cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Magnitude and Diversity of Cytotoxic-T-Lymphocyte Responses Elicited by Multiepitope DNA Vaccination in Rhesus Monkeys

In an effort to develop an AIDS vaccine that elicits high-frequency cytotoxic-T-lymphocyte (CTL) responses with specificity for a diversity of viral epitopes, we explored two prototype multiepitope plasmid DNA vaccines in the simian-human immunodeficiency virus/rhesus monkey model to determine their efficiency in priming for such immune responses. While a simple multiepitope vaccine construct demonstrated limited immunogenicity in monkeys, this same multiepitope genetic sequence inserted into an immunogenic simian immunodeficiency virus gag DNA vaccine elicited high-frequency CTL responses specific for all of the epitopes included in the vaccine. Both multiepitope vaccine prototypes primed for robust epitope-specific CTL responses that developed following boosting with recombinant modified vaccinia virus Ankara vaccines expressing complete viral proteins. The natural hierarchy of immunodominance for these epitopes was clearly evident in the boosted monkeys. These studies suggest that multiepitope plasmid DNA vaccine-based prime-boost regimens can efficiently prime for CTL responses of increased breadth and magnitude, although they do not overcome predicted hierarchies of immunodominance.
How the World Survived the Population Bomb: Lessons From 50 Years of Extraordinary Demographic History

The world population will reach 7 billion in late 2011, a demographic milestone that is causing renewed attention to the challenges caused by population growth. This article looks at the last 50 years of demographic change, one of the most extraordinary periods in demographic history. During this period, world population grew at rates that have never been seen before and will almost surely never be seen again. There were many concerns about the potential impact of rapid population growth in the 1960s, including mass starvation in countries such as India, depletion of nonrenewable resources, and increased poverty in low-income countries. The actual experience was very different. World food production increased faster than world population in every decade since the 1960s, resource prices fell during most of the period, and poverty declined significantly in much of the developing world. The article considers the economic and demographic explanations for the surprising successes of this important period in demographic history. It also looks at regions that have been less successful, especially Africa, and at the lessons for dealing with the important challenges that still remain.
Molecular Insights into Microbial β-Glucuronidase Inhibition to Abrogate CPT-11 Toxicity

Bacterial β-glucuronidases expressed by the symbiotic intestinal microbiota appear to play important roles in drug-induced epithelial cell toxicity in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. For the anticancer drug CPT-11 (irinotecan) and the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug diclofenac, it has been shown that removal of the glucuronide moieties from drug metabolites by bacterial β-glucuronidases in the GI lumen can significantly damage the intestinal epithelium. Furthermore, selective disruption of bacterial β-glucuronidases by small molecule inhibitors alleviates these side effects, which, for CPT-11 {7-ethyl-10-[4-(1-piperidino)-1-piperidino]}, can be dose limiting. Here we characterize novel microbial β-glucuronidase inhibitors that inhibit Escherichia coli β-glucuronidase in vitro with Ki values between 180 nM and 2 μM, and disrupt the enzyme in E. coli cells, with EC50 values as low as 300 nM. All compounds are selective for E. coli β-glucuronidase without inhibiting purified mammalian β-glucuronidase, and they do not impact the survival of either bacterial or mammalian cells. The 2.8 A resolution crystal structure of one inhibitor bound to E. coli β-glucuronidase demonstrates that it contacts and orders only a portion of the “bacterial loop” present in microbial, but not mammalian, β-glucuronidases. The most potent compound examined in this group was found to protect mice against CPT-11–induced diarrhea. Taken together, these data advance our understanding of the chemical and structural basis of selective microbial β-glucuronidase inhibition, which may improve human drug efficacy and toxicity.
An overview of workplace discrimination and disability

• an official unemployment rate of 14.2% vs. 9% for non-disabled – larger than any other protected class of citizens [3]; • the average duration of unemployment was 25 weeks vs. 21 weeks for non-disabled [3]; • higher levels of under-employment including [4]; ◦ 7.8% involuntary part-time workers for AWDs vs. 5.5% for non-disabled; and ◦ 11.5% experienced reduction in wages; i.e., full-time earnings <$330 per week; • a substantial reduction in the percentage of the American workforce identifying itself as “with disability” (down 9% in relative value from 3.44% to 3.14% [5, 6]; and • protections against economic ruin afforded to most workers by higher levels of education and work/life experience were less effective for AWDs [4].
Effect of vincristine on synthesis of ribonucleic acid and protein in leukaemic leucocytes.

Summary 1Vincristine, 7 × 10−5 m in vitro, inhibits the incorporation of 3H-uridine into RNA and of amino acids into protein by neoplastic human leucocytes within 15–45 minutes. Normal granulocytes are resistant to this inhibitory action. 2The inhibition of 3H-uridine incorporation into RNA of malignant leucocytes is time- and dose-dependent and at 24 hours is observed at concentrations as low as 7× 10−9 M. 3The synthesis of all the classes of RNA discriminated by density gradient centrifugation is inhibited by vincristine. 4The production of lactate and of 14CO2 from glucose-1-14C and cell viability are unaffected by vincristine, 7×10−5 m, for periods up to 7.5 hours. 5Plasma obtained within 60 minutes of vincristine administration had an inhibitory effect on 3H-uridine incorporation by myeloblasts from one patient. 6Because RNA and protein synthesis in human leucocytes were closely linked it could not be determined which process was inhibited first by the alkaloid. 7Vincristine, 7×10−5 m, was without effect on the incorporation of 14C-phenylalanine by a cell-free bacterial system containing artificial polyribonucleotide or viral RNA as messenger.
New Approaches in Operations Research Education

Abstract Cognitive research shows that student motivation, perception, comprehension, and recall is improved by using a variety of instructional strategies. After a discussion of how individuals learn through cognitive processing, this paper suggests the use of a variety of strategies for motivating students and enhancing learning. As a particular example, cooperative learning groups are describeb in detail. In these groups students assume responsibility not only for their own learning but also the learning of others.
Positive regulatory elements (HF-1a and HF-1b) and a novel negative regulatory element (HF-3) mediate ventricular muscle-specific expression of myosin light-chain 2-luciferase fusion genes in transgenic mice.

Thecardiac myosin light-chain 2v(MLC-2v) genehasserved as a modelsystemtoidentify thepathways whichrestrict theexpression ofcardiac muscle genestoparticular chambers oftheheart during cardiogenesis. Toidentify thecritical cisregulatory elements whichmediate ventricular chamber-specific expression ofthe MLC-2vgeneintheinvivo context, aseries oftransgenic micewhichharbor mutations inputative MLC-2cis regulatory elements ina 250-bp MLC-2-luciferase fusion genewhichisexpressed ina ventricular chamberspecific fashion intransgenic miceweregenerated. Thesestudies demonstrate thatbothcomponents ofHF-1 (HF-la andHF-lb/MEF-2) arerequired tomaintain ventricular chamber-specific expression andfunction as positive regulatory elements. Mutations inanother conserved element (HF-2) are without statistically significant effect on ventricular chamberexpression. Transgenics harboring mutations intheE-boxsite also displayed significant upregulation ofreporter activity inthesoleus, gastrocnemius, anduterus, witha borderline effect on expression inliver. Mutations inanother conserved element (HF-3) result ina marked (>75-fold) upregulation oftheluciferase reporter activity inthesoleus muscle ofmultiple independent or transgenic founders. Since theHF-3mutations appeared tohaveonlyamarginal effect on luciferase reporter activity inliver tissue, HF-3appearstofunction asanovel negative regulatory element toprimarily suppress expressioninmuscle tissues. Thus, a combination ofpositive (HF-la/HF-lb) andnegative (E-box andHF-3) regulatory elements appeartoberequired tomaintain ventricular chamber-specific expression intheinvivo context. Theregulation oftheskeletal andcardiac musclegene programshasserved as avaluable modelforunderstanding themolecular mechanisms whichmediatetranscriptional activation oftissue-specific genesinterminally differentiated cell types. Although aparadigm forskeletal myogenesis has beenwellestablished viaMyoDandother myogenic determination genes(32, 40), relatively little isknownconcerning themolecular cueswhichlead tocardiac myogenesis andthe subsequent regional specification ofvarious cardiac muscle cell lineages (8,9).Thedistinct properties ofatrial, ventricular, andconduction systemmusclecells are duetothe selective activation ofvarious subsets ofcardiac muscle genesduring thecourseofcardiogenesis. Inthisregard, a growing bodyofevidence suggests thatthepathways which control musclespecificity inthecardiac andskeletal muscle context aredivergent (2,21,30,33,39,42)andmay include E-box-independent
Placebo-controlled studies in rheumatoid arthritis: ethical issues

1Such a study design balances known and unknown factors that may affect response in the study groups, and also quantifies the placebo response. This design allows the efficacy, or lack of efficacy, of a treatment to be measured directly relative to the placebo response, which may vary in different studies. The double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomised clinical trial—though not without limitations in the applicability of its findings to clinical practice 2,3 —is a powerful scientific tool that has become almost a prerequisite for demonstrating the efficacy of a new therapy, both to clinicians and to drug regulatory authorities. Various ethical guidelines have been proposed to govern the performance of clinical trials. The Declaration of Helsinki, drafted after the Nuremberg trials and subsequently updated, 4
Imaging Escherichia coli using functionalized core/shell CdSe/CdS quantum dots.

The internalization of a series of water-soluble CdSe/CdS quantum dots (QDs) stabilized by citrate, isocitrate, succinate, and malate by Escherichia coli is established by epifluorescence and confocal fluorescence scanning microscopy, fluorimetry, and UV–vis spectroscopy on whole and lysed bacterial cells. The organic-acid-stabilized QDs span a range in size from 3.8±1.1 to 6.0±2.4 nm with emission wavelengths from 540 to 630 nm. QDs of different sizes (i.e., 3.8–6 nm) can enter the bacterium and be detected on different fluorescence channels with little interference from other QDs as a result of the distinct emission profiles (i.e., 540–630 nm, respectively). Costaining QD-labeled E. coli with 4′,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole dihydrochloride (DAPI) demonstrates that the QDs and DAPI are colocalized within E. coli, whereas costaining QD-labeled E. coli with membrane dye FM4-64 shows that the FM4-64 is localized in the outer bacterial membrane and that the QDs are inside.
Relative Contribution of ColV Plasmid and K1 Antigen to the Pathogenicity of Escherichia coli

Abstract To study the relevance of the ColV plasmid and the capsular K1 antigen in the pathogenicity of Escherichia coli, isogenic strains that differ only in these characteristics were constructed. Studies with these variants demonstrated that the presence of the ColV plasmid increased the serum resistance of E. coli. This increase did not depend on the expression of the K1 antigen. This work also demonstrated that the presence of the K1 antigen protects E. coli from the bactericidal activity of serum. Studies using mouse peritoneal macrophages in the presence of normal serum indicated that the presence of K1 antigen protects E. coli from phagocytosis. Similar experiments with the K1+ strains performed in the presence of anti-K1 antibodies demonstrated that these antibodies opsonized these bacteria very efficiently in the absence of complement. The K1−E. coli variants were efficiently phagocytized in the presence of normal human serum and absorbed human serum, indicating that they are able to be opsonized by complement deposited by activation of the alternative pathway of complement. Work using fluorescence microscopy confirmed that the K1− strains are able to fix complement in the absence of antibody. It was also found that the presence of the ColV plasmid may interfere with phagocytosis of the E. coli K1 strains and deposition of complement on these cells. To test the relevance of the results of the in vitro experiments for disease, the pathogenicity of the strains was tested in mice. The results showed that the K1 antigen is the main determinant of pathogenicity of these strains and that the presence of ColV can modify the pathogenic potential of the E. coli K1 strains through a mechanism that does not depend on the production of colicin V.
Validity of the narcissistic personality inventory (NPI) in a psychiatric sample

Investigated the validity of the Narcissistic Personality Inventory (NPI) in a psychiatric sample. Fifty psychiatric patients were given the NPI as part of a routine psychological evaluation. Correlations between the NPI and the basic personality style scales of the Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory (MCMI) were obtained; the largest correlation was between the NPI and the narcissism scale of the MCMI (r = .66, p less than .001). When classified into the low and high narcissistic groups, there was 74% agreement between the NPI and narcissistic scale of the MCMI. These results provide further support for the construct validity of the NPI.
Integrating a Service-learning Project into Management Accounting Coursework—A Sharing of Implementation Experience and Lessons Learned

‘Service-learning’ is a pedagogical technique that supplements formal classroom education with real life experiences. An educator may integrate work projects from actual business settings into a course to help students learn and practice concepts from assignments and discussions while bridging accounting concepts and real life. The purpose of this paper is to explain the experience of incorporating service-learning projects into management accounting classes and to share insights learned from the implementation processes. Specifically, this paper describes two examples of the type of service-learning projects that can be integrated into a management accounting class; class responses to these projects; feedback from the community agencies involved in the projects; and finally, the possible constraints of such projects – with suggestions for overcoming such constraints.
Conformational States of the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus Spike Protein Ectodomain

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus enters cells through the activities of a spike protein (S) which has receptor-binding (S1) and membrane fusion (S2) regions. We have characterized four sequential states of a purified recombinant S ectodomain (S-e) comprising S1 and the ectodomain of S2. They are S-e monomers, uncleaved S-e trimers, cleaved S-e trimers, and dissociated S1 monomers and S2 trimer rosettes. Lowered pH induces an irreversible transition from flexible, L-shaped S-e monomers to clove-shaped trimers. Protease cleavage of the trimer occurs at the S1-S2 boundary; an ensuing S1 dissociation leads to a major rearrangement of the trimeric S2 and to formation of rosettes likely to represent clusters of elongated, postfusion trimers of S2 associated through their fusion peptides. The states and transitions of S suggest conformational changes that mediate viral entry into cells.
A digital frequency synthesizer

A digital frequency synthesizer has been designed and constructed based on generating digital samples of \exp [j(2^{\pi}nk/N)] at time nT . The real and imaginary parts of this exponential form samples of quadrature sinusoids where the frequency index k is allowed to vary (-N/4) \leq K . The digital samples drive digital to analog converters followed by low-pass interpolating filters to produce analog sinusoids. The method is superior to digital difference equations with poles on the unit circle since the noise or numerical inaccuracy remains bounded. The digital technique used consists of factoring the exponential into two table look-ups from an efficiently organized small READ-ONLY memory table and performing a complex multiply to produce the real and imaginary components. A small array multiplier efficiently organized performs the multiplications. The technique lends itself to the production of phase coherent or phase controlled sinusoids because of the indexing arrangement used. In addition finer frequency steps than the READ-ONLY memory allows are available by expanding the indexing register at no increase in inaccuracy.
Genesis and transformation of metalliferous sediments from the East Pacific Rise, Bauer Deep, and Central Basin, northwest Nazca plate

Analytical data for northwest Nazca plate sediments can be described in terms of a mixture of hydrothermal, detrital, hydrogenous, and biogenous material. Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn, Ni, Ba, Si, and Al are more than 50 percent hydrothermal in East Pacific Rise samples from lat 10° to 25 °S. The first four elements are dominantly hydrothermal in the Bauer Deep and Central Basin as well. Seventy to 80 percent of the Ni, 60 to 80 percent of the Ba, and 30 to 60 percent of the Cu and Zn in Bauer Deep and Central Basin sediments are hydrogenous. Si, Ba, and Zn are dominantly biogenous on the northern East Pacific Rise crest, where more than one-third of the Cu also is derived from this source. Detrital Al and Si are dominant away from the rise crest, particularly in the Central Basin, where about 40 percent of the Fe and 15 percent of the Zn may also be detrital. Much of the hydrothermal Fe and biogenous Si have been transformed to an iron-rich smectite. The proportion of total Fe bound in this phase varies from less than 20 percent on the southern rise crest to about 40 percent in the Bauer Deep. The distribution of each element is governed by (1) supply from the four basic sources; (2) lateral transport by bottom currents moving east and then south across the northern East Pacific Rise and Bauer Deep to the Central Basin and moving west from the Peru Basin to the Central Basin; and (3) transformation of the unstable metalliferous hydroxides into more stable smectite and ferromanganese oxyhydroxides.
Neural control of the pineal gland

The rhythm in melatonin production by the mammalian pineal gland is generated by the circadian timing system. The components of that system which mediate the function are: (1) visual projections through the retinohypothalamic tract to the circadian pacemaker, the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) of the hypothalamus; (2) the SCN which generates a circadian signal transmitted by SCN projections to the parvocellular autonomic component of the paraventricular nucleus; (3) paraventricular nucleus projections to the upper thoracic intermediolateral cell column; (4) preganglionic sympathetic fibers to the superior cervical ganglion; (5) postganglionic sympathetic fibers from the superior cervical ganglion to the pineal.
The insertion allele at the angiotensin I—Converting enzyme gene locus is associated with insulin resistance

Plasma angiotensin I—converting enzyme (ACE) levels are genetically predetermined and are correlated with a deletion (D) insertion (I) polymorphism at the ACE gene locus. A subset of diabetic patients are noted to have elevated ACE levels. Treatment with ACE inhibitors has been shown to improve insulin sensitivity in both diabetic and nondiabetic subjects. We examined the relationship of DI polymorphism and insulin sensitivity in 24 glucose-tolerant subjects by an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) and glucose clamps. Subjects with the I allele had higher insulin levels at 90 minutes (515 ± 69 v 250 ± 43 pmol/L, P = .008) and higher insulin area under the curve (56,200 ± 8,148 v 33,300 ± 8,114, P = .022) after glucose challenge compared with subjects without the I allele. During the euglycemic clamp, subjects with the I allele require less glucose infusion to maintain euglycemia than subjects without the I allele (5.343 ± 0.743 v 8.944 ± 1.272 mg/kg/min, P = .020). We conclude that the I allele is associated with insulin resistance in glucose-tolerant and normotensive African-Americans.
An object-oriented framework for reduced-order models using proper orthogonal decomposition (POD)

This work presents an object-oriented design for reduced-order modeling using the proper orthogonal decomposition (POD) technique. Object-oriented design attributes such as data encapsulation, inheritance, and polymorphism are shown to produce efficient implementations that optimize code reuse and maintainability in reduced-order models. This paper demonstrates how existing finite element libraries can be used to efficiently carry out integration of field quantities and their gradients over complex domains for producing reduced-order models that are based on the weak-form Galerkin method and POD. Furthermore, numerical examples are used to show how reduced-order models are computationally feasible for reducing CPU time as long as the computational expense incurred in solving the associated systems of linear equations is significantly higher than the computational expense related to the assembly of the system of equations.
The Personal is Political: Thinking Through the Clinton/Lewinsky/Starr Affair

The Clinton/Lewinsky/Starr affair unearthed a fault line in contemporary feminist theory, an unresolved tension between two governing ideals: “the personal is political” and the right to privacy. Since the early 1970s, both of these slogans have figured prominently in feminist scholarship and feminist politics. But as the Clinton sex scandal dragged on, many began to question the merits of politicizing personal matters such as intimate relationships. In the scandal's wake, feminists may find it tempting to retire the rallying cry “the personal is political,” and to distance themselves from what now appears to be a quaint leftover of the bold but naive feminism of the 1970s. In the end, Starr's McCarthyesque In one of the more memorable quips to emerge from the reams of commentary on the scandal, Alan Dershowitz coined the term “sexual McCarthyism” to describe Starr's tactics. probe seems to have enhanced the public commitment to privacy. No longer to be taken for granted, the right to privacy is widely affirmed as an essential shield against official coercion.
What Drives the S&P 500 Inclusion Effect? An Analytical Survey

We present an analytical survey of the explanations—price pressure, downward-sloping demand curves, improved liquidity, improved operating performance, and increased investor awareness—for the increase in stock value associated with inclusion in the S&P 500 Index. We find that increased investor awareness is the primary factor behind the cross-section of abnormal announcement returns. We also find some evidence of temporary price pressure around the inclusion date. We find no evidence that long-run downward-sloping demand curves for stocks, anticipated improvements in operating performance, or increased liquidity are related to the cross-section of announcement or inclusion returns. On average, when stocks are added to the Standard and Poor’s 500 Index, they earn positive abnormal returns on both the announcement date and the date they are actually included. In an early study of this phenomenon, Shleifer (1986) presents evidence that stocks that are included in the S&P 500 Index (the “Index”) between 1976 and 1983 increase in value by nearly 3%. He argues that inclusion in the Index is an information-free event, and this value increase reflects a rightward shift of the downward-sloping demand curve due to demand from index tracking funds. In this article, we examine S&P 500 Index inclusion effects by conducting an analytical survey of the explanations for this phenomenon: price pressure, downward-sloping demand curves, improved liquidity, improved operating performance, and increased investor awareness. We state each hypothesis in turn, and then compare them with each other. Although our univariate findings support the results of previous work, our multivariate tests indicate that the investor awareness hypothesis is the primary explanation for the observed cross-section of announcement day price effects. We also find evidence of short-run price pressure in the pattern of post-inclusion day returns. In our multivariate tests, we find no evidence that proxies for long-run downward-sloping demand curves or anticipated improvements in operating performance or liquidity are related to the cross-section of abnormal returns associated with inclusion in the Index. The article proceeds as follows: in Section I we provide institutional details on Index additions and document the abnormal returns with this event. In Section II we discuss each of the competing hypotheses and present univariate evidence for the particular hypothesis in our own data set. In Section III we present the results of the competition among the theories. We discuss our findings in Section IV and conclude in Section V. I. The S&P 500 Index Effect
Fetuin-A uptake in bovine vascular smooth muscle cells is calcium dependent and mediated by annexins

Fetuin-A is a known inhibitor of vascular calcification in vitro. In arteries with calcification, there is increased immunostaining for fetuin-A. However, vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) do not synthesize fetuin-A, suggesting fetuin-A may be endocytosed to exert its inhibitory effects. To examine the mechanism by which fetuin-A is taken up in bovine VSMC (BVSMC), we examined living cells by confocal microscopy and determined the uptake of Cy5-labeled fetuin-A. The results demonstrated that fetuin-A was taken up in BVSMC only in the presence of extracellular calcium, whereas phosphorus had no effect. Additional studies demonstrated the calcium-dependent uptake was specific for fetuin-A and only observed in BVSMC and osteoblasts, but not epithelial, endothelial, or adipose cells. The uptake was dose dependent, but could not be inhibited by excess unlabeled fetuin-A, suggesting a fluid phase rather than a receptor-mediated process. Fetuin-A also induced a sustained increase in intracellular calcium in BVSMC in the presence of extracellular calcium, whereas there was no increase in the absence of extracellular calcium. To further characterize the uptake, we utilized an inhibitor of annexin calcium channel activity, demonstrating inhibition of both fetuin-A uptake and intracellular calcium increase. Finally, we demonstrate that fetuin-A binds to annexin II at the cell membrane of BVSMC. In summary, our study demonstrates calcium- and annexin-dependent uptake of fetuin-A that leads to a sustained rise in intracellular calcium. This regulated uptake may be a mechanism by which fetuin-A inhibits VSMC calcification in the presence of excess calcium.
Brainstem mediation of the stapedius muscle reflex in hydranencephaly

Hydranencephaly is a rare condition in which the cerebral hemispheres are absent at birth and are replaced by membranous sacs in a cerebrospinal fluid-filled cranium. Surviving hydranencephalic patients have a functional brainstem and possible remnants of the cerebral cortex. This case report examines hearing function and the integrity of the brainstem mediated stapedius muscle reflex (SMR) in an adult with hydranencephaly, using middle ear impedance change measures. The brainstem mediated ipsilateral and cross-brainstem contralateral SMRs were elicited in the right ear at normal threshold levels for noise bands of 0.25-1.0, 1.0-4.0, and 0.25-4.0 kHz (broadband), and at the sinusoidal frequencies of 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 kHz. The ipsilateral and contralateral SMR decay rates were normal. The growth in the SMR amplitude in response to noise and pure tone stimuli from threshold to saturation over a 15-20 dB range was normal and showed essentially sigmoidal curves. The normal ipsilateral and crossed brainstem contralateral electrophysiological SMR in this hydranencephalic patient demonstrated the preservation of peripheral hearing reception and functional brainstem auditory afferent and efferent tracts and nuclei in the absence of corticofugal influence.
Energy savings effectiveness of pretimed traffic control compared to actuated control at signalized intersections

Fossil fuel consumption by vehicles is an issue of economical, environmental, and political concern. Reducing excessive energy consumption at isolated signalized intersection can reduce the dependency upon fossil fuels. Guidelines are needed to help in the selection of the most energy efficient form of traffic signal control. A computer simulation program called NETS1M is used to develop guidelines for choosing the form of traffic signal control that minimizes fuel consumption. The results of 675 runs of the NETS1M simulation program are examined to determine the relationship between traffic volume levels and the most energy efficient form of traffic signal control. A prototypical four-leg intersection is selected as the test intersection. simulation runs are made for both actuated and pretimed signal control strategies. For each run the NETS 1M program's traffic volume input is changed incrementally. The program is run and the predicted fuel consumption is noted. The resulting data are utilized to develop guidelines for selecting the most energy efficient traffic signal control.
Automated video image analysis of larval zebrafish locomotor rhythms

A method is described for measurement of the circadian activity rhythms of up to 150 larval zebrafish simultaneously with a single video image analysis system. Most of the required equipment and software are commercially available, although some components are custom-built.
Concerning the Stereochemistry of Strand Equivalence in Genetic Recombination

In their article describing the nature of crossed-strand exchange between homologous DNA molecules (a likely intermediate in genetic recombination), Sigal and Alberts (1972) have demonstrated the stereochemical feasibility of a connection in which all bases remain paired without undue bond strain or unfavorable contacts. They have provided the important additional observation that such a junction can migrate by a rotary diffusion mechanism; this would involve the exchange of two identical bases above or below the cross-connection, with an accompanying rotation of both helices in the same sense about their helical axes. Such a process could be rapid enough to account for the formation of extensive regions of hybrid DNA during genetic recombination (Meselson, 1972).
Art journals in Morocco: new ways of seeing and saying

ABSTRACTIn the last half century, Moroccan artists, historians, critics and creative writers have undertaken the task of decolonising the history and criticism of their art. From the nineteenth century through independence in 1956, the story of Moroccan art was written largely from a colonialist perspective. In the 1960s and 1970s, this story was rewritten in broadly focused cultural journals such as Souffles, Integral and Lamalif. In the subsequent decades, lesser known journals continued to reflect on the place of art and artists in Moroccan society. After the millennium, a specialised art press emerged. Current art magazines such as diptyk, launched in 2009, devote visual and verbal space to artists and critics. While a variety of media outlets, including newspaper journalism and television programming, have kept visual arts in the public eye, this essay focuses on the impact of cultural journals and magazines on the development of distinctly Moroccan ways of seeing and saying in the twenty-first century.
Quality Assurance in Additive Manufacturing Through Mobile Computing

The increase in use of consumer 3D printers for in-home or small business manufacturing may signal the start of an additive manufacturing revolution, but unfortunately these printers are often error prone. In order to remedy the time and materials lost when a failed print continues on a low-end 3D printer, a cost-effective method is needed to monitor the quality of a print and stop it when an error occurs. This paper presents an approach to using a commodity smartphone and computer vision to perform quality assurance on selected layers of a 3D print. Our results indicate that a commodity mobile device using our technique is capable of accurately detecting printing errors and then effectively determining whether or not a print should continue.
Molecular biological monitor of phyrethoid-resistance of house flies

Objective To monitor the phyrethoid-resistance of house flies from 6 areas of Gansu province by molecular biological method.Methods Sodium channel genes of house flies from 6 areas of Gansu province(military districts) were amplified with 3 primers(P1,P2,P3).Results The house flies from 4 areas of Gansu province had developed resistance to phyrethoid,the house flies from other two areas of Gansu province were still sensitive to phyrethoid.Conclusion PCR method can be applied to detect the phyrethoid-resistance of house flies quickly.
Growth Rate of Cave Stalagmite

The growth rate of stalagmite is an index of distinguishing warm and cold climates as evidenced by a synthetic study of large stalagmite sections, synthetic dating of representative stalagmite sections in Yunnan, Guizhou, Hunan and Guangxi provinces. The growth rate is over 10 mm/100 a in warm humid climate in the interglacial or postglacial period, while that is 1 mm/100 a or less in the transition from warm humid to cold climate or cold stage. A growth rate of about 1 mm/100 a represents cold climate in the glacial period, and a growth rate close to 10 mm/100 a or much more indicates a transition from cold climate in the glacial period to warm humid climate period or interglacial period. The minimal growth rate is often indicative of cold climate and even depositional break and sudden change of climate and geology and hazardous events. The growth rate of stalagmite is not so reliable and should avoid using only the growth rate to calculate the age sequence of stalagmite in a long time span or ages of events. The growth rate should not be calculated across cycles to avoid missing some important information such as depositional break, climatic, geological and hazard events. Depositional breaks in stalagmite are very common and are especially more frequent in cold climate in the glacial period. The observation and dating age data suggest that the accumulative time of depositional break only accounts for 28. 92%-76. 26% of stalagmite formation and that of warm climate in the Holocene is only 13.80% of stalagmite formation.
EFFECTS OF INTRUSIVE IGNEOUS ROCK ON COAL-BED METHANE HORIZONTAL WELL PRODUCTIVITY

Choosing the Fuxin LiuJia Coal-bed Methane block as the study subject, a dual system seepage model is established in this study to simulate the dynamics of porosity and permeability resulted from pressure variation during gas desorption, diffusion and drainage. A geological model of heterogeneous coal-bed methane reservoir is also established involving complex geological tectonics. The influence on the productivity of horizontal wells from igneous rock intrusion is analyzed. Results show that the pressure expansion of Coal-bed Methane reservoir is remarkably affected by complicated geological tectonics. Locating a horizontal well SPJ1 in between two igneous rock zones leads to a substantial pressure drop and large methane desorption area in the middle of the two zones. On the other hand, when a horizontal well SPJ2 is located between the igneous rock zone and a fault zone, the effect of weaken fault and an appropriate distance from the northern igneous rock zone need to be taken into consideration. Modelling results show that 140 m is the optimal distance from the igneous rock zone, where the maximum pressure drop and coal-bed methane production are detected. The comparison between SPJ2 and SPJ1 suggests that horizontal wells in LiuJia block be placed at SPJ2.
449 Safety and health: building injury prevention into the healthcare system

Background (issue/problem) Beyond the direct deleterious toll on individuals, injury incurs high costs to the healthcare sector and increases the risk of other poor health outcomes, such as chronic illness and poor mental wellbeing. The healthcare sector can play important roles in injury prevention, not only by treating injured patients, but also by addressing the community conditions that increase the risk for injury. In order to build injury prevention into the healthcare system, healthcare organisations can benefit from models that bridge community prevention and health service delivery. Objective In this session, participants will learn about Prevention Institute’s Community-Centred Health Home (CCHH) model to promote systems change and active involvement in community advocacy. The vision of a community-centred health home takes models such as community oriented primary care and the medical home a step further by encouraging health care institutions to take an active role in strengthening their surrounding community. Results When a Chinatown resident was struck and killed by a car while crossing the street in Oakland, California, Asian Health Services (AHS) staff became aware of pedestrian safety as a health issue in their community. AHS engaged in the CCHH steps of inquiry, analysis, and action and collaborated with several community groups, business owners, and city planning agencies to instal a “scramble” crosswalk to stop vehicle traffic and allow pedestrians to safely cross in all directions. Early data showed the “scramble” reduced car-pedestrian incidents by as much as fifty percent. A larger community transportation and planning project also emerged out of the coalition to further address environmental factors impacting pedestrian safety. Conclusions The CCHH model is being piloted in several states in the United States. The model can be applied in other counties to advance the integration of injury prevention into the healthcare system.
The Projected Impact of the North American Free Trade Agreement on Transboundary Water Management between Mexico and the U.S.A.

Rapid economic and population growth along the US — Mexican border has had numerous environmental implications. Chief among these is the impact of this growth on the two countries’ shared water resources. Today, both sides of the border face problems with respect to both water quality and water availability (Emerson, 1991). Not only do they represent a potential threat to the heath to border inhabitants, but they are also likely to be a major constraint to the area’s future economic growth.
Political economy of Clinton's ambitious energy program

Hillary Clinton's campaign has stressed her continuity with Obama's energy policy on key aspects such as decarbonization of the US economy, technological innovation and global cooperation. However, policy reforms to deliver long-term climate goals might be out of reach in a highly divided Congress.
A first passage based model for probabilistic fracture of polycrystalline silicon MEMS structures

Abstract Experiments have shown that the failure loads of Microelectromechanical Systems (MEMS) devices usually exhibit a considerable level of variability, which is believed to be caused by the random material strength and the geometry-induced random stress field. Understanding the strength statistics of MEMS devices is of paramount importance for the device design guarding against a tolerable failure risk. In this study, we develop a continuum-based probabilistic model for polycrystalline silicon (poly-Si) MEMS structures within the framework of first passage analysis. The failure of poly-Si MEMS structures is considered to be triggered by fracture initiation from the sidewalls governed by a nonlocal failure criterion. The model takes into account an autocorrelated random field of material tensile strength. The nonlocal random stress field is obtained by stochastic finite element simulations based on the information of the uncertainties of the sidewall geometry. The model is formulated within the contexts of both stationary and non-stationary stochastic processes for MEMS structures of various geometries and under different loading configurations. It is shown that the model agrees well with the experimentally measured strength distributions of uniaxial tensile poly-Si MEMS specimens of different gauge lengths. The model is further used to predict the strength distribution of poly-Si MEMS beams under three-point bending, and the result is compared with the Monte Carlo simulation. The present model predicts strong size effects on both the strength distribution and the mean structural strength. It is shown that the mean size effect curve consists of three power-law asymptotes in the small, intermediate, and large-size regimes. By matching these three asymptotes, an approximate size effect equation is proposed. The present model is shown to be a generalization of the classical weakest-link statistical model, and it provides a physical interpretation of the material length scale used in the weakest-link model.
Functional split brain in a driving/listening paradigm

We often engage in two concurrent but unrelated activities, such as driving on a quiet road while listening to the radio. When we do so, does our brain split into functionally distinct entities? To address this question, we imaged brain activity with fMRI in experienced drivers engaged in a driving simulator while listening either to global positioning system instructions (integrated task) or to a radio show (split task). We found that, compared with the integrated task, the split task was characterized by reduced multivariate functional connectivity between the driving and listening networks. Furthermore, the integrated information content of the two networks, predicting their joint dynamics above and beyond their independent dynamics, was high in the integrated task and zero in the split task. Finally, individual subjects’ ability to switch between high and low information integration predicted their driving performance across integrated and split tasks. This study raises the possibility that under certain conditions of daily life, a single brain may support two independent functional streams, a “functional split brain” similar to what is observed in patients with an anatomical split.
The obesity paradox: validity and clinical implications

Purpose of review Obesity has been associated with increased incidence of diabetes, atherosclerotic disease, numerous cancers, and other comorbidities. Given the increased comorbidities and challenges associated with bedside care of the critically ill obese patient, the expectation would be worse overall clinical outcomes. However, it has been noted that there are improved outcomes in critically ill patients who are overweight or mildly obese compared to their underweight and morbidly obese counterparts. This has been termed the obesity paradox. The purpose of this article is to discuss the validity of the obesity paradox and to explore potential explanations for this seemingly illogical association.
Natural gas storage valuation via least squares Monte Carlo and support vector regression

Least squares Monte Carlo (LSMC) approaches represent a computationally efficient method for the valuation of natural gas storage facilities. LSMC methods are computationally tractable while they simultaneously allow for a decoupling of the price path simulation from the optimization of the decision vector. However, selecting the appropriate features using traditional regression techniques can be challenging, particularly when several factors of uncertainty are assumed to drive the price process. In this paper we analyze a natural gas storage contract using a two factor forward model whose parameters can be easily calibrated. For a forward curve derived from monthly averages of the NBP day-ahead contract from 2004 to 2009 we compute storage values based on a collection of spot price paths and price paths of a daily forward contract with a time to maturity of 30 days. We study the impact of additional pricing information in the form of a forward contract on the value of a gas storage facility. A comparison to the corresponding one factor model is also included in our experiments. Value function approximation is carried out by employing a kernel-based regression technique in the form of support vector machine regression (SVR). We report out-of-sample results by simulating the targets for the next stage. We also carry out a search in the space of SVR parameters to identify the appropriate parameters for our experiments. Applying a spot trading strategy we observe a higher storage value for the one factor model when compared to the corresponding two factor model. With respect to the two factor model we report that an approximation of the value function over both a spot and a forward contract increases storage value compared to a value function that is computed over a spot contract only.
Long-term impact of childhood selective dorsal rhizotomy on pain, fatigue, and function: a case-control study.

Aim Selective dorsal rhizotomy (SDR) is a surgical treatment for spasticity in children with cerebral palsy (CP). Studies suggest long-lasting effects of SDR on spasticity; long-term effects on symptoms and function are not clear. This study tested whether adults with CP (average 22y after SDR) report less pain, fatigue, and functional decline than a retrospectively assessed non-surgical comparison group. Method This was a case–control study. Eighty-eight adults with CP (mean age 27y; SDR=38 male/female/missing=20/16/2; non-surgical [comparison]=50, male/female=19/31) recruited from a tertiary care center and the community completed a battery of self-reported outcome measures. Regression models were used to test whether SDR status predicted pain, fatigue, functional change, and hours of assistance (controlling for Gross Motor Function Classification System level). Results SDR status did not significantly predict pain interference (p=0.965), pain intensity (p=0.512), or fatigue (p=0.404). SDR related to lower decline in gross motor functioning (p=0.010) and approximately 6 fewer hours of daily assistance than for those in the comparison group (p=0.001). Interpretation Adults with CP who had SDR in childhood reported less gross motor decline and fewer daily assistance needs than non-surgically treated peers, suggesting the functional impact of SDR persists long after surgery.
Factors associated with crashes due to overcorrection or oversteering of vehicles

Abstract The objective of this research is to identify factors associated with crashes due to overcorrection or oversteering of vehicles. Crash data was collected from 2011 to 2013 for the State of North Carolina in the United States. Logistic regression modeling was used to analyze crash data because of the dichotomous nature of the dependent variable (overcorrection or oversteering). The crash involvement due to overcorrection or oversteering of a vehicle decreased as the age of the driver increased. Drivers are 2.22 times more likely to overcorrect or oversteer when ill, 3.44 times more likely to overcorrect or oversteer when under fatigue, and 1.61 times more likely to overcorrect or oversteer when fallen asleep compared to normal physical conditions. Overall, driver characteristics and speed limit tend to play a major role in overcorrection or oversteering of vehicles. Programs to reduce impaired driving might help in the reduction of overcorrection or oversteering related crash fatalities or injuries. Additionally, training and driver education programs focusing on identified factors associated with crashes due to overcorrection or oversteering of vehicles will benefit drivers on how to respond during emergency or panic situations.