cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
New insights on the Green River petroleum system in the Uinta basin from hydrous pyrolysis experiments: Discussion

In their recent paper, Ruble et al. (2001) use hydrous pyrolysis experiments to correlate oils to source rocks and to derive kinetic parameters for potential source facies in the Green River Formation, Uinta basin. They then use these correlations and kinetic parameters in a basin model to explain the occurrence of overpressured producing intervals. This discussion focuses on their results for the calculation of hydrocarbon-generation kinetics from hydrous pyrolysis data. The temperatures of generation predicted by the hydrous pyrolysis-derived kinetics in Ruble et al. (2001) are not consistent with data at either geological or laboratory timescales. This lack of consistency indicates that these kinetics, although valid over a narrow range of laboratory conditions, cannot be applied to a wider range of thermal conditions. Furthermore, the temperatures of generation predicted by these kinetics are not consistent with the proposed basin model. The major sources of these inconsistencies appear to be 1. the use of the appearance of “immiscible oil” during hydrous pyrolysis (i.e., the free-floating liquid phase) to calculate kinetic parameters 2. the omission of the effects of product cracking in closed system pyrolysis on calculated yields and kinetics Extrapolation of the hydrous pyrolysis-derived kinetics in Ruble et al. (2001) to geological conditions at a heating rate of 1°C/ m.y. predicts that significant generation (transformation ratio > 0.10) does not occur until approximately 170°C, and peak generation is not reached until almost 185°C (Figure 1). However, these temperatures far exceed the temperatures at which oil generation is generally accepted as occurring in nature, even in lacustrine environments (e.g., Tissot and Welte, 1984; Hunt, 1996). Figure 1 Evolution of transformation ratio and generation rate predicted by Ruble et al. (2001) kinetics at a 1°C/m.y. heating rate. In addition, these predicted generation temperatures are higher than the temperatures at which significant oil cracking occurs. For …
Two Challenges to the Requirement of Substantive General Covariance

It is generally acknowledged that the requirement that the laws of a spacetime theory be covariant under a general coordinate transformation is a restriction on the form but not the content of the theory. The prevalent view in the physics community holds that the substantive version of general covariance – exhibited, for example, by Einstein’s general theory of relativity – consists in the requirement that diffeomorphism invariance is a gauge symmetry of the theory. This conception of general covariance is explained and confronted by two challenges. One challenge claims, in effect, that substantive general covariance is not deserving of the name since, just as it is possible to rewrite any spacetime so that it satisfies formal general covariance, so it is also possible to rewrite the theory so that it satisfies the proffered version of substantive general covariance. The other challenge claims that the proffered version of substantive general covariance is not strong enough to guarantee the intended meaning of general covariance. Both challenges are discussed in terms of concrete examples. It is argued that both challenges fail but, at the same time, that they help to clarify what is at stake on the seemingly never ending dispute over the nature and status of general covariance.
Some hierarchical models for automatic document retrieval

Within the last few years, several automatic indexing and abstracting systems have been designed which are based primarily on word frequency counts and on techniques for measuring word and document associations. These systems are not wholly successful because both the sentence structure and the semantic relations between words are normally disregarded. An attempt is made in the present study to overcome the limitations of the strictly quantitative methods by presenting two systems for automatic document retrieval which are based on hierarchical storage arrangements as well as on the usual frequency counts and association measures. The first one utilizes a hierarchical arrangement similar to a library classification schedule, including lists of synonyms or related words, and cross-references. The second uses, in addition, a simplified form of syntactic analysis, thus making it possible to represent the syntactic dependency structure between individual words. The required retrieval operations are described briefly and are compared with those of the simpler quantitative model.
The Occlusion Effect and Ear Canal Sound Pressure Level

Comparisons were made between changes in the audibility of bone-conduction stimuli to differences in the sound pressure present in the external auditory canal when ears were occluded. Fifteen listeners with normal middle ear function were tested using pure tones of 250, 500, and 1000 Hz, delivered via a bone-conduction oscillator placed on the mastoid process and the frontal bone. At all three frequencies, and both sites of stimulation, ear canal sound pressures were greater in the occluded than in the unoccluded conditions. Concurrently, the test signals were detected at lower intensities, although the changes in audibility and external canal sound pressure levels were not unity. The occlusion effect was attenuated slightly when the skull was vibrated from the frontal bone.
Correction to “A general power equation for predicting bed load transport rates in gravel bed rivers”

[1] In the paper ‘‘A general power equation for predicting bed load transport rates in gravel bed rivers’’ by Jeffrey J. Barry et al. (Water Resources Research, 40, W10401, doi:10.1029/2004WR003190, 2004), the y axis for Figures 5 and 10 was incorrectly labeled and should have read ‘‘log10 (predicted transport) – log10 (observed transport).’’ In addition, flow depth (D) is incorrectly shown in the denominator of equation (A9) of Barry et al. [2004] and should be replaced by di, the mean particle diameter for the ith size class as shown below:
Aberrant promoter hypermethylation of multiple genes in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma

Abstract Purpose Epigenetic alteration, via promoter hypermethylation, inactivates genes important for the development of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (SCCHN). The aim of this study is to characterize and correlate, with clinical parameters, the promoter methylation profile of DNA repair genes, hMLH1 and O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT), and tumor-suppressor gene p16. Materials and methods Fifty-one cases of SCCHN, collected from the paraffin block archives (1997–1999) in the Department of Pathology at the University of Arkansas for medical sciences, provided DNA for methylation-specific PCR using primers specific for hMLH1, MGMT, and p16. Results Sixty-two percent displayed promoter hypermethylation in at least one gene, with 23% seen for hMLH1, 30% for MGMT, and 36% for p16. Promoter hypermethylation of these genes separately or in combination was not associated with history of smoking and alcohol use, tumor size, nodal status, clinical stage, and overall survival. Promoter hypermethylation of more than 1 gene was significantly associated with increased 2-year disease-free survival. The probability of surviving 2 years without tumor recurrence was 100% with promoter hypermethylation in 2 or 3 genes and 46% with promoter hypermethylation in none or just 1 gene ( P = .013). Promoter hypermethylation of 2 or 3 genes was independently related to increased 2-year cumulative disease-free survival ( P = .028). Conclusions Promoter hypermethylation of hMLH1, MGMT, and p16 genes was commonly detected in 47 SCCHN cases with up to 65% showing aberrant promoter hypermethylation in at least 1 gene. Promoter hypermethylation of 2 or 3 genes was significantly associated with increased 2-year disease-free survival, suggesting that promoter hypermethylation of multiple genes might improve survival. Significant correlation was also noted between a positive alcohol use history and promoter hypermethylation of the MGMT gene with no promoter hypermethylation of the p16 gene.
The Regulation of Transnational Corporate Identity in Europe

Rules governing the corporate identity of multinational companies are national in nature, with the one exception of the European Company Statute. For the first time in the history of capitalism, this statute enables companies to jettison national rules of incorporation in favor of an international legal identity. This article explains why the statute was the most protracted legislative initiative in the history of European integration and why its final form served significantly to constrain the international market for corporate identity in Europe. Its explanations are anchored in an institutional theory of government behavior that draws on the varieties of capitalism and historical institutionalism traditions. The article concludes with suggestions for how these traditions can be extended beyond their normal purview as a means to giving analytical and substantive nuance to the study of international rule-making.
Taxonomy of conflicts in network security policies

Network security polices are essential elements in Internet security devices that provide traffic filtering, integrity, confidentiality, and authentication. Network security perimeter devices such as firewalls, IPSec, and IDS/IPS devices operate based on locally configured policies. However, configuring network security policies remains a complex and error-prone task due to rule dependency semantics and the interaction between policies in the network. This complexity is likely to increase as the network size increases. A successful deployment of a network security system requires global analysis of policy configurations of all network security devices in order to avoid policy conflicts and inconsistency. Policy conflicts may cause serious security breaches and network vulnerability such as blocking legitimate traffic, permitting unwanted traffic, and insecure data transmission. This article presents a comprehensive classification of security policy conflicts that might potentially exist in a single security device (intrapolicy conflicts) or between different network devices (interpolicy conflicts) in enterprise networks. We also show the high probability of creating such conflicts even by expert system administrators and network practitioners.
Biology, Models, and the Analysis of Tumor Xenograft Experiments

Advances in statistical modeling and analysis technology have improved our ability to derive valid inferences from tumor xenograft experiments. Further challenges in this area include the modeling of intertumor heterogeneity and the development of robust statistical models that describe key parameters in the underlying tumor biology.
The EPA's human exposure research program for assessing cumulative risk in communities.

Communities are faced with challenges in identifying and prioritizing environmental issues, taking actions to reduce their exposures, and determining their effectiveness for reducing human health risks. Additional challenges include determining what scientific tools are available and most relevant, and understanding how to use those tools; given these barriers, community groups tend to rely more on risk perception than science. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Office of Research and Development, National Exposure Research Laboratory (NERL) and collaborators are developing and applying tools (models, data, methods) for enhancing cumulative risk assessments. The NERL's “Cumulative Communities Research Program” focuses on key science questions: (1) How to systematically identify and prioritize key chemical stressors within a given community?; (2) How to develop estimates of exposure to multiple stressors for individuals in epidemiologic studies?; and (3) What tools can be used to assess community-level distributions of exposures for the development and evaluation of the effectiveness of risk reduction strategies? This paper provides community partners and scientific researchers with an understanding of the NERL research program and other efforts to address cumulative community risks; and key research needs and opportunities. Some initial findings include the following: (1) Many useful tools exist for components of risk assessment, but need to be developed collaboratively with end users and made more comprehensive and user-friendly for practical application; (2) Tools for quantifying cumulative risks and impact of community risk reduction activities are also needed; (3) More data are needed to assess community- and individual-level exposures, and to link exposure-related information with health effects; and (4) Additional research is needed to incorporate risk-modifying factors (“non-chemical stressors”) into cumulative risk assessments. The products of this research program will advance the science for cumulative risk assessments and empower communities with information so that they can make informed, cost-effective decisions to improve public health.
Heating and Cooling Processes

Heating and cooling of food products are probably the most frequently occurring processes in the food processing plant. Only a small percentage of processed foods do not receive some type of heat process or are not cooled at some point between the time of entering the food-processing plant and arriving at the point of consumption. As heat transfer is the unit operation involved in both heating and cooling, it must receive considerable attention when designing processes for a processing plant.
Polymer drag reduction with surface roughness in flat-plate turbulent boundary layer flow

Experimental results from a study of surface roughness effects on polymer drag reduction in a zero-pressure gradient flat-plate turbulent boundary layer are presented. Both slot-injected polymer and homogeneous polymer ocean cases were considered over a range of flow conditions and surface roughness. Balance measurements of skin friction drag reduction are presented. Drag reductions over 60% were measured for both the injected and homogeneous polymer cases even with fully rough surfaces. As the roughness increased, higher polymer concentration was required to achieve a given level of drag reduction for the homogeneous case. With polymer injection, increasing surface roughness caused the drag reduction to decrease to low levels more quickly when the polymer expenditure was decreased or the freestream velocity was increased. However, the percent drag reductions on the rough surfaces with polymer injection were often substantially larger than on the smooth surface. Remarkably, in some cases, the skin friction drag force on a rough surface with polymer injection was less than the drag force observed on a smooth surface at comparable conditions.
Impact of positive ions and effect of lens aberrations in projection electron-beam systems

The Berkeley Electron Beam Simulator (BEBS) has been used with positive particles and induced lens aberrations to diagnose and partially compensate beam blur at high current. Simulation shows up to a 24% spot size reduction at 30(mu) A beam current with positive ions introduced in the beam column. Results also show that a proper amount of lens aberration can partially cancel the aberration induced by the global space charge effect. Over a 30% beam blur reduction has been achieved at 30(mu) A beam current. A 30(mu) A simulation requires roughly one hour with ten 500MHz processors. Results are also reported for using BEBS with both positrons and electrons as a stochastic effect simulator. This enables the isolation of the stochastic coulomb interactions from the space charge effect in any beam configuration and the direct measurement of the stochastic beam blur. Our simulation shows that the stochastic blur scales proportionally to I0.62, in comparison with Jansen's prediction of I0.67, where I is the beam current.© (2001) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
A fluorescent PCR assay for the codominant interpretation of a dominant SCAR marker linked to the virus resistance allele bc-1 2 in common bean

Our objective was to develop a rapid and accurate procedure to genotype common bean plants for the bc-12 allele, which conditions resistance to bean common mosaic and bean common mosaic necrosis viruses. A segregating F2 population was derived from the cross between pinto bean breeding lines P94207-43 (bc-12//bc-12) and P94207-189 (bc-1//bc-1). A quantitative PCR assay based on the detection of fluorescent labeled amplicons was developed to distinguish between homozygous (bc-12//bc-12), heterozygous (bc-12//bc-1) and null (bc-1//bc-1) F2 genotypes. Remnant F1 plants were used as a comparative reference sample. PCR results among this sample fit a normal distribution, and 99% and 95% confidence intervals for heterozygotes were determined. F2 plants for which no amplification was detected were classified as null (bc-1//bc-1) genotypes. F2 plants that fell within the confidence intervals for heterozygotes were classified as heterozygotes (bc-12//bc-1), while plants that fell outside the right tail of the heterozygote confidence intervals were classified as homozygotes (bc-12//bc-12). F2 plants were also genotyped for the bc-12 allele by performing F3 family progeny tests for virus resistance. Agreement between the two methods for genotyping plants was 100% (59/59) when PCR genotyping was based on a 99% heterozygote confidence interval, and 98.3% (58/59) when based on a 95% heterozygote confidence interval. This assay will accelerate breeding for virus resistance in bean by facilitating discrimination among plants that are heterozygous or homozygous for the bc-12 allele. The experimental design may be generally applicable towards developing other assays for the codominant interpretation of dominant markers in diploid plants.
Effect of preharvest desiccants on Group IV Glycine max seed viability

Abstract The effect of two commonly used desiccant tank mixtures on Glycine max seed production and viability when applied at G. max growth stages R5 to R8 (R5 = beginning pod fill, R6 = full green pod, R7 = beginning maturity, R8 = full maturity) was evaluated. Two mid-Group IV G. max cultivars, one conventional (‘Northrup King 4260’) and one glyphosate-tolerant (‘Asgrow 4701RR’), were evaluated. Tank mixtures containing either glyphosate + sodium chlorate or paraquat + sodium chlorate + surfactant reduced yield, seed weight, and subsequent germination, emergence, and seedling growth when applied at R5 or R6 to either G. max cultivar. Glyphosate + sodium chlorate applied at R7 reduced germination of the glyphosate-tolerant cultivar. When applied at R6 or R7, glyphosate + sodium chlorate reduced the next generation's seedling length compared to paraquat + sodium chlorate. Glyphosate + sodium chlorate increased the number of abnormal seedlings produced in the conventional cultivar compared to paraquat + so...
Advances in Global Seismic Event Location

We review the fundamentals of earthquake location and document the evolution of global one-dimensional models for travel times and velocity structure. We discuss in detail the issues of location uncertainty, weighting, corrections (station, source, and path), and data quality. Nuclear monitoring concerns have brought about an increased need for improvements in global and regional seismic event location capability. Several recent studies highlight the value of utilizing information from multiple phases and global 3-D models to improve event locations. Further progress in the use of 3-D models for high-accuracy locations will require substantial efforts to improve the quality of the arrival time data used to determine the 3-D structure of the Earth.
Functional analysis of the Arabidopsis thaliana MUTE promoter reveals a regulatory region sufficient for stomatal-lineage expression

The MUTE promoter contains a 175-bp region rich in Dof regulatory elements (AAAG) that is necessary and sufficient for initiation of transcription in meristemoids and the stomatal lineage. The molecular mechanism underlying the decision to divide or differentiate is a central question in developmental biology. During stomatal development, expression of the master regulator MUTE triggers the differentiation of meristemoids into stomata. In this study, we carried out MUTE promoter deletion analysis to define a regulatory region that promotes the initiation of expression in meristemoids. Expression constructs with truncated promoter fragments fused to β-glucuronidase (GUS) were developed. The full-length promoter and promoter truncations of at least 500 bp from the translational start site exhibited normal spatiotemporal expression patterns. Further truncation revealed a 175-bp promoter fragment that was necessary and sufficient for stomatal-lineage expression. Known cis-elements were identified and tested for functional relevance. Comparison of orthologous MUTE promoters suggested DNA binding with one finger (Dof) regulatory elements and novel motifs may be important for regulation. Our data highlight the complexity and combinatorial control of gene regulation and provides tools to further investigate the genetic control of stomatal development.
Selective Surfaces: Quaternary Co(Ni)MoS-Based Chalcogels with Divalent (Pb2+, Cd2+, Pd2+) and Trivalent (Cr3+, Bi3+) Metals for Gas Separation

Porous chalcogels with tunable compositions of CoxM1–xMoS4 and NixM1–xMoS4, where M = Pd2+, Pb2+, Cd2+, Bi3+, or Cr3+ and x = 0.3–0.7, were synthesized by metathesis reactions between the metal ions and MoS42–. Solvent exchange, counterion removal and CO2 supercritical drying led to the formation of aerogels. All chalcogels exhibited high surface areas (170–510 m2/g) and pore volumes in the 0.56–1.50 cm3/g range. Electron microscopy coupled with nitrogen adsorption measurements suggest the presence of both mesoporosity (2 nm 50 nm, where d is the average pore size). Pyridine adsorption corroborated for the acid character of the aerogels. We present X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic and X-ray scattering evidence that the [MoS4]2– unit does not stay intact when bound to the metals in the chalcogel structure. The Mo6+ species undergoes redox reactions during network assembly, giving rise to Mo4+/5+-containing species where the Mo is bound to sulfide and polysulfide ligands...
RANDOM DIGIT DIALING FOR CONTROL SELECTION A REVIEW AND A CAUTION ON ITS USE IN STUDIES OF CHILDHOOD CANCER

Random digit dialing is an effective method for creating a probability sample of households for telephone interviews. Epidemiologists have successfully used the technique to select controls for population-based case-control studies. However, a modified version of random digit dialing used in some institution-based studies of childhood cancer etiology involves a selection process which is biased against children from families with closely spaced births. The author discusses alternative approaches to reducing this bias in control group selection.
Educational Perspectives: The 360-degree Assessment: A New Paradigm in Trainee Evaluation

The 360-degree assessment is a new paradigm in medical evaluation in which a trainee is evaluated by multiple people in his or her sphere of influence. Evaluators measure identical parameters using the same rating scale, with an additional subset of uniquely designed items to capture areas particular to certain groups. This tool can help to identify differences between the trainee9s self-assessment and ratings by other evaluators. Recent studies have shown that the 360-degree assessment is a reliable and valid instrument to improve physician performance. In addition, 360-degree feedback has been shown to provide training programs with a reproducible, quantifiable tool to assess the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (AGCME) competencies of their trainees. This review describes a step-by-step process outlining this new paradigm of trainee assessment. Although further research is necessary, studies thus far reveal that with thoughtful planning and implementation, the 360-degree assessment tool provides trainees with constructive feedback to elevate the level of patient care.
Shipboard Aircraft Double-Wave Band Infrared Search and Early Warning System

The concept,characteristics and advantages of shipboard aircraft infrared search and early warning system are introduced. The request,configuration,principle and the key technologies are analyzed.In the end,the future developments is prospected.
The "new" vegetarians. Group affiliation and dietary strictures related to attitudes and life style.

Knowledge of the characteristics of the “new” vegetarians can he useful to the health professional in contacts with this group.
The CAPRA Score at 10 Years: Contemporary Perspectives and Analysis of Supporting Studies.

Abstract Tools that appraise oncologic risk are a critical component of research and clinical management of prostate cancer (PCa). We performed a PubMed/Medline search to review the concept, design, and clinical validation of the Cancer of the Prostate Risk Assessment (CAPRA) score and similar systems in the postsurgical (CAPRA-S) and primary androgen deprivation therapy (Japan CAPRA [J-CAPRA]) settings. We included reports addressing the CAPRA ( n =13), CAPRA-S ( n =4), and J-CAPRA ( n =5) scores. External validation studies for the CAPRA score have yielded favorable clinical performance in both academic and community cohorts, with concordance index (c-index) for biochemical recurrence (BCR) after definitive treatment in the range of 0.66–0.81. Validation studies addressing the postsurgical CAPRA-S score have demonstrated favorable prediction of distant end points (c-index for BCR: 0.73–0.80; prostate cancer–specific mortality [PCSM]: 0.75–0.88). The J-CAPRA score was evaluated in 1378 men treated with primary ADT and demonstrated excellent discrimination (c-index for progression-free survival: 0.80–0.89; PCSM: 0.820–0.836; overall survival: 0.665–0.700). The CAPRA score and its derivatives have demonstrated robust clinical discrimination in a decade of validation studies. The CAPRA score and similar multivariable stratification systems are posed to replace prior older and less accurate risk group categories. Patient summary We addressed the development of the Cancer of the Prostate Risk Assessment (CAPRA) score, its methodology, and its supporting studies. The CAPRA score and similarly designed tools have yielded strong performance in the prediction of numerous prostate cancer end points.
The private and social consequences of purchasing an electric vehicle and solar panels: Evidence from California

Abstract Rising greenhouse gas emissions raise the risk of severe climate change. The household sector׳s greenhouse gas emissions have increased over time as more people drive gasoline cars and consume electricity generated using coal and natural gas. The household sector׳s emissions would decline if more households drove electric vehicles and owned solar panels. In recent years automobile manufacturers have been producing high-performance electric vehicles, and solar panels are becoming more efficient and less expensive. Using several data sets from California, we document evidence of the growth of the joint purchase of electric and hybrid vehicles and solar panels. We discuss pricing and quality trends for these green durable goods.
DNA as an environmental sensor: detection and identification of pesticide contaminants in water with fluorescent nucleobases

Environmental contaminants pose a substantial health risk in many areas of the world. One of these risks is contamination of water with toxic organic species, such as herbicides and insecticides. Here we describe the discovery and properties of a set of fluorescent chemosensors that respond to micromolar concentrations of a broad range of common organic pesticides. The chemosensors are short DNA-like oligomers with fluorophores replacing DNA bases that are assembled via a DNA synthesizer. We screened a library of 1296 tetrameric compounds on polystyrene microbeads, and identified a set of chemosensor sequences that respond strongly to a set of structurally varied pesticide analytes. We show that ten chemosensors on beads can be used to detect and identify 14 different common pesticides at 100 μM, using the pattern of fluorescence intensity and wavelength changes. Limits of detection for two analytes were as low as 2 μM. The chemosensors are shown to function successfully in a practical setting, correctly identifying unknown pesticide contaminants in water from Felt Lake, California. The results establish a simple, low cost strategy for sensing environmental spills of toxic organics.
Intratumor heterogeneity (ITH) of lung adenocarcinomas defined by multiregion whole exome sequencing (WES).

11032 Background: Individual cancers are composed of populations of cells with distinct molecular and phenotypic features, a phenomenon termed ITH. ITH may have profound impacts on biopsy strategy,...
Abstract 008: Early Life Stress Induces Renal Pro-inflammatory Immune Responses

We previously reported that maternal separation (MatSep), an animal model of early life stress, sensitizes rats to pro-hypertensive stimuli in adulthood. We hypothesized that MatSep induces a renal pro-inflammatory immune response. Immune cell populations and expression of cytokines were assessed by magnetic bead isolation, FACS analysis, ELISA and RT-PCR in adult male MatSep and normally-reared littermate control rats. Circulating and renal mononuclear or T cell numbers were similar between control and MatSep rats (n=4-11/group, p>0.05). Both groups presented similar percentages of circulating macrophages and TH, TC, and Treg cells (n=4, p>0.05). However, the percentage of circulating B cells was significantly decreased in MatSep rats (23.7±1.2% vs. 20.1±0.7%; n=4, p<0.05). Pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-1Beta was significantly elevated in kidneys from MatSep rats (4.4±0.5 vs. 7.9±1.0 pg/mg prot; n=7-8/group; p<0.05). However, IFN-gamma, IL-6, and IL-4 were not different between control and MatSep rats. To further assess the immune system in MatSep and control rats, we acutely challenged adult rats with lipopolysaccharide (LPS; 2 mg/kg; i.v., 14 h). LPS significantly elevated renal expression of pro-inflammatory chemokine receptors (CCR3, CCR4, CXCR4), cytokines (IFN-gamma, CCL3, CCL4, IL-16), and activation markers (CD40, CD40lg) in MatSep rats (4 to 6 fold increase; n=5/group, p<0.05), suggesting that MatSep induces an exaggerated pro-inflammatory renal immune response to LPS. In conclusion, early life stress induces a renal pro-inflammatory status in adulthood that leads to sensitization to further immune challenges. Funded by P01 HL 69999 to JSP, NIH T32 DK007545 to CDM, F32 HL 116145 to DHH and K99/R00 HL 111354 to ASL.
How far “above the fray”? Jordan and the mechanisms of monarchical advantage in the Arab uprisings

ABSTRACTHow did the Middle Eastern and North African monarchies survive the revolutionary fervor of the Arab Spring? Despite the similarity of slogans, tactics, and images, when regimes fell, one fact stood out: all of the monarchies survived. “Monarchical advantage” is an elegant explanation for this variation. But did monarchies avoid the mass mobilization that brought down republics or were monarchies simply more resilient in the face of mass protest? This article will present an initial examination of the micro-mechanisms of the purported monarchical advantage by examining the perspective of activists on the ground in Jordan, utilizing a framework that examines whether and how mobilization was neutralized or its content nullified in Jordan.
Investigation of Sequence Specificity in DNA Alkylation and Repair Using Oligodeoxynucleotide Substrates

Alkylating carcinogens such as N-methyl-N-nitrosourea and dimethylnitrosamine and their ethyl analogs form at least 13 different alkylation adducts in DNA. Although all of these adducts appear to be repaired in vivo, in the sense that their content declines more rapidly than can be accounted for by cell turnover (Pegg, 1977,1983; Singer and Kuśmierek, 1982; Singer, 1984,1986; Saffhill, et al., 1985), only a few of the proteins responsible for such repair have been fully characterized from mammalian cells. These include two glycosylase enzymes. One of these removes 3-methyladenine, 7-methylguanine and 3-methylguanine from DNA and is usually referred to as 3-alkyladenine DNA glycosylase (Margison and Pegg, 1981; Gallagher and Brent, 1984; Male, et al., 1985, 1987). This glycosylase clearly plays a major role in the loss of the N-alkyl purines, which make up the bulk of the DNA base adducts.
Activity of an introduced earthworm (Lumbricus terrestris) increases under future rates of atmospheric nitrogen deposition in northern temperate forests

Abstract When temperate forests of North America are exposed to long-term experimental levels of atmospheric nitrogen (N) deposition that mimic predicted future rates, elevated concentrations of inorganic N suppress microbial decay processes and increase the mass of the forest floor, storing more carbon (C) as soil organic matter. However, when non-native earthworms were serendipitously introduced to forests subjected to long-term experimental atmospheric N deposition, the greater forest floor mass with a higher N concentration had a positive effect on earthworm activity by increasing earthworm abundance and consumption of the forest floor. Here, we present evidence from a long-term experimental N deposition study showing how the abundance of the introduced earthworm, Lumbricus terrestris, increased significantly under elevated rates of atmospheric N deposition (+363%) in one of four study sites and contributed to a decline in the forest floor (−50%). In addition, mineral soil C (+97%) and N (+117%) concentrations increased as earthworms redistributed a greater proportion of organic matter belowground under experimental N deposition. We conclude that earthworm-induced changes to the forest floor can supersede a decline in microbial decay under experimental N deposition that has previously increased both forest floor mass and turnover time, thereby potentially negating increases in soil C storage.
Cambial Peroxidase Enzymes Related to Graft Incompatibility in Red Maple

Abstract Two major anodal peroxidase isozyme bands occurred with high frequency (70–80%) in the cambial tissue of red maple (Acer rubrum L.) stems and roots. Some red maples, and all silver maples (A. saccarinum L.) tested lacked the lower enzyme band. The presence or absence of the lower enzyme band was not related to the geographic origin of the plants. Because of varying degrees of polyploidy in red maples and hybrids between red and silver maples, the staining intensity of the enzyme bands, especially the lower band, varied considerably. Still, bark-ring grafts between 2-banded and 1-banded red maples exhibited incompatibility symptoms similar to other tree combinations with dissimilar cambial peroxidase isozymes. During the extended time period of 3 to 5 years required for complete envelopment of the severed stock stub in budded red maples, zones of poorly lignified cells are formed at the boundary between incompatible stock and scion cambia. After the increased growth of the scion has developed a la...
Strategies for New Skill Acquisition by Practicing Surgeons.

Objective To understand how practicing surgeons utilize available training methods, which methods are perceived as effective, and important barriers to using more effective methods. Design Online survey designed to characterize surgeon utilization and perception of available training methods. Setting Two large Midwestern academic health centers. Participants 150 faculty surgeons. Methods Nominal values were compared using a McNemar’s Test and Likert-like values were compared using a paired t-test (IBM SPSS Statistics v. 21.0; New York, NY). Results Survey response rate was 81% (122/150). 98% of surgeons reported learning a new procedure or technology after formal training. Many surgeons reported scrubbing in expert cases (78%) and self-directed study (66%), while few surgeons (6%) completed a mini-fellowship. The modalities used most commonly were scrubbing in expert cases (34%) and self-directed study (27%). Few surgeons (7%) believed self-directed study would be most effective, whereas 31% and 16% believed operating under supervision and mini-fellowships would be most effective, respectively. Surgeons believed more effective methods “would require too much time” or they had “confidence in their ability to implement safely.” Conclusions Practicing surgeons use a variety of training methods when learning new procedures and technologies, and there is disconnect between commonly used training methods and those deemed most effective. Confidence in surgeon’s ability was cited as a reason for this discrepancy; and surgeons found time associated with more effective methods to be prohibitive.
Representing dimensions within the reason model of precedent

This paper gives an account of dimensions in the reason model found in Horty (Legal Theory 17(1): 1–33, 2011), Horty and Bench-Capon (in: Proceedings of the 15th international conference on artificial intelligence and law, pp 109–118, ACM Press, 2012) and Rigoni (Artif Intell Law 23(2):133–160, 2015. doi: 10.1007/s10506-015-9166-x ). The account is constructed with the purpose of rectifying problems with the approach to incorporating dimensions in Horty (2017), namely, the problems arising from the collapse of the distinction between the reason model and the result model on that approach. Examination of the newly constructed theory revealed that the importance of dimensions in the reason model lies in their ability to establish weighings between reasons/factors of the same polarity. This permits past cases to constrain future cases in ways they could not on the reason model with just factors. The paper then discusses how dimensions might be established from a case base and how dimensions that are incomplete in various aspects might be dealt with in the theory. It closes with comparisons to other work in the literature on AI and Law and suggestions for further improvement of the reason model.
Beyond the entomological critique: re-thinking Rouch and African cinema

Having worked in West Africa for over 60 years, Jean Rouch has long been a contentious figure in African film circles. Though his collaborative and participatory methods aimed to challenge the colo...
Adaptive networked distributed model reference control systems with strong interconnections and delays

The distributed control of a network of interconnected systems or agents based on a communication network for exchange of information has attracted considerable interest in research. Delays in the communicated information and the effect of strong interconnections between agents are two of the main challenges a distributed control system has to meet. In this paper we consider a linear Networked Distributed Control System (NDCS) that has strong interactions between its agents, as well as delays in the communication network. We assume that each agent knowns its own state, but receives information about its neighbors' states with some communication delay T ij . The control objective is to make each agent track efficiently a reference model by attenuating the effect of the strong interconnections via feedback based on the delayed state information. We prove that if the interconnections can be weakened enough and if the delays are smaller than some bounds which we present, then in the case of known interconnctions the proposed distributed control scheme can guarantee that the tracking error of each agent is bounded in respect to the delays and weakened interconnections, while in the case of unknown interconnections the proposed adaptive distributed control scheme can guarantee that the tracking error of each agent is bounded and small in the mean square sense in respect to the delays and weakened interconnections. Finally, we present an example to demonstrate the applicability and effectiveness of our scheme.
Coherent states field theory in supramolecular polymer physics.

In 1970, Edwards and Freed presented an elegant representation of interacting branched polymers that resembles the coherent states (CS) formulation of second-quantized field theory. This CS polymer field theory has been largely overlooked during the intervening period in favor of more conventional “auxiliary field” (AF) interacting polymer representations that form the basis of modern self-consistent field theory (SCFT) and field-theoretic simulation approaches. Here we argue that the CS representation provides a simpler and computationally more efficient framework than the AF approach for broad classes of reversibly bonding polymers encountered in supramolecular polymer science. The CS formalism is reviewed, initially for a simple homopolymer solution, and then extended to supramolecular polymers capable of forming reversible linkages and networks. In the context of the Edwards model of a non-reacting homopolymer solution and one and two-component models of telechelic reacting polymers, we discuss the structure of CS mean-field theory, including the equivalence to SCFT, and show how weak-amplitude expansions (random phase approximations) can be readily developed without explicit enumeration of all reaction products in a mixture. We further illustrate how to analyze CS field theories beyond SCFT at the level of Gaussian field fluctuations and provide a perspective on direct numerical simulations using a recently developed complex Langevin technique.In 1970, Edwards and Freed presented an elegant representation of interacting branched polymers that resembles the coherent states (CS) formulation of second-quantized field theory. This CS polymer field theory has been largely overlooked during the intervening period in favor of more conventional “auxiliary field” (AF) interacting polymer representations that form the basis of modern self-consistent field theory (SCFT) and field-theoretic simulation approaches. Here we argue that the CS representation provides a simpler and computationally more efficient framework than the AF approach for broad classes of reversibly bonding polymers encountered in supramolecular polymer science. The CS formalism is reviewed, initially for a simple homopolymer solution, and then extended to supramolecular polymers capable of forming reversible linkages and networks. In the context of the Edwards model of a non-reacting homopolymer solution and one and two-component models of telechelic reacting polymers, we discuss the st...
Fatty acid binding protein 4 regulates VEGF-induced airway angiogenesis and inflammation in a transgenic mouse model: implications for asthma.

Neovascularization of the airways occurs in several inflammatory lung diseases, including asthma. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) plays an important role in vascular remodeling in the asthmatic airways. Fatty acid binding protein 4 (FABP4 or aP2) is an intracellular lipid chaperone that is induced by VEGF in endothelial cells. FABP4 exhibits a proangiogenic function in vitro, but whether it plays a role in modulation of angiogenesis in vivo is not known. We hypothesized that FABP4 promotes VEGF-induced airway angiogenesis and investigated this hypothesis with the use of a transgenic mouse model with inducible overexpression of VEGF165 under a CC10 promoter [VEGF-TG (transgenic) mice]. We found a significant increase in FABP4 mRNA levels and density of FABP4-expressing vascular endothelial cells in mouse airways with VEGF overexpression. FABP4−/− mouse airways showed a significant decrease in neovessel formation and endothelial cell proliferation in response to VEGF overexpression. These alterations in airway vasculature were accompanied by attenuated expression of proinflammatory mediators. Furthermore, VEGF-TG/FABP4−/− mice showed markedly decreased expression of endothelial nitric oxide synthase, a well-known mediator of VEGF-induced responses, compared with VEGF-TG mice. Finally, the density of FABP4-immunoreactive vessels in endobronchial biopsy specimens was significantly higher in patients with asthma than in control subjects. Taken together, these data unravel FABP4 as a potential target of pathologic airway remodeling in asthma.
Comparison of Model Reduction Methods with Applications to Circuit Simulation

Summary. We compare different model reduction methods applied to the dynamical system of a coupled transmission line: balanced truncation (BT), truncation by balancing one gramian (or PMTBR - poor man’s truncated balanced reduction), positive real balanced truncation (PRBT) and its Hamiltonian implementation (PRBT-Ham), PRIMA, spectral zero method (SZM) and its Hamiltonian implementation (SZM-Ham), and finally, optimal H2. Their performance is analyzed in terms of several criteria such as: preservation of controllability, observability, stability and passivity, relative H2 and H∞ norms, and the computational cost involved. This paper presents different reduction methods together with results obtained by applying each method on a dynamical system given by a coupled transmission line. In Sect. 2, a modified nodal analysis (MNA)-similar representation of the system is derived. The model reduction methods are grouped in two main categories, gramian based and Krylov based, discussed in sections 3 and 4 respectively. Sect. 3 outlines the theory behind gramian based reduction methods: BT, PMTBR and PRBT. Krylov based reduction methods PRIMA, SZM and optimal H2 are described in Sect. 4. In Sect. 5 we compare all methods in terms of: preservation of some important properties like controllability, observability, stability and passivity, the relative H2 and H∞ norms and in terms of the computational cost. In Sect. 6, error systems resulting from different methods are compared. This allows us to identify frequency ranges where one particular method approximates the original system more accurately. Sect. 7 presents additional results obtained with the optimal H2 method. Finally, Sect. 8 summarizes our analysis and motivates further research.