cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Brookfield Zoo's "Flying Walk" Exhibit: Formative Evaluation Aids in the Development of an Interactive Exhibit in an Informal Learning Setting

The use of formative evaluation to develop interactive exhibits can both aid the creation of a successful exhibit and be cost-effective for the institution. Priorto the final development of Brookfield Zoo's "Flying Walk" exhibit planners raised several concerns about how visitors would use the exhibit. Concerns about the exhibit related to its attracting and holding power; whether it would be used as a "jungle gym" rather than an opportunity to learn; and whether visitors would learn the concept the exhibit was designed to teach. A prototype of the exhibit was built and a four-part study conducted. A total of 527 visitors and an additional 99 groups participated in the study. The results of the study led decision makers to accept the proposed exhibit with some minor modifications as an effective means by which to communicate the concept of bird wing movement. Some of the findings include: 47% of the groups entering the Aquatic Bird House were attracted to the exhibit; groups using the exhibit or watching ...
Appreciating the precautionary principle as an ethical evolution in ocean management

Modern oceanic policies have begun to embrace the precautionary principle in regime formation. The debate as to the usefulness of the doctrine is voluminous and invariably centers around its dubious potential as an effective international policy tool. The debate appears irreversibly polarized and reflects the misunderstanding many scholars and policymakers have when confronted with new environmental doctrines: lost in the debate over attempting to “define”; the precautionary principle is the question of “why”; the doctrine figures prominently in today's international community. With a clearer understanding of the theoretical foundations of the precautionary principle, future oceanic regimes will apply the doctrine with a fuller appreciation as to what it is subtly signifying—a change in the international ethical order. Initially such changes within international policy processes are indiscernible, yet when recognized they prove to have profound implications for the future of international management regimes.
Automated Problem Determination Using Call-Stack Matching

We present an architecture and algorithms for performing automated software problem determination using call-stack matching. In an environment where software is used by a large user community, the same problem may re-occur many times. We show that this can be detected by matching the program call-stack against a historical database of call-stacks, so that as soon as the problem has been resolved once, future cases of the same or similar problems can be automatically resolved. This would greatly reduce the number of cases that need to be dealt with by human support analysts. We also show how a call-stack matching algorithm can be automatically learned from a small sample of call-stacks labeled by human analysts, and examine the performance of this learning algorithm on two different data sets.
Computer Analysis Reveals Similarities between the Artistic Styles of Van Gogh and Pollock

ABSTRACT Recent advances in computer vision and image processing have enabled basic automatic analysis of visual art. The author uses computer analysis to extract thousands of low-level numerical image content descriptors from digitized paintings, which are then used to compare objective levels of similarity between the artistic styles of different painters. The analysis reveals that Vincent Van Gogh's and Jackson Pollock's artistic styles are far more similar to each other in terms of low-level image features than Pollock's work is to that of other painters'. This report also proposes that this methodology is useful in quantifying similarities between painters or artistic styles based on large sets of numerical image content descriptors and for detecting influential links not easily detected by the unaided eye.
When is one estimate of evolutionary relationships a refinement of another

A new way to view a certain type of taxonomic character is presented and several fundamental results are rederived using this approach.
Referential Redundancy and the Integration of Verbal Information

Abstract In two experiments, college students read pairs of messages describing an actor's portrayal of a particular emotion. They were then asked to identify the one of 24 target photographs about which each message-pair was written. When the respondents' selections were made immediately after reading the message-pair, accuracy was inversely related to the redundancy of the two passages. Performance on the nonredundant pairs deteriorated relatively rapidly, however, when an arithmetic task was interpolated between the receipt of the message-pair and the presentation of the referent array from which the target was to be selected; by contrast, the redundant pairs elicited a stable performance pattern that was essentially unaffected by the interpolated arithmetic task. In a third experiment, each subject served as a transmitter. He was shown a target-photograph together with a “given” description and was asked to “supplement” it with a second description to produce a message-pair that would enable a recipient to identify the proper target-photograph in a decoding task of the type used in Experiments I and II. Given a choice between two “additional” descriptions that produced identical hit-rates when presented singly, respondents generally selected the passage that was more redundant with the “given” description.
Heat Transfer in Thin, Compact Heat Exchangers With Circular, Rectangular, or Pin-Fin Flow Passages

Heat transfer and pressure drop have been measured of three thin, compact heat exchangers in helium gas at 3.5 MPa and higher, with Reynolds numbers of 450 to 36,000. The flow geometries for the three heat exchanger specimens were: circular tube, rectangular channel, and staggered pin fin with tapered pins. The specimens were heated radiatively at heat fluxes up to 77 W/sq cm. Correlations were developed for the isothermal friction factor as a function of Reynolds number, and for the Nusselt number as a function of Reynolds number and the ratio of wall temperature to fluid temperature. The specimen with the pin fin internal geometry had significantly better heat transfer than the other specimens, but it also had higher pressure drop. For certain conditions of helium flow and heating, the temperature more than doubled from the inlet to the outlet of the specimens, producing large changes in gas velocity, density, viscosity, and thermal conductivity. These changes in properties did not affect the correlations for friction factor and Nusselt number in turbulent flow.
Elevated electrochemical impedance in the endoluminal regions with high shear stress: Implication for assessing lipid-rich atherosclerotic lesions

Abstract Background Identifying metabolically active atherosclerotic lesions remains an unmet clinical challenge during coronary intervention. Electrochemical impedance (EIS) increased in response to oxidized low density lipoprotein (oxLDL)-laden lesions. We hereby assessed whether integrating EIS with intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) and shear stress (ISS) provided a new strategy to assess oxLDL-laden lesions in the fat-fed New Zealand White (NZW) rabbits. Methods and results A micro-heat transfer sensor was deployed to acquire the ISS profiles at baseline and post high-fat diet (HD) in the NZW rabbits ( n =8). After 9 weeks of HD, serum oxLDL levels (mg/dL) increased by 140 fold, accompanied by a 1.5-fold increase in kinematic viscosity (cP) in the HD group. Time-averaged ISS (ISS ave ) in the thoracic aorta also increased in the HD group (baseline: 17.61±0.24 vs. 9 weeks: 25.22±0.95 dyne/cm 2 , n =4), but remained unchanged in the normal diet group (baseline: 22.85±0.53 dyn/cm 2 vs. 9 weeks: 22.37±0.57 dyne/cm 2 , n =4). High-frequency intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) revealed atherosclerotic lesions in the regions with augmented ISS ave , and concentric bipolar microelectrodes demonstrated elevated EIS signals, which were correlated with prominent anti-oxLDL immuno-staining (oxLDL-free regions: 497±55 Ω, n =8 vs. oxLDL-rich lesions: 679±125 Ω, n =12, P Conclusions By applying electrochemical impedance in conjunction with shear stress and high-frequency ultrasound sensors, we provided a new strategy to identify oxLDL-laden lesions. The study demonstrated the feasibility of integrating EIS, ISS, and IVUS for a catheter-based approach to assess mechanically unstable plaque.
Body Image and Eating Disturbance in Young Females

Sixty-one premenarcheal and 60 postmenarcheal female adolescents (ages 10–15) were measured for levels of body size estimation accuracy, body esteem, self-esteem, depression, eating disturbance, and teasing history regarding appearance. Age-matched subsamples of each group were also evaluated. There were few differences between groups on any of the measures, with the exception that postmenarche subjects had higher levels of eating disturbance. In general, there were significant relationships among eating disturbance, teasing history, depression, selfesteem, and body esteem. There was a trend for premenarche subjects to show stronger relationships between body esteem and other measures, whereas postmenarche females had higher correlations between size estimation indices and other variables. The findings are discussed with regard to the need to further investigate developmental issues in body image and eating disorders, particularly the salience of teasing as an etiological factor.
Lateral Giant Fibers of Crayfish: Location of Somata by Dye Injection

Using a new technique for injecting fluorescent dye, we have analyzed the intraganglionic architectutre of the lateral giant interneuron in crayfish. Each lateral giant interneuron comprises a giant axon, an ipsilateral dendritic arborization of fairly constant form, and a contralateral soma. Antidromic axon spikes produce only, small, electronic potentials in the soma; direct depolarization there fails to produce electrically excitable membrane responses and cannot discharge the main axon.
Role of patient education level in predicting macrosomia among women with gestational diabetes mellitus.

To evaluate the role of education level in predicting the risk of macrosomia among women with gestational diabetes mellitus. Women with gestational diabetes, who were referred to the California Diabetes and Pregnancy Sweet Success Program between June 2001 and December 2002, were included in the study. Multiple logistic regression was used estimate the risk of macrosomia, defined as a birth weight >4000 g. Compared to college-educated women, high school- and middle school-educated women were 21% (relative risk (RR), 1.21; 95% confidence intervals (CI), 1.01–1.44) and 35% (RR, 1.35; 95% CI, 1.09–1.70) more likely to deliver a macrosomic infant, respectively. Gestational diabetics with a lower level of educational attainment appear to have an increased risk of macrosomia. Future studies are necessary to determine whether this finding reflects a variation in adherence to recommended treatments by education/literacy level, or if it is a surrogate marker for intrinsic, biological differences or differences in lifestyle.
Optimal Control for the Series-Parallel Displacement Controlled Hydraulic Hybrid Excavator

In this paper a hydraulic hybrid system architecture for multi-actuator displacement controlled systems is analyzed. In particular the problem of optimal control for a hybrid excavator with four actuators is solved. The system states and controls are identified and classified into those which are cycle defined and those which are free to vary during the duty cycle. A state space model is derived for the hybrid system using the free states and controls and an outline of the algorithm used to apply dynamic programming to the system is described. The optimal controls and states for an aggressive truck loading cycle of the excavator are compared with suboptimal controls and states obtained using a rule based control strategy. Finally a comparison is made for the simulated fuel consumption of the system using optimal and suboptimal controls. A comparison is also made between the fuel consumption of the hybrid and non-hybrid excavators.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
Susceptibility of Clostridium septicum to 23 Antimicrobial Agents

Abstract The in vitro susceptibility of Clostridium septicum was studied with a microtiter broth dilution method. Several antimicrobial agents demonstrated consistently good activity against the organism.
Design of a Superconducting Quantum Computer

Current research in superconducting qubits shows that the basic hardware requirements for a quantum computer can likely be met in the next few years. I will discuss the design of a superconducting quantum computer based on a surface-code architecture. Article not available.
Rapid Robust Design of a Deployable System for Boost-Glide Vehicles

Deployable devices have the potential to reduce or eliminate physical constraints placed on vehicle design while enhancing the aerodynamics characteristics of the system. This investigation looks at augmenting an existing boost-glide system with a deployable device to increase the system’s range or accuracy by varying design parameters. Two dierent congurations are considered, one which has a single-delta shape and one with a doubledelta. A rapid robust design methodology that views the multidisciplinary design problem as a dynamical system is implemented to robustly design the deployable. This methodology allows concepts from dynamical system theory to be used in order to broaden the computational tools available to the MDO problem. In addition to the physical parameters of the deployable device, the impact of the guidance algorithm is also considered. The product of this investigation is a family of designs which compare favorably to those obtained through traditional Monte Carlo methods and are achievable in less than 5% of the computational time. The obtained deployable designs have the capability to enhance the baseline boost-glide system’s 1 range by 50% and improve the 1 accuracy by an order of magnitude. It is seen that the single-delta conguration
Modification of the Catalytic Function of Human Hydroxysteroid Sulfotransferase hSULT2A1 by Formation of Disulfide Bonds

The human cytosolic sulfotransferase hSULT2A1 catalyzes the sulfation of a broad range of xenobiotics, as well as endogenous hydroxysteroids and bile acids. Reversible modulation of the catalytic activity of this enzyme could play important roles in its physiologic functions. Whereas other mammalian sulfotransferases are known to be reversibly altered by changes in their redox environment, this has not been previously shown for hSULT2A1. We have examined the hypothesis that the formation of disulfide bonds in hSULT2A1 can reversibly regulate the catalytic function of the enzyme. Three thiol oxidants were used as model compounds to investigate their effects on homogeneous preparations of hSULT2A1: glutathione disulfide, 5,5′-dithiobis(2-nitrobenzoic acid), and 1,1’-azobis(N,N-dimethylformamide) (diamide). Examination of the effects of disulfide bond formation with these agents indicated that the activity of the enzyme is reversibly altered. Studies on the kinetics of the hSULT2A1-catalyzed sulfation of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) showed the effects of disulfide bond formation on the substrate inhibition characteristics of the enzyme. The effects of these agents on the binding of substrates and products, liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry identification of the disulfides formed, and structural modeling of the modified enzyme were examined. Our results indicate that conformational changes at cysteines near the nucleotide binding site affect the binding of both the nucleotide and DHEA to the enzyme, with the specific effects dependent on the structure of the resulting disulfide. Thus, the formation of disulfide bonds in hSULT2A1 is a potentially important reversible mechanism for alterations in the rates of sulfation of both endogenous and xenobiotic substrates.
Cellular immune response of brown soft scale Coccus hesperidum L. (Hemiptera: Coccidae) to eggs of Metaphycus luteolus Timberlake (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae)

Abstract The parasitic wasp, Metaphycus luteolus Timberlake, is an endoparasitoid of various soft scale insects including brown soft scale, Coccus hesperidum L. Development of this parasitoid in scale hosts is hindered by encapsulation. In the present study, using transmission and scanning electron microscopy, we show that hemocytes are responsible for encapsulation, which is mediated by the direct deposition of cells and melanin on the surface of M. luteolus eggs. By 12 h post-oviposition, scale hemocytes, presumably granulocytes, aggregate, spread and directly lyse on the surface of parasitoid eggs. This process continues for at least 1 day and results in the gradual formation of a capsule. Two to three days post-oviposition, a melanized capsule is well formed and signs of chemical deposition are evident by examination of the outer surface of the capsule. These results demonstrate that soft scale insects are fully capable of melanotic encapsulation of foreign material mediated by hemocytes.
International Migration, Deindustrialization and Union Decline in 16 Affluent OECD Countries, 1962–1997

This article, using unbalanced panel data on 16 affluent OECD countries, tests the effects of diverse aspects of globalization and deindustrialization on unionization trends. In contrast to the recent studies focusing on the conditional role of labor market institutions, this study underlines the role of two structural factors in transforming occupational structures and ethnic composition of labor force: deindustrialization and international labor mobility across borders. The results lend substantial credence to my argument that, while deindustrialization has driven dramatic declines in union density by shrinking employment in traditionally highly unionized manufacturing sector, international migration negatively affects unionization by increasing competitions and heterogeneity between low-skilled native and immigrant workers. The empirical findings raise the question of how trade unions can build solidarity between native and immigrant workers.
The Urgent Need to Train Teachers for Multigrade Pedagogy in African Schooling Contexts: Lessons from Uganda and Zambia.

Our research project funded by the British Council on multigrade teaching capacity building in Uganda and Zambia found that Uganda does not have a single higher education institution training teachers in multigrade pedagogy and Zambia has only one located at Serenje village in rural Zambia. Yet the research found that in both countries many teachers actually teach multigraded classes in spite of never having been trained in multigrade pedagogy. Our literature searches also found that this situation is not unique to these two countries but in fact very common throughout Africa. Moreover, multigrade is used not by pedagogical choice but by necessity because these countries do not have enough teachers, classrooms or other school equipment to universalize access to primary schooling on a monograde basis. Yet we know that there are well founded pedagogical reasons for using multigrade pedagogy in the education of learners, young and old. These findings lead us to the conclusion that it is not prudent to continue overlooking the potential of multigrade pedagogy to improve educational opportunities for children in African schooling contexts. This is especially true in rural and remote areas; it is therefore imperative to train teachers for multigrade pedagogy in Africa. This paper discusses the problems facing multigrade teaching in Africa and the reasons why multigrade has been neglected, the consequences of that neglect, and the need for a paradigm shift towards multigrade teaching so as to provide universal access to primary education for all children in Africa.
The mechanism of film formation from viscose

The coagulating and regenerating conditions that are necessary for the formation of a highly durable cellulosic film are described. It is shown that low orientation, low lateral order, low gel swelling, and cellulose with a high DP are primary requisites for best film properties. Experiments demonstrated that the application of a unidirectional stress produced an unbalance of physical properties in the film, and this, in general, had an adverse effect on the durability level of a packaging film. Studies of the rates of loss of water and sodium hydroxide from the viscose during coagulation revealed that thermal and osmotic effects were not as important in determining the rate of coagulation as was the buffering and neutralizing capacity of the bath. A bath with high acid content caused the cellulose to be regenerated prior to collapse of the sheet.
Societal correlates of diabetes prevalence: An analysis across 94 countries

Abstract Aims To quantify relationships between societal-level factors and diabetes prevalence and identify potential policy responses. Methods Using data from International Diabetes Federation, World Health Organization, World Bank, and Food and Agricultural Organization, we extracted recent estimates for country-level variables: total caloric availability; sugar, animal fat, fruit and vegetable availability; physical inactivity markers (vehicles per capita and value-added from service sector); gross domestic product per capita (GDP); imports; and age-adjusted mortality rate. We used generalized linear models to investigate relationships between these factors and diabetes prevalence. Results Median global diabetes prevalence was 6.4% in 2010. Every additional percentage point of calories from sugar/sweeteners and from animal fats were associated with 5% (OR: 1.05, 95% CI 1.02–1.07) and 3% (OR: 1.03, 95% CI 0.99–1.06) higher diabetes prevalence, respectively, while each additional unit in fruit and vegetable availability was associated with 3% lower diabetes prevalence (OR: 0.97, 95% CI 0.93–0.99). One percent higher GDP from the service industry was associated with a 1% higher diabetes prevalence (OR: 1.01, 95% CI 0.99–1.02). Conclusion Macro-level societal factors are associated with diabetes prevalence. Investigating how these factors affect individual-level diabetes risk may offer further insight into policy-level interventions.
Spread-signature CDMA: efficient multiuser communication in the presence of fading

A new class of orthogonal code-division multiple-access (CDMA) systems is developed for efficient multiuser communication in environments subject to multipath fading phenomena. The key characteristic of these new systems, which we refer to as "spread-signature CDMA" systems, is that the associated signature sequences are significantly longer than the interval between symbols. Using this approach, the transmission of each symbol of each user is, in effect, spread over a wide temporal and spectral extent, which is efficiently exploited to combat the effects of fading. These systems generalize and improve on the spread-response precoding systems. Both efficient signature sets and efficient receiver structures for such systems are developed. Several aspects of the performance of the resulting spread-signature CDMA systems are presented, including both the achievable bit-error rate characteristics and the effective capacity of such systems. The results suggest that spread-signature CDMA may be an attractive alternative to conventional CDMA in a variety of application scenarios. >
Outcome of Infants with Cystic Fibrosis Requiring Mechanical Ventilation for Respiratory Failure

Previous studies have documented a 75 to 80 percent mortality rate in infants (less than 12 months) with cystic fibrosis who present with RF/MV. We investigated the current outcome of these patients by comparing the outcome of five infants with cystic fibrosis and RF/MV between the years 1980 and 1986 with that of age-matched control subjects with cystic fibrosis and no respiratory failure. Recent Shwachman scores and the number of hospitalizations during the study period were used to assess outcome. All study cases were alive one to six years after the episode of RF/MV. Their mean Shwachman score (83 [range: 70 to 95]) did not differ from the recent mean Shwachman score (78 [range: 50 to 95]) of the control group. Number of hospitalizations did not differ between groups. We conclude that the outcome of infants with cystic fibrosis whose initial presentation is RF/MV is not as grave as once thought. If indicated, infants with cystic fibrosis and respiratory failure should be ventilated.
The Reaction Mechanism of the Enantioselective Tsuji Allylation: Inner-Sphere and Outer-Sphere Pathways, Internal Rearrangements, and Asymmetric C–C Bond Formation

We use first principles quantum mechanics (density functional theory) to report a detailed reaction mechanism of the asymmetric Tsuji allylation involving prochiral nucleophiles and nonprochiral allyl fragments, which is consistent with experimental findings. The observed enantioselectivity is best explained with an inner-sphere mechanism involving the formation of a 5-coordinate Pd species that undergoes a ligand rearrangement, which is selective with regard to the prochiral faces of the intermediate enolate. Subsequent reductive elimination generates the product and a Pd^0 complex. The reductive elimination occurs via an unconventional seven-centered transition state that contrasts dramatically with the standard three-centered C–C reductive elimination mechanism. Although limitations in the present theory prevent the conclusive identification of the enantioselective step, we note that three different computational schemes using different levels of theory all find that inner-sphere pathways are lower in energy than outer-sphere pathways. This result qualitatively contrasts with established allylation reaction mechanisms involving prochiral nucleophiles and prochiral allyl fragments. Energetic profiles of all reaction pathways are presented in detail.
Is high–dose rate RapidArc-based radiosurgery dosimetrically advantageous for the treatment of intracranial tumors?

In linac-based stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) and radiotherapy (SRT), circular cone(s) or conformal arc(s) are conventionally used to treat intracranial lesions. However, when the target is in close proximity to critical structures, it is frequently quite challenging to generate a quality plan using these techniques. In this study, we investigated the dosimetric characteristics of using high-dose rate RapidArc (RA) technique for radiosurgical treatment of intracranial lesions. A total of 10 intracranial SRS/SRT cases previously planned using dynamic conformal arc (DCA) or cone-based techniques have been included in this study. For each case, 3 treatment plans were generated: (1) a DCA plan with multiple noncoplanar arcs, (2) a high-dose rate RA plan with arcs oriented the same as DCA (multiple-arc RA), and 3) a high-dose rate RA plan with a single coplanar arc (single-arc RA). All treatment plans were generated under the same prescription and similar critical structure dose limits. Plan quality for different plans was evaluated by comparing various dosimetric parameters such as target coverage, conformity index (CI), homogeneity index (HI), critical structures, and normal brain tissue doses as well as beam delivery time. With similar critical structure sparing, high-dose rate RA plans can achieve much better target coverage, dose conformity, and dose homogeneity than the DCA plans can. Plan quality indices CI and HI, for the DCA, multiple-arc RA, and single-arc RA techniques, were measured as 1.67 ± 0.39, 1.32 ± 0.28, and 1.38 ± 0.30 and 1.24 ± 0.11, 1.10 ± 0.04, and 1.12 ± 0.07, respectively. Normal brain tissue dose (V12Gy) was found to be similar for DCA and multiple-arc RA plans but much larger for the single-arc RA plans. Beam delivery was similar for DCA and multiple-arc RA plans but shorter with single-arc RA plans. Multiple-arc RA SRS/SRT can provide better treatment plans than conventional DCA plans, especially for complex cases.
Tautological Classes on the Moduli Spaces of Stable Maps to P r via Torus Actions

We present a localization proof of the fact that the cohomology of the moduli spaces of genus zero stable maps to projective spaces is entirely tautological. In addition, we obtain a description of a Bialynicki-Birula decomposition of the stack of stable maps in the context of Gathmann's moduli spaces of maps with prescribed contact order to a fixed hyperplane. We show that the decomposition is filterable.
Characterization of shrub distribution using high spatial resolution remote sensing: Ecosystem implications for a former Chihuahuan Desert grassland

Patchiness is often considered a defining quality of ecosystems in arid and semiarid regions. The spatial distribution of vegetation patches and soil nutrients coupled with wind and water erosion as well as biotic processes are believed to have an influence on land degradation. A geostatistical measure of spatial “connectivity” is presented to directly measure the size of patches in the landscape from a raster data set. Connectivity is defined as the probability that adjacent pixels belong to the same type of patch. Connectivity allows the size distribution of erodible patches to be quantified from a remote sensing image or field measurement, or specified for the purposes of modeling. Applied to high-resolution remote sensing imagery in the Jornada del Muerto Basin in New Mexico, the spatial distribution of plants indicates the current state of grassland-to-shrubland transition in addition to processes of degradation in this former grassland. Shrub encroachment is clearly evident from decreased intershrub patch size in coppice dunes of 27.8m relative to shrublands of 65.2m and grassland spacing of 118.9m. Shrub patches remain a consistent 2–4m diameter regardless of the development of bush encroachment. A strong SW–NE duneland orientation correlates with the prevailing wind direction and suggests a strong aeolian control of surface geomorphology. With appropriate data sets and classification, potential applications of the connectivity method extend beyond vegetation dynamics, including mineralogy mapping, preserve planning, habitat fragmentation, pore spacing in surface hydrology, and microbial community dynamics.
Antibodies Get a Break

The process by which a lymphocyte specifies antibody production may have evolved by exploiting existing cellular DNA repairing mechanisms.
Widespread Phosphorylation of Histone H2AX by Species C Adenovirus Infection Requires Viral DNA Replication

Adenovirus infection activates cellular DNA damage response and repair pathways. Viral proteins that are synthesized before viral DNA replication prevent recognition of viral genomes as a substrate for DNA repair by targeting members of the sensor complex composed of Mre11/Rad50/NBS1 for degradation and relocalization, as well as targeting the effector protein DNA ligase IV. Despite inactivation of these cellular sensor and effector proteins, infection results in high levels of histone 2AX phosphorylation, or gammaH2AX. Although phosphorylated H2AX is a characteristic marker of double-stranded DNA breaks, this modification was widely distributed throughout the nucleus of infected cells and was coincident with the bulk of cellular DNA. H2AX phosphorylation occurred after the onset of viral DNA replication and after the degradation of Mre11. Experiments with inhibitors of the serine-threonine kinases ataxia telangiectasia mutated (ATM), AT- and Rad3-related (ATR), and DNA protein kinase (DNA-PK), the kinases responsible for H2AX phosphorylation, indicate that H2AX may be phosphorylated by ATR during a wild-type adenovirus infection, with some contribution from ATM and DNA-PK. Viral DNA replication appears to be the stimulus for this phosphorylation event, since infection with a nonreplicating virus did not elicit phosphorylation of H2AX. Infected cells also responded to high levels of input viral DNA by localized phosphorylation of H2AX. These results are consistent with a model in which adenovirus-infected cells sense and respond to both incoming viral DNA and viral DNA replication.
Daily Diaries vs Retrospective Questionnaires to Assess Asthma Control and Therapeutic Responses in Asthma Clinical Trials: Is Participant Burden Worth the Effort?

Background Presently, there is insufficient information to compare the value of daily diaries vs retrospective questionnaires for assessing symptoms in relationship to asthma control in clinical trials. Daily symptom diaries are often burdensome to gather, incomplete, susceptible to fabrication, and of questionable reliability. There is also concern that retrospective symptom questionnaires may be subject to poor recall and may be insensitive. Methods To compare these two methods of assessing symptoms reporting, we analyzed data collected during the Best Add-on Therapy Giving Effective Responses (BADGER) trial. During the trial, asthma control in 182 children aged 6 to 17 years was assessed in two ways: (1) by asthma control days (ACDs) determined by manually recorded daily diary symptom and rescue medication use scores and (2) by monthly retrospective report of symptoms embedded within the age-appropriate version of the Asthma Control Test (ACT). Correlations between ACDs and ACT scores were analyzed, and the sensitivity of each method for measuring asthma control and determining the differential response among the three BADGER treatments was evaluated. Results Although validated using a 4-week recall period, ACT correlated better with daily diary information from the last 2 weeks of the 4-week recall ( r = 0.46) than from the first 2 weeks ( r = 0.34). In addition, clinically significant differential treatment responses were detected using ACDs but not ACT scores. Conclusions The results of this study indicate that daily diaries used to determine ACDs can be a more sensitive tool than ACT for assessing differential treatment responses with respect to asthma control.
Optics for volume servers

Photonic interconnects provide a solution to the problems of power consumption and diminishing communication radius in volume servers, but cost considerations dictate a very different photonic infrastructure than is found in other applications.
Evaluation of Response Statistics of Moment Resisting Steel Frames under Seismic Excitation

A method of evaluation of the response statistics of a low rise, moment resisting steel frame, located at a high seismicity region is presented in this paper. Available geological and seismological information at the site of interest is used to identify the parameters of a ground motion model for future future seismic excitations. A strong column-weak beam (SCWB) structural model is developed to model the frame with reduced degrees of freedom and hence lower the computational cost of the analysis. The inelastic behavior of the system is modeled by a smooth hysteresis model which can be linearized in closed form and the response statistics to future earthquakes are obtained by the random vibration method. The method yields very good results compared to Monte Carlo simulations with a significant reduction in computational effort. The response statistics obtained can be used in the assessment of the performance and reliability of the building.
Thermodynamic Stability of Ordered Intermetallic Compound Phases

The Wagner-Schottky model was used to describe the thermodynamic behavior of ordered intermetallic compound phases. To demonstrate the utility of the approach, the models developed for triple-defect B2 (and B32) and anti-structure L10 phases were used to describe the thermodynamic properties of β -A1Li and γ-TiAl respectively. Since any potential engineering materials to be developed on the basis of intermetallics will be multi-component systems, the methodology was extended to describe the thermodynamic properties of ternary intermetallics. The ternary Ti-Mo-Al system was used as an example for discussion. It is believed that the general topologies concerning the phase equilibria of Ti-M-AI with M being V, Nb, Ta, Mo and W are similar. The relative stabilities of the competing phases, i.e. BCC and HCP, in the mid-composition region of Ti-M-AI were discussed.
Interplay of surface chemistry and ion content in nanoparticle-filled solid polymer electrolytes

We investigate the influence of nanofiller surface chemistry and ion content on the conductivity of nanofilled PEO + LiClO4 solid polymer electrolytes (SPEs) using dielectric spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), FESEM, and quasi-elastic neutron scattering (QENS). We consider the concentration series EO/Li = 8:1, 10:1 (eutectic composition), 14:1, with both acidic α-Al2O3 and neutral γ-Al2O3 nanoparticles. The acidic filler is more effective at increasing conductivity at the non- eutectic compositions. In contrast, the two surface chemistries provide comparable increases at the eutectic composition. This composition maximizes the influence of nanofillers, regardless of surface chemistry. We find no significant changes in crystallinity, glass transition temperature, nanoparticle dispersion, or PEO segmental dynamics as a function of surface chemistry. In the absence of salt, acidic particles slow PEO dynamics more than neutral particles, suggesting that the PEO chains and the acidic surfac...
Eight New Species of Eriophyid Mites

Aceria cynodonis , A. ambrosiae , A. chrysothamni , A. bowlesiae , A. brevisetacus , A. purshiae , Paraphytoptus artemisiae , and Eriophyes arida are described. These species were found in and around peach orchards in California.
Thermal and slip mechanism effects in rapid indentation by a flat punch

The rapid indentation of a fully-coupled thermoelastic body by a flat, smooth rigid punch is studied in a 2D dynamic analysis. A semi-infinite punch width is assumed to be a valid short-time model, and a zone of slip mechanisms is assumed to form under the punch edge, and to relax the stresses there. The mathematical problem is reduced by superposition and transform methods to a Wiener-Hopf equation which, despite the dependence of poles and branch points on the time transform parameter, can be solved exactly. Imposition of the stress relaxation property of the zone then removes the singularity in punch edge stresses, thereby giving a relation for the contact region temperature change. Because a thermoelastic characteristic length of 0(10−4)μm is the scale factor, this transform can be inverted for so-called long times without invalidating the short-time nature of the model. The inversion shows that, despite the absence of actual plasticity and contact friction, nominal but not negligible temperature increases can occur in the contact region.
Simultaneous measurement of etravirine, maraviroc and raltegravir in pigtail macaque plasma, vaginal secretions and vaginal tissue using a LC-MS/MS assay.

Etravirine (ETR), maraviroc (MVC) and raltegravir (RAL) are promising antiretroviral drugs being used in HIV treatment and may be interesting for prevention applications such as oral or topical pre-exposure prophylaxis. Here we describe a sensitive and accurate method for the simultaneous detection of ETR, MVC and RAL from pigtail macaque plasma, vaginal secretions, and vaginal tissue. This method is characterized by a straightforward precipitation extraction method, a limit of quantification 94% in all cases. We also show that extracted biological samples are stable after storage at room temperature or 4°C and after three freeze/thaw cycles. This is the first analytical method capable of quantifying ETR, MVC and RAL in biological matrices relevant for pre-clinical testing of oral or topical HIV prevention methods in pigtailed macaques.
Survey on Awareness Rate of A/H1N1 Influenza Knowledge among Residents in Jinshan District of Shanghai

[Objective]To investigate the awareness status of A/H1N1 influenza knowledge among important person in Jinshan district,provide the basis for making the health education strategy in the next stage.[Methods]4 key units were collected by cluster random sampling,200 residents of them were investigated by face-to-face questionnaire survey.[Results]96.00 % of respondents could answer the right infection route of A/H1N1 influenza completely or partially,88.50% could answer the symptoms correctly.The awareness rates of preventive measures,including avoiding exposure to patients and going to crowded palce,were 92.00% and 89.50%respectively.The main knowledge source and need of A/H1N1 influenza was mass media,such as radio and television,newspapers,magazines and internet.90.00% of respondents had a great confidence in the epidemic prevention and control in Shanghai.[Conclusion]On the current,the cognition of A/H 1N 1 influenza among residents reached a high level,but it was not comprehensive in some aspects.The results indicated that a great deal of health education in the earlier stage were effective.The health education should be improved in the next stage,such as mass media combined with professional health education,defining focal point and classified guidance.
CGS 8515 and indomethacin attenuate cytokine-induced cardiopulmonary dysfunction in pigs.

We evaluated the effect of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukin-1 alpha (IL-1 alpha) on pig cardiopulmonary function by intravenously infusing each cytokine individually or in combination (0.5 microgram/kg from 0 to 0.5 h + 5 ng.kg-1 x min-1 from 0.5 to 6 h for each cytokine). The role of eicosanoids in mediating the TNF-alpha + IL-1 alpha-induced cardiopulmonary dysfunction was also investigated by pretreating cytokine-infused pigs with CGS 8515 (5-lipoxygenase inhibitor) or indomethacin (cyclooxygenase inhibitor). Coinfusion of TNF-alpha with IL-1 alpha caused additive increases (P < 0.05) in total peripheral resistance and plasma concentrations of 6-keto-prostaglandin F1 alpha (PGF1 alpha). The increases in mean pulmonary arterial pressure (Ppa), pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR), alveolar-arterial O2 gradient (AaDO2), alveolar dead space-to-tidal volume ratio (VD/VT), and plasma concentrations of thromboxane B2 were either additive or synergistic. CGS 8515 blocked the TNF-alpha + IL-1 alpha-induced increases (P < 0.05) in mean aortic pressure, total peripheral resistance (4-6 h), VD/VT (5-6 h), and, at 6 h, attenuated the increases in Ppa, PVR, and AaDO2. Indomethacin blocked or attenuated the cytokine-induced increases (P < 0.05) in Ppa, PVR, AaDO2, VD/VT, and plasma concentrations of thromboxane B2 and 6-keto-PGF1 alpha. The 1-to 2-h systemic hypotension, caused by TNF-alpha + IL-1 alpha, was not abrogated by either indomethacin or CGS 8515. The cytokines did not alter plasma concentrations of leukotriene B4 or 5-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid. We conclude that coinfusion of TNF-alpha with IL-1 alpha induces physiological responses that are additive or synergistic and that cyclooxygenase and 5-lipoxygenase products (other than leukotriene B4 and 5-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid) importantly mediate cardiopulmonary dysfunction in pigs infused with TNF-alpha + IL-1 alpha.
Introduction: The Origin of Logic

The question of the origin of logic may pertain to historical origin (When did it all begin? Who founded the science of logic?), psychological origin (When, in the course of its mental development, does the child learn logical operations?), cultural origin (What cultural — theological, metaphysical and linguistic — conditions make such a discipline as logic possible?), or transcendental-constitutive origin (What sorts of acts and/or practices make logic possible?).
Can a Made-for-Consumer Activity Monitor Assess Physical Activity in Adolescents and Young Adults After Lower Extremity Limb Salvage for Osseous Tumors?

BACKGROUND The purpose of this study was to test the validity of a consumer-oriented activity monitor in adolescents and young adults undergoing limb salvage for primary bone malignancies. METHODS A cross-sectional population of participants with an average age of 16 (range 12 to 22) years produced 472 days of activity monitoring during 25 evaluations periods alongside patient-reported outcome measures. RESULTS Average daily steps ranged from 557 to 12,756 (mean=4711) and was moderately associated with the short-form (SF) 36 physical component subscale (r=0.46, P=0.04) as well as the SF6D health state utility measure (r=0.48, P=0.04), but not the SF36 mental component subscale (P=0.66) or Toronto extremity salvage score (P=0.07). Time from surgery was strongly correlated with average daily steps (r=0.7, P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS A made-for-consumer activity monitor provided real-world data regarding the outcome of adolescent and young adult limb salvage, and evidence of validity in this population. Such lower cost, user-friendly devices may facilitate assessment of free-living activity and allow novel comparisons of treatment strategies. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE Level II-diagnostic.
On-board parameter learning using a model reference adaptive position and attitude controller

The Synchronized Position Hold Engage Reorient Experimental Satellites (SPHERES) is a testbed aboard the International Space Station (ISS) developed by MIT's Space System Laboratory (SSL) to test control and autonomy algorithms in a full six degrees of freedom (6DOF) microgravity environment. With the recent launch of the Halo Expansion Device, an attachment for the SPHERES testbed that accommodates up to six peripheral devices — such as docking ports, stereo-vision cameras, robotic arms, etc. — the available hardware configuration space for the SPHERES facility has been greatly expanded. However, this capability increase comes with an increment in complexity; without being able to fully recreate the space environment on the ground, it is not possible to determine all the parameters needed to entirely describe the system dynamics without completing system identification tests on-orbit (aboard the ISS, in this case). Additionally, given the size of the space spanned by all the possible peripheral configurations, the task of performing identification methods on-orbit starts to become intractable, significantly hindering the available control authority to be exerted upon the system. This problem is not particular to SPHERES, but it is also a potential concern for spacecraft performing actions such as autonomous docking, reconfiguration, or assembly (e.g., tugging a defunct satellite and docking to an uncooperative tumbling target). In order to overcome and be robust against the unknown properties and poor models caused by said issues, a position and attitude Model Reference Adaptive Controller (MRAC) was designed and implemented to perform on-board learning of the unknown model parameters. Ground tests using distinct hardware configurations were conducted using the SPHERES platform and its glass table facility to assess the algorithm's performance.
Comparing Interactivity on Twitter by Political Reporters at TV Networks, Online-Only News Websites, and Newspapers:

Although the public regularly attempts to interact with reporters on Twitter, it is not clear to what extent reporters at various types of news outlets engage with citizens, politicians, and other ...
The effect of hospital familiarity with complex procedures on overall healthcare burden.

Abstract Background This study aimed to evaluate variations in prolonged outcome after proctectomy based on hospital volume. Study design From the Premier Perspective database (2012–2014), hospital volumes for proctectomy of benign and malignant conditions were classified as low, intermediate and high. Hospitals were grouped into tertiles. Impact of procedure volume on in-hospital as well as 90-day post-discharge complications, length of stay, discharge destination and costs was evaluated. Results Of 9306 proctectomy procedures, 6960 occurred at high, 1695 at intermediate and 651 at low volume hospitals. After adjustment, high volume institutions were associated with lower in-hospital surgical complications while low volume centers had higher ninety-day post-discharge medical and surgical complications (p Conclusion These data suggest that variations in outcomes and costs after complex procedures such as proctectomy exist and are related to institutional familiarity with a procedure.