cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Demographic compensation and tipping points in climate-induced range shifts

Climate change is expected to shift the geographical ranges of many animal and plant species, in terms of both the latitude and altitude of their habitat. Many reported range shifts have been idiosyncratic, however, even among taxonomically similar species, with the low latitude or low altitude limit of a species' range not necessarily moving as fast as the high edge. Using demographic data on the tundra plants moss campion and alpine bistort, Daniel Doak and William Morris show that changed demographic rates at the lower edge are compensating for the warming climate, but that this effect will not last and a tipping point may be reached as temperatures get warmer. Climate change is expected to shift the latitudinal and altitudinal ranges of species, but the low latitude or low altitude edge does not necessarily move as fast as the high edge. Here, demographic data on two tundra plants have been used to show that changed demographic rates at the lower edge are compensating for the warming climate, but that this effect will not last and a tipping point will be reached as temperatures get warmer. To persist, species are expected to shift their geographical ranges polewards or to higher elevations as the Earth’s climate warms1,2,3,4. However, although many species’ ranges have shifted in historical times, many others have not, or have shifted only at the high-latitude or high-elevation limits, leading to range expansions rather than contractions5,6,7,8,9,10,11. Given these idiosyncratic responses to climate warming, and their varied implications for species’ vulnerability to climate change, a critical task is to understand why some species have not shifted their ranges, particularly at the equatorial or low-elevation limits, and whether such resilience will last as warming continues. Here we show that compensatory changes in demographic rates are buffering southern populations of two North American tundra plants against the negative effects of a warming climate, slowing their northward range shifts, but that this buffering is unlikely to continue indefinitely. Southern populations of both species showed lower survival and recruitment but higher growth of individual plants, possibly owing to longer, warmer growing seasons. Because of these and other compensatory changes, the population growth rates of southern populations are not at present lower than those of northern ones. However, continued warming may yet prove detrimental, as most demographic rates that improved in moderately warmer years declined in the warmest years, with the potential to drive future population declines. Our results emphasize the need for long-term, range-wide measurement of all population processes to detect demographic compensation and to identify nonlinear responses that may lead to sudden range shifts as climatic tipping points are exceeded.
Dietary Omega-3 Fatty Acids Promote Arrhythmogenic Remodeling of Cellular Ca2+ Handling in a Postinfarction Model of Sudden Cardiac Death

It has been proposed that dietary omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFAs) can reduce the risk of ventricular arrhythmias in post-MI patients. Abnormal Ca2+ handling has been implicated in the genesis of post-MI ventricular arrhythmias. Therefore, we tested the hypothesis that dietary n-3 PUFAs alter the vulnerability of ventricular myocytes to cellular arrhythmia by stabilizing intracellular Ca2+ cycling. To test this hypothesis, we used a canine model of post-MI ventricular fibrillation (VF) and assigned the animals to either placebo (1 g/day corn oil) or n-3 PUFAs (1-4 g/day) groups. Using Ca2+ imaging techniques, we examined the intracellular Ca2+ handling in myocytes isolated from post-MI hearts resistant (VF-) and susceptible (VF+) to VF. Frequency of occurrence of diastolic Ca2+ waves (DCWs) in VF+ myocytes from placebo group was significantly higher than in placebo-treated VF- myocytes. n-3 PUFA treatment did not decrease frequency of DCWs in VF+ myocytes. In contrast, VF- myocytes from the n-3 PUFA group had a significantly higher frequency of DCWs than myocytes from the placebo group. In addition, n-3 PUFA treatment increased beat-to-beat alterations in the amplitude of Ca2+ transients (Ca2+ alternans) in VF- myocytes. These n-3 PUFAs effects in VF- myocytes were associated with an increased Ca2+ spark frequency and reduced sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ content, indicative of increased activity of ryanodine receptors. Thus, dietary n-3 PUFAs do not alleviate intracellular Ca2+ cycling remodeling in myocytes isolated from post-MI VF+ hearts. Furthermore, dietary n-3 PUFAs increase vulnerability of ventricular myocytes to cellular arrhythmia in post-MI VF- hearts by destabilizing intracellular Ca2+ handling.
The World Magnetic Survey and the Earth's Interior

The present World Magnetic Survey is described and discussed in relation to defining the earth's main field and secular change. Some effects dependent on geomagnetic noise levels affecting the survey are indicated. Difficulties incident to the extrapolation of faulty surface-field data to the surface of the core are noted. The extrapolated results of previous surveys are used to indicate the possible principal descriptive features of surface fluid motions that are derived for the outer core.
Earthquake-induced variations in the composition of the water in the geothermal reservoir at Vulcano Island, Italy

Abstract During 1979–1989, variations were observed in the oxygen composition of the water contained in the geothermal reservoir at Vulcano Island, Italy. The reservoir water, that has a magmatic origin, showed an oxygen composition of +1.0±0.5‰ δ18O during periods without local tectonic earthquakes, and an oxygen composition of +3.4±0.5‰ δ18O after the highest-energy seismic activity that occurred recently near the island. A slight increase of the δ18O value in the reservoir water was also observed after a low-energy sequence of tectonic earthquakes that occurred at very shallow depth just beneath Vulcano Island. These 18O variations in the reservoir water are consistent with earthquake-induced increases in the contribution from high-temperature δ18O-rich magmatic condensate to the geothermal reservoir, and with subsequent decreases in the δ18O value due to 18O exchanges at the temporarily increased reservoir temperature during reactions between the highly reactive magmatic condensate and the local rocks. Only minor changes in the deuterium composition of the reservoir water occurred with time, as the δD value in the magmatic condensate released from the magma after major local earthquakes quickly approached the δD value of the water contained in the geothermal reservoir. Also the chloride concentration in the reservoir water appears to be linked to the contribution from the magmatic fluid. This chloride content seems not to have undergone major changes with time, as it may be buffered by temporary increases in the reservoir temperature up to values >300°C induced by major local earthquakes. This mechanism may possibly occur also in other magmatic–hydrothermal systems.
Lysogeny at mid-twentieth century: P1, P2, and other experimental systems.

Most of us doing research have a preferred material, a set of well-tried techniques, a standing list of unsolved problems, ways of looking at or of doing things, which we share to a large extent with colleagues in the same laboratory and others in the same area of specialization, be they friends, former associates, or competitors. All this and more is encompassed by the concept of "experimental system" as introduced and used by Hans-Jorg Rheinberger (76, 77), a historian of science. His concept, rather flexible and rich in metaphors, may be easily adapted to the present narrative, which proceeds from a personal view rather than from a critical historical examination. A careful restriction of material, techniques, and nomenclature allows more constructive interactions between different laboratories and different generations of scientists in the same field. Of course, carried out to excess, this process will stifle developments in new areas and defer some discoveries. Max Delbruck, who in the early forties had forcefully advocated the study of bacteriophage as the royal road to the secrets of replication and recombination, was quite outspoken about the necessity for workers on that road to use a common material (the T phages in Escherichia coli B) and precisely standardized techniques (1). Of course, the T phages are generally virulent, take-no-prisoner parasites of bacteria and thus could not instruct us about the more shadowy interactions between "weaker" bacteriophages and their bacterial hosts: about lysogeny, where infection meets heredity.
Influence of Wall Heat Transfer on Supersonic MicroNozzle Performance

Anumericalmodel to characterize the influence of wall heat transfer on performance of amicroelectromechanical systems (MEMS)-based supersonic nozzle is reported. Owing to the large surface-area-to-volume ratio and inherently lowReynolds numbers of aMEMSdevice, wall phenomena, such as viscous forces and heat transfer, play critical roles in shaping performance characteristics of themicronozzle. Viscous subsonic layers inhibit flow and can grow sufficiently large on the nozzle expanderwalls, potentiallymerging to cause the flow to be subsonic at the nozzle exit, and result in reduced efficiency and performance. Heat flux from the flow into the surrounding substrate can mitigate subsonic layer growth and improve overall thrust production. In this study, subsonic layer growth is quantified to characterize the impact on performance of micronozzles with a flowfield that is subject to wall heat transfer. Both twoand three-dimensional (3-D) simulations are performed for varying expanderhalf-angles (15 deg, 30 deg, and 45 deg) and varying throat Reynolds numbers (30–800), whereas the depth of the 3-D nozzle is varied (25–300 m). Simulation results and nozzle efficiencies are compared with inviscid theory, previous adiabatic results, and existing numerical and experimental data. It is found that heat loss to the substratewill further accelerate the supersonic core flowviaRayleigh flow theory and can reduce subsonic layer growth. These effects can combine to alter the micronozzle expansion angle, which maximizes thrust production and specific impulse efficiency.
The biosynthetic genes encoding for the production of the dynemicin enediyne core in Micromonospora chersina ATCC53710.

Dynemicin is a novel anthraquinone-fused member of the 10-membered enediyne antitumor antibiotic family. The development of a genetic system for the dynemicin producer Micromonospora chersina confirmed, for the first time, the requirement of the putative enediyne core biosynthetic genes (dynE8, U14 and U15) and a tailoring oxidase gene (orf23) for dynemicin production. Cloning and sequence analysis of a 76 kb of genomic sequence region containing dynE8 revealed a variety of genes conserved among known enediyne loci. Surprisingly, this fragment and flanking chromosomal DNA lacked any obvious genes encoding for the biosynthesis of the anthraquinone, suggesting that the location of genes encoding for the biosynthesis of the dynemicin enediyne core and the dynemicin anthraquinone are chromosomally distinct. The demonstrated trace production of a shunt product from mutant strain QGD23 (Δorf23) also sets the stage for subsequent studies to delineate the key steps in enediyne core biosynthesis and tailoring.
Misattribution and Eye of the Beholder: Effect of Arousal on Negotiation Depends on Prior Attitudes

Extending the misattribution of arousal paradigm, four studies demonstrate that the effect of heightened physiological arousal on negotiation depends on individuals’ pre-existing attitudes. Individ...
Reconstitution of adenylate cyclase in Neurospora from two components of the enzyme

The ATP-Mg2+-dependent, guanine nucleotide-stimulated adenylate cyclase of Neurospora crassa was shown to be composed of distinct components which, when mixed, can reconstitute a holoenzyme. After brief heat treatment, the adenylate cyclase activity in crude homogenates of Neurospora was found to have reduced activity and greatly reduced sensitivity to stimulation by guanyl-5'-yl-imidodiphosphate (Gpp(NH)p). Gpp(NH)p sensitivity could be restored by addition of a homogenate from a crisp-1 (cr-1) mutant of Neurospora which was shown to have little or no adenylate cyclase activity. These results show that the adenylate cyclase of Neurospora resembles the enzyme of animal systems in that it is composed of distinct regulatory and catalytic components. The data presented also show that the cr-1 mutant is defective in the adenylate cyclase catalytic component but not in the regulatory component. Therefore, cr-1 is unlike most other such eucaryotic mutants which appear to be defective in the regulatory component.
College Atmosphere and Eating Disorders

The authors investigated whether different campus environment factors were related to eating disorder symptomatology at two distinctly different colleges. The first campus was conservative, placing an emphasis on appearance and dress, whereas the second campus was liberal, placing an emphasis on political activism and intellectual talent. As hypothesized, the two schools did not differ in regard to overall levels of eating disorders, yet different factors were associated with eating disorder symptomatology at each school. Implications for eating disorder interventions on college campuses are discussed.
Sequencing protocols to genotype mdx, mdx4cv, and mdx5cv mice

Currently available polymerase chain reaction (PCR) genotyping methods for point mutations in the mouse dystrophin gene can lead to false positives and result in wasted time and money due to breeding or treating the wrong mice. Here we describe a simple and accurate method for sequencing the point mutations in mdx, mdx(4cv), and mdx(5cv) mice. This method clearly distinguishes between wildtype, heterozygous, and mutant transcripts, and thereby time and money can be saved by avoiding false positives.
Hippocampal anatomy supports the use of context in object recognition: a computational model

The human hippocampus receives distinct signals via the lateral entorhinal cortex, typically associated with object features, and the medial entorhinal cortex, associated with spatial or contextual information. The existence of these distinct types of information calls for some means by which they can be managed in an appropriate way, by integrating them or keeping them separate as required to improve recognition. We hypothesize that several anatomical features of the hippocampus, including differentiation in connectivity between the superior/inferior blades of DG and the distal/proximal regions of CA3 and CA1, work together to play this information managing role. We construct a set of neural network models with these features and compare their recognition performance when given noisy or partial versions of contexts and their associated objects. We found that the anterior and posterior regions of the hippocampus naturally require different ratios of object and context input for optimal performance, due to the greater number of objects versus contexts. Additionally, we found that having separate processing regions in DG significantly aided recognition in situations where object inputs were degraded. However, split processing in both DG and CA3 resulted in performance tradeoffs, though the actual hippocampus may have ways of mitigating such losses.
Cotton Fiber Maturity by Image Analysis

Applications of state-of-the-art image analysis techniques to measuring cotton (Gos sypium sp.) fiber maturity are reported. Individual cotton fibers arrayed longitudinally on microscope slides are optically scanned by the image analyzer. The fiber's video image is automatically broken into narrow bands for discreet measurements of pro jected fiber widths along its length. The ratio of the average maximum to the average minimum of these measurements is related to the degree of development of the sec ondary wall of each fiber. Results are reported for several cotton varieties of either measured maturities or of known fiber post-anthesis ages.
Inflammation in Peripheral Artery Disease

Peripheral artery disease (PAD), which consists of partial or complete obstruction of the arteries in the lower limbs, is one of the most common manifestations of atherosclerosis, affecting ≈27 million individuals in Europe and North America.1 Its main symptomatic expression, intermittent claudication, was first described by the French veterinarian Bouley2 in a horse affected by progressive limping and lameness consequent to a fibrous clot that occluded the femoral arteries of the posterior limbs. In humans, this condition was noted by Brodie3 in 1846, but it was Charcot4 who in 1858 clearly defined and described the syndrome (and used the term “intermittent claudication”).3,4 Reproducibly elicited by walking-induced muscle ischemia and consistently relieved by rest that allows reperfusion of the affected limb, intermittent claudication may be considered “leg effort angina.” Indeed, for a long time, treatment was aimed exclusively at relieving leg symptoms and improving the functional status of affected individuals. However, in the 1950s, Stammers5 and Allen et al6 independently observed that patients with claudication were at high mortality risk. Subsequent prospective studies confirmed that patients with PAD rarely progress to limb loss but that the presence of PAD is a powerful and independent predictor of cardiac and cerebral ischemic events.7,–,11 However, this increased risk appears to be poorly related to classic risk factors, suggesting that once PAD is established, subsequent cardiovascular risk is related to the severity and extent of the underlying atherosclerotic disease and possibly other factors.7,–,11 It is well established that hypertension, smoking, diabetes mellitus, and hypercholesterolemia play a major role in the initiation and development of atherosclerosis and its clinical manifestations, although the prognostic potency of each of these factors in atherogenesis differs in the …
Assessment of geometric treatment accuracy using time-lapse display of electronic portal images

During the past two years, several electronic portal imaging systems have been introduced to the market by therapy accelerator manufacturers and other vendors. While these systems differ substantially in their detection technology, they are all capable of displaying portal images on a video screen in near real-time, and of creating multiple static (or "movie") images during each treatment. Major questions confront the users of such systems as to the best utilization of this wealth of information, and to its value in comparison to traditional weekly portal film methods. Using an "in-house" video based system, a new technique was established to aid in the assessment of on-line images so that immediate "go/no-go" decisions can be made by the therapy technologist. A video "movie-loop" is displayed which consists of the static image of the initial (approved) set-up, and the current treatment image. Multiple images of successive treatments can also be viewed in this "time-lapse" display mode to provide a quick visual means for review of an entire course of therapy. The on-line imaging system hardware is composed of a combination copper-plate/fluorescent-screen detector, a front surface mirror angled at 45 degrees to remove the camera from the direct radiation beam, and a high sensitivity SIT video camera. This assembly is attached to a rigid base and mounted directly to the isocentric gantry. The geometry is fixed to within +/- 1 mm and assures the precise day-to-day reproducibility which is necessary for the success of the time-lapse display technique. Experience with this technique shows it to enhance the user's ability to notice small changes in patient's position with respect to the radiation field. Radiation treatment sites reviewed using this procedure were Hodgkin's (mantle), Lung, Brain and extremities. Shifts in patient position on the order of several millimeters were readily detectable, as will be demonstrated in this paper. Somewhat surprisingly, grosser movements (greater than 1 cm) were also noted despite overall technical excellence as assessed by weekly portal filming. The eye senses day-to-day movement with greater ease when the fields are seen in time-lapse display than when compared as discrete portal images. Ultimately, persistent movement appreciated on the time-lapse display can suggest the need for a change in patient set-up or immobilization technique.
Instrument classification in polyphonic music based on timbre analysis

While most previous work on musical instrument recognition is focused on the classification of single notes in monophonic music, a scheme is proposed in this paper for the distinction of instruments in continuous music pieces which may contain one or more kinds of instruments. Highlights of the system include music segmentation into notes, harmonic partial estimation in polyphonic sound, note feature calculation and normalization, note classification using a set of neural networks, and music piece categorization with fuzzy logic principles. Example outputs of the system are `the music piece is 100% guitar (with 90% likelihood)' and `the music piece is 60% violin and 40% piano, thus a violin/piano duet'. The system has been tested with twelve kinds of musical instruments, and very promising experimental results have been obtained. An accuracy of about 80% is achieved, and the number can be raised to 90% if misindexings within the same instrument family are tolerated (e.g. cello, viola and violin). A demonstration system for musical instrument classification and music timbre retrieval is also presented.
Biophysical Mimicry of Lung Surfactant Protein B by Random Nylon-3 Copolymers

Non-natural oligomers have recently shown promise as functional analogues of lung surfactant proteins B and C (SP-B and SP-C), two helical and amphiphilic proteins that are critical for normal respiration. The generation of non-natural mimics of SP-B and SP-C has previously been restricted to step-by-step, sequence-specific synthesis, which results in discrete oligomers that are intended to manifest specific structural attributes. Here we present an alternative approach to SP-B mimicry that is based on sequence-random copolymers containing cationic and lipophilic subunits. These materials, members of the nylon-3 family, are prepared by ring-opening polymerization of beta-lactams. The best of the nylon-3 polymers display promising in vitro surfactant activities in a mixed lipid film. Pulsating bubble surfactometry data indicate that films containing the most surface-active polymers attain adsorptive and dynamic-cycling properties that surpass those of discrete peptides intended to mimic SP-B. Attachment of an N-terminal octadecanoyl unit to the nylon-3 copolymers, inspired by the post-translational modifications found in SP-C, affords further improvements by reducing the percent surface area compression to reach low minimum surface tension. Cytotoxic effects of the copolymers are diminished relative to that of an SP-B-derived peptide and a peptoid-based mimic. The current study provides evidence that sequence-random copolymers can mimic the in vitro surface-active behavior of lung surfactant proteins in a mixed lipid film. These findings raise the possibility that random copolymers might be useful for developing a lung surfactant replacement, which is an attractive prospect given that such polymers are easier to prepare than are sequence-specific oligomers.
CS1 (SLAMF7) inhibits production of proinflammatory cytokines by activated monocytes.

Objective and design CS1 (CRACC, CD319, SLAMF7) is a member of the Signaling Lymphocyte Activation Molecule family expressed on immune cells mediating host defense. CS1 is a self-ligand and has both activating and inhibitory functions in Natural Killer cells. However, the function of CS1 in human monocytes is currently unknown. The objective of this study was to evaluate the control of CS1 surface expression in activated monocytes and to assess the effect of CS1 triggering on proinflammatory cytokine production by monocytes.
Capital Requirements for Over-the-Counter Derivatives Central Counterparties

The central counterparties dominating the market for the clearing of over-the-counter interest rate and credit derivatives are globally systemic. Employing methodologies similar to the calculation of banks’ capital requirements against trading book exposures, this paper assesses the sensitivity of central counterparties’ required risk buffers, or capital requirements, to a range of model inputs. We find them to be highly sensitive to whether key model parameters are calibrated on a point-in-time versus stress-period basis, whether the risk tolerance metric adequately captures tail events, and the ability — or lack thereof — to define exposures on the basis of netting sets spanning multiple risk factors. Our results suggest that there are considerable benefits from having prudential authorities adopt a more prescriptive approach to for central counterparties’ risk buffers, in line with recent enhancements to the capital regime for banks.
An extension of the localist representation theory: grandmother cells are also widely used in the brain.

ON GRANDMOTHER CELLS Based on considerable neurophysiological evidence, Roy (2012) proposed the theory that localist representation is widely used in the brain, starting from the lowest levels of processing. Grandmother cells are a special case of localist representation. In this article, I present the theory that grandmother cells are also widely used in the brain. To support the proposed theory, I present neurophysiological evidence and an analysis of the concept of grandmother cells. Konorski (1967) first predicted the existence of grandmother cells (he called them “gnostic” neurons)— single neurons that respond to complex stimuli such as faces, hands, expressions, objects, and so on. The term “grandmother cell” was introduced by Jerry Lettvin in 1969 (Barlow, 1995). The notion of grandmother cells is very controversial in neuro and cognitive sciences. Barlow (2009, p. 320) claims that grandmother cells exist and “can now be recorded from and studied reliably.” Bowers (2009) has also claimed that the brain uses grandmother cells to code for objects and concepts. However, Plaut and McClelland (2010) and Quian Quiroga et al. (2008; Quian Quiroga and Kreiman, 2010) have vigorously opposed the notion of grandmother cells in the brain.
Changing Demographics and Programs at the Nebraska Correctional Center for Women, 1982-1998

Abstract Women inmates in Nebraska have demographic similarities and differences which are often at odds with contradicting national data. Over the past fifteen years, the demographics of women incarcerated at the Nebraska Center for Women have experienced substantial change. The number of inmates incarcerated for violent offenses has increased by 8 percent and now constitutes 42 percent of the overall inmate population. The number of inmates incarcerated for drug related offenses has similarly increased and now comprises 36 percent of the population, while 85 percent of all inmates have been identified as having a substance abuse problem. Unfortunately, the inpa-tient treatment program can only handle nineteen of those identified with drug problems, while another seventy remain on the waiting list. The number of inmates who are identified with chronic mental illness has increased and a request to house these individuals has been recommended. As in most prisons, the inmate population has continued to incr...
Non-Patient Decision-Making in Medicine: The Eclipse of Altruism

Despite its virtues, lay decision-making in medicine shares with professional decision-making a disturbing common feature, reflected both in formal policies prohibiting high-risk research and in informal policies favoring treatment decisions made when a crisis or change of status occurs, often late in a downhill course. By discouraging patient decision-making but requiring dedication to the patient's interests by those who make decisions on the patient's behalf, such practices tend to preclude altruistic choice on the part of the patient. This eclipse is to be regretted not just because widescale altruism has the capacity to provide important social goods and correct injustices in distribution, but for intrinsic reasons as well. It is argued that preserving the possibility of altruism obliges patients--and future patients--to make decisions about dying and other medical matters in advance, thus avoiding that displacement of decision-making onto lay and professional second parties which results in altruism's eclipse.
Orexin system is expressed in avian muscle cells and regulates mitochondrial dynamics.

Orexin A and B, orexigenic peptides produced primarily by the lateral hypothalamus that signal through two G protein-coupled receptors, orexin receptors 1/2, have been implicated in the regulation ...
Studies on the female sterile mutant rudimentary of Drosophila melanogaster. II. An analysis of aspartate transcarbamylase and dihydroorotase activities in wild-type and rudimentary strains

The activities of the enzymes aspartate transcarbamylase (ATCase) and dihydroorotase (DHOase) were determined in adult females from a wild-type strain and from eight different alleles of the X-linked mutation rudimentary (r) of Drosophila melanogaster. The alleles chosen span the genetic map of the r locus. The characteristics of the DHOase-catalyzed reaction which converts carbamyl aspartate to dihydroorotate are briefly described. Of all of the r strains tested, only one, r9, has wild-type levels of aspartate transcarbamylase and dihydroorotase activities. The other seven show either intermediate or very low levels of activity for both enzymes. The lowered ATCase and DHOase activities observed in mutants which do not map in the region of the structural gene for these enzymes are interpreted in light of recent evidence that ATCase and DHOase are part of a three-enzyme complex.
Bending behavior of low-cost sandwich plates

A simple sandwich plate theory, which is an extension of an existing sandwich beam theory, is presented. The solution for a sandwich plate simply supported along two opposite edges, free along the two other opposite edges, and loaded by a line load is developed with a superposition approach that has been used for classic isotropic plates. The construction of a low-cost sandwich plate using glass/PET facesheets and a nylon/PET core bonded together with a urethane adhesive is discussed. The experimental set-up to test the plate under the conditions assumed is described. Out-of-plane displacements using dial gage and shadow moire measurements are compared with predictions of the theory. The lack of ideal simple supports and accurate facesheet mechanical properties results in a less than ideal correlation between predictions and measurements. However, these issues are accounted for and a satisfactory correlation is obtained.
Heating season performance of a full-scale heat pipe assisted solar wall

Abstract Previous computer simulations and bench-scale experiments showed that the heat pipe assisted solar wall had the potential for significantly improved performance relative to conventional passive space heating systems. To further test this potential, a full-scale prototype of the heat pipe system was designed, built and installed in a classroom on the University of Louisville campus in Louisville, KY. During the spring heating season of 2010 (January–April), maximum daily peak thermal efficiency was 83.7% and average daily peak thermal efficiency was 61.4%. The maximum hourly average room gain achieved during the season was 163 W/m2. On days with good solar insolation, the thermal storage was heated to temperatures sufficient to provide significant energy to the classroom – even during the coldest days of the season. During the longest period (4 days) of low insolation during the season, average hourly heat delivery to the room from storage remained positive, and was never less than 16.6 W/m2. During good insolation days following a period of consecutive low insolation days, thermal storage temperature was quickly restored to levels comparable to those obtained during consecutive good insolation days. Estimated heat removal factor * transmittance absorptance product FR(τα) and heat removal factor * overall loss coefficient FRUL values for the system were comparable to those for glazed liquid active collectors.
Epidemiology and Challenges to the Elimination of Global Tuberculosis

Recent epidemiological indicators of tuberculosis (TB) indicate that the Millennium Development Goal of TB elimination by 2050 will not be achieved. The majority of incident cases are occurring in population-dense regions of Africa and Asia where TB is endemic. The persistence of TB in the setting of poor existing health infrastructure has led to an increase in drug-resistant cases, exacerbated by the strong association with human immunodeficiency virus coinfection. Spreading drug resistance threatens to undo decades of progress in controlling the disease. Several significant gaps can be identified in various aspects of national- and international-directed TB-control efforts. Various governing bodies and international organizations need to address the immediate challenges. This article highlights some of the major policies that lawmakers and funding institutions should consider. Existing economic and social obstacles must be overcome if TB elimination is to be a reachable goal.
Averaged Lagrangians and the mean effects of fluctuations in ideal fluid dynamics

We begin by placing the generalized Lagrangian mean (GLM) equations for a compressible adiabatic fluid into the Euler-Poincare (EP) variational framework of fluid dynamics, for an averaged Lagrangian. We then state the EP Averag- ing Result—that GLM equations arise from GLM Hamilton's principles in the EP framework. Next, we derive a new set of approximate small-amplitude GLM equations (gm equations) at second order in the fluctuating displacement of a Lagrangian trajectory from its mean position. These equations express the linear and nonlinear back-reaction effects on the Eulerian mean fluid quantities by the fluctuating displacements of the Lagrangian trajectories in terms of their Eulerian second moments. The derivation of the gm equations uses the linearized relations between Eulerian and Lagrangian fluctuations, in the tradition of Lagrangian stability analysis for fluids. The gm derivation also uses the method of averaged Lagrangians, in the tradition of wave, mean flow interaction (WMFI). The gm EP motion equations for compressible and incompressible ideal fluids are compared with the Euler-alpha turbulence closure equations. An alpha model is a GLM (or gm ) fluid theory with a Taylor hypothesis closure (THC). Such closures are based on the linearized fluctuation relations that determine the dynamics of the Lagrangian statistical quantities in the Euler-alpha closure equations. We use the EP Averaging Result to bridge between the GLM equations and the Euler-alpha closure equations. Hence, combining the small-amplitude approximation with THC yields in new gm turbulence closure equations for compressible fluids in the EP variational framework. © 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
Disintegration of Solid Foods in Human Stomach

Knowledge of the disintegration of solid foods in human stomach is essential to assess the bioavailability of nutrients in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. A comprehensive review of food gastric digestion, focusing on disintegration of solid foods, is presented. Most of the research reviewed in this paper is contained in the medical, pharmaceutical, food, and nutritional literature. Stomach physiology is briefly introduced, including composition and rheological properties of gastric contents, stomach wall motility in fed/fasted states, and hydrodynamic and mechanical forces that act on the ingested food. In vivo and in vitro methods used for studying food and drug digestion in GI are summarized. Stomach emptying rate, which controls the rate of absorption of nutrients, is highly related to the disintegration of foods. This topic is highlighted with focus on the important mechanisms and the influence of chemical and physical properties of foods. Future research in this area is identified to increase our fundamental understanding of the food digestion process in the stomach as related to the food composition, material properties such as texture and microstructure, and chemical characteristics. This information is necessary to develop new guidelines for seeking innovative processing methods to manufacture foods specifically targeted for health.
A Comparative Analysis of Thermal and Visual Modalities for Automated Facial Expression Recognition

Facial expressions are formed through complicated muscular actions and can be taxonomized using the Facial Action Coding System (FACS). FACS breaks down human facial expressions into discreet action units (AUs) and often combines them together to form more elaborate expressions. In this paper, we present a comparative analysis of performance of automated facial expression recognition from thermal facial videos, visual facial videos, and their fusion. The feature extraction process consists of first placing regions of interest (ROIs) at 13 fiducial regions on the face that are critical for evaluating all action units, then extracting mean value in each of the ROIs, and finally applying principal component analysis (PCA) to extract the deviation from neutral expression at each of the corresponding ROIs. To classify facial expressions, we train a feed-forward multilayer perceptron with the standard deviation expression profiles obtained from the feature extraction stage. Our experimental results depicts that the thermal imaging modality outperforms visual modality, and hence overcomes some of the shortcomings usually noticed in the visual domain due to illumination and skin complexion variations. We have also shown that the decision level fusion of thermal and visual expression classification algorithms gives better results than either of the individual modalities.
Effect of Fat in the Duodenum on Gastric Acid Secretion in Cats

In 3 cats with gastric fistulas, Heidenhain pouches, and duodenal cannulas, instillation of 15 ml of emulsified fat into the duodenum stimulated acid secretion from the Heidenhain pouches. Pentagastrin (1, 2, 4, and 8 μg per kg-hr) or histamine dihydrochloride (0.02; 0.04, 0.08, and 0.16 μg per kg-hr) were given by intravenous infusion and acid output was measured from the Heidenhain pouches with the gastric fistulas open. Either 15 ml of fat or 0.15 M NaCl solution was infused into the duodenum after acid secretion had reached a plateau. Fat increased acid secretion from the Heidenhain pouches at all doses of pentagastrin or histamine; the increase was greatest at low doses and became insignificant at higher doses. Intravenous infusion of 8.0 U per kg-hr of cholecystokinin evoked acid secretion which was slightly less than that induced by 15 ml of fat in the duodenum. When this dose of cholecystokinin was given with varying doses of pentagastrin, acid secretion increased at the lower pentagastrin doses but not at the higher ones. Therefore, in cats, both fat in the intestine and exogenous cholecystokinin behave as full agonists for acid secretion. There is no evidence that fat releases any substance in this species which could be considered an enterogastrone.
Towards early detection of the hydrolytic degradation of poly(bisphenol A)carbonate by hyphenated liquid chromatography and comprehensive two-dimensional liquid chromatography

The hydrolytic degradation of poly(bisphenol A)carbonate (PC) has been characterized by various liquid chromatography techniques. Size exclusion chromatography (SEC) showed a significant decrease in molecular mass as a result of hydrolytic degradation, while 'liquid chromatography at critical conditions' (LC-CC) was very successful for observing differences in functionality due to degradation, i.e. the formation of OH end-groups. To characterize and identify the observed differences semi on-line coupling of liquid chromatography to matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) has proved to be very useful. Comprehensive two-dimensional liquid chromatography (2D-LC) was also applied to study the hydrolytic degradation of poly(bisphenol A)carbonate. LC-CC × SEC showed that the formation of poly(bisphenol A)carbonate with OH end-groups occurred over the whole molecular mass range. This information could not be obtained with the separate liquid chromatographic techniques, thereby illustrating the usefulness of 2D-LC. The main degradation processes of poly(bisphenol A)carbonate under the applied hydrolysis conditions turned out to be disappearance of cyclic PC oligomers, chain scission of PC and (subsequent) formation of OH end-groups. FT-IR, SEC and LC-CC have been used to follow the hydrolytic degradation with time. LC-CC proved to be the most promising technique to detect the degradation of poly(bisphenol A)carbonate at an early stage. © 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
A gene regulatory network controlling the embryonic specification of endoderm

Specification of endoderm is the prerequisite for gut formation in the embryogenesis of bilaterian organisms. Modern lineage labelling studies have shown that in the sea urchin embryo model system, descendants of the veg1 and veg2 cell lineages produce the endoderm, and that the veg2 lineage also gives rise to mesodermal cell types. It is known that Wnt/β-catenin signalling is required for endoderm specification and Delta/Notch signalling is required for mesoderm specification. Some direct cis-regulatory targets of these signals have been found and various phenomenological patterns of gene expression have been observed in the pre-gastrular endomesoderm. However, no comprehensive, causal explanation of endoderm specification has been conceived for sea urchins, nor for any other deuterostome. Here we propose a model, on the basis of the underlying genomic control system, that provides such an explanation, built at several levels of biological organization. The hardwired core of the control system consists of the cis-regulatory apparatus of endodermal regulatory genes, which determine the relationship between the inputs to which these genes are exposed and their outputs. The architecture of the network circuitry controlling the dynamic process of endoderm specification then explains, at the system level, a sequence of developmental logic operations, which generate the biological process. The control system initiates non-interacting endodermal and mesodermal gene regulatory networks in veg2-derived cells and extinguishes the endodermal gene regulatory network in mesodermal precursors. It also generates a cross-regulatory network that specifies future anterior endoderm in veg2 descendants and institutes a distinct network specifying posterior endoderm in veg1-derived cells. The network model provides an explanatory framework that relates endoderm specification to the genomic regulatory code.
Contending With Stereotype Threat at Work: A Model of Long-Term Responses

Women and people of color are still underrepresented in many occupational roles. Being in a situation where one is underrepresented, and thus in the demographic minority, has been shown to be a factor leading to the experience of stereotype threat—the expectation that one will be judged or perceived on the basis of social identity group membership rather than actual performance and potential. Although numerous laboratory studies have documented the negative impact of stereotype threat on short-term task performance, its effects in applied contexts, such as work settings, remain unexplored. Utilizing theories from the social, organizational, and counseling psychology literatures, the authors propose a conceptual model of long-term responses to stereotype threat in the workplace. The authors posit a framework of possible responses to stereotype threat that include fending off the stereotype, discouraged by the stereotype, and resilient to the stereotype. Within each response set, there are numerous strategies that an individual can employ, with varying benefits and consequences. The authors conclude the
A framework for simulating hybrid MTJ/CMOS circuits: atoms to system approach

A simulation framework that can comprehend the impact of material changes at the device level to the system level design can be of great value, especially to evaluate the impact of emerging devices on various applications. To that effect, we have developed a SPICE-based hybrid MTJ/CMOS (magnetic tunnel junction) simulator, which can be used to explore new opportunities in large scale system design. In the proposed simulation framework, MTJ modeling is based on Landau-Lifshitz-Gilbert (LLG) equation, incorporating both spin-torque and external magnetic field(s). LLG along with heat diffusion equation, thermal variations, and electron transport are implemented using SPICE-inbuilt voltage dependent current sources and capacitors. The proposed simulation framework is flexible since the device dimensions such as MgO thickness and area, are user defined parameters. Furthermore, we have benchmarked this model with experiments in terms of switching current density (J C ), switching time (T SWITCH ) and tunneling magneto-resistance (TMR). Finally, we used our framework to simulate STT-MRAMs and magnetic flip-flops (MFF).
A randomized polynomial-time simplex algorithm for linear programming

We present the first randomized polynomial-time simplex algorithm for linear programming. Like the other known polynomial-time algorithms for linear programming, its running time depends polynomially on the number of bits used to represent its input.We begin by reducing the input linear program to a special form in which we merely need to certify boundedness. As boundedness does not depend upon the right-hand-side vector, we run the shadow-vertex simplex method with a random right-hand-side vector. Thus, we do not need to bound the diameter of the original polytope.Our analysis rests on a geometric statement of independent interest: given a polytope A x ≤ b in isotropic position, if one makes a polynomially small perturbation to b then the number of edges of the projection of the perturbed polytope onto a random 2-dimensional subspace is expected to be polynomial.
Third-party governance and performance measurement: A case study of publicly funded private school vouchers

This article considers the introduction of a performance measurement reform for private schools serving students who receive state-provided vouchers in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Drawing on unique panel data collected both before and after the reform, we show that private sector performance increased significantly when outcomes were publicly reported. We frame these results in the context of third-party provision of public services and argue that our evidence suggests that market-based competition alone may not drive nongovernmental providers to perform at optimal levels. Instead, such vendors may require performancemonitoring schemes similar to those faced by their governmental counterparts.