cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
F&E-Aktivitäten und technologischer Wandel durch eine Sequenz von Innovationen

Die wirtschaftliche Entwicklung in den einzelnen Industriebranchen ist durch einen mehr oder weniger raschen, aber standigen technologischen Wandel gekennzeichnet. Mit ihm geht gleichzeitig eine fortwahrende Evolution der Marktstruktur oder ein Prozes der „schopferischen Zerstorung“ (Schumpeter 1950, Kap. 7) einher. Ein technologisch fuhrendes Pionierunternehmen kann in diesem Prozes des technologischen und strukturellen Wandels seine Spitzenstellung nur dann behaupten, falls es ihm gelingt, durch standige technologische Weiterentwicklungen potentielle „Herausforderer“ und Imitatoren immer wieder abzuschutteln bzw. laufend neue „dynamische Marktschranken“ (Schellhaas 1985) zu errichten.
Abstract 545: Response Gene to Complement 32-deficiency Causes Impaired Placental Angiogenesis in Mice

Aims The objectives of this study are to determine the role of response gene to complement 32 (RGC-32) in the placental angiogenesis during pregnancy and explore the underlying mechanisms. Methods and Results RGC-32-deficient (RGC32-/-) mice were generated from C57BL/6 embryonic stem cells with deletion of Exon 2 and 3 of RGC-32 gene. Most of the RGC32-/- mice can survive. However, their body sizes were much smaller compared to their wild-type littermates when they were born. By examining the embryo development and placentas at 16.5 days post-coitum, we found that RGC32-/- embryos and fetal placentas were significantly smaller than the wild-type. Further analysis showed that the labyrinth zone of RGC32-/- fetal placenta was smaller with defective angiogenesis. Mechanistically, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) receptor 2 (VEGFR2) and placental growth factor (PlGF), but not other angiogenic factors, were significantly downregulated in RGC32-/- placentas, suggesting that VEGFR2 and PlGF may mediate RGC-32 function in placenta angiogenesis. Indeed, knockdown of RGC-32 by shRNA inhibited VEGF-induced endothelial cell proliferation, migration, and tube formation while blocking VEGFR2 expression. Knockdown of RGC-32 also inhibited trophoblast proliferation while blocking the expression of PlGF. Conclusion Absence of RGC-32 caused intrauterine growth restriction through interrupting the placental angiogenesis, which was due to the decreased expressions of VEGFR2 in endothelial cells and PlGF in trophoblast cells.
Cooling potential of vortex tubes for chip hot spot cooling

In this study, the thermal performance of two commercially-available vortex tubes was investigated by measuring inlet and outlet pressures, temperatures, and flow rates. A variety of vortex generators, each with a unique combination of fin height and cold stream diameter, were tested for each vortex tube. Experiments were conducted over a wide range of inlet pressures and cold fractions. Decreasing the cold fraction was found to decrease the cold stream temperature while also decreasing the cold stream flow rate. For each vortex generator, there is an optimal cold fraction that provides the maximum cold stream cooling potential. A clear relationship between maximum cooling potential and fin height or cold stream diameter is not apparent.
Source—Acquisitions and Licensing

This chapter translates supply chain operations reference (SCOR) Source into Library Acquisitions and Licensing processes. The chapter reviews the current culture of the Technical Service (TS) Department and the criticality of positioning TS and their work into the Supply Chain Management. The chapter suggests guidelines for developing library-specific Source processes and metrics and further explains the two Collection Supply Chain Strategies, Make-to-User, and Make-to-Stack. The chapter concludes with suggested Source procedures and metrics. The purpose of the chapter is to establish a framework for library professionals to consider adopting or developing the author's proposed Source processes and metrics.
Teaching Social Equity in the MPA: Reflections from the Social Equity Symposium

(2004). Teaching Social Equity in the MPA: Reflections from the Social Equity Symposium. Journal of Public Affairs Education: Vol. 10, No. 2, pp. 155-175.
Central Connections of the Octavolateralis System: Evolutionary Considerations

The octavolateralis system collectively comprises four classes of sensory end organs and their neuronal connections. These end organs—the auditory and vestibular receptors of the inner ear and the electroreceptors and mechanoreceptors of the lateral line system—have as their sensory elements hair cells or cells believed to be modified hair cells. Various aspects of the octavolateralis system have been repeatedly reviewed in recent years. Information regarding receptor morphology and central anatomy and physiology can be found in this volume (Chaps. 9, 22, 23, 28 and 31–33), as well as in others (e.g., Fessard 1974; Tavolga, Popper, and Fay 1981; Northcutt and Davis 1983; Bullock and Heiligenberg 1986). In this chapter we shall consider the octavolateralis system with respect to the following question: What is the relationship between major evolutionary changes in the sensory periphery and the organization of the CNS? Comparative anatomical and physiological studies have revealed that the octavolateralis system has a complicated and apparently unusual evolutionary history including the loss, invention, and “reinvention” of various receptor classes. It is thus an ideal system to use in such an analysis.
Machine Translation Evaluation with Textual Entailment Features

We present two regression models for the prediction of pairwise preference judgments among MT hypotheses. Both models are based on feature sets that are motivated by textual entailment and incorporate lexical similarity as well as local syntactic features and specific semantic phenomena. One model predicts absolute scores; the other one direct pairwise judgments. We find that both models are competitive with regression models built over the scores of established MT evaluation metrics. Further data analysis clarifies the complementary behavior of the two feature sets.
Oligodeoxyribonucleotides with 5'-ACGT-3' or 5'-TCGA-3' sequence induce production of interferons.

More than 1 billion children in 182 countries throughout the world have been vaccinated with the Bacillus of Calmette and Guerin (BCG) against tuberculosis. BCG appears to be able to elicit protective cell-mediated immune responses in the absence of progressive disease. In addition, experimental uses of BCG and related mycobacteria have greatly contributed to the progress of modern immunology. Trials of cancer immunotherapy with BCG were carried out on a worldwide scale in the 1970s and contributed much information to the fields of basic and clinical immunology (Bast 1974). Evidence foreshadowing our finding of senseless immunostimulatory DNA was also obtained by the experimental use of BCG.
Fucosylated Oligosaccharides in Human Milk in Relation to Gestational Age and Stage of Lactation

Breastfeeding is known to offer significant protection against infectious diarrhea. Oligosaccharides, the third largest solid component of human milk, constitute a major mechanism of innate defense of breastfed infants against infectious diarrhea (Morrow et al. 2004; Jiang et al. 2004; Newburg et al. 2004; Ruiz-Palacios et al. 2003). The fucosyl-ated oligosaccharides of human milk comprise the majority of milk oligosaccharides and have been shown to inhibit host cell binding to specific enteric pathogens (Crane et al. 1994; Newburg et al. 1990; Ruiz-Palacios et al. 2003). Mothers vary in the quantity and type of oligosaccharides found in their milk, which may influence the degree to which their milk offers protection of their infants against specific pathogens. Human milk fucosylated oligosaccharide synthesis is controlled by the same fucosyltransferase genes (FUT2 and FUT3) that control secretor and Lewis blood group types (Newburg et al. 2004; Viverge et al. 1990). Oligosaccharide expression in human milk also may be affected by gestational age and stage of lactation.
Multistory Buildings: Plastic Design

The use of plastic design concepts in the design of multistory steel building frames provides the structural engineer with yet another powerful tool in analysis and design. The concepts involved in this method have been well documented through several research projects sponsored by the AISC, Canadian Institute of Steel Construction (CISC), and several other national facilities, private as well as military, that are connected to the building industry.
A subcostal approach is favorable compared to sternotomy for left ventricular assist device exchange field of research: artificial heart (clinical).

This is a single-center retrospective study to summarize clinical outcomes of patients requiring surgical continuous-flow left ventricular assist device (HeartMate II) exchange. The patients who underwent HeartMate II exchange were divided into two groups either via a subcostal approach (SC group) or a full sternotomy (FS group). The exclusion criteria of a subcostal approach for device exchange included the presence of outflow graft obstruction, and/or the need for concomitant cardiac procedures. Among 277 consecutive patients who underwent HeartMate II implantation from July 2008 to December 2015, 25 patients (9.0%) required device exchange (SC group; N = 13, FS group; N = 12). The SC group, compared to the FS group, had a shorter operative time (200.6 ± 31.4 min vs 534.2 ± 123.9 min; P 24 h) (7.7% vs 90.9%, P < 0.001), tracheostomy (0.0% vs 41.7%, P = 0.015), acute kidney injury requiring dialysis (0.0% vs 33.3%, P = 0.039). In-hospital mortality was 0.0% (0/13) in the SC group and 16.7% (2/12) in the FS group (P = 0.220). In conclusion, a subcostal approach was associated with shorter operative time, fewer blood transfusions, and less postoperative complications, compared to full sternotomy. A subcostal approach, if feasible, is preferred for HeartMate II device exchange.
Complementary Roles of GCN5 and PCAF in Foxp3+ T-Regulatory Cells

Functions of the GCN5-related N-acetyltransferase (GNAT) family of histone/protein acetyltransferases (HATs) in Foxp3+ T-regulatory (Treg) cells are unexplored, despite the general importance of these enzymes in cell biology. We now show that two prototypical GNAT family members, GCN5 (general control nonrepressed-protein 5, lysine acetyltransferase (KAT)2a) and p300/CBP-associated factor (p300/CBP-associated factor (PCAF), Kat2b) contribute to Treg functions through partially distinct and partially overlapping mechanisms. Deletion of Gcn5 or PCAF did not affect Treg development or suppressive function in vitro, but did affect inducible Treg (iTreg) development, and in vivo, abrogated Treg-dependent allograft survival. Contrasting effects were seen upon targeting of each HAT in all T cells; mice lacking GCN5 showed prolonged allograft survival, suggesting this HAT might be a target for epigenetic therapy in allograft recipients, whereas transplants in mice lacking PCAF underwent acute allograft rejection. PCAF deletion also enhanced anti-tumor immunity in immunocompetent mice. Dual deletion of GCN5 and PCAF led to decreased Treg stability and numbers in peripheral lymphoid tissues, and mice succumbed to severe autoimmunity by 3–4 weeks of life. These data indicate that HATs of the GNAT family have contributions to Treg function that cannot be replaced by the functions of previously characterized Treg HATs (CBP, p300, and Tip60), and may be useful targets in immuno-oncology.
Articulating Ideas and Meaning through the Use of Comics.

In this interview with author and educator Nick Sousanis, he discusses his PhD dissertation, which was written and drawn entirely in comic book form and later published by Harvard University Press under the title “Unflattening.” He describes how he proceeded with the idea of producing a dissertation in comic form and the support he received from his professors. He strongly believes that it is possible to convey complex ideas in comic form and that the form itself draws people in. He also shares what he learns from his students—often non-drawers—and gives examples of innovative work produced by them.
Orthogonal and unitary invariants of families of subspaces

Publisher Summary This chapter presents a proof for the fact that the numbers tr( P j 1 … P jm ) (1≤ j≤ ≤k , 1 ≤ m ≤ 4 n 2 ) determine the subspaces W 1 …, W k up to a linear isometry of V ; where V is an n -dimensional real Hubert space, and W 1 …, W k are subspaces of V , of dimensions p 1 …, p k and P j is the orthogonal projection of V onto W j . The proof that a k -tuple of subspaces is determined up to a linear isometry by the traces mentioned above is found to be similar to the argument sketched by Kaplansky for a result of Specht and Pearcy on the orthogonal (or unitary) invariants of a single endomorphism. A recent result of Procesi implies that each trace invariant is a polynomial in the trace invariants with m ≤ 2 n - 1.
A semi-empirical relationship for the small-strain shear modulus of soft clays

The small-strain shear modulus (Gmax ) is a soil property that has many practical applications. The authors compiled a database of Gmax measurements for 40 normally consolidated to slightly overconsolidated low to high plasticity clays. Using these data, the authors propose a semi-empirical relationship between Gmax , effective stress (σ'v or σ'c), preconsolidation stress (σ'p) and in-situ void ratio (e0) for four ranges of plasticity index (Ip): Ip resulting from variations in effective stress (σ'c), maximum past stress (σ'v,max), and void ratio. The proposed relationships are a simple and efficient tool that can provide independent insight on Gmax if the stress history of a clay is known, or on stress history if Gmax is known.
Immunity to Severe Malaria: PfEMP1 Tags Tell a Tale.

PfEMP1 is the major surface antigen of P. falciparum-infected erythrocytes, mediates endothelial adhesion, and displays extreme sequence diversity that underpins antigenic variation. In this issue of Cell Host & Microbe, Tessema et al. (2019) find that antibodies in sera from a pediatric cohort that bind a discrete PfEMP1 subset associate with protection from severe malaria and predict future risk.
From Neurons to Cognition: Technologies for Precise Recording of Neural Activity Underlying Behavior

Understanding how brain activity encodes information and controls behavior is a long-standing question in neuroscience. This complex problem requires converging efforts from neuroscience and engineering, including technological solutions to perform high-precision and large-scale recordings of neuronal activity in vivo as well as unbiased methods to reliably measure and quantify behavior. Thanks to advances in genetics, molecular biology, engineering, and neuroscience, in recent decades, a variety of optical imaging and electrophysiological approaches for recording neuronal activity in awake animals have been developed and widely applied in the field. Moreover, sophisticated computer vision and machine learning algorithms have been developed to analyze animal behavior. In this review, we provide an overview of the current state of technology for neuronal recordings with a focus on optical and electrophysiological methods in rodents. In addition, we discuss areas that future technological development will need to cover in order to further our understanding of the neural activity underlying behavior.
ARTICLE: Eyewitness Identification: Are We Asking the Right Questions?

As courts struggle with issues concerning the admissibility of eyewitness identification, reliability has emerged as a touchstone of due process analysis. Factors commonly considered by courts in assessing reliability include the witness’s opportunity to view the criminal at the time of the crime, the witness’s degree of attention to the crime, the accuracy of any prior description of the criminal, the level of certainty demonstrated at the confrontation, and the amount of time between the crime and the confrontation. Unfortunately, the empirical record, including the results of this study, indicates that these factors do not have a strong or consistent ability to discriminate between accurate, and thus reliable, identifications and those that are in error. The policy implications of the courts’ continued reliance on an inadequate tool for assessing reliability are evaluated, and policy reforms are discussed.
Geographic disparities in mortality from Alzheimer's disease and related dementias.

Objectives The regions with highest and lowest Alzheimer's disease (AD) mortality across the United States at state/county levels were identified and their contribution to the differences in total mortality rates between these regions was evaluated. The disease, disease group, sex, race/ethnicity, and place-of-death-related inter-region differences that engender the disparity in mortality were quantitatively described. The hypothesis that inter-regional differences in filling out death certificates are a major contributor to differences in AD mortality was tested. Design Retrospective evaluation of death certificate data. Setting The United States. Participants Deceased US residents, 1999-2018. Methods Region-specific age-adjusted mortality rates and group-specific rate decomposition. Results The county clusters with the highest and lowest AD mortality rates were in Washington (WA) and New York (NY), respectively, with other notable high-mortality clusters on the border of Tennessee, Georgia, and Alabama as well as in North Dakota and South Dakota. These patterns were stable over the 1999-2018 period. AD had the highest contribution to total mortality difference between WA and NY (156%, higher in WA), in contrast circulatory diseases had a contribution of comparable magnitude (154%) but were higher in NY. Differences in cause-of-death certificate coding, either through coding of non-AD dementias, or other conditions accompanying a potential AD death could not account for differences in AD mortality between NY and WA. Conclusions Inter-regional differences in filling out death certificates were not a major contributor to variation in AD mortality between the regions with the highest and lowest rates. The respective mitigation of the effects of neural and circulatory diseases and several other high-impact conditions would not negate the disparity in mortality between NY and WA.
Testing of lunar surface vehicles under simulated lunar gravity conditions.

Testing lunar surface vehicles under simulated lunar gravity conditions, discussing mobility test article configurations and gravity simulator designs
Clinical evaluation of an improved injectable microcapsule contraceptive system

Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of a long-acting injectable microcapsule, poly(DL-lactide-co-glycolide), delivery system were tested in 10 women. Two doses (75 or 100 mg of norethindrone) were administered by intramuscular injection. Treatment suppressed ovarian function and inhibited ovulation for 3 months in all subjects. Levels of norethindrone in subjects who received the 100 mg dose were proportionately higher than those in subjects who received the 75 mg dose. Subsequent to the injection, there was a rapid rise in the serum levels of norethindrone followed by a gradual decline until 8 to 10 weeks. Between 10 and 20 weeks after treatment, there was a secondary rise and fall in the serum levels of norethindrone. Treatment caused suppression of the endometrium for 3 months, and, except for spotting and irregular menstrual cycles, there were no adverse side effects. Treatment had no significant effect on serum lipids.
The use of multiple antigen peptides in the analysis and induction of protective immune responses against infectious diseases.

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on the application of multiple antigen peptide (MAP) technology to the development of a vaccine for the human malaria plasmodium falciparum . Therefore, the studies on the MAPs vaccines based on the plasmodium falciparum circumsporozoite protein are reviewed and compared with other experimental systems in terms of MAPs synthesis, formulation, antigenicity, immunogenicity, and efficacy. In this chapter, the term “MAP” refers to branched peptides synthesized on a polylysine core. The MAPs are used as immunogen and antigens, with the ultimate purpose of inducing and characterizing the protective immune responses. In addition to their potential as immunogen for prophylaxis of infectious diseases, MAPs provide sensitive immunological reagents for immunocyte-chemical studies and for the measurement of antibody/antigen and receptor/ligand interactions. In experimental models, MAPs have been shown to induce protective antibody and T cell responses to rodent malaria species and the parasitic helminth , schistosomu and munsoni, as well as neutralizing antibody against pathogenic viruses, including HIV-1 and foot and mouth disease virus. MAPs, synthetic macromolecules containing defined B and/or T cell epitopes of one or more antigens, have provided unique immunological reagents for the analysis and induction of cellular and humoral immune responses to a wide range of infectious diseases. In contrast to the carrier-dependent immunogenicity of most linear synthetic peptides, MAPs utilize a peptide core matrix to construct a synthetic macromolecule that is immunogenic in the absence of protein carrier. Unlike peptide-carrier protein conjugates, the size, number, ratio, and relative position of T and B cell epitopes in MAPs can be defined, thus providing the opportunity to examine the influence of these factors on immunogenicity and antigenicity of peptide vaccines.
Entre bombas y bombones

De las muchas fuerzas politicas y culturales que marcaron a Brasil en los anos sesenta, una de las mas notables fue el efervescente movimiento estudiantil, especialmente durante el memorable ano de 1968. Los estudiantes universitarios en ese pais tenian una larga historia de organizacion politica y participacion en asuntos nacionales. Sin embargo, el movimiento estudiantil de 1968 era distinto a sus antecesores, pues representaba algunas de las intensas transformaciones que el pais estaba viv...
Pedagogy as a Field Guide to the Ecology of the Classroom

Reflecting on the complementary pedagogical models on teaching courses related to religion and the environment presented in this issue of the journal by Kevin O'Brien (“Balancing Critique and Commitment”) and Jennifer Ayres (“Learning on the Ground”), I suggest ways in which these essays form a conversation about teaching. Together, O'Brien and Ayres show how the classroom must acknowledge the materiality and embodied nature of learning, the emotional and intellectual levels of commitment, and the place of critical reflection on our everyday practices and actions. O'Brien and Ayres show the benefits of more fully reflecting on the ecology of the classroom – the relationship between individual members of the educational community, and the educational environment itself – in religious studies and theology.
An Introduction to the Mathematics of Biology: with Computer Algebra Models

This textbook on mathematical biology is designed for students with no previous background in biology and very little background in mathematics. It teaches the two subjects as equal and inter-related subjects, and it uses the powerful Maple computer algebra system as a tool in solving the computational and graphing problems. The use of the Maple system allows a hands-on approach to computation, and this provides a source of information through the use of "what if" scenarios, allowing students to grasp important biological and mathematical concepts. For students who do not have access to a computer algebra system, each topic is complete without the use of either numerical or symbolic equations. Graphic visualizations are provided for all the mathematical results.
Transgenic expression of human S100A12 induces structural airway abnormalities and limited lung inflammation in a mouse model of allergic inflammation

Cite this as: M. A. Hofmann Bowman, A. Heydemann, J. Gawdzik, R. A. Shilling and B. Camoretti-Mercado, Clinical & Experimental Allergy, 2011 (41) 878–889. Summary Background The calcium-binding protein S100A12 is highly up-regulated in the serum and sputum of patients with allergic asthma and is suggested to be a biomarker and pathologic mediator of asthma. Objective To test the role of S100A12 in mediating airway inflammation in a mouse model of allergic lung inflammation. Methods Transgenic (TG) mice that express human S100A12 and wild-type (WT) littermates were sensitized and challenged with ovalbumin (OVA) and assessed for inflammation, lung structure, and function. Results Following OVA sensitization and challenge, S100A12 TG mice showed reduced peribronchial and perivascular inflammation, mucus production, and eosinophilia as well as attenuated airway responsiveness to contractile agonist compared with WT sensitized and challenged animals. This is explained, at least in part, by remodelled airways in S100A12 TG mice with thinning of the airway smooth muscle. S100A12 exposure induced Fas expression and activation of caspase 3 in cultured airway smooth muscle cells, suggesting that airway smooth muscle abnormalities observed in S100A12 TG mice may be mediated through myocyte apoptosis. Conclusion and Clinical Relevance S100A12 is one of the most abundant proteins found in the airways of human asthmatics, and it was postulated that S100A12 could mediate the inflammatory process. Our study shows for the first time that TG expression of S100A12 in the lung of mice does not exacerbate lung inflammation in a model of OVA-induced allergic inflammation. We speculate that the high levels of S100/calgranulins found in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid of asthmatics and of OVA-treated TG S100A12 mice do not significantly mediate pulmonary inflammation.
On robust and reliable automated baseline corrections for strong motion seismology

[1] Computation of displacements from strong motion inertial sensors is to date an open problem. Two distinct methodologies have been proposed to solve it. One involves baseline corrections determined from the inertial data themselves and the other a combination with other geophysical sensors such as GPS. Here we analyze a proposed automated baseline correction algorithm using only accelerometer data and compare it to the results from the real-time combination of strong motion and GPS data. The analysis is performed on 48 collocated GPS and accelerometers in Japan that recorded the 2011 Mw 9.0 Tohoku-oki earthquake. We study the time and frequency domain behavior of both methodologies. We find that the error incurred from automated baseline corrections that rely on seismic data alone is complex and can be large in both the time and frequency domains of interest in seismological and engineering applications. The GPS/accelerometer combination has no such problems and can adequately recover broadband strong motion displacements for this event. The problems and ambiguities with baseline corrections and the success of the GPS/accelerometer combination lead us to advocate for instrument collocations as opposed to automated baseline correction algorithms for accelerometers.
From Tunis to Tunis: Considering the Planks of U.S. International Cyber Policy, 2005-2011

How have U.S. policies on the governance of the Internet and cyberspace evolved between the 2005 World Summit of the Information Society (WSIS) in Tunisia and the massive, cyber-fueled uprisings in the Middle East of 2011? The paper develops a framework of possible actions regarding Internet or cyber governance to produce contexts for the timeline of significant policy statements by U.S. government officials and agencies on the topic. In the resulting narrative, Internet governance policy rises from a relatively marginal issue for the foreign policy establishment to a significant component of U.S. grand strategy. Because it covers a brief time period and focuses on a single actor (the United States), this narrative provides input as to how and how rapidly Internet politics and policies have become integral to international affairs.
The Mystery of Delaware Law's Continuing Success

This Article challenges the widely held view that Delaware corporate law is dominant because it possesses superior traits, such as a well-understood statute, many judicial decisions interpreting the law, and wise and experienced judges administering that law. The authors evaluate superiority by the measure first identified by Romano as the relevant one for jurisdictional choice-reducing transactions costs in major transactions. The authors show that since the 1980s Delaware law has become increasingly complex and uncertain, due largely to judicial decisions that appear to tailor doctrines to produce fairness in individual cases, at the expense of certainty in planning and executing transactions. The result has been a variety of mini-rules that require firms and their lawyers to structure transactions formalistically to avoid the most intrusive forms of judicial review. These rules have led to a litigation explosion in Delaware, with concomitant high litigation costs. The authors also demonstrate the weaknesses of the Delaware General Corporation Law as compared to the Model Business Corporation Act. Finally, the authors examine and reject a series of apologies for Delaware law by commentators who concede at least some of these problems.
Quantum inequality in spacetimes with small curvature

Quantum inequalities bound the extent to which weighted time averages of the renormalized energy density of a quantum field can be negative. Such inequalities in curved spacetime can be used to disprove the existence of exotic phenomena, such as closed timelike curves. Starting with a general result of Fewster and Smith, we derive a quantum inequality for a minimally coupled scalar field on a geodesic in a spacetime with small curvature, working to first order in the Ricci tensor and its derivatives. Since only the Ricci tensor enters, there are no first-order corrections to the flat-space quantum inequality on paths which do not encounter any matter or energy.
McCune—Albright Syndrome

McCune-Albright syndrome (MAS) is an extremely heterogenous condition in which a variety of systemic and endocrine abnormalities can occur. It is classically characterized by the triad of peripheral precocious puberty, cafe au lait skin pigmentation, and polyostotic fibrous dysplasia of bone. It is caused by activating mutations of GNAS, the gene encoding the alpha subunit of the stimulatory G-protein (G sα), and result in constitutive, ligand-independent activity in affected cells. The GNAS activating mutations lead to a loss of intrinsic guanosine triphosphatase (GTPase) activity of Gsα, resulting in an inability to return the cell to its inactive basal state after stimulation by a hormone ligand. Thus, the presence of GNAS mutations in endocrine cells is associated with unregulated hormone production and the development of endocrine cells is associated with unregulated hormone production and the development of endocrine hyperfunction. Diagnosis is based on careful physical examination as well as biochemical and radiographic evaluation, while molecular diagnosis is currently best reserved for the research setting. Therapeutic approaches vary widely and must be individualized to target the presiding manifestations of the disorder. Because MAS is both rare and heterogeneous in nature, collaborative and multi-center research efforts are paramount to advance the understanding of the etiology, pathophysiology, diagnosis and treatment of this condition.
Origin and function of host-derived dendritic cells in vascularized organ transplants (TRAN3P.889)

Donor DC exit organ grafts after transplantation and are replaced by host DC. The origin and function of these tissue-resident, host DC however is unknown. Using flow cytometry and 2-photon intravital microscopy, we observed rapid replacement of donor DC by host DC in both syngeneic and allogeneic heart and kidney grafts within 3 days after transplantation, and demonstrated that the vast majority of host DC were monocyte-derived (Mono-DC). By day 7, allografts harbored >5-fold more DC than syn grafts and >45-fold more than native tissue. Enhanced DC accumulation in allografts was inhibited by treating recipients with cyclosporine A, indicating a crucial role for the host alloimmune response in DC influx. DC accumulation was only partially dependent on fractalkine receptor (CX3CR1) expression on host monocytes. Host DC that infiltrated grafts localized to perivascular areas, extended dendrites into the vessel lumens, mediated the transmigration of cognate effector T cells (Teff) into the graft, and continued to make stable contacts with the Teff after they had transmigrated. Depletion of host Mono-DC by administering DT to CD11b-DTR mice significantly reduced T cell infiltration and IFN-γ production in the graft. Hence, host Mono-DC amass rapidly in transplanted organs, replacing donor DC, and accelerate rejection by enhancing Teff migration, retention, and activation. Our results provide novel insights into the pathogenesis and treatment of allograft rejection.
Hemispheric Lateralization of Somatosensory Processing

Processing of both painful and nonpainful somatosensory information is generally thought to be subserved by brain regions predominantly contralateral to the stimulated body region. However, lesions...
JUSTICE: A CONSERVATIVE VIEW

According to the conservative view defended in this paper, justice holds when people have what they deserve and do not have what they do not deserve. Some of the questions considered are: how to tell what people deserve, why people should get what they deserve, how mistakes in the distribution of good and bad things can be corrected, why all egalitarian theories of justice are fundamentally mistaken, what makes the conservative view of justice practical, and what implications the conservative view has for taxation and prosperity. Familiar objections to the conservative view of justice are also considered and shown to be readily answerable.
Immunological analysis of cell-associated antigens of Bacillus anthracis.

Abstract : Sera from Hartley guinea pigs vaccinated with a veterinary live spore anthrax vaccine were compared with sera from guinea pigs vaccinated with the human anthrax, vaccine, which consists of aluminum hydroxide-adsorbed culture proteins of Bacillus anthracis V770-NP-1R. Sera from animals vaccinated with the spore vaccine recognized two major B. anthracis vegetative cell-associated proteins that were either not recognized or poorly recognized by sera from animals that received the human vaccine. These proteins, termed extractable antigens 1 (EA1) and 2 (EA2), have molecular masses of 91 and 62 kilodaltons, respectively. The EA1 protein appeared to be coded by chromosomal DNA, whereas the EA2 protein was only detected in strains that possessed the pX01 toxin plasmid. Both of the extractable antigen proteins were serologically distinct from the components of anthrax edema toxin and lethal toxin. Following vaccination with the live spore vaccine, the EA1 protein was the predominant antigen recognized, as determined by electrophoretic immunotransblots. Vaccine trials with partially purified EA1 demonstrated that it neither elicits protective antibody against anthrax nor delays time to death in guinea pigs challenged intramuscularly with virulent Ames strain spores. In addition, animals vaccinated with sterile gamma-irradiated cell walls had significant antibody titers to the N-acetylglucosamine-galactose polysaccharide of B. anthracis but were neither protected nor had a delay in time to death following challenge.
Pyruvate kinase, hexokinase, and aldolase isozymes in rat liver cells in culture

Isozyme patterns of the enzymes of ATP-hexose phosphotransferase, aldolase, and pyruvate kinase have been examined in a culture of cells derived from an adult rat liver. Normal adult liver characteristically contains glucokinase, aldolase B, and pyruvate kinase I isozymes. In contrast to this, the isozymes present in the cell line were found to be hexokinase, aldolase A, and pyruvate kinase III. Thus cells from an adult liver when taken into culture resemble fetal liver rather than adult liver. Attempts to induce in these cells the isozymes of ATP-hexose phosphotransferase and pyruvate kinase characteristic of the adult liver have been unsuccessful. The culture conditions were found to affect the nature of the kinetic properties of the pyruvate kinase isozyme in these cells. Cells maintained in the absence of glucose gave a sigmoidal-shaped substrate velocity curve for phosphoenolpyruvate, with aK m of 0.33mm. However, when the enzyme was extracted from cells grown in the presence of glucose, a hyperbolic-shaped substrate velocity curve was found, with aK m of 0.05mm. The two forms of this isozyme have been designated A and B, respectively. Form A can be converted to form B by preincubation with fructose diphosphate, whereas the B to A transition is mediated by ethylenediaminetetraacetate, ATP, or citrate. These two forms of the enzyme have distinctive properties in relation to inhibition by ATP, alanine, and phenylalanine, and to activation by fructose diphosphate. Their properties appear to resemble those of adipose tissue pyruvate kinase. The physiological significance of these properties is discussed.
Relationship autonomy and support provision in romantic relationships

Researchers have recently argued that SDT is a fundamental theory of relationship functioning and development. Specifically, prior research has proposed that self-determined motivations to be in one’s relationship—known as relationship autonomy—are associated with more adaptive relationship functioning. While empirical research has explored the association between relationship autonomy and defensiveness, the link with pro-partner behaviors such as support provision has received relatively little attention. The present research tested, across three studies, whether relationship autonomy is associated with more care for one’s partner. Three studies—one cross-sectional, one diary, and one dyadic study—suggest that relationship autonomy is associated with overall supportiveness both in the form of secure base support and basic psychological need support. Additionally, relationship autonomy was associated with less intrusiveness, suggesting that higher relationship autonomy is not simply associated with hyper-vigilance and being overbearing, but rather attention to the partner’s needs.
Transmission-mode direct analysis in real time and desorption electrospray ionization mass spectrometry of insecticide-treated bednets for malaria control

Transmission-mode direct analysis in real time (TM-DART) is presented as an alternative sampling strategy to traditional methods of sample introduction for DART MS analysis. A custom-designed sample holder was fabricated to rapidly and reproducibly position insecticide-treated nets normal to the ionizing metastable gas stream, enabling transmission of desorbed analyte ions through the holder cavity and into the MS. Introduction of the sample at this fixed geometry eliminates the need for optimizing sample position and allows spectra based on factors such as metastable gas temperature and flow to be systematically evaluated. The results presented here, supported by computational fluid dynamic simulations, demonstrate the effects of these factors on the resulting mass spectra and the potential of this sampling strategy to be used for qualitative and quantitative analyses. Transmission-mode desorption electrospray ionization (TM-DESI) experiments on similar insecticide-treated nets were performed for comparison purposes.
Long range face recognition using shifted phase joint transform correlation technique

A new face recognition system is proposed using a nonlinear image enhancement algorithm incorporated in a synthetic discriminant function based shifted phase-encoded fringe-adjusted joint transform correlation (SDF-SPFJTC) technique as a preprocessing step. The given input image recorded from a long distance is improved by using adaptive dynamic range compression and local contrast enhancement schemes. The Viola-Jones technique is then applied to detect any human face in the scene and hence correct its size. Finally the SDF-SPFJTC technique yields the recognition of the target face along with its location. Computer simulation performed on real life scenes shows efficient and successful recognition performance in varying environmental conditions.
Design and demography of the United States Swedish Adjustable Gastric Band trial: a 3-year prospective study.

Abstract Background Laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB) provides the least invasive of the bariatric surgical options, and has been shown to be safe, reversible, or convertible to an alternate bariatric procedure. The Swedish Adjustable Gastric Band (SAGB) has been commercially available outside of the United States (U.S.) for treatment of morbid obesity since 1996. A 3-year trial monitored by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) was initiated in a heterogeneous array of treatment sites to study SAGB outcomes in the U.S. In advance of the availability of these results for publication, the current report presents the design, methodology, and demography of the U.S. SAGB trial. Hypothesis The primary study hypothesis was that percentage of excess weight loss (%EWL) attained in patients at 3 years post-SAGB implantation would not be inferior to the clinically meaningful reduction in weight of 36.2% achieved at 3 years by the first LAGB to receive US FDA approval (the Lap-Band). Design A total of 405 morbidly obese patients were screened from May 29 to November 3, 2003, to participate in a prospective, single-arm, controlled study of the SAGB at 12 bariatric centers across 7 states. Qualified patients were enrolled to undergo device implantation using the pars flaccida laparoscopic technique. Measured outcomes included changes in boby mass index (BMI), excess body weight, incidence and type of complications, quality of life, and laboratory values associated with changes in comorbid disease. Patients were followed for 36 months, with a minimum of 14 postoperative office visits. Statistical Analysis Categorical data measurements included counts and percentages, and, where applicable, 95% confidence intervals. Continuous measures were summarized by presenting the number of patients, mean, median, standard deviation, minimum and maximum, with 95% confidence intervals, as appropriate. The alpha error for all hypotheses was set at .05. Analyses included 2-sided tests and repeated measures ANOVA mixed-model analyses. Demographics A total of 276 patients (mean age 38.6 ± 9.4 yrs [range 18–61], predominantly female [216, 78.3%] white non-Hispanic [169, 61.2%]) qualified for study inclusion and were enrolled. The intent-to-treat population was implanted with the SAGB. Preoperative weight and BMI (means) were 276.5 ± 40.8 lbs, and 44.5 ± 4.7, respectively.
Symmetric 3 x 3 coupler-based demodulator for fiber optic interferometric sensors

A method for demodulation of fiber optic interferometric sensors that utilizes a 3 x 3 coupler is described. The passive demodulation scheme does not require carrier (phase) modulation. The demodulation scheme relies on the three outputs of a 3 x 3 coupler and uses all three of its phase modulated output signals to recreate the stimulus inducing the original optical phase modulation. The demodulator scale factor (volts/radian) is stable against fluctuations in both fringe visibility and average received power. Upon initial implementation of the scheme, a dynamic range of 116 dB was obtained (at 600 Hz in a 1 Hz bandwidth with maximum THD at 4%). The minimum detectable signal at 600 Hz was 220 μrad/√Hz and the maximum tolerable signal was 140 radians. Both the maximum tolerable signal and the minimum detectable signal (noise floor) was observed to increase with decreasing frequency. Thus, depending on the frequency, the demodulation scheme is capable of detecting phase signals less than a milliradian to in excess of kiloradians.
Methodology for analysis of TSV stress induced transistor variation and circuit performance

As continued scaling becomes increasingly difficult, 3D integration with through silicon vias (TSVs) has emerged as a viable solution to achieve higher bandwidth and power efficiency. Mechanical stress induced by thermal mismatch between TSVs and the silicon bulk arising during wafer fabrication and 3D integration, is a key constraint. In this work, we propose a complete flow to characterize the influence of TSV stress on transistor and circuit performance. First, we analyze the thermal stress contour near the silicon surface with single and multiple TSVs through both finite element analysis (FEA) and linear superposition methods. Then, the biaxial stress is converted to mobility and threshold voltage variations depending on transistor type and geometric relation between TSVs and transistors. Next, we propose an efficient algorithm to calculate circuit variation corresponding to TSV stress based on a grid partition approach. Finally, we discuss a TSV pattern optimization strategy, and employ a series of 17-stage ring oscillators using 40 nm CMOS technology as a test case for the proposed approach.
Orienting Fate: Spatial Regulation of Neurogenic Divisions

Cleavage plane orientation has been thought to govern the fate of neural stem cell progeny, but supporting evidence in the neocortex has been sparse. A new study by Postiglione et al. in this issue of Neuron shows that mouse Inscuteable-mediated control of cleavage plane orientation regulates the output of neural progenitor cells.
From Multimedia to Multiple-Media: Designing Computer-Based Course Materials for the Information Age.

Creating, maintaining and delivering digitally-based information demands forethought. If you create core information systematically, you can easily convert the information for use in presentations, handouts, tests, and over computer networks. The key is to know how to best design and manage digital information and to have the appropriate hardware and software for the job. With adequate knowledge and tools, you can harness the vast amount of information available to you and put it to best use in teaching and learning.
Instrument for Simultaneous Measurement of Density and Viscosity

The speed of torsional stress waves transmitted in solid waveguides submerged in a liquid depends, among other things, on the liquid’s density and viscosity and the waveguides’ cross‐sectional geometry. By measuring the speed of torsional stress waves in two waveguides of different cross‐sectional geometries, one can obtain both the liquid’s density and viscosity. An on‐line, real‐time sensor for the simultaneous measurement of density and viscosity is described. The article details the sensor’s principles of operation and reports experimental results conducted using viscosity standard calibration liquids with well‐known thermophysical properties. For fluids with density ρf >1×103 kg/m3, it is estimated that the instrument can measure density with a precision better than 0.5%. For fluids with the product shear viscosity (μ) and density, ρfμ>100 kg2/(m4 s), it can measure the shear viscosity with a precision better than 1%.
Angular Distribution of Protons from π − − p Scattering at 900 Mev

The shape of the ${\ensuremath{\pi}}^{\ensuremath{-}}\ensuremath{-}p$ differential scattering cross section in the backward hemisphere should be sensitive to the nature of the "resonances" assumed to be responsible for the peaks in the total cross section at 600 and 900 Mev. The angular distribution of protons scattered in the forward hemisphere by pions of kinetic energy around 925 Mev, corresponding to pion c.m. angles from 65 deg to 150 deg, was obtained by placing nuclear emulsions close to liquid hydrogen and by measuring the direction angle and the grain count of every proton track. It is shown that the sensitivity of emulsions in the temperature region $22\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}\mathrm{K}l~Tl~90\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}\mathrm{K}$ does not drop below 85% of the sensitivity at 300\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K. The resulting distribution is consistent with the assignment of ${{D}_{\frac{3}{2}}}^{\frac{1}{2}}$ and ${{F}_{\frac{5}{2}}}^{\frac{1}{2}}$, respectively, for the 600- and 900-Mev levels.