cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Optimal false-name-proof voting rules with costly voting

One way for agents to reach a joint decision is to vote over the alternatives. In open, anonymous settings such as the Internet, an agent can vote more than once without being detected. A voting rule is false-name-proof if no agent ever benefits from casting additional votes. Previous work has shown that all false-name-proof voting rules are unresponsive to agents' preferences. However, that work implicitly assumes that casting additional votes is costless. In this paper, we consider what happens if there is a cost to casting additional votes. We characterize the optimal (most responsive) false-name-proofwith-costs voting rule for 2 alternatives. In sharp contrast to the costless setting, we prove that as the voting population grows larger, the probability that this rule selects the majority winner converges to 1. We also characterize the optimal group false-name-proof rule for 2 alternatives, which is robust to coalitions of agents sharing the costs of additional votes. Unfortunately, the probability that this rule chooses the majority winner as the voting population grows larger is relatively low. We derive an analogous rule in a setting with 3 alternatives, and provide bounding results and computational approaches for settings with 4 or more alternatives.
Treatment of Freiberg's disease

Freiberg's disease is a relatively rare condition with a multifactorial cause in which trauma and circulation must play a major but not solitary role. Once the condition presents itself, early treatment is geared toward reducing its symptoms and preventing progression. If conservative measures fail, many surgical options are available. One of these, the dorsiflexion osteotomy of the metatarsal head is presented as a logical procedure that is simple, reliable, not destructive, and capable of good results regardless of the stage of the disease.
Long-Term Weight Loss and Metabolic Health in Adults Concerned With Maintaining or Losing Weight: Findings From NHANES.

Abstract More than two-thirds of American adults are overweight or obese, with many attempting to lose weight to avoid adverse health outcomes and improve well-being. Achieving long-term weight loss (LTWL) success, defined as reaching at least a 5% to 10% weight loss goal, is challenging, yet important for overall metabolic health. It is currently unclear whether achieving higher thresholds of LTWL is associated with improved health. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the association between LTWL thresholds (5%-9.9%, 10%-14.9%, 15%-19.9%, ≥20%) and metabolic health (metabolic syndrome and metabolic risk z score) among 7670 US adult respondents to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2007-2014) who were overweight or obese (past or present), were not underweight in the past year, not pregnant, and attempting to lose or maintain weight. A subsample of 3362 participants was used in the analysis of the metabolic risk z score. Multivariable regression models were constructed adjusting for covariates. Results indicate that the lowest and the 2 highest LTWL thresholds were related to lower odds for metabolic syndrome; for example, greater than or equal to 20% LTWL (odds ratio=0.52; 95% CI, 0.23-0.44; P
Commercialized fecal microbiota transplantation provides efficacious treatment of Clostridium difficile infection.

Sir,Research on fecal microbiota transplantation[FMT] has yielded high cure rates for recurrent Clostridium difficile infection. Moreover, as recently described in the present journal, microbiota t...
Virtual reality environment to support activity in the real world: a case of working environment using microscope

This manuscript introduces a virtual reality (VR) environment to support research activity in the real world. We constructed a prototype to support intellectual activity in the field of life sciences using VR. In the prototype, the users can operate a real microscope from a virtual space, along with other useful equipment such as huge displays, and analyze images carefully and intuitively using a immersive visualizer seamlessly integrated in the environment. We belive that our prototype is promising for expanding the potential of VR applications.
Bayesian sequential data collection for stochastic simulation calibration

Abstract Simulation is often used to guide the decision making for real complex stochastic systems. To faithfully assess the mean performance of the real system, it is necessary to efficiently calibrate the simulation model. Existing calibration approaches are typically built on the summary statistics of simulation outputs and ignore the serial dependence of detailed output sample paths. Given a tight simulation budget, we develop a Bayesian sequential data collection approach for simulation calibration via exploring the detailed simulation outputs. Then, the calibrated simulation model can be used to guide decision making. Both theoretical and empirical studies demonstrate that we can efficiently use the simulation resources and achieve better calibration accuracy by exploring the first two moment dynamic information of simulation output sample paths.
Using functional traits to assess the influence of burrowing bivalves on nitrogen-removal in streams

Functional traits define an organism in terms of how the organism interacts with its environment and determine the influence the organism has on dynamic ecosystem processes, such as biogeochemical nutrient cycling. Freshwater mussels (Bivalvia: Unionidae) form hotspots of biogeochemical activity in benthic environments by alleviating nutrient limitation at the sediment–water interface; however, little is known about the influence of mussel functional traits on sediment biogeochemical cycles, particularly nitrogen (N)-removal via denitrification and anammox. Our aim was to model the influence of two mussel functional traits: ammonium (NH4+) excretion and organic matter (OM) biodeposition, on N-removal in stream sediments. We quantified mussel excretion and biodeposition and incubated mussels in microcosms containing river sediment using flow-through methods. We measured nutrient and gas fluxes to quantify real-time ambient N-removal (denitrification + anammox), and conducted isotope pairing techniques to determine the maximum N-removal potential for denitrification and anammox pathways. NH4+ excretion was shown to be a significant predictor of ambient N-removal, whereas OM biodeposition significantly increased the maximum N-removal potential in the sediment. Our study is the first of its kind to link mussel functional traits specifically to N-removal and contributes to the growing knowledge of the role these highly imperiled organisms play by directly and indirectly influencing ecosystem-scale processes in lotic systems.
Application of Interspecies Correlation Estimation (ICE) models and QSAR in estimating species sensitivity to pesticides

Ecological risk assessment is challenged by the need to assess hazard to the diverse communities of organisms inhabiting aquatic and terrestrial systems. Computational approaches, such as Quantitative Structure Activity Relationships (QSAR) and Interspecies Correlation Estimation (ICE) models, are useful tools that provide estimates of acute toxicity where data are lacking or limited for ecological risk assessments (ERA). This review describes the technical basis of ICE models for use in pesticide ERA that may be used in conjunction with QSAR model estimates or surrogate species toxicity data and demonstrates the potential for improving hazard assessment. Validation and uncertainty analysis of ICE model predictions are summarized and used as guidance for selecting ICE models and evaluating toxicity predictions. A user-friendly web-based ICE modelling platform (Web-ICE) is described and demonstrated through case studies. Case studies include the development of Species Sensitivity Distributions generated from QSAR and ICE estimates, comparative sensitivity for a pesticide and its degradate, and application of ICE-estimated toxicity values for listed species assessments.
High-Temperature Nano-Indentation Creep of Reduced Activity High Entropy Alloys Based on 4-5-6 Elemental Palette

There is a strong demand for materials with inherently high creep resistance in the harsh environment of next-generation nuclear reactors. High entropy alloys have drawn intense attention in this regard due to their excellent elevated temperature properties and irradiation resistance. Here, the time-dependent plastic deformation behavior of two refractory high entropy alloys was investigated, namely HfTaTiVZr and TaTiVWZr. These alloys are based on reduced activity metals from the 4-5-6 elemental palette that would allow easy post-service recycling after use in nuclear reactors. The creep behavior was investigated using nano-indentation over the temperature range of 298 K to 573 K under static and dynamic loads up to 5 N. Creep stress exponent for HfTaTiVZr and TaTiVWZr was found to be in the range of 20–140 and the activation volume was ~16–20b3, indicating dislocation dominated mechanism. The stress exponent increased with increasing indentation depth due to a higher density of dislocations and their entanglement at larger depth and the exponent decreased with increasing temperature due to thermally activated dislocations. Smaller creep displacement and higher activation energy for the two high entropy alloys indicate superior creep resistance compared to refractory pure metals like tungsten.
A Conservative Negation Extension of Positive Semilattice Logic Without the Finite Model Property

In this article, I present a semantically natural conservative extension of Urquhart’s positive semilattice logic with a sort of constructive negation. A subscripted sequent calculus is given for this logic and proofs of its soundness and completeness are sketched. It is shown that the logic lacks the finite model property. I discuss certain questions Urquhart has raised concerning the decision problem for the positive semilattice logic in the context of this logic and pose some problems for further research.
The impact of race on hysterectomy for benign indications.

Purpose of review To review current literature evaluating racial disparities in benign hysterectomy care in the United States. Recent findings Evidence shows that black women are half as likely to undergo minimally invasive hysterectomy and have an increased risk of surgical complications compared with white women. Patient level differences including fibroids, prior surgical history, medical comorbidities, and obesity have been implied to account for the increased rate of abdominal hysterectomy in black patients; however, inequalities remain even after controlling for clinical differences. Societal factors including insurance status fail to fully account for disparities, though healthcare system factors, such as geographical region and access to a minimally invasive trained surgeon, continue to have a profound impact on the equity of care that patients receive. Summary Disparities in hysterectomy route and outcomes by race and socioeconomic status exist and have persisted in the literature for over a decade despite a nationwide trend toward minimally invasive hysterectomy and improving surgical outcomes. These disparities are not fully accounted for by patient or health system factors. Successfully addressing these disparities will require a multipronged approach, which may include improved surgical training for residents, fellows, and practicing gynecologists, increasing referrals to high-volume minimally invasive gynecologic surgeons, and provider and patient education.
A arte como refúgio: intertextualidade, espaço e (imagi)nação em “Aqueles dois”, de Caio Fernando Abreu

This article analyzes intertextuality in “Aqueles dois” [“Those Two”], from the collection Morangos mofados [“Spoiled Strawberries”] (1982), by Brazilian author Caio Fernando Abreu. Many studies have approached the short story through a queer theoretical lens, but only a few have deeply engaged with the its various intertextual references to art, poetry, music, and film. Moreover, the artistic, literary, and pop cultural works that are referenced in the short story tend to be from abroad, thereby composing a cosmopolitan vision for a Brazil still in transition from military dictatorship to democracy. This article therefore argues that intertextuality in “Aqueles dois” not only hints toward the homoerotic attraction between the protagonists, Raul and Saul, but also enriches the story’s public and intimate spaces with symbolic meaning. Specifically, the allusions to the painting “Bedroom in Arles,” by Vincent Van Gogh, reinforce the sense of security and peace that the protagonists enjoy while being together inside of each other’s apartments ”“ and outside of the public eye. In addition, the references to the poetry of Walt Whitman, to Hispanic American boleros and to Hollywood cinema not only intensify the story’s homoerotic overtones but also represent a refuge in which the protagonists escape the repression of Brazilian society, if only through the transportive power of art and imagination. Intertextuality thus plays a fundamental role within the sociopolitical dimension of Caio Fernando Abreu’s work. Despite the gradual opening of political and cultural life after the 1979 Amnesty Act, “Aqueles dois” attests to the dictatorship’s legacy of homophobia in Brazil during the period of transition to democracy, and it continues to be relevant reading to this day.
Identification of novel epigenetic abnormalities as sputum biomarkers for lung cancer risk among smokers and COPD patients

Abstract Objectives Smoking is a common risk factor for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and lung cancer. Although COPD patients have higher risk of lung cancer compared to non-COPD smokers, the molecular links between these diseases are not well-defined. This study aims to identify genes that are downregulated by cigarette smoke and commonly repressed in COPD and lung cancer. Materials and methods Primary human airway epithelial cells (HAEC) were exposed to cigarette-smoke-extract (CSE) for 10-weeks and significantly suppressed genes were identified by transcriptome array. Epigenetic abnormalities of these genes in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) from patients with or without COPD were determined using genome-wide and gene-specific assays and by in vitro treatment of cell lines with trichostatin-A or 5-aza-2-deoxycytidine. Results The ten most commonly downregulated genes following chronic CSE exposure of HAEC and show promoter hypermethylation in LUAD were selected. Among these, expression of CCNA1, SNCA, and ZNF549 was significantly reduced in lung tissues from COPD compared with non-COPD cases while expression of CCNA1 and SNCA was further downregulated in tumors with COPD. The promoter regions of all three genes were hypermethylated in LUAD but not normal or COPD lungs. The reduced expression and aberrant promoter hypermethylation of these genes in LUAD were independently validated using data from the Cancer Genome Atlas project. Importantly, SNCA and ZNF549 methylation detected in sputum DNA from LUAD (52% and 38%) cases were more prevalent compared to cancer-free smokers (26% and 15%), respectively (p Conclusions Our data show that suppression of CCNA1, SNCA, and ZNF549 in lung cancer and COPD occurs with or without promoter hypermethylation, respectively. Detecting methylation of these and previously identified genes in sputum of cancer-free smokers may serve as non-invasive biomarkers for early detection of lung cancer among high risk smokers including COPD patients.
Fabrication of strontium-substituted hydroxyapatite scaffolds using 3D printing for enhanced bone regeneration

The use of porous three-dimensional (3D) bioceramic scaffolds to facilitate the regeneration of bone defects has attracted great attention because their structures closely mimic the natural extracellular matrix. 3D printing is a versatile method for the fabrication of 3D scaffolds. In this study, 3D strontium-substituted hydroxyapatite (Sr-HA) bioceramic scaffolds were prepared by simple precipitation and 3D printing method. The resulting scaffolds exhibited interconnected microporous structures of strands and a single-phase crystal due to HA, meaning that no changes in the phase composition and microstructure of the scaffolds with the Sr content were observed. However, their dissolution rate and biological performance were substantially influenced by changes in the Sr content of the scaffolds. The optimal Sr content in the Sr-HA scaffolds for enhanced proliferation and differentiation of cells were identified by comparing four compositions of the Sr-HA scaffolds. The results of in vitro bioactivity tests demonstrated that the Sr5-HA scaffold with 0.05 of Sr/(Ca + Sr) molar ratio promoted more rapid cell proliferation, osteogenic differentiation, and cellular mineralization compared with the other scaffolds. Therefore, Sr-HA scaffolds have the potential for application in bone regeneration as new bone graft substitutes.
Cloud-Based Deep Learning on AWS Open Data Registry: Automatic Building and Road Extraction from Satellite and LiDAR

There is a large amount of public open data hosted in the AWS Open Data Registry. The datasets range from genomics to climate to transportation information. They are well structured and easily accessible. However, there are few examples of how to leverage the datasets in machine learning (ML) model development in the cloud.We create this tutorial by developing Jupyter notebooks to train and test deep learning models using AWS SageMaker to extract building footprints and road networks from satellite imagery and LiDAR data in the registry. The notebooks reproduce winning algorithms from the SpaceNet challenges. In addition to the SpaceNet satellite images, we compare and combine USGS 3D Elevation Program (3DEP) LiDAR data to extract the same and our results outperform some of the top winning teams'.We will share the notebooks and provide hands-on step-by-step instructions for running ML services on AWS to extract features from large scale geospatial data in the cloud. Through the tutorial, the audience will be able to train the building and road extraction models on AWS, apply the models to other regions where satellite or LiDAR data are available, and experiment with new ideas to improve the performances. The audience will experience the benefits of cloud computing and storage first-hand.
Role of Sirtuins in Modulating Neurodegeneration of the Enteric Nervous System and Central Nervous System

Neurodegeneration of the central and enteric nervous systems is a common feature of aging and aging-related diseases, and is accelerated in individuals with metabolic dysfunction including obesity and diabetes. The molecular mechanisms of neurodegeneration in both the CNS and ENS are overlapping. Sirtuins are an important family of histone deacetylases that are important for genome stability, cellular response to stress, and nutrient and hormone sensing. They are activated by calorie restriction (CR) and by the coenzyme, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+). Sirtuins, specifically the nuclear SIRT1 and mitochondrial SIRT3, have been shown to have predominantly neuroprotective roles in the CNS while the cytoplasmic sirtuin, SIRT2 is largely associated with neurodegeneration. A systematic study of sirtuins in the ENS and their effect on enteric neuronal growth and survival has not been conducted. Recent studies, however, also link sirtuins with important hormones such as leptin, ghrelin, melatonin, and serotonin which influence many important processes including satiety, mood, circadian rhythm, and gut homeostasis. In this review, we address emerging roles of sirtuins in modulating the metabolic challenges from aging, obesity, and diabetes that lead to neurodegeneration in the ENS and CNS. We also highlight a novel role for sirtuins along the microbiota-gut-brain axis in modulating neurodegeneration.
Legal Moralism and Retribution Revisted

This is a slightly revised text of Jeffrie G. Murphy’s Presidential Address delivered to the American Philosophical Association, Pacific Division, in March 2006. In the essay the author reconsiders two positions he had previously defended - the liberal attack on legal moralism and robust versions of the retributive theory of punishment - and now finds these positions much more vulnerable to legitimate attack than he had previously realized. In the first part of the essay, he argues that the use of Mill’s liberal harm principle against legal moralism cannot be cabined in such a way as to leave intact other positions that many liberals want to defend - in particular, certain fundamental constitutional rights and character retributivism in criminal sentencing.In the second part of the essay, he expresses serious doubts - some inspired by Nietzsche - about the versions of character retributivism that he had once enthusiastically defended and now describes himself as no more than a ‘‘reluctant retributivist.’’
Immune-Related Adverse Events with Other Cancer Immunotherapies

In addition to immune checkpoint inhibitors, several other forms of immunotherapy have been used to treat malignancies, some for decades. Furthermore, there have been other advances in the field with novel treatments that target the immune system in different ways, including adoptive cell transfer, cytokine therapy, and vaccines. In this chapter, we review the common immune-related adverse events associated with anti-neoplastic immunotherapy. We also discuss the severity of patients’ symptoms and current treatments available to address these adverse events.
Direct induction of hemogenic endothelial progenitors from hPSCs by defined factors revealed by single-cell transcriptome analysis

Abstract Transcription factors (TFs) play critical roles in stem cell maintenance and differentiation. Using single cell RNA sequencing, we investigated TFs expressed in hemogenic endothelial (HE) progenitors differentiated from human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) and identified upregulated expression of SOXF factors SOX7, SOX17, and SOX18 in the HE population. To test whether overexpression of these factors increases HE differentiation efficiency, we established inducible hPSC lines and found only SOX17 improved differentiation. Temporal expression analysis further revealed SOX17 was turned on immediately before VE-Cadherin, indicating SOX17 may be a causative factor for HE differentiation. Upon SOX17 knockdown via CRISPR-Cas13d, HE differentiation was significantly abrogated. Strikingly, we discovered SOX17 overexpression alone is sufficient to generate more than 50% CD34+VE-cadherin+CD73- cells that could be directed to hematopoietic progenitors, which emerged via an endothelial-to-hematopoietic transition and significantly upregulated definitive hematopoietic transcriptional programs. Functional assays showed that these progenitors can differentiate into blood cells from multiple lineages. Our analyses reveal an uncharacterized function of SOX17 in directing hPSCs differentiation towards HE cells. Significance Statement Hemogenic endothelial (HE) cells have been generated from human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) to study blood development. However, their full transcriptomic characterization and key genes involving in directing HE differentiation is unclear. Utilizing single cell RNA-seq analysis, we find that SOX17 is solely expressed in HE cells and is also required for HE differentiation. Strikingly, we find that overexpression of SOX17 alone is sufficient to program hPSCs into CD34+VE-cadherin+CD73-HE cells, which could further differentiate into blood progenitors. Our research reveals that SOX17 is sufficient to direct hPSCs differentiation to HE cells. Classification Physical Sciences/Engineering; Biological Sciences/Cell Biology.
High-strength and high-conductivity in situ Cu–TiB2 nanocomposites

Abstract It is of significant interests to enhance the strength of Cu alloys while retaining their good electrical conductivity for broad applications. In situ incorporation of nano-phase into Cu alloys is a promising method for this objective. However, little success has been reported. In this study, we successfully fabricated in situ Cu–TiB2 nanocomposites by a molten salt processing and systematically studied their mechanical and electrical properties. During the processing, Al was used to react and introduce nano- and submicron-size TiB2 efficiently into the copper melt. Immiscible Fe was later added to recover the electrical conductivity through sequential solutionizing, hot rolling, and electrical conductivity-recovering. Detailed microstructure, phase, and electrical studies validate the feasibility of the proposed procedures to achieve high-strength and high-conductivity Cu(–Fe)-TiB2 nanocomposites. Cu-1 wt.% Fe-5 vol% TiB2 offers 554.3 MPa in ultimate tensile strength, 4.4% in ductility, and 62.4% IACS in electrical conductivity. The new method paves an effective way to synthesize and incorporate nano-phase into copper melt for high-performance Cu nanocomposites.
Acute and chronic toxicity of ethyl chloride insufflation in two patients

Objective: Inhalant abuse has been a source of increasing concern because of its easy accessibility and affordability. Anecdotal reports have previously described ethyl chloride as a potential cause of altered mental state and neurologic symptoms. Its use has been thought to be found most often in adolescents and among men who have sex with men. Common acute symptoms include confusion, dizziness, headache, nausea, and fatigue. We describe two cases of adult patients who presented to one general hospital emergency department with ethyl chloride toxicity. The first presented with acute delirium; the second with a picture of chronic neurological symptomatology. It is important that clinicians become familiar with ethyl chloride intoxication because of its prevalence and potential to present with varying acute and chronic symptomatology.
ANALYTIC ASSESSMENT OF GENERAL AVIATION SECURITY ISSUES IN THE POST-9/11 ENVIRONMENT: IMPLICATIONS FOR THE SMALL AIRCRAFT TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM

Until recently, security as a whole was often a low priority in the aviation regulatory environment. In the aftermath of the terrorist attacks of last summer, general aviation came under immediate scrutiny; concomitant to this, it became evident that security was lacking at airports of all sizes and levels of service. These developments created an unforeseen challenge for the Small Aircraft Transportation System (SATS), a new generation of advanced small aircraft and supporting infrastructure designed to provide service to people underserved by current airline route networks. This article reports on policy-oriented research—conducted via a meta-analytic process—that analyzes the obstacles facing SATS in the post-September 11 security environment.
Successful treatment of persistent dorsal displacement of the soft palate and evaluation of laryngohyoid position in 15 racehorses.

Summary Reasons for performing study: Caudal descent of the larynx has been proposed to be associated with intermittent dorsal displacement of the soft palate (DDSP) as it leads to a loss of the seal between the epiglottis and soft palate but further investigation of this theory is required. Objectives: To evaluate laryngohyoid position of horses with persistent DDSP in comparison to horses with intermittent DDSP and evaluate the outcome of treatment. Hypotheses: Horses with persistent DDSP have a different laryngohyoid position compared to those with intermittent DDSP. Horses with persistent DDSP can be returned successfully to racing with a laryngeal tie-forward procedure. Methods: Medical records of 15 racehorses presented for persistent DDSP between 2002 and 2007 were reviewed. Age, sex and breed matched horses diagnosed with intermittent DDSP were used as a comparison group. Treatment of all horses was performed by laryngeal tie-forward, 8/15 horses with persistent DDSP had a subsequent laser staphylectomy. Preoperative laryngohyoid position was compared between the 2 groups using a radiographic reference system. Surgical effect on position was assessed by comparing pre- and post operative radiographic measurements. Outcome was assessed by return to racing and comparison of pre- and post operative race earnings ($). Results: Thirteen of 15 horses with persistent DDSP returned to racing. Seven of 15 horses were treated with laryngeal tie-forward alone while 8/15 horses were also treated with a laser staphylectomy. Horses with persistent DDSP had a more caudal larynx (ossification of the thyroid cartilage) (13 mm, P = 0.014), a more caudal (10 mm, P = 0.044) and dorsal (7 mm, P = 0.01) basihyoid bone, and a more dorsal thyrohyoid-thyroid articulation (10 mm, P = 0.002) than horses with intermittent DDSP. Conclusions and potential relevance: Racehorses with persistent DDSP can be treated successfully by laryngeal tie-forward or by laryngeal tie-forward followed by laser staphylectomy. Horses with persistent DDSP have a more caudal larynx and more caudal and dorsal basihyoid bone than horses with intermittent DDSP.
Planning for planetary protection and contamination control: challenges beyond Mars

In situ analysis for targets beyond Mars brings new challenges in planetary protection, where planetary protection preserves the chemical environment of a target body for future life-detection exploration and, in sample return missions, protects the Earth from potential extraterrestrial contamination. The National Research Council's decadal survey of 2003 and the NASA Solar System Exploration Strategic Program roadmap of 2005 calls for missions to bodies of interest for life-detection or prebiotic science, including Europa, Titan, and comets. These targets present challenges because NASA planetary protection policies specify new requirements for missions to Europa, and new guidelines for Titan are anticipated; furthermore, the comet missions have additional significance because they are envisioned to be sample return missions. This document summarizes the technical challenges to planetary protection and contamination control for these targets of interest and outlines some of the considerations, particularly at the system level, in designing an appropriate technology investment strategy for targets beyond Mars.
Geometric Models of Protein Secondary‐Structure Formation

This chapter contains sections titled: Introduction, Hydrophobic Effect, Prior Numerical and Coarse-Grained Models, Geometry-Based Modeling: The Tube Model, Morphometric Approach to Solvation Effects, Discussion, Conclusions, Future Work, Acknowledgments, References
The Liquid Hydrogen Option for the Subsonic Transport: A status report

Continued subsonic air transport design studies include the option for a liquid hydrogen fuel system as an aircraft fuel conservation measure. Elements of this option discussed include: (1) economical production of hydrogen; (2) efficient liquefaction of hydrogen; (3) materials for long service life LH2 fuel tanks; (4) insulation materials; (5) LH2 fuel service and installations at major air terminals; (6) assessment of LH2 hazards; and (7) the engineering definition of an LH2 fuel system for a large subsonic passenger air transport.
Lawyer Experience And IPO Pricing

We examine the level of experience of law firms participating in IPOs and the impact of law firm experience on IPO pricing. We find a statistically significant, negative relationship between market share of the law firm representing the investment banks and IPO price. In general, the relationship between legal counsel to the issuer and IPO price is of the same sign but not statistically significant, at customary levels, in all model specifications. We also find regional variations; there is a statistically significant, negative relationship between price and the participation of New York City underwriters? lawyers. This evidence is consistent with more practiced legal counsel requiring more negative disclosure in prospectuses.
Immunosuppressive Activity of the 3a-1 Fraction of Papain

The maximal nonlethal dose of the 3a-1 fraction of papain, determined by use of 9-week-old white albino rabbits, was 10 mg per injection, administered intravenously. The immunosuppressive activity of the 3a-1 fraction of papain was studied by its inhibition of sheep red blood cell hemolysin, bacterial agglutinin, and horse serum precipitin. Immune suppression was observed when papain injections preceded antigen injections by 12 to 18 hr. The enzyme preparation was analyzed by use of cellulose acetate and starch-gel electrophoresis and by the micro-Kjeldahl method. Starch-gel electrophoresis of serum samples revealed qualitative alterations in the α −1 region 7 hr after papain administration. Changes were also observed in the urinary aminopolysaccharide content.
$\alpha$-Decompositions of $\alpha$-Spaces

The concept of an α-space was introduced and studied by Dekker in [1] and [2] from which we take our terminology and notation. The reader is assumed to be familiar with their contents. In this paper we are interested in the following conjecture which appears in [2, p. 493]: (*) S ⊕ C = V and S ∥ C and V an α-space ⇒ both S and C are α-spaces. It can be simply rephrased as: (**) The two components of an α-decomposition of an α-space are both α-spaces. In either form it is relevant to the ideas of α-subspace and α-homomorphism. Dekker [2, T5] has established (*) in the case S (or C ) is an isolic α-space. In this paper we will prove (*) in two specific cases, one of which is a generalization of Dekker's result.
Trace on the boundary for solutions of nonlinear differential equations

Let L be a second order elliptic differential operator in Rd with no zero order terms and let E be a bounded domain in Rd with smooth boundary 'E. We say that a function h is L-harmonic if Lh = 0 in E. Every positive L-harmonic function has a unique representation h(x) J(x, y)i(dy), E where k is the Poisson kernel for L and z' is a finite measure on &E. We call z the trace of h on ME. Our objective is to investigate positive solutions of a nonlinear equation Lu = u' in E for 1 2]. We associate with every solution u a pair (IF, i), where F is a closed subset of &E and zis a Radon measure on 0 -E \ F. We call (F, zi) the trace of u on ME. F is empty if and only if u is dominated by an L-harmonic function. We call such solutions moderate. A moderate solution is determined uniquely by its trace. In general, many solutions can have the same trace. We establish necessary and sufficient conditions for a pair (F, z') to be a trace, and we give a probabilistic formula for the maximal solution with a given trace.
TCP-Africa: an adaptive and fair rapid increase rule for scalable TCP

High capacity data transfers over the Internet routinely fail to meet end-to-end performance expectations. The default transport control protocol for best effort data traffic is currently TCP, which does not scale well to 100 Mbps and higher networks over long distances. In congestion avoidance, TCP is not swift enough to fully utilize resources over paths with a high delay bandwidth product. First attempts to alleviate this problem by equipping TCP with increased aggressiveness have shown the disadvantage of poor fairness with the ubiquitous standard TCP-Reno, or in some cases, even among two connections running over the same path. We propose a new delay sensitive-congestion avoidance mode (TCP-Africa) that allows for scalable, aggressive behavior in large underutilized links, yet falls back to the more conservative TCP-Reno algorithm once links become well utilized and congestion is imminent. Through ns2 simulations we argue for the safety, efficiency, and fairness of TCP-Africa.
Mapas Conceituais e IA: Uma União Improvável?

Mapas conceituais sao representacoes graficas do conhecimento de uma pessoa (ou grupo de pessoas) sobre um assunto, e como tais, podem ser vistos como um esquema de representacao do conhecimento. Entretanto, a comunidade de Inteligencia Artificial (IA) tende a reprovar o uso do termo “representacao do conhecimento” para mapas conceituais uma vez que estes nao podem ser prontamente traduzidos para uma representacao formal que possa ser utilizada para inferencia e outras tecnicas de IA. Neste trabalho, nos propomos que apesar da flexibilidade de estilo inerentes aos mapas conceituais ha, em mapas bem construidos, caracteristicas especificas (estrutura, semântica, contexto, etc) que permitem o desenvolvimento de ferramentas inteligentes para o auxilio no processo de construcao de mapas conceituais. Argumentamos que a falta de formalismo em favor da flexibilidade proposta pelos mapas conceituais pode ser compensada com a ajuda da IA e de ferramentas inteligentes nos processos de elicitacao e representacao do conhecimento. Nosso argumento e demonstrado com uma serie de ferramentas inteligentes que foram implementadas no conjunto de ferramentas do software de mapas conceituais.
Multiple local contact sites are induced by GPI-linked influenza hemagglutinin during hemifusion and flickering pore formation.

Membrane fusion intermediates induced by the glycosylphosphatidylinositol-linked ectodomain of influenza hemagglutinin (GPI-HA) were investigated by rapid freeze, freeze-substitution, thin section electron microscopy, and with simultaneous recordings of whole-cell admittance and fluorescence. Upon triggering, the previously separated membranes developed numerous hourglass shaped points of membrane contact (∼10–130 nm waist) when viewed by electron microscopy. Stereo pairs showed close membrane contact at peaks of complementary protrusions, arising from each membrane. With HA, there were fewer contacts, but wide fusion pores. Physiological measurements showed fast lipid dye mixing between cells after acidification, and either fusion pore formation or the lack thereof (true hemifusion). For the earliest pores, a similar conductance distribution and frequency of flickering pores were detected for both HA and GPI-HA. For GPI-HA, lipid mixing was detected prior to, during, or after pore opening, whereas for HA, lipid mixing is seen only after pore opening. Our findings are consistent with a pathway wherein conformational changes in the ectodomain of HA pull membranes towards each other to form a contact site, then hemifusion and pore formation initiate in a small percentage of these contact sites. Finally, the transmembrane domain of HA is needed to complete membrane fusion for macromolecular content mixing.
Adrenocorticotropin secretion by fetal sheep anterior and intermediate lobe pituitary cells in vitro: effects of gestation and adrenalectomy.

Immunoreactive (ir) ACTH is present in the fetal sheep intermediate lobe (IL) as well as the anterior pituitary (AP). It is not clear whether fetal IL cells can secrete irACTH and if gestational age and glucocorticoids influence the secretion of ACTH from these tissues in a similar fashion. Therefore, we examined the control of irACTH secretion by IL cells, whether the responsiveness of AP and IL cells to arginine vasopressin (AVP) and CRH changes during gestation, and whether withdrawal of adrenal steroids by adrenalectomy influences AP and IL responses. Cultured pituitary cells were studied from intact fetuses at an immature (n = 5; 108 +/- 5 days) and a mature (n = 8; 139 +/- 0 days) stage, from mature fetuses 3 weeks after bilateral adrenalectomy (n = 6), and from neonatal lambs within 16 h of birth (n = 6). Secretion of irACTH was determined by RIA of incubation medium obtained during 3-h exposure of cells to vehicle, AVP, CRH, or both. In all cases, IL cells secreted measurable irACTH. The IL cells ...
Millimeter-wave integrated circuit radiometers

Millimeter-wave integrated circuits (MMICs) are briefly described and system configurations for millimeter-wave passive sensing utilizing MMIC's are reviewed in terms of the type of receiver (tuned RF or superheterodyne) and type of array (focal-plane or aperture). Data on the gain fluctuation which occurs in millimeter-wave field-effect transistors is presented along with an analysis of the effect of this fluctuation on radiometer sensitivity. Two MMIC remedies of this transistor gain fluctuation are then discussed. The first is the stabilization of the gain with a VHF pilot signal path built into a millimeter-wave MMIC low- noise amplifier; this MMIC has been designed, fabricated, and tested and system tests are expected later this year. The second remedy is a MMIC PIN diode switch which can be used as a Dicke load switch at the receiver input. The PIN switch, which also includes a thermal calibration method, can be chopped at a rapid rate (> 1 kHz) relative to the l/F spectrum of the transistor gain fluctuations so that sensitivity is not impaired. The layout and measured performance of a 80 to 100 GHz version of the switch is presented.© (1997) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
The computation of eigenvalues of singular Sturm--Liouville operators

The problem of computing eigenvalues of a singular Sturm-Liouville problem is reduced to the computation of eigenvalues of a Hilbert-Schmidt infinite matrix. The uniform convergence of the generalized determinant allows for the approximation of eigenvalues by the finite section. A key feature of the method that leads to a fast algorithm is to combine generating functions with the Laplace transform to compute explicitly the entries of the matrix without numerical integration.
Hydrogen-bonding and ion-ion interactions in solutions of triflic acid and 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium triflate.

Ion−ion and hydrogen-bonding interactions in solutions of 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium trifluoromethansulfonate ([C2mim]Tf) and triflic acid (HTf) are investigated with infrared and Raman spectroscopy. Bands indicative of highly aggregated triflate anions appear in the vibrational spectra of solutions containing a large fraction of triflic acid. These species most likely consist of triflate anions that are at least threefold coordinated by positive ions (i.e., {[C2mim]xHyTf}x+y−1 where x + y ≥ 3). Such coordination environments would be consistent with a larger, extended aggregate of Tf−, [C2mim]+, and H+ ions that may be charged or neutral. Evidence for hydrogen bonding between the protons and the oxygen atoms of the triflate atoms and between the hydrogen atoms of the [C2mim]+ and triflate anion is identified in the infrared and Raman spectra.
Transient cyclic stress-strain response and cumulative damage in Cu-16at.% A1 single crystals fatigued under variable straining

Abstract In order to investigate the transient cyclic stress-strain response and cumulative damage behavior of Cu-16at.% A1 alloy, single crystals with a common single slip orientation were cyclically deformed under variable straining. Studies were made of hardening behavior, strain bursts, hysteresis loops, friction and back stresses, dislocation structures, damage accumulation and life behavior. During ascending step tests, hardening naturally occurred and the strain was found to be accommodated not by increasing the plastic strain of current active slip bands but by increasing the volume fraction of active slip bands. During descending step tests, however, the plastic strain per individual slip band decreases with decrease of strain amplitude. The transient response after a reduction of strain amplitude in Cu-16at.% Al single crystals is not softening as commonly occurs but hardening. Hardening in this case seems to be caused both by hardening of individual slip bands and by the decrease of the volume fraction of active slip bands, which is also an indication of hardening. With regard to damage behavior, in low-high step tests, the number of cracks was found to increase remarkably during high amplitude cycling whereas the number of cracks did not change much after the step to low amplitude cycling during a high-low test. Miner summations of fatigue life for H-L step tests were found to be smaller than unity because the stresses associated with the structure produced at high amplitude were high and the plastic strain localized in active slip bands increased with the decrease of the volume fraction of active slip bands, caused by continuous cycling at the reduced strain amplitude. In L-H step tests, the Miner summations for fatigue life were found to be greater than unity because the hardening and the damage accumulation associated with low amplitude cycling were relatively insignificant as compared to that at high amplitude and fresh damage developed during the high amplitude sequence. The Miner summation behavior in these alloy single crystals was found to be more typical of that in commercial metals, and different from behavior in copper.
A new parallel algorithm for optimal control problems of interconnected systems

Parallel algorithms play a crucial role in utilizing parallel computers to overcome the difficulties of computation intensive problems. This paper presents a new parallel algorithm for solving optimal control of discrete-time interconnected systems. The idea is to use Lagrange multipliers to relax the coupling among subsystems. The decomposed subproblems are solved in parallel by using the differential dynamic programming (DDP) method. The Lagrange multipliers are selected as coordinating variables and updated at the high level to ensure global optimality. A method for estimating the computational complexity of the decomposition/coordination approach is presented, and the relationship between speed-up and major system parameters is established. It is shown that significant speed-ups are difficult to achieve by using conventional optimization techniques at high level. A large number of high level iterations may offset the reduction in computation for dealing with smaller decomposed subproblems in parallel....
Surface matching and registration using symmetric conformal mapping

Recently, various conformal geometric methods have been presented for non-rigid surface matching and registration. This work proposes to improve the robustness of conformal geometric methods to the boundaries by incorporating the symmetric information of the input surface. We presented two symmetric conformal mapping methods, which are based on solving Riemann-Cauchy equation and curvature flow respectively. Experimental results on geometric data acquired from real life demonstrate that the symmetric conformal mapping is insensitive to the boundary occlusions. The method outperforms all the others in terms of robustness. The method has the potential to be generalized to high genus surfaces using hyperbolic curvature flow.
Systematic analysis of oxidative degradation of polysaccharides using PAGE and HPLC--MS.

Abstract Oxidation of polysaccharides yields hydroxyaldehydes and hydroxycarboxylic acids. Aldehydes and carboxylic acids were separately conjugated to 8-aminonaphthalene-1,3,6-trisulfonic acid (ANTS) or tyrosine t -butyl ester (TBT). The ANTS-labeled derivatives were separated by molecular size on PAGE gels and detected by fluorescence. TBT-labeled derivatives were separated by reverse phase chromatography on a C 18 -HPLC column and analyzed by positive ion electrospray mass spectroscopy (HPLC–MS). This combination of procedures allowed a systematic analysis of carbohydrate oxidation products.
Additivity-based design of the strongest possible turkey ovomucoid third domain inhibitors for porcine pancreatic elastase (PPE) and Streptomyces griseus protease B (SGPB)

We describe here successful designs of strong inhibitors for porcine pancreatic elastase (PPE) and Streptomyces griseus protease B (SGPB). For each enzyme two inhibitor variants were designed. In one, the reactive site residue (position 18) was retained and the best residues were substituted at contact positions 13, 14, and 15. In the other variant the best residues were substituted at all contact positions except the reactive site where a Gly was substituted. The four designed variants were: for PPE, T13E14Y15-OMTKY3 and T13E14Y15G18M21P32V36-OMTKY3, and for SGPB, S13D14Y15-OMTKY3 and S13D14Y15G18I19K21-OMTKY3. The free energies of association (ΔG0) of expressed variants have been measured with the proteases for which they were designed as well as with five other serine proteases and the results are discussed.