cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Polyisobutylene‐based polyurethanes. VI. Unprecedented combination of mechanical properties and oxidative/hydrolytic stability by H‐bond acceptor chain extenders

We describe the design, synthesis, characterization, and testing of novel polyurethanes (PUs) exhibiting unprecedented combinations of outstanding mechanical properties and oxidative/hydrolytic stabilities. This achievement is due to the use of polyisobutylene (PIB) soft segments plus flexible H-bond acceptor chain extenders (HACEs): the PIB imparts superior oxidative/hydrolytic stability and the HACE produces reinforcing H-bonds, which lead to outstanding mechanicals. Oxidative/hydrolytic stability was quantitated by retention of tensile strength and elongation after exposure to nitric acid. PUs containing 60–70% PIB retain their mechanical properties, whereas Carbothane®, Bionate®, and Elast-Eon™, PUs marketed for chemical stability, degrade severely under the same conditions. Various HACEs were identified (e.g., hexaethylene glycol, tripropylene glycol, tributylene glycol, 3,3′-diamino-N-methyl-dipropylamine, etc.) and their effect on mechanical properties was investigated. A PIB- and HACE-containing PU exhibited 29.2 MPa tensile strength, 620% elongation, and 80 Shore A hardness. Properties were analyzed in terms of stress–strain profiles, differential scanning calorimetry traces, dynamic mechanical thermal analysis plots, and oxidative/hydrolytic stability. The properties of various PIB-based rubbers, that is, thermoplastic PUs, SIBSTAR®, and thermoset butyl rubber are compared. The novel PUs are promising candidates for biomaterials and industrial applications where a combination of mechanical properties and oxidative/hydrolytic stability is of the essence. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 48: 2361–2371, 2010
Comparison of two real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction assays for the detection of Equine arteritis virus nucleic acid in equine semen and tissue culture fluid

Two previously developed TaqMan fluorogenic probe-based 1-tube real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (real-time RT-PCR) assays (T1 and T2) were compared and validated for the detection of Equine arteritis virus (EAV) nucleic acid in equine semen and tissue culture fluid (TCF). The specificity and sensitivity of these 2 molecular-based assays were compared to traditional virus isolation (VI) in cell culture. The T1 real-time RT-PCR had a higher sensitivity (93.4%) than the T2 real-time RT-PCR (42.6%) for detection of EAV RNA in semen. However, the T1 real-time RT-PCR was less sensitive (93.4%) than the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE)-prescribed VI test (gold standard). The sensitivity of both PCR assays was high (100.0% [T1] and 95.2% [T2]) for detecting EAV RNA in TCF. In light of the discrepancy in sensitivity between either real-time RT-PCR assay and VI, semen that is negative for EAV nucleic acid by real-time RT-PCR that is from an EAV-seropositive stallion should be confirmed free of virus by VI. Similarly, the presence of EAV in TCF samples that are VI-positive but real-time RT-PCR-negative should be confirmed in a 1-way neutralization test using anti-EAV equine serum or by fluorescent antibody test using monoclonal antibodies to EAV. If the viral isolate is not identified as EAV, such samples should be tested for other equine viral pathogens. The results of this study underscore the importance of comparative evaluation and validation of real-time RT-PCR assays prior to their recommended use in a diagnostic setting for the detection and identification of specific infectious agents.
The New Racism in Europe: A Sicilian Ethnography

The New Racism in Europe:. Sicilian Ethnography. Jeffrey Cole. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1997. +154 pp., notes, references, index.
Reductions among prediction problems: on the difficulty of predicting automata

Given examples of words accepted and rejected by an unknown automaton, the question of whether there is an algorithm that in a feasible amount of time will learn to predict which words will be accepted by the automaton is examined. A notion of prediction-preserving reducibility is developed, and it is shown that if DFAs are predictable, then so are all languages in logspace. In particular, the predictability of DFAs implies the predictability of all Booleman formulas. Similar results hold for NFAs and PDAs (or CFGs). Relationships between the complexity of the membership problem for a class of automata and the complexity of the prediction problem are obtained. Examples are given of prediction problems in which predictability implies the predictability of all languages in P. Assuming the existence of one-way functions, it follows that these problems are not predictable, even in an extremely weak sense. >
FOREST EDGE—HIGH OR LOW QUALITY HABITAT FOR WHITE‐FOOTED MICE (PEROMYSCUS LEUCOPUS)?

Based on evidence of negative relationships between forest fragment area and mouse density, earlier studies suggested that forest edge might be high quality habitat for white-footed mice (Peromyscus leucopus). However, we have found lower densities of this species and higher prevalence of parasitism near woodland edges. To examine the overall effect of edge habitat, we measured food availability (tree seeds and litter invertebrates), reproductive effort, and risk of predation along edge-to-interior gradients in eastern deciduous forests. We also compared woods adjacent to restored prairies to woods adjacent to agricultural fields to determine if the type of habitat adjacent to the edge affected these factors. Results showed slightly higher production of tree seeds in forest interior but no edge-to-interior pattern in abundance of invertebrates. Reproductive effort did not differ between edge and interior either. Risk of predation, however, showed a significant increase with proximity to the woodland edge. Type of adjacent habitat did not consistently affect factors determining edge-to-interior patterns. Mass of tree seeds differed little between woodland edges adjacent to different habitats in spring but was greater adjacent to agriculture in fall. Invertebrate abundance did not differ between woodland edges with different adjacent habitats. Risk of predation was higher at edges adjacent to restored prairies than at edges adjacent to agricultural fields. We conclude that forest edges are generally lower quality habitat than forest interior for white-footed mice because of increased predation, and that relatively natural edges are likely to have higher risk of predation than anthropogenic edges.
A simple method for ray tracing diffraction

Diffraction and interference are optical phenomena which split light into its component wavelengths, hence producing a full spectrum of iridescent colors. This paper develops computer graphics models for iridescent colors produced by diffractive media. Diffraction gratings, certain animal skins and the crystal structure of some precious stones are known to produce diffraction. Several techniques can be employed to derive solutions to the diffraction problem including: (1)Electromagnetic boundary value methods (2)Applying the Huygens-Fresnel principle (3)Applying the Kirchoff-Fresnel theorem (4)Fourier optics. Previous work in developing diffraction models for computer graphics has used boundary value methods and Fourier optics but no models using Huygens-Fresnel principle have been published. This paper derives a set of diffraction solutions based on the Huygens-Fresnel principle, which are then used to extend well-known illumination models. We then use our new models to render images in a ray tracer.
Activation of a Poised RNAPII-Dependent Promoter Requires Both SAGA and Mediator

A growing number of promoters have key components of the transcription machinery, such as TATA-binding protein (TBP) and RNA polymerase II (RNAPII), present at the promoter prior to activation of transcription. Thus, while transcriptional output undergoes a dramatic increase between uninduced and induced conditions, occupancy of a large portion of the transcription machinery does not. As such, activation of these poised promoters depends on rate-limiting steps after recruitment of TBP and RNAPII for regulated expression. Little is known about the transcription components required in these latter steps of transcription in vivo. To identify components with critical roles in transcription after recruitment of TBP in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, we screened for loss of gene expression activity from promoter-tethered TBP in >100 mutant strains deleted for a transcription-related gene. The assay revealed a dramatic enrichment for strains containing deletions in genes encoding subunits of the Spt-Ada-Gcn5-acetyltransferase (SAGA) complex and Mediator. Analysis of an authentic postrecruitment-regulated gene (CYC1) reveals that SAGA occupies the promoter under both uninduced and induced conditions. In contrast, Mediator is recruited only after transfer to inducing conditions and correlates with activation of the preloaded polymerase at CYC1. These studies indicate the critical functions of SAGA and Mediator in the mechanism of activation of genes with rate-limiting steps after recruitment of TBP.
Layered high-Tc superconductors in an AC field

Abstract An analysis of electrodynamic properties of high-temperature superconductors with the AC magnetic field parallel to the layers is presented. The system is modelled as a superlattice of normal (N) and superconducting (S) layers, and the bulk superconductivity is maintained by the proximity effect. The expression for the system conductivity is evaluated. The AC losses in the region of frequencies Ω smaller than 2Δ (Δ is the order parameter value at zero temperature) are non-zero even at T = 0; several peaks on the frequency dependence of the conductivity are predicted. Comparison of this result with experimental data is discussed.
Sesquiterpene-like inhibitors of a 9-cis-epoxycarotenoid dioxygenase regulating abscisic acid biosynthesis in higher plants.

Abstract Abscisic acid (ABA) is a carotenoid-derived plant hormone known to regulate critical functions in growth, development and responses to environmental stress. The key enzyme which carries out the first committed step in ABA biosynthesis is the carotenoid cleavage 9- cis -epoxycarotenoid dioxygenase (NCED). We have developed a series of sulfur and nitrogen-containing compounds as potential ABA biosynthesis inhibitors of the NCED, based on modification of the sesquiterpenoid segment of the 9 -cis -xanthophyll substrates and product. In in vitro assays, three sesquiterpene-like carotenoid cleavage dioxygenase (SLCCD) inhibitor compounds 13 , 17 and 18 were found to act as inhibitors of Arabidopsis thaliana NCED 3 (AtNCED3) with K i ′s of 93, 57 and 87 μM, respectively. Computational docking to a model of AtNCED3 supports a mechanism of inhibition through coordination of the heteroatom with the non-heme iron in the enzyme active site. In pilot studies, pretreatment of osmotically stressed Arabidopsis plants with compound 13 resulted lower levels of ABA and catabolite accumulation compared to levels in mannitol-stressed plant controls. This same inhibitor moderated known ABA-induced gene regulation effects and was only weakly active in inhibition of seed germination. Interestingly, all three inhibitors led to moderation of the stress-induced transcription of AtNCED3 itself, which could further contribute to lowering ABA biosynthesis in planta . Overall, these sesquiterpenoid-like inhibitors present new tools for controlling and investigating ABA biosynthesis and regulation.
Meeting mental health needs following a natural disaster: Lessons from Hurricane Katrina.

Hurricane Katrina had a devastating impact on hundreds of thousands of Louisiana and Mississippi families. Housing was destroyed, jobs were lost, and family members were separated, sometimes in different states and without communication. Postdisaster stress reactions were common, with vulnerable individuals most affected. Mental health services were not adequate to meet immediate needs, and postdisaster mental health issues often emerge over time. This article describes the mental health needs of dislocated and evacuee children and families and the steps that were taken to develop mental health programs that would be sustainable over time to meet this new level of need.
The S‐Curve at the Industry Level: Evidence from US–Australia Trade*

Short-run response of the trade balance to currency depreciation is summarised by the J-Curve or S-Curve. While the J-Curve relies upon regression analysis applied to a trade balance model, the S-Curve relies upon cross-correlation function between the exchange rate and past as well as the future values of the trade balance. All past studies that have analysed response of Australian trade balance to changes in the real value of the Australian dollar have estimated the J-Curve with not much support for it. In this paper, we rely upon the S-Curve phenomenon constructed for 146 industries that trade between the United States and Australia. The S-Curve hypothesis receives support in 89 of the 146 industries providing a breakthrough in this part of the literature.
Qualitative assessment of isocyanate skin exposure in auto body shops: A pilot study

Background Little is known about the extent of human isocyanate skin exposure in auto body shops and the effectiveness of personal protective equipment. Animal studies have suggested that skin exposure to isocyanates may be an important risk factor for respiratory sensitization leading to asthma. This study provides initial data on hexamethylene diisocyanate skin exposure in three auto body shops. Methods Three auto body shops of different size which use different paint systems were examined for the presence of aliphatic isocyanates on environmental surfaces and workers’ skin and for breakthrough of personal protective equipment. Qualitative detection of contamination by isocyanates was conducted using a wipe-sampling technique. Assessment focused on the painters and their tasks, although other auto body repairers were also evaluated. Results Environmental surfaces such as painters’ workbenches, spray equipment, and cleaning tools were found contaminated with isocyanates. Painters had frequent contact with contaminated surfaces, often without wearing gloves. Moderate to heavy contamination of some skin surfaces was found with painters from two of the three auto body shops. Latex gloves used for skin protection showed significant penetrations by isocyanates even after a single painting session. Conclusions Contaminated environmental surfaces and skin exposure to isocyanates were documented in several auto body shops. Latex gloves were not adequate protection for workers using isocyanate paints. Further research which would better quantify skin exposure, and its potential relationship to respiratory sensitization and asthma is warranted. Am. J. Ind. Med. 37:265‐274, 2000. fl 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Symbolism in Urhobo Masks and Mask Performances

In almost every part of the world, masked performance events continue to chronicle happenings in human society and reflect perceptions of the environment. Among the Urhobo people of Nigeria, mask corpuses and mask performance traditions exist whose metaphoric and iconic attributes seem to have been neglected in previous studies. Consequently, the masks and performance events have been visible but not audible. A research need, therefore, remained for a deeper appreciation of the symbolism inherent in the mask forms and performance structures. In this article, the mask morphologies and performance structures are subjected to semiotic examination. It is observed that the masks and performance structures are purveyors of Urhobo normative and cosmic notions, and that they are, indeed, icons in motion.
CPU scheduling for statistically-assured real-time performance and improved energy efficiency

We present a CPU scheduling algorithm, called energy-efficient utility accrual algorithm (or EUA), for battery-powered, embedded real-time systems. We consider an embedded software application model where repeatedly occurring application activities are subject to deadline constraints specified using step time/utility functions. For battery-powered embedded systems, system-level energy consumption is also a primary concern. We consider CPU scheduling that (1) provides assurances on individual and collective application timeliness behaviors and (2) maximizes system-level timeliness and energy efficiency. Since the scheduling problem is intractable, EUA heuristically computes CPU schedules with a polynomial-time cost. Several properties of EUA are analytically established, including timeliness optimality during under-load situations and statistical assurances on timeliness behavior. Further, our simulation results confirm EUA's superior performance.
Light-cured dimethacrylate-based resins and their composites: comparative study of mechanical strength, water sorption and ion release.

This study explored how resin type affects selected physicochemical properties of complex methacrylate copolymers and their amorphous calcium phosphate (ACP)-filled and glass-filled composites. Two series of photo-polymerizable resin matrices were formulated employing 2,2-bis[p-(2’-hydroxy-3’-methacryloxypropoxy)phenyl]propane (Bis-GMA) or an ethoxylated bisphenol A dimethacrylate (EBPADMA) as the base monomer, Unfilled copolymers and composites filled with a mass fraction with 40 %, 35 % and 30 %, respectively, of ACP or the un-silanized glass were assessed for biaxial flexure strength (BFS), water sorption (WS) and mineral ion release upon immersion in HEPES-buffered saline solution for up to six months. Substituting EBPADMA for Bis-GMA significantly reduced the WS while only marginally affected the BFS of both dry and wet copolymers. Independent of the filler level, both dry and wet ACP composites formulated with either BTHM or ETHM resins were mechanically weaker than the corresponding copolymers. The BFS of ACP composite specimens after 1 month in saline did not further decrease with further aqueous exposure. The BFS of glass-filled composites decreased with the increased level of the glass filler and the time of aqueous exposure. After 6 months of immersion, the BFS of glass-filled BTHM and ETHM composites, respectively, remained 58 % and 41 % higher than the BFS of the corresponding ACP composites. Ion release data indicated that a minimum mass fraction of 35 % ACP was required to attain the desired solution supersaturation with respect to hydroxyapatite for both the BTHM and ETHM derived composites.
Sex-related Differences in Habitat Use in Wintering American Kestrels

Abstract We investigated sex-related differences in habitat use in wintering American Kestrels (Falco sparverius) at two scales: within a 10 m radius and within a 100 m radius of perch sites. Female kestrels used areas containing a higher percentage of short vegetation (<0.25 m high) suitable for foraging than did males at both scales (100 m radius females 80%, males 69%; 10 m radius females 80%, males 73%). At both scales, females had more pasture (a high-quality foraging substrate) available than did males; areas within a 100 m radius of male perch sites contained more woodlot than did female perch sites. Logistic regression models indicated greater overlap between male and female habitat use on a 10 m radius scale than on a 100 m radius scale, suggesting that males may preferentially select smaller areas devoid of woody vegetation relative to what is available within 100 m radius of perch sites. Our results suggest that males may be constrained to winter in areas with lower overall foraging opportuniti...
The Criminological Enterprise in Europe and the United States: A Contextual Exploration

‘European criminology’ obviously means more than simply the collaborative efforts (on drugs, restorative justice, youth gangs) between researchers and scholars from Europe. In this essay, the author compares and contrasts American criminology with criminology in Europe (as it exists in individual countries), without aiming for the essence of ‘European criminology’. She points to differences between the US and Europe with regard to the ‘criminological enterprise’ (such as history, scale, degree of institutionalisation, accessibility, diversity in theory and method, the critical and self-reflexive stance, and focal research questions), and to the differences in ‘doing science’, ‘doing justice’, and ‘doing crime’. American criminology is a powerful influence in Europe, although there may be a tendency to overestimate the importance of American criminology, because of the dominance of English-language publications. American criminology has made many positive contributions to the field of the study of law, crime and social control, and it continues to do so. However, if one defines the essence of American criminology as being policy-oriented, methodologically-driven, and lacking theoretical lustre, diversity, and critical edge, then the fear of ‘Americanisation’ of European criminology is well-placed. It is not the criminological enterprise of the US per se, but rather the notion of ‘Americanisation’ which is really at issue here.
A Computational Methodology for Modeling Ductile Fracture

In recent work, the author and co-workers have introduced and developed a new computational ductile fracture methodology. This approach accounts for certain types of initial and induced anisotropy, and has been further refined to account for coupling between void shape and the effects of anisotropy. The effectiveness of the method in capturing the link between microstructure and fracture properties is explored through a three-dimensional finite element analysis of ductile fracture in notched bars.
Proteome-wide quantitative multiplexed profiling of protein expression: carbon-source dependency in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The global proteomic alterations in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae due to differences in carbon sources can be comprehensively examined using mass spectrometry-based multiplexing strategies. In this study, we investigate changes in the S. cerevisiae proteome resulting from cultures grown in minimal media using galactose, glucose, or raffinose as the carbon source. We used a tandem mass tag 9-plex strategy to determine alterations in relative protein abundance due to a particular carbon source, in triplicate, thereby permitting subsequent statistical analyses. We quantified more than 4700 proteins across all nine samples; 1003 proteins demonstrated statistically significant differences in abundance in at least one condition. The majority of altered proteins were classified as functioning in metabolic processes and as having cellular origins of plasma membrane and mitochondria. In contrast, proteins remaining relatively unchanged in abundance included those having nucleic acid-related processes, such as transcription and RNA processing. In addition, the comprehensiveness of the data set enabled the analysis of subsets of functionally related proteins, such as phosphatases, kinases, and transcription factors. As a resource, these data can be mined further in efforts to understand better the roles of carbon source fermentation in yeast metabolic pathways and the alterations observed therein, potentially for industrial applications, such as biofuel feedstock production.
Is It Safe to Disturb the Vacuum

Abstract Ultra-relativistic U238 − U238 collisions, which are now being envisioned for the next generation of heavy ion accelerators, do not occur in large quantities anywhere in the universe at present. Nor have they ever occurred abundantly in the past. When U238 nuclei were first synthesized the universe had grown already far too cold. This raises the question whether such a novel type of experiment could trigger a catastrophic phase transition of the vacuum to a tower energy state, a possibility naturally occurring in many spontaneously broken quantum field theories. Theoretical calculations of the collisionally induced nucleation rate of critical bubbles precipitating such phase transitions are not yet available, and nothing is known about the parameters describing the barrier separating our vacuum from a possibly lower energy state. Fortunately, available cosmic ray evidence suggests that sporadic individual U238− U238 collisions have indeed occurred at ultra-relativistic energies inside our past light cone, which would imply that the proposed experiments do not tread potentially dangerous new ground. Direct confirmation of the predicted small abundance of U238 and other actinides in cosmic rays at energies in the interesting range 1013− 1015 eV, corresponding to 40 GeV/n – 4 TeV/n, is not feasible at present. Nevertheless, even indirect detection of at least some ultra-heavy nuclei in the actinide group (Z > 88) in this energy range would more affirmatively answer the question: “Do we dare disturb the vacuum?”
Region and Effect Inference for Safe Parallelism (T)

In this paper, we present the first full regions-and-effects inference algorithm for explicitly parallel fork-join programs. We infer annotations inspired by Deterministic Parallel Java (DPJ) for a type-safe subset of C++. We chose the DPJ annotations because they give the strongest safety guarantees of any existing concurrency-checking approach we know of, static or dynamic, and it is also the most expressive static checking system we know of that gives strong safety guarantees. This expressiveness, however, makes manual annotation difficult and tedious, which motivates the need for automatic inference, but it also makes the inference problem very challenging: the code may use region polymorphism, imperative updates with complex aliasing, arbitrary recursion, hierarchical region specifications, and wildcard elements to describe potentially infinite sets of regions. We express the inference as a constraint satisfaction problem and develop, implement, and evaluate an algorithm for solving it. The region and effect annotations inferred by the algorithm constitute a checkable proof of safe parallelism, and it can be recorded both for documentation and for fast and modular safety checking.
Imaging for High-Throughput Phenotyping in Energy Sorghum

The increasing energy demand in recent years has resulted in a continuous growing interest in renewable energy sources, such as efficient and high-yielding energy crops. Energy sorghum is a crop that has shown great potential in this area, but needs further improvement. Plant phenotyping—measuring physiological characteristics of plants—is a laborious and time-consuming task, but it is essential for crop breeders as they attempt to improve a crop. The development of high-throughput phenotyping (HTP)—the use of autonomous sensing systems to rapidly measure plant characteristics—offers great potential for vastly expanding the number of types of a given crop plant surveyed. HTP can thus enable much more rapid progress in crop improvement through the inclusion of more genetic variability. For energy sorghum, stalk thickness is a critically important phenotype, as the stalk contains most of the biomass. Imaging is an excellent candidate for certain phenotypic measurements, as it can simulate visual observations. The aim of this study was to evaluate image analysis techniques involving K-means clustering and minimum-distance classification for use on red-green-blue (RGB) images of sorghum plants as a means to measure stalk thickness. Additionally, a depth camera integrated with the RGB camera was tested for the accuracy of distance measurements between camera and plant. Eight plants were imaged on six dates through the growing season, and image segmentation, classification and stalk thickness measurement were performed. While accuracy levels with both image analysis techniques needed improvement, both showed promise as tools for HTP in sorghum. The average error for K-means with supervised stalk measurement was 10.7% after removal of known outliers.
Interpreting Compound Noun Phrases Using Web Search Queries

A weakly-supervised method is applied to anonymized queries to extract lexical interpretations of compound noun phrases (e.g., “fortune 500 companies”). The interpretations explain the subsuming role (“listed in”) that modifiers (fortune 500) play relative to heads (companies) within the noun phrases. Experimental results over evaluation sets of noun phrases from multiple sources demonstrate that interpretations extracted from queries have encouraging coverage and precision. The top interpretation extracted is deemed relevant for more than 70% of the noun phrases.
What is the Laplace Transform

(1945). What is the Laplace Transform? The American Mathematical Monthly: Vol. 52, No. 8, pp. 419-425.
Triadic evolution in a large-scale mobile phone network

In this paper, we examine the evolution of triadic motifs in a large-scale human communication network. We consider extant models of triadic evolution, emphasizing vertex-, dyadic-, triadicand higher-level processes in order to generate testable hypotheses of the predictors of both over time triangle survival and triangle emergence from lower-order motifs. We find that the stability and formation of triangles can be predicted by factors operating at multiple levels of analysis, with dyadic processes related to strength and reciprocity and triadic processes associated with coherence in edge-weights having the most predictive power.
Humoral and cellular immune responses in susceptible and resistant strains of mice infected with friend leukemia virus.

SummaryInfection of susceptible (Balb/c) and resistant (C57Bl) strains of mice with Friend leukemia virus (FLV) revealed a dichotomous effect in terms of immunosuppression to sheep erythrocytes, assessed at the level of individual antibody forming cells and serum hemolysins, and to mycobacterial antigens, assessed at the level of cell-mediated immunity using a macrophage migration inhibition assay. Balb/c mice infected with FLV showed a prompt and prolonged depression of antibody responsiveness to the sheep erythrocytes, as well as marked impairment of cellular immunity to the mycobacterial antigens. In contrast, C57Bl mice, resistant to FLV induced leukemogenesis, showed a transient but significant depression of antibody formation to sheep erythrocytes, but no depression of cell-mediated immunity to mycobacteria. These divergent effects appeared to reflect the relative importance of cell-mediated versus humoral immunity in resistance to leukemia virus induced leukemogenesis.
Electrically Tunable Fast Light of 86 fs Pulses in Semiconductor Optical Amplifiers

Large tunable advance of 6.5 pulses is achieved for an 86 fs pulse using non-linear processes in SOAs. Pulse width dependence of fast light is studied by gradually increasing the width to 1 ps.
Effects of Caryophyllene, Caryophyllene Oxide, and Their Interaction with Gossypol on the Growth and Development of Heliothis virescens (F.) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

Addition of caryophyllene or caryophyllene oxide to diet significantly lowers the weight gain of Heliothis virescens (F.) larvae. Values of ED50 (dose that reduces 50% of growth compared with control) were approximately 4 mg/ml diet and 1 mg/ml diet, respectively. At caryophyllene doses of 2 mg/ml and greater, pupal weight was reduced significantly, whereas time to pupation was only slightly increased. The slight positive growth effect (hormetic) that was noted when larvae were raised on a diet containing a low concentration of gossypol was increased significantly by low concentrations of caryophyllene indicating a synergistic effect. However, the growth-retarding effect of high gossypol concentrations was not synergized. Caryophyllene oxide also acts synergistically with gossypol, increasing the growth stimulating effects, but in contrast to caryophyllene, it acts synergistically with higher levels of gossypol and retards larval growth further.
Winter Activity Patterns of Two Radio-Marked Beaver Colonies

Activities of two radio-marked beaver ( Castor canadensis ) colonies were studied during the winters of 1976–1977 and 1977–1978. In one colony the adult male and adult female displayed free-running activity rhythms of 29.0 and 26.6 h respectively, under variable ambient temperatures and intermittent ice cover. Their activities were asynchronous for a period when the adult male apparently was entrained to a weak photoperiod Zeitgeber, and the adult female was free-running. For both colonies an index of above-ice activity was positively related to ambient temperature, i.e., below about −10°C above-ice activity was absent and, as temperature increased, above-ice activity increased. Free-running activity patterns and above-ice activity are interpreted to be behavioral adaptations related to wintertime bioenergetic budgets.
Cerebral Ischemic Events with Sickle Cell Anemia

Researchers at Cincinnati Children's Hospital and several additional centers in the US and UK studied the incidence of acute silent cerebral ischemic events (ASCIEs) in MRIs of children with asymptomatic sickle cell anemia (SCA).
Diuretics: Mechanisms of Action and Uses

Diuretics are remarkably varied although they really have a single function: They are all essentially ion-transport inhibitors whose net effect must be reduction of movement of Na+ from the luminal fluid across the renal epithelium and into the circulation. The diversity stems from the broad array of physiologic ion-transport mechanisms operative at different sites in the nephron.
Decision Modeling in Sleep Apnea: The Critical Roles of Pretest Probability, Cost of Untreated Obstructive Sleep Apnea, and Time Horizon

Study Objectives:Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is associated with increased morbidity and mortality, and treatment with positive airway pressure (PAP) is cost-effective. However, the optimal diagno...
The Emergent Woman

The perfection of form of Emma stands as a challenge, from the beginning to the end of the novel — a work of captivating arrangement and (on the heroine’s part) brilliant incomprehension, concluding with the tonic chord of marriages that have been envisioned throughout, except by most of the principals; and ‘perfect’ is a word whose ironic fortunes trace and express the challenge throughout the novel. But more than one reader has been led astray by supposing that ‘perfect’ means perfect, without the slant of irony, especially at the end of the novel. Thus Miller: ‘The “perfect union” of Emma and Mr. Knightley virtually must end the novel; otherwise it would not be a “perfect” union. It would be brought back to the state of insufficiency and lack that has characterized the novelistic movement’ (5). But the perfection there sketched has already been eroded by what has led up to this comic moment. Historically, the book’s fine coherence places it as powerfully indicative of the era that had just drawn to a close but to which Jane Austen’s novel provides wary retrospect; the glitter is valedictory — compare Tom Jones. Tom Jones has a different kind of perfection, because its length and breadth create more space around and within it.
Design of Intelligent Agents for Supply Chain Management

Using intelligent agents can be a good alternative for the automated supply chain management in e-commerce environment and decision support in current commerce practices [8]. This study focuses on finding the optimal structure of intelligent agents that yield the best performance for supply chain management. This study was conducted in two phases. In the first phase, a model for agent was developed and implemented. In the model we applied Q-learning, Softmax function, and e-greedy to control the inventory threshold dynamically and used a sliding window protocol for flexible bidding strategy. Also, a testing environment with competing agents was implemented. In the second phase, two agents of different types were tested against each other in the same simulation. This simulation was played twice to compare our agent with two other types of agents. Results of simulations shows that our agent has better performance in two different simulations.
de Hass-van Alphen Effect in Re O 3

The de Hass-van Alphen effect in Re${\mathrm{O}}_{3}$ single crystals has been studied in detail using large impulsive magnetic fields. In addition to the three frequency branches reported by Graebner and Greiner and by Marcus, three new frequency branches have been detected. All of the frequencies observed are in good agreement with the augmented-plane-wave calculation of Mattheiss.
Performance of a cap and trade system for managing environmental impacts of shale gas surface infrastructure

Abstract Governments across the globe are exploring ways to reduce the environmental and human health impacts created by shale energy production. In active areas, environmental regulations tend to be limited. We apply established instruments to empirically estimated environmental impact abatement cost curves for the development of 56 sites in Pennsylvania, USA. We compare the cost to industry of setting a cap on environmental impacts from land-clearing and building of surface infrastructure under two regulations: cap and trade versus a uniform, inflexible regulation. Greatest differences in cost are achieved when firm-level permits are allocated to reduce market-wide potential impacts by 36%. Cap and trade achieved this cap at a cost of 0.05% of not developing and allowed all development to proceed. The uniform, inflexible regulation cost 32% of not developing for a similar outcome and prevented 18% of firms from developing. Cap and trade's performance depended on the regulator's ability to accurately allocate firm-level permits that reflect developers' options. In extreme cases, inaccurate allocations made cap and trade perform worse than other the approach. We conclude that, where developers differ in their ability and cost of minimizing impacts, cap and trade should be explored as an inexpensive alternative to traditional approaches.
Certification by Learning on an Alternative Schedule (CLAS)

It is becoming increasingly evident that academic institutions are challenged to meet the needs of contemporary populations and communities. The profile of the unmarried, 18-year-old, unemployed, full-time residential college student does not fit the profile of undergraduate students today. The CLAS program is a partnership initiative developed to broaden recruitment strategies and enhance opportunities for persons who might, otherwise, experience difficulty in completing requirements of an undergraduate degree in Child and Family Studies, especially in early childhood teacher certification. According to Love and Greer (1996), nontraditional programs can aid in supplying our nation’s schools with well-trained educators who want to work with children and who could not acquire certification by traditional means. It was this kind of thinking that prompted the emergence of the CLAS program, an example of a partnership involving a university, a community college, and other community agencies.
The Obligation to Bear Testimony to Human Rights Abuses

“The Obligation to Bear Testimony to Human Rights Abuses” underlines the imperative to bear witness not only to those examples of women’s suffering that are specific to cultural ideologies, but also to other forms of human rights abuse, especially those perpetrated during wars. Eze provides an analytical study of the poems of Patricia Jabbeh Wesley, who details human rights abuses during the brutal civil war in Liberia. “The Obligation to Bear Testimony to Human Rights Abuses” thus enhances the truth that women’s rights are human rights and human rights are women’s rights.
Comparison of Loan Payment Models Using Diminishing Balance Interest Rate

Lending and borrowing money are ancient practices with specific injunctions for dealing with the borrower given in the Bible. In modern times loans allow the borrower to acquire goods in advance while the lender earns profit through the interest charged. Interest-loaded loans may lead to overspending with financially disastrous consequence for the borrower. In this paper, two models ofÂ loan payment, Equal Principal Payment (Model 1) and Equal Installment Payment (Model 2 are presented based onÂ diminishing balance interest rate. The simulated results of the models compared with data provided by a private credit cooperative showed Model 2 to be more realistic, the amount paid comparable with payment to the Credit Cooperative and easy to remember. The interest charged by the private cooperative fluctuated but in a declining pattern while the interest charged in the two models declined continuously, with lesser total interest charged but the difference is not significant. Understanding interest schemes for loan payments may mitigate the danger of financial disaster through overspending. Â Keywords: Mathematical model, interest, equal installment payment, equal principal payment
Nanolubricants flow boiling heat transfer enhancement in a microfin tube evaporator—IRG0021

The current article experimentally documents the effects of the nanoparticles thermal conductivity and aspect ratio on the two-phase flow heat transfer coefficient and pressure drop of nanolubrican...
Refining Targeted Therapy Opportunities for BRAF-Mutant Melanoma.

Identifying molecular and cellular features associated with resistance to targeted BRAF/MAPK pathway inhibition may guide development of novel therapeutic approaches. Integrated, comparative analysis of genomic and functional data in sensitive and resistant cell lines unveils novel targetable regulators of resistance to MAPK pathway inhibition in melanoma. Cancer Discov; 7(8); 799-801. ©2017 AACR.See related article by Eskiocak et al., p. 832.
Astral Cities, New Selves: Utopian Subjectivities in Nosso Lar and Branco Sai, Preto Fica

This chapter explores Nosso Lar/Astral City: A Spiritual Journey (Wagner de Assis, 2010) and Branco sai, preto fica/White Out, Black In (Adirley Queiros, 2014) and contends that the two films appropriate tropes of the science fiction genre to construct utopian subjectivities in the way they depict urban spaces. Moreover, it argues that while Nosso Lar depicts a retrofuturistic extraterrestrial city in the Spiritist tradition where the protagonist is able to transform himself in line with a neoliberal ideology, the apocalyptical city of Branco sai, preto fica is a place of catastrophic destruction which functions as a space for revenge for the traumatic injustice endured by the characters.
Cutting the Brakes: Immunotherapy With PD-1 Inhibitors

Abstract Immunotherapy targeting the PD-1 negative regulatory pathway has revolutionized the treatment of melanoma. The median survival for metastatic melanoma has dramatically improved over the last 5 years, from 9 months to longer than 2 years. This improvement is largely the result of to the development of anti–PD-1 targeted immunotherapy. In melanoma, durable responses have now been observed lasting many years. The field of immune checkpoint therapy, or “cutting the brakes” on antitumor immune response, is rapidly evolving, and new challenges continue to emerge in the optimal clinical use of these drugs. We review the discovery and development of anti–PD-1 therapies and the clinical successes and difficulties that have manifested with widespread use. The emergence of autoimmune toxicities and their management is a critical area of study going forward, as these toxicities can often limit the utility of these therapies in patients who otherwise would benefit. Anti–PD-1 therapy has undoubtedly been the most dramatic shift in cancer therapy in this decade, with US Food and Drug Administration approvals in melanoma and over half a dozen other cancers. Large preclinical and clinical research efforts are now aimed at understanding the immune biology driving resistance to anti–PD-1 therapy in patients with tumors that do not respond. The future is bright, but rational approaches will be necessary to have the greatest impact on the lives of melanoma patients.
Systemic Racism: Sociolegal and Sociocultural Implications

The author maps out the sociolegal and sociocultural implications of Joe R. Feagin’s systemic racism theory. The purpose is to specifically highlight the legal and cultural responses believed necessary to counteract systemic racism. The sociolegal analysis is centered on US civil rights law.
Role of Striatal Direct Pathway 2-Arachidonoylglycerol Signaling in Sociability and Repetitive Behavior.

Abstract Background Endocannabinoid signaling plays an important role in regulating synaptic transmission in the striatum, a brain region implicated as a central node of dysfunction in autism spectrum disorder. Deficits in signaling mediated by the endocannabinoid 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) have been reported in mouse models of autism spectrum disorder, but a causal role for striatal 2-AG deficiency in phenotypes relevant to autism spectrum disorder has not been explored. Methods Using conditional knockout mice, we examined the electrophysiological, biochemical, and behavioral effects of 2-AG deficiency by deleting its primary synthetic enzyme, diacylglycerol lipase α (DGLα), from dopamine D1 receptor–expressing or adenosine A2a receptor–expressing medium spiny neurons (MSNs) to determine the role of 2-AG signaling in striatal direct or indirect pathways, respectively. We then used viral-mediated deletion of DGLα to study the effects of 2-AG deficiency in the ventral and dorsal striatum. Results Targeted deletion of DGLα from direct-pathway MSNs caused deficits in social interaction, excessive grooming, and decreased exploration of a novel environment. In contrast, deletion from indirect-pathway MSNs had no effect on any measure of behavior examined. Loss of 2-AG in direct-pathway MSNs also led to increased glutamatergic drive, which is consistent with a loss of retrograde feedback inhibition. Subregional DGLα deletion from the dorsal striatum produced deficits in social interaction, whereas deletion from the ventral striatum resulted in repetitive grooming. Conclusions These data suggest a role for 2-AG deficiency in social deficits and repetitive behavior, and they demonstrate a key role for 2-AG in regulating striatal direct-pathway MSNs.
Physical modeling of vortical cross-step flow in the American paddlefish, Polyodon spathula.

Vortical cross-step filtration in suspension-feeding fish has been reported recently as a novel mechanism, distinct from other biological and industrial filtration processes. Although crossflow passing over backward-facing steps generates vortices that can suspend, concentrate, and transport particles, the morphological factors affecting this vortical flow have not been identified previously. In our 3D-printed models of the oral cavity for ram suspension-feeding fish, the angle of the backward-facing step with respect to the model’s dorsal midline affected vortex parameters significantly, including rotational, tangential, and axial speed. These vortices were comparable to those quantified downstream of the backward-facing steps that were formed by the branchial arches of preserved American paddlefish in a recirculating flow tank. Our data indicate that vortices in cross-step filtration have the characteristics of forced vortices, as the flow of water inside the oral cavity provides the external torque required to sustain forced vortices. Additionally, we quantified a new variable for ram suspension feeding termed the fluid exit ratio. This is defined as the ratio of the total open pore area for water leaving the oral cavity via spaces between branchial arches that are not blocked by gill rakers, divided by the total area for water entering through the gape during ram suspension feeding. Our experiments demonstrated that the fluid exit ratio in preserved paddlefish was a significant predictor of the flow speeds that were quantified anterior of the rostrum, at the gape, directly dorsal of the first ceratobranchial, and in the forced vortex generated by the first ceratobranchial. Physical modeling of vortical cross-step filtration offers future opportunities to explore the complex interactions between structural features of the oral cavity, vortex parameters, motile particle behavior, and particle morphology that determine the suspension, concentration, and transport of particles within the oral cavity of ram suspension-feeding fish.