cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Activated CREB Is Sufficient to Overcome Inhibitors in Myelin and Promote Spinal Axon Regeneration In Vivo

Inhibitors in myelin play a major role in preventing spontaneous axonal regeneration after CNS injury. Elevation of cAMP overcomes this inhibition, in a transcription-dependent manner, through the upregulation of Arginase I (Arg I) and increased synthesis of polyamines. Here, we show that the cAMP effect requires activation of the transcription factor cAMP response element binding protein (CREB) to overcome myelin inhibitors; a dominant-negative CREB abolishes the effect, and neurons expressing a constitutively active form of CREB are not inhibited. Activation of CREB is also required for cAMP to upregulate Arg I, and the ability of constitutively active CREB to overcome inhibition is blocked by an inhibitor of polyamine synthesis. Finally, expression of constitutively active CREB in DRG neurons is sufficient to promote regeneration of subsequently lesioned dorsal column axons. These results indicate that CREB plays a central role in overcoming myelin inhibitors and so encourages regeneration in vivo.
Projection structure and molecular architecture of OxlT, a bacterial membrane transporter

The major facilitator superfamily (MFS) represents the largest collection of evolutionarily related members within the class of membrane ‘carrier’ proteins. OxlT, a representative example of the MFS, is an oxalate-transporting membrane protein in Oxalobacter formigenes. From an electron crystallographic analysis of two-dimensional crystals of OxlT, we have determined the projection structure of this membrane transporter. The projection map at 6 Å resolution indicates the presence of 12 transmembrane helices in each monomer of OxlT, with one set of six helices related to the other set by an approximate internal two-fold axis. The projection map reveals the existence of a central cavity, which we propose to be part of the pathway of oxalate transport. By combining information from the projection map with related biochemical data, we present probable models for the architectural arrangement of transmembrane helices in this protein superfamily.
Cooperative GPS navigation

Many envisioned scenarios for the utilization of autonomous vehicles include groups of vehicles working together to accomplish some common objective. These scenarios typically assume that each agent has an accurate estimate of its own location and the location of other vehicles in the group. The most widely used technology for estimating position today is the Global Positioning System (GPS). Unfortunately, in many scenarios where multiple autonomous vehicles may be utilized, the ability for each agent to independently estimate its location using GPS may be degraded due to occlusions inherent in the operating terrain (e.g., urban terrain, forests, or jungles.) In this paper, we propose an approach for making groups of autonomous agents more robust to occlusions of the GPS signals. By communicating pseudorange, relative position, and local clock bias estimates between agents in a group, a “cooperative GPS receiver” is created that has two significant advantages. First the cooperative GPS location estimates are considerably more accurate than each individual GPS estimate. Second, GPS “lock” can be obtained in situations where individual agents would be unable to obtain a sufficient number of satellite signals to estimate location. We demonstrate the feasibility of the cooperative GPS algorithm through an experimental setup with two GPS-enabled agents.
Positive Accounting Theory and the Obligation for Post-Retirement Benefits

What is positive accounting theory (PAT)? This paper clearly distinguishes between the programme of accounting research proposed by Watts and Zimmerman (PAT Programme) and the theories of accounting behaviour together with the test of those theories (PAT results) due to researchers implementing the PAT programme. We criticize the two presumptions of Watts and Zimmerman that the PAT programme is the only "scientific" way to do accounting research and that the only fruitful theories are based on the marginalist assumption that people always act in their own economic self interest. We then examine PAT results, and focus on a particular result, a theory of corporate lobbying of the FASB proposed by Watts and Zimmerman. Our claim is that this theory is not strongly supported enough to defeat all competing theories. Evidence gleaned from the corporate comment letters to the FASB on retirement benefits other pensions fails to support the Watts and Zimmerman lobbying theory but does support alternative theory.
A comparison of the speech acceptibility of good and excellent esophageal and tracheoesophageal speakers

Abstract Thirteen esophageal speakers (8 male, 5 female) and 12 tracheoesophageal (t-e) speakers (7 male, 5 female) were placed into eight groups based on gender, voice type, and speaking proficiency (excellent or good). Audio recordings of each speaker reading the Rainbow Passage (Fairbanks, 1960) were made. The resultant samples were judged for acceptability of speech by 25 naive listeners trained in use of a five-point equal-appearing-interval scale. An analysis of variance of the listener data indicated that speaker proficiency but not voice type had a significant effect on judgments of acceptability, indicating that the listeners percieved no difference in the acceptability of esophageal and t-e speech.
The DNA Polymerase Activity of Saccharomyces cerevisiae Rev1 is Biologically Significant

A cell's ability to tolerate DNA damage is directly connected to the human development of diseases and cancer. To better understand the processes underlying mutagenesis, we studied the cell's reliance on the potentially error-prone translesion synthesis (TLS), and an error-free, template-switching pathway in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The primary proteins mediating S. cerevisiae TLS are three DNA polymerases (Pols): Rev1, Pol ζ (Rev3/7), and Pol η (Rad30), all with human homologs. Rev1's noncatalytic role in recruiting other DNA polymerases is known to be important for TLS. However, the biological significance of Rev1's unusual conserved DNA polymerase activity, which inserts dC, is much less well understood. Here, we demonstrate that inactivating Rev1's DNA polymerase function sensitizes cells to both chronic and acute exposure to 4-nitroquinoline-1-oxide (4-NQO) but not to UV or cisplatin. Full Rev1-dependent resistance to 4-NQO, however, also requires the additional Rev1 functions. When error-free tolerance is disrupted through deletion of MMS2, Rev1's catalytic activity is more vital for 4-NQO resistance, possibly explaining why the biological significance of Rev1's catalytic activity has been elusive. In the presence or absence of Mms2-dependent error-free tolerance, the catalytic dead strain of Rev1 exhibits a lower 4-NQO-induced mutation frequency than wild type. Furthermore, Pol ζ, but not Pol η, also contributes to 4-NQO resistance. These results show that Rev1's catalytic activity is important in vivo when the cell has to cope with specific DNA lesions, such as N(2)-dG.
Uptake of biotin by isolated rat liver mitochondria

This study examined the mechanism of biotin uptake by liver mitochondria. Mitochondria were isolated from rat liver by an established procedure and demonstrated normal respiratory control ratios. Uptake of biotin with time at incubation buffer pH 6.1 was rapid and linear and occurred with a distinct "overshoot" phenomenon that peaked at approximately 1 min of incubation. At incubation buffer pH 7.4, however, uptake of biotin with time was significantly slower and no overshoot was observed. Gradual lowering of incubation buffer pH from 7.9 to 6.1 caused a similar pattern of increase in uptake of low (0.024 microM) and high (8 and 30 microM) concentrations of biotin. At incubation buffer pH 6.1 and 7.4, uptake of biotin as a function of concentration (0.012-30 microM) was linear and occurred at rates of 3.62 and 1.90 pmol.mg protein-1.5 s-1, respectively. Addition to the incubation medium of high concentrations of unlabeled biotin, its related compounds (biocytin, desthiobiotin, biotin methyl ester, thioctic acid, and thioctic amide), or substrates of known mitochondrial transporters (succinate, pyruvate, glutamate, malate, and phosphate) failed to cause any significant inhibition in uptake of [3H]biotin by mitochondria incubated in buffer pH 6.1 and 7.4. Furthermore, preloading mitochondria with unlabeled biotin, biocytin, malate, or aspartate failed to cause any significant stimulation in biotin uptake. At incubation buffer pH 6.1, treatment of mitochondria with the protonophore FCCP caused significant inhibition in pH-dependent overshoot of biotin uptake. However, treatment of mitochondria with the potassium ionophore valinomycin caused significant stimulation in the pH-dependent overshoot of biotin uptake.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
A Classroom Experiment on the Benefit of Auditing in Financial Markets

In this paper, I discuss a classroom experiment that can be used to illustrate how auditing can impact investor behavior and financial market performance by providing assurance on the quality of financial information. In particular, the experiment demonstrates that auditing can influence security prices and investment portfolio compositions in a way that benefits investors and lowers the cost of capital for firms. The experiment complements the material in auditing texts by creating an environment where students can directly observe how auditing influences investor behavior in a set of financial markets in which students trade securities based on the contents of a financial report. The simplicity of the experiment, its relatively short duration, and the formal inclusion of financial reporting make it a particularly attractive alternative for those who wish to utilize an auditing experiment in their classes. In the experiment, students trade securities in a sequence of markets in which financial informatio...
Uncertainty, Utility, and Misunderstanding: A Decision-Theoretic Perspective on Grounding in Conversational Systems

Uncertainty plays a central role in the handling of misunderstanding in dialog. People engaged in conversation typically take a sequence of actions to establish and maintain mutual understanding—a process referred to as grounding. We explore representations and control strategies for grounding utterances founded on performing explicit probabilistic inference about failures in communication. The methods are informed by psychological studies and founded on principles of decision making under uncertainty. We delineate four distinct levels of analysis for representing uncertainty and describe a computational framework for guiding action in an automated conversational system. We demonstrate how the framework captures grounding behavior by facilitating collaborative resolution of uncertainty as implemented in a spoken interactive dialog prototype called the Bayesian Receptionist.
Acquisition of Meiotic Competence in Mouse Oocytes: Absolute Amounts of p34cdc2, Cyclin B1, cdc25C, and wee1 in Meiotically Incompetent and Competent Oocytes

M-Phase promoting factor (MPF) is a complex of p34(cdc2) and cyclin B. Results of previous studies in which relative mass amounts of these cell cycle regulators were determined suggested that the accumulation of p34(cdc2), rather than cyclin B, could be a limiting factor in the acquisition of meiotic competence in mouse oocytes. Nevertheless, in the absence of measurements of the absolute amount of these components of MPF, it is possible that the molar amount of p34(cdc2) is in excess to that of cyclin B, i.e., the accumulation of p34(cdc2) is not a limiting factor. We report measurements of the absolute mass of p34(cdc2) and cyclin B1, as well as the two proximal regulators of MPF, namely cdc25C and wee1, in meiotically incompetent and competent mouse oocytes. We find that the numbers of molecules of p34(cdc2), cyclin B1, cdc25C, and wee1 in meiotically incompetent oocytes are 1.4 x 10(6), 11.3 x 10(6), 24.6 x 10(6), 15. 6 x 10(6), respectively, and in meiotically competent oocytes the numbers are 14.3 x 10(6), 95.5 x 10(6), 80.0 x 10(6), 40.1 x 10(6), respectively. Thus, the concentration of cyclin B1 is always in excess to that of p34(cdc2), and this is consistent with the hypothesis that the accumulation of p34(cdc2) plays a role in the acquisition of meiotic competence. Last, the concentration of cdc25C is greater than that of wee1 and the concentration of each is greater than that of p34(cdc2) in both meiotically incompetent and competent oocytes.
Thinking about the evolution of photosynthesis.

Photosynthesis is an ancient process on Earth. Chemical evidence and recent fossil finds indicate that cyanobacteria existed 2.5–2.6 billion years (Ga) ago, and these were certainly preceded by a variety of forms of anoxygenic photosynthetic bacteria. Carbon isotope data suggest autotrophic carbon fixation was taking place at least a billion years earlier. However, the nature of the earliest photosynthetic organisms is not well understood. The major elements of the photosynthetic apparatus are the reaction centers, antenna complexes, electron transfer complexes and carbon fixation machinery. These parts almost certainly have not had the same evolutionary history in all organisms, so that the photosynthetic apparatus is best viewed as a mosaic made up of a number of substructures each with its own unique evolutionary history. There are two schools of thought concerning the origin of reaction centers and photosynthesis. One school pictures the evolution of reaction centers beginning in the prebiotic phase while the other school sees reaction centers evolving later from cytochrome b in bacteria. Two models have been put forth for the subsequent evolution of reaction centers in proteobacteria, green filamentous (non-sulfur) bacteria, cyanobacteria, heliobacteria and green sulfur bacteria. In the selective loss model the most recent common ancestor of all subsequent photosynthetic systems is postulated to have contained both RC1 and RC2. The evolution of reaction centers in proteobacteria and green filamentous bacteria resulted from the loss of RC1, while the evolution of reaction centers in heliobacteria and green sulfur bacteria resulted from the loss of RC2. Both RC1 and RC2 were retained in the cyanobacteria. In the fusion model the most recent common ancestor is postulated to have given rise to two lines, one containing RC1 and the other containing RC2. The RC1 line gave rise to the reaction centers of heliobacteria and green sulfur bacteria, and the RC2 line led to the reaction centers of proteobacteria and green filamentous bacteria. The two reaction centers of cyanobacteria were the result of a genetic fusion of an organism containing RC1 and an organism containing RC2. The evolutionary histories of the various classes of antenna/light-harvesting complexes appear to be completely independent. The transition from anoxygenic to oxygenic photosynthesis took place when the cyanobacteria learned how to use water as an electron donor for carbon dioxide reduction. Before that time hydrogen peroxide may have served as a transitional donor, and before that, ferrous iron may have been the original source of reducing power.
Many Sequence-Specific Chromatin Modifying Protein-Binding Motifs Show Strong Positional Preferences for Potential Regulatory Regions in the Saccharomyces Cerevisiae Genome

Initiation and regulation of gene expression is critically dependent on the binding of transcriptional regulators, which is often temporal and position specific. Many transcriptional regulators recognize and bind specific DNA motifs. The length and degeneracy of these motifs results in their frequent occurrence within the genome, with only a small subset serving as actual binding sites. By occupying potential binding sites, nucleosome placement can specify which sequence motif is available for DNA-binding regulatory factors. Therefore, the specification of nucleosome placement to allow access to transcriptional regulators whenever and wherever required is critical. We show that many DNA-binding motifs in Saccharomyces cerevisiae show a strong positional preference to occur only in potential regulatory regions. Furthermore, using gene ontology enrichment tools, we demonstrate that proteins with binding motifs that show the strongest positional preference also have a tendency to have chromatin-modifying properties and functions. This suggests that some DNA-binding proteins may depend on the distribution of their binding motifs across the genome to assist in the determination of specificity. Since many of these DNA-binding proteins have chromatin remodeling properties, they can alter the local nucleosome structure to a more permissive and/or restrictive state, thereby assisting in determining DNA-binding protein specificity.
The Facilitative State, Political Executive Aggrandizement, and Public Service Challenges:

Connecting public service with civic duty and advancing both as disciplines of facilitative governance are opportunities and challenges today. Making these linkages is a theme of this analysis, and theories and practices of facilitative nation states are the principal focus. Executive aggrandizement and combined complexities of a growing paradox of partisan fragmentation and seamless connections of politics, business, and government compose a second theme. Garrison state dimensions of counterterrorism are related. The final focus is on political and career service and standards of social and economic self-governance. Facilitative state disciplines of constitutional democracy are stressed in conclusion.
Evaluation of systematic shifts for the 88 Sr + 445-THz Reference transition at the 10 −17 level using the NRC next generation ion trap system

We describe recent progress in the establishment of a versatile and reliable optical frequency standard whose performance in evaluated accuracy and stability exceeds that of the current realization of the SI second. The 445-THz reference transition in a single, trapped, and laser cooled ion of 88Sr+ suspended using a miniature RF endcap trap system has been observed to obtain transform limited linewidths below 5 Hz. The micromotion induced shifts of the ion system in the new trap have been reduced to the 2 × 10−17 level for each of the scalar Stark shifts and the time dilation shifts. Studies indicate that such shifts remain stable over several hours. An identical trap system was constructed to evaluate the electrode heating effects of the ion trap during operation and the resulting Blackbody radiation shifts. Evaluation of these effects indicate that the uncertainty of shift will be limited by the current knowledge of the scalar polarizabilities of the upper and lower states of the reference transition, currently at the 2 × 10−17 level.
Decay of superfluid currents in a moving system of strongly interacting bosons

We analyze the stability and decay of supercurrents of strongly interacting bosons on optical lattices. At the mean-field level, the system undergoes an irreversible dynamic phase transition, whereby the current decays beyond a critical phase gradient that depends on the interaction strength. At commensurate filling the transition line smoothly interpolates between the classical modulational instability of weakly interacting bosons and the equilibrium Mott transition at zero current. Below the mean-field instability, the current can decay due to quantum and thermal phase slips. We derive asymptotic expressions of the decay rate near the critical current. In a three-dimensional optical lattice this leads to very weak broadening of the transition. In one and two dimensions the broadening leads to significant current decay well below the mean-field critical current. We show that the temperature scale below which quantum phase slips dominate the decay of supercurrents is easily within experimental reach.
Hereditary Neuraxial Edema in Hereford Calves

Twelve newborn Hereford calves from 8 herds showed extensor spasms upon stimulation and inability to rise. Neuraxial lesions consisted of widespread vacuolation interpreted as edema and seen chiefly in terminal portions of myelinated bundles and in gray substance containing heavily myelinated fibers. Genetic analysis of 2 of these herds indicated an autosomal recessive pattern of transmission tracing back to a single bull. The identity of the disease in all herds suggested that it had the same hereditary basis in all of them.
Pax3 synergizes with Gli2 and Zic1 in transactivating the Myf5 epaxial somite enhancer

Both Glis, the downstream effectors of hedgehog signaling, and Zic transcription factors are required for Myf5 expression in the epaxial somite. Here we demonstrate a novel synergistic interaction between members of both families and Pax3, a paired-domain transcription factor that is essential for both myogenesis and neural crest development. We show that Pax3 synergizes with both Gli2 and Zic1 in transactivating the Myf5 epaxial somite (ES) enhancer in concert with the Myf5 promoter. This synergy is dependent on conserved functional domains of the proteins, as well as on a novel homeodomain motif in the Myf5 promoter and the essential Gli motif in the ES enhancer. Importantly, overexpression of Zic1 and Pax3 in the 10T1/2 mesodermal cell model results in enrichment of these factors at the endogenous Myf5 locus and induction of Myf5 expression. In our previous work, we showed that by enhancing nuclear translocation of Gli factors, Zics provide spatiotemporal patterning for Gli family members in the epaxial induction of Myf5 expression. Our current study indicates a complementary mechanism in which association with DNA-bound Pax3 strengthens the ability of both Zic1 and Gli2 to transactivate Myf5 in the epaxial somite.
Analysis of arbitrarily shaped coax-fed microstrip antennas - A hybrid mixed-potential integral equation approach

Arbitrarily shaped coax-fed microstrip patch antennas on thick substrates are studied using a hybrid mixed-potential integral equation approach, which incorporates a triangle-element model of the patch and a simplified treatment of the probe-to-patch junction. Computed input impedance data are shown to agree well with measured results.
Genotyping of Hepatitis C Virus by Melting Curve Analysis: Analytical Characteristics and Performance

Knowledge of the hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype is important in guiding antiviral therapy (1). Viral pharmacogenomic studies have demonstrated that patients infected with genotype-1 HCV respond poorly to interferon-ribavirin therapy and may require a longer course of therapy (1)(2)(3). In the United States, where the most common HCV types are 1a/b, 2a/c, 2b, and 3a, it is particularly important to distinguish patients infected with type 1a/b from those infected with types 2 and 3. To meet the need for this information, we have developed a rapid-cycle, real-time PCR assay with melting-curve analysis for genotyping of HCV (4). This method uses reverse transcription-PCR performed in a block cycler followed by a seminested PCR with product identification using fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) probes and DNA melting curves in a single tube. The FRET probes were designed to identify HCV types 1, 2a/c, 2b, 3a, and 3b/4. Other less common genotypes will likely either not be amplified (types 6b, 7b, and 11a) or will produce a product with a non-type 1 melting temperature ( T m) (4). Real-time PCR has gained widespread use in clinical analyses since its introduction in 1991 (5), but little has been published on the performance characteristics of such assays over periods longer than a few days or weeks. The objective of the present study was to determine the analytical characteristics of the above HCV genotyping assay and its performance in routine use. The study period covered 23 months with 92 runs performed by six operators on four different LightCycler® instruments, using the exact assay described above (4). Patient samples were analyzed in groups of 5 to 13. Each analytical …
Antitumor Responses of Invariant Natural Killer T Cells

Natural killer T (NKT) cells are innate-like lymphocytes that were first described in the late 1980s. Since their initial description, numerous studies have collectively shed light on their development and effector function. These studies have highlighted the unique requirements for the activation of these lymphocytes and the functional responses that distinguish these cells from other effector lymphocyte populations such as conventional T cells and NK cells. This body of literature suggests that NKT cells play diverse nonredundant roles in a number of disease processes, including the initiation and propagation of airway hyperreactivity, protection against a variety of pathogens, development of autoimmunity, and mediation of allograft responses. In this review, however, we focus on the role of a specific lineage of NKT cells in antitumor immunity. Specifically, we describe the development of invariant NKT (iNKT) cells and the factors that are critical for their acquisition of effector function. Next, we delineate the mechanisms by which iNKT cells influence and modulate the activity of other immune cells to directly or indirectly affect tumor growth. Finally, we review the successes and failures of clinical trials employing iNKT cell-based immunotherapies and explore the future prospects for the use of such strategies.
Off-Axis Space-Charge Limit for a Bunched Electron Beam in a Coaxial Conducting Structure

We derive a space-charge limit for a circularly symmetric bunched electron beam that has its center-of-mass slightly offset from the axis of a circularly symmetric coaxial conducting structure. The limit is a necessary condition for beam stability resulting from the following two forces acting on the center-of-mass of the electron bunch: (1) the radial deflecting force due to the induced surface charges and currents on the conducting structure and (2) the confining force due to the presence of an external solenoidal magnetic-focusing field. We show explicit calculations of the space-charge limits for beam-charge distributions, which in the radial direction have zero thickness, i.e., thin annular beams, and in the axial direction have either zero longitudinal thickness or Gaussian like distributions. Finally, we show how this limit is applicable to a previous design study of the University of California, Davis/Stanford Linear Accelerator Center 2.8-GHz coaxial ubitron oscillator.
Phase II Trial of Infusional Cyclophosphamide, Doxorubicin, and Etoposide in Patients With HIV-Associated Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma: An Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Trial (E1494)

Purpose To determine the effectiveness of an infusional chemotherapy regimen in patients with HIV-associated lymphoma treated before and after the use of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) in routine clinical practice. Patients and Methods Ninety-eight assessable patients with HIV-associated intermediate- or high-grade non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma received cyclophosphamide 200 mg/m2/d, doxorubicin 12.5 mg/m2/d, and etoposide 60 mg/m2/d (CDE) given by continuous intravenous infusion for 4 days (96 hours) every 4 weeks plus filgrastim. Concurrent antiretroviral treatment consisted of the nucleoside analog didanosine in the first 43 patients enrolled before December 1996 (pre-HAART group), or HAART in the remaining 55 patients enrolled after that time (HAART group). Results Complete response occurred in 44 patients (45%; 95% CI, 35% to 55%). Failure-free survival and overall survival (OS) at 2 years was 36% (95% CI, 26% to 46%) and 43% (95% CI, 33% to 53%), respectively. At the time of the analysis, 30% ...
Investigating Minority-Carrier Traps in p-type Cu(InGa)Se2 Using Deep Level Transient Spectroscopy

Measurements of p-type Cu(InGa)Se2 (CIGS) using deep-level transient spectroscopy (DLTS) show peaks associated with minority-carrier traps, even though data were collected using reverse bias conditions not favorable to injecting minority-carrier electrons. These DLTS peaks occur in the temperature range of 50 to 150 K for the rate windows used and correspond to electron traps having activation energies usually in the range of 0.1 to 0.2 eV for alloys of CIS, CGS, and CIGS. The peak values also depend on the number of traps filled. For short filling times of 10 μs to 100 μs, a small peak appears. As the DLTS filling pulse width increases, the peak increases in response to more traps being filled, but it also broadens and shifts to lower temperature suggesting that a possible series of trap levels, perhaps forming a defect band, are present. The peaks usually saturate in a timeframe of seconds. These filling times are sufficient for electrons to fill traps near the interface from the n-type side of the device due to a thermionic emission current. Admittance spectroscopy data for the same samples are shown for comparison.
Consolidation of carbon fiber laminae during polymer-matrix composite fabrication, studied by electrical resistance measurement

The consolidation of carbon fiber epoxy-matrix laminae during composite fabrication by lamination (involving consolidation, curing and cooling) was found to be hastened and to occur to a greater extent by increasing the pressure. The consequence of better consolidation remained after curing and subsequent cooling. A higher pressure resulted in a lower through-thickness resistivity in a composite after curing and cooling. The extent of consolidation was quantitatively described by N/N o (the ratio of the number of fiber-fiber contacts between adjacent laminae at a given time, divided by that at the start of consolidation), which was calculated from the measured through-thickness electrical resistivity. From the variation of N/N o during heating in the process of consolidation, three stages of consolidation were observed. In the first stage, N/N o increased very gradually; in the second stage, N/N o increased abruptly; in the third stage, N/N o increased at a moderate rate.
A defense against the alleged unreliability of difference scores

AbstractBased on a classical true score theory (classical test theory, CTT) equation, indicating that as the observed correlation between two tests increases, the reliability of the difference scores decreases, researchers have concluded that difference scores are unreliable. But CTT shows that the reliabilities of the two tests and the true correlation between them influence the observed correlation and previous analyses have not taken the true correlation sufficiently into account. In turn, the reliability of difference scores depends on the interaction of the reliabilities of the individual tests and their true correlation when the variances of the tests are equal, and on a more complicated interaction between them and the deviation ratio when the variances of the tests are not equal. The upshot is that difference scores likely are more reliable, on more occasions, than researchers have realized. I show how researchers can predict what the reliability of the difference scores is likely to be, to aid in...
Ambient bioaerosol indices for indoor air quality assessments of flood reclamation

Abstract An air quality study was conducted in arid-region residences that were cleaned and reoccupied following a major regional flood (Arkansas River, Colorado, USA). This demonstration study leveraged a suite of aerosol measurements to assess the effects of common flood reclamation practices on indoor air quality. These assays included (i) optical counting (OPC) of airborne particulate matter (0.3– 5 μ m optical diameter), (ii) composite observations of volatile organic compounds (VOC), (iii) culturing and direct microscopic counts of airborne bacteria and fungi, and (iv) air-exchange rate measurements. As judged by OPC, most of the flood damaged homes surveyed had higher concentrations of airborne particulate matter indoors than outdoors; the same trend was observed for selected VOC. When compared to large literature databases, culturing from air samples collected in houses reclaimed from flood damage had significantly higher airborne microorganism levels than in houses where no flood damage had occurred—in many cases this difference was between two and three orders of magnitude. As determined by direct epifluorescence microscopy, total airborne microorganism concentrations were 3–1000 times higher than those recovered by conventional culturing. In flood damaged homes, biological particles averaged 52% of the total particles measured indoors, and 18% of the total particles measured immediately outdoors. Relative differences between the indoor and outdoor concentrations of airborne particulate matter, microorganisms, and associated VOCs, suggested that flood-impacted building materials were sustaining high aerosol bioburdens and contributing to poor indoor air quality more than 3 months after the structures had been reclaimed from flood damage.
A loop antenna coupled to a four-wire line and its possible use as an element in a circularly polarized end-fire array

A loop antenna coupled electromagnetically to a four-wire transmission line is studied theoretically and experimentally in terms of two mutually perpendicular two-wire lines that carry currents that are 90° out of phase. The size of the loop at which resonance occurs is determined. The zero-order and first-order solutions of the current distribution are evaluated, and it is found that at resonance the induced currents in the loop due to each two-wire line oscillate in a dipole mode of the loop. The currents induced by the four-wire line circulate as a travelling wave. The radiation field pattern is also evaluated. The square loop is studied first; it is later shown that the circular loop closely resembles the square loop. An array that consists of many loop antennae coupled electromagnetically to a four-wire transmission line may be expected to have a very high gain with circularly polarized radiation.
“Back Off”! Helicopter Parenting and a Retreat From Marriage Among Emerging Adults

The present study used a sample of 779 unmarried emerging adult college students to test the hypothesis that higher levels of helicopter parenting would be related to less positive marital attitudes. Helicopter parenting entails intense and intrusive involvement by parents under the guise of caring and protection. Using hierarchical multiple regression models, results suggested that helicopter parenting was not associated with the general importance placed on marriage but did influence emerging adults’ beliefs about the advantages of being single versus being married and their expected age of marriage. Higher reported helicopter parenting among emerging adults was associated with stronger beliefs that being single held more advantages than being married and an expected delay of eventual marriage. Other results suggested that parental warmth with mothers and fathers was also an important correlate of emerging adults’ marital attitudes.
Sedation, Analgesia, and Neuromuscular Blockade in Neurosurgical Critical Care

The essence of this chapter can perhaps be best summarized as: Don’t contribute to “ICU Psychosis.” In the critical care setting, therapeutic goals include control of pain, relief of anxiety, and facilitation of mechanical ventilation and other necessary medical therapies. In neurocritical care, another important goal is to facilitate repeated neurological examinations. Frequently the use of sedative-hypnotic and analgesic agents, and occasionally neuromuscular blocking agents, are required to achieve the first goals, but their use can be fraught with complications, including interfering with neurological examinations.
Energy Methods in Composite Material Structures

Many composite material structures not only involve anisotropy, multilayer considerations and transverse shear deformation, but also have hygrothermal effects, which can be very important. True, for preliminary design one needs the simplified, easier to use analyses that have been presented earlier, but for the final design, transverse shear deformation and hygrothermal effects must be included. These thermal and moisture effects have been described in Chapter 2. Analytically they cause considerable difficulty, because with their inclusion few boundary conditions are homogeneous, hence separation of variables, used throughout the plate and shell solutions to this point, cannot be utilized straightforwardly. Only through the laborious process of transformation of variables can the procedure used herein be used [1]. Therefore, energy principles are much more convenient for use in design and analyses of plate and shell structures when hygrothermal effects are present.
The rationality of values: Commentary on "The dilemma of revealing sensitive information on paternity status in Arabian social and cultural contexts" by Abdallah A. Adlan and Henk A. M. J. ten Have.

In the paper by Adlan and ten Have (2012), an ethical obligation to not tell the truth is argued. The case is wrenching and urgent, for the consequences are dire for the patient, the mother, the father, and a constellation of other people. It is also challenging for the reader belonging to modern scientific culture in which we have come to take truth as a value in itself, transcultural and imperative. Scientific research claimed to be value-free, that is, ignoring utilitarian, social, and religious values, but affirming the value of truth unconditionally. Humans do pursue knowledge for itself, and they also work to build and grow plants and other animals, maintain harmonious societies where people can flourish, and produce images, songs, dramas that enchant and ennoble. The pursuit of truth is an instrumental value in the practical and social projects of a society. But every society recognizes that telling the truth to anyone and everyone can be dangerous. Knowledge of some sacred truths about the ways of the gods or about powers to influence them was understood to be dangerous to many kinds of people. Knowledge of kinds and stocks of weapons is understood to be dangerous in undisciplined or antisocial people; scientific discoveries of how to produce new viruses and plagues have to be kept secret. The assembling of facts, the evaluations, and the decisions of every community are rational. The tribal society is rational as is the medical community, although not extending across the same data and not employing the same methods of identifying relevant data. The values in the different endeavours and institutions of a society were thoughtfully and rationally set up and can be rationally justified. In all areas of thought, something once understood and accepted is not and need not be each time subjected to questioning. The major values are taken as evident by a society, and reasoning about individual issues incorporates them as givens. The economic and social institutions of a society both posit them and build on them. In the situation described by this paper, there are three communities. In the tribal society, the cohesion and honour of the family are paramount, and truth about paternity is subsequently essential. The cohesion and honour of the family are not just conceptual ideals; the economic and social organization is built on it. In the Saudi state governed by Sharee’a law, the welfare of children in a responsible family is paramount; consequently, truth about adultery requires Bioethical Inquiry (2012) 9:411–412 DOI 10.1007/s11673-012-9406-7
Charge Transport Properties of ZnO Nanorod Aggregate Photoelectrodes for DSCs

Charge transport properties such as electron lifetime (τn), electron diffusion coefficient (Dn), and electron diffusion length (Ln) were investigated for the ZnO nanorod aggregate photoelectrodes annealed at different temperatures to understand the effects of structural evolution on the charge transport properties. With an increasing annealing temperature, the ZnO nanorod crystallites in aggregates experienced the structural evolution from individual rods to partially sintered rods and finally spherical large ZnO nanocrystallites, resulting in the appreciable growth of nanocrystallites and the necks between adjacent nanocrystallites and corresponding surface area reduction. Consequently, the charge transport properties in ZnO photoelectrodes were changed accordingly. The charge transport properties like τn, Dn, and Ln showed a strong dependence on nano- and microstructures of the photoelectrodes. This study on the correlation between sintered structure and charge transport properties shows that controlled...
Weekly clearances of urea and creatinine on CAPD and NIPD

Weekly creatinine clearance (Ccr) and weekly Curea/v (kt/v) are popular indices for quantitating the amount of peritoneal dialysis provided. Studies were undertaken on 44 patients on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) and 10 patients on nightly intermittent peritoneal dialysis (NIPD) to compare relationships of weekly creatinine clearance to weekly urea clearance (Curea) divided by total body water (v). With a long cycle therapy such as CAPD, the ratio of weekly Ccr to weekly kt/v is higher than with a short cycle technique, such as NIPD, in the same patient. If patients are shifted from CAPD to NIPD maintaining the same weekly kt/v, the weekly Ccr will decrease. If patients are shifted from CAPD to NIPD maintaining the same weekly Ccr, then the weekly kt/v will increase. The clinical implications of these observations are unknown, but should be kept in mind for future studies comparing CAPD and NIPD.
Calculation & analysis of short-term planning in Ningxia Power Grid

Aiming at the shout-term planning of Ningxia Power Grid,through calculating and analyzing of the tidal current,the short-circuit current level,the reactive voltage and the transient stability,puts forward evaluation for the steady operation of Ningxia Power Grid.
Total anomalous pulmonary venous drainage below the diaphragm: Clinical presentation, hemodynamic findings, and surgical results

Infradiaphragmatic total anomalous pulmonary venous drainage (TAPVD) is a rapidly lethal congenital cardiac defect requiring early surgical intervention for survival. Six patients with this lesion were operated upon, and the last 3 of 5 survived. Clinical and hemodynamic findings include cyanosis, congestive heart failure, unimpressive murmurs, electrocardiographic signs of right axis deviation and right ventricular hypertrophy without right atrial enlargement, a typical radiologic picture, hemodynamic evidence of pulmonary venous obstruction with higher pulmonary than systemic pressures, and characteristic angiocardiograms. Principles of successful management are (I) early recognition and referral, (2) early cardiac catheterization and angiocardiography, (3) early complete surgical correction, and (4) intensive perioperative management.
Application of Chromatography Combined With Mass Spectrometry in Therapeutic Drug Monitoring

Liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC-MS) is a technology of emerging importance in the field of therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) because development of commercial immunoassays for new TDM applications is sparse at best. LC-MS approaches have shown tremendous potential in the field of TDM. Assays are highly sensitive and selective, and can overcome challenges associated with conventional immunoassays. However, there are limitations and caveats to be considered when implementing this technology into the clinical laboratory environment. A review of methodological approaches, applications, advantages, and limitations will be discussed in this chapter.
Effects of Phosphate Solutions on Aflatoxin Production in a Synthetic Medium and in Frankfurters

Mold growth, sporulation, and aflatoxin B 1 and G 1 production were studied in Sabouraud dextrose agar (SDA) and frankfurters inoculated with Aspergillus flavus or Aspergillus parasiticus. Each of four phosphates, sodium polyphosphate glassy (SPG), sodium acid pyrophosphate (SAPP), tetrasodium pyrophosphate (TSPP), and Brifisol 414 (a blend of SPG, SAPP, and TSPP) were incorporated into the SDA (1 or 2%) or used as dipping solutions (5%) for the frankfurters. In SDA at 30°C, significant (P < 0.05) reductions in aflatoxin B 1 and G 1 production by A. flavus and A. parasiticus occurred when 1% SPG, 1% TSPP, 1% Brifisol 414, and 2% SAPP were present. In frankfurters, A. flavus B 1 aflatoxin production was increased with SAPP and TSPP.
Growth failure among preterm infants due to insufficient protein is not innocuous and must be prevented.

Growth failure among preterm infants due to insufficient protein is not innocuous and must be prevented
Package and Module Design

The insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) chip must be protected by placing it inside a package. After a discussion of discrete device packaging, various approaches to building multichip IGBT modules are discussed including the flat-pack, press-pack cases. The thermal resistance of various approaches is provided. Smart power modules are described that combine the IGBT chips with their drive and protection circuits. The reliability and failure mechanisms of IGBT modules are discussed including problems created by thermal cycling. Wire bond liftoff and formation of solder voids are the major issues determining reliability.
Game Face: Telling the Story

This chapter delves into the pedagogical power of storytelling (The story factor: inspiration, influence, and persuasion through the art of storytelling. Basic Books, New York, 2001). It encourages the reader to tell the story of the system by choosing an element or elements within the system to serve as a protagonist(s). The chapter discusses both conventional and unconventional plot and character development by exploring ways video games have exploded narrative possibilities. By finding leverage points within the system, the reader then branches the narrative by exploring alternative paths the protagonist(s) can take. Building on Turkle’s (The second self: Computers and the human spirit. Simon and Schuster, New York) groundbreaking work about how people relate to technology, this chapter also explores how to create a game story and characters that foster empathy, motivation, and immersion.
Avian Influenza Virus Immunosensor Using Single-Mode, Electro-Active, Integrated Optical Waveguide

We describe here a novel immunosensor-based strategy for direct detection of viral pathogens based on sandwich bioassays incorporated on highly sensitive, single-mode, electro-active, integrated optical waveguide platforms.
In Quest of Cultural Ecology, A Romaunt

Hubbell compares Byron’s cultural ecology to Alexander von Humboldt’s social geography by studying Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage, Cantos I and II, and the Essay on the Geography of Plants. Both Humboldt and Byron used similar methodologies to achieve a similar understanding of how culture evolves from its specific bioregional natural systems. While Humboldt’s social geography has shaped social and scientific ecology, Byron’s cultural ecology has largely been ignored. Yet, Byron’s cultural ecology has influenced his philhellenism and his hope for a Greek renaissance. Byron’s cultural ecology was also foundational to the discourse of cultural patrimony, first used to contest Lord Elgin’s appropriation of the Acropolis marbles, and still at the core of international disputes over historical artifacts.
Viral gain-of-function experiments uncover residues under diversifying selection in nature

Viral gain-of-function mutations are commonly observed in the laboratory; however, it is unknown whether those mutations also evolve in nature. We identify two key residues in the host recognition protein of bacteriophage lambda that are necessary to exploit a new receptor; both residues repeatedly evolved among homologs from environmental samples. Our results provide evidence for widespread host-shift evolution in nature and a proof of concept for integrating experiments with genomic epidemiology.