cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Gas-kinetic schemes for direct numerical simulations of compressible homogeneous turbulence

We apply the gas-kinetic scheme (GKS) for the direct numerical simulations (DNSs) of compressible decaying homogeneous isotropic turbulence (DHIT). We intend to study the accuracy, stability, and efficiency of the gas-kinetic scheme for DNS of compressible homogeneous turbulence depending on both flow conditions and numerics. In particular, we study the GKS with multidimensional, quasi-one-dimensional, dimensional-splitting, and smooth-flow approximations. We simulate the compressible DHIT with the Taylor microscale Reynolds number ${\text{Re}}_{\ensuremath{\lambda}}=72.0$ and the turbulence Mach number ${\text{Ma}}_{\text{t}}$ between 0.1 and 0.6. We compute the low-order statistical quantities including the total kinetic energy $K(t)$, the dissipation rate $\ensuremath{\epsilon}(t)$, the skewness ${S}_{u}(t)$, and the flatness ${F}_{u}(t)$ of the velocity field $\mathbit{u}(\mathbit{x},t)$. We assess the effects on the turbulence statistics due to the approximations made in the treatment of fluxes, the flux limiter, the accuracy of the interpolation, and the bulk viscosity. Our results show that the GKS is adequate for DNS of compressible homogeneous turbulence as far as the low-order turbulence statistics are concerned.
The hydrodynamic force resisting the approach of a sphere to a plane permeable wall

Abstract The solution of the creeping equations of motion in bispherical coordinates is used to calculate the hydrodynamic force resisting the approach of a sphere toward a permeable wall. This force increases as the gap is reduced but the increase becomes significantly less pronounced as the permeability of the wall increases. For finite wall permeability, a finite hydrodynamic force on the sphere is expected even for the sphere “touching” the wall. This is in contrast to the infinitely large drag force predicted for impermeable walls.
The medical treatment of primary pulmonary hypertension. Proven and promising strategies.

Primary pulmonary hypertension (PPH) had been considered a uniformly fatal disease. In the past several years, there have been several published reports on new therapies for the treatment of PPH that appear to improve quality of life and survival. Data on four such treatments regarding their efficacy and recommendations for their use will be reviewed
ASTEROIDAL SOURCE OF ORDINARY CHONDRITES

The orbital evolution of asteroidal fragments with diameters ranging from 10 cm to 20 km, injected into the 3:1 Kirkwood gap at 2.50 A.U., has been investigated using Monte Carlo techniques. It is assumed that this material can become Earth-crossing on a time scale of 106 years, as a result of a chaotic zone discovered by Wisdom, associated with the 3:1 resonance. This phenomenon, as well as close encounter planetary perturbations, the v6 secular resonance, and the ablative effects of the Earth's atmosphere are included in the determination of the orbital characteristics of meteorites impacting the Earth derived by fragmentation of this asteroidal material. It is found that the predicted meteorite orbits closely match those found for observed ordinary chondrites, and the total flux is in approximate agreement with the observed fall rate of ordinary chondrites. About 10% of the predicted impacting bodies are meteorite-size bodies originating directly from the asteroid belt. The remainder are obtained by subsequent fragmentation of larger (∼1 m to 20 km diameter) Earth-crossing asteroidal fragments. The largest of these fragments are observable as Apollo-Amor objects. Thus the apparent paradox between the orbital characteristics of observed ordinary chondrites and those predicted from Apollo object sources is reconciled. Both appear to be complementary aspects of the same phenomena. No other asteroidal resonance is found to be satisfactory as a source of ordinary chondrites. These meteorites are therefore most likely to be derived from S asteroids in this limited region of the asteroidal belt, the largest of which are 11 Parthenope, 17 Thetis, and 29 Amphitrite.
HeteroFoaMs: Electrode Modeling in Nanostructured Heterogeneous Materials for Energy Systems

Hetero geneous F unctio na l M aterials, e.g., “HeteroFoaMs” are at the heart of countless energy systems, including (from left to right below) heat storage materials (a), batteries (b), solid oxide fuel cells (c), and polymer electrolyte fuel cells (d). HeteroFoaMs are generally nano-structured and porous to accommodate transport of gasses or fluids, and must be multi-functional (i.e., active operators on mass, momentum, energy or charge, in combinations). This paper will discuss several aspects of modeling the relationships between the constituents and microstructure of these material systems and their device functionalities. Technical advances based on these relationships will also be identified and discussed. Three major elements of the general problem of how to model HeteroFoaM electrodes will be addressed. Modeling approaches for ionic charge transfer with electrochemistry in the nano-structured porosity of the electrode will be discussed. Second, the effect of morphology and space charge on conduction through porous doped ceria particle assemblies, and their role in electrode processes will be modeled and described. And third, the effect of local heterogeneity and morphology on charge distributions and polarization in porous dielectric electrode materials will be analyzed using multi-physics field equations set on the details of local morphology. Several new analysis methods and results, as well as experimental data relating to these approaches will be presented. The value, capabilities, and limitations of the approaches will be evaluated.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
Stomatin modulates gating of acid-sensing ion channels.

Acid-sensing ion channels (ASICs) are H+-gated members of the degenerin/epithelial Na+ channel (DEG/ENaC) family in vertebrate neurons. Several ASICs are expressed in sensory neurons, where they play a role in responses to nociceptive, taste, and mechanical stimuli; others are expressed in central neurons, where they participate in synaptic plasticity and some forms of learning. Stomatin is an integral membrane protein found in lipid/protein-rich microdomains, and it is believed to regulate the function of ion channels and transporters. In Caenorhabditis elegans, stomatin homologs interact with DEG/ENaC channels, which together are necessary for normal mechanosensation in the worm. Therefore, we asked whether stomatin interacts with and modulates the function of ASICs. We found that stomatin co-immunoprecipitated and co-localized with ASIC proteins in heterologous cells. Moreover, stomatin altered the function of ASIC channels. Stomatin potently reduced acid-evoked currents generated by ASIC3 without changing steady state protein levels or the amount of ASIC3 expressed at the cell surface. In contrast, stomatin accelerated the desensitization rate of ASIC2 and heteromeric ASICs, whereas current amplitude was unaffected. These data suggest that stomatin binds to and alters the gating of ASICs. Our findings indicate that modulation of DEG/ENaC channels by stomatin-like proteins is evolutionarily conserved and may have important implications for mammalian nociception and mechanosensation.
Some magnetic properties of glassy Fe78Mo2B20 between 300 and 900 K

Abstract Magnetization of glassy Fe78Mo2B20 has been studied in low applied fields as a function of temperature between 300 and 900 K. The kink-point method gives the ferromagnetic Curie temperature of 506 ± 1 K. Using heating rates of 1.0 and 1.6 K min−1, the crystallization starts at 675 and 680 K, respectively. It has been observed that Mo decreases the Curie temperature much more rapidly when dissolved in a glassy rather than in a crystalline, Fe-rich matrix.
Visual attention patterns during program debugging with an IDE

Integrated Development Environments (IDE) generate multiple graphical and textual representations of programs. Co-ordination of these representations during program comprehension and debugging can be a complex task. In order to better understand the role and effectiveness of multiple representations, we conducted an empirical study of Java program debugging with a professional, multi-representation IDE. We found that program code and dynamic representations (dynamic viewer, variable watch and output) attracted the most attention of programmers. Static representations like Unified Modeling Language (UML) Diagrams and Control Structure Diagrams (CSD) saw significantly lesser usage. We analyzed gaze patterns by segmenting the debugging sessions into three, five and fifteen minute intervals, and classifying gazes into short and long gazes. Novel data mining techniques were used to detect high frequency patterns from eye tracking data. Visual pattern differences were found among participants based on their programming experience, familiarity with the IDE and debugging performance.
Doctor's Luck

My father's precise, thorough ways as a fly fisherman told you what to expect of his ways in the practice of anesthesiology.
Autoradiographic analysis of [3H]dopamine and [3H]dopa uptake in the turtle olfactory bulb.

Abstract Uptake and retention of exogenous tritiated dopamine and l -dopa was observed within turtle olfactory bulb slices. In the more superficial layers, periglomerular and superficial tufted cells, as well as their processes, and intraglomerular dendrites were recognized as labeled. Within the deeper part of the bulb, some labeled cells between the tanycytes, as well as nerve fibers and terminals within the granule cell layer, are reported. The results confirm the presence of specific intrinsic dopaminergic cells within the reptilian olfactory bulb.
The Role of Marketing in Pharmaceutical Research and Development

Pharmaceutical marketing, which is primarily targeted at physicians, has been criticised because it may distort physician prescribing and thus potentially raise costs and/or worsen health. An alternative view, presented in this paper, is that successful marketing of pharmaceuticals can improve consumer welfare by increasing incentives for research and development (R&D) investment and by providing guidance to R&D to make it more consistent with consumer preferences. There are a number of arguments that support this view, despite impediments to pharmaceutical marketing such as the prohibited dissemination of off-label information in the US, difficulties in estimating potential pharmaceutical demand, and the long time lag between demand assessment and the introduction of new drugs. For example, physicians are often slow to modify their prescribing practices, even when new evidence-based practice guidelines are issued by prestigious organisations. Pharmaceutical promotion is likely to be particularly valuable because information plays a key role, is highly technical, and can change rapidly. Even consumer advertising can potentially improve health, for example, by improving patient compliance with drug therapy. In addition to disseminating information about the benefits of new therapies, an essential (and perhaps unique) role for pharmaceutical promotion is to encourage physicians and payers to pay closer attention to consumer needs (i.e. willingness to pay) for new medical technology. Moreover, successful marketing of pharmaceuticals increases the returns from R&D, thus increasing incentives to explore consumer demand and to contribute to basic research on the role of drug therapy. Consumer benefits from this process may be very large.
Using Web-Based Video as an Assessment Tool for Student Performance in Organic Chemistry

This article shows the potential for using video responses to specific questions as part of the assessment process in an organic chemistry class. These exercises have been used with a postbaccalaureate cohort of 40 students, learning in an online environment, over a period of four years. A second cohort of 25 second-year students taking the organic chemistry course onsite has been using these exercises over a period of three years. The questions in this exercise require the students to use a molecular model kit. The problems presented to the students involve standard concepts in organic chemistry relating to geometric issues with molecules or organic reactions. This method of assessment allows the instructor to see a student’s higher-order thinking on a particular topic to a greater degree than is generally afforded with clicker questions. Students are acclimated to this new environment for assessment through practice exercises that are evaluated and critiqued, but not counted towards a grade. A transitio...
Postoperative Care Pathways

Strategies for post-operative care after abdominal surgery are highly variable depending on the training, culture, experience and personal opinions of the attending surgeon. Over the last decade, several authors have provided data allowing a better understanding of postoperative physiology, and of potential methods by which hospital stay can be shortened. The development of standardized “fast track” post-operative care pathways has lead to markedly reduced hospital stay in several series. Post-operative care pathways tend to include early ambulation, early introduction of oral liquids and diet, and some authors have sent patients home taking clear liquids, or without waiting for recovery of bowel function. Others use pathways including transverse and oblique abdominal incisions, pre-emptive thoracic epidurals and oral cathartics after surgery. This review evaluates the available options for integration into post-operative care pathways. The evidence level and grade of recommendation is described for each of these components. The specific components of several options for post-operative care pathways, including that published by our group, are then given.
Schwann cell induction in the ventral portion of the spinal cord

Schwann cell development can be induced in a predictable manner in the dorsal aspect of the lumbosacral spinal cord of the immature rat by exposing that structure to ionizing radiation. This development occurs in essentially all animals and becomes evident between 2 and 3 weeks postirradiation (P-I). Occasionally, intraspinal Schwann cells were observed ventrally at later intervals following irradiation, usually more than 45 days P-I. The present study focused on the development of Schwann cells within the ventral portion of the lumbosacral spinal cord in 53 animals followed for periods up to 7 months P-I. Ventrally located intraspinal Schwann cells developed in approximately 40% of these animals, in contrast to the development dorsally in all animals. The ventrally located aggregates were generally smaller than those dorsally and occurred more frequently in gray matter than in white matter. An interesting feature of the ventrally located Schwann cells was that they were often associated with blood vessels, which raised the possibility that these cells developed from undifferentiated cells of the vascular walls or used the vessels as a pathway for migration.
SCHEDULING A SINGLE MACHINE TO MINIMIZE TWO CRITERIA: MAXIMUM TARDINESS AND NUMBER OF TARDY JOBS

Abstract In this paper we consider a single machine scheduling problem with two criteria; minimizing both maximum tardiness and the number of tardy jobs. We present both heuristic and branch-and-bound algorithms to find the schedule which minimizes the number of tardy jobs among all schedules having minimal maximum tardiness. Computational results show that problems with up to 40 jobs can be solved in less than one minute of computer time, and solution difficulty tends to increase as the range of due dates increases relative to the total processing time. We extend our results to generate all nondominated schedules for the two criteria. Computational experiments indicate that all non-dominated solutions to problems with 40 jobs can be generated. However, solution difficulty for these problems is highly dependent on problem parameters.
Determination of arsenic and gallium in standard materials by instrumental epithermal neutron activation analysis

Abstract Epithennal neutron activation analysis has been applied to the determination of arsenic and gallium in standard materials at trace concentrations. The reduction of 24Na activity compared to thermal neutron activation is advantageous. Arsenic detection limits (1σ) are 0.04 and 0.015 μg for inorganic and organic materials, respectively. The corresponding gallium detection limits, for the best cases, are 0.13 and 0.29 μg. Gallium determinations with the 834-keV photopeak of 72Ga suffered interferences attributed to the threshold reaction 54Fe(n,p) 54Mn; the less intense 72Ga peaks at 629 and 2200 keV provided quantitative results for all samples tested. Gallium detection limits with the less intense, but more reliable 629-keV peak were 0.9 and 0.1 μg for inorganic and organic materials, respectively. Arsenic determinations are best performed with the more intense 76As 559-keV line, as the 657-keV line has an unknown interference.
Linear Predictor-Based Lossless Compression of Vibration Sensor Data: Systems Approach

This paper presents a novel systems approach to compressing sensor network data. Unlike previous data compression methods, the proposed lossless linear predictor-based sensor data compression method utilizes structural system information to minimize the signal correlation in sensor network data. In the proposed method, linear predictor is derived in a system identification framework in which auto-regressive (AR) model is used as its model structure and the instrumental variables (IV) method is used to calculate the predictor parameters. A parametric study was carried out to study the effects of changes in system property, number of sensors, and sensor noise level on the compression performance of the proposed method. Both numerical simulation and experimental results show that the proposed sensor data compression method has a better compression performance than conventional linear predictor-based data compression method for single sensor.
Parity conservation in atoms: Testing Laporte's rule

There are two independent reasons to expect the existence of a new type of weak interaction, involving elastic scattering of electrons and nucleons, e+N→e+N. One is the successful development of unified theories of weak and electromagnetic interactions, based on isospin multiplets of leptons, hadrons and vector mesons. The other is the experimental discovery of the elastic scattering of high energy neutrinos from nucleons, ν+N→ν+N. Together, these developments provide strong motivation to the search for weak electron-nucleon interactions in ordinary atoms, through a breakdown of Laporte's rule. I will present a review of recent developments in this field, including a qualitative discussion of this type of weak interaction and a short summary of the experiments in progress. I will also give a more detailed discussion of one particular experiment at Michigan, involving microwave transitions in a metastable hydrogen beam.
Global justice and the specter of leviathan

In a recent article on “The Problem of Global Justice,” Thomas Nagel argues that global socioeconomic justice presupposes a sovereign world state. I seek to undermine his arguments, which exemplify and give explicit voice to a widespread tendency in political philosophy to assign what I regard as excessive weight to the idea of the sovereign state with “a monopoly of force” (p. 115)—in other words, Leviathan. Nagel’s reasoning is worthy of attention in its own right and also because it is perhaps the most careful attempt to provide individualistic foundations for Rawls’s Law of Peoples thesis that requirements of distributive justice do not apply to the world as a whole. Nagel advances two main arguments for the claim that global socioeconomic justice is possible only within a sovereign world state. The first of these, which I discuss in section II, generalizes Hobbes’s state of nature argument for the view that “actual justice cannot be achieved except within a sovereign state” (p. 114) to “a wide range of conceptions of justice” (p. 115), including non-Hobbesian “conceptions [. . .] that are based on much more other-regarding motives” (p. 116).
Adrenergic receptors in turtle ventricle myocardium.

The positive inotropic response to the adrenergic agonists isoproterenol (ISO), norepinephrine (NE), epinephrine (EPI), and phenylephrine (PE) was tested in isolated perfused turtle (Pseudemys elegans) ventricles. The effect of the adrenergic agonists was tested in the absence and presence of adrenergic antagonists, propranolol (PROP) and phentolamine (PHENT). ISO (0.03–0.1 μg), NE (0.03–0.1 μg), EPI (0.05–0.5 μg) and PE (1.0–10 μg), in this order of effectiveness, enhanced contractile tension 50–100% over control tension. The positive inotropic response to 0.5 mg CaCl2 was used as a control. PROP (5 × 10−6M) blocked the positive inotropic response to ISO, NE, EPI and PE but not the response to CaCl2. Neither PHENT nor phenoxybenzamine (PBZ) antagonized the positive inotropic response to the adrenergic agonists or CaCl2. On the basis of the relative effectiveness of the adrenergic agonists and the specific blockade by β-adrenergic antagonists, it is postulated that turtle ventricle under the conditions of these experiments is devoid of α-adrenergic receptors.
Centralization, Competition, and Privatization in Financial Regulation

This essay reviews recent debates over the allocation of regulatory authority in three separate fields of financial regulation: corporate governance, securities regulation, and the regulation of financial institutions. In each field, the essay argues, reform proposals can be organized into three basic groups: those that advocate centralization of regulatory authority; those that favor competition among governmental bodies; and those that recommend the privatization of regulatory standards. While this debate is most familiar in the field of corporate governance, highly analogous policy discussions are currently taking place in securities regulation and the regulation of financial institutions. This essay traces the development of arguments over the proper allocation of regulatory authority in various sectors of the financial services industry, noting differences both in the contexts in which the issue has arisen in various sectors of the industry and also in the ways regulatory authority is currently allocated in each sector. The essay concludes with several tentative thoughts about normative grounds on which debates over the proper allocation of regulatory authority might ultimately be resolved.
Multireference joint transform correlator for distortion estimation

A multireference joint transform correlation technique for rotation-invariant recognition as well as estimation of the rotational distortion of input scene target(s) is proposed. Reference patterns corresponding to different ranges of distortions are synthesized from a set of training patterns. Different types of training set selection strategies are discussed.
Exclusivity in Biotech Licensing: What Makes Licensors Restrict their Options?

How do licensing transactions unfold in technological alliances? We address this research question with emphasis on understanding the impact of technology stage, previous licensing experience, verticality of partner choice, and market relevance on licensing agreement terms. In particular, we leverage transaction-cost and resource-based theories as well as a large and novel dataset comprised of 2,809 biotechnology licensing transactions to understand when these transactional features lead to non-exclusive versus exclusive licensing outcomes. Our findings contribute to fledgling research on contracts at the transaction unit of analysis and offer implications for entrepreneurial firms’ options to enhance the chances of survival in highly uncertain product markets.
Negative scintigraphy with positive magnetic resonance imaging in bone metastases

We report three patients with known primary tumor in whom radionuclide skeletal imaging for metastatic disease was normal with or without clinical symptomatology referable to this area. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the spine demonstrated focal areas of abnormal signal intensity in the vertebral bodies of these patients. In all three patients, biopsy confirmed metastatic disease. All the patients received radiation or chemotherapy depending upon the etiology. These preliminary data suggest that MR imaging may be useful in evaluating patients with known primary tumor in whom clinical suspicion persists despite a negative radionuclide bone scan.
Patch Occupation Time Predicts Responses by Grey-Cheeked Mangabeys (Lophocebus albigena) to Real and Simulated Neighboring Groups

When two social groups are close enough to hear each other' ss hort-range vocalizations but not yet close enough to see each other, they can choose whether to approach to initiate a direct contest. In this study, I evaluated whether expected payoffs and group resource-holding potential affected the likelihood of approach toward a neighboring group during naturally occurring intergroup interactions and experimental playback trials by grey-cheeked mangabeys (Lophocebus albigena). Females approached calling groups at low rates, and only if males did so as well. Groups that had recently arrived (≤30 min) at the interaction location were more likely to approach than groups that were in the interaction location for >30 min. Site residency likely indicates the degree of short-term, local resource exploitation, and explains this pattern of patch defense. There was no evidence that mangabeys defended home range core or peripheral areas, that males defended female mates, or that infant defense affected the likelihood of approach. Surprisingly, resource-holding potential had no effect on patterns of contest initiation, but may influence other aspects of intergroup contests. The unexpected importance of payoff asymmetries, relative to asymmetries in resource- holding potential, points to the need for an expanded theoretical framework.
Cytoskeletal agents inhibit motility and adherence of human tumor cells

Cytoskeletal agents inhibit motility and adherence of human tumor cells. Cytoskeletal agents have been demonstrated to inhibit stimulated motility and substrate adherence by the human tumor cell line, A2058. cis -tubulozole, taxol, and cytochalasin D were tested for their effects on chemotaxis in response to a tumor cytokine, autocrine motility factor, and on adherence to several substrata: laminin- and gelatin-coated dishes as well as tissue culture plastic. Cytochalasin D, which inhibits microfilament polymerization, abolished stimulated motility. Taxol, which stabilizes microtubules, decreased stimulated motility to a greater degree than cis -tubulozole, which inhibits microtubular polymerization. In contrast, cis -tubulozole had the greatest inhibitory effect on adherence with a gelatin substratum more affected (100% inhibition) than tissue culture plastic (90%) or laminin substratum (52%). Taxol affected adherence in the same order but less than cis -tubulozole. Cytochalasin D had no significant effect on adherence to laminin with moderate inhibition of adherence to tissue culture plastic or gelatin. These data suggest that, in these tumor cells, microfilaments are more crucial for motility than adherence, but the dynamic polymerization and depolymerization of microtubules are required for both types of cellular activities.
Localization of Endogenous Furin in Cultured Cell Lines

Furin is a dibasic endopeptidase responsible for the proteolytic maturation of many precursor proteins in the secretory and endocytic pathways of mammalian cells. The levels of furin expression in most cells are very low, and this has hampered attempts to identify the intracellular compartments in which endogenous furin is localized. We have used a specific antibody reagent to a sequence in the carboxy terminus of furin to perform immunofluorescent staining of mammalian cell lines. This antibody was sensitive enough to detect staining for furin in various cell lines. For the most part, furin staining was confined to a juxtanuclear structure characteristic of the Golgi complex. Analyses by video microscopy and confocal microscopy showed that the distribution of furin was distinct from that of mannosidase II, a marker of the Golgi stack, and most closely resembled that of TGN38, a marker of the trans-Golgi network. Therefore, our results suggest that endogenous furin is predominantly localized to the area of the Golgi complex, most likely within the trans-Golgi network.
Study of the activity of neurological cell solutions using complex permittivity measurement

Experimental results of the exposure of neurological cells to radio frequency are presented. The exposure is quantified by the mean of the complex permittivity of cell solutions as a function of frequency. A set-up is used for measurement of complex permittivity of live and dead neurological cell cultures from 20 to 40 GHz. Differences are observed between the two cultures and are compared against the expected measurement error. The statistical significance of these differences is also studied and reported in this paper.
How Wide Is the Scope of Hold-Up-Based Theories of Governance? Shipper-Carrier Relationships in Trucking

Previous researchers have established that hold-up-based theories of governance (Klein, Crawford, and Alchian (1978), Williamson (1979, 1985)) can have predictive power. The scope of their predictive power is an outstanding empirical issue. I investigate this in the context of trucking. The nature and degree of relationship-specific investments differs for short and long hauls. I find that long-term contracts are used more relative to spot arrangements when local markets are thin for long hauls, but not short hauls. For long hauls, the relationship between governance and local market conditions is strongest in states in which inbound markets are thin. The predictive scope of the theories extends beyond circumstances where investments are large and sunk over long horizons, but not to those where quasi-rents are small and appear only in the very short run.
The CrebA/Creb3-like transcription factors are major and direct regulators of secretory capacity

Secretion occurs in all cells, with relatively low levels in most cells and extremely high levels in specialized secretory cells, such as those of the pancreas, salivary, and mammary glands. How secretory capacity is selectively up-regulated in specialized secretory cells is unknown. Here, we find that the CrebA/Creb3-like family of bZip transcription factors functions to up-regulate expression of both the general protein machinery required in all cells for secretion and of cell type–specific secreted proteins. Drosophila CrebA directly binds the enhancers of secretory pathway genes and is both necessary and sufficient to activate expression of every secretory pathway component gene examined thus far. Microarray profiling reveals that CrebA also up-regulates expression of genes encoding cell type–specific secreted components. Finally, we found that the human CrebA orthologues, Creb3L1 and Creb3L2, have the ability to up-regulate the secretory pathway in nonsecretory cell types.
Molecular Characterization and Expression of Vitellogenin Receptor from White Perch (Morone americana)

Abstract A full-length (4021 base pair [bp]) cDNA encoding a polypeptide (844 amino acids) with a predicted mass of 93 kDa and other characteristic structural features of a vertebrate vitellogenin receptor (VgR) was isolated from a white perch (Morone americana) ovarian cDNA library. Northern blotting performed using a specific digoxygenin-labeled VgR cDNA probe revealed a distinct ∼4.1 kilobase (kb) hybridization signal in an mRNA preparation obtained from previtellogenic perch ovaries. The deduced amino acid sequence of the perch VgR was 89% and 82% identical, respectively, to that of the tilapia and rainbow trout. Because it possessed an eight-repeat ligand-binding domain (LR8) but lacked an O-linked sugar domain (−), the perch VgR was identified as a non-O-linked form of VgR (LR8−). Unlike the case in other vertebrates investigated, including tilapia and trout, no species of mRNA encoding an O-linked form of VgR (LR8+) could be detected when perch ovarian or liver mRNA reverse transcripts or cDNA libr...
Predator exclosures, predator removal, and habitat improvement increase nest success of Snowy Plovers in Oregon, USA

Management to increase reproductive success is commonly used to aid recovery of threatened and endangered species. The Western Snowy Plover (Charadrius nivosus nivosus) breeds from coastal Washington, USA, to Baja California, Mexico, and in disjunct interior sites. The Pacific coast population is federally listed as Threatened; habitat loss and nest loss to a suite of terrestrial and avian predators are thought to be primary factors limiting population growth in this species. In coastal Oregon, USA, a consortium of state and federal management agencies deployed nest exclosures on active Snowy Plover nests, initiated a lethal predator management program, and conducted local-scale habitat management in an effort to boost local productivity. During 1990–2009, we monitored 1,951 Snowy Plover nests at 9 sites with varying treatments. We examined the effectiveness of 3 types of nest exclosures (large, small, and outfitted with electric wire), predator removal, and habitat management on nest survival. Habitat management to remove invasive grasses and provide more suitable nesting substrate more than doubled nest survival. Predator management or use of any of the 3 types of exclosures also affected nest survival. There appeared to be no additional benefit to using both approaches, but the biological relevance of these findings is unclear because of site differences in treatments applied. Importantly, these management techniques only affected nesting success; their effect on other contributions to population viability (e.g., fledging success) was not correlated with nesting success. This long-term study illustrates the short-term benefits and tradeoffs of using nest exclosures, predator management, and habitat restoration to improve nesting success. Although we gained broader insight into the relative efficacy of common management techniques to improve avian nesting success, we cannot yet determine how improved nest success contributes to population growth.
Design of ultra-broadband terahertz polymer waveguide emitters for telecom wavelengths using coupled mode theory

We use coupled mode theory, adequately incorporating optical losses, to model ultra-broadband terahertz (THz) waveguide emitters (0.1-20 THz) based on difference frequency generation of femtosecond infrared (IR) optical pulses. We apply the model to a generic, symmetric, five-layer, metal/cladding/core waveguide structure using transfer matrix theory. We provide a design strategy for an efficient ultra-broadband THz emitter and apply it to polymer waveguides with a nonlinear core composed of a poled guest-host electro-optic polymer composite and pumped by a pulsed fiber laser system operating at 1567 nm. The predicted bandwidths are greater than 15 THz and we find a high conversion efficiency of 1.2 × 10−4 W−1 by balancing both the modal phase-matching and effective mode attenuation.
Privacy-Preserving Reasoning on the SemanticWeb

Many semantic web applications require selective sharing of ontologies between autonomous entities due to copyright, privacy or security concerns. In such cases, an agent might want to hide a part of its ontology while sharing the rest. However, prohibiting any use of the hidden part of the ontology in answering queries from other agents may be overly restrictive. We provide a framework for privacy- preserving reasoning in which an agent can safely answer queries against its knowledge base using inferences based on both the hidden and visible part of the knowledge base, without revealing the hidden knowledge. We show an application of this framework in the widely used special case of hierarchical ontologies.
Quantitative real-time PCR with automated sample preparation for diagnosis and monitoring of cytomegalovirus infection in bone marrow transplant patients.

Background: In bone marrow and stem cell transplant patients, the widespread use of preemptive cytomegalovirus (CMV) antiviral therapy necessitates faster, more precise, and more sensitive quantitative laboratory methods for serial viral load monitoring. Methods: We developed a novel CMV viral load assay using real-time PCR of plasma DNA prepared by an automated robotic workstation. Fluorescent hybridization probes directed at the glycoprotein B (gB) gene (or Eco RI D region) of CMV were used to detect and quantify PCR products. The β-globin gene was amplified in parallel to control for the efficiency of the extraction and PCR steps. Results: The assay was linear ( R = 0.999) from a lower detection limit of 125 copies/mL to 5 × 109 copies/mL with a PCR efficiency of 1.975 (gB) or 2.02 ( Eco RI D). The viral loads determined by PCRs directed at these two different viral targets were no different (n = 53; R = 0.928). The interassay CV was 3.5%, and the intraassay CV was 1–4%. Compared with a commercially available quantitative competitive PCR assay (Roche MONITOR; R = 0.59), the mean CMV viral load by real-time PCR was 3.1 times higher (mean ratio; P = 0.002). The diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of the real-time assay were 96% and 100%, respectively (n = 147), compared with 74% and 98% for a qualitative PCR assay (Roche AMPLICOR). On a subset of samples, the diagnostic sensitivity of viral culture was no greater than 50% (n = 44). Of 1115 clinical referral samples from 252 patients, 10% of the samples and 18% of the patients had low-level CMV viremia (median, 500 copies/mL). In this predominantly (85%) bone marrow transplant testing cohort, serial CMV viral load results were the predominant clinical trigger for the initiation, monitoring, and cessation of preemptive antiviral therapy. Conclusions: The combination of automated DNA preparation and semiautomated real-time fluorescent PCR detection allows for a sensitive, precise, and accurate high-throughput assay of CMV viral load that can be used as the laboratory trigger for preemptive antiviral therapy.
Conservation Policy in Brazilian Amazonia: Understanding the Dilemmas

Abstract Conservation policy in Brazilian Amazonia is rapidly evolving. The dynamics of different interest groups affect the political economy of land use. Choices include allocation of effort between completely and partially protected areas and between creation of new conservation units versus consolidation of existing units. Tensions between different levels of government, different groups of nongovernmental organizations, and between the public versus private sectors are evident. While the conflicting interests of such groups present many barriers, they also offer conservation opportunities. Negotiation with indigenous peoples represents one of the most critical areas for the long-term future of natural ecosystems in the region.
Public Organizations and Mission Valence: When Does Mission Matter?

Given the service- and community-oriented nature of organizational goals in the public sector, it is not surprising that public management scholars have highlighted the potential of the missions to be an asset of public organizations. To date, however, little empirical research has investigated ways in which these benefits can be cultivated. The present study of mission valence—based on a sample from a single organization—has formative and developmental value. The authors find that organizational goal clarity, public service motivation, and work impact can increase an organization’s mission valence. In addition, the findings validate the importance of mission valence by illustrating its effect on two important human resource outcomes, job satisfaction and absenteeism.
Neuroanatomical Correlates of Extraversion and Neuroticism

Introversion/extraversion and neuroticism are 2 important and frequently studied dimensions of human personality. These dimensions describe individual differences in emotional responding across a range of situations and may contribute to a predisposition for psychiatric disorders. Recent neuroimaging research has begun to provide evidence that neuroticism and introversion/extraversion have specific functional and structural neural correlates. Previous studies in healthy adults have reported an association between neuroticism, introversion/extraversion, and the activity of the prefrontal cortex and amygdala. Studies of individuals with psychopathological states have also indicated that anatomic variations in these brain areas may relate to extraversion and neuroticism. The purpose of the present study was to examine selected structural correlates of neuroticism and extraversion in healthy subjects (n 5 28) using neuroanatomic measures of the cerebral cortex and amygdala. We observed that the thickness of specific prefrontal cortex regions correlates with measures of extraversion and neuroticism. In contrast, no such correlations were observed for the volume of the amygdala. The results suggest that specific aspects of regional prefrontal anatomy are associated with specific personality traits.
Protective role of cannabinoid receptor 2 activation in galactosamine/lipopolysaccharide-induced acute liver failure through regulation of macrophage polarization and microRNAs.

Acute liver failure (ALF) is a potentially life-threatening disorder without any effective treatment strategies. d-Galactosamine (GalN)/lipopolysaccharide (LPS)–induced ALF is a widely used animal model to identify novel hepato-protective agents. In the present study, we investigated the potential of a cannabinoid receptor 2 (CB2) agonist, JWH-133 [(6aR,10aR)-3-(1,1-dimethylbutyl)-6a,7,10,10a-tetrahydro-6,6,9-trimethyl-6H-dibenzo[b,d]pyran], in the amelioration of GalN/LPS-induced ALF. JWH-133 treatment protected the mice from ALF-associated mortality, mitigated alanine transaminase and proinflammatory cytokines, suppressed histopathological and apoptotic liver damage, and reduced liver infiltration of mononuclear cells (MNCs). Furthermore, JWH-133 pretreatment of M1/M2-polarized macrophages significantly increased the secretion of anti-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-10 (IL-10) in M1 macrophages and potentiated the expression of M2 markers in M2-polarized macrophages. In vivo, JWH-133 treatment also suppressed ALF-triggered expression of M1 markers in liver MNCs, while increasing the expression of M2 markers such as Arg1 and IL-10. microRNA (miR) microarray analysis revealed that JWH-133 treatment altered the expression of only a few miRs in the liver MNCs. Gene ontology analysis of the targets of miRs suggested that Toll-like receptor (TLR) signaling was among the most significantly targeted cellular pathways. Among the altered miRs, miR-145 was found to be the most significantly decreased. This finding correlated with concurrent upregulated expression of its predicted target gene, interleukin-1 receptor–associated kinase 3, a negative regulator of TLR4 signaling. Together, these data are the first to demonstrate that CB2 activation attenuates GalN/LPS-induced ALF by inducing an M1 to M2 shift in macrophages and by regulating the expression of unique miRs that target key molecules involved in the TLR4 pathway.
Differentiating Instruction in Response to Student Readiness, Interest, and Learning Profile in Academically Diverse Classrooms: A Review of Literature

Both the current school reform and standards movements call for enhanced quality of instruction for all learners. Recent emphases on heterogeneity, special education inclusion, and reduction in out-of-class services for gifted learners, combined with escalations in cultural diversity in classrooms, make the challenge of serving academically diverse learners in regular classrooms seem an inevitable part of a teacher's role. Nonetheless, indications are that most teachers make few proactive modifications based on learner variance. This review of literature examines a need for “differentiated” or academically responsive instruction. It provides support in theory and research for differentiating instruction based on a model of addressing student readiness, interest, and learning profile for a broad range of learners in mixed-ability classroom settings.
When is Pandering Persuasive? The Eects of Targeted Group-Based Appeals

Political campaigns increasingly micro-target appeals to voters. Given detailed knowledge of voters' identities, campaigns try to persuade voters by pandering to these identities. Through two survey experiments, we examine the persuasiveness of group-directed pandering. We ask: do group-members respond more favorably to appeals geared to them, or do they prefer to hear broad-based appeals? Does the effectiveness of group-directed pandering depend on the group that is targeted and on the party doing the targeting? Do voters not in a group penalize candidates who appeal to a group? Answers to these questions help us grapple with the evolving relationship between voters and candidates in a rapidly changing information environment. Whether or not micro-targeting "works" bears on the nature of political representation. After all, a coalition of voters built by quietly promising narrow benefits to narrow audiences implies a very different kind of democracy than a coalition built on broad principles and collective benefits.
P2 antagonist PPADS attenuates responses of thin fiber afferents to static contraction and tendon stretch

Injection into the arterial supply of skeletal muscle of pyridoxal phosphate-6-azophenyl-2′,4′-disulfonic acid (PPADS), a P2 receptor antagonist, has been shown previously to attenuate the reflex p...
The split symbol moments SNR estimator in narrow-band channels

The split symbol moments estimator (SSME) is an algorithm that is designed to estimate symbol signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) in the presence of additive white Gaussian noise (AWGN). The performance of the SSME algorithm in bandlimited channels is examined, and the effects of the resulting intersymbol interference (ISI) are quantified. All results obtained are in closed form and can be easily evaluated numerically for performance-prediction purposes. The results are also validated through digital simulations. >
Sub-Par Performance In A Sub-Prime World? A Recent Comparative Performance Analysis Of Real Estate Mutual Funds Vs. Common Stock Mutual Funds

Historically, little evidence has been found to suggest that real estate investments exhibit superior returns. Further, it appears that real estate mutual fund managers do not possess the ability to consistently beat benchmark averages. However, there have been mixed results for REITs indicating they might be characterized by inefficiencies that could be exploited by informed fund managers. In this analysis, we examine whether mutual fund managers who have concentrated in real estate assets have statistically outperformed other categories of equity mutual funds as well as the S&P 500 and various NAREIT Indexes.
Maximizing recommender's influence in a social network: An information theoretic perspective

We study a social network in which individuals make decisions influenced by a recommender as well as the previous actions taken by themselves or other users. The recommender aims to tailor its suggestions to maximize the benefit from utilizing social interactions. We refer to this benefit as the recommender's influence which, in essence, measures the value of controlling the specific suggestions offered to the individuals. We show that this influence can be quantified by the directed information between the suggestions and people's actions. Accordingly, we identify the precise relationship between the social network-based recommendation system and a finite state communication channel whose capacity analysis provides the solution for the influence maximization problem for the recommender. Our results demonstrate that a recommender that tailors its suggestions based on the social dynamics of its customer base can have a significantly greater influence.