cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Infection Courts in Watermelon Plants Leading to Seed Infestation by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. niveum

Fusarium wilt incited by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. niveum is a seed-transmitted disease that causes significant yield loss in watermelon production. The pathogen may infect watermelon seeds latently, which can be an important inoculum source and contribute to severe disease outbreak. However, information regarding infection courts of F. oxysporum f. sp. niveum leading to infestation of watermelon seeds is limited. To determine how seeds in watermelon fruit can be infested by F. oxysporum f. sp. niveum during the watermelon growing season, greenhouse and field experiments were conducted in 2014 and 2015 where watermelon flowers and immature fruit were inoculated with F. oxysporum f. sp. niveum. Seeds were extracted from mature watermelon fruit, and infestation of watermelon seeds was determined by isolation of F. oxysporum f. sp. niveum and further confirmed by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis. Inoculation of the pericarp of immature fruit resulted in 17.8 to 54.4% of infested seeds under field conditions and 0.6 to 12.8% of infested seeds under greenhouse conditions when seeds were not surface disinfested prior to isolation. Seed infestation was also detected in 0 to 4.5% of the seeds when seeds were surface disinfested prior to isolation. Inoculation of pistil resulted in 0 to 7.2% and 0 to 18.3% of infested seeds under greenhouse and field conditions when seeds were surface disinfested or not disinfested before isolation, respectively. Inoculation of peduncle resulted in 0.6 to 6.1% and 0 to 10.0% of infested seeds in the greenhouse and field experiments when seeds were surface disinfested or not disinfested before isolation, respectively. Seed infestation was also detected in all the experiments using real-time PCR assay when pericarp or pistil was inoculated, and in three of four experiments when peduncle was inoculated, regardless of whether seeds were surface disinfested or not disinfested. Pericarp and peduncle of immature watermelon fruit and pistil of watermelon flowers could be potential infection courts for F. oxysporum f. sp. niveum leading to infestation of seeds in asymptomatic watermelon fruit.
What Matters in Concept Mapping? Maps Learners Create or How They Create Them

Generative strategies, where learners process the target content while connecting different concepts to build a knowledge network, has shown potential to improve student learning outcomes. While concept maps in particular have been linked to the development of generative strategies, few studies have explored structuring the concept mapping process to support generative strategies, and few studies offer intelligent support. In this work, we present a concept mapping tool that offers navigational support in the form of hyperlinks, where nodes in the concept map are linked to segments of text. We evaluate the effect of the hyperlinks on generative strategies and learning outcomes through a week-long high school study with 32 participants. Our results indicate that proper navigational and visual aid during concept mapping facilitates the development of generative strategies, with implications for learning outcomes. Based on these findings, we propose a constraint-based tutoring system to adaptively support the development of generative strategies in concept mapping.
Ending Inflation: The Next Steps

The rate of increase of consumer prices in the United States has fallen, gradually, from nearly 14% in mid-1974 to an average rate of about 6% for the past six months. Some further reduction in the average rate of inflation is likely to occur in 1976. Experience in the rest of the world covers a wide range. Some countries substantially reduced the rate of price increase; in others the rate of increase remained high. During the year 1975, consumer prices rose by more than 20% in Britain, by approximately 10% in France, Italy and Canada, and by 5% or less in Germany and Switzerland. Why are the rates of price increase in these countries so different? Why is inflation no longer proceeding at high or rising rates everywhere? Why have some countries succeeded in reducing inflation where others have failed?
Globalization, Mental Models and Decentering Stakeholder Approaches

Taking the initiative from Freeman’s note in his 1984 book, Strategic Management, that “[o]rganizations are complex phenomena and to analyze them with the organization in the middle … does not do justice to the subtlety of the flavors of organizational life” (Freeman, 1984; 2010, 216), Werhane suggests that there are many possible formulations or models of stakeholder graphics. The “traditional” graphic, with the firm in the center, she suggests, may tend to overexaggerate the importance of the organization, which after all is part of a larger set of economic systems. If one reformulates that graphic and puts other stakeholders in the center, this changes the focus and the mindset of any viewer. If the center is removed altogether, she contends, there is a better – more realistic – image, model or mindset of the company, its stakeholders, and its responsibilities within the global set(s) of economic systems and cultures.
Controlled Cortical Impact Severity Results in Graded Cellular, Tissue, and Functional Responses in a Piglet Traumatic Brain Injury Model.

Abstract A number of pre-clinical rodent models have been developed in an effort to recapitulate injury mechanisms and identify potential therapeutics for traumatic brain injury (TBI), which is a m...
The Role of Cinematic Techniques in Understanding Character Affect

Filmmakers must rely on cinematic devices of perspective (close-ups and point-of-view shot sequencing) to emphasize facial expressions associated with affective states. This study explored the extent to which differences in the use of these devices across two films that have the same content lead to differences in the understanding of the affective states of characters. Participants viewed one of two versions of the films and made affective judgments about how characters felt about one another with respect to saddness and anger. The extent to which the auditory and visual contexts were present when making the judgments was varied across four experiments. The results of the study showed judgments about sadness differed across the two films, but only when the entire context (sound and visual input) were present. The results are discussed in the context of the role of facial expressions and context in inferring basic emotions.
Resistance to Cisplatin Results from Multiple Mechanisms in Cancer Cells

We have studied the development of resistance to cisplatin in cultured KB-3-1 human cervical adenocarcinoma (HeLa) cells and BEL-7404 human hepatoma cells. In a single-step selection, it is possible to develop a pleiotropic phenotype consisting of the following: (a) cross-resistance to other platinum compounds, arsenite, cadmium, methotrexate and nucleoside analogs; (b) corresponding reduced accumulation of these agents; (c) reduced receptor-mediated and fluid phase mediated endocytosis; (d) altered cytoskeleton, including disruption of actin microfilaments, filament structures, and microtubules; (e) a defect in membrane protein trafficking consisting of relocalization to intracellular vesicles of several transmembrane proteins such as the ABBC1 transporter (MRP1, GS-X pump), glucose transporter (GluT1), and folate binding protein (FBP); and (f) altered mitochondrial morphology and function. We hypothesize that this pleiotropic phenotype reflects a basic cellular defense mechanism against cytotoxic materials that are not hydrophobic enough to enter the cell by simple diffusion, but have multiple other mechanisms of cell entry including piggybacking on existing receptors and endocytosis, and speculate that a relatively simple cellular switch can actuate this pleiotropic response.
High Fat With High Sucrose Diet Leads to Obesity and Induces Myodegeneration.

Skeletal muscle utilizes both free fatty acids (FFAs) and glucose that circulate in the blood stream. When blood glucose levels acutely increase, insulin stimulates muscle glucose uptake, oxidation, and glycogen synthesis. Under these conditions, skeletal muscle preferentially oxidizes glucose while the oxidation of fatty acids (FA) oxidation is reciprocally decreased. In metabolic disorders associated with insulin resistance, such as diabetes and obesity, both glucose uptake and utilization muscle are significantly reduced causing FA oxidation to provide the majority of ATP for metabolic processes and contraction. Although the causes of this metabolic inflexibility or disrupted “glucose-fatty acid cycle” are largely unknown, a diet high in fat and sugar (HFS) may be a contributing factor. This metabolic inflexibility observed in models of obesity or with HFS is detrimental because high rates of FA oxidation in skeletal muscle can lead to the buildup of toxic metabolites of fat metabolism and the accumulation of pro-inflammatory cytokines, which further exacerbate the insulin resistance. Further, HFS leads to skeletal muscle atrophy with a decrease in myofibrillar proteins and phenotypically characterized by loss of muscle mass and strength. Overactivation of ubiquitin proteasome pathway (UPP), oxidative stress, myonuclear apoptosis and mitochondrial dysfunction are some of the mechanisms involved in muscle atrophy induced by obesity or in mice fed with HFS. In this review, we will discuss how HFS diet negatively impacts the various physiological mechanisms in skeletal muscle.
Determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in cosmetic products by gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

Abstract A gas chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS) method is developed to determine 18 representative polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in cosmetics, including Benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) and others. The method offers high sensitivity and selectivity under selected reaction monitoring (SRM) mode to satisfy the requirements of both quantitation and qualitation. The extraction solvent system used in this study is acetone/hexane 1:1 (v/v) and other purification procedure is unnecessary. The linearities of 18 PAHs are validated in different concentration in the range of 0.25–20 ng/mL individually with coefficient correlation (r) higher than 0.996. The recoveries for spiking 3 different concentrations are from 87.40% to 120.44% for 18 PAHs and the coefficient of variation (CV) are below 12.32%. Limit of quantification (LOQ) of 18 PAHs is in the range of 0.05–0.2 mg/kg. A matrix enhancement effect is observed and can be compensated with deuterated internal standard. The method has been successfully applied to 73 samples, over 40 of them are lipsticks. The results show none of the samples detect Benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) and Dibenzo[a,h]anthracene (DBA), both are classified as the most carcinogenic. 8 PAHs are detected and the average value between 0.08 and 0.27 mg/kg. This study offers a sensitive and simple method to analyze 18 representative PAHs successfully and can be applied to cosmetic products and raw materials.
Contextualizing macro-level identities and constructing inclusiveness through teasing and self-mockery: A view from the intercultural workplace in Japan

Abstract Humor generated through teasing and self-mockery can be both dividing and unifying: It signals intimacy and constructs inclusiveness through playful banter, but also contextualizes differences, denigrates, and draws boundaries. In intercultural workplaces, macro-level identities deriving from linguistic and cultural ideologies are especially salient as both sources and targets of such humor. Using data from American interns in Japan, the present study examines how such sociocultural differences are contextualized to create humor that foregrounds group divides and contributes to potential marginalization, but also constructs shared interactional styles that signal inclusiveness. Prior literature on this topic largely examines Western workplace settings where foreign workers are placed in the periphery. While Americans in Japan similarly represent a type of marginalized outsider, they are also categorically associated with English and Western hegemonies in the global workplace. This tends to position them as targets of fascination as well. The resulting style of teasing and self-mockery thus operates on the boundary of exclusiveness and inclusiveness, thereby contributing an additional perspective on the relationship between humor, identity, and inclusiveness.
Translational Medicine Strategies in Drug Development for Neurodevelopmental Disorders

Abstract Neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) are a heterogeneous group of childhood-onset conditions caused by disrupted brain development, leading to developmental impairments such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and intellectual disability (ID). Various genetic conditions are associated with NDDs, including Rett syndrome (RTT), tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC), and fragile X syndrome (FXS). Increased biological understanding of such disorders has improved our knowledge of circuit dysfunction shared by NDDs, in addition to resulting in clinical trials targeting cognition and behavior. In this chapter, we will discuss strategies for translational medicine in the field of NDDs. We will explore challenges in translating animal model data to human interventional trials. We will highlight as examples RTT, TSC, and FXS, where the discovery of gene function and investigation of animal models have led to hypothesis testing in patients and potential future targeted treatments. From these three examples, we will provide overarching observations about the promises and pitfalls of translational neuroscience for NDDs as a whole.
Spatial Abundance and Colour Morphotype Densities of the Rock-Boring Sea Urchin (Echinometra lucunter) at Two Different Habitats

The rock-boring sea urchin Echinometra lucunter is a common echinoderm found throughout the intertidal zone along the northeastern coast of, Toco, Trinidad. Sea urchin abundance, size distribution, and colour morphotypes at two sites: Pequelle Bay (SB) and Grande L’Anse (GA) were quantified using 1 m2 quadrats, accessible during extreme low tides, and in two environments, notably low and high wave action. Percent coverage of cnidarian and macroalgae were estimated in each quadrat. Sea urchin densities were 9.9–17.8 urchins/m2 in high wave action, and 25.2–60.7 urchins/m2 in low wave action environments. Size (measured as maximum sea urchin diameter) are highest between 21 and 50 mm for both black and red colour morphotypes. Black colour morphs were significantly larger than red morphs (ANOVA, F2, 175 = 5.55, p < 0.05). Sea urchins at low energy environments were significantly larger than those found in high energy environments for all years (p < 0.05). Mean hard coral, soft coral, and macroalgae cover did not show any relationship with habitat type or urchin densities. Although sea urchin abundance and distribution were variable, larger urchins were more likely to be found in low wave action environments, and smaller urchins were mostly found in the open, and exposed to high wave action.
Residential mobility and chronic disease among World Trade Center Health Registry enrollees, 2004-2016.

Abstract Residential mobility is hypothesized to impact health through changes to the built environment and disruptions in social networks, and may vary by neighborhood deprivation exposure. However, there are few longitudinal investigations of residential mobility in relation to health outcomes. This study examined enrollees from the World Trade Center Health Registry, a longitudinal cohort of first responders and community members in lower Manhattan on September 11, 2001. Enrollees who completed ≥2 health surveys between 2004 and 2016 and did not have diabetes (N = 44,089) or hypertension (N = 35,065) at baseline (i.e., 2004) were included. Using geocoded annual home addresses, residential mobility was examined using two indicators: moving frequency and displacement. Moving frequency was defined as the number of times someone was recorded as living in a different neighborhood; displacement as any moving to a more disadvantaged neighborhood. We fit adjusted Cox proportional hazards models with time-dependent exposures (moving frequency and displacement) and covariates to evaluate associations with incident diabetes and hypertension. From 2004 to 2016, the majority of enrollees never moved (54.5%); 6.5% moved ≥3 times. Those who moved ≥3 times had a similar hazard of diabetes (hazard ratio (HR) = 0.78; 95% Confidence Interval (CI): 0.40, 1.53) and hypertension (HR = 0.99; 95% CI: 0.68, 1.43) compared with those who never moved. Similarly, displacement was not associated with diabetes or hypertension. Residential mobility was not associated with diabetes or hypertension among a cohort of primarily urban-dwelling adults.
Coagulation test changes associated with acute normovolemic hemodilution in cardiac surgery.

Background Patients undergoing cardiac surgery requiring cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) are at risk for coagulopathy and bleeding requiring blood product transfusion. Acute normovolemic hemodilution (ANH) is a blood conservation technique shown to reduce transfusion and bleeding associated with cardiac surgery. Despite numerous advantages, little is known about the effect of ANH on coagulation testing. Methods Prospective observational study, 80 patients (40 controls, 40 ANH) undergoing cardiac surgery requiring CPB. Blood for coagulation testing (hemoglobin, platelet count, prothrombin time/International Normalized Ratio [PT/INR], activated partial thromboplastin time [aPTT], fibrinogen, and kaolin thromboelastography [TEG]) was collected 5 minutes after protamine (Time 1), and following ANH reinfusion (or 30 minutes after Time 1) in controls (Time 2). Results Patients undergoing ANH had a significantly lower aPTT (-1.4 seconds 95% CI [-2.7, 0.0]; P = .044) and higher fibrinogen (+13 mg/dL [+1, +26]; P = .040) between Time 1 and Time 2 compared to controls. Additionally, the change in hemoglobin between Time 1 and Time 2 was significantly increased in the ANH group (+0.4 [+0.1, +0.8]; P = .024). The study also demonstrated a normalization of the platelet count, PT/INR, aPTT, and TEG values between Time 1 and Time 2 in control patients. Conclusions In patients undergoing cardiac surgery requiring CPB, ANH results in significant improvements of aPTT, fibrinogen and hemoglobin values; however, the true clinical significance is questionable. In the absence of ongoing surgical bleeding, there appears to be normalization of coagulation tests (excluding fibrinogen) following CPB.
MCL1 Haploinsufficiency Protects Mice From MYC-Induced Acute Myeloid Leukemia.

Abstract 764 Anti-apoptotic Bcl2 family genes have been implicated in the pathogenesis of acute myelogenous leukemia (AML), but the functional significance and relative importance of individual proteins (i.e. BCL2, BCL-XL, MCL1) remains poorly understood. We examined the expression of BCL2, BCL-X and MCL1 in primary human hematopoietic subsets and in leukemic blasts from AML patients, and found MCL1 transcripts were consistently expressed at high levels in all samples tested (100%, n=111). Mcl1 protein was also consistently expressed at high levels in myeloid leukemic blasts in a murine Myc-induced AML model, and we used this model to test the hypothesis that Mcl1 facilitates AML development by allowing myeloid progenitor cells to evade oncogene-induced cell death. Activation of Myc for seven days in vivo substantially increased myeloid lineage cells while hematopoietic stem, progenitor and B-lineage cells were depleted. Haploinsufficiency for Mcl1 (Mcl1flox/null) abrogated the development of AML (median survival 56 days vs. not reached), and deletion of a single allele of Mcl1 from fully transformed AML cells significantly prolonged the survival of transplanted mice. In contrast, the rapid lethality of disease (median survival 25 days) was restored by co-expression of Bcl2 with Myc in Mcl1flox/null cells. Together, these data demonstrate a critical and dose-dependent role for Mcl1 in AML pathogenesis and suggest that Mcl1 may be an ideal therapeutic target in patients with de novo AML. Disclosures: DiPersio: Genzyme: Honoraria.
Estimating Perturbations to Laser Position on Tissue for Lissajous Scanning in Endomicroscopy

This paper proposes an algorithm to reduce motion artifacts in Lissajous-scanned images taken from a custom-built endomicroscope based on microelectromechanical system (MEMS) laser scanning. The proposed algorithm uses an extended Kalman Filter to estimate uncertain perturbation to the position of the scanner relative to tissue during the Lissajous scan. The estimated states, which describe the estimated position perturbation to the scanner, are used to update the inferred laser trajectory during image reconstruction. To aid in estimation, the Jacobian matrix of a measurement function from other nearby points in the Lissajous pattern is computed using a trend of previous pixel values. For validation, the proposed algorithm was tested on both artificially generated blur images and real tissue images taken with the prototype confocal fluorescence endomicroscope. The reconstructed images with the estimated states showed reduced motion artifacts compared to the original images. The algorithm can be used in other single-pixel imaging applications that rely on beam steering technology to estimate the scanner’s real trajectory and reduce motion artifacts.
William Wordsworth, Second-Generation Romantic: Contesting Poetry after Waterloo

William Wordsworth, Second-Generation Romantic provides a truly comprehensive reading of 'late' Wordsworth and the full arc of his career from (1814–1840) revealing that his major poems after Waterloo contest poetic and political issues with his younger contemporaries: Keats, Shelley and Byron. Refuting conventional models of influence, where Wordsworth 'fathers' the younger poets, Cox demonstrates how Wordsworth's later writing evolved in response to 'second generation' romanticism. After exploring the ways in which his younger contemporaries rewrote his 'Excursion', this volume examines how Wordsworth's 'Thanksgiving Ode' enters into a complex conversation with Leigh Hunt and Byron; how the delayed publication of 'Peter Bell' could be read as a reaction to the Byronic hero; how the older poet's River Duddon sonnets respond to Shelley's 'Mont Blanc'; and how his later volumes, particularly 'Memorials of a Tour in Italy, 1837', engage in a complicated erasure of poets who both followed and predeceased him.
7Li intermolecular multiple-quantum coherences in liquids.

Abstract We report here evidence for the generation of 7 Li multiple-quantum coherences in aqueous solutions outside of regimes where conventional multiple-quantum coherences due to alignment or quadrupolar relaxation could be observed. These coherences are shown to observe nonlinear behavior as a function of concentration, and hence these effects can be identified as arising from intermolecular multiple-quantum coherences. Due to the importance of lithium ion solutions for the study of electrochemical systems, awareness of such coherences is particularly important in the interpretation of experimental results, and new applications using lithium as a probe may become possible on this basis.
Techno-economic analysis of membrane-based processes for flexible CO2 capturing from power plants

Abstract The flexibility of membrane-based carbon capture systems (CCSs) has received considerable attention due to the increasing penetration of intermittent renewable sources. In this paper, a comprehensive techno-economic assessment of several membrane separation processes is performed to investigate the potential and viability of such systems as a flexible CCS technology for integrating into the future low carbon power plants. The technical model involves lumped parameter models for balance of plant and a mechanistic membrane model. The mechanistic membrane model can predict the spatial distributions of species along the membrane length in different flow patterns such as cross and counter-flow. The economic model comprises different cost factors for the capital cost, and operational cost of the system components. The aformentioned models are employed to evaluate four system designs with three membrane types. The impacts of several decision-making parameters such as feed pressure and membrane properties are thoroughly investigated. The results show that considering sweep gas and increasing the feed CO2 concentration lead to lowers required membrane area and energy consumption, respectively. Also, using a high CO2 selectivity membrane leads to lower specific energy, while membranes with a moderate selectivity and high permeability are economically preferable due to a lower required area. Finally, the economic comparison of designs shows that considering feed compression and a counter-current membrane module with sweep gas is the most cost-effective design with a CO2 capture cost of 22.76 $/tCO2. Also, using vacuum pumps is the most energy-efficient design for CO2 capturing, contributing to the flexible operation of the membrane-based CCS.
Hakky-Bey and His Journal Le Miroir de l’Art Musulman, or, Mirʾāt-ı ṣanāyiʿ-i islāmiye (1898)

A bilingual periodical published in 1898, titled Le Miroir de l’Art Musulman for its French audience and Mirʾāt-i ṣanāyiʿ-i islāmiye for the Ottoman one, introduced its readership to the world of Islamic art in two idiosyncratic issues. A certain Hakky-Bey, the sole author behind these issues and a well-regarded antiques dealer in Paris, intended to introduce his vast collection to readers through meticulously arranged lithographs of his objects. In other words, he told the story of Islamic art through exemplary items from his collection. In parsing the contents of the journal, this article attempts to construct Hakky-Bey’s biography and reveal the sociopolitical and cultural routes, as well as the cosmopolitan networks, that shaped the unexpected trajectory of his career. As an independent Ottoman scholar, Hakky-Bey played a crucial role in the emerging field of Islamic art at the end of the nineteenth century, for which scholarship has given undue credit to European “Islamophiles.”
Transfer Ribonucleic Acid Nucleotidyltransferase from Escherichia coli III. KINETIC ANALYSIS

Abstract A kinetic analysis of the readdition of CMP or AMP into venom phosphodiesterase-digested transfer RNA by tRNA-nucleotidyltransferase (EC 2.7.7.25) from Escherichia coli is presented. Five purified amino acid acceptor species and unfractionated tRNA were investigated. The Km value for the incorporation of AMP was 10-fold higher than the Km for CMP incorporation into tRNA from which two or three nucleotides had been removed. The Km values for ATP and CTP were similar for all tRNA tested. ATP inhibited CMP incorporation and CTP inhibited AMP incorporation, the Ki values for the two nucleotides were the same, but larger than their Km values. The Km values for the tRNA substrates were about the same whether AMP or CMP incorporation was measured. The tRNA substrates from which one, two, or three nucleotides had been removed inhibited competitively the incorporation of AMP or CMP into tRNA. A smaller inhibition was observed with intact tRNA.
Numerical Simulation of Pulse Detonation Engine Phenomena

This computational study examines transient, reactive compressible flow phenomena associated with the pulse detonation wave engine. The PDWE is an intermittent combustion engine that relies on unsteady detonation wave propagation for combustion and compression elements of the propulsive cycle. The present computations focus on high order numerical simulations of the generic PDWE configuration with simplified reaction kinetics, so that rapid, straightforward estimates of engine performance may be made. Both one- and two-dimensional simulations of the high speed reactive flow phenomena are performed and compared to determine the applicability of 1D simulations for performance characterization. Examination of the effects of the combustion reaction mechanism and the use of a pressure relaxation length for 1D simulations is made. Characteristic engine performance parameters, in addition to engine noise estimates within and external to the detonation tube, are presented.
Hans A. Bethe (1906-2005)

In his Retrospective, Freeman Dyson reminisces about the life and work of physics Nobel Laureate Hans Bethe, who passed away on 6 March 2005 at the age of 98.
Effect of fat on meal-stimulated duodenal acid load, duodenal pepsin load, and serum gastrin in duodenal ulcer and normal subjects.

Abstract We studied the effect of fat on meal-stimulated gastric acid and pepsin secretion, duodenal acid and pepsin load, and gastrin release in 10 duodenal ulcer (DU) patients and in 10 normal (N) subjects. Gastric acid and pepsin secretion and duodenal acid and pepsin load were measured at 20-min intervals for 140 min in response to two 500-ml equicaloric (400 kcal), equiosmolar (960 milliosmoles per liter), protein (10% wv) meals; one meal also contained 22 g of fat (5% vv), and the other contained 50 g of dextrose (10% wv). Duodenal acid and pepsin load were determined by a serial dilution indicator method, which was validated in vitro and in vivo. The fat-containing meal produced significant inhibition of gastric acid and pepsin secretion and of duodenal acid and pepsin load in both the DU and N groups. The degree of inhibition of gastric acid secretion (50%), duodenal acid load (55%), gastric pepsin secretion (approximately 55%), and duodenal pepsin load (approximately 55%) did not differ significantly in the DU and N groups. The fat meal significantly inhibited gastrin release in the N subjects, but not in the DU patients. The acid and pepsin responses to the fat or carbohydrate meal were not significantly greater in the DU compared to the N group in spite of greater betazole- or pentagastrin-stimulated responses in the DU group. We conclude: (1) fat-induced inhibition of gastric acid and pepsin secretion and duodenal acid and pepsin load is not defective in DU patients; (2) however, the ability of fat to inhibit gastrin release does appear to be defective in DU patients; and (3) meal-stimulated acid and pepsin secretion was similar in both the DU and N groups.
An Empirical Study Of It Development In The Banking Industry Of Taiwan

The focal point adopted in the present study is Customer Relationship Management (CRM) and its adoption in Taiwan’s banking industry. Since the current challenge banks are facing is in implementing and supporting new technological solutions that will enable them to be more responsive and flexible to their clients, a quantitative research methodology was employed in the present study in an attempt to answer the following research question: What are the critical factors that explain the degree of success in the deployment of CRM systems in Taiwan’s banking industry? First, based on the findings from the previous studies, an exploratory study consisting of focus-group interviews was conducted to uncover the nature of the problems confronting the banks in adopting CRM. Second, based on the findings from this preliminary investigation, a quantitative analysis using survey and statistical methods was conducted to identify possible answers to the research question. The research done with the present study has uncovered a number of factors which can be used to guide companies for a successful CRM deployment. These factors include primacy of customer service, customizing CRM functions/modules, discovering customers’ needs, maintaining employee’s moral, conducting a decision support system. If the major goal of implementing a CRM system is to improve the overall CRM deployment, the management in Taiwan’s banking industry should then emphasize three of two factors: primacy of customer service and customizing CRM functions/modules.
Impacts of a new bare-soil evaporation formulation on site, regional, and global surface energy and water budgets in CLM4

[1] We describe the implementation of a new bare-soil evaporation formulation in the Community Land Model-version 4 (CLM4). This new formulation comprises two components: (1) a full-range (desiccated to fully saturated) soil water retention curve (SWRC) parameterization that extends the classical Clapp-Hornberger parameterization and (2) a mechanistically based formulation of soil resistance that considers the effects of water vapor diffusion and liquid mass flow. Predictions by the new SWRC parameterization matched measured soil matric pressure data across a wide soil moisture range for six very different soils. We assessed the revised bare-soil evaporation formulation with two types of global simulations, one with prescribed satellite plant phenology and the other with bare-soil conditions. Compared with the default CLM4 soil evaporation formulation, the revised model leads to (1) slightly lower (−0.2 ∼ 0 mm d−1 averaged annually) bare-soil evaporation in moderately wet regions; (2) slightly higher (0 ∼ 0.2 mm d−1 averaged annually) bare-soil evaporation in semiarid regions; (3) small changes in global surface energy and water balances across all temporal scales for both vegetated and nonvegetated simulations; and (4) a small reduction (−0.2 ∼ 0 mm d−1 averaged annually) in the current overestimation of evapotranspiration in densely vegetated regions such as the Amazon basin. However, contrary to expectation and consistent with the default CLM4, the simulated bare-soil evapotranspiration remains higher than that of the vegetated soil in the same grid cells. We conclude that further studies are needed to identify the processes that lead to the overestimation of bare-soil evaporation in CLM4.
The effect of primary versus secondary processes on the volatile content of MORB glasses: An example from the equatorial Mid-Atlantic Ridge (5°N–3°S)

We report microanalysis of volatile and trace element compositions, as well as Fe3+/ΣFe ratios, from 45 basaltic glasses from cruise RC2806 along the equatorial Mid-Atlantic Ridge. The along-strike variations in volatiles result from the complex geodynamical setting of the area, including numerous transform faults, variations in ridge depth, melting degree, and source composition. The strongest gradient is centered on 1.7°N and encompasses an increase of H2O, Cl, and F contents as well as high F/Zr ratio spatially coincident with radiogenic isotope anomalies. We interpret these variations as source enrichment due to the influence of the nearby high-μ-type Sierra Leone plume. South of the St. Paul fracture zone, H2O and F contents, as well as H2O/Ce and F/Zr ratios, decrease progressively. This gradient in volatiles is consistent with progressive dilution of an enriched component in a heterogeneous mantle due to the progressive increase in the degree of melting. These two large-scale gradients are interrupted by small-scale anomalies in volatile contents attributed to (1) low-degree melts preferentially sampling enriched heterogeneities near transform faults and (2) local assimilation of hydrothermal fluids in four samples from dredge 16D. Finally, 20 RC2806 samples described as “popping rocks” during collection do not show any difference in volatile content dissolved in the glass or in vesicularity when compared to the RC2806 “nonpopping” samples. Our observations lead us to question the interpretation of the CO2 content in the highly vesicular 2πD43 “popping rock” as being representative of the CO2 content of undegassed mid-ocean ridge basalt.
High-resolution optical spectrum analyzer based on moving space charge field effects in photoconductive semiconductors

Summary form only given. Spatially inhomogeneous optical intensity patterns are created when two mutually coherent optical fields interfere inside photoconductive semiconductors with a finite intersection angle. Diffusion of photo-generated free-charge carriers ensues due to the nonzero concentration gradient, resulting in the formation of an internal space charge electric field. This paper shows the experimental results for an optical spectrum analyzer based on such a moving space charge field in a photoconductive CdTe:V:Mn sample.
Octreotide Acetate Long-Acting Formulation Versus Open-Label Subcutaneous Octreotide Acetate in Malignant Carcinoid Syndrome

PURPOSE: Subcutaneous (SC) octreotide acetate effectively relieves the diarrhea and flushing associated with carcinoid syndrome but requires long-term multiple injections daily. A microencapsulated long-acting formulation (LAR) of octreotide acetate has been developed for once-monthly intramuscular dosing. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A randomized trial compared double-blinded octreotide LAR at 10, 20, and 30 mg every 4 weeks with open-label SC octreotide every 8 hours for the treatment of carcinoid syndrome. Seventy-nine patients controlled with treatment of SC octreotide 0.3 to 0.9 mg/d whose symptoms returned during a washout period and who returned for at least the week 20 evaluation constituted the efficacy-assessable population. RESULTS: Complete or partial treatment success was comparable in each of the four arms of the study (SC, 58.3%; 10 mg, 66.7%; 20 mg, 71.4%; 30 mg, 61.9%; P ≥ .72 for all pairwise comparisons). Control of stool frequency was similar in all treatment groups. Flushing episodes were be...
Quenching and propagation of bistable reaction-diffusion fronts in multidimensional periodic media

Abstract We study the front dynamics of the bistable reaction-diffusion equations with periodic diffusion and/or convection coefficients in several space dimensions. When traveling wave solutions exist, the solutions of the initial value problem behave as wave fronts propagating with the effective speeds of traveling waves under various initial conditions. Yet due to the bistable nature of the nonlinearity, traveling waves may not always exist when the medium variations from the mean states are large enough. Their existence is closely related to the detailed forms of diffusion and convection coefficients, more so in multidimension than in one. We present a simple sufficient condition for the nonexistence of traveling waves (quenching) using perturbation method. Our two dimensional finite difference numerical computations show a variety of front behaviors, such as: the propagation, quenching and retreat of fronts. We found numerically that quenching occurs in two space dimensions when diffusion is spatially uniform and convection field is a periodic array of rotating vortices if the root mean square of the convection field reaches a critical number.
A lower limit on the mass of ^5Be

The reaction ^3He(^3He,n) has been studied at incident energies between 18.0 and 26.0 MeV to search for the “ground state” of ^5Be. No structure attributable to ^5Be was found, indicating that the “ground state” of ^5H is unbound to ^3H + 2p by at least 2.1 MeV.
Comments on Greenhow, Robelia, and Hughes: Technologies That Facilitate Generating Knowledge and Possibly Wisdom

Greenhow, Robelia, and Hughes (2009) argue that Web 2.0 media are well suited to enhancing the education research community’s purpose of generating and sharing knowledge. The author of this comment article first articulates how a research infrastructure with capabilities for communal bookmarking, photo and video sharing, social networking, wikis, and mash-ups could enhance both the pace and quality of education scholarship, complementing federal investments in cyberinfrastructure. He then argues for a second, more provocative and controversial usage of this research infrastructure: an experimental attempt to generate “wisdom.” An interconnected suite of Web 2.0 tools customized for research would provide three capabilities important for wise advice: (a) a virtual setting in which stakeholders of many different types could dialogue (b) about rich artifacts grounded in practice and policy (c) with a set of social supports to encourage community norms that respect not only theoretical rigor and empirical evi...
Prefrontal white matter volume is disproportionately larger in humans than in other primates

Determining how the human brain differs from nonhuman primate brains is central to understanding human behavioral evolution. There is currently dispute over whether the prefrontal cortex, which mediates evolutionarily interesting behaviors, has increased disproportionately. Using magnetic resonance imaging brain scans from 11 primate species, we measured gray, white and total volumes for both prefrontal and the entire cerebrum on each specimen (n = 46). In relative terms, prefrontal white matter shows the largest difference between human and nonhuman, whereas gray matter shows no significant difference. This suggests that connectional elaboration (as gauged by white matter volume) played a key role in human brain evolution.
Total Absorptance by Nitrous Oxide Bands in the Infrared

Instrumentation and experimental techniques employed for the determination of the total absorptance ∫A(ν)dν of the bands of various atmospheric gases are described. The total absorptances of the 2563, 2461, 2224, 1285, 1167, 692, and 589 cm−1 bands of pure N2O and N2O mixed with N2 have been determined as a function of absorber concentration w and equivalent pressure Pe which involves the partial pressures of the two gases. The results are given in graphical form. In general, it is found that in situations in which existing theory predicts absorptance proportional to the square roots of pressure and absorber concentration, the total absorptance is indeed nearly proportional to the square root of absorber concentration but not to the square root of the pressure; for the 2224 cm−1 band, ∫A(ν)dν ∝ Pe0.37. In addition to graphical presentation of results, it is possible to express ∫A(ν)dν in terms of w and Pe by means of empirical equations applicable to certain definite ranges of the variables; the validity and the limitations of such empirical equations are discussed. For samples for which the product of the absorption coefficient k(ν) and the absorber concentration is much less than unity for all frequencies in an absorption band, it is possible to measure the band intensity or band strength ∫k(ν)dν. Values of band intensity for the 2563, 2461, 2224, 1167, and 589 cm−1 N2O bands are listed and compared with values previously reported by others.
Discussion on information theoretic and simulation analysis of linear shift-invariant edge detection operators

Generally, the designs of digital image processing algorithms and image gathering devices remain separate. However, experiments show that the image gathering process profoundly impacts the performance of digital image processing and the quality of the resulting images. We proposed an end-to-end information theory based system to assess linear shift-invariant edge detection algorithms, where the different parts, such as scene, image gathering, and processing, are assessed in an integrated manner using Shannon’s information theory. We evaluated the performance of the different algorithms as a function of the characteristics of the scene and the parameters, such as sampling, additive noise etc., that define the image gathering system. The edge detection algorithm is regarded as having high performance only if the information rate from the scene to the edge image approaches its maximum possible. This goal can be achieved only by jointly optimizing all processes. To validate our information theoretical conclusions, a series of experiments simulated the whole image acquisition process are conducted. After comparison and discussion between theoretic analysis and simulation analysis, we can draw a conclusion that the proposed information-theoretic assessment provides a new tool which allows us to compare different linear shift-invariant edge detectors in a common environment.
Fatty acid composition of seed oils of the meliaceae, including one genus rich incis-vaccenic acid

The seed lipids of three species ofEntandraphragma (Meliaceae) contain the largest proportion (31–50%) ofcis-vaccenic acid ever found in nature. The acid is not indicative of the family as a whole and is found as a major fatty acid in the seed of only one additional species, besidesEntandraphragma, out of the 30 analyzed from this family. With the total oil comprising between 45 and 62% ofEntandraphragma seed, these species should be considered as a source of undecadioic acid for the production of nylon 11.
Collapsing K × I to vertical segments

In this paper we shall consider contractible 2-dimensional cell complexes K with one 0-cell v , one l-cell a , and one 2-cell D , where the boundary of D is attached to a by a word in a and a −1 . In order for such a complex K to be contractible, the attaching word in a and a −1 must have total degree ± 1. The simplest example occurs when the attaching word is a ; in this case K is a 2-cell, and is of no interest since K is collapsible. If any other word of degree ± 1 is used, the resulting K is contractible but not collapsible.
Cyberbody as drag

Drawing on the topological approach Jacques Lacan developed late in his career, this paper explores the relation between a user and an avatar interpreted as prosthetic, so that an avatar is seen as a prosthetic consciousness and unconscious, a user's virtual ‘Self’. Lacan's topological concept of ‘extimacy’ that subverts the opposition between the inside and outside is used in support of such an interpretation. The 3-D virtual world of Second Life is taken as an example to illustrate the digital projection of a user's gender identity. The paper suggests that Second Life is application of attachable genitals in addition to basic male and female avatar patterns makes the virtual process of taking a gender identity similar to real life sexuation. This interpretation leads to a conclusion about the fixity of the ego in the imaginary realm (a typical human feature, according to Lacan) and challenges the main postulates of posthumanism.
Chondrosarcoma of the larynx report of a case with characteristic computed tomography findings

Chondrosarcoma of the larynx is a rare lesion. Computed tomography was able to suggest this diagnosis preoperatively and aided in surgical planning by defining the extent of the mass in a 67-year-old man who presented with signs and symptoms of airway obstruction.
Therapist Perceptions of Intimate Partner Violence: A Replication of Harway and Hansen's Study after More than a Decade

More than a decade ago, Hansen, Harway, and Cervantes (1991) and Harway and Hansen (1993) examined mental health providers' ability to accurately perceive violence within couples presenting for therapy and to intervene in a manner that reduces risk. Alarmingly, 40% of therapists sampled failed to identify the presence of intimate partner violence (IPV) and none predicted lethality. Over a decade later, the present replication of Harway and colleagues' study was completed with the expectation that today's therapists are better prepared to identify IPV within a clinical vignette. Results show that therapists have indeed improved their ability to identify IPV. However, only one therapist accurately predicted lethality in the present study. Implications concerning IPV training for therapists are discussed.
Block Copolymer-Assisted Synthesis of Mesoporous, Multicomponent Oxides by Nonhydrolytic, Thermolytic Decomposition of Molecular Precursors in Nonpolar Media

A general route for the synthesis of homogeneous mixed-element oxides, based on the use of block polyalkylene oxide copolymers and single-source molecular precursors, is described. Thermolytic deco...