cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cephalic mechanism for social control of fissioning in planarians. II. Localization and identification of the receptors by electron micrographic and ablation studies.

Asexual reproduction (fissioning) in the planarian Dugesia dorotocephala is socially controlled through a cephalic mechanism; isolation releases fissioning, grouping inhibits it; decapitation releases it even in grouped subjects. Experiments were performed to confirm previous indications that direct contact is involved in the sensing of cohorts; the partial release of fissioning in grouped planarians by introduction of a chemically inert lubricant (0.1% purified agar) into the habitat water further confirms the necessity of intimate contact between the sensors and bodily surfaces of the sensed cohorts. Further experiments, correlating electron microscopic observations with the release of fissioning by various selected surgical ablations, reveal the pertinent sensors to be clumps of neural cilia concentrated in the cephalic margins. Comparable structures occur in the chemoreceptors of catfish, lamprey, and honey bee as well as in the olfactory epithelium of mammals.
An Evaluation of Methods for Inferring Boolean Networks from Time-Series Data.

Regulatory networks play a central role in cellular behavior and decision making. Learning these regulatory networks is a major task in biology, and devising computational methods and mathematical models for this task is a major endeavor in bioinformatics. Boolean networks have been used extensively for modeling regulatory networks. In this model, the state of each gene can be either ‘on’ or ‘off’ and that next-state of a gene is updated, synchronously or asynchronously, according to a Boolean rule that is applied to the current-state of the entire system. Inferring a Boolean network from a set of experimental data entails two main steps: first, the experimental time-series data are discretized into Boolean trajectories, and then, a Boolean network is learned from these Boolean trajectories. In this paper, we consider three methods for data discretization, including a new one we propose, and three methods for learning Boolean networks, and study the performance of all possible nine combinations on four regulatory systems of varying dynamics complexities. We find that employing the right combination of methods for data discretization and network learning results in Boolean networks that capture the dynamics well and provide predictive power. Our findings are in contrast to a recent survey that placed Boolean networks on the low end of the “faithfulness to biological reality” and “ability to model dynamics” spectra. Further, contrary to the common argument in favor of Boolean networks, we find that a relatively large number of time points in the time-series data is required to learn good Boolean networks for certain data sets. Last but not least, while methods have been proposed for inferring Boolean networks, as discussed above, missing still are publicly available implementations thereof. Here, we make our implementation of the methods available publicly in open source at http://bioinfo.cs.rice.edu/.
God's Answer To Job

climax of the book, God answers Job out of a 'whirlwind5, displaying the wonders of creation and putting Job firmly back in his place. Apparently satisfied by God's answer, Job 'repents in dust and ashes'. [42: 6] Here, in the answer from the whirlwind, and in Job's humbled response, the poet's own deepest thinking about the problem of unfair suffering finds expression. But it is notoriously difficult to see how the two whirlwind speeches provide an answer to Job's complaint, and interpretations vary wildly, depending on the propensities and emphases of the reader. In this paper, I am especially concerned with the following questions. What under? lying problem is the poet wrestling with? How is God's answer to Job supposed to be relevant to this problem? And why is Job satisfied by it? I critically consider what seem to me to be two of the most important interpre? tations. Neither of them turns out to be completely satisfying. I then conclude by suggesting that the book of Job itself oscillates back and forth between two quite different conceptions of God's relation to the world. 1 Unless otherwise noted, all biblical quotations are taken from the New Revised Standard Version.
Investigation of Cd1-xMgxTe Alloys for Tandem Solar Cell Applications

Theoretical modeling of two-junction tandem solar cells shows that for optimal device performance, the bandgap of the top cell should be in the range of 1.6 to 1.8 eV. Cd1-xMgxTe (CMT) alloys have a lattice constant close to that of CdTe, and the addition of a small amount of Mg changes the bandgap considerably. In this paper, we present our work on developing CMT for solar cell applications. CMT films were prepared by vacuum deposition with co-evaporation of CdTe and Mg on substrates heated to 300deg-400degC. Films with a composition in the range of x=0 to 0.66 were fabricated, and optical analysis of the films showed that the bandgap of the samples ranged from 1.5 to 2.3 eV and varied linearly with composition. For the fabrication of devices using these alloy films, we also investigated the effect of post-depostion CdCI2 heat treatment. We have investigated junctions between CdS and CMT alloys in the bandgap range of 1.5 to 1.8 eV for tandem cell applications. We have also worked on the ohmic contacts to the CMT alloy films using Cu/Au bilayers, and the preliminary data shows a significant effect of the contact processing on the device performance. We present the results on the materials properties of these alloys and the effect of post deposition treatments on the film properties and device performance for different alloy compositions and compare them to similar CdTe devices to determine their applicability in tandem solar cell applications
An SSVEP-Based Brain–Computer Interface for Text Spelling With Adaptive Queries That Maximize Information Gain Rates

This paper presents a brain-computer interface for text entry using steady-state visually evoked potentials (SSVEP). Like other SSVEP-based spellers, ours identifies the desired input character by posing questions (or queries) to users through a visual interface. Each query defines a mapping from possible characters to steady-state stimuli. The user responds by attending to one of these stimuli. Unlike other SSVEP-based spellers, ours chooses from a much larger pool of possible queries—on the order of ten thousand instead of ten. The larger query pool allows our speller to adapt more effectively to the inherent structure of what is being typed and to the input performance of the user, both of which make certain queries provide more information than others. In particular, our speller chooses queries from this pool that maximize the amount of information to be received per unit of time, a measure of mutual information that we call information gain rate. To validate our interface, we compared it with two other state-of-the-art SSVEP-based spellers, which were re-implemented to use the same input mechanism. Results showed that our interface, with the larger query pool, allowed users to spell multiple-word texts nearly twice as fast as they could with the compared spellers.
Regional service coverage modeling

Service coverage is an often utilized concept in location modeling. Whether it be evaluating existing facilities or planning for new services, an underlying goal in many planning efforts is providing at least a minimal level of service coverage to an entire region. Examples include locating emergency medical services so as to ensure acceptable response times or siting Doppler radar stations to monitor evolving weather conditions. A challenge in addressing such problems has been how to represent a study region in a digital (or mathematical) environment. Historically, the approach taken has been to represent a region as an irregular pattern of points. These points typically correspond to centroids (or centers) of neighborhoods, towns, administrative units or census boundaries and summarize population or other service demand characteristics used in location models. A related alternative has been to represent a region as a regular pattern of points. The proliferation of geographic information systems (GIS), and the spatial data they manage, suggests that such representations may be overly simplistic in some circumstances. Further, there is increasingly an attempt to incorporate greater richness in traditional location modeling approaches. In this paper we explore coverage modeling of a region. An application focusing on siting emergency warning sirens in an urban area is used to evaluate the effectiveness of alternative coverage modeling approaches.
Risk of hand or glove contamination after contact with patients colonized with vancomycin-resistant enterococcus or the colonized patients' environment.

Objective. To estimate the level of hand or glove contamination with vancomycin‐resistant enterococci (VRE) among healthcare workers (HCWs) who touch a patient colonized with VRE and/or the colonized patient’s environment during routine care. Design. Structured observational study. Setting. Medical intensive care unit of a 700‐bed, tertiary‐care teaching hospital. Participants. VRE‐colonized patients and their caregivers. Methods. We obtained samples from sites on the intact skin of 22 patients colonized with VRE and samples from sites in the patients’ rooms, before and after routine care, during 27 monitoring episodes. A total of 98 unique HCWs were observed during 131 HCW observations. Observers recorded the sites touched by HCWs. Culture samples were obtained from HCWs’ hands and gloves before and after care. Results. VRE were isolated from a mean (±SD) of \documentclass{aastex} \usepackage{amsbsy} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{bm} \usepackage{mathrsfs} \usepackage{pifont} \use...
Mating in male Mongolian gerbils after olfactory bulbectomy.

Abstract Adolescent male Mongolian gerbils received complete olfactory bulbectomies that were verified histologically. When mature, each lesioned gerbil mated and inseminated normal female gerbils. The loss of the sense of olfaction in the lesioned gerbils was demonstrated by 2 tests in which the animals did not investigate conspecific odors or seek food odors.
Benign parotid hypertrophy in +HIV patients: limited late failures after external radiation

Abstract Purpose: Although 8–10 Gy of external radiation therapy for +HIV associated parotid hypertrophy has achieved high response rates, the responses were transient with only 1/12 of patients retaining cosmetic control at median follow-up procedures of 9.5 months. Retreatment for failures after 8–10 Gy has also been unsatisfactory. Having shown that 24 Gy of external radiation therapy for benign parotid hypertrophy produced more durable cosmetic control than 8–10 Gy, we now report on longer follow-up periods on a group of patients receiving 24 Gy. Materials and Methods: Twenty +HIV patients with clinical and radiographic evidence of lymphoepithelial lesions of the parotid were treated with 24 Gy of external radiation therapy using daily 1.5 Gy fractions; parallel opposed technique and 6 MV photons were used in 19 patients, and unilateral electron treatment was performed for one patient. Results: With a mean follow-up period of 24 months, the cosmetic control appears durable. We have had no late failures past 24 months. Two patients have complained of modest xerostomia. There was no correlation with size of the cyst and eventual cosmetic result. Conclusions: Twenty-four Gy produces durable parotid control for HIV associated lymphoepithelial lesions of the parotid glands in +HIV patients. Failures after 2 years are uncommon and the side effects have been tolerable.
Algorithms for Computing the Sample Variance: Analysis and Recommendations

Abstract The problem of computing the variance of a sample of N data points {xi } may be difficult for certain data sets, particularly when N is large and the variance is small. We present a survey of possible algorithms and their round-off error bounds, including some new analysis for computations with shifted data. Experimental results confirm these bounds and illustrate the dangers of some algorithms. Specific recommendations are made as to which algorithm should be used in various contexts.
Intraplatelet Von Willebrand Factor and ABO Blood Group

Abstract Levels of plasma Von Willebrand Factor (vWF) are known to be influenced by ABO Blood Group but such an influence on platelet vWF is not known. Forty-three healthy donors had blood drawn for measurement of plasma and platelet vWF, both antigenic (vWF:Ag) and functional (RCo). Twenty-six were Group 0 and seventeen were Group A. Groups did not differ in age, platelet count, hemoglobin, white cell counts, platelet rich plasma counts nor length of in vitro storage of samples prior to assay. Plasma levels of vWF:Ag and RCo was lower in Group O as expected. Platelet RCo was lower in Group O and such a trend was present for vWF:Ag. This influence of ABO Groups on platelet vWF was modest compared to that on plasma vWF.
Improving outcomes in the post-myocardial infarction setting.

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, with African-American men having the highest rate of cardiovascular mortality in the US population. Although the clustering of multiple cardiovascular risk factors is particularly apparent in this group, a key reason for the higher rate of cardiovascular mortality among African-American men compared with other ethnic groups may be related to underdiagnosis and undertreatment. Studies have shown that minority persons with myocardial infarction are less likely than nonminorities to be diagnosed, to receive appropriate drug therapy, or to undergo bypass surgery. However, there are no data that suggest established treatments and secondary prevention strategies are less effective in African Americans. Appropriate therapy for secondary prevention—including thrombolysis, antiplatelet strategies, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibition, β blockade, and lipid-lowering therapies—results in significant reductions in mortality for all patients.
MEMS implementation of axial and follower end forces

Although it is challenging to implement follower forces in macroscale laboratory experiments, they can be implemented fairly easily in MEMS devices. This paper discusses the implementation of follower and axial end forces in a beam-type MEMS resonator for the application of resonant frequency tuning.
One-sample approach to determine the relative orientations of proteins in ternary and binary complexes from residual dipolar coupling measurements.

We present a procedure that supports the acquisition of 1H−15N residual dipolar coupling (RDC) values for individual subunits in binary or ternary protein assemblies from a single experimental sample. Our method relies on asymmetric labeling of each subunit with the following scheme: species A uniformly with 15N, species B uniformly with 15N and 13C, and species C uniformly with 15N but selectively with 13C′ or 13Cα. Because only a single sample is required, the approach obviates the need for preparing multiple samples and eliminates potential errors introduced from differences in sample conditions. Because numerous biological processes rely on protein assemblies or transient interactions, this method should be well suited for a wide range of future applications.
Mars Smart Lander Simulations for Entry, Descent, and Landing

Two primary simulations have been developed and are being updated for the Mars Smart Lander Entry, Descent, and Landing (EDL). The high fidelity engineering end-to-end EDL simulation that is based on NASA Langley's Program to Optimize Simulated Trajectories (POST) and the end-to-end real-time, hardware-in-the-loop simulation testbed, which is based on NASA JPL's (Jet Propulsion Laboratory) Dynamics Simulator for Entry, Descent and Surface landing (DSENDS). This paper presents the status of these Mars Smart Lander EDL end-to-end simulations at this time. Various models, capabilities, as well as validation and verification for these simulations are discussed.
Search for post-end-point electrons and for evidence of neutrino degeneracy

A search was made for electrons whose energy might be higher than the Fermi end point in the decay of 63Ni. Such excess energy might be derived from the absorption of neutrinos from positive energy states at the top of the degenerate sea. By combining the electron energy sensitivity of a Li-drifted silicon detector with the momentum selectivity of a magnetic spectrometer, it was possible to distinguish real count from those arising from background or scattering. The results set an upper limit of 250 eV for the Fermi level if the fraction of occupied neutrino levels, X+(Ev) = 1. Also if 1 > X+ > 0.1, then 250 eV < max(EF) < 530 eV. Because of resolution limitations, however, a lower limit of zero for the Fermi energy is possible.
Delirium affects length of hospital stay after lung transplantation.

Abstract Background Delirium is relatively common after lung transplantation, although its prevalence and prognostic significance have not been systematically studied. The purpose of the present study was to examine pretransplant predictors of delirium and the short-term impact of delirium on clinical outcomes among lung transplant recipients. Methods Participants underwent pretransplant cognitive testing using the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status and the Trail Making Test. After transplant, delirium was assessed using the Confusion Assessment Method until discharge. Results Sixty-three patients were transplanted between March and November 2013, of which 23 (37%) developed delirium. Among transplanted patients, 48 patients completed pretransplant cognitive testing. Better pretransplant cognitive function was associated with lower risk of delirium (odds ratio, 0.69 [95% confidence interval 0.48, 0.99], P = .043); and demographic and clinical features including native disease ( P = .236), the Charlson comorbidity index ( P = .581), and the lung allocation score ( P = .871) were unrelated to risk of delirium, although there was a trend for women to experience delirium less frequently ( P = .071). The presence ( P = .006) and duration ( P = .027) of delirium were both associated with longer hospital stays. Conclusion Delirium occurs in more than one-third of patients after lung transplantation. Delirium was associated with poorer pretransplant cognitive functioning and longer hospital stays, after accounting for other medical and demographic factors.
Site-specific thigh muscle loss as an independent phenomenon for age-related muscle loss in middle-aged and older men and women

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA)-determined appendicular lean mass (aLM) and ultrasound-measured thigh muscle thickness (MTH) ratio and between aLM or thigh MTH ratio and zigzag walking performance. Eighty-one middle-aged and older adults (41 men and 40 women) aged 50 to 74 years volunteered for the study. Approximately two thirds of the subjects (34 men and 17 women) carried out regular sports activity (at least >2 times a week) including running and cycling exercise. MTH was measured using B-mode ultrasound at two sites on the anterior (A50) and posterior (P50) aspects of the mid-thigh. A50:P50 MTH ratio was calculated to evaluate site-specific thigh muscle loss. aLM and percent body fat were also determined using a DXA. Men had lower body fat and higher aLM than women. Anterior and posterior thigh MTH as well as A50:P50 MTH ratio was higher in men than in women. Zigzag walking time was faster in men than in women. Anterior and posterior thigh MTH was positively (p < 0.001) correlated to aLM and aLM index in men and women. However, A50:P50 MTH ratio was not significantly correlated with aLM and aLM index in both sexes. There was no significant correlation between aLM index and zigzag walking time in men and women. A50:P50 MTH ratio was inversely (p < 0.05) correlated to zigzag walking time in both men and women. Our results suggest that thigh MTH ratio is independent of age-related muscle mass loss detected by aLM.
Stereoselective Epoxidation and Hydration at the K-Region of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons by cDNA-expressed Cytochromes P450 1A1, 1A2, and Epoxide Hydrolase

Stereoselective epoxidation by cytochrome P450s (P450s) and regioselective hydration by epoxide hydrolase determine the carcinogenic potency of some polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). In this report, cDNA-expressed human and mouse P450s 1A1 and 1A2 and epoxide hydrolase were used to characterize the stereoselective epoxidation and regioselective hydration at the K-region of benz[a]-anthracene (BA), 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA), chrysene (CR), benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P), dibenz[a,h]anthracene (DB[a,h]A), and benzo[c]phenanthrene (B[c]Ph) by direct chiral stationary-phase HPLC (CSP-HPLC) analyses. Our results indicated that all P450 isoforms preferentially produced major K-region, S,R-epoxides of BA (95-98%), DMBA (94-97%), B[a]P (91-96%), DB[a,h]A (94-98%), and B[c]Ph (87-92%), and major R,S-epoxide of CR (74-85%) in the presence of 3,3,3-trichloropropylene 1,2-oxide (TCPO), an inhibitor of epoxide hydrolase, suggesting that P450 enzymes exhibited the high stereoselectivity toward one of two stereoheterotopic faces of K-region double bond of the PAHs. Epoxide hydrolase either expressed from recombinant vaccinia virus or contained in human hepatoma G2 cells (HepG2) hydrated the C-O bond of epoxy-ring at the S-carbon of major metabolically-formed K-region epoxide enantiomers of BA, CR, DMBA, B[a]P, and DB[a,h]A to yield 80-98% dihydrodiols enriched in R,R-form and that at the R-carbon of B[c]Ph epoxide to yield 77-92% dihydrodiol enriched in S,S-form, suggesting that epoxide hydrolase was highly regioselective. The various enantiomeric components of dihydrodiol products in the metabolism of PAHs were apparently due to the combined effect of stereoselectivity of the P450s and regioselectivity of epoxide hydrolase. Our results provide a clear understanding of how these enzymes catalyze overall stereoselective metabolism at the K-region of the PAHs.
Morphometrics indicates giant Ordovician macluritid gastropods switched life habit during ontogeny

Paleontologists have long speculated that the bizarre, giant Ordovician gastropods Maclurites Le Sueur, 1818 and Maclurina Ulrich and Scofield, 1897 lived more like suspension-feeding oysters than typical algivorous snails. Geometric and eigenshape morphometrics demonstrate the plausibility of this lifestyle, but with a twist. The apertures of these gastropods were small ellipsoids when young, transitioning rapidly to polygonal morphologies at maturity, with angulations (sinuses) occurring in regions associated with development of mature ctenidia (gills) and enhanced stability on the seafloor. Combined with knowledge of extant suspension-feeding gastropods and functional and phylogenetic analysis of the anatomy of other fossil relatives, this ontogenetic pattern suggests these snails began life as typical mobile algae-grazers, but switched to sedentary suspension-feeders as they aged.
Limb regeneration and subsequent asymmetry in a male secondary sexual character influences sexual selection in wolf spiders

Males of the brush-legged wolf spider Schizocosa ocreata (Hentz) have conspicuously decorated forelegs used in courtship and agonistic displays. Approximately one in five juvenile males has a missing or regenerating foreleg, and regeneration of a leg lost during development usually results in the absence of a decorative tuft on that leg. The subsequent asymmetry in this male secondary character significantly decreases success in both courtship of females and male-male agonistic interactions. Experimental removal of tufts from one leg of previously successful symmetric males produces similar results. As a test for concomitant behavioral effects, female spiders were shown video images of a courting male with symmetric tufts and the same video image altered to have asymmetric tufts. Female receptivity to the asymmetric video image was lower. In contrast to fluctuating asymmetry resulting from developmental instability, leg tuft asymmetry in S. ocreata most likely arises from a single event during ontogeny – possibly leg loss from an aggressive or predator encounter – and may serve as a quality indicator in female mate choice.
Biomass fly ash in concrete: SEM, EDX and ESEM analysis

This document summarizes microscopy study of concrete prepared from cement and fly ash (25% fly ash and 75% cement by weight), which covers coal fly ash and biomass fly ash. All the fly ash concrete has the statistical equal strength from one day to one year after mix. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) and environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM) analysis show that both coal and biomass fly ash particles undergo significant changes of morphology and chemical compositions in concrete due to pozzolanic reaction, although biomass fly ash differs substantially from coal fly ash in its fuel resources.
Organizational Culture and Ethical Research Behavior

The author examines, in the context of Wallach’s (1983) conceptualization, the influence of bureaucratic, supportive, and innovative cultural dimensions on marketing research professionals’ reported ethical research behavior. The results indicate that marketing research professionals in organizations of bureaucratic-innovative-supportive culture reflect the highest reported research ethics behavior, followed by those in organizations of innovative-supportive and bureaucratic-only cultures, respectively.
Common Law, Equity, and American Public Administration

This article evaluates the claims of those who advocate the use of common law as a corrective to the statutory and rule-based excesses of the American administrative state. Their claims are assessed in light of common-law history and in terms of current administrative law. Although many claims are exaggerated or simply wrong, there are some aspects of common law that deserve attention in public administration. These are explained from the perspective of common-law evolution. Common law developed in a very pragmatic and experimental fashion and therefore displays some qualities public administrators will find useful, especially in the adjudicative realm of agency decisions, but more broadly as well. A model with five features of common-law practice is presented for public administrators to use in improving an agency’s decision making under law.
Evaluation of Near-Critical Overdamping Effects in Slug-Test Response

A slug test behaves as a harmonic oscillator, subject to both inertial effects and viscous damping. When viscous and inertial forces are closely balanced, the system is nearly critically damped, and water-level recovery is affected by inertial effects, but does not exhibit oscillation. These effects were investigated by use of type curves, generated both by modification of Kipp's (1985) computer program and by use of the Butler-Zhan (2004) model. Utility of the type curves was verified by re-analysis of the Regina slug test previously analyzed by Kipp. These type curves indicate that near-critical inertial effects result in early-time delayed water-level response followed by merger with, or more rapid recovery than, response for the fully damped case. Because of this early time response, slug tests in the moderately over-damped range are best analyzed using log-log type curves of (1 - H/H(0)) vs. Tt/r(2c). Failure to recognize inertial effects in slug test data could result in an over-estimate of transmissivity, and a too-small estimate of storage coefficient or too-large estimate of well skin. However, application of the widely used but highly empirical Hvorslev (1951) method to analyze both the Regina slug test and type-curve generated data indicate that such analyses provide T values within a factor of 2 of the true value.
Neutron scattering from polymer blends under pressure

A procedure is used to analyze small-angle neutron-scattering (SANS) data from a pressurized polymer blend mixture (deuterated polystyrene/polyvinylmethylether). The Lattice-Fluid (LF) equation-of-state model is used along with a compressible random phase approximation (RPA) in order to obtain free volume fractions and intermonomer interaction potentials. Solving the two sets of equations (LF and RPA) self-consistently within the fitting procedure to the SANS data provides an improvement over the familiar incompressible RPA model. In this approach, the free volume fraction is the main varying parameter. Intermonomer interaction potentials were found to depend on pressure (weakly) and temperature (linearly). © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Evaluation of a re-rated induction machine

Motor re-rating presents an alternative to field weakening for electrical machines used in traction applications. A re-rated motor is capable of providing its nominal torque at higher speeds, increasing its shaft power while keeping the motor mass constant. In this paper, a discussion of the impact of re-rating on the efficiency and various losses of an induction machine is presented. When a re-rated motor operates at higher speeds, the total loss of the machine increases more gradually than the shaft output power. Thus, the efficiency of this machine increases at higher speeds. Measured results from a re-rated 12.4 N-m induction machine support the discussion and show that re-rated induction machines can compete with permanent-magnet machines in terms of efficiency in traction applications
Glucagon-like peptide 1 agonists and the development and growth of pancreatic β-cells

Glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) is an intestine-derived insulinotropic hormone that stimulates glucose-dependent insulin production and secretion from pancreatic β-cells. Other recognized actions of GLP-1 are to suppress glucagon secretion and hepatic glucose output, delay gastric emptying, reduce food intake, and promote glucose disposal in peripheral tissues. All of these actions are potentially beneficial for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus. Several GLP-1 agonists are in clinical trials for the treatment of diabetes. More recently, GLP-1 agonists have been shown to stimulate the growth and differentiation of pancreatic β-cells, as well as to exert cytoprotective, antiapoptotic effects on β-cells. Recent evidence indicates that GLP-1 agonists act on receptors on pancreas-derived stem/progenitor cells to prompt their differentiation into β-cells. These new findings suggest an approach to create β-cells in vitro by expanding stem/progenitor cells and then to convert them into β-cells by treatment with GLP-1. Thus GLP-1 may be a means by which to create β-cells ex vivo for transplantation into patients with insulinopenic type 1 diabetes and severe forms of type 2 diabetes.
Decomposition-based motion planning: a framework for real-time motion planning in high-dimensional configuration spaces

Research in motion planning has been striving to develop faster planning algorithms in order to be able to address a wider range of applications. In this paper a novel real-time motion planning framework, called decomposition-based motion planning, is proposed. It is particularly well suited for planning problems that arise in service and field robotics. It decomposes the original planning problem into simpler sub-problems, whose successive solution empirically results in a large reduction of the overall complexity. A particular implementation of decomposition-based planning is proposed. Experiments with an eleven degree-of-freedom mobile manipulator are presented.
Recent advances in ranking and selection

This tutorial provides an overview on recent advances made in ranking and selection (R&S) for selecting the best simulated system and discusses challenges that still exist in the field. We focus on indifference-zone R&S procedures that provide a guaranteed probability of correct selection when the best system is at least a user-specified amount better than the other systems.
Ockhamists and Molinists in Search of a Way Out

En reaction contre certains arguments recents qui affirment l'incompatibilite entre la prescience divine et la liberte humaine, l'A. propose une version du passe qui envisage les consequences de la philosophie libertaire. L'A. affirme ques les ockhamistes restent libres de toute critique recente de la notion de pouvoir contrefactuel sur le passe. Il soutient en outre qu'il ne s'agit pas d'une option pour les molinistes qui restent vulnerables aux arguments d'incompatibilite
Langevin simulations of lattice field theories

We present a new analysis of Langevin simulation techniques for lattice field theories, including a general discussion of errors and algorithm speed. We introduce Fourier techniques that greatly accelerate simulations on large lattices. We also introduce a new technique for including quark vacuum-polarization corrections that admits any number of flavors, odd or even, without the need for nested Monte Carlo calculations. Our analysis is supported by a variety of numerical experiments.
Interactions between nutrient availability and hydroperiod shape macroinvertebrate communities in Florida Everglades marshes

Hydroperiod and nutrient status are known to influence aquatic communities in wetlands, but their joint effects are not well explored. I sampled floating periphyton mat and flocculent detritus (floc) infaunal communities using 6-cm diameter cores at short- and long-hydroperiod and constantly inundated sites across a range of phosphorus (P) availability (total phosphorus in soil, floc and periphyton). Differences in community structure between periphyton and floc microhabitats were greater than any variation attributable to hydroperiod, P availability, or other spatial factors. Multivariate analyses indicated community structure of benthic-floc infauna was driven by hydroperiod, although crowding (no. g−1 AFDM) of individual taxa showed no consistent responses to hydroperiod or P availability. In contrast, community structure of periphyton mat infauna was driven by P availability, while densities of mat infauna (no. m−2) were most influenced by hydroperiod (+correlations). Crowding of mat infauna increased significantly with P availability in short-hydroperiod marshes, but was constant across the P gradient in long-hydroperiod marshes. Increased abundance of floating-periphyton mat infauna with P availability at short-hydroperiod sites may result from a release from predation by small fish. Community structure and density were not different between long-hydroperiod and constantly inundated sites. These results have implications for the use of macroinvertebrates as indicators of water quality in wetlands and suggest the substrate sampled can influence interpretation of ecological responses observed in these communities.
Structure of nucleotide-binding domain 1 of the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator

Cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) is an ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter that functions as a chloride channel. Nucleotide-binding domain 1 (NBD1), one of two ABC domains in CFTR, also contains sites for the predominant CF-causing mutation and, potentially, for regulatory phosphorylation. We have determined crystal structures for mouse NBD1 in unliganded, ADP- and ATP-bound states, with and without phosphorylation. This NBD1 differs from typical ABC domains in having added regulatory segments, a foreshortened subdomain interconnection, and an unusual nucleotide conformation. Moreover, isolated NBD1 has undetectable ATPase activity and its structure is essentially the same independent of ligand state. Phe508, which is commonly deleted in CF, is exposed at a putative NBD1-transmembrane interface. Our results are consistent with a CFTR mechanism, whereby channel gating occurs through ATP binding in an NBD1–NBD2 nucleotide sandwich that forms upon displacement of NBD1 regulatory segments.
Detection of airborne Stachybotrys chartarum macrocyclic trichothecene mycotoxins in the indoor environment.

The existence of airborne mycotoxins in mold-contaminated buildings has long been hypothesized to be a potential occupant health risk. However, little work has been done to demonstrate the presence of these compounds in such environments. The presence of airborne macrocyclic trichothecene mycotoxins in indoor environments with known Stachybotrys chartarum contamination was therefore investigated. In seven buildings, air was collected using a high-volume liquid impaction bioaerosol sampler (SpinCon PAS 450-10) under static or disturbed conditions. An additional building was sampled using an Andersen GPS-1 PUF sampler modified to separate and collect particulates smaller than conidia. Four control buildings (i.e., no detectable S. chartarum growth or history of water damage) and outdoor air were also tested. Samples were analyzed using a macrocyclic trichothecene-specific enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). ELISA specificity was tested using phosphate-buffered saline extracts of the fungal genera Aspergillus, Chaetomium, Cladosporium, Fusarium, Memnoniella, Penicillium, Rhizopus, and Trichoderma, five Stachybotrys strains, and the indoor air allergens Can f 1, Der p 1, and Fel d 1. For test buildings, the results showed that detectable toxin concentrations increased with the sampling time and short periods of air disturbance. Trichothecene values ranged from 1,300 pg/m3 of sampled air. The control environments demonstrated statistically significantly (P < 0.001) lower levels of airborne trichothecenes. ELISA specificity experiments demonstrated a high specificity for the trichothecene-producing strain of S. chartarum. Our data indicate that airborne macrocyclic trichothecenes can exist in Stachybotrys-contaminated buildings, and this should be taken into consideration in future indoor air quality investigations.
Icarus in the Boardroom

Americans have always loved risk takers. Like the Icarus of ancient Greek lore, however, even the most talented entrepreneurs can overstep their bounds. All too often, the very qualities that make Icaran executives special - self-confidence, visionary insight, and extreme competitiveness - spur them to take misguided and even illegal chances. The Icaran failure of an ordinary entrepreneur isn't headline news. But put Icarus in the corporate boardroom and - as this book vividly demonstrates - the ripple effects can be profound. Ever since the first large-scale corporations emerged in the nineteenth century, their ability to tap huge amounts of capital and the sheer number of lives they affect has meant that their executives play for far greater stakes. Excessive and sometimes fraudulent risks, competition, and the increasing size and complexity of organizations: these three factors have been at the heart of every corporate breakdown from 1873, when financial genius Jay Cooke collapsed, to the corporate scandals of the early 21st century. Compounding the scandals is an ongoing cat-and-mouse game between regulators' efforts to police the three factors that lead to Icarus Effect failures and efforts by corporate America to evade this regulation in the name of efficiency and flexibility. These efforts to side-step oversight can rapidly spiral out of control, setting the stage for the devastating corporate failures that punctuate American business history. But there is also a silver lining to the stunning failures: the outrage they provoke galvanizes public opinion in favor of corporate reform. The most important American business regulation has always been enacted in response to a major breakdown in corporate America. Today's business environment poses unprecedented perils for the average American as for the first time ever, more than half of Americans now own stock. Identifying the problems of the past, this book offers a strikingly new diagnosis of the fundamental flaws in corporate America today, and of what can be done to fix them.
The Relationship of Inflation and Stock Return: An Empirical Study of the Hedging or Wealth Effects in Bangladesh

The relationship between stock market returns and inflation is a well studied area in economics and financial economics. Theoretical and empirical researches on this topic establish that inflation causes stock market return. In this paper we study on Bangladesh stock markets return and inflation and find interesting results that stock market returns cause inflation. This empirical study has been conducted on basis of the monthly stock market index and CPI data. The result of the study can be a roadmap to the policymaker of Bangladesh to control the inflation within the tolerance level by adopting well regulation on stock market.
Excretion and concentration of urine solutes during normal pregnancy as measured by freezing point depression.

Abstract The purpose of this study was to determine whether normal pregnancy altered the renal excretion of urinary solids. Ostetricians frequently express the opinion that pregnancy is the best test of renal function. Statements may be found in textbooks that pregnancy imposes a "load" on the kidneys and that the excretion of waste products increases as pregnancy advances. Studies to support these opinions are not found in the literature. The renal function tests which have been used in an attempt to ascertain the effect of pregnancy on the kidney have given variable and conflicting results. Urea clearance, 1, 2, 3 the urea concentration test, 4 and the phenolsulfonphthalein excretion test 2 are all essentially normal during uncomplicated pregnancy. Like-wise the effective renal blood flow, filtration rate, and total functioning tubular mass are unchanged by normal pregnancy and delivery. 5, 6, 7 However, the concentration and dilution test reveals some inability on the part of the normal pregnant patient to concentrate the urine. 8 A study of the urinary sediment has been used as a function test in normal pregnancy. 9 Addis counts disclose a marked increase in formed elements in the urine during the last trimester. This is interpreted to be the result of physiological dilatation of the ureters rather than from pathological changes. 10 On the basis of their studies, Theobald and Verney concluded that posture played a role in influencing urine volume. They felt that the upright position produced mechanical pressure which impeded venous return from the legs and thus made less fluid available for excretion by the kidneys. 11
Small interseismic asperities and widespread aseismic creep on the northern Japan subduction interface

The canonical model of fault coupling assumes that slip is partitioned into fixed asperities that display stick-slip behavior and regions that creep stably. We show that this simple asperity model is inconsistent with GPS-derived deformation in northern Japan associated with interseismic coupling on the subduction interface and the transient response to Mw 6.3–7.2 earthquakes during 2003–2011. Comparisons of GPS data with simulations of earthquakes on asperities and associated velocity-strengthening afterslip require that afterslip overlaps areas of the fault that ruptured in previous earthquakes, including the 2011 Mw 9 Tohoku-oki earthquake. Whereas about 55% of the plate interface ruptured in earthquakes during 2003–2011, we infer that only 9% of the plate interface was fully locked between earthquakes. Inferred locked asperities are roughly 25% the size of rupture areas determined by seismic source inversions. These smaller asperities are consistent with interseismic strain accumulation in 2009, although more extensive locking is required a decade earlier in 1998.
Attraction of Scolytus quadrispinosus (Coleoptera: Scolytidae) to Carya spp. for Oviposition

The flight patterns of hickory bark beetles, Scolytus quadrispinosus Say, attracted to girdled Carya cordiformis (Wangenh.) K. Koch were sampled by a barrier technique. Initial beetle response was directed and chemotactic. Log sections per se proved attractive to beetles, but data demonstrated a secondary beetle attractant associated with the presence of beetles in host material.
In-Stream Measurement of Canola (Brassica Napus L.) Seed Oil Concentration Using in-line near Infrared Reflectance Spectroscopy:

Natural variation in the seed oil concentration of oilseed crops sent to a crushing plant can impair the recovery of the oil from the seed. Consequently, there is interest in applying in-line near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy to measure the oil concentration of the seed to be processed and, in using the information obtained, to maximise expeller efficiency. The objective of this study was to determine how well in-line NIR spectroscopy could determine the seed oil concentration of canola (Brassica napus L.) when there was direct contact of the sensor head with the grain stream. Reflectance spectra from 850 nm to 1650 nm were obtained by sliding grain samples of canola directly across the sensor head of the Polytec 1721 NIR reflectance analyser. Reference analytical results were estimated using the NIR optical spectra as regression estimators. The resulting prediction equation with eight latent variables resulted in a coefficient of determination of 0.95, standard error of cross-validation of 0.727% and rela...
Stoichiometric Reactions Describing Serpentinization of Anhydrous Primary Silicates: A Critical Appraisal, with Application to Aqueous Alteration of Chondrule Silicates in CM Carbonaceous Chondrites

A number of chemical reactions (mass-action expressions) have been proposed to describe serpentinization of olivine in terrestrial serpentinites. Some have been applied to interpreting the formation of serpentine-group minerals in CM carbonaceous chondrites. The widely used olivine + pyroxene → serpentine (ol + px → srp) reaction is quantitatively inconsistent with observed ratios of olivine to pyroxene and olivine to serpentine in CM carbonaceous chondrites. The reaction of 5ol → 2srp is most consistent with constraints from textural observations at the scale of individual partial and complete pseudomorphs of serpentine after coarse olivine in CM chondrites, observed co-variations in modal abundances of reactant and product minerals in CM chondrites, and experimental geochemical kinetics. Furthermore, the 5ol → 2srp reaction provides insight into the mobility of solute species in the aqueous alteration environment of CM carbonaceous chondrites.
Determinants of Distribution Intensity

Within many categories of consumer products, manufacturers differ markedly in how intensively they distribute their brands among retailers. The authors enhance understanding of why such differences...
Gandhi’s printing press: experiments in slow reading

From the author of the highly acclaimed The Portable Bunyan: A Transnational History of ‘The Pilgrim’s Progress’ (Princeton University Press, 2003), we now have a new work that is equally compellin...
Surveillance ofFood-borne Disease in Futian District of Shenzhen City

Objective To analyze the data of food- borne diseases active surveillance system during 2011. 7-2012. 6 in Futian district of Shenzhen city,thus to provide references for development of strategies and measures. Methods The case definition of the surveillance system was formulated and data collected in food-borne diseases active surveillance system during 2011. 7 to 2012. 6 was analyzed with respect of population distribution,time distribution,diagnostic categories,suspected food and region distribution. Results Totally 2,224 food-borne disease cases were reported,males accounted for 49. 3 % and female,55. 88 %. The majority was within the age of 18-34 years,accounting for 49. 4 %. The peak of reported cases appeared in the fourth quarter of 2011,especially in October. Most cases were diagnosed as bacterial food- borne disease( 63. 9 %) and the majority of suspect food was meat and meat products( 36. 0%). Conclusion Food- borne disease active surveillance system can reflect the trend of food-borne diseases in the district and is also an important access to acquire the relevant information.