cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
EFFECTS OF CYCLOPROPANOID AND CYCLOPROPENOID FATTY ACIDS ON GROWTH OF PINK BOLLWORM, BOLLWORM AND TOBACCO BUDWORM

The effects of dietary methyl esters of cyclopropanoid and cyclopropenoid fatty acids on the growth of larvae of the pink bollworm, Pectinophora gossypiella, the bollworm, Heliothis zea and the tobacco budworm, Heliothis virescens, was investigated. The major cotton cyclopropenoid, malvalate, had an ED50 of 0.28% for larvae of P. gossypiella, 0.64% for larvae of H. zea and 0.66% for larvae of H. virescens. Cyclopropenoids at 0.5% in the diet delayed pupation of H. zea larvae and reduced % pupation but did not affect pupal weight or viability. The fatty acid composition of larvae unable to pupate is much higher in stearic acid and lower in palmitoleic acid than that of control larvae. This indicates inhibition of desaturation enzymes. The significance of cyclopropenoids in cotton for insects feeding on cotton plants is discussed. ZUSAMMENFASSUNG Effekte von Cyclopropan- und Cyclopropenfettsauren der Baumwolle auf die Entwicklung von Pectinophora gossypiella, Heliothis zea und H. virescens Die Mengen von Methylester der Cyclopropan- und Cyclopropenfettsauren in Baumwolle, die notig sind um die Grosse gezuchteter Pectinophora gossypiella, Heliothis zea und H. virescens Larven bis auf 50% derjenigen von Kontrolllarven zu hemmen, wurden bestimmt. Fur die wichtigere Cyclopropenfettsaure, die Malvensaure, war die Ed50 0.28% fur P. gossypiella, 0.64% fur H. zea und 0.66% fur H. virescens. H. zea Larven, die mit einer 0.5% Cyclopropenfettsauren enthaltenden Diat gefuttert waren, zeigten eine Verzogerung der Puppenbildung und eine Verminderung der Puppenbildung, aber keine Veranderung der Puppengrosse oder der Puppenlebensfahigkeit. Larven, die nicht zur Puppenbildung fahig waren, enthielten mehr Stearinsaure und weniger Palmitolsaure als Kontrolllarven. Das deutet auf eine Hemmung von Desaturationsenzymen hin. Die Bedeutung von Cyclopropenverbindungen in der Baumwolle fur Insekten, die sich von diesen Pflanzen ernahren, wird diskutiert.
Genetic Diversity of Widely Used U.S. Sorghum Hybrids 1980–2008

Sixty-three sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] hybrids that are, or have been, widely used in the United States were profiled using 167 simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers. Genetic distance and cluster analysis determined that 43 (68%) of the hybrids formed seven groupings, with each group containing hybrids commercialized by a single breeding organization. Groupings were also reflective of known pedigrees. Hybrids released by different organizations were not very closely associated with one exception of two hybrids. Groupings had limited association with the decade that the hybrid was released. Numbers of alleles per locus have been constant during the past three decades with gain in new alleles being balanced by loss of other alleles. Hybrids released during the 2000s showed the least number of new alleles compared to the previous two decades. Much of the SSR allelic diversity that was introduced via the Sorghum Conversion Program that converted tropical germplasm to be day-length neutral has been deployed on U.S. farms. Continued monitoring of genetic gain and genetic diversity are important components of sustainable plant breeding strategies.
Methodology for determining unfreezable water in protein suspensions by low-temperature NMR

Abstract The conventional reference standard (4.5 m LiCl, 0.01 m MnCl 2 ) for measuring unfreezable water by NMR was found to be unsuitable at temperatures below −32 °C because of partial freezing. An aqueous solution of 24.0% LiCl, 0.10% MnCl 2 , had suitable NMR properties and did not freeze at temperatures down to −50 °C. This solution had a water concentration of 48.5 m at −35 °C. The amount of unfrozen interfacial water, I , in an aqueous solution of 10% lysozyme, 0.19 m NaCl, 0.001 m KCl, 0.05 m m acetate, pH 4.9, was measured at −35 °C by NMR. During holding of the sample for 4 days at −35 °C, the I value decreased by 27%, approaching an asymptotic value, I A , of 0.33 g water/g lysozyme. The reduction of interfacial water (slow freezing of transition water) was consistent with first-order reaction kinetics.
Mechanism of native oat phytochrome photoreversion: a time-resolved absorption investigation.

The regulation of plant photomorphogenesis is mediated by the thermal reactions that follow light absorption by the phytochrome photoreceptor. Phytochromes are tetrapyrrolic chromoproteins that exist in two photochromically interconvertible forms, a red light absorbing species, Pr, and a far-red light absorbing form, Pfr. Upon irradiation with 670 nm light, the inactive, red light sensing Pr form is converted to the active Pfr form. Although the forward phototransformation has been studied extensively by several groups using various techniques, the Pfr → Pr photoreversion reaction that occurs upon irradiation with 730 nm light is not as thoroughly characterized. In this study, time-resolved absorption (TROD) spectroscopy is used to examine the intermediate species involved in the phytochrome photoreversion mechanism at 10 °C. Analysis of the TROD data identifies three species with lifetimes of 320 ns, 265 μs, and 5.5 ms. TROD results are described in terms of the simplest parallel and sequential kinetic m...
Linking genome structure and function through specific histone acetylation.

A recent publication shows that a simple chemical event, acetylation of lysine 16 on the histone H4 N-terminal tail domain (NTD), completely abolishes the ability of the H4 NTD to mediate the nucleosome–nucleosome interactions involved in chromatin condensation. This result provides novel insight into the molecular mechanism of histone acetylation and also implicates H4 K16acet-dependent changes in chromatin fiber architecture as a central mechanism for generating transcriptionally active genomic domains.
The health care needs of homeless and runaway youths.

To the Editor.— There are few patient populations more vulnerable than runaway adolescents.1Sexual and physical victimization, substance abuse, pregnancy, and human immunodeficiency virus infection (New York Times. October 8, 1989:A1) leave runaways in dire need of good medical care, not to mention psychosocial support. Yet the new report of the American Medical Association's Council on Scientific Affairs1chronicles a dearth of guidance for clinicians on how to meet the special needs of an often abused and wary teenager, whose relationship to other supposedly caring adults has frayed so badly that the bond is broken. Extensive work in medical ethics offers concrete guidance to help fill the gap the Council decries and suggests a vision of how the clinician-runaway relationship might work. For decades, scholars have advocated dismantling the traditional medical paternalism that ignores patients' rights. The vision urged instead has been one of patient self-determination in
A double discrete cosine quadrature coil design

Abstract A design for a simple, multiply tunable, high-field quadrature NMR coil is presented. The new quadrature design is achieved by combining the fields from two linear B 1 field discrete cosine coils at 90° in both space and time. This design has been termed the double discrete cosine quadrature coil. Calculations and measurements indicate that for a single-tuned version of the double discrete cosine quadrature coil, which requires only two tuning capacitors, nearly the complete quadrature advantage may be obtained. For the double-tuned version of the double discrete cosine quadrature coil, which requires only four tuning capacitors, calculations and measurements confirm that roughly 96% of the quadrature advantage is obtained at the lower operating frequency and roughly 80% of the quadrature advantage is obtained at the higher operating frequency, under both extreme filling and extreme loading conditions.
The distribution of invA, pagC and spvC genes among Salmonella isolates from animals.

New molecular diagnostic techniques often rely on hybridization or amplification of specific DNA regions to detect pathogenic bacteria. The choice of genes to be used as probes or as the targets of amplification techniques is critical to the success of these procedures. The genes so used might best be those associated with virulent isolates and having a wide distribution among such isolates. In this study three genes,invA, pagC andspvC, thought to be associated with the virulence of salmonellae, were labelled and used to probe the total DNA from 103Salmonella isolates from animals in an attempt to determine whether these genes might be useful in diagnostic procedures.pagC was detected in 99% of theSalmonella tested, andinvA was detected in 94.2% of the isolates. BothpagC andinvA were detected with a significantly higher frequency thanspvC in isolates from chickens and swine, but no significant difference in detection of these three genes occurred when bovine isolates were examined. Failure to detect any of these genes occurred in only one isolate. Isolates from apparently healthy or from clinically ill chickens and swine could not be distinguished by detecting these three genes. The genes were not detected in the non-Salmonella strains tested. These results suggest that, of these three genes,pagC may be the best choice for use as a probe or polymerase chain reaction target in future detection protocols.
Improved mucosal protection against Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus is induced by the molecularly defined, live-attenuated V3526 vaccine candidate

The genetically engineered, live-attenuated Venezuelan equine encephalitis (VEE) virus vaccine candidate, V3526, was evaluated as a replacement for the TC-83 virus vaccine. Protection from lethal subcutaneous or aerosol challenge was evaluated in vaccinated mice clinically and immunohistochemically. Subcutaneous administration of V3526 induced systemic and mucosal protection more efficiently than did the TC-83 vaccine. The bronchial IgA responses induced in mice by subcutaneous administration of vaccines significantly corresponded to the ability to survive aerosol challenge with virulent virus. Furthermore, V3526 delivered by aerosol induced more complete mucosal protection than either vaccine administered subcutaneously. The ability of V3526 to induce protection in mice warrants its consideration for further testing as a potential vaccine candidate for human use.
Photovoltaic effect in Au and Au-Fe microjunctions.

Recent work has shown that when a small conductor is exposed to a microwave electric field at low temperatures, a dc voltage is established. We have studied this photovoltaic (PV) erect as a function of magnetic field, H, in Au microjunctions, some of which were doped with small concentrations (typically ∼50 ppm) of Fe. In the pure (undoped) samples the PV erect was independent of the sign of H; i.e., it was an even function of H. In contrast, the doped junctions displayed a PV signal which was an odd function of the magnetic field
Training for end-user computing: are basic abilities enough for learning?

The goal of this paper is to emphasize that the design of effective end-user computing (EUC) training programs constitutes an important role to be undertaken by the MIS organization. Results of a study conducted under the EUC training/learning framework proposed by Bostrom et al (1986) are reported. The thesis of the framework is that a successful training program to teach EUC tools should be based on an integrated view of the training/learning process. It views learning as an ongoing process composed of two or more phases. The first phase - termed training -EF introduces the user to the tool.Subsequent to this initial period the user applies the tool on the job. Those phases are termed as problem solving phases. Three groups of variables are considered as relevant for each phase: the system/software to be learned, the training environment and the characteristic of the trainee. The interaction of these variables impact on the success of the learning and subsequent use of the tool by end-users.This study investigated the influence of basic cognitive abilities (representation of the trainee characteristic dimension) and training method (representation of the training environment dimension) on the learning of an EUC tool - IFPS. As proposed in the framework the basic abilities failed to substantially predict learning outcomes. However, differential outcomes for the training method were found.Based on the results, implications for the design of training procedures and future research directions are discussed.
Phasing of protein-induced DNA bends in a recombination complex

Many of the structures responsible for replication, transcription initiation and recombination arise from complex sets of protein-protein interactions and the folding of DNA in three dimensions, with protein-induced bending of DNA often playing an integral role. The magnitude and orientation of DNA bending induced by various single proteins has been estimated by gel mobility shift methods and by modelling of crystallographic data. The site-specific recombination by which bacteriophage lambda (phage lambda) integrates into the chromosome of its host Escherichia coli requires a host protein, 'integration host factor' (IHF), which is known to be able to bend the DNA to which it binds. To determine the three-dimensional path of DNA within the higher order structure responsible for phage lambda site-specific recombination, we have determined the relative direction of IHF-induced bending at each of the three binding sites within the complex. IHF, which appears to bend DNA by more than 140 degrees, is a major determinant of the DNA path in the recombination complex and is also involved in a wide range of other cellular events.
NerdHerder: designing for physical actions in an augmented reality puzzle game

Physical interfaces have been widely adopted in digital games. In our project, we research one such type of physical interface---handheld augmented reality interfaces, and aim to create an engaging and novel play experience. Designing such games requires us to combine knowledge from both Human-computer interaction and game design domains. In this paper, we present a few research questions that we raised or encountered during the process of designing and developing the handheld AR game NerdHerder. We also present our current solutions and answers to these questions. We are going to conduct user studies to understand how handheld AR games are played in the wild. We will release the game and let mobile device users play it in their natural environments. Through the process of designing and iterating NerdHerder, we call for more research that explores how to adopt HCI principles into game design.
Neurocognitive performance and functional disability in the psychosis prodrome.

Abstract Objective This study evaluates the pattern of neuropsychological deficits and their association with clinical symptomatology and social functioning in individuals identified as ultra-high-risk (UHR) for psychosis. Methods A sample of 45 UHR individuals was identified using the Structured Interview for Prodromal Syndromes (SIPS) from consecutive referrals to the Staglin Music Festival Center for the Assessment and Prevention of Prodromal States (CAPPS) at UCLA. Participants were administered a neurocognitive test battery, as well as measures of global (Strauss–Carpenter Outcome Scale) and social functioning (UCLA Social Attainment Survey). Results Participants showed significant deficits in speed of processing, verbal learning and memory, and motor speed. Poorer verbal learning and memory performance was significantly associated with poorer social functioning, and there was a trend for poorer performance on reasoning and problem solving to be associated with poorer global functioning. Verbal memory independently predicted social functioning over and above severity of negative symptoms. Cognitive deficits were not associated with severity of clinical symptomatology. Conclusions Despite the absence of fully psychotic symptoms, UHR individuals experience significant cognitive deficits, particularly on tasks requiring speeded information-processing and efficient recall from memory, and these deficits appear to be associated with functional disability in a manner parallel to that observed in patients with established psychotic illness.
School choice: The issues and the options

I would like to close with a plea for more research on the effects of competition and choice on the functioning of the education system. Despite the large proportion of national budgets devoted to education, the issue is only very rarely addressed. One important exception to this rule is Hoxby (1994). This paper uses instrumental variable econometric techniques to determine the independent effect of the existence of choice among public schools on per-pupil expenditure, educational productivity, average student performance, student educational attainment and post-graduation wages.
Effects of fiber misalignment and transverse shear modulus on localization and shear crippling instability in thick imperfect cross-ply rings under external pressure

Abstract The effect of transverse shear modulus on the compressive response of a thick plane strain cross-ply ring (very long cylindrical shell) weakened by the presence of a modal imperfection is investigated. The present study is primarily motivated to obtain the hitherto unavailable results pertaining to the effect of reduced transverse shear modulus, G LT ∗ , of a lamina weakened by the presence of randomly distributed fiber misalignments. A simple expression for the reduced transverse shear modulus, G LT ∗ , of a layer material is derived in terms of the average fiber misalignment angle. A fully nonlinear finite element analysis, that employs a cylindrically curved 16-node layer-element and is based on the assumption of layer-wise linear displacement distribution through thickness (LLDT), is utilized in the analysis of the afore-mentioned cross-ply ring. The interaction of a micro-structural defect in the form of initial fiber misalignments with its macro-structural counterpart represented by a modal imperfection is a key to understanding this meso-structural level phenomenon. Hitherto unavailable numerical results pertaining to the influence of this effect on the localization of buckling patterns and the ensuing shear crippling instability are also presented.
Learning from history: morphology's challenges in Germany ca. 1900.

A century ago, Carl Gegenbaur's program of vertebrate evolutionary morphology faced its greatest challenges. The controversy over the evolutionary origin of the vertebrate paired limbs between 1875 and 1906 illustrates the failure of the traditional methods of comparative anatomy and embryology (supported by Haeckel's biogenetic law) to choose between different phylogenetic hypotheses. The controversy over morphology's status as science intensified at the turn of the twentieth century, when the legitimacy of historical explanation itself as a mode of scientific understanding came under fire. Gegenbaur's intellectual grandson, Hermann Braus, sought to defend the legitimacy of phylogenetic reconstruction while updating it to include experimental and causal-analytical approaches, but was unable to sustain a viable synthetic research program. The article concludes with reflections on approaches to the past used by historians and evolutionary morphologists.
Active Command-Steering Control of Tractor and Three Full Trailers for Tractor-Track Following

A key source of safety and infrastructure issues for operations of longer combination vehicles (LCVs) is off-tracking, which has been used to refer to the general phenomenon that the rear wheels of a truck do not follow the track of the front wheels and wander off the travel lane. In this paper, we examine the effectiveness of command-steering in reducing off-tracking during a 90-degree turn at low and high speeds in an articulated system with a tractor and three full trailers. In command steering, rear front axles of the trailers are steered proportionately to the articulation angle between the tractor and trailing units. We then consider several control strategies to minimize off-tracking and rearward amplification of this system. A minimum rearward amplification ratio (RWA), as a surrogate for minimum off tracking, has been used as the control criterion for medium to high speeds to arrive at an optimal Linear Quadratic Regulator (LQR) controller. As for low speeds, the maximum radial offset between the tractor and trailer 3 is minimized in the design of the controller. Robustness of the optimal controller with respect to tyre-parameter perturbations is then examined. Based on the simulation results, we find that, active command steering is very effective in reducing off tracking at low- as well as high-speed 90-degree turns. To achieve acceptable levels of RWA and off tracking, at least two of the three trailers must be actively command-steered. Among the three two-trailer-steering possibilities, actively steering trailers 1 and 2 is most cost-effective and results in the lowest RWA for medium- to high- speeds (at which RWA is important), and off-tracking is practically eliminated for all speed regimes considered.Copyright © 2006 by ASME
Separable Bilayer Microfiltration Device for Viable Label-free Enrichment of Circulating Tumour Cells

The analysis of circulating tumour cells (CTCs) in cancer patients could provide important information for therapeutic management. Enrichment of viable CTCs could permit performance of functional analyses on CTCs to broaden understanding of metastatic disease. However, this has not been widely accomplished. Addressing this challenge, we present a separable bilayer (SB) microfilter for viable size-based CTC capture. Unlike other single-layer CTC microfilters, the precise gap between the two layers and the architecture of pore alignment result in drastic reduction in mechanical stress on CTCs, capturing them viably. Using multiple cancer cell lines spiked in healthy donor blood, the SB microfilter demonstrated high capture efficiency (78–83%), high retention of cell viability (71–74%), high tumour cell enrichment against leukocytes (1.7–2 × 10^3), and widespread ability to establish cultures post-capture (100% of cell lines tested). In a metastatic mouse model, SB microfilters successfully enriched viable mouse CTCs from 0.4–0.6 mL whole mouse blood samples and established in vitro cultures for further genetic and functional analysis. Our preliminary studies reflect the efficacy of the SB microfilter device to efficiently and reliably enrich viable CTCs in animal model studies, constituting an exciting technology for new insights in cancer research.
Air-gasification of corncobs at fluidization.

Abstract Self-sustained air gasification of corncobs was conducted using a gasifier-combustor system to provide data for validating a numerical gasifier model. Performance of the gasifier was analyzed with test results obtained at two bed temperatures (920 and 1050 K).
SOLID-PHASE SYNTHESIS OF ARTIFICIAL BETA -SHEETS

This paper describes the solid-phase syntheses of artificial β-sheets 1−4, which mimic the structure and hydrogen-bonding patterns of protein β-sheets. In these compounds, molecular templates induce β-sheet structures in attached peptide strands. The templates consist of di- and triurea derivatives, which hold peptide and peptidomimetic strands in proximity, and β-strand mimics, which hydrogen bond to the peptide strands. The syntheses involve constructing the “lower” peptide strand on Merrifield resin, attaching the di- or triamine portions of the di- or triurea templates, connecting the “upper” peptide and peptidomimetic strands, and cleaving the resulting artificial β-sheets from the resin. The artificial β-sheets were prepared in 8−13 steps from leucine Merrifield in 33−67% overall yield.
A longitudinal study of database-assisted problem solving

Abstract The current study examines the effects of database assistance on clinical problem solving across three cohorts of students and two database interfaces. Medical students attempted to solve problems presented as clinical scenarios, first from their personal knowledge and then, on a second pass, assisted by one of two versions of a bacteriology database. One version had a form-filling interface in which each term was typed into the form; the other had a direct manipulation interface that allowed students to select terms with a mouse. Data were collected on three assessment occasions: just before the bacteriology course, just after the course, and six months after the course. Personal Knowledge Scores varied by occasion, being highest just after and lowest just before the course. The Database-Assisted Scores were similar just before and after the course, but were higher six months after the course. The differences between the interfaces did not have any statistically significant effect on database-assisted performance. There was a marginally significant interaction between interface style and assessment occasion, suggesting that performance with the direct manipulation interface was less affected by variation in the students’ personal knowledge than performance with the form-filling interface.
Characterization of Lake Michigan coastal lakes using zooplankton assemblages

Abstract Zooplankton assemblages and water quality were examined bi-weekly from 17 April to 19 October 1998 in 11 northeastern Lake Michigan coastal lakes of similar origin but varied in trophic status and limnological condition. All lakes were within or adjacent to Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, Michigan. Zooplankton (principally microcrustaceans and rotifers) from triplicate Wisconsin net (80 μm) vertical tows taken at each lake's deepest location were analyzed. Oxygen–temperature–pH–specific conductivity profiles and surface water quality were concurrently measured. Bray-Curtis similarity analysis showed small variations among sample replicates but large temporal differences. The potential use of zooplankton communities for environmental lake comparisons was evaluated by means of BIOENV (Primer 5.1) and principal component analyses. Zooplankton analyzed at the lowest identified taxonomic level yielded greatest sensitivity to limnological variation. Taxonomic and ecological aggregations of zooplankton data performed comparably, but less well than the finest taxonomic analysis. Secchi depth, chlorophyll a , and sulfate concentrations combined to give the best correlation with patterns of variation in the zooplankton data set. Principal component analysis of these variables revealed trophic status as the most influential major limnological gradient among the study lakes. Overall, zooplankton abundance was an excellent indicator of variation in trophic status.
In Defence of War

Nigel Biggar's In Defence of War is, in my judgment, the best contemporary theological exploration of the ethics of war since the work of Paul Ramsey. A good deal of attention has already been dire...
Performance Characteristics of Two Lobe Bearings Operating with Non Newtonian Lubricants

This study presents a steady state and transient solution for a finite width two-lobe bearing operating with a non-Newtonian lubricant, obeying the power law model. A non-linear time-transient analysis is carried out and the orbital stability of journal is ensured by solving the equation of motion by fourth order Runge-Kutta method. Using the expressions for eccentricity ratio of lower and upper lobes and film thickness for each lobe, the modified Reynolds equation is solved separately for each lobe by finite difference technique with a successive over-relaxation scheme. Performance parameters of two-lobe bearing like load carrying capacity, Sommerfeld number, attitude angle; flow and friction parameter are determined and compared with the established results for Newtonian lubricants. Stability parameters are compared with circular bearings. It is found that the non-Newtonian effects are very prominent in the determination of load capacity, flow and friction characteristics of two-lobe bearings. Stability parameters of two-lobe bearings are considerably higher for all eccentricity ratios compared to circular bearings; hence these bearings are better suited for applications where whirl instability limits the speed at which the bearing can be operated.
Factors Affecting the Validity of Chemical Analyses of Natural Water

Chemical analyses of natural water may be inadequate because of inadvertent human errors and sample aging. Characteristic deficiencies can be demonstrated by multiple chemical analyses of the same sample by different laboratories, multiple analyses of the same sample by one laboratory, repeated analyses of one sample as a function of time, and a simple laboratory experiment in rock-water chemistry. Whenever possible, complete chemical analyses should be made. The most reliable analyses are those in which combining weights of the cation equal the combining weight of the anion and in which the sum of the individually measured constituents equals the observed residue on evaporation at 180°C (total dissolved solids).
The superior and inferior salivatory nuclei in the rat

The locations of the inferior and superior salivatory nuclei in the rat were determined by bathing the tympanic branch of the glossopharyngeal nerve and the chorda tympani with horseradish peroxidase (HRP) in different series of rats. The results demonstrated that the salivatory nuclei extend from the rostral medulla through the caudal pons. The inferior salivatory nucleus is composed of small to medium-sized neurons located in the ventrolateral portion of the reticular formation. It extends from a level at the rostral border of the nucleus ambiguus to the caudal part of the genu of the facial nerve. The superior salivatory nucleus differs in that it is composed of small to medium-sized neurons located in the dorsolateral portion of the reticular formation. It extends from a level at the caudal border of the facial nucleus through the genu of the facial nerve.
AAV.Dysferlin Overlap Vectors Restore Function in Dysferlinopathy Animal Models.

Objective Dysferlinopathies are a family of untreatable muscle disorders caused by mutations in the dysferlin gene. Lack of dysferlin protein results in progressive dystrophy with chronic muscle fiber loss, inflammation, fat replacement, and fibrosis; leading to deteriorating muscle weakness. The objective of this work is to demonstrate efficient and safe restoration of dysferlin expression following gene therapy treatment.
Life on moduli space

While the number of metastable landscape vacua in string theory is vast, the number of supermoduli vacua which lead to distinct low-energy physics is even larger, perhaps infinitely so. From the anthropic perspective it is therefore important to understand whether complex life is possible on moduli space---i.e., in low-energy effective theories with (1) exact supersymmetry and (2) some massless multiplets (moduli). Unless life is essentially impossible on moduli space as a consequence of these characteristics, anthropic reasoning in string theory suggests that the overwhelming majority of sentient beings would observe 1--2. We investigate whether 1 and 2 are by themselves automatically inimical to life and conclude, tentatively, that they are not. In particular, we describe moduli scenarios in which complex life seems possible.
An optimal GPS data processing technique for precise positioning

A mathematical formula for optimally combining dual-frequency Global Positioning System (GPS) pseudorange and carrier phase data streams into a single data stream is derived in closed form. The data combination reduces the data volume and computing time in the filtering process for parameter estimation by a factor of four while preserving the full data strength for precise positioning. The resulting single data stream is that of carrier phase measurements with both data noise and bias uncertainty strictly defined. With this mathematical formula the single stream of optimally combined GPS measurements can be efficiently formed by simple numerical calculations. Carrier phase ambiguity resolution, when feasible, is strengthened due to the preserved full data strength with the optimally combined data and the resulting longer wavelength for the ambiguity to be resolved. >
Reducing the Interval from Presynchronization to Initiation of Timed Artificial Insemination Improves Fertility in Dairy Cows

The objective was to determine if reducing the interval from presynchronization to the first GnRH injection (G1) of a timed artificial insemination (AI) protocol improves pregnancy per AI. One thousand two hundred fourteen Holstein cows, at 37 +/- 3 d in milk (DIM), were stratified by parity, DIM, and milk yield in the first month postpartum and randomly assigned to control (n = 412), 2 injections of PGF2alpha at 37 +/- 3 and 51 +/- 3 DIM, then enrolled in a timed AI protocol 14 d later; PShort (n = 410), 2 injections of PGF2alpha at 40 +/- 3 and 54 +/- 3 DIM, then enrolled in a timed AI protocol 11 d later; or PShortG (n = 392), same as PShort, but with an injection of GnRH 7 d before G1. All cows received the same timed AI protocol (d 65, G1; d 72, PGF2alpha; d 73, 1 mg of estradiol cypionate; d 75, AI). A subset of 1,000 cows had their ovaries examined by ultrasonography at G1 and 7 d later when PGF2alpha of the timed AI was given to determine presence of corpus luteum (CL) and ovulation to G1. Pregnancy was diagnosed on d 38 after timed AI, and pregnant cows were reevaluated for pregnancy 4 wk later. Altering the interval between presynchronization and G1 did not affect the proportion of cows with a CL at G1, but GnRH 7 d before G1 increased the proportion of cows with a CL. Ovulation to G1 was greater for 11 compared with the 14 d interval, but GnRH did not improve ovulation. The increased ovulation to G1 when the interval was reduced from 14 to 11 d was observed only in cows with a CL at G1, but treatment did not affect ovulation in cows without a CL at G1. Treatment affected the pregnancy per AI on d 38 and 66 after insemination, and they were greater for the 11 compared with 14-d interval, but addition of GnRH did not improve pregnancy per AI. Cows ovulating to G1 had greater pregnancy per AI regardless of whether or not they had a CL at G1. Reducing the interval from presynchronization to initiation of the timed AI protocol from 14 to 11 d increased ovulation to G1 and pregnancy per AI in lactating dairy cows.
Discrimination of chemical warfare simulants via multiplex coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering and multivariate statistical analysis

Multiplex coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (MCARS) is used to detect several chemical warfare simulants, such as dimethyl methylphosphonate and 2-chloroethyl ethyl sulfide, with high specificity. The spectral bandwidth of the femtosecond laser pulse used in these studies is sufficient to coherently and simultaneously drive all the vibrational modes in the molecule of interest. Evidence shows that MCARS is capable of overcoming common sensitivity limitations of spontaneous Raman scattering, thus allowing for the detection of the target material in milliseconds with standard, uncooled universal serial bus spectrometers as opposed to seconds with cooled, intensified CCD-based spectrometers. In addition, the obtained MCARS spectrum of the investigated sample provides multiple unique signatures. These signatures are used in an off-line multivariate statistical analysis allowing for the material’s discrimination with high fidelity.
The goerges phenomenon-induction motors with unbalanced rotor impedances

The Goerges phenomenon is the operation of a 3-phase wound-rotor induction motor at half of synchronous speed, and it is obtained by unbalancing the rotor circuit. If the motor is started with one rotor phase opened or with rotor impedances greatly unbalanced, it will accelerate to half speed and operate stably as a motor or generator. Several investigators have made tests and analyses to find the characteristics of a motor operated in this way. In the present work a physical explanation and an equivalent circuit are given. Results of tests and calculations for a 5-horsepower motor are compared and found to be in good agreement. The unbalanced rotor impedances cause unbalanced rotor currents of slip frequency, and balanced stator currents of two frequencies, the fundamental and a subharmonic, the frequency of which depends on the speed. The motor may be operated stably at half or full speed. The torque at half speed is greater than at full speed, and may be almost as great as the rated torque for a balanced rotor. It may be desirable to operate an induction motor at half speed intermittently or as a temporary measure. Disadvantages of half speed operation are the low power factor, low pull-out torque, the subfrequency line currents, and motor vibrations.
The risk and outcomes of epidural hematomas after perioperative and obstetric epidural catheterization: a report from the Multicenter Perioperative Outcomes Group Research Consortium.

Background In this study, we sought to determine the frequency and outcomes of epidural hematomas after epidural catheterization. Methods Eleven centers participating in the Multicenter Perioperative Outcomes Group used electronic anesthesia information systems and quality assurance databases to identify patients who had epidural catheters inserted for either obstetrical or surgical indications. From this cohort, patients undergoing laminectomy for the evacuation of hematoma within 6 weeks of epidural placement were identified. Results Seven of 62,450 patients undergoing perioperative epidural catheterizations developed hematoma requiring surgical evacuation. The event rate was 11.2 × 10(-5) (95% confidence interval [CI], 4.5 × 10(-5) to 23.1 × 10(-5)). Four of the 7 had anticoagulation/antiplatelet therapy that deviated from American Society of Regional Anesthesia guidelines. None of 79,837 obstetric patients with epidural catheterizations developed hematoma (upper limit of the 95% CI, 4.6 × 10(-5)). The hematoma rate in obstetric epidural catheterizations was significantly lower than in perioperative epidural catheterizations (P = 0.003). Conclusions In this series, the 95% CI for the frequency of epidural hematoma requiring laminectomy after epidural catheter placement for perioperative anesthesia/analgesia was 1 event per 22,189 placements to 1 event per 4330 placements. Risk was significantly lower in obstetric epidurals.
Coded block OFDM for the frequency selective fading channel

We consider the use of block spreading in a multicarrier system to gain diversity advantage when employed over multipath fading channels. In particular, we use block spreading matrices as a full rate "inner code", together with an error correcting outer code to form a concatenated system suitable for turbo-iterative detection. The resulting coded system is shown to outperform standard coded OFDM as well as the rotated spreading approach of Bury et. al.
Combining quantitative 2D and 3D image analysis in the serial block face SEM: application to secretory organelles of pancreatic islet cells.

A combination of two‐dimensional (2D) and three‐dimensional (3D) analyses of tissue volume ultrastructure acquired by serial block face scanning electron microscopy can greatly shorten the time required to obtain quantitative information from big data sets that contain many billions of voxels. Thus, to analyse the number of organelles of a specific type, or the total volume enclosed by a population of organelles within a cell, it is possible to estimate the number density or volume fraction of that organelle using a stereological approach to analyse randomly selected 2D block face views through the cells, and to combine such estimates with precise measurement of 3D cell volumes by delineating the plasma membrane in successive block face images. The validity of such an approach can be easily tested since the entire 3D tissue volume is available in the serial block face scanning electron microscopy data set. We have applied this hybrid 3D/2D technique to determine the number of secretory granules in the endocrine α and β cells of mouse pancreatic islets of Langerhans, and have been able to estimate the total insulin content of a β cell.
Study of ethidium bromide effect on dsDNA separation by capillary zone electrophoresis and laser light scattering.

The effect of ethidium bromide (EB) on dsDNA separation was studied by using capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) and laser light scattering (LLS). By increasing the concentration from 1 to 15 microg/mL, EB showed significant influence on the separation of pBR322 HaeIII in terms of resolution, speed, and signal-over-noise ratio. The physicochemical properties of DNA, such as mobility under electric field, charge-over-size ratio, and hydrodynamic radius, showed two declines, a sharp drop followed by a relaxed decrease, with increasing EB concentration. Such observations could be explained by using two modes of the dye binding process: intercalation and outside binding. The combination of results obtained from CZE and LLS also confirmed the existence of outside binding. Compared with intercalation, outside binding showed a weaker dye concentration dependence in neutralizing the negative charges on the DNA fragments. Static light scattering showed that and of DNA in 1xTris-borate-EDTA (TBE) were increased with increasing EB concentration. / of DNA with dye had a value larger than 1.5, suggesting a random coil conformation.
Ethical review of health research: a perspective from developing country researchers

Background: Increasing collaboration between industrialised and developing countries in human research studies has led to concerns regarding the potential exploitation of resource deprived countries. This study, commissioned by the former National Bioethics Advisory Commission of the United States, surveyed developing country researchers about their concerns and opinions regarding ethical review processes and the performance of developing country and US international review boards (IRBs). Methods: Contact lists from four international organisations were used to identify and survey 670 health researchers in developing countries. A questionnaire with 169 questions explored issues of IRB review, informed consent, and recommendations. Results: The majority of the developing country researchers were middle aged males who were physicians and were employed by educational institutions, carrying out research on part time basis. Forty four percent of the respondents reported that their studies were not reviewed by a developing country IRB or Ministry of Health and one third of these studies were funded by the US. During the review process issues such as the need for local language consent forms and letters for approval, and confidentiality protection of participants were raised by US IRBs in significantly higher proportions than by host country IRBs. Conclusion: This survey indicates the need for the ethical review of collaborative research in both US and host countries. It also reflects a desire for focused capacity development in supporting ethical review of research.
On Providing and Enforcing Basic Security

Etzioni offers a well-argued critique of recent trends in U.S. foreign policy that the author finds, in the main, persuasive. There are, though, a few points that seem somewhat overstated.
Oral History Index: An International Directory of Oral History Interviews, Meckler Corporation, 1990

Meckler Corporation has done a great service to those of us interested in using the vehicle of oral history of aid in the writing of the history of archaeology. There are close to 2000 entries in the volume. Among the entries there are a few archaeologists listed from North America.
An accurate and robust method for detecting video shot boundaries

Many shot boundary detection methods have been proposed in recent years. Comparison studies have revealed that, among the existing methods, the local histogram-based method gives the highest precision rate if the highest shot boundary detection rate is not the first priority. In this paper, we present a new shot boundary detection method that surpasses the local histogram-based method in both the boundary detection rate and the precision rate. We propose a novel method of extracting color distributions from video frames to effectively suppress both the intra-frame and the inter-frame color variations caused by noise, minor illumination changes, as well as camera and object motions. We also provide a systematic approach to combine the color and the spatial features of video frames for more accurate shot boundary detection. An experimental evaluation confirms the superior performance of our proposed method.
Plasma Levels of Fetuin-A and Hepatic Enzymes and Risk of Type 2 Diabetes in Women in the U.S.

Fetuin-A interferes with insulin action in animal studies, but data on fetuin-A and diabetes risk in humans are sparse and the role of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in this association is unknown. From 2000 to 2006, we prospectively identified 470 matched incident diabetes case-control pairs in the Nurses’ Health Study, for whom levels of plasma fetuin-A, alanine transaminase (ALT), and γ-glutamyltranspeptidase (GGT) were measured. After multivariate adjustment for covariates, including ALT and GGT, the odds ratio (OR) (95% CI) comparing extreme fetuin-A quintiles was 1.81 (1.07–3.06) (P for trend = 0.009). A mediational analysis showed that this positive association was largely (79.9%) explained by fasting insulin and hemoglobin A1c levels; after further adjustment of these factors, the OR (95% CI) comparing extreme quintiles was attenuated to 1.09 (0.56–2.10) (P for trend = 0.42). In addition, liver enzymes did not modify this association (P for interaction = 0.91 for ALT and 0.58 for GGT). When results from this study were pooled with those in three prior prospective investigations of the same association, a consistent, positive association was observed between high fetuin-A levels and diabetes risk: the relative risk (95% CI) comparing high versus low fetuin-A levels was 1.69 (1.39–2.05) (P for heterogeneity = 0.45). These findings suggest that plasma fetuin-A levels were independently associated with higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
Assessment of Trait and State Aspects of Depression in Schizophrenia

Depression and negative symptoms can be difficult to distinguish in schizophrenia. Assessments for negative symptoms usually account for the longitudinal nature of these symptoms, whereas instruments available to measure depression mainly assess current or recent symptoms. This construct difference may confound comparison of depressive and negative symptoms in schizophrenia because both domains may have trait-like aspects. We developed an instrument to measure both longitudinal “trait” as well as recent “state” symptoms of depression and tested this instrument (Maryland Trait and State Depression [MTSD] scale) in a sample of 98 individuals with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder and 115 community participants without psychotic illness. Exploratory factor analysis of the MTSD revealed 2 factors accounting for 73.4% of the variance; these 2 factors corresponded with “trait” and “state” depression inventory items. Neither MTSD-state nor MTSD-trait was correlated with negative symptoms as measured with the Brief Negative Symptom Scale (r = .07 and −.06, respectively) in schizophrenia patients. MTSD state and trait scores were significantly correlated with the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale depression subscale (r = .58 and .53, respectively) as well as the Profile of Mood States depression subscale (r = .57 and .44). Persons with schizophrenia had significantly greater trait depressive symptoms than controls (P = .031). Individuals with schizoaffective disorder had significantly higher trait depression (P = .001), but not state depression (P = .146), compared with schizophrenia patients. Trait depressive symptoms are prominent in schizophrenia and are distinct from negative symptoms.