the snake’s CORT increase following confinement, suggesting that more stress-prone snakes are not more defensive. Post-stressor antipredator behavior was also not related to any of our CORT measures. This study suggests that baseline CORT levels can be important correlates of defensive behavior. If this is a causative relationship, environmental challenges that increase baseline stress levels of populations may elevate cottonmouth defensive behavior. This would increase costs associated with defensive behavior (energetic, lost opportunity, etc.) and have important consequences for animal-human interactions.
Impedance Spectroscopy Screening of Various Nanocrystalline Metal Oxides: Effect of Lithiation on Electrical Properties

The electronic and crystalline properties of solid complex materials dictate performance in electrochemical applications, such as electrodes or solid electrolytes in solid-state lithium ion power systems. Herein, we perform variable-temperature two-electrode impedance spectroscopy on a variety of nanocrystalline metal oxides to investigate their relative total conductivities and the kinetics of vacancy formation. Lithiated and unlithiated first-row transition metal oxides (manganese, iron, cobalt, and nickel) with various crystal structures, surface areas, and morphologies were investigated. Characterization of these materials by XRD, SEM, and TEM was performed to investigate the physiochemical properties and changes imparted by chemical lithiation, specifically on the textural properties. Activation energies derived from Arrhenius plots were found to vary between 17 and 33 kJ mol−1 for the systems studied. Lithiated nickel oxide was observed to provide the lowest activation energy and highest conductivity of the studied systems. The relatively low electrical conductivity suggests conductive additives must be used to facilitate electron transfer in electrodes for these materials; however, the improved conductivity compared to nonporous “bulk” commercial oxide systems suggests these to be promising active materials for electrochemical applications.
Lipid bodies containing oxidatively truncated lipids block antigen cross-presentation by dendritic cells in cancer

Cross-presentation is a critical function of dendritic cells (DCs) required for induction of antitumor immune responses and success of cancer immunotherapy. It is established that tumor-associated DCs are defective in their ability to cross-present antigens. However, the mechanisms driving these defects are still unknown. We find that impaired cross-presentation in DCs is largely associated with defect in trafficking of peptide-MHC class I (pMHC) complexes to the cell surface. DCs in tumor-bearing hosts accumulate lipid bodies (LB) containing electrophilic oxidatively truncated (ox-tr) lipids. These ox-tr-LB, but not LB present in control DCs, covalently bind to chaperone heat shock protein 70. This interaction prevents the translocation of pMHC to cell surface by causing the accumulation of pMHC inside late endosomes/lysosomes. As a result, tumor-associated DCs are no longer able to stimulate adequate CD8 T cells responses. In conclusion, this study demonstrates a mechanism regulating cross-presentation in cancer and suggests potential therapeutic avenues.
Advancing Forest-Related Adaptation: Options for Adaptation-Oriented REDD+

The single most promising legal and political opportunity for simultaneously preserving tropical forests and combating climate change in the near future is the developing REDD+ mechanism (for summaries of REDD+ proposals see Parker et al. 2009). REDD+ has been understood primarily, if not exclusively, as a mitigation mechanism by most commentators because it has the potential to significantly reduce the nearly 20 % of global greenhouse gas emissions attributable to the forest and land use sector. However, as REDD+ becomes established, it will inevitably have a significant impact on adaptation in tropical forest regions. This impact will not necessarily be beneficial, but design choices made now—in the early stages of REDD+ development—can shape the mechanism to become a profoundly valuable instrument for advancing adaptation in tropical forest countries (for in-depth discussion see Long 2011; for a discussion focusing on biodiversity benefits see Long 2009). This chapter discusses the options for designing REDD+ to maximize adaptation benefit while retaining its mitigation value.
Identifying Urban-Rural Linkages: Tests for Spatial Effects in the Carlino-Mills Model

A continuing interest of regional scientists is the development of econometric models for the identification of local characteristics associated with regional growth (e.g., Carlino and Mills, 1987; Thurston and Yezer, 1994; Boarnet, 1994a). Recent advances in spatial econometrics and geographic information systems (GIS) enhance the reliability of small region growth models by incorporating the influences of spatial linkages on the local development process (e.g., Anselin, 1988b; Anselin and Florax, 1995b). Modeling the influence of spatial linkages along with local characteristics appears most beneficial in studies of small area economic change where inter-area spillovers may be extensive. For example, economic and population change in the “edge cities” of urban complexes may affect development of nearby rural areas.