cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Electric-field dependence of the effective dielectric constant in graphene.

The dielectric constant of a material is one of the fundamental features used to characterize its electrostatic properties such as capacitance, charge screening, and energy storage capability. Graphene is a material with unique behavior due to its gapless electronic structure and linear dispersion near the Fermi level, which can lead to a tunable band gap in bilayer and trilayer graphene, a superconducting-insulating transition in hybrid systems driven by electric fields, and gate-controlled surface plasmons. All of these results suggest a strong interplay between graphene properties and external electric fields. Here we address the issue of the effective dielectric constant (e) in N-layer graphene subjected to out-of-plane (E(ext)(⊥)) and in-plane (E(ext)(||)) external electric fields. The value of e has attracted interest due to contradictory reports from theoretical and experimental studies. Through extensive first-principles electronic structure calculations, including van der Waals interactions, we show that both the out-of-plane (e(⊥)) and the in-plane (e(||)) dielectric constants depend on the value of applied field. For example, e(⊥) and e(||) are nearly constant (~3 and ~1.8, respectively) at low fields (E(ext) < 0.01 V/A) but increase at higher fields to values that are dependent on the system size. The increase of the external field perpendicular to the graphene layers beyond a critical value can drive the system to a unstable state where the graphene layers are decoupled and can be easily separated. The observed dependence of e(⊥) and e(||) on the external field is due to charge polarization driven by the bias. Our results point to a promising way of understanding and controlling the screening properties of few-layer graphene through external electric fields.
Research on Testing Scheme of 1000kV GIS Pipe Current Transformer

This paper introduced the general situation of 1000kV GIS current transformer.Based on the technical characteristic and development condition of GIS current transformer,the paper made the detection scheme according to UHV of our province,and gave the technical parameters and requirements for the detection equipment.
On the Development of Emergency Medicine in University Hospitals

Emergency medicine is a new medical discipline involving emergency treatment and catastrophe medicine etc. With the development of emergency medical service system (EMSS) and the community medical service system in China, university hospitals serve as an important community emergency treatment unit in the social emergency treatment network. In this paper, we present the practice and progress in the building and development of emergency medicine in Northwestern Polytechnic University Hospital from the following four aspects: 1. the role of university hospitals in emergency treatment in the social emergency treatment network; 2. building a high-efficient emergency ward and emergency treatment pedures;3.training of the doctors and nurses for on-the-spot emergency treatment; 4. the management of emergency medical services.
Discussing treatment options with patients.

Sometimes it may seem easier to inject a subacromial bursa or aspirate a knee joint than to engage in shared decision making with your patients about the use of aspirin for coronary artery disease prevention or a PSA test for prostate cancer screening. The path that led to the disparate valuations of these services has become progressively less clear.
Complex Fuzzy Logic Reasoning-Based Methodologies for Quantitative Software Requirements Specifications

Quantitative software engineering is one of the most important paradigms for software development. That is, Requirements, Analysis, Design, Coding, and Testing. One of the challenges associated with quantitative software engineering is the fact that many of the quantifiable parameters are concomitant with uncertainty. Part of the uncertainty is due to the fact that a significant portion of the software engineering process involves human beings presenting rational, yet difficult to quantify, behavior. Due to this fact, soft computing approaches, specifically fuzzy logic based reasoning, present significant opportunities for constructing sound quantitative software engineering models. This work presents a new and innovative approach for fuzzy logic based quantitative software engineering procedures. We present a complex fuzzy logic based inference system used to account for the intricate relations between software engineering constraints such as quality, software features, and development effort. The new model concentrates on the requirements specifications part of the software engineering process. Moreover, the new model significantly improves the expressive power and inference capability of the soft computing component in the soft computing based quantitative software engineering.
Toward a Tweet Typology: Contributory Consumer Engagement With Brand Messages by Content Type

ABSTRACTThis study assesses brand messages on Twitter (i.e., tweets broadcasted by a brand) and the contributory engagement a tweet receives. It presents a typology for brand messages that accounts for 92.6% of messages found. Findings offer mild support for self-concept and self-enhancement as drivers of engagement. This research also tests assumptions made by marketers regarding social content. Brand messages that promoted giveaways positively influenced engagement, giving support to Berger's (2012) behavioral residue claim. Brand messages that mentioned popular culture events and current holidays positively influenced engagement, suggesting that brands that humanize do see benefits. Finally, promotional messages negatively influenced engagement, suggesting that consumers are skeptical of product information that comes directly from brands.
Radical theatrics: put-ons, politics, and the sixties

Hologram protesters outside Spanish government buildings; Sea Turtles marching against the World Trade Organization in Seattle; media pranksters, the Yes Men, posing as corporate spokespeople to re...
Introduction: Critical Approaches to Education Policy Analysis

Our purpose in this book is twofold. The main purpose is to discuss the methodological implications of critical approaches to educational policy analysis. A second purpose of the book is to provide concrete examples, and thus road maps, for engaging in critical policy analysis. Neither of these purposes can be achieved without an introduction to the basic ideas in this approach. We therefore devote this chapter to introducing some of the basic elements of critical policy analysis (CPA), including some of the fundamental ontological and epistemological claims as well as their implications for investigating educational policy. From this starting point, the reader will then find a variety of ways that other critical policy scholars have chosen to pursue this work.
Fluorescent Sensors Based on Indicator Displacement

Indicator displacement assays (IDAs) are a powerful method to construct chemical sensors out of receptors otherwise devoid of optical / spectroscopic properties, simply by non-covalent conjugation to an appropriate dye. This approach has proven particularly powerful when paired with fluorescence detection techniques, thanks to their high sensitivity and relative lack of interference. We introduce the conceptual underpinnings of the IDA approach, and highlight the theoretical advantages of fluorescence-based detection in these systems. We then review some recent advances in the field of chemical sensing of particular power and versatility in the sensing of cations (e.g. heavy metals), anions (of biological, environmental, industrial relevance), carbohydrates (from simple sugars to complex polysaccharides), and other analytical targets.
Sequence-Dependent Materials

Sequence-dependent materials are a class of materials in which a compositionally aperiodic apportionment of functional groups leads to properties where the whole performs better than the sum of the parts. Here, we discuss what defines a sequence-dependent material, and how the concept can be realized in crystals of extended structures such as metal–organic frameworks.
Physical computing for everyone

Thanks to Moore's Law, embeddable microcontroller-based devices continue to get cheaper, faster, and include more integrated sensors and networking options. In 2016, the BBC and a host of technical partners, including Microsoft, delivered such a physical computing device, the micro:bit, to every 5th grader in the UK. Microsoft Research helped to make the micro:bit easy to program for novices. The non-profit Micro:bit Education Foundation (microbit.org), of which Microsoft is a founding partner, was recently created to take the micro:bit global. Over the last year, Microsoft has invested in a new web-based programming platform for physical computing in education, called Microsoft MakeCode (www.makecode.com). In this talk, I'll describe the design principles behind the platform and our experience with it to date.
Patient-Reported Health-Related Quality-of-Life Assessment at the Point-of-Care with Adolescents and Young Adults with Cancer.

Purpose: Advances in health-related quality-of-life (HRQL) measurement enable point-of-care assessments. We incorporated the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS®) Global Health Scale in routine outpatient evaluations of adolescent and young adult (AYA) oncology patients and survivors at two geographically distinct U.S. institutions. Methods: AYAs (18–39 years old) completed the 10-question PROMIS Global. Summary subscale scores for Global Physical Health (GPH) and Global Mental Health (GMH) were produced using established scoring algorithms (standardized mean = 50, standard deviation = 10). In addition to comparisons by treatment status, associations between lower subscale scores (<45, previously defined as clinically meaningful) and patient characteristics were assessed using two-sample t-tests among those off treatment. Results: Of 147 patients approached, 142 consented. Mean age was 24.6 ± 5.3 years; 53.5% were male; and 61.3% had hematologic malignancies. Most (76%) were o...
Mobile phone based ELISA (MELISA)

Abstract Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) is one of the most important technologies for biochemical analysis critical for diagnosis and monitoring of many diseases. Traditional systems for ELISA incubation and reading are expensive and bulky, thus cannot be used at point-of-care or in the field. Here, we propose and demonstrate a new miniature mobile phone based system for ELISA (MELISA). This system can be used to complete all steps of the assay, including incubation and reading. It weighs just 1 pound, can be fabricated at low cost, portable, and can transfer test results via mobile phone. We successfully demonstrated how MELISA can be calibrated for accurate measurements of progesterone and demonstrated successful measurements with the calibrated system.
Comment on “Solution Thermodynamics of Benzotriazole in Different Pure Solvents”

Mole fraction solubilities were calculated for benzotriazole dissolved in methanol, 2-propanol, 2-butanol, and acetonitrile at 298.15 K based on the published equation coefficients for the modified Apelblat model. In the case of the three alcohol solvents, the calculated mole fraction solubilities of benzotriazole were found to differ by up to 30% from the back-calculated values that the authors reported in their published paper. A significantly larger difference was found in the case of benzotriazole dissolved in acetonitrile.
Light-duty vehicle MPG (miles per gallon) and market shares report, Model year 1989

This issue of Light-Duty Vehicle MPG and Market Shares Report: Model Year 1989 reports the estimated sales-weighted fuel economies, sales, market shares, and other vehicle characteristics of automobiles and light trucks. The estimates are made on a make and model basis (e.g., Chevrolet is a make and Corsica is a model), from model year 1976 to model year 1989. Vehicle sales data are used as weighting factors in the sales-weighted estimation procedure. Thus, the estimates represent averages of the overall new vehicle fleet, reflecting the composition of the fleet. Highlights are provided on the trends in the vehicle characteristics from one model year to the next. Analyses are also made on fuel economy changes to determine what caused the changes. Both new automobile and new light truck fleets experienced fuel economy losses of 0.5 mpg from the previous model year, dropping to 28.0 mpg for automobiles and 20.2 mpg for light trucks. This is the first observed decline in fuel economy of new automobiles since model year 1983 and the largest decline since model year 1976. The main reason for the fuel economy decline in automobiles was that every automobile size class showed either losses or no change in theirmore » fuel economies. The fuel economy decline in light trucks was primarily due to the fact that two popular size classes, large pickup and small utility vehicle, both experienced losses in their fuel economies. Overall, the sales-weighted fuel economy of the entire light-duty vehicle fleet (automobiles and light trucks) dropped to 25.0 mpg, a reduction of 0.5 mpg from model year 1988. 9 refs., 32 figs., 50 tabs.« less
The Role of the Laboratory for Laser Energetics in the National Ignition Facility Project

The National Ignition Facility (NIF) is a 192-beam, 1.8-MJ (ultraviolet) laser facility that is currently planned to start operating in 2002. The NIF mission is to provide data critical to this Nat...
Long-term deficits in risky decision-making after traumatic brain injury on a rat analog of the Iowa gambling task

Abstract Traumatic brain injury (TBI) affects 2.8 million people annually in the United States, with significant populations suffering from ongoing cognitive dysfunction. Impairments in decision-making can have major implications for patients and their caregivers, often enduring for years to decades, yet are rarely explored in experimental TBI. In the current study, the Rodent Gambling Task (RGT), an Iowa Gambling Task analog, was used to assess risk-based decision-making and motor impulsivity after TBI. During testing, rats chose between options associated with different probabilities of reinforcement (sucrose) or punishment (timeout). To determine effects of TBI on learned behaviors versus the learning process, rats were trained either before, or after, a bilateral frontal controlled cortical impact TBI, and then assessed for 12 weeks. To evaluate the degree to which monoamine systems, such as dopamine, were affected by TBI, rats were given an amphetamine challenge, and behavior recorded. Injury immediately and chronically decreased optimal decision-making, and biased rats towards both riskier, and safer (but suboptimal) choices, regardless of prior learning history. TBI also increased motor impulsivity across time, reflecting ongoing neural changes. Despite these similarities in trained and acquisition rats, those that learned the task after injury demonstrated reduced effects of amphetamine on optimal decision-making, suggesting a lesser role of monoamines in post-injury learning. Amphetamine also dose-dependently reduced motor impulsivity in injured rats. This study opens up the investigation of psychiatric-like dysfunction in animal models of TBI and tasks such as the RGT will be useful in identifying therapeutics for the chronic post-injury period.
Spectral, Directional Emittance of Stainless Steel at Elevated Temperatures

Stainless steel material samples with different surface roughness values were investigated to determine their spectral directional emissivity at elevated temperatures up to 1200 K in the visible to...
SRAMs and DRAMs With Separate Read–Write Ports Augmented by Phase Transition Materials

We propose SRAMs and DRAM with independent read–write paths employing phase transition material (PTM) in the read port to enable a more compact design compared to standardmultiport cells. Our technique employs 1) the orders of magnitude difference in the resistances of the insulating and metallic phases of the PTM and 2) regulated phase transitions to design a 7T single-ended SRAM, an 8T differential SRAM, and a 2T DRAM. Compared to previously proposed 8T SRAM, our 7T design achieves 9.1% less cell area and our 8T design achieves differential read without area penalty. We extensively analyze the material requirements for PTM to enable the proposed cell operation. We show that the read performance of the proposed 7T cell is only 5% worse than previously proposed standard 8T, while the proposed 8T design shows a 38% improvement. Similarly, our 2TDRAM cell achieves 20% less cell area than 3T DRAM, with less than 6% read time penalty. The benefits for all the designs come at no write overheads.
MELTING THE MOON WITH SUPERHEAVY ELEMENTS

ABSTRACT We discuss the evidence for the moon to have once been melted throughout and to have had an internal magnetic field, the inability of gravity to have provided the heat of melting, the heating of the moon by the known radioelements, and the theory of stability of the transuranics and the consequent potentiality that they could have been an important heat source.
Strangers in a strange land: Ecological dissimilarity to metatherian carnivores may partly explain early colonization of South America by Cyonasua-group procyonids

It was once thought that the endemic carnivorous mammals of South America, the metatherian sparassodonts, were driven extinct by North American carnivorans through competitive exclusion. However, sparassodonts went extinct before most groups of carnivorans entered South America; only the endemic Cyonasua-group procyonids (Cyonasua and Chapalmalania), which immigrated to South America nearly 4 million years earlier than other carnivorans, significantly overlapped with sparassodonts in time. In this study, we examine the functional morphology of the dentition of Cyonasua and Chapalmalania through quantitative analysis to determine the dietary habits of these taxa and the degree to which they may have ecologically overlapped sparassodonts and large predatory Neogene didelphimorphians. We find Cyonasua and Chapalmalania to be more carnivorous than extant procyonids, other than Bassariscus, in agreement with previous studies, but more omnivorous than most other carnivorans and all meat-eating South American metatherians, including sparassodonts. The extreme ecological dissimilarity between Cyonasua-group procyonids and members of the endemic South American predator guild may explain why procyonids were able to successfully establish themselves in South America several million years earlier than most other northern mammals (including all other carnivorans): they moved into a previously unoccupied ecological niche (large omnivore) and avoided direct competition with incumbent native species, a situation similar to that documented in historical cases of biological invasion. The omnivorous diets and climbing/swimming abilities of procyonids may have increased their chances for a successful over-water dispersal relative to other carnivorans, further favoring their successful establishment in South America.
Clinical Experience with the Radioisotope Varicocele Scan as a Screening Method for the Detection of Subclinical Varicoceles

The association of varicoceles and subfertility has been well documented. Although varicoceles remain the most common surgically correctable cause of male infertility the diagnosis of small varicoceles remains a challenge. We evaluated 40 men with an isotope blood pooling scan. Seven volunteers served as either positive or negative controls. Complete correlation between physical findings and the isotope scan was found. The 6 patients with obvious clinical varicoceles and a stress pattern on semen analysis all had positive scans. The 18 patients with a stress pattern and who were clinically suspected of having a varicocele all had positive scans. Of 9 patients evaluated for infertility with a stress pattern but no clinical evidence of varicocele 6 had positive scans. We believe that the isotope scan will prove to be a useful procedure in the detection of nonpalpable varicoceles in selected subfertile men.
Cognitive functioning following brain irradiation as part of cancer treatment: Characterizing better cognitive performance.

Objective Although brain radiation therapy (RT) impacts cognitive function, little is known about the subset of survivors with minimal cognitive deficits. This study compares the characteristics of patients receiving brain irradiation as part of cancer treatment with minimal cognitive deficits to those with poorer cognitive functioning. Methods Adults at least 6 months postbrain RT (N = 198) completed cognitive measures of attention, memory, and executive functions. Cognitive functioning was categorized into better- and poorer-performing groups, with better-performing survivors scoring no worse than 1.5 standard deviations below the published normative mean on all cognitive measures. Logistic regression was used to identify variables associated with better-performing group membership. Results Approximately 25% of the sample met the criteria for the better-performing group. In unadjusted analyses, RT type (whole brain irradiation and partial brain irradiation), sedating medications, and fatigue were independently associated with cognition. Sociodemographic and other clinical characteristics were not significant. In adjusted analyses, only fatigue remained significantly associated with group membership (OR = 1.05, 95% CI = 1.01-1.09, P = .009). Conclusions There is a subgroup of survivors with minimal long-term cognitive deficits despite undergoing a full course of brain RT as part of cancer treatment. Lower fatigue had the strongest association with better cognitive performance. Interventions targeting cancer-related fatigue may help buffer the neurotoxic effects of brain RT.
PIEZOELECTRIC RESPONSE OF BONE AS A FUNCTION OF FREQUENCY: A PRELIMINARY STUDY

Bone is one of the several biological materials which displays piezoelectric character. The piezoelectricity in bone may play an important role in bone remodeling and in fracture healing. In most previous studies on bone piezoelectricity, only quasi-static loading was applied and therefore little information is available on the frequency dependence of the piezoelectric properties of bone. This study reports the progress of an experiment to measure the anisotropic piezoelectric properties of bone for a wide frequency range.
A Fault Tolerant T-type Inverter for Five-phase PMSM Drives

In this paper a three level T type inverter is proposed for speed control of five phase permanent magnet synchronous motors (PMSM). The operation of the proposed structure is compared to two level half bridge inverter fed five-phase PMSM in terms of current and torque ripple. Fault tolerant operation of the proposed structure is investigated. For continuous operation of the PMSM in faulty condition at the same level of fault-free operation, a single input dual output DC-DC boost converter is used to control the DC links of T-type inverter. Simulation results are provided to verify the operation of the proposed structure under healthy and faulty conditions.
Reduction of Oxidized Glutathione in Normal and Glucose-6-Phosphate Dehydrogenase Deficient Erythrocytes and Their Hemolysates

When assayed by the ability to reduce oxidized glutathione to reduced glutathione, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency of either the Negro or Caucasian mutant variety could be demonstrated in hemolysates only with hemoglobin concentrations below 2.0 Gm. per 100 ml. In intact erythrocytes, the inability to regenerate reduced glutathione was apparent regardless of the concentration of red cells. The process of hemolysis, therefore, appeared to permit the demonstration of higher levels of activity in G-6-PD deficient human erythrocytes than was possible in intact cells. A markedly deficient capacity to regenerate endogenous reduced glutathione or to reduce exogenous oxidized glutathione, however, could be demonstrated with the hemolysate of erythrocytes from a patient with hereditary nonspherocytic hemolytic anemia associated with a deficiency of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase activity. These studies have emphasized the hazards involved in extrapolating the results of studies performed with hemolysates to metabolic processes within intact erythrocytes.
Size efficient preprocessed symmetric rsa for wireless body area network

Wireless Body Area Networks (WBAN) is becoming highly distinctive within health application. Security is important for individual nodes because such applications deal with sensitive data. Within WBAN, approaches with higher security with less computation are preferred along with smaller key size because of limitations of WBAN. However reducing key size can result in reduction in security level. In this paper we propose the use of message authentication for WBAN with pre-processed symmetric RSA (PSRSA). PSRSA is based on RSA with smaller key with multiple layers of pre-processing to increase the total combinations. Based on our analysis, PSRSA provides high security level with smaller key size compare to RSA. We implemented PSRSA to check feasibility and tested couple of scenarios.
Generalized Class of Kerker Particles: Self-Duality and Zero Backscattering

We introduce a generalized class of arbitrarily sized/shaped particles that satisfy the Kerker zero backscattering condition for normal incidence for all incident polarizations. We prove that self-duality is a sufficient condition to achieve zero backscattering.
Abstract 14594: Association Between Life's Simple 7 and Cardiovascular Disease in Cancer Patients Compared to Noncancer Controls in the Aric Cohort

Introduction: Cancer survivors have greater cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk through unclear mechanisms. Little is known about whether Life’s Simple 7 (LS7) metrics differ between persons with and...
Preterm Infant Stress During Handheld Optical Coherence Tomography vs Binocular Indirect Ophthalmoscopy Examination for Retinopathy of Prematurity.

Importance Binocular indirect ophthalmoscopy (BIO) examination for retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is a well-known cause of repeated preterm infant stress. Objective To compare stress during investigational optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging to that during BIO for ROP. Design, Setting, and Participants This cross-sectional study examined infants at the bedside in the intensive care nursery. Consecutive preterm infants enrolled in Study of Eye Imaging in Preterm Infants (BabySTEPS) who had any research OCT imaging as part of the study. Patients were recruited from June to November 2019, and analysis began April 2020. Main Outcomes and Measures Infant stress was measured using modified components of a neonatal pain assessment tool before (baseline) and during OCT imaging and BIO examination of each eye. Results For 71 eye examinations of 16 infants (mean [SD] gestational age, 27 [3] weeks; birth weight, 869 [277] g), change from baseline to each eye examination was lower during OCT imaging than during BIO and the difference between OCT imaging and BIO at each eye examination was significant for the following: infant cry score (first eye examination: mean [SD], 0.03 [0.3] vs 1.68 [1.2]; -1.65 [95% CI, -1.91 to -1.39]; second eye examination: mean [SD], 0.1 [0.3] vs 1.97 [1.2]; -1.87 [95% CI, -2.19 to -1.54]), facial expression (first eye: 3 [4%] vs 59 [83%]; -79% [95% CI, -87% to -72%]; second eye: 4 [6%] vs 61 [88%]; -83% [95% CI, -89% to -76%]), and heart rate (first eye: mean [SD], -7 [16] vs 13 [18]; -20 [95% CI, -26 to -14]); second eye: mean [SD], -3 [18] vs 20 [20] beats per minute; -23 [95% CI, -29 to -18]) (P < .001 for all). Change in respiratory rate and oxygen saturation did not differ between OCT imaging and BIO. Conclusions and Relevance While the role of OCT alone or in combination with BIO is currently unknown for ROP, these findings suggest that investigational OCT imaging of ROP is less stressful than BIO examination by a trained ophthalmologist.
Predicting the efficacy of COVID-19 convalescent plasma donor units with the Lumit Dx anti-receptor binding domain assay.

Background The novel coronavirus SARS-CoV2 that causes COVID-19 has resulted in the death of more than 2.5 million people, but no cure exists. Although passive immunization with COVID-19 convalescent plasma (CCP) provides a safe and viable therapeutic option, the selection of optimal units for therapy in a timely fashion remains a barrier. Study design and methods Since virus neutralization is a necessary characteristic of plasma that can benefit recipients, the neutralizing titers of plasma samples were measured using a retroviral-pseudotype assay. Binding antibody titers to the spike (S) protein were also determined by a clinically available serological assay (Ortho-Vitros total IG), and an in-house ELISA. The results of these assays were compared to a measurement of antibodies directed to the receptor binding domain (RBD) of the SARS-CoV2 S protein (Promega Lumit Dx). Results All measures of antibodies were highly variable, but correlated, to different degrees, with each other. However, the anti-RBD antibodies correlated with viral neutralizing titers to a greater extent than the other antibody assays. Discussion Our observations support the use of an anti-RBD assay such as the Lumit Dx assay, as an optimal predictor of the neutralization capability of CCP.
Cellular and humoral immunity following vaccination with two different PCV2 vaccines (containing PCV2a or PCV2a/PCV2b) and challenge with virulent PCV2d

Porcine Circovirus type 2 (PCV2) associated disease is one of the most economically important swine diseases worldwide. Vaccines reduce PCV2 disease by inducing humoral immunity (neutralizing antibodies) and cell-mediated immunity (CMI) but may be improved by optimizing the immune response they induce. This study evaluated immune responses to a trivalent inactivated Porcine Circovirus (PCV) Type 1-Type 2a chimera (cPCV2a), cPCV2b and Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae (MH) (an experimental serial of Fostera® Gold PCV MH, also marketed as Circomax® Myco) vaccine or a bivalent recombinant PCV2a baculovirus expressed ORF2 capsid plus MH vaccine (Circumvent® PCV-M G2). Treatment Groups (T) received two doses of placebo (T01), one full or two split doses of the trivalent vaccine (T02, T03) or two split doses of the bivalent vaccine (T04) where two doses were given, there was a three-week period between administrations. All pigs were challenged with a virulent field isolate of PCV2d. CMI was measured as PCV2-specific IFN-γ secreting cells in blood and lymph node. Humoral immunity was measured as PCV2 antibodies. Vaccine efficacy was determined as viremia and fecal shedding of virus. There was a robust antibody response in T02 and T04 post the second vaccination and all vaccinated groups post challenge. There was a robust PCV2-specific IFN-γ response following the 1st dose in T02 and T03 and after the second dose in T02. T04 induced a low but detectable PCV2-specific IFN-γ response only after the 2nd dose. Among lymph node cells (study day 52), there was a significantly higher PCV2-specific, IFN-γ response to replicase and PCV2d capsid peptides in T01, consistent with active viral replication in non-vaccinated pigs. The trivalent chimeric vaccine induced robust CMI and protective efficacy, following a one dose regimen or splitting the dose into two vaccine administrations.
Sperm chromatin structure assay (SCSA

Fresh or frozen semen/sperm thawed in a 37°C water bath and diluted to 1–2 × 106 sperm/ml with TNE buffer:
Squaring the Predatory Lending Circle: A Case for States as Laboratories of Experimentation

The article analyzes recent, innovative state responses to the phenomenon of predatory lending as a case study for evaluating the oft-cited justification for federalism, most famously framed by Justice Brandeis: encouraging the states to act as laboratories of experimentation in matters of public policy. The article first attempts to provide the most comprehensive understanding of the complex and shifting predatory lending phenomenon to date. The article begins by locating the dangerous practice within the broader and otherwise generally desirable subprime lending market - a market that lends to traditionally underserved borrowers. It then analyzes the complex dynamic of changing consumer credit demand and increasingly securitized mortgage lending supply, which has driven the explosive subprime lending growth, and attempt to identify core practices that can be classified as predatory. It next demonstrates why existing legislative remedies and traditional market forces are insufficient deterrents to predatory lending, and documents the devastating impact predatory lending has had on low-income and minority communities. Second, the article charts the recent, but remarkable, response to predatory lending occurring among the states and demonstrates why, despite looming threats of preemption, state experimentation in the predatory lending area should be encouraged as a paradigmatic social laboratory, consonant with Justice Brandeis' federalist ideal of producing innovative, responsive and effective public policy. In so doing, this article also attempts to answer a recent challenge by prominent scholars to identify a real, measurable value of federalism, by providing a model of how our federal system can best respond to a variety of social and economic policy problems.
Technological Support for the Learning and Doing of Design

In this chapter, we explore the move from didactic instruction to a more constructivist, project-oriented learning model. At the heart of project-oriented learning is the notion that one learns through the process of constructing some type of artifact. The Highly-Interactive Computing Environments Group has been exploring technology that can support students as they engage in project-oriented learning as well as technology that can support teachers in making the transition to the new roles that such a project-oriented model entails. In this chapter we focus on the kinds of supports needed by students learning and doing design. The group has built and classroom tested a range of Computer-Aided Design (CAD) systems that were designed expressly to support students in both the learning and the doing of design in a variety of domains. In this chapter, we step back from the individual systems and identify key issues in the design of CAD systems to support project-oriented science curriculum.
Amino Acid Transport Systems in Escherichia coli K12

Abstract The kinetic analysis of amino acid transport in Escherichia coli K12 cells revealed the presence of several distinct transport systems with very little overlap between them. Separate transport systems were found for the following groups of amino acids: leucine, isoleucine, and valine; alanine, glycine, and serine; phenylalanine, tyrosine, and tryptophan; and methionine. The division of the amino acids into the various systems was supported by differences in competitive interactions among the amino acids for transport and by the ability of various amino acids to accelerate the loss of accumulated labeled amino acids from the cell by countertransport. The Km values for most of the amino acids were in the range of 1 to 10 µm. All transport systems with the exception of that serving for alanine, glycine, and serine were highly stereospecific. The maximum velocity of transport occurred in a temperature range of 45–50° and in a broad pH range of 5.5 to 8.0. About two-thirds of the amino acids accumulated at room temperature or above could be lost in the first few seconds when cells were washed at 0° instead of room temperature. The presence of sodium azide caused the rapid loss of the previously accumulated labeled amino acids.
On Form and Function: The Evolution of Developmental Control

How does the genome control the construction of a complex multi-cellular system with well defined form and structures from a single cell? Artificial life and developmental biology overlap on some quite important topics. The question above reveals two such pivotal topics: construction and control.
Toward generalizable sociomaterial inquiry: a computational approach for zooming in and out of sociomaterial routines

In this paper, a computational, mixed methods approach that combines qualitative analysis with a novel approach to sequence analysis for studying the entanglement of human activities and digital capabilities in organizational routines is described. The approach is scalable across multiple contexts and complements the dominant idiographic modes of sociomaterial inquiry. The approach is rooted in the epistemology of a "rational reconstruction" consistent with the interpretive stance underlying the sociomaterial position. It arms researchers with the means to seek and uncover regularities in the ways human activities and digital capabilities become entangled across contexts by enabling the identification and articulation of generalizable patterns of sociomaterial activity. The computational approach is founded on sequence-analytic techniques that originated from the field of computational biology (genetics), but are now gaining popularity in the study of temporally ordered social phenomena such as organizational routines. These techniques are extended by drawing upon theoretical insights gained within sociomaterial scholarship on how the digital and the social become entangled. By detecting the variation in activities, actors, artifacts, and affordances that comprise what we denote a sociomaterial routine, the approach directly attends to ways in which human actors and the material features of technology become entangled in patterns of practice. Beyond motivating and describing the approach, the different insights that researchers can generate through its application in the study of the digitalization of organizational routines are illustrated. We conclude by suggesting several lines of inquiry that can enrich sociomaterial research.
Carbon dioxide from fossil fuels : Adapting to uncertainty

Abstract If present scientific information is reasonable, the world is likely to experience noticeable global warming by the beginning of the next century if high annual growth rates of fossil fuel energy use continue. Only with optimistic assumptions and low growth rates will carbon-dioxide-induced temperature increases be held below 2°C or so over the next century. Conservation, flexible energy choices and control options could lessen the potential effects of carbon dioxide. Though perhaps impractical from the standpoint of costs and efficiency losses, large coastal centralized facilities would be the most amenable to carbon dioxide control and disposal. Yet no country can control carbon dioxide levels unilaterally. The USA, however, which currently contributes over a quarter of all fossil fuel carbon dioxide emissions and possesses a quarter of the world's coal resources, could provide a much needed role in leadership, research and education.
Increased production of transforming growth factor α following acute gastric injury

Transforming growth factor alpha (TGF-alpha) production recently has been found in normal mammalian gastric mucosa. Inasmuch as TGF-alpha and epidermal growth factor (EGF) both stimulate epithelial cell migration and proliferation and suppress gastric acid secretion, the authors of the current study proposed that these growth factors may participate in tissue repair after acute gastric mucosal injury. Consequently, TGF-alpha and EGF production were examined after orogastric administration of either acidified taurocholate or 0.6 mol/L HCl to rats. TGF-alpha messenger RNA (mRNA) expression increased in a dose- and time-dependent manner after administration of taurocholate, whereas EGF mRNA expression was not detected. Radioimmunoassay of gastric mucosal scrapings obtained 6 hours after gastric injury induced by 0.6 mol/L HCl showed a 2.1-fold increase in immunoreactive TGF-alpha but no increase in immunoreactive EGF. In addition, there was a 68-fold increase in immunoreactive TGF-alpha in gastric juice within 30 minutes of gastric instillation of HCl and, again, no increase in immunoreactive EGF. There is a rapid appearance of TGF-alpha in the gastric juice within 30 minutes of injury, which is followed by increased expression of TGF-alpha mRNA and protein in the gastric mucosa. These studies suggest that locally produced TGF-alpha may participate in gastric mucosal repair following acute gastric injury to rats.
Technology commercial from a state agency perspective: technology business development, a division of the Texas engineering experiment station

This paper describes the technology commercialization activities of Technology Business Development, a division of the Texas Engineering Experiment Station, the State's engineering R&D agency located within the Texas A&M University System. TBD helps to diversify the Texas economy through the commercial advancement of technology developed at the university and through other programs. Issues associated with the transfer of technology from the university to industry are discussed. A case study of a university technology transfer project is also presented.
Changing spaces of education : new perspectives on the nature of learning

In today’s modern climate, education and learning take place in multiple and diverse spaces. Increasingly, these spaces are both physical and virtual in nature. Access to and use of information and communication technologies, and the emergence of knowledge-based economies necessitate an understanding of the plurality of spaces (such as homes, workplaces, international space and cyberspace) in which learning can take place. The spaces of policy making with respect to education are also being transformed, away from traditional centres of policy formation towards the incorporation of a wider range of actors and sites. These changes coincide with a more general interest in space and spatial theory across the social sciences, where notions of simultaneity and diversity replace more modernist conceptions of linear progress and development through time. This volume proffers a unique perspective on the transformation of education in the 21st century, by bringing together leading researchers in education, sociology and geography to address directly questions of space in relation to education and learning. This collection of essays: •examines the changing and diverse spaces and concepts of education (occurring simultaneously at different scales and in different parts of the world) •explores where education and learning take place •discusses how spaces of education vary at different stages (compulsory schooling, tertiary and higher education, adult education and workplace learning) •inspects the ways in which the meanings attached to education and learning change in different national and regional contexts. Changing Spaces of Education is an important and timely contribution to a growing area of concern within the social sciences and amongst practitioners and policy-makers, reflecting an urgent need to understand the ways in which both education and learning are being reconfigured, not just nationally, but also internationally and transnationally. It is essential reading for final-year undergraduates, postgraduates and researchers in geography, sociology, education and policy studies, with an aim, too, of informing policy and practice in this area.
The Case Against the Goldstone Report: A Study in Evidentiary Bias

The Goldstone Report, when read in full and in context, is much worse than most of its detractors (and supporters) believe. It is far more accusatory of Israel, far less balanced in its criticism of Hamas, far less honest in its evaluation of the evidence, far less responsible in drawing its conclusion, far more biased against Israeli than Palestinian witnesses, and far more willing to draw adverse inferences of intentionality from Israeli conduct and statements than from comparable Palestinian conduct and statements. It is worse than any report previously prepared by any other United Nations agency or human rights group. As Major General Avichai Mandelblit, the advocate general of the Israeli Defense Forces, aptly put it: “I have read every report, from Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, the Arab League. We ourselves set up investigations into 140 complaints. It is when you read these other reports and complaints that you realize how truly vicious the Goldstone report is. He made it look like we set out to go after the economic infrastructure and civilians, that it was intentional: It’s a vicious lie.The Goldstone report is, to any fair reader, a shoddy piece of work, unworthy of serious consideration by people of good will, committed to the truth.
Age of Deglaciation in the Ruwenzori Range, Uganda

THE massive fault-block of the Ruwenzori Mountains, which lies on the axis of the Western Rift between Uganda and the Congo, is the wettest of the high mountain areas in East Africa. For that reason it has more glaciers at present and has been more extensively glaciated in the past than any of the other tropical African mountains. Although relative ages have been estimated1,2, no absolute dates have been published for prehistoric glacial events in this or any other tropical African mountain area.
Predation of the non-native Asian shore crab Hemigrapsus sanguineus by a native fish species, the cunner (Tautogolabrus adspersus)

Abstract Predation of non-native species by native predators can impact the success of an invasion. Recently, the Asian shore crab, Hemigrapsus sanguineus , successfully invaded the northeastern coastline of the United States, reaching densities greater than 100 crabs·m − 2 in rocky intertidal areas. The goal of this study was to determine if a specialist fish predator of invertebrates, the cunner, Tautogolabrus adspersus , consumes the juvenile stage of H. sanguineus . In laboratory prey choice experiments, T. adspersus (10.2–22.1 cm total length) consumed greater numbers of native mud crabs (family Panopeidae, 3.0–9.0 mm carapace width) than H. sanguineus of similar sizes. T. adspersus also consumed more of the native blue mussel, Mytilus edulis , when paired with similar-sized H. sanguineus . Gut content analysis of 60 T. adspersus captured from intertidal zones with high populations of H. sanguineus in southeastern Massachusetts revealed low consumption of the invasive species; only 5 of 60 guts contained Asian shore crabs. Frequent prey items found in cunner guts included panopeid crabs, small snails, barnacles, and branching and encrusting bryozoans. Our results suggest that, as long as native prey species are present for consumption, T. adspersus will not exert high predation pressure on H. sanguineus .
Smooth muscle and skeletal muscle myosins produce similar unitary forces and displacements in the laser trap

Purified smooth muscle myosin in the in vitro motility assay propels actin filaments at 1/10 the velocity, yet produces 3-4 times more force than skeletal muscle myosin. At the level of a single myosin molecule, these differences in force and actin filament velocity may be reflected in the size and duration of single motion and force-generating events, or in the kinetics of the cross-bridge cycle. Specifically, an increase in either unitary force or duty cycle may explain the enhanced force-generating capacity of smooth muscle myosin. Similarly, an increase in attached time or decrease in unitary displacement may explain the reduced actin filament velocity of smooth muscle myosin. To discriminate between these possibilities, we used a laser trap to measure unitary forces and displacements from single smooth and skeletal muscle myosin molecules. We analyzed our data using mean-variance analysis, which does not rely on scoring individual events by eye, and emphasizes periods in the data with constant properties. Both myosins demonstrated multiple but similar event populations with discrete peaks at approximately +11 and -11 nm in displacement, and 1.5 and 3.5 pN in force. Mean attached times for smooth muscle myosin were longer than for skeletal-muscle myosin. These results explain much of the difference in actin filament velocity between these myosins, and suggest that an increased duty cycle is responsible for the enhanced force-generating capacity of smooth over skeletal-muscle myosin.