cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An automated image-based method of 3D subject-specific body segment parameter estimation for kinetic analyses of rapid movements.

Accurate subject-specific body segment parameters (BSPs) are necessary to perform kinetic analyses of human movements with large accelerations, or no external contact forces or moments. A new automated topographical image-based method of estimating segment mass, center of mass (CM) position, and moments of inertia is presented. Body geometry and volume were measured using a laser scanner, then an automated pose and shape registration algorithm segmented the scanned body surface, and identified joint center (JC) positions. Assuming the constant segment densities of Dempster, thigh and shank masses, CM locations, and moments of inertia were estimated for four male subjects with body mass indexes (BMIs) of 19.7–38.2. The subject-specific BSP were compared with those determined using Dempster and Clauser regression equations. The influence of BSP and BMI differences on knee and hip net forces and moments during a running swing phase were quantified for the subjects with the smallest and largest BMIs. Subject-specific BSP for 15 body segments were quickly calculated using the image-based method, and total subject masses were overestimated by 1.7–2.9%.When compared with the Dempster and Clauser methods, image-based and regression estimated thigh BSP varied more than the shank parameters. Thigh masses and hip JC to thigh CM distances were consistently larger, and each transverse moment of inertia was smaller using the image-based method. Because the shank had larger linear and angular accelerations than the thigh during the running swing phase, shank BSP differences had a larger effect on calculated intersegmental forces and moments at the knee joint than thigh BSP differences did at the hip. It was the net knee kinetic differences caused by the shank BSP differences that were the largest contributors to the hip variations. Finally, BSP differences produced larger kinetic differences for the subject with larger segment masses, suggesting that parameter accuracy is more important for studies focused on overweight populations. The new image-based BSP estimation method described in this paper addressed the limitations of currently used geometric and regression methods by using exact limb geometry to determine subject-specific parameters. BSP differences have the largest effect on kinetic analyses of motions with large limb accelerations, for joints farther along the kinematic chain from the known forces and moments, and for subjects with larger limb masses or BMIs.
Liver-Targeted Prodrugs of 2‘-C-Methyladenosine for Therapy of Hepatitis C Virus Infection

2'-C-Methyladenosine exhibits impressive inhibitory activity in the cell-based hepatitis C virus (HCV) subgenomic replicon assay, by virtue of intracellular conversion to the corresponding nucleoside triphosphate (NTP) and inhibition of NS5B RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp). However, rapid degradation by adenosine deaminase (ADA) limits its overall therapeutic potential. To reduce ADA-mediated deamination, we prepared cyclic 1-aryl-1,3-propanyl prodrugs of the corresponding nucleoside monophosphate (NMP), anticipating cytochrome P450 3A-mediated oxidative cleavage to the NMP in hepatocytes. Lead compounds identified in a primary rat hepatocyte screen were shown to result in liver levels of NTP predictive of efficacy after intravenous dosing to rats. The oral bioavailability of the initial lead was below 5%; therefore, additional analogues were synthesized and screened for liver NTP levels after oral administration to rats. Addition of a 2',3'-carbonate prodrug moiety proved to be a successful strategy, and the 1-(4-pyridyl)-1,3-propanyl prodrug containing a 2',3'-carbonate moiety displayed oral bioavailability of 39%.
Immune recognition of serum albumin--XIV. Cross-reactivity by T-lymphocyte proliferation of subdomains 3, 6 and 9 of bovine serum albumin.

Recently, we have shown that, with rabbit antibodies against BSA, the BSA fragments 115-184, 307-285 and 505-582 (essentially corresponding to subdomains 3, 6 and 9 of BSA) exhibit a cross-reaction which increases remarkably with the time antisera are obtained after the initial immunization. In the present report, we have examined whether this cross-reaction at the B-cell level takes place also at the T-cell level. Optimum conditions for T-cell proliferation to BSA and the three fragments were determined in terms of priming dose, challenging dose, time lymph nodes are obtained after immunization and finally duration of culture. Several strains of mice representing independent haplotypes and recombinant strains were examined for their responsiveness to BSA by T-lymphocyte proliferation, performed in the respective preimmune sera of the same mice. This afforded the identification of high- and low-responder strains to BSA. It was determined that the immune response to BSA is controlled by genes in the I-A subregion of the H-2 gene complex with some slight non-H-2 influences. In order to avoid the possibility of genetic exclusion of response to a given antigenic site and to improve the change of total site recognition, two high-responder strains (B10.M and B10.G) were crossed. Antibodies raised in (B10.M X B10.G)F1 mice recognized subdomains 3, 6 and 9 and these were found to be cross-reactive. Specific 125I-labelled antibodies isolated on a given subdomain-adsorbent were bound very well by adsorbents of the other two subdomains. T-cells from the F1 mice that had been primed with subdomain 3 responded to subdomain 3 and were also high responders to subdomain 6 and intermediate responders to subdomain 9. After priming with subdomain 6, the T-cells responded equally as well to subdomains 3 or 6 and slightly to subdomain 9. Finally, priming with subdomain 9, gave T-cells that responded to subdomain 9 and also gave high responses to subdomains 3 or 6. It was concluded that the cross-reactions originally observed at the B-cell level also take place at the T-cell level.
Descriptive analysis of Ebola virus proteins

The virion proteins of two strains of Ebola virus were compared by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) and radioimmunoprecipitation (RIP). Seven virion proteins were described; an L (180K), GP (125K), NP (104K), VP40 (40K), VP35 (35K), VP30 (30K), and VP24 (24K). The RNP complex of the virus contained the L, the NP, and VP30, with VP35 in loose association with them. The GP was the major spike protein, with VP40 and VP24 making up the remaining protein content of the multilayered envelope.
KCNQ4 mutations associated with nonsyndromic progressive sensorineural hearing loss.

Purpose of review This article provides an update on the current progress in identification of KCNQ4 mutations responsible for DFNA2, a subtype of autosomal dominant nonsyndromic progressive hearing loss. Recent findings Hearing loss in pateints with DFNA2 usually start at high frequencies in their 20s and 30s, and then progress to more than 60 dB in less than 10 years, with middle and low frequencies often affected as well. To date, eight missense mutations and two deletions of the KCNQ4 gene have been identified in patients with DFNA2 with various clinical phenotypes. In general, missense mutations are associated with younger-onset and all-frequency hearing loss, whereas deletion mutations are underlying later-onset and pure high-frequency hearing loss. The etiology of DFNA2 remains largely unknown at this point, even though the degeneration of cochlear outer hair cells, caused by dysfunction of KCNQ4 channels, might be one of the underlying mechanisms. Summary During the last decade, significant progress has been made in identifying KCNQ4 mutations in patients with DFNA2. Elucidation of the pathogenic effect of these mutations will help to gain insights into the molecular mechanisms of hearing and hearing loss, which, in turn, will facilitate informative genetic counseling, early diagnosis, and even treatment of hearing loss.
Computer aided manufacturing and worker well-being: a review of research

Abstract Recent technological developments have stimulated the use of computer aided manufacturing (CAM) machinery in industrial settings. Though managers typically consider technical and economic factors in the implementation of CAM, they rarely consider the psychological implications of work in CAM. Recent research indicates that work in CAM may have unintended negative impacts on worker well-being. This paper reviews and evaluates empirical research concerning the impacts of work in CAM on worker well-being, and suggests directions for future research in this area.
Making induction meaningful, recursively (abstract only)

Induction is a notoriously difficult topic for beginning computer science students to understand. Even if they can produce an inductive proof of some mathematical fact, many students never see the relevance of inductive reasoning outside of the classroom for anything beyond the natural numbers. This is unfortunate because inductive reasoning is closely intertwined with algorithm design and one of the cornerstones of reasoning about (recursive) programs. With the adoption of functional programming into the CS curricula core, it is a good time to revisit how we teach induction and try to make more explicit this fundamental connection between inductive reasoning and recursive programming. In this BoF session, we will discuss curriculum, strategies, and fun examples for teaching induction with an eye towards giving induction tangible and practical relevance for the computer science undergraduate.
Droplet Impingement and Wetting Hysteresis on Textured Hydrophobic Surfaces

We study the wetting energetics and wetting hysteresis of sessile and impacting water droplets on superhydrophobic surfaces as a function of surface texture and surface energy. Detailed experiments tracking contact line motion simultaneously with contact angle provides new insights on the wetting hysteresis, stick-slip behavior and dependence on contact line velocity. For sessile drops, we find three wetting regimes on these surfaces: equilibrium Cassie at small feature spacing, equilibrium Wenzel at large feature spacing, and an intermediate state at medium feature spacing. We observe minimum wetting hysteresis not on surfaces that exhibit Cassie wetting but rather on surfaces in the intermediate regime. We argue that droplets on these surfaces are metastable Cassie droplets whose internal Laplace pressure is insufficient to overcome the energy barrier required to homogeneously wet the surface. These metastable Cassie droplets show superior roll-off properties because the effective length of the contact line that is pinned to the surface is reduced. We develop a model that can predict the transition between the metastable Cassie and Wenzel regimes by comparing the Laplace pressure of the drop to the capillary pressure associated with the wetting-energy barrier of the textured surface. In the case of impacting droplets the water hammer and Bernoulli pressures must be compared with the capillary pressure. Experiments with impacting droplets show very good agreement with this simple pressure-balance model.Copyright © 2010 by ASME
Molecular mechanics-based measures of steric effects: Customized code to compute Ligand repulsive energies

Ligand repulsive energies, ER, have been demonstrated to provide reliable steric parameters for ligands in organometallic systems. To date, ligand repulsive energies have been computed manually using commercially available molecular mechanics code. We report a customized code, ERCODE, that calculates ligand repulsive energies. Some reported ER values differ from those in the literature due to a modified conformational search strategy presented. Updated ligand repulsive energies for 100 phosphines, 12 phosphites, 26 amines, and 54 alcohols, ethers, and sulfides are presented. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Comput Chem 21: 239–246, 2000
Multiple dermatofibromas in a woman with HIV infection and systemic lupus erythematosus

Associations of multiple dermatofibromas with autoimmune disorders, altered immunity, or both have been described. We report the case of a 33-year-old black woman with HIV infection and an 11-year history of systemic lupus erythematosus in whom 15 dermatofibromas developed while she was receiving systemic corticosteroid therapy. Including our patient, multiple dermatofibromas have been described in 15 patients with an autoimmune disease, altered immunity, or both. All 12 of the women with multiple dermatofibromas had systemic lupus erythematosus.
Proactive interference and language change in short-term memory

Bilingual S s were presented categorized words in a series of tests conforming to the Brown-Peterson STM paradigm. Release from proactive interference was demonstrated when either the language or the taxonomic category of the items changed. When there was a double shift of both language and category, there was slightly greater release than when there was a single shift. Differences between fluent and nonfluent bilinguals were found and interpreted in terms of the differential tendency to translate items from the nonpreferred language into the dominant language.
N-body studies of compact groups of galaxies dominated by dark matter

Des systemes composes de quelques galaxies dans le fond de matiere sombre d'un amas peuvent evoluer de facon significative sur des echelles de temps cosmologiques lorsque les galaxies se dirigent vers le centre en decrivant des spirales. Des modeles a N corps de ces systemes confirment les previsions qualitatives des theories dynamiques simplifiees. Toutefois, dans les systemes reels, l'evolution est retardee par la reponse du fond aux galaxies; ainsi les theories qui supposent un fond fixe surestiment generalement les effets de l'evolution
A new concept for exhaust diffusers of altitude test cells

A new exhaust diffuser concept for jet engine altitude test cells which greatly reduces operating power and cost requirements for exhausters is discussed. The concept utilizes the capture duct as an efficient diffuser only, while evacuating the secondary air via a separate path using an auxiliary suction system. Implementation of the concept would reduce the peak exhauster power requirement during a TF-30 altitude test by 48 percent and the overall exhaust power cost of the test program by 41 percent. The design accommodates various engine sizes and can achieve optimum pressure recovery performance during both A/B and IRP modes of engine operation. The pressure recovery performance of the proposed exhaust diffusers does not deteriorate with increasing cooling air fraction. The disadvantages of the proposed scheme are: increased mechanical complexity of the extended variable geometry diffuser duct and the need for an auxiliary suction system for evacuating cell-cooling air.
OSHA's position on cadmium‐ and lead‐based chemicals

A discussion of the current OSHA regulations or restrictions on the manufacturing, handling, and use of inorganic or organic compounds of lead or cadmium, either in liquid or in powder form.
Tests of Independence and Zero Correlations Among P Random Variables

Suppose it is desired to determine whether there is an association between any pair of p random variables. A common approach is to test H 0 : R = I, where R is the usual population correlation matrix. A closely related approach is to test H 0 : R pb = I, where R pb is the matrix of percentage bend correlations. In so far as type I errors are a concem, at a minimum any test of H 0 should have a type I error probability close to the nominal level when all pairs of random variables are independent. Currently, the Gupta-Rathie method is relatively successful at controlling the probability of a type I error when testing H 0 : R = I, but as illustrated in this paper, it can fail when sampling from nonnormal distributions. The main goal in this paper is to describe a new test of H 0 R pb = I that continues to give reasonable control over the probability of a type I error in the situations where the Gupta-Rathie method fails. Even under normality, the new method has advantages when the sample size is small relative to p. Moreover, when there is dependence, but all correlations are equal to zero, the new method continues to give good control over the probability of a type I error while the Gupta-Rathie method does not. The paper also reports simulation results on a bootstrap confidence interval for the percentage bend correlation.
Lifetime Lower Limits for the P 0 3 and P 2 3 Metastable States of Neon, Argon, and Krypton

A time-of-flight technique has been used to investigate the lifetime $\ensuremath{\tau}$ of the long-lived $^{3}P_{0}$ and $^{3}P_{2}$ states of neon, argon, and krypton. The results are, for neon, $\ensuremath{\tau}(^{3}P)g0.8$ sec; for argon, $\ensuremath{\tau}(^{3}P)g1.3$ sec; and for krypton, $\ensuremath{\tau}(^{3}P)g1.0$ sec. The present measurements are limited by residual-gas or beam-beam scattering and by the length of the time-of-flight region being short compared to a decay length.
Mid-Infrared Time-Resolved Frequency Comb Spectroscopy of Transient Free Radicals

We demonstrate time-resolved frequency comb spectroscopy (TRFCS), a new broadband absorption spectroscopy technique for the study of trace free radicals on the microsecond timescale. We apply TRFCS to study the time-resolved, mid-infrared absorption of the deuterated hydroxyformyl radical trans-DOCO, an important short-lived intermediate along the OD + CO reaction path. Directly after photolysis of the chemical precursor acrylic acid-d1, we measure absolute trans-DOCO product concentrations with a sensitivity of 5 × 10(10) cm(-3) and observe its subsequent loss with a time resolution of 25 μs. The multiplexed nature of TRFCS allows us to detect simultaneously the time-dependent concentration of several other photoproducts and thus unravel primary and secondary chemical reaction pathways.
What Precipitates Change in Cultural Diversity Awareness during a Multicultural Course: The Message or the Method?

Teacher educators embrace the messages that “classroom teachers must be multicultural” and “teacher educators are charged with nurturing multicultural tenets.” However, most teacher educators indic...
THE EFFECT OF CORTISONE ON THE IODINE ACCUMULATING FUNCTION OF THE THYROID GLAND IN EUTHYROID SUBJECTS

THIRTY years ago Marine and Baumann (1) noted that adrenal insufficiency in rabbits led to an increase in heat production and respiratory exchange and to the appearance of a symptom complex resembling exophthalmic goiter. Marine (2) subsequently reviewed the evidence pointing to the importance of a primary adreno-gonadal insufficiency as a possible fundamental cause of Graves' disease. The occurrence of Graves' disease following roentgen ray damage to the adrenal cortex in 2 cases reported by Oppenheimer (3) provided a direct clinical example in support of this concept. The pathologic changes observed in patients who have died of thyrotoxicosis—enlargement of the thymus, diffuse lymphoid hyperplasia and small adrenal cortices—have been cited as evidence suggestive of adrenal cortical insufficiency (2). The endocrine antithesis to the hyperthyroid-hypoadrenocortical state is well demonstrated by the frequent occurrence of an atrophied thyroid gland in Cushing's syndrome (4). The high concentration of serum...
Approximate power-law conductivity in the multiple-hopping regime

Abstract Application of percolation theory to the ac conductivity, σ(ω), of disordered systems requires a description of the microscopic transitions dominating the response at any particular frequency. These are pair relaxation at high frequencies, small clusters at intermediate frequencies (treated in a renormalized version of pair relaxation) and large clusters at low frequencies, below the loss peak. Recent results giving a quantitative representation of the frequency, ω 0 , defining the crossover between pair and small cluster relaxation are applied to a quantitative calculation of the power, s , of ω in σ(ω) just above the loss peak in the multiple-hopping regime.
Micro-scale metal contacts for capillary force-driven self-assembly

Self-assembly, or the spontaneous organization of parts into larger structures via energy minimization, is an attractive solution to overcome packaging and integration challenges. Capillary forces from a molten alloy can be used to both bond micro-scale components and to make electrical connections between them in a self-assembly process. Here, we present a systematic study of a number of metal alloys and self-assembly media with the aim of reducing the metal contact size between micro-scale components. We consider six different alloys or pure metals with melting points below 160 °C, and nine different fluids with boiling points above 160 °C. Tin-based alloys were generally found to be highly susceptible to corrosion at elevated temperatures above the alloy melting point, with Sn being the primary component to corrode and react with the underlying base metal. Using a eutectic Sn–Bi alloy and glycerol at 180–200 °C, we demonstrated the self-assembly of 1500 100-µm parts and 5000 40-µm parts, each in about 2.5 min. Thus, 40-µm square, 4-µm high contacts remained functional for self-assembly. The electrical conductance of self-assembled 20-µm diameter, 2.5-µm high alloy contacts based on this Sn–Bi–glycerol system was 1.9 mΩ−1 cm−2.
Comparing the Two- and Three-Parameter Logistic Models via Likelihood Ratio Tests A Commonly Misunderstood Problem

Selection of an appropriate item response model is critical in the measurement of latent examinee ability. The one-, two-, and three-parameter logistic (1PL, 2PL, and 3PL) models are nested, and as such can be compared using likelihood ratio (LR) tests. The null hypothesis in the LR test for selection among the 2PL and 3PL models sets the guessing parameters to their lower bound of 0. This violates one of the assumptions of the LR test and renders the usual χ2 reference distribution inappropriate for the comparison. A review of the current literature revealed that this problem is not well understood in the educational measurement field. Ignoring this issue can lead to selection of an overly simplified model, with implications for the ability estimates. In this article, the use of the LR test for item response model selection is investigated, with the goal of providing practitioners with an appropriate method of selecting the most parsimonious model. The results of simulation studies indicate the nature of the problem, with inaccurate Type I error rates for cases where the inappropriate null distribution was used. An analysis of data from a statewide mathematics test showed differences pertinent to subsequent analyses.
Heat Transfer Coefficients Over a Flat Surface With Air and CO2 Injection Through Compound Angle Holes Using a Transient Liquid Crystal Image Method

This paper presents the detailed heat transfer coefficients over a flat surface with one row of injection holes inclined streamwise at 35 deg for three blowing ratios (M = 0.5-2.0). Three compound angles of 0, 45, and 90 deg with air (D.R. = 0.98) and CO 2 (D.R. = 1.46) as coolants were tested at an elevated free-stream turbulence condition (Tu 8.5 percent). The experimental technique involves a liquid crystal coating on the test surface. Two related transient tests obtained detailed heat transfer coefficients and film effectiveness distributions. Heat transfer coefficients increase with increasing blowing ratio for a constant density ratio, but decrease with increasing density ratio for a constant blowing ratio. Heat transfer coefficients increase for both coolants over the test surface as the compound angle increases from 0 to 90 deg. The detailed heat transfer coefficients obtained using the transient liquid crystal technique, particularly in the near-hole region, will provide a better understanding of the film cooling process in gas turbine components.
Cellular resting and diastolic potentials in canine cardiac Purkinje cells: effects of external (K+) and repetitive excitation.

Abstract Cellular potentials were measured in canine cardiac Purkinje fibers bathed in physiological solution in which the concentration of potassium, [K + ] o , was varied systematically from 0.5 m m to 16 m m . Resting potentials, E C , were measured in quiescent preparations, and maximum diastolic potentials, E D , were measured in spontaneously-active preparations. In [K + ] o of 1 m m and 2 m m , all preparations underwent spontaneous excitation; in [K + ] o of 0.5 m m and 4 m m , some preparations were spontaneously active, and some were quiescent; in [K + ] o of 8 m m and 16 m m , all preparations were quiescent. E c increased as [K + ] o was reduced from 16 m m to 4 m m , but the potential increased along a slope less than and deviating continuously from that predicted by the Nernst equation for a K + electrode. E D increased as [K + ] o was reduced from 4 m m to 2 m m , but it decreased again as [K + ] o was reduced from 2 m m to 0.5 m m . All preparations subsequently were driven by repetitive stimuli for 5 min at a rate of 3.5 Hz, producing maximum hyperpolarization (increase of E D ). Under these conditions, E D increased as [K + ] o was reduced from 16 m m to 2 m m , along a slope closer to that predicted by the Nernst equation, yet diverging continuously. The potential decreased again as [K + ] o was reduced from 2 m m to 0.5 m m . Possible explanations for the observed changes of potential with change of [K + ] o from high levels to low levels include, according to conventional Membrane Theory, (i) the effects of other ionic gradients, (ii) inward-going rectification, and (iii) active transport of ions, and, according to the Association-Induction Hypothesis, relative reduction of the preferential surface adsorption of K + over Na + .
Studies on enzymatic and molecular properties of lecithin:cholesterol acyltransferase.

I. Cholesterol esterification in human serum was measured in healthy male and female subjects using a modified version (2) of the Stokke & Norum assay technique (1). Strong positive correlation was observed between the rate of cholesterol esterification and serum free cholesterol esterification (rp = 93, p < 0.001 for males: rp = 81, p < 0.001 for females), suggesting that the fractional rate of esterification is a more useful parameter for comparative studies than the rate of esterification.II. Purification and characterization of LCAT. Highly purified LCAT preparations were obtained by using the combined techniques of density gradient centrifugation, DEAE cellulose chromatography, and affinity chromatography. A stable 4000-fold purified preparation was obtained as the result of this procedure, yielding 2 bands on acrylamide gel electrophoresis in the presence or absence of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS). Molecular weight determinations on calibrated gel columns give a value of 95, 000 in the absence and a...
Changing doctoral education: the case of US geography

We report on a multi-year research and action project carried out under the aegis of the Association of American Geographers to address the cultures and practices of doctoral programs in the discipline. We explore the diversity of career paths that graduate students seek, the extent to which doctoral programs are responsive to the range of career possibilities, and whether these programs are aware of preferential and contextual differences within the student body, for example, by gender and citizenship. We briefly review the educational resources and activities the project has developed to support change that addresses the research findings.
Engineering cyanobacteria for the production of a cyclic hydrocarbon fuel from CO2 and H2O

Cyclic hydrocarbons are a critical component of petroleum fuels. However, biofuels produced by current biochemical and thermochemical processes contain small amounts of cyclic hydrocarbons, and can only provide the requisite performance characteristics with the addition of petroleum fuels to them. Limonene (C10H16) is a cyclic monoterpene that possesses attractive characteristics as a biodiesel and a jet fuel. Current strategies for harvesting limonene from plant biomass require arable land, high energy input, inefficient multiple-step processes, and the release of CO2 as a greenhouse gas. This research focuses on a direct photons-to-product approach for biofuel production by metabolically engineering a cyanobacterium as the cellular machinery to over-produce and secrete valuable compounds using CO2, mineralized H2O, and light. As a proof of concept, we have engineered the filamentous, nitrogen-fixing cyanobacterium Anabaena sp. PCC 7120 to synthesize and secrete limonene by introducing a plant limonene synthase gene (lims) from Sitka spruce. Our data revealed that limonene produced by the engineered cyanobacterium was secreted across the cell membrane and volatilized into the headspace, allowing for easy separation of the target compound from the culture biomass. Furthermore, a synthetic DXP operon (dxs-ipphp-gpps) encoding three rate-limiting enzymes from the MEP pathway was co-expressed with lims to re-route carbon flux from the Calvin cycle into limonene synthesis. Under higher light (150 μE m−2 s−1), we observed a 6.8-fold increase in limonene yield and an 8.8-fold increase in the maximum limonene production rate when expressing the DXP operon in conjunction with lims, compared to lims alone, and achieved a maximum production rate of 3.6 ± 0.5 μg limonene L−1 O.D.−1 h−1. This limonene-producing Anabaena has about three times higher photosystem II activity than its wild-type. These results demonstrated that increasing the light intensity and metabolic flux improves limonene productivity in the engineered cyanobacterium. We envision that the method of using N2-fixing cyanobacteria as a cellular factory and CO2 and N2 as sustainable feedstock can be applied for the production of a wide range of commodity chemicals and drop-in-fuels.
A review of clinical trials to prevent mother-to-child HIV-1 transmission in Africa and inform rational intervention strategies.

The risk of mother-to-child HIV-1 transmission in predominantly breastfed populations is estimated to range from 25% to 48% [5]. In Africa where prolonged Recent randomized clinical trials have assessed the efficacy of a number of relatively simple and inexpensive perinatal antiretroviral interventions as well as helped clarify the rate and timing of HIV-1 transmission attributable to breastfeeding. The aim of this review is to analyze their collective findings qualitatively and quantitatively and use these data to suggest ways to strengthen global perinatal HIV-1 prevention efforts and direct perinatal research priorities. As the trial interventions differ it is not appropriate to pool the trials results and use statistical methods of analysis; we report the randomized trial results but make observational comparisons between the trials. (excerpt)
Measurements of accumulated metallic impurities during LiTER operation in NSTX

Abstract Over 100 g of lithium was evaporated onto the NSTX plasma facing components using two stainless steel ovens (LiTER). Plasma emission was recorded using a 16-channel tangential bolometer and a VUV spectrometer. Confinement improved after lithium deposition and ELM’s were either reduced or eliminated for hundreds of milliseconds. The radiated power profiles were generally, but not universally, highly peaked. Both peakness and a modeled on-axis high-Z impurity concentration were used as metrics for the degree of central metallic impurity accumulation. Several changes in plasma performance were seen, including reduction in plasma density and improvements in energy confinement, however high-Z impurity accumulation correlated most directly with ELM-suppression. In the more severe cases of accumulation, the volume-integrated radiated power exceeded 50% of the total input power and the estimated concentration of metals on-axis (modeled using iron as the representative impurity) reached 0.2% of the electron density.
Surface-bound lactate dehydrogenase: Preparation and study of the effect of matrix microenvironment on kinetic and structural properties

Abstract Rabbit muscle lactate dehydrogenase ( l -lactate: NAD+ oxidoreductase, EC 1.1.1.27) was covalently bound to porous glass beads using conditions which resulted in attachment of only one of the four subunits of each tetramer. Refolded, covalently bound subunits, prepared by washing with strong denaturants and re-exposure to more nearly physiological conditions, were capable of enzymatic activity and recombination with native subunits in solution. Kinetic properties of a similarly modified, soluble enzyme derivative and several immobilized derivatives were compared. An increase in the apparent Michaelis constant for NADH is suggested to be caused by intrapore diffusion limitation; whereas, the large decrease in the constant for pyruvate may reflect a conformational change induced by the matrix environment. The equilibrium dissociation constant for NAD also exhibit a large decrease compared to reported values for native enzyme suggesting a structural change resulting in more favorable binding.
Development and Validation of a New Field Measurement Technique for Estimating the Local and Total Air Duct Leakage in Residential Buildings

The paper proposes a new measurement technique for estimating the local and total leakage rates in typical residential buildings. It is based on the duct pressurization technique in which the duct system is pressurized by using a calibrated fan while all registers are sealed off. It also includes a zone bag that can be inserted inside the duct system to create an artificial partial restriction and consequently different levels of leak pressures and flows. An experimental facility Air Duct Leakage Laboratory (ADLL) has been established, which has two different air duct configurations and a wide range of known leakage levels controlled by holes created at several locations of ductwork. The proposed technique has been validated by experiments at the ADLL. The validation results indicated that the proposed technique could be a good method for accurately estimating the total and local leakages and provides a great opportunity to focus on right locations to repair and to provide accurate information if the duct...
Cable advertising and the future of basic cable networking

Using a pooled cross section/time series data base for 18 basic cable networks over a seven‐year period, we show that limited national household reach is a major reason that cost‐per‐thousand (CPM) advertising rates for cable have remained consistently below broadcast rates. Our models thus imply that limited reach disproportionately restricts the economic potential of advertiser‐supported cable networks. The models also predict, however, that reach expansion, via DBS and other multichannel media and via digital compression technology, will disproportionately improve their viability: average cable CPMs would be well above broadcast network CPMs if household reaches were comparable. Our results also support the view that larger MSOs are able to adversely affect entry and survival of advertiser‐supported cable networks by threatening to refuse carriage.
Promutagen activation in partially hepatectomized mice

Mutagenic activity of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) was followed in the Ames Salmonella/microsome test using liver S-9 from control and partially hepatectomized (PH) mice. The S-9 preparations from the PH mice were capable of inducing significantly greater AFB1 mutagenic activity to strain TA100 than S-9 preparations from either unoperated control, sham-operated control, or Aroclor 1254-induced mice. Increased activity was observed with S-9 preparations made at both 42 h and 148 h following PH.
A semimicro dilution viscometer

An accurate semimicro capillary viscometer is described in which dilutions can be made. A glass valve assembly eliminates evaporation and makes operation convenient. Techniques for semimicro work are described and specifications are given for an instrument suitable for intrinsic viscosity determinations with 1 milliliter of solution.
Structural studies of the haemophilus influenzae type f capsular polysaccharide

The structure of the Haemophilus influenzae type e capsular polysaccharide has been determined by a combination of chemical and spectroscopic methods. The structure of the repeating unit of the polymer was found to be leads to 3)-beta-D-GlcNAc-(1 leads to 4)-beta-D-ManANAc-(1 leads to ; both sugars were present in the pyranoid form.
Experimental and theoretical characterization of non-bending ionic polymer transducer sensing

Ionic Polymer Transducers (IPTs) have both actuation and sensing capabilities. However, the electromechanical response of an IPT as a sensor is quite different from the response as an actuator. IPT sensors are not limited to bending, i.e., they also produce current for compressive, extensional, and shear deformations. A robust physical model must be able to predict the existence of a sensing signal in all modes of deformation. Such a model could subsequently be adapted to form a roadmap toward enhancing sensitivity. In this study, the objective is to experimentally define IPT sensing characteristics in shear deformation (non-bending) and compare the empirical results with predictions derived from a model based on the streaming potential hypothesis. An in-house displacement control rig is employed to establish empirical results in shear sensing. A finite element approach is employed in the companion model development. The IPTs considered employ Nafion as the ionic polymer layer, while the electrode includes high surface area ruthenium oxide, RuO2, metallic powder and deposited per the Direct Assembly Process.
Social support, coping, and depressive symptoms in cardiac illness among Hispanic and non-Hispanic White cardiac patients

This study examined ethnic group differences in depressive symptoms in the context of cardiac illness. The participants were 132 cardiac patients equally divided among Hispanic and Non-Hispanic White men and women from cardiac clinics in Austin, Texas. The participants responded to a structured survey concerning their functional limitations, social support, coping, and depressive symptoms. The results showed that Hispanic patients reported more depressive symptoms than Non-Hispanic White cardiac patients, and that women reported more depressive symptoms than men. Physical and role limitations were positively related to depressive symptoms and social support was negatively related to depressive symptoms. A path analysis with LISREL 8 indicated that physical limitations were directly related to depressive symptoms, while the relation of role limitations was mediated by percent approach coping, and the relation of social support was partially mediated by percent approach coping. Two-group LISREL analyses by ...
Thompson′s Metric and Mixed Monotone Operators

Abstract We apply Thompson′s metric to prove several fixed point theorems of mixed monotone operators by appealing to various generalizations of Banach′s fixed point theorem.
Molecular Evidence on the Origin and Evolution of Glutinous Rice

Glutinous rice is a major type of cultivated rice with long-standing cultural importance in Asia. A mutation in an intron 1 splice donor site of the Waxy gene is responsible for the change in endosperm starch leading to the glutinous phenotype. Here we examine an allele genealogy of the Waxy locus to trace the evolutionary and geographical origins of this phenotype. On the basis of 105 glutinous and nonglutinous landraces from across Asia, we find evidence that the splice donor mutation has a single evolutionary origin and that it probably arose in Southeast Asia. Nucleotide diversity measures indicate that the origin of glutinous rice is associated with reduced genetic variation characteristic of selection at the Waxy locus; comparison with an unlinked locus, RGRC2, confirms that this pattern is specific to Waxy. In addition, we find that many nonglutinous varieties in Northeast Asia also carry the splice donor site mutation, suggesting that partial suppression of this mutation may have played an important role in the development of Northeast Asian nonglutinous rice. This study demonstrates the utility of phylogeographic approaches for understanding trait diversification in crops, and it contributes to growing evidence on the importance of modifier loci in the evolution of domestication traits.
Feature selection for clustering with constraints using Jensen-Shannon divergence

In semi-supervised clustering, domain knowledge can be converted to constraints and used to guide the clustering. In this paper we propose a feature selection algorithm for semi-supervised clustering. In our method, features are conditionally independent. Feature saliency is first computed in unsupervised clustering using the expectation maximization model. Then, it is refined in the tuning step to minimize the feature-wise constraint violation measure, calculated based on the Jensen-Shannon divergence. Experimental results show that a small amount of supervision can improve the performance of clustering and feature selection.
Brief Report on Predictive Validity Evidence of Global Risk Indicators in the Lives of Court-Involved Youth:

Previous work has reported the psychometric properties and evidence for concurrent validity of a battery of items measuring global risk indicators in the lives of court-involved adolescents. The present study reports additional data on the predictive validity of this battery in a sample of 224 families of adolescents who were assessed by intake workers in a juvenile court and subsequently referred for services. Analysis yielded significant differences between groups of youth who were and were not referred to more intensive mental health-based treatment on all domains of risk in this battery.
Discriminative stimulus effects of etorphine in Rhesus monkeys.

Two rhesus monkeys were trained to discrim- inate the IM injection of etorphine (0.001mg/kg) from saline in a task in which 20 consecutive responses on one of two levers resulted in food delivery. In both monkeys, etorphine (0.0001-0.0018), meperidine (0.1 - 1.0 mg/kg), morphine (0.1 - 3.2 mg/kg), and co- deine (0.3-3.2) produced dose-related increases in the percentage of total session responses that occurred on the etorphine-approp riate lever. In contrast, ethylketa- zocine, SKF-10047, and pentazocine, at doses up to and including those that suppressed response rates, produced responses primarily on the saline-appropria te lever. Thus, etorphine-like narcotics, including mor- phine, have discriminative stimulus effects in rhesus monkeys which can be distinguished from those pro- duced by narcotics with nonmorphine-like actions such as ethylketazocine, SKF-10047, and pentazocine.
Thinking about Affirmative Action: Arguments Supporting Preferential Policies

Despite a history of legal discrimination and practices of racial and ethnic exclusion, there is widespread doubt about the fairness and applicability of affirmative action policies. Opponents range from the most socially and politically conservative to moderates who find it difficult to justify preferential policies. The current debate over affirmative action in higher education has temporarily shifted to arguments concerning the value of diversity and avoids questions about the fundamental justification for affirmative action throughout society. There are several reasons to provide affirmative action policies. Three of these, commonly heard in popular discourse, are weak arguments that are not compelling in the current climate of opinion. Three other arguments, though seldom heard, are strong and provide the basis for affirmative action to be recognized as both a logical and moral imperative. These are based on rational choice, Rawls's theory of justice, and the consideration of a desirable future. The strong arguments can move the discourse concerning this important issue of public policy in the direction favoring preferential treatment of persons likely to experience discrimination or ascriptive barriers to equity and equal opportunity.
Another Look at Becker's Irrational Consumer

Becker’s paper "Irrational Consumers and Economic Theory" ([1]) is a classic. This paper shows how to parameterize the process of selecting points randomly on a budget set. This parameterization also simplifies the proof that average demand curves are downward sloping and satisfy the weak axiom of revealed preference. In addition, we show that the probability distribution of random choices does not need to be restricted to a uniform distribution which Becker assumes. In fact, the distribution can be arbitrary.
Raman spectroscopic studies of aqueous tetramethylammonium silicate solutions

The influence of cations on aluminosilicate zeolite formation is well recognized. This Raman study showed that on a molecular level, there is a significant difference in the type of silicate species that are solubilized by tetramethylammonium hydroxide and sodium hydroxide at certain hydroxide ion concentrations. A cubic, cage-like silicate species is formed in 1.0–1.4 M tetramethylammonium hydroxide, whereas no such species was formed in alkali metal hydroxide at any concentration. Band assignments for the cubic species [(CH3)4N]8Si8O20 are made from the Raman and infrared spectroscopic data. Elucidation of such structural effects by Raman spectroscopy can help explain the unique influence of the cation on zeolite formation.
A lipobead microarray assembled by particle entrapment in a microfluidic obstacle course and used for the display of cell membrane receptors.

Platforms which can display cell membrane ligands and receptors as a microarray library of probes for screening against a target are essential tools in drug discovery, biomarker identification, and pathogen detection. Membrane receptors and ligands require their native bilayer environment to retain their selectivity and binding affinity, and this complicates displaying them in a microarray platform. In this study, a design is developed in which the probes are first incorporated in supported lipid bilayers formed around micron-sized particles (lipobeads), and the microbeads themselves are then arrayed on a surface by hydrodynamic capture in a microfluidic obstacle course of traps. The traps are “V” shaped open enclosures, which are arranged in a wide channel of a microfluidic device, and capture the lipobeads (slightly smaller than the channel height) as they are streamed through the course. Screening assays are undertaken directly in the device after assembly, by streaming a fluorescently labeled target through the device and detecting the bead fluorescence. Conditions are first established for which the supported bilayers on the bead surface remain intact during the capture and assay steps, using fluorescent tags in the bilayer to infer bilayer integrity. Numerical calculations of the hydrodynamic drag coefficient on the entrapped beads are presented in conjunction with the stability experiments to develop criteria for the bilayer stability as a function of the screening assay perfusion rate. Simulations of the flow streamlines are also presented to quantify the trapping efficiency of the obstacle course. Screening assays are illustrated, assaying fluorescently labeled NeutrAvidin with biotin, and labeled cholera toxin with its ganglioside binding ligand, GM1. Sequential capturing of sets of lipobeads (one at a time, and with each set bearing a different probe), followed by indexing the bead positions after each set is entrapped, allows for the construction of an indexed array of multiple probes without the need for particle encoding and is illustrated using the NeutrAvidin–biotin pair. Finally, the lipobead platform is used for quantitatively measuring the kinetic rate constants for the binding of a probe (biotin) to a target (NeutrAvidin).