cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Patterns of oligosaccharide production by polygalacturonases

Abstract The products of hydrolytic action of 18 enzyme preparations at pH 3·5 and 5·5 on pectate were analyzed by gel-filtration chromatography early in the course of reaction (8–15% hydrolysis), and at a time 10 times that required for 10% hydrolysis. The degree of hydrolysis at the latter time varied from 25 to 74%. Three patterns of oligosaccharide production could be distinguished: endo-hydrolysis, exo-hydrolysis, and that due to S-polygalacturonase. The initial products of endo-hydrolysis were mixed oligosaccharides 5–30 units long; monomer and dimer appeared early but represented less than 2% of the products until late in the reaction. exo-Polygalacturonase (not entirely free of endo-) showed predominant production of the monomer and was clearly evident when mixed with four parts of endo-polygalacturonase. The time course of reducing group production by highly purified S-polygalacturonase could be reproduced by the above mixture of exo- and endo-polygalacturonases, but the pattern of products and the pH relations could not. The initial products of S-polygalacturonase were monomer, dimer and pentamer with lesser amounts of trimer and tetramer. After the hydolysis of the polymer and large oligomers, the pentamer was attacked by S-polygalacturonase, in the same way that the accumulated hexamer, etc. were finally hydrolysed by the endo-polygalacturonase.
Nuclear quadrupole coupling in the 1Σ+g and 3Π+Ou states of molecular iodine

Abstract Using the intermodulated fluorescence technique, we have observed forbidden and crossover transitions in the optical spectrum from which the hyperfine couplings of the upper and lower states can be evaluated separately. For the v″ = 0, J″ = 13 sublevel of the X 1 Σ + g electronic state eQq is –2452 ± 40 MHz which is 7% larger than for atomic iodine.
Asymmetric Wolbachia Segregation during Early Brugia malayi Embryogenesis Determines Its Distribution in Adult Host Tissues

Wolbachia are required for filarial nematode survival and fertility and contribute to the immune responses associated with human filarial diseases. Here we developed whole-mount immunofluorescence techniques to characterize Wolbachia somatic and germline transmission patterns and tissue distribution in Brugia malayi, a nematode responsible for lymphatic filariasis. In the initial embryonic divisions, Wolbachia segregate asymmetrically such that they occupy only a small subset of cells in the developing embryo, facilitating their concentration in the adult hypodermal chords and female germline. Wolbachia are not found in male reproductive tissues and the absence of Wolbachia from embryonic germline precursors in half of the embryos indicates Wolbachia loss from the male germline may occur in early embryogenesis. Wolbachia rely on fusion of hypodermal cells to populate adult chords. Finally, we detect Wolbachia in the secretory canal lumen suggesting living worms may release bacteria and/or their products into their host.
Thermomechanical Finite Element Analysis of Impact-Induced Magnetic Erasures in Magnetic Storage Thin Film Media

Oblique impact of a slider with a rotating disk in hard disk drives was analyzed using the finite element method. A three dimensional, thermomechanical, impact model was developed to study the mechanical and thermal response during the impact of a spherical slider corner with the disk. The model was validated by comparing finite element results with analytical solutions for homogeneous glass disk under simple conditions. Impact penetration, stress and incurred flash temperature were obtained for various normal impact velocities.Copyright © 2007 by ASME
On Decoupling the Equations of Motion of Nonclassically Damped Systems

One common procedure in the solution of a damped linear systems with small off-diagonal damping elements is to neglect the off-diagonal elements of the normalized damping matrix. The extent of approximation introduced by this method of decoupling the system is evaluated, and tight error bounds are derived by alternative techniques. An effective procedure to improve the accuracy of the approximate solution is outlined.Copyright © 1989 by ASME
Paediatric coblation tonsillectomy

Objective: Tonsillectomy has been described using a number of techniques. Recently Coblation Technology has been used to remove tonsils with anecdotal evidence of a reduction in post-operative morbidity. In this study we aim to see if there is any difference in post-operative pain, tonsillar fossae healing and return to a normal diet performing tonsillectomy, using tissue coblation compared with standard bipolar dissection. Methods: A double blind randomised control trial to compare the technique of tissue coblation with standard bipolar dissection to remove tonsils in 38 children on the waiting list for tonsillectomy, with a history of chronic tonsillitis or obstructive tonsils. Results: A significant reduction in post-operative pain was found in the children whose tonsils were removed by tissue coblation (P<0.0001). More rapid healing of the tonsillar fossae was found in the coblation group. Children who had their tonsils removed by coblation were found to return to their normal diet far sooner than those who underwent bipolar dissection. There were no episodes of primary or secondary haemorrhage in either group. Conclusions: This new technique using tissue coblation for tonsil removal offers significant advantages in the post-operative period, with rapid return to a normal diet and a drastic reduction in analgesic requirements following the surgery.
Induction of zona radiata and vitellogenin genes in estradiol and nonylphenol exposed male sheepshead minnows (Cyprinodon variegatus).

Abstract Several genes normally induced by estradiol (E2) in female fish, those for vitellogenins (VTGs) and zona radiata proteins (ZRPs), are also inducible in males exposed to estrogenic chemicals. Male sheepshead minnows (SHM) were exposed to both E2 and para-nonylphenol (NP), at several doses and times to determine a dose-response. Quantitative real time PCR was used to measure mRNA for VTG1, VTG2, ZRP2 and ZRP3. Both E2 and NP elicited a dose-response increase in all of the mRNAs tested. Exposure to both chemicals resulted in VTG2 expression at about a 10-fold lower level than VTG1, and ZRP2 expression at a lower level than ZRP3.
Alterations of local cerebral glucose utilization during chronic dehydration in rats

Abstract The quantitative autoradiographic deoxyglucose method was used to study changes in local cerebral glucose utilization in conscious dehydrated rats. Animals were either given saline to drink or were deprived of water for 5 days. Saline ingestion did not alter the rates of glucose metabolism in any brain region when compared to the rates of glucose metabolism in animals which had free access to water. Glucose utilization was increased by 140%, however, in the pituitary neural lobe. Water deprivation produced both increases and decreases in glucose metabolism, depending on the particular structure. In 20 of 44 brain structures analyzed, there were significant decreases from −18 to −34% in glucose utilization. Four forebrain structures, the subfornical organ, septal traingular nucleus, and hypothalamic paraventricular and supraoptic nuclei, had increases in glucose utilization of 30–73%. The rate of glucose utilization in the pituitary neural lobe was increased by 37% in water-deprived rats. The results demonstrate that metabolic activity is stimulated in some, but not all, of the structures participating in fluid regulation during an intense thirst challenge. Many brain regions have depressed metabolism in chronic severe dehydration.
Targeting Metal-Aβ Aggregates with Bifunctional Radioligand [11C]L2-b and a Fluorine-18 Analogue [18F]FL2-b.

Interest in quantifying metal-Aβ species in vivo led to the synthesis and evaluation of [11C]L2-b and [18F]FL2-b as radiopharmaceuticals for studying the metallobiology of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) using positron emission tomography (PET) imaging. [11C]L2-b was synthesized in 3.6% radiochemical yield (nondecay corrected, n = 3), >95% radiochemical purity, from the corresponding desmethyl precursor. [18F]FL2-b was synthesized in 1.0% radiochemical yield (nondecay corrected, n = 3), >99% radiochemical purity, from a 6-chloro pyridine precursor. Autoradiography experiments with AD positive and healthy control brain samples were used to determine the specificity of binding for the radioligands compared to [11C]PiB, a known imaging agent for β-amyloid (Aβ) aggregates. The Kd for [11C]L2-b and [18F]FL2-b were found to be 3.5 and 9.4 nM, respectively, from those tissue studies. Displacement studies of [11C]L2-b and [18F]FL2-b with PiB and AV-45 determined that L2-b binds to Aβ aggregates differently from known ra...
Multidrug Resistance–like Genes of Arabidopsis Required for Auxin Transport and Auxin-Mediated Development

Arabidopsis possesses several genes related to the multidrug resistance (MDR) genes of animals, one of which, AtMDR1, was shown to be induced by the hormone auxin. Plants having mutations in AtMDR1 or its closest relative, AtPGP1, were isolated by a reverse genetic strategy. Auxin transport activity was greatly impaired in atmdr1 and atmdr1 atpgp1 double mutant plants. Epinastic cotyledons and reduced apical dominance were mutant phenotypes consistent with the disrupted basipetal flow of auxin. The auxin transport inhibitor 1-naphthylphthalamic acid was shown to bind tightly and specifically to AtMDR1 and AtPGP1 proteins. The results indicate that these two MDR-like genes of Arabidopsis encode 1-naphthylphthalamic acid binding proteins that are required for normal auxin distribution and auxin-mediated development.
Efficient Dynamic Programming Alignment of Cyclic Strings by Shift Elimination

Abstract Optimal alignment of two strings of length m and n is computed in time O ( mn ) by dynamic programming. When the strings represent cyclic patterns, the alignment computation must consider all possible shifts and the computation complexity increases accordingly. We present an algorithm for efficient dynamic programming alignment of cyclic strings which uses a previously established channeling technique to reduce the complexity of each alignment and a new shift elimination technique to reduce the number of alignments carried out. The result is a data-dependent time complexity that varies between O (2 mn ) and O ( mn log 2 n ). An experimental evaluation is provided using randomly generated sequences.
Change-point methods for Weibull models with applications to detection of trends in extreme temperatures

We develop change-point methodology for identifying dynamic trends in the scale and shape parameters of a Weibull distribution. The methodology includes asymptotics of the likelihood ratio statistic for detecting unknown changes in the parameters as well as asymptotics of the maximum likelihood estimate of the unknown change-point. The developed methodology is applied to detect dynamic changes in the minimum temperatures of Uppsala, Sweden. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Challenges in interpreting cytokine biomarkers in biobehavioral research: a breast cancer exemplar.

Purpose: This report extends the findings of a prior study comparing the level of plasma cytokines in women with breast cancer to those of women with a benign breast biopsy with the addition of a n...
On the Identification Device Management and Data Capture via WinRFID1 Edge-Server

In this paper, we present a layered architecture and approach for creating a high performance edge server called reader coordinator (RC) for managing variety of automatic identification hardware such as radio frequency identification (RFID) reader, RFID printer, sensor, barcode scanner, or a controllable device (e.g., programmable logic controller). A unique hardware abstraction approach is used to provide device extensibility and manageability. Rule-based device configuration and control which allows the real-time changing of system behavior is presented. Various data encoding schemes used to accommodate data captured by a device and used as the input of rule based data filtration and aggregation are discussed. We discuss a mechanism of building self-governed automation processing in the data capture process. Performance is measured by using virtual reader that generates high volume of data at high speed. The measurement shows the RC is capable of handling such data.
Cyclic strain anisotropy regulates valvular interstitial cell phenotype and tissue remodeling in three-dimensional culture.

Many planar connective tissues exhibit complex anisotropic matrix fiber arrangements that are critical to their biomechanical function. This organized structure is created and modified by resident fibroblasts in response to mechanical forces in their environment. The directionality of applied strain fields changes dramatically during development, aging, and disease, but the specific effect of strain direction on matrix remodeling is less clear. Current mechanobiological inquiry of planar tissues is limited to equibiaxial or uniaxial stretch, which inadequately simulates many in vivo environments. In this study, we implement a novel bioreactor system to demonstrate the unique effect of controlled anisotropic strain on fibroblast behavior in three-dimensional (3-D) engineered tissue environments, using aortic valve interstitial fibroblast cells as a model system. Cell seeded 3-D collagen hydrogels were subjected to cyclic anisotropic strain profiles maintained at constant areal strain magnitude for up to 96 h at 1 Hz. Increasing anisotropy of biaxial strain resulted in increased cellular orientation and collagen fiber alignment along the principal directions of strain and cell orientation was found to precede fiber reorganization. Cellular proliferation and apoptosis were both significantly enhanced under increasing biaxial strain anisotropy (P < 0.05). While cyclic strain reduced both vimentin and alpha-smooth muscle actin compared to unstrained controls, vimentin and alpha-smooth muscle actin expression increased with strain anisotropy and correlated with direction (P < 0.05). Collectively, these results suggest that strain field anisotropy is an independent regulator of fibroblast cell phenotype, turnover, and matrix reorganization, which may inform normal and pathological remodeling in soft tissues.
A bacterial carbohydrate links innate and adaptive responses through Toll-like receptor 2

Commensalism is critical to a healthy Th1/Th2 cell balance. Polysaccharide A (PSA), which is produced by the intestinal commensal Bacteroides fragilis, activates CD4+ T cells, resulting in a Th1 response correcting the Th2 cell skew of germ-free mice. We identify Toll-like receptors as crucial to the convergence of innate and adaptive responses stimulated by PSA. Optimization of the Th1 cytokine interferon-gamma in PSA-stimulated dendritic cell-CD4+ T cell co-cultures depends on both Toll-like receptor (TLR) 2 and antigen presentation. Synergy between the innate and adaptive responses was also shown when TLR2-/- mice exhibited impaired intraabdominal abscess formation in response to B. fragilis. Commensal bacteria, using molecules like PSA, potentially modulate the Th1/Th2 cell balance and the response to infection by coordinating both the innate and adaptive pathways.
West Nile Virus Neutralization by US Plasma-Derived Immunoglobulin Products

The 1999 introduction of West Nile virus (WNV) into the United States has resulted in the largest epidemic of arboviral illness in the Western Hemisphere, with an estimated 2.5 million cases of mostly asymptomatic human infections since then. As a consequence, an increasing occurrence of WNV antibodies in plasma collected in the United States, and thus in intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) products, can be expected. Using an in vitro assay to investigate antibody function, rather then presence, almost 1000-fold differences in neutralization capacity were demonstrated between individual IVIG lots. In a mouse model of lethal WNV infection, treatment with IVIG of a higher WNV antibody titer protected recipients, whereas mice treated with control IVIG died. IVIG lots with higher WNV antibody titers would seem to be desirable for substitution therapy for people with immunodeficiencies.
Increasing Our Understanding of Breast Self-Examination: Women Talk About Cancer, the Health Care System, and Being Women

The author engaged 13 women, aged 30 to 59, in a collaborative research project over several months to explore the meaning of breast self-examination (BSE) to them. Through a series of 11 group discussions, the women developed a critical consciousness of the commonality of their personal experiences in relation to BSE. Although these women valued BSE, their reluctance to perform it was influenced by their perceptions of breast cancer as a lethal disease, the perceived threat it posed to their femininity, and their ability to negotiate an increasingly medical and technological health care system. This study provides insight into the importance of the social environment and shared understandings in influencing women's individual behavioral choices for BSE. It also illustrates the particular value of collaborative health research.
Proinflammatory Endothelial Activation Detected by Molecular Imaging in Obese Nonhuman Primates Coincides With Onset of Insulin Resistance and Progressively Increases With Duration of Insulin Resistance

Background—Inflammation and insulin resistance (IR) are associated processes that potentiate risk for cardiovascular disease in obesity. The temporal relation between IR and inflammation is not completely characterized. We hypothesized that endothelial cell adhesion molecule expression in large arteries is an early event that coincides with diet-induced obesity and IR in primates. Methods and Results—Ten adult male rhesus macaques were studied at baseline and every 4 to 6 months on a high-fat diet for 2 years. Truncal fat, carotid intima-media thickness, plasma inflammatory biomarkers, and carotid P-selectin and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 expression by contrast-enhanced ultrasound molecular imaging were assessed. Intravenous glucose tolerance test was performed at baseline and at 4 and 18 months. A high-fat diet produced a rapid increase (P<0.01) in weight, truncal fat, and degree of IR indicated by the insulin area under the curve and glucose disappearance rate on intravenous glucose tolerance tes...
Extensions and Corollaries of Recent Work on Hilbert's Tenth Problem

Abstract : The theorem that every recursively enumerable set is expon ntial Diophantine is improve ; a sharp form is given of Kleene's (Introduction to Metamathematics, D. Van Nostrand Company, Inc., 1952) normal form theorem, a problem of Quine (Synthese, VII; 441-46, 1948-9) is proved recursively unsolvable. (Author)
The Systemic Amyloid Precursor Transthyretin (TTR) Behaves as a Neuronal Stress Protein Regulated by HSF1 in SH-SY5Y Human Neuroblastoma Cells and APP23 Alzheimer's Disease Model Mice

Increased neuronal synthesis of transthyretin (TTR) may favorably impact on Alzheimer's disease (AD) because TTR has been shown to inhibit Aβ aggregation and detoxify cell-damaging conformers. The mechanism whereby hippocampal and cortical neurons from AD patients and APP23 AD model mice produce more TTR is unknown. We now show that TTR expression in SH-SY5Y human neuroblastoma cells, primary hippocampal neurons and the hippocampus of APP23 mice, is significantly enhanced by heat shock factor 1 (HSF1). Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assays demonstrated occupation of TTR promoter heat shock elements by HSF1 in APP23 hippocampi, primary murine hippocampal neurons, and SH-SY5Y cells, but not in mouse liver, cultured human hepatoma (HepG2) cells, or AC16 cultured human cardiomyocytes. Treating SH-SY5Y human neuroblastoma cells with heat shock or the HSF1 stimulator celastrol increased TTR transcription in parallel with that of HSP40, HSP70, and HSP90. With both treatments, ChIP showed increased occupancy of heat shock elements in the TTR promoter by HSF1. In vivo celastrol increased the HSF1 ChIP signal in hippocampus but not in liver. Transfection of a human HSF1 construct into SH-SY5Y cells increased TTR transcription and protein production, which could be blocked by shHSF1 antisense. The effect is neuron specific. In cultured HepG2 cells, HSF1 was either suppressive or had no effect on TTR expression confirming the differential effects of HSF1 on TTR transcription in different cell types.
Model predictive control of nonlinear stochastic PDEs: Application to a sputtering process

In this work, we develop a method for model predictive control of nonlinear stochastic partial differential equations (PDEs) to regulate the state variance, which physically represents the roughness of a surface in a thin film growth process, to a desired level. We initially formulate a nonlinear stochastic PDE into a system of infinite nonlinear stochastic ordinary differential equations (ODEs) by using Galerkin's method. A finite-dimensional approximation is then derived that captures the dominant mode contribution to the state variance. A model predictive control problem is formulated based on the finite-dimensional approximation so that the future state variance can be predicted in a computationally efficient way. The control action is computed by minimizing an objective function including penalty on the discrepancy between the predicted state variance and a reference trajectory, and a terminal penalty. An analysis of the closed-loop nonlinear infinite-dimensional system is performed to characterize the closed-loop performance enforced by the model predictive controller. The model predictive controller is initially applied to the stochastic Kuramoto-Sivashinsky equation (KSE), a fourth-order nonlinear stochastic PDE. Simulation results demonstrate that the proposed predictive controller can successfully drive the norm of the state variance of the stochastic KSE to a desired level in the presence of significant model parameter uncertainties. In addition, we consider the problem of surface roughness regulation in a one-dimensional ion-sputtering process. The predictive controller is applied to the kinetic Monte Carlo model of the sputtering process to successfully regulate the expected surface roughness to a desired level.
Power Conditioning Subsystems for Photovoltaic Central-Station Power Plants: State-of-the-Art and Advanced Technology

Through the combined efforts of governmental agencies and laboratories, private organizations, universities and electric utilities, substantial progress has been made in bringing photovoltaic (PV) systems closer to commercial feasibility. The future availability of central station power conditioner subsystems (CS-PCS) that are efficient, safe, reliable, and economical will play a key role in the acceptance of large-scale PV energy by electric utilities. To accelerate the development of such CS-PCS hardware, the Department of Energy's Photovoltaic Division, as part of its Five Year Plan, has established a goal of a reliable, 98 percent-efficient CS-PCS that in volume production will cost $0.07/Wp. This will help make PV power economically competitive with electric power derived from conventional energy sources. Various governmental agencies and private organizations are cooperating to try to achieve this proposed goal. The combination of a dwindling federal budget for PV research and development (R&D), and the reluctance of American industry to accept the high economic risks involved in its own PV R&D efforts, could shift the leading edge of PV-PCS technology development to foreign competition, in general, and to Japanese industry, in particular.
Elevated copper and oxidative stress in cancer cells as a target for cancer treatment

As we gain a better understanding of the factors affecting cancer etiology, we can design improved treatment strategies. Over the past three to four decades, there have been numerous successful efforts in recognizing important cellular proteins essential in cancer growth and therefore these proteins have been targeted for cancer treatment. However, studies have shown that targeting one or two proteins in the complex cancer cascade may not be sufficient in controlling and/or inhibiting cancer growth. Therefore, there is a need to examine features which are potentially involved in multiple facets of cancer development. In this review we discuss the targeting of the elevated copper (both in serum and tumor) and oxidative stress levels in cancer with the aid of a copper chelator d-penicillamine (d-pen) for potential cancer treatment. Numerous studies in the literature have reported that both the serum and tumor copper levels are elevated in a variety of malignancies, including both solid tumor and blood cancer. Further, the elevated copper levels have been shown to be directly correlated to cancer progression. Enhanced levels of intrinsic oxidative stress has been shown in variety of tumors, possibly due to the combination of factors such as elevated active metabolism, mitochondrial mutation, cytokines, and inflammation. The cancer cells under sustained ROS stress tend to heavily utilize adaptation mechanisms and may exhaust cellular ROS-buffering capacity. Therefore, the elevated copper levels and increased oxidative stress in cancer cells provide for a prospect of selective cancer treatment.
Russulaceae of the Pakaraima Mountains of Guyana. I. New species of pleurotoid Lactarius.

Morphological and habitat descriptions, il- lustrations and taxonomic discussions are presented for two newly described species of pleurotoid Lactar- ius, L. brunellus and L. multiceps, from the Pakaraima Mountains of Guyana. A third species, L. igapoensis, is synonymized with L. panuoides.
Transplanting temporal points, sideburns, and feminine hairlines.

Techniques for transplanting temporal points, sideburns, and feminine hairlines are described. Variations unique to these areas are highlighted.
Myosin Binding Protein C, a Potential Regulator of Cardiac Contractility

The role of myosin binding protein C (MyBP-C) in the formation and function of striated muscle is unclear, even though the demonstration of its presence in the thick filaments of striated muscle was made by Offer et al1 more than 25 years ago.2 Because of the inability of myosin to form normal thick filaments in the absence of MyBP-C and the temporal correlation between the appearance of MyBP-C, thick filaments, and sarcomeres in developing striated muscle,3 4 5 MyBP-C is assumed to be essential for the formation and normal structure of thick filaments. The cardiac isoform of MyBP-C has an additional feature that is absent from the skeletal isoforms. There are 3 phosphorylation sites located in the cardiac motif portion of the molecule in the N-terminal region.6 In addition to these phosphorylatable sites, a Ca2+/calmodulin-regulated kinase specific for cardiac MyBP-C is bound to the thick filament.7 8 The combination of these features suggests that the function of MyBP-C in cardiac muscle can be modified posttranslationally by phosphorylation. Such a phosphorylation could be an important regulator of cardiac contractility. At least 5 transmitter-based mechanisms for the regulation of cardiac contractility are associated with changes in the degree of phosphorylation of MyBP-C: increased or decreased phosphorylation with increased or decreased contractility. MyBP-C is located in a series of 7 to 9 sites, each separated by 43 nm in the C zone of the sarcomere and most likely oriented perpendicular to the axis of the filament.9 Within the C zone, there are approximately 9 crossbridges per 3 MyBP-C molecules,9 but in the 50% of the thick …
`IM me': Instant messaging as relational maintenance and everyday communication

Few studies to date have examined the use of Internet applications in enacting `everyday' routine relational maintenance and even fewer assess how such tools complement more traditional forms of communication to sustain involvements. This exploratory study examines the role of one such tool, instant messaging (IM), in relational maintenance. Participants (N = 402) reported their general use of IM (Stage 1) and subsequently conducted and reported on a specific interaction occurring either through IM or face to face (Stage 2). Among IM users, significant gender and the types of relationships differences emerged in `every communication.' Findings also indicate how IM is being utilized in conjunction with other communication channels. New research opportunities for examining relational maintenance processes employing IM are advanced.
HYDROLOGIC AND EDAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS OF THREE MOUNTAIN WETLANDS IN SOUTHEASTERN KENTUCKY, USA

ABSTRACT Hydrologic patterns and soil characteristics were investigated at three high-elevation wetlands in southeastern Kentucky, Martins Fork, Kentenia, and Four Level. Despite below-normal precipitation, water tables at all sites remained within 35 cm of the surface and fluctuated seasonally with peak heights during early spring. Seasonal precipitation contributed substantially to Martins Fork hydrology, while ground water was the primary hydrologic source for Kentenia and Four Level. Vertical hydraulic gradients varied among the sites. Martins Fork was distinguished by strong seasonal downwelling, while Kentenia and Four Level exhibited upwelling and downwelling patterns. All sites exhibited prominent soil hydromorphic features immediately below the surface horizon, moderate organic carbon content (< 6.5%), and a pH range between 4.4 and 6.2 according to the buffering capacities of local lithologies. The sites were dominated by sandy loam texture and siliceous mineralogy, reflecting the influence of s...
Extraterrestrial Intelligence: Friends, Foes, or Just Curious?

For over 50 years, scientists involved in the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) have searched for evidence of alien civilizations, and several messages have been transmitted into space with the intention of communicating with intelligent extraterrestrial beings. In April 2010, the esteemed British astrophysicist Stephen Hawking warned that such attempts could be potentially dangerous. He based his conclusion on historical analogies on Earth, such as the conflict between Native Americans and European settlers, and he reasoned that when a more technologically advanced civilization encountered a less advanced one, the results have often been catastrophic for the weaker party. Although this argument has intuitive appeal, upon closer examination, it appears misguided. Even for technologically-advanced civilizations, interstellar voyages would probably be justified only for major purposes, and plundering the Earth for its resources would be neither practical nor desirable.
The influence of ATM on operating systems

The features of ATM offered many attractions to the application community, such as fine-grained multiplexing and high-throughput links. These created considerable challenges for the O.S. designer, since a small protocol data unit size (the 48 byte "cell") and link bandwidths within a (binary) order of magnitude of memory bandwidths demanded considerable rethinking of operating system structure.Using an historical and personal perspective, this paper describes two aspects of that rethinking which I participated in directly, namely, those of new event signalling and memory buffering schemes. Ideas and techniques stemming from ATM network research influenced first research operating systems and then commercial operating systems. The positive results of ATM networking, although indirect, have benefitted applications and systems far beyond the original design goals.
Strong Magnetic Fluctuations in a Superconducting State of CeCoIn 5

We show results on the vortex core dissipation through current-voltage measurements under applied pressure and magnetic field in the superconducting phase of ${\mathrm{CeCoIn}}_{5}$. We find that as soon as the system becomes superconducting, the vortex core resistivity increases sharply as the temperature and magnetic field decrease. The sharp increase in flux-flow resistivity is due to quasiparticle scattering on critical antiferromagnetic fluctuations. The strength of magnetic fluctuations below the superconducting transition suggests that magnetism is complementary to superconductivity and therefore must be considered in order to fully account for the low-temperature properties of ${\mathrm{CeCoIn}}_{5}$.
Dynamic RSA Problem for Time-Varying Traffic in Spectrum Sliced Elastic Optical Path Network

Service time-varying traffic flexible optical networks require a dynamic bandwidth allocation in order to follow the source transmission rate. The problem of service time-varying traffic, assuming that the set of connection requests is not known in advance, is considered in this work. Connection requests arrive randomly with random duration of these connections. The considered dynamic RSA problem involves minimizing the probability of blocking additional slot requests on the ongoing connections while maintaining spectrum continuity constraints and non-overlapping spectrum assignment constraints between adjacent connections. The proposed algorithm determines the path with the required number of slots around the reference frequency for a connection request. An analysis of the network with time-varying traffic on the network connections was carried out on the basis of spectrum expansion/contraction schemes which allow to determine average blocking probability of the additional slots requests on these connections. The obtained results have been compared with those obtained by a well known algorithm that solves the static RSA problem.
Organizational Failure in the Hollow State: Lessons from the Milwaukee Voucher Experience

ABSTRACTIn this conceptual article we use the experience of the longstanding Milwaukee private school voucher program to categorize different failure types within the hollow state. Specifically, we argue that the overall performance of the hollow state is dependent on the performance of organizations operating within the hollow state, that organizational failures are inevitable in hollow state activities, and that such failures can be categorized as marketplace failures, service failures, institutional failures, or customer service failures. We conclude that policy makers must plan for the reality of organizational failures in the hollow state if such arrangements are to be effective.
Sexual Factors and Prostatic Cancer: Results From a Case-control Study

A case-control study of a number of factors of possible etiologic significance for prostatic cancer was conducted in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area. The focus was primarily on sexual factors. Two hundred and fifty incident cases of prostatic cancer, 238 hospital controls, and 240 neighborhood controls were included. Controls were matched to cases on age, sex, and race. Cases were somewhat more educated than controls. An association was found between prostatic cancer and a history of venereal disease in their sexual partners: odds ratio (OR) = 2.71, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.14 to 6.46 and OR = 2.09, 95% CI = 1.02 to 4.29 for hospital and neighborhood controls, respectively. Cases had more sexual experiences with prostitutes, although their overall lifetime frequency of sexual intercourse with all partners was somewhat lower. Cases also reported more homosexual partners than controls. The results from the study lend some support to an infectious hypothesis for prostatic cancer. The lower frequency of sexual intercourse (OR = .54, 95% CI = .34 to .83 and OR = .68, 95% CI = .47 to 1.01 for hospital and neighborhood controls, respectively) is also noteworthy and may be indicative of a hormonal difference related to sexual interest or drive.
Strategic Considerations: Quo Vadis Taiwan?

The one remaining threat to the peace in East Asia, now that there has been a rapprochement between the two Koreas, is that of a Chinese attack on the Republic of China on Taiwan. Currently, China and Taiwan have irreconcilable differences. China insists that Taiwan is a province of China and demands that Taiwan accede to unification or face military attack. Taiwan, on the other hand, will not agree to unification with an authoritarian, communist regime. In recent years, however, complex economic, social and cultural ties have developed between the two rivals. Thus it may be possible that some form of unification between the two countries could be achieved. After analysing the interactions between Taiwan, China, and the United States ‐ the three nations vital to the solution of the so‐called ‘Taiwan Question’ ‐ this essay examines possible ways to ensure a peaceful outcome in the Taiwan Strait.
Some Opinions on the Dead Reckoning

The dead reckoning is a basic skill of navigating officers. It should be understood clearly and mastered skillfully and its accuracy and limitation should also be recognized.
Management of Sickle Cell Disease: Recommendations from the 2014 Expert Panel Report

Family physicians are the primary and sometimes only health care resource for families affected by sickle cell disease. Recently published guidelines provide important recommendations for health maintenance, acute care, and monitoring of disease-modifying therapy in persons with this condition. This overview highlights some of the most important clinical activities that can and should be carried out in the community care setting. Children with sickle cell anemia should receive prophylactic penicillin from birth through at least five years of age, and all persons with sickle cell disease require vaccination to prevent invasive pneumococcal disease. Annual screening with transcranial Doppler ultrasonography is recommended for all children with sickle cell disease beginning at two years of age and continuing through adolescence to evaluate the risk of stroke and to initiate transfusion therapy in those at high risk. Vasoocclusive crises require immediate and adequate analgesia appropriate to the level of patient-reported pain. Antibiotics, hospitalization, and incentive spirometry are indicated for those with acute chest syndrome. There is strong evidence to support the promotion and use of hydroxyurea therapy in patients nine months and older who have sickle cell anemia because its use can decrease the frequency of vasoocclusive crises and acute chest syndrome with limited adverse effects.
Effects of exercise and feeding on the hexosamine biosynthetic pathway in rat skeletal muscle

Products of the hexosamine biosynthesis pathway (HSNP) have been implicated in glucose-induced insulin resistance. We measured the major products of HSNP, UDP-N-acetyl hexosamines (UDP-HexNAc), and the activity of L-glutamine: D-fructose-6-phosphate amidotransferase (GFAT, rate-limiting enzyme) in rat hindlimb muscles immediately after exercise and 1, 3, and 16 h postexercise (swimming) in fed and fasted rats and sedentary controls. Muscle glycogen decreased by 50-75% postexercise. In sedentary rats, muscle GFAT activity decreased by approximately 30% (P < 0.002) after an 18-h fast. GFAT activity was not affected by exercise under any condition. Muscle UDP-HexNAc increased approximately 30% postexercise (P < 0.01) in ad libitum-fed but not in fasted rats. UDP-HexNAc remained elevated (approximately 30%, P < 0.002) for 16 h if animals were fed postexercise. Concentrations of UDP-hexoses, GDP-mannose, and UDP were unchanged postexercise. Conclusions are that muscle GFAT activity is regulated by the nutritional state but not by acute exercise. Glucose flux via HNSP may be increased postexercise in muscles of ad libitum-fed rats. Increased HSNP products may serve as negative feedback regulators to limit excessive muscle glycogen deposition postexercise.
On Subsequent Yield Surfaces after Finite Shear Pre-Straining

The subsequent yield surface for an annealed OFHC copper after finite shear pre-loading is experimentally investigated. It was found that when large offset strains or back extrapolation yield stresses were used, the corresponding subsequent yield surfaces were partially or completely outside the von Mises loading surface. On the other hand, the subsequent yield surface determined by the back extrapolation method was close to the Tresca loading surface.
Support structure constrained topology optimization for additive manufacturing

There is significant interest today in integrating additive manufacturing (AM) and topology optimization (TO). However, TO often leads to designs that are not AM friendly. For example, topologically optimized designs may require significant amount of support structures before they can be additively manufactured, resulting in increased fabrication and clean-up costs.In this paper, we propose a TO methodology that will lead to designs requiring significantly reduced support structures. Towards this end, the concept of support structure topological sensitivity is introduced. This is combined with performance sensitivity to result in a TO framework that maximizes performance, subject to support structure constraints. The robustness and efficiency of the proposed method is demonstrated through numerical experiments, and validated through fused deposition modeling, a popular AM process. Addresses additive manufacturing support structure constraint in topology optimization.Introduces topological sensitivity for support structures.Combines support structure sensitivity with performance sensitivity.Proposes a robust and efficient algorithm for support structure constrained topology optimization.
Understanding and Mitigating the Effects of Stable Dodecahydro-closo-dodecaborate Intermediates on Hydrogen-Storage Reactions

Alkali metal borohydrides can reversibly store hydrogen; however, the materials display poor cyclability, oftentimes linked to the occurrence of stable closo-polyborate intermediate species. In an effort to understand the role of such intermediates on the hydrogen storage properties of metal borohydrides, several alkali metal dodecahydro-closo-dodecaborate salts were isolated in anhydrous form and characterized by diffraction and spectroscopic techniques. Mixtures of Li2B12H12, Na2B12H12, and K2B12H12 with the corresponding alkali metal hydrides were subjected to hydrogenation conditions known to favor partial or full reversibility in metal borohydrides. The stoichiometric mixtures of MH and M2B12H12 salts form the corresponding metal borohydrides MBH4 (M = Li, Na, K) in almost quantitative yield at 100 MPa H2 and 500 °C. In addition, stoichiometric mixtures of Li2B12H12 and MgH2 were found to form MgB2 at 500 °C and above upon desorption in vacuum. The two destabilization strategies outlined above sugges...
Deliberate Practice for Mastery Learning in Nursing

Abstract The teaching of psychomotor skills in schools of nursing and medicine has remained basically unchanged for the past 50 years despite known problems with inconsistent teaching, testing, and retention of critical foundational skills. Add to this, prolonged periods of non-use of certain skills known as retention intervals, and there is bound to be loss of skill mastery and decay. It is imperative that nursing faculty identify what skills are critically important and require concerted attention to ensure competency and retention. This manuscript provides evidence to consider deliberate practice with mastery learning as a viable alternative to skill acquisition.
Reference and Analysis

Productive mathematical and scientific research often takes place when more concrete discourse whose main intent is to establish and clarify reference is yoked with more abstract discourse whose main intent is analysis. The opposition between referential discourse and analytic discourse is explained by a detailed account of Leibniz’s notion of analysis as a search for the conditions of intelligibility of things, as well as the solvability of problems, in relation to his debates with Locke in the Nouveaux Essais, and then examining its continuation in the work of Ernst Cassirer. I argue that Cassirer tends to read the superposition of discourses too strongly as unification, as if the referential discourse disappeared entirely into the analytic discourse; to contest this reading, I tell a historical narrative about the investigation of the circle. The circle, like the cosmos, always has further surprises to reveal; its determinate oneness is never exhausted by an analytic discourse.
Measuring seafloor roughness using an ROV mounted laser profiling system

A major mechanism in mid- to high-frequency acoustic propagation and reverberation in littoral environments is the scattering from rough interfaces at the boundaries of the waveguide. Although methods have been developed to measure the interface roughness in order to quantify the scattering, many of these methods are limited in resolution or difficult to employ over a large area. In this study, a mobile laser profiling method of measuring microbathymetry is presented. The lasers are mounted on a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) which enables large areas to be surveyed and does not require bottom mounted equipment. This system was deployed as part of the Target and Reverberation Experiment of the coast of the Florida Panhandle in May of 2013. Micorbathymetric maps and roughness spectral parameters were determined using the system.
A general and efficient multiple segment method for kinetostatic analysis of planar compliant mechanisms

Abstract In the past decades, numerous mechanics models and mathematical formulations have been developed for kinetostatic analysis of compliant mechanisms. However, it is rather tedious and error-prone to derive analysis equations based on these models. In this work, we present a general kinetostatic analysis framework for planar compliant mechanisms in which 2D beams can be represented by multiple segments of three commonly used models: beam-constraint-model (BCM), linear Euler–Bernoulli beam and pseudo-rigid-body models (PRBM). The framework is developed such that any beam model with a closed-form energy equation can be integrated without the deep understanding of the proposed scheme. The static equilibrium equations are automatically derived based on kinematic vector loop and solved based on minimization of total potential energy. Since the PRBM only returns the tip deflection, we have developed a procedure for calculating strain energy, actual beam shape and bending stresses from the tip deflection. This framework has been implemented DAS2D, an open-source object oriented software.
Building a framework to manage trust in automation

All automations must, at some point in their lifecycle, interface with one or more humans. Whether operators, end-users, or bystanders, human responses can determine the perceived utility and acceptance of an automation. It has been long believed that human trust is a primary determinant of human-automation interactions and further presumed that calibrating trust can lead to appropriate choices regarding automation use. However, attempts to improve joint system performance by calibrating trust have not yet provided a generalizable solution. To address this, we identified several factors limiting the direct integration of trust, or metrics thereof, into an active mitigation strategy. The present paper outlines our approach to addressing this important issue, its conceptual underpinnings, and practical challenges encountered in execution. Among the most critical outcomes has been a shift in focus from trust to basic interaction behaviors and their antecedent decisions. This change in focus inspired the development of a testbed and paradigm that was deployed in two experiments of human interactions with driving automation that were executed in an immersive, full-motion simulation environment. Moreover, by integrating a behavior and physiology-based predictor within a novel consequence-based control system, we demonstrated that it is possible to anticipate particular interaction behaviors and influence humans towards more optimal choices about automation use in real time. Importantly, this research provides a fertile foundation for the development and integration of advanced, wearable technologies for sensing and inferring critical state variables for better integration of human elements into otherwise fully autonomous systems.