cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Robotic Knee Tracking Control to Mimic the Intact Human Knee Profile Based on Actor-Critic Reinforcement Learning

We address a state-of-the-art reinforcement learning (RL) control approach to automatically configure robotic prosthesis impedance parameters to enable end-to-end, continuous locomotion intended for transfemoral amputee subjects. Specifically, our actor-critic based RL provides tracking control of a robotic knee prosthesis to mimic the intact knee profile, This is a significant advance from our previous RL based automatic tuning of prosthesis control parameters which have centered on regulation control with a designer prescribed robotic knee profile as the target. In addition to presenting the tracking control algorithm based on direct heuristic dynamic programming (dHDP), we provide a control performance guarantee including the case of constrained inputs. We show that our proposed tracking control possesses several important properties, such as weight convergence of the learning networks, Bellman (sub) optimality of the cost-to-go value function and control input, and practical stability of the human-robot system. We further provide a systematic simulation of the proposed tracking control using a realistic human-robot system simulator, the OpenSim, to emulate how the dHDP enables level ground walking, walking on different terrains and at different paces. These results show that our proposed dHDP based tracking control is not only theoretically suitable, but also practically useful.
An Empirical Investigation of the Impact of Viewers' Race on their Association of Celebrities in Television Advertising

In this study, 188 respondents from two universities were asked to match celebrities with their endorsed products. The effects of subjects' race, and their identification with their own culture (for black subjects) and prejudice toward blacks (for white subjects), were analyzed with relation to the respondents' ability to correctly match a variety of white, black, and Hispanic celebrities and products. Black subjects displayed the greatest ability to correctly match black celebrities/products, whereas white subjects were fairly equal in matching white and black celebrities with their products. Black and white respondents alike did poorly in matching Hispanic celebrities with their products.
From Philosophical to Industrial Logics

One of the surprising developments in the area of program verification is how ideas introduced by logicians in the early part of the 20th Century ended up yielding by the 21 Century industrial-standard property-specification languages. This development was enabled by the equally unlikely transformation of the mathematical machinery of automata on infinite words, introduced in the early 1960s for second-order logic, into effective algorithms for model-checking tools. This paper attempts to trace the tangled threads of this development.
SEX DIFFERENCES IN DETECTABILITY OF BIO(B)- AND IMMUNO(I)-LH IN EARLY PUBERTAL DEVELOPMENT: A LONGITUDINAL STUDY

We examined and made hormonal measurements at 6 month intervals in 20 normal boys (M) and 15 girls (F) during a longitudinal study of puberty. Initial detectability of B- and I-LH, measured in highly sensitive assay systems, was related to chronologic (CA) and skeletal age (BA), pubertal stage and sex steroid levels. In prepuberty, the detectability of B-LH was similar in both sexes (M-27%,F-35%), but differed in I-LH (M-79%,F-40%; X2=10.026,p<.002). In pubertal stage II, detectability of both B-LH (M-91%;,F-48%;X2=18.701,p<.001) and I-LH (M-89%,F-49%;X2=21.224,p<.001) differed. In contrast to measurability of I-LH in M at younger age and lower T levels than B-LH, no such difference existed in F when age, pubertal stage, E2 or FSH levels were considered. BA (11.2 vs 9.9,p<.02), but not CA, and pubertal stage (2.2 vs 1.4,p<.005) were significantly later in F than M at the earliest I-LH, but not B-LH, above assay sensitivity. In conclusion: (1) Prepubertal detectability of I-LH was more frequent in M than in F; (2) although B-LH tended to be unmeasurable in Stage I, less than 50% of Stage II F had either B-or I-LH found, in contrast to 90% of M; (3) in view of discordant B- and I-LH pulses reported in adults, the detectable I-LH potency estimates in immature M must be reevaluated as to alpha-subunit or other assay interference, as well as to the problems of use of multiclonal antisera and impure standards.
Th2 cytokines down-regulate TLR expression and function in human intestinal epithelial cells

TLRs serve important immune and nonimmune functions in human intestinal epithelial cells (IECs). Proinflammatory Th1 cytokines have been shown to promote TLR expression and function in IECs, but the effect of key Th2 cytokines (IL-4, IL-5, IL-13) on TLR signaling in IECs has not been elucidated so far. We stimulated human model IECs with Th2 cytokines and examined TLR mRNA and protein expression by Northern blotting, RT-PCR, real-time RT-PCR, Western blotting, and flow cytometry. TLR function was determined by I-κBα phosphorylation assays, ELISA for IL-8 secretion after stimulation with TLR ligands and flow cytometry for LPS uptake. IL-4 and IL-13 significantly decreased TLR3 and TLR4 mRNA and protein expression including the requisite TLR4 coreceptor MD-2. TLR4/MD-2-mediated LPS uptake and TLR ligand-induced I-κBα phosphorylation and IL-8 secretion were significantly diminished in Th2 cytokine-primed IECs. The down-regulatory effect of Th2 cytokines on TLR expression and function in IECs also counteracted enhanced TLR signaling induced by stimulation with the hallmark Th1 cytokine IFN-γ. In summary, Th2 cytokines appear to dampen TLR expression and function in resting and Th1 cytokine-primed human IECs. Diminished TLR function in IECs under the influence of Th2 cytokines may protect the host from excessive TLR signaling, but likely also impairs the host intestinal innate immune defense and increases IEC susceptibility to chronic inflammation in response to the intestinal microenvironment. Taken together, our data underscore the important role of Th2 cytokines in balancing TLR signaling in human IECs.
Timeliness of Financial Reporting in the Russian Energy Sector

This paper examines the timeliness of financial reporting in the Russian energy sector and compares the days delay in reporting by Russian energy companies to days delay by non-Russian companies in the petroleum refining industry. The study found that Russian companies' delay in reporting financial information is significantly longer than that for non-Russian companies.
Structural studies with the glycopeptides from porcine pancreatic ribonuclease.

Abstract Tryptic glycopeptide fractions GP-1, -2, and -3, representative of the heterosaccharides attached to asparagines-21, -34, and -76, respectively, in porcine pancreatic ribonuclease were subjected to oxidation with periodic acid, either alone or in combination with successive, controlled hydrolyses with carefully purified glycosidases. The enzymes used were α-mannosidase from jack beans, β-mannosidase from the hepatopancreas of Busycotypus, β-galactosidase and β-Nacetylglucosaminidase from Diplococcus pneumoniae, β-N-acetylglucosaminidase from Aspergillus niger, and neuraminidase from Vibrio cholerae. The progress of these degradative procedures was monitored by gas-liquid chromatography of the per-trimethylsilyl derivatives of methyl glycosides produced after acid-catalyzed methanolysis. The following were the principal findings and conclusions. (a) Of the 6 mannose residues in GP-2, four are α-linked, two are β-linked. These distinct types of residue occur to mutual exclusion in separate side chains attached to an N-acetylglucosamine disaccharide core unit, itself glycosidically linked to asparagine. (b) By the successive action of neuraminidase, β-galactosidase and β-N-acetylglucosaminidase on GP-1 and GP-3 fractions, peptido-heptasaccharides were obtained which contained identical heterosaccharide moieties composed of 3 residues each of mannose and N-acetylglucosamine and 1 residue of fucose. By further degradation of these peptido-heptasaccharides a peptidotetrasaccharide was obtained with the following partial structure. Fuc(1 → 3,4)βGlcNAc(1 → 3)αMan(1 → 3,4)GlcNAc → Asn (c) The heterogeneity of GP-1 and GP-3 fractions may be attributed to variation in the extent to which the common heptasaccharide core moiety in these fractions is substituted with β(1 → 6)-linked N-acetylglucosamine-containing side chains which terminate in sialylgalactose units. (d) The results suggest that during biosynthesis differentiation of the two different types of heterosaccharide side chains in porcine ribonuclease occurs as the 2nd carbohydrate residue is attached to an aspartamido-2-acetamido-1,2-dideoxyglucopyranose unit in the peptide chain.
Advanced Transport Operation Effects on Pilot Scan Patterns

Long straight-in and close-in, curved, descending instrument approaches were made in NASA's fixed-base Terminal Configured Vehicle simulator. The pilot either manually controlled the simulator or monitored the automatic system control of the simulated aircraft during the approach. Tests were performed with or without the display of traffic. The results indicate that the pilots' use of the Electronic Horizontal Situation Indicator (EHSI) increased appreciably for the close-in, curved, descending approach compared to the conventional straight-in approach. When operating as a monitor of the autopilot system, the pilot scanned around more with less attention devoted to the Electronic Attitude Direction Indicator (EADI). The pilots preferred the manual mode because it kept them in the control loop. The addition of displayed traffic to the EHSI increased the pilots' use of the EHSI with a corresponding reduction in his use of the EADI. Also, the pilot's pupil diameter increased during the landing flare indicating a higher stress level even though the tests were conducted in a fixed-base simulator.
A Review of “Men Trapped in Men's Bodies: Narratives of Autogynephilic Transsexualism”

The reasons that men would want to become women have puzzled us throughout history. Early sexologists were split between pathologizing and humanizing such men. Whereas Kraft-Ebing believed that tra...
Resource Mobilization and Political Opportunity in the Nicaraguan Revolution

. A resource mobilization political opportunities paradigm of revolution in the Third World yields the hypotheses; Sufficient poverty, corruption, and social, economic, and political inequalities, grievances and discontent are assumed to exist in most Third World autocracies to legitimate violent revolution. Yet, revolution is rare, having more to do with resources, organization, strategy, and opportunities than with generalized discontent. The following factors stand out: an expanding middle class, growing university enrollments, and urbanization; the existence of an internationally assisted revolutionary organization with leadership steeped in militant ideology; and a regime unable or unwilling to resort to large-scale repression, or which fails to respond early and decisively to revolutionary challenges. One such factor describes Marxist-Leninist revolutionaries, plus the know-how for “stealing” a revolution. A subsequent article tests these generalizations regarding the Nicaraguan revolution.
Geometric interpretation of multiaccess joint detection and the alternating projection algorithm

The joint detection of all users in a multiple access (MA) communication system in which user transmissions are correlated has been shown in recent literature to enhance the system performance relative to that achieved without joint detection. Over the past several years the area of low complexity joint detectors has received much attention. This paper explains the problem of multiple access joint detection in geometrical terms. Geometric interpretation leads to the proposal of an alternating projection joint detection algorithm (APJD). Due to some similarities between our APJD and the multistage joint detector (MJD) of Varansi and Aazhang (1990), the MJD is also discussed. The APJD is guaranteed to converge and a proof is given. The geometric interpretation of the MA joint detection problem allows for the exploration of determining, a priori, the error probability of a joint detector and user waveform set in the absence of noise. Simulations offer empirical characterization of the error behavior of both detectors.
CD56 expression predicts occurrence of CNS disease in acute lymphoblastic leukemia

Abstract We examined the pre-treatment bone marrow samples from 200 consecutive adult patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) treated on various protocols at the University of Texas, M.D. Anderson Cancer Center between 1986 and 1998. Standard MFC techniques were used to determine CD56 expression on the leukemia blasts cells. The expression of CD56 was correlated with clinical characteristics at diagnosis, response to therapy, survival and disease-free survival. Blast expression of CD56 (≥20% of leukemic blasts) was seen in 16 (8%) of patients, with a median expression of 67% (range 20–99%). CD56 expression was associated with a higher incidence of central nervous system (CNS) disease at diagnosis (19% versus 4%; P =0.016). Incidence of CNS disease at any time was higher in patients with CD56+ disease (31% versus 14%; P =0.057). Among the 109 patients uniformly treated with the hyperCVAD regimen, CD56 expression was associated with a statistically significant higher incidence of CNS disease (33% versus 9%; P =0.026). CD56 expression in ALL is uncommon but may predict a higher risk for CNS disease. If these results are confirmed, CD56 expression could be used in combination with other high-risk features (e.g. lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), S-phase fraction, mature B-cell phenotype) to design a risk-oriented approach to CNS prophylaxis.
Fresh and citrated whole-blood specimens can produce different thromboelastography results in patients on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation.

Objectives: To compare thromboelastography (TEG) tracings obtained from fresh and citrated whole-blood samples in patients on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) or after cardiopulmonary bypass and in healthy volunteers. Methods: Samples of fresh and citrated whole blood were analyzed for 25 patients and 4 healthy volunteers. Thromboelastography analysis was performed in both plain and heparinase cups. Results: In 5 of 6 patients on ECMO, use of citrated samples resulted in apparent partial or complete heparin reversal. In TEG tracings from patients following cardiopulmonary bypass, there was a slight hypercoagulable appearance in the citrated sample. No differences were noted between fresh and citrated samples from healthy volunteers whose blood was spiked with heparin. Conclusions: In some patients on ECMO, use of samples collected in sodium citrate tubes for TEG analysis results in significant artifacts, which could lead to heparin overdosing in these patients.
Investigation Into the Effect of Thread Root Condition on the High Cycle Fatigue Performance of a Metric Threaded Fastener

This paper presents an experimental investigation into the effect of thread root condition on the high cycle fatigue behavior of a tightened M12 metric fastener under a fully reversed, cyclic load. Two conditions were mechanically created at the fastener thread root. The first had an elastic condition with no localized plastic straining, and the second had localized plastic straining at the thread root. The elastic or plastic condition at the thread root was created by tightening the metric fastener into a fabricated steel joint at several different input or tightening torque levels prior to the application of a fully, reversed cyclic load. The fully reversed cyclic load was applied and a staircase methodology used in accordance to International Standard (ISO) 3800:1993(E). Fatigue results were also evaluated in conformance with (ISO) 3800:1993(E) to determine fatigue strengths at five million cycles. All fatigue tests were run at a rate of 50 Hz under a simple, sinusoidal wave form until either failure (rupture) or five-million cycles was attained and the test suspended. The fatigue strength values were then plotted on a graph of applied stress amplitude versus nominal mean stress level commonly referred to as a Modified Goodman diagram for bolted joints. The plotted fatigue strength data was not linear but displayed a knee or a bend. This knee or bend represents a transition point in the fatigue behavior of the threaded fastener. To describe the fatigue behavior, a bi-linear model has been applied. This bi-linear model is based on the local condition at the thread root. The knee represents a transition in condition from elastic to plastic behavior at the thread root. The result of this study shows that fastener fatigue behavior was influenced by the condition at the thread root.Copyright © 2010 by ASME
Applied Dielectric Spectroscopy of Polymeric Composites

Abstract In this article a theoretical background for understanding dielectric phenomena in heterogeneous polymeric composites is presented, and the application of these principles to practical problems is illustrated by experimental examples. First a short overview of the existing theoretical mixing formulae is given, the differences in these approaches are discussed, and the areas of application are indicated. Conditions for the appearance of an interfacial relaxation process are delineated; limitations of the theories are given. Experimental examples include immiscible polymer blends, mineral-filled polyolefins, thermoset composites, and conductive composites. In the first example, AC dielectric spectroscopy is used to monitor the phase separation process and to evaluate interactions between the separated phases. In the second example, the effect of filler permittivity, volume fraction, and surface treatment is discussed with respect to the AC and DC dielectric properties. It is shown that in mineral-f...
Jemaah Islamiyah's radical madrassah networks

Using our Global Transnational Terrorism (GTT) database, we examine the importance of radical madrassahs for Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) in Southeast Asia, both for the overall JI network and for individual attack networks. We argue that madrassah networks serve multiple purposes – ideological indoctrination, focal point creation, and leadership training – and are an important policy issue that should not be ignored. We conclude that unraveling terrorist social networks is the key to a successful counterterrorism policy in Southeast Asia.
Numerical approximation of free horizon optimal control problems

A direct method is offered for numerical solution of free–horizon optimal control problems. The method first represents the problem with discrete dynamics. Next, given a fixed number of decisions, not only the decisions, but also the decision frequencies are optimised to construct the optimal state trajectory and also the optimal control horizon. Two sample problems demonstrate the proposed method.
Peripheral neurology as a predictor of bladder dysfunction in congenital neuropathic bladder.

Summary— Urodynamic findings and peripheral neurology were correlated in 62 patients with myelomeningocele. The primary motor and sensory levels bore no relation to bladder dysfunction. The ano-cutaneous reflex was a useful predictor, in that where the reflex was positive there was likely to be detrusor hyper-reflexia, a competent bladder neck and absence of sphincter weakness leakage. Where the reflex was absent, detrusor hyper-reflexia was absent or mild, the bladder neck usually incompetent and sphincter weakness leakage common. (Detrusor compliance could not be predicted from peripheral neurological findings). We consider the ano-cutaneous reflex to be a useful indication of bladder dysfunction and urodynamic studies are often unnecessary when it is positive.
The elusive middle domain of Hsp104 and ClpB: Location and function

Abstract Hsp104 in yeast and ClpB in bacteria are homologous, hexameric AAA+ proteins and Hsp100 chaperones, which function in the stress response as ring-translocases that drive protein disaggregation and reactivation. Both Hsp104 and ClpB contain a distinctive coiled-coil middle domain (MD) inserted in the first AAA+ domain, which distinguishes them from other AAA+ proteins and Hsp100 family members. Here, we focus on recent developments concerning the location and function of the MD in these hexameric molecular machines, which remains an outstanding question. While the atomic structure of the hexameric assembly of Hsp104 and ClpB remains uncertain, recent advances have illuminated that the MD is critical for the intrinsic disaggregase activity of the hexamer and mediates key functional interactions with the Hsp70 chaperone system (Hsp70 and Hsp40) that empower protein disaggregation. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: AAA ATPases: structure and function.
Aramid fiber-reinforced ionomer

Chopped aramid fiber reinforced ionomer formulations were investigated as prototypes of military armor materials effective in providing protection against munition fragments. The dependence of ballistic impact resistance upon fiber openness was demonstrated by radiographs. Concentrations of 30 percent or less by volume of 1/4 and 1/2 in. fibers were injection moldable, However, the greater than optimum dispersion of fibers as a result of extrusion compounding or of the injection molding itself resulted in lower ballistic resistance and in usually lower tensile and flexural strength properties than were achieved by compression molding: Compression molding of suitably opened 1/4, 1/2 and 2 in. fibers produced rigid materials with fiber contents as high as 90 percent by volume. Ballistic impact resistance increased linearly with fiber content.
Optical property measurements of a novel type of upconverting reporter

We have recently developed a new type of reporter (upconverting chelate) for biomedical diagnostics. For this reporter, the light is absorbed and emitted by a lanthanide ion, rather than an organic molecule, as is the case for a typical fluorescent dye. These materials do not photobleach and have no autofluorescent background. We focus in this paper on neodymium ions complexed with the familiar chelating agents, EDTA, DPA, DTPA and DOTA. We have performed experimental measurements with one- and two-color laser light excitation for different chelate compounds. The samples are excited using two Nd:YAG-pumped dye laser systems that provide laser light near 587 nm and 800 nm. For one-color excitation, the emitted light depends quadratically on the incident laser power, as expected. Three strongly emitting lines are observed, located near 360 nm, 387 nm, and 417 nm. We observed more efficient upconversion in EDTA although the DPA chelates show comparable ground state absorbance. We have studied the influence of temporal delay between the two laser pulses and obtained the decay lifetime of the first intermediate state in the various chelated compounds.
Abstract P6-06-50: Obesity and the influence on tumor biology as determined by the intermediate risk 21-gene recurrence scores (RS) and the 70-gene breast cancer recurrence signature (70-GS) assay

BACKGROUND Obesity is an apparent risk factor for postmenopausal breast cancer (BC), estrogen receptor (ER) positive BC, larger tumors, lymph node (LN) involvement, as well as recurrence of BC and BC death despite treatment. However, the specific mechanism of these increased risks remains unclear. Our prior work described the negative influence of metabolic syndrome on BC recurrence in patients assessed by a 21 gene recurrence score (RS) in the low risk and intermediate risk tertiles (Lakhani et al PSABCS 2012). The objective of this study was to analyze the interaction of obesity and BC biology in patients assessed by the 70 gene signature (70-GS) for BC recurrence and the 80 gene molecular subtyping. METHODS We studied consecutive patients with newly diagnosed ER positive, LN negative BC treated at Loyola University Medical Center between 2005 -2012 who had an intermediate RS. The 70-GS was done on these same paraffin-embedded tumor blocks for risk level and molecular subtype. Standard descriptive statistics are reported. Wilcoxon rank sum tests were performed for the comparison of BMI by groups defined by RS scores (≤24 vs ≥25) and the 70 gene signature assay (high risk vs low risk). In addition, Chi-squared test, or Fisher's exact test as appropriate, was used to examine the association between BMI tertiles and the 70GS or molecular subtype. RESULTS From 102 patients with intermediate RS, the 70-GS was successful in 89 samples. The average age was 61 years (range 41-79). The median body mass index (BMI) was 29 (range 18-53). There was a significant association between BMI and RS (p = 0.0110): median BMI = 28 in patients with RS ≤24; median BMI 33 in patients with RS ≥25. There was a significant association between BMI and the 70-GS (p = 0.0116). Median BMI 27 in low risk group; median BMI 32 in high risk group. There was a significant association between the 70-GS and BMI (p = 0.0190). View this table: Association between the 70-GS and BMI There was a significant association between molecular subtype and BMI tertiles (p = 0.0803). View this table: Association between molecular subtype and BMI tertiles CONCLUSION There is a striking interaction of obesity and BC biology as defined by the RS and 70-GS assays. Our data suggest that BC in obese women may have more aggressive tumor biology and higher risk of recurrence than BC in those with a low BMI. Further molecular characterization of the BC from obese patients may elucidate the role obesity plays in BC development and progression, as well as provide rationale for targeted therapeutic trials. Clinical trials targeting known carcinogenic pathways related to obesity (such as metformin and statins) are ongoing. Several genes in the 70-GS are the same genes expressed in obese patients. Additional studies examining the prognostic and predictive value of the 70-GS need to be conducted for this patient population. Citation Information: Cancer Res 2013;73(24 Suppl): Abstract nr P6-06-50.
Quality of nonmydriatic digital fundus photography obtained by nurse practitioners in the emergency department: the FOTO-ED study.

Objective Nonmydriatic fundus photography by non–ophthalmic-trained personnel has recently been shown to be a potential alternative to direct ophthalmoscopy in the emergency department (ED). We evaluated the reliability of a novel quality rating scale and applied this scale to nonmydriatic fundus photographs taken during routine ED patient encounters to determine factors associated with diminished photograph quality. Design Prospective, cross-sectional study. Participants We included 350 patients enrolled in the Fundus photography versus Ophthalmoscopy Trials Outcomes in the Emergency Department study who were photographed by nurse practitioners after Methods Photographs of both eyes were graded for quality on 2 occasions by 2 neuro-ophthalmologists. Four regions were independently evaluated for quality: Optic disc, macula, and superior and inferior vascular arcades. Quality as a function of the number of photographs taken was evaluated by Kaplan–Meier analysis. Mixed effects ordinal logistic regression was used to evaluate for predictors of image quality while accounting for the repeated measures design. Main Outcome Measures Overall photographic quality (1–5 scale; 5 best). Results We evaluated 1734 photographs. Inter- and intraobserver agreements between neuro-ophthalmologists were very good (weighted kappa, 0.84–0.87). Quality of the optic disc area was better than those of other retinal areas ( P Conclusions Our 5-point scale is a reliable measure of nonmydriatic photograph quality. The region of interest, interphotograph interval, and patient age and race are significant predictors of image quality for nonmydriatic photographs taken by nurse practitioners in the ED. Addressing these factors may have a direct impact on the successful implementation of nonmydriatic fundus photography into the ED. Financial Disclosure(s) The authors have no proprietary or commercial interest in any materials discussed in this article.
Multi-Class Learning by Smoothed Boosting

AdaBoost.OC has been shown to be an effective method in boosting "weak" binary classifiers for multi-class learning. It employs the Error-Correcting Output Code (ECOC) method to convert a multi-class learning problem into a set of binary classification problems, and applies the AdaBoost algorithm to solve them efficiently. One of the main drawbacks with the AdaBoost.OC algorithm is that it is sensitive to the noisy examples and tends to overfit training examples when they are noisy. In this paper, we propose a new boosting algorithm, named "MSmoothBoost", which introduces a smoothing mechanism into the boosting procedure to explicitly address the overfitting problem with AdaBoost.OC. We proved the bounds for both the empirical training error and the marginal training error of the proposed boosting algorithm. Empirical studies with seven UCI datasets and one real-world application have indicated that the proposed boosting algorithm is more robust and effective than the AdaBoost.OC algorithm for multi-class learning.
The reduction of nitric oxide by carbon monoxide over rhodium—Y zeolites

Abstract At temperatures less than 200 °C rhodium ions in zeolite Y are active for the reduction of NO by CO to form N 2 O. The catalytic activity was found to go through a reversible maximum at a temperature of 135 °C. The reaction was zero order with respect to CO and 0.4 order with respect to NO. Based on infrared data the [Rh 1 (CO) 2 NO] + complex is proposed as an intermediate in the catalytic reaction. Both [Rh 1 (CO) 2 ] + and [Rh 1 (NO) 2 ] + complexes were also observed in the zeolite.
Unexpected role of ceruloplasmin in intestinal iron absorption

Ferroxidases are essential for normal iron homeostasis in most organisms. The paralogous vertebrate ferroxidases ceruloplasmin (Cp) and hephaestin (Heph) are considered to have nonidentical functions in iron transport: plasma Cp drives iron transport from tissue stores while intestinal Heph facilitates iron absorption from the intestinal lumen. To clarify the function of Cp, we acutely bled Cp-/- mice to stress iron homeostasis pathways. Red cell hemoglobin recovery was defective in stressed Cp-/- mice, consistent with low iron availability. Contrary to expectations, iron was freely released from spleen and liver stores in Cp-/- mice, but intestinal iron absorption was markedly impaired. Phlebotomy of wild-type mice caused a striking shift of Cp from the duodenal epithelium to the underlying lamina propria, suggesting a critical function of Cp in basolateral iron transport. Regulated relocalization of intestinal Cp may represent a fail-safe mechanism in which Cp shares with Heph responsibility for iron absorption under stress.
The effect of displaced geomagnetic and geographic poles on the thermospheric neutral winds

Abstract A three-dimensional, semi-empirical dynamic model of the neutral thermosphere is used to examine the effect of the displaced geomagnetic and geographic poles on the daily variation of neutral gas motion. The global-scale pressure distribution to drive the neutral gas motion is derived from the empirical model of Jacchia (1965). The ionization distribution is obtained from the Pennsylvania State M.K 1 model ionosphere using the first few longitudinal Fourier coefficients of the ionization distribution. The calculations were made at various latitudes at equinox and solstice and for various values of solar activity. The results show that the calculated neutral winds for the case where the geomagnetic and geographic poles are coincident differ at most only a few per cent from the winds calculated assuming the poles displaced. With the poles coincident, longitude and local time are interchangeable, and one dimension in any dynamic model of the thermosphere may be eliminated.
Giant-size rapidly labeled nuclear ribonucleic acid and cytoplasmic messenger ribonucleic acid in immature duck erythrocytes.

Abstract The pattern of RNA synthesis has been investigated in immature erythrocytes present in the blood from normal and anemic ducks and maintained in vitro in a suitable medium. The majority of the RNA synthesized in vitro by these cells remains associated with the nuclear fraction and consists of RNA species of high sedimentation coefficient. This heavy RNA appears to include two distinct types: (a) ribosomal-type RNA, representing presumably precursors of ribosomal RNA, sedimenting between 30 and 50 s; (b) RNA different from ribosomal RNA in base ratios and with sedimentation coefficients ranging from 30 to 80 s or more. Under the conditions of cell maintenance in vitro used in the present work, the synthesis of presumptive ribosomal RNA precursors appears to be limited in time, ceasing after a few hours: in addition, only a relatively small conversion of such precursors to mature ribosomal RNA takes place in immature erythrocytes. The heavy non-ribosomal type nuclear RNA represents a heterogeneous mixture of molecules characterized by high U and relatively low GC content. All the evidence accumulated in the present work using enzymic tests, changes in the extraction procedure and in the conditions of sedimentation analysis, thermal denaturation tests, reconstruction experiments and base composition studies, supports the conclusion that the high sedimentation coefficients of these molecules are a reflection of their large size, corresponding to molecular weights from 2 × 10 6 to 10 7 or possibly more. These giant-size molecules are metabolically unstable, with a halflife of about 30 min; under the experimental conditions used in the present work, they continue to be synthesized and destroyed for as long as two days. A minor portion of the RNA synthesized in vitro by immature duck erythrocytes during a two-to three-hours incubation is found to be associated with the polysome fraction, and contains, in addition to a variable but in general relatively small amount of ribosomal RNA, a heterogeneous RNA fraction with sedimentation coefficients between 6 and 35 s, and base ratios different from those of ribosomal RNA and reflecting rather the base composition of DNA: this fraction can be identified as messenger RNA. In blood cell populations rich in immature erythrocytes at early stages of development, the labeling of the polysomal messenger RNA increases dramatically, and a large fraction of it sediments as a relatively sharp peak with a sedimentation coefficient of about 9 s: this corresponds to a molecular weight of about 150,000, which would be expected for the messengers of hemoglobin chains. Both base composition and kinetics data strongly suggest that no relationship of precursor-to-product type or, at any rate, not a simple one, exists between the heavy non-ribosomal type nuclear RNA and the cytoplasmic messenger RNA.
Modeling and Simulation of Microscale Bipolar Particle Dynamics in an Applied Electric Field

The colloidal dynamics of bipolar microparticles is of growing theoretical interest in understanding and advancement of electrorheology and ferroelectric research. In this paper we present an interface resolved numerical study to analyze dynamics of ellipsoidal bipolar microparticles for various initial configurations. The bipolarity is imposed by providing surface charges of opposite polarity at the two ends of ellipsoidal particles. The numerical simulations show that in the absence of an external electric field, ellipsoidal particles form a head-to-tail chain or stay apart from each other depending on the inter-particle distance, as well as the magnitude and direction of the inherent polar moment. On the other hand, in presence of an external electric field, the assembly or clustering mechanism primarily depends on the magnitude and direction of the applied electric field. Simulation results also show that the electrorotation process is a function of initial configuration. This comprehensive numerical study will help to better understand the mechanisms of clustering, string formation, and the disaggregation of bipolar microparticles.© 2013 ASME
Overview of the development and advantages of new, larger fairings for the iRobot Seaglider

iRobot has developed a new, larger set of fairings for Seaglider. The design of the new fairing significantly increases Seaglider's volume and mass payload capabilities while reducing total drag on the vehicle. Payload volume is increased by 6.5 times and payload mass is doubled over the original design. Development over the course of a year involved computational fluid dynamic (CFD) analysis, prototyping, and ocean testing to arrive at an optimized design solution.
Fundamentals of Transcription Factors and their Impact on Pancreatic Development and Cancer

Transcription factors are proteins that regulate gene expression by modulating the synthesis of messenger RNA. Since this process, known as gene transcription, is often the dominant control point in the production of many proteins, transcription factors are key regulators of numerous cellular functions, including secretion, proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis. Most transcription factors are also the final effectors of signaling pathways that transduce signals from the cell membrane to the nucleus. Therefore alterations in the activity or expression of some transcription factors have a significant impact on the biology of human cells and may lead to the development of diseases. In this article we review this field of research with a particular emphasis on the role of transcription factors in pancreatic development and cancer.
Tritium percolation through porous ceramic breeders - A random-lattice approach☆

Abstract Among the major processes leading to tritium transport through Li ceramic breeders the percolation of gaseous tritium species through the connected porosity remains the least amenable to a satisfactory treatment. The combination of diffusion and reaction through the convoluted transport pathways prescribed by the system of pores poses a formidable challenge. The key issue is to make the fundamental connection between the tortuousity of the medium with the tranport processes in terms of only basic parameters (e.g., molecular diffusion coefficient and porosity distribution) that are amenable to fundamental understanding and experimental determinations. This fundamental challenge is met within the following approaches. On the microscale the short range transport is modeled via a convection-diffusion-reaction approach. On a macro scale the long range transport is described within a matrix formalism. The convoluted microstructure of the pore system as prescribed from experimental measurements is synthesized into the present approach via monte carlo simulation techniques. In this way the approach requires as inputs only physical-chemical parameters that are amenable to clear basic understanding and experimental determination. In this sense it provides predictive capability. Using this approach the concept of residence time has been analyzed in a critical manner. Implication for tritium release experiments was discussed.
Public policy informatics: does better information produce better policy?

Collecting data is different from accumulating knowledge. To succeed, public affairs informatics must develop three infrastructures: 1) protocols for standardising which variables are meaningful and formats for records; 2) storage and retrieval hardware and rules that protect privacy and ensure access; 3) a scholarly interpretive community that can do basic research on patterns in the data, ensuring that policy advice derived from informatics is theory-driven rather than exclusively driven by short-term problems. Two problems with developing these infrastructures are outlined. The first problem is the competing, and often conflicting, sources of authority and legitimacy in public affairs (markets, experts, and politics). The consequence of this conflict is likely to prevent a consensus on protocols or development of infrastructure. The second problem is the boundary between private issues and collectively decided issues. This problem is related to privacy, and it affects the very legitimacy of public policy.
Highlighting adolescents' involvement with the child welfare system: A review of recent trends, policy developments, and related research

Abstract Nationwide, adolescents account for approximately 35% of the total child welfare out-of-home care population. Yet research on numerous aspects of adolescents' involvement with the child welfare system is lacking relative to research that focuses on infants and toddlers. This article provides a critical review of contemporary research – including current gaps in the research literature – and of federal policies that are pertinent to this adolescent population. In addition, this article contains a broad overview of the current demographics of the child welfare dynamics of this age group, based on information from federal and multi-state statistics, as well as from empirical qualitative and quantitative research investigations. Using the structure of the mandates of the Adoption and Safe Families Act of 1997 – or the promotion of safety, permanency, and well-being – this article presents the review of the current research within this format. For the domain of well-being, the focus is largely on the need for enhanced research investigations of adolescents' mental health challenges, as well as the lack of effective policy interventions for many child welfare involved adolescents afflicted with mental health difficulties. The article concludes with recommendations for future areas of research and policy focus for the population of child welfare involved adolescents.
Clinical psychologists' ratings of MAPS figures along a social withdrawal scale.

Summary Three clinical psychologists were asked to rate the MAPS figures in terms of how much social withdrawal from people the usage of the type of figure would represent if it were used on the test. Their mean ratings were compared with the actual MAPS test performances of normal and schizophrenic patients. The data indicated that, although, psychologists could reliably rate the amount of social withdrawal associated with the figure types, there was no difference in social withdrawal scores between normals and schizophrenics.
The endocrine glands in hypophysectomized pregnant Rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) with special reference to the adrenal glands.

IN CONTRAST to the extensive literature on the adrenal glands of intact pregnant monkeys the writer has found only two reports on these glands in animals hypophysectomized during pregnancy. Gardner and Allen (1942) reported that in mice hypophysectomized on the tenth day after copulation and killed on the twenty-first day, the adrenals were reduced in weight (average 3.8 mg.) as compared to intact pregnant controls (average 6.9 mg.). The cortex was atrophic and its component cells were decreased in size and number. The cortex regressed as rapidly after hypophysectomy in the pregnant as in the nonpregnant mice. Greer (1949) found very little difference in adrenal weights among pregnant intact, pregnant hypophysectomized and nonpregnant rats hypophysectomized for the same period as the pregnant group. All animals were fed thiouracil for the last nine days of the experiment. The results are rather surprising.
Analysis of dimeric species derived from the reaction of phosphatidylethanolamine with dimethylsuberimidate

Phosphatidylethanolamines of various fatty acyl species in vortexed lipid dispersions were reacted with dimethylsuberimidate to produce dimeric products. The yield was 34% at pH 10 and 2% at pH 7. The crosslinked phosphatidylethanolamine species were separated from minor products and the reactants by extraction and two-dimensional thin-layer chromatography on silica gel G, gel filtration on lipophilic Sephadex, or C18-reversed phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Reversed phase HPLC was also used to resolve the dimers into individual molecular species. Analysis of the dimers revealed the extinction coefficients at 205 nm to be higher than those of the reactant phosphatidylethanolamines. Proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and chemical analysis implied that the dimers contain an amidine group.
Outer membrane cytochromes of Shewanella putrefaciens MR-1: spectral analysis, and purification of the 83-kDa c-type cytochrome

The metal-reducing bacterium Shewanella putrefaciens MR-1 is known to localize a majority of its membrane-bound cytochromes to its outer membrane when grown under anaerobic conditions. In this study, pyridine hemochrome spectra confirmed that these outer membrane cytochromes are c-type, and electrophoretic data demonstrated the presence of four distinct outer membrane cytochromes, with apparent molecular masses of 150, 83, 65, and 53 kDa. Fourth-order derivative analysis of 77 K spectra of the outer membrane revealed four spectrally distinct c-type hemes, with peaks at 545.4, 548.0, 550.6, and 552.6 nm. Outer membrane cytochromes in the reduced state were rapidly re-oxidized by oxidized iron and manganese, which have previously been shown to serve as electron acceptors for anaerobic respiration in this bacterium. The 83-kDa outer membrane cytochrome was purified and a specific polyclonal antibody was generated against this protein. Western blot analysis demonstrated that the vast majority of this protein was localized to the outer membrane and an intermediate density membrane fraction of similar composition. Its levels, but not its subcellular distribution, were somewhat influenced by the electron acceptor used to support anaerobic growth, with levels higher in fumarate-grown cells relative to iron(III)- or trimethylamine N-oxide-grown cells. Its specific content in cells grown under aerobic conditions was only 14% of that of fumarate-grown cells, suggesting that a switch to anaerobic conditions significantly increases the de novo synthesis of this outer membrane cytochrome.
Discussion: “Multiple Jet Correlations for Gas Turbine Engine Combustor Design” (Cox, Jr., G. B., 1976, ASME J. Eng. Power, 98, pp. 265–272)

As the comparisons between predicted and experimental profiles in his present paper and the JANNAF paper (reference [9]) show, Cox's correlation method does very well in predicting the temperature distributions. However, the form in which some of the correlations are presented makes it very difficult to see the relative importance of the several independent variables. This is especially true of the jet temperature center-line correlation. The expression of this correlation as a base correlation with correction factors is misleading, since the corrections are not equal to one at the base condition. This correlation is more revealing when written in the following equivalent form, Y