cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Soil health and global sustainability: translating science into practice

Interest in the quality and health of soil has been stimulated by recent awareness that soil is vital to both production of food and fiber and global ecosystems function. Soil health, or quality, can be broadly defined as the capacity of a living soil to function, within natural or managed ecosystem boundaries, to sustain plant and animal productivity, maintain or enhance water and air quality, and promote plant and animal health. Soil quality and health change over time due to natural events or human impacts. They are enhanced by management and land-use decisions that weigh the multiple functions of soil and are impaired by decisions which focus only on single functions, such as crop productivity. Criteria for indicators of soil quality and health relate mainly to their utility in defining ecosystem processes and in integrating physical, chemical, and biological properties; their sensitivity to management and climatic variations; and their accessibility and utility to agricultural specialists, producers, conservationists, and policy makers. Although soils have an inherent quality as related to their physical, chemical, and biological properties within the constraints set by climate and ecosystems, the ultimate determinant of soil quality and health is the land manager. As such, the assessment of soil quality or health, and direction of change with time, is the primary indicator of sustainable management. Scientists can make a significant contribution to sustainable land management by translating scientific knowledge and information on soil function into practical tools and approaches by which land managers can assess the sustainability of their management practices. The first steps, however, in our communal journey towards sustainable land management must be the identification of our final destination (sustainability goals), the strategies or course by which we will get there, and the indicators (benchmarks) that we are proceeding in the right direction. We too often rush to raise the sails of our ‘technological’ ship to catch the wind, before knowing from where it comes or in properly defining our destination, charting our course, and setting the rudder of our ship. Examples are given of approaches for assessing soil quality and health to define the sustainability of land management practices and to ‘translate our science into practice’. © 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
Ultraharmonic Motion of a Viscously Damped Nonlinear Beam

The response and stability of the second-order ultraharmonic of the second mode of a simply supported beam with ends restrained to remain a fixed distance apart is studied. A modal viscous damping term is included. This response occurs in the resonance region of the first mode. It is shown that the jump frequency is dependent on the value of the second-mode damping constant. It is found that increasing the second-mode damping coefficient decreases the jump frequency until a point is reached where the second-mode amplitude dies out before the jump is reached. The solution then continues along the fundamental with no ultraharmonic present. Al,A2,Al,A2,Bl,B2,d2 E F(x,t) C,,C2 h I L t w p CO Nomenclature = harmonic amplitudes = Young's modulus = applied force 2 = modal constants = modal damping coefficients = beam height = second moment of area of beam = beam length = generalized force = time = lateral displacement = generalized displacement = perturbed generalized displacement = modal damping ratio = mass density = nondimensional time = frequency (nondimensional) = natural frequency of first mode (nondimensional)
Microstructures and properties of the tungsten wire/particle reinforced Zr57Nb5Al10Cu15.4Ni12.6 metallic glass composites

Tungsten wire or particle reinforced metallic glass matrix composites are produced by infiltrating liquid Zr57Nb5Al10Cu15.4Ni12.6 (Vit106) into tungsten reinforcements at 1150 K and at 1425 K. X-ray diffraction, differential scanning calorimetry, and scanning electron microscopy are carried out to characterize the composite. The matrix of the composite processed at 1150 K is mostly amorphous, with some embedded crystals. During processing, tungsten dissolves in the glass-forming melt and upon quenching precipitates over a relatively narrow zone near the interface between the tungsten and matrix. In the composites processed at 1425 K, tungsten dissolves in the melt and diffuses through the liquid medium, and then reprecipitates upon quenching. The faster kinetics at this high temperature results uniform distribution of the crystals throughout the matrix. Mechanical properties of the differently processed composites containing wires and particles are compared and discussed. The composites exhibit a plasticity of up to 16 % without sacrificing the high strength to failure that is comparable to monolithic Vit 106.
HPJava: a data parallel programming alternative

We consider a project that's ongoing at our Pervasive Technology Lab at Indiana University. The HPJava (high-performance Java) project aims to support scientific and parallel computing in a modern, object-oriented, Internet-friendly environment - the Java platform. HPJava leverages popular high-performance Fortran (HPF) language and library features such as "scientific" multidimensional array syntax and distributed arrays, while at a more language-independent level, it introduces a slightly unusual parallel programming model, somewhere in between the classical HPF and message-passing interface (MPI) extremes.
Introducing PyLighter: dynamic code highlighter

Like a screenplay, a program is both a static artifact and instructions for a dynamic performance. This duality can keep laypeople from appreciating the complexity of software systems and can be a stumbling block for novice programmers. PyLighter lets laypeople and novice programmers perceive the relationship between static Python code and its execution. PyLighter works with everything from simple console applications to arcade-style games, and because PyLighter is easy to adopt and use, instructors can integrate it into any Python-based introductory course without changing the rest of their syllabus.
Explaining the Treaty of Amsterdam: Interests, Influence, Institutions*

This article offers a basic explanation of the process and outcome of negotiating the Treaty of Amsterdam. We pose three questions: What explains the national preferences of the major governments? Given those substantive national preferences, what explains bargaining outcomes among them? Given those substantive bargains, what explains the choice of international institutions to implement them? We argue in favour of an explanation based on three elements. Issue-specific interdependence explains national preferences. Interstate bargaining based on asymmetrical interdependence explains the outcomes of substantive negotiation. The need for credible commitments explains institutional choices to pool and delegate sovereignty. Other oft-cited factors ‐ European ideology, supranational entrepreneurship, technocratic considerations, or the random flux and non-rational processes of ‘garbage can’ decision-making ‐ play secondary roles. Remaining areas of ambiguity are flagged for future research.
Oocyte donation: does a previous attempt affect a subsequent attempt?

Abstract Objective: To analyze the effect of a previous donor oocyte cycle on the outcome of subsequent attempts. Design: Retrospective study. Setting: Oocyte donation program at The New York Hospital/Cornell Medical Center. Patient(s): Two hundred sixty-seven patients undergoing 354 fresh cycles of oocyte donation. Intervention(s): None. Main Outcome Measure(s): Clinical outcomes were divided into groups based on the attempt number of each cycle for each patient. Results were calculated for each recipient cycle. Result(s): A clinical pregnancy rate of 56.2% and ongoing pregnancy/delivery rate per retrieval of 50.3% were noted. No statistically significant differences in clinical outcomes were found between the first, second, and third attempts. A significant increase was noted in the ongoing pregnancy/delivery rate per recipient cycle for the second attempt in those patients who had a delivery after the first attempt compared with those who did not. Conclusion(s): We demonstrated an overall clinical pregnancy rate of 56.2% and an ongoing pregnancy/delivery rate of 50.3% per retrieval. Outcome for the second attempt was associated with success or failure during an initial attempt at oocyte donation.
Thermogenic effect of an acute ingestion of a weight loss supplement.

Background The purpose of this study was to examine the acute effects of a weight loss supplement on resting oxygen uptake (VO2), respiratory quotient (RQ), caloric expenditure (kcal), heart rate (HR), and blood pressure (BP) in healthy and physically active individuals.
Behavior and significance of autoantibodies in type 1 autoimmune hepatitis

Abstract Background/Aim: Smooth muscle antibodies and antinuclear antibodies characterize type 1 autoimmune hepatitis. Our aim was to correlate the appearance and disappearance of these autoantibodies with clinical and histological events. Methods: One hundred and seven patients were evaluated successively over 128±9 months. Autoantibodies were determined by indirect immunofluorescence during routine follow-up and at key clinical events. Results: Eighty-one patients (76%) lost one or both of the autoantibodies, and disappearance was associated with improved laboratory and histological features. Autoantibody status, however, was not highly predictive of laboratory (69%) or histological activity (72%). Patients who relapsed were seronegative at the time of drug withdrawal as commonly as patients who sustained remission (29% versus 25%). Only 27 patients (25%) lost their autoantibodies long term. Patients who eventually entered a sustained remission lost their autoantibodies more commonly than those who required retreatment (76% versus 43%, p =0.03). Disappearance of the autoantibodies, however, preceded sustained remission in only 38%. Serum titers at presentation did not distinguish patients with more severe disease or different treatment outcomes. Conclusions: Smooth muscle antibodies and antinuclear antibodies commonly disappear and reappear. Their loss is associated with improved laboratory tests and biopsy findings, but disappearance does not predict treatment outcome. Autoantibody titer at presentation and autoantibody behavior during therapy are not accurate indices of disease severity or prognosis.
Site of Action of Prolactin in the Suppression of Gonadotropin Secretion During Lactation in the Rat: Effect on Pituitary Responsiveness to LHRH

The elevated levels of prolactin associated with lactation contribute significantly to the suppression of the postcastration increase in gonadotropin secretion during lactation. This study determines the effects of prolactin on pituitary responsiveness to LHRH in the rat. Blood samples were collected before administration of LHRH (100 or 500 ng) and at 15, 30, 45, and 60 mm after treatment with LHRFI. Administration of exogenous prolactin on Days 10 and 11 postpartum to females nursing two pups had no effect on basal LH or FSH secretion Day 11 or on the LH or FSH responses after LHRH administration. Whereas ovariectomy on Day 10 resulted in a significant increase in LH secretion on Day 1 1, administration of exogenous prolactin to ovariectomized lactating females significantly decreased the postcastration rise in LH without having an effect on the LH response to LHRH. The effect of endogenous prolactin secretion was studied on Day 10 postpartum in females nursing eight pups by inhibiting suckling-induced prolactin with CB-154 for 24 h before LHRH administration. The LH response after LHRH was similar in the presence or absence of elevated levels of prolactin. However, if the pups were removed for 24 h before administration of LHRH, both basal LH secretion and the response after LHRH increased to levels observed during diestrus of the estrous cycle. The effect of endogenous prolactin secretion on the postcastration rise in LH and FSH was studied on Day 8 or 17 postpartum (5 days after ovariectomy) in females nursing eight pups. The results showed that whereas suckling plus endogenous prolactin secretion almost completely blocked any postcastration rise in LH or FSH, suppression of prolactin in the presence of suckling led to a very large increase in LH and FSH. In spite of large differences in the basal rate of LH and FSH secretion, LHRH-induced LH secretion was similar in the presence or absence of prolactin. These results indicate that in intact lactating females, prolactin has no effect acutely to suppress the basal rate of gonadotropin secretion or LHRH-induced gonadotropin secretion. In ovariectomized lactating females, the elevated levels of prolactin associated with lactation suppress gonadotropin secretion but do not appear to be acting at the level of the pituitary to decrease responsiveness to LHRH, and therefore must be acting at the level of the hypothalamus.
Magnetization reversal and giant coercivity in Sm-Co/Cu-Ti particulate films

Highly coercive granular SmCo/CuTi films were produced by thermal processing of sputtered SmCo/sub 5//(CuTi) multilayers and investigated experimentally and theoretically. Electron microscopy shows that the processed films consist of spherical grains that have diameters of 5-10 nm and are embedded in a matrix. Both the grains and the matrix phase exhibit the CaCu/sub 5/ structure, but the matrix is probably Cu-rich. The films have high coercivities of up to 50.4 kOe at 300 K. Analytical calculations and micromagnetic simulations yield a transition from a nucleation-type weak-interaction regime to a discrete-pinning-type strong-interaction regime. The transition occurs at packing fractions similar to those encountered in the investigated films and is accompanied by a coercivity maximum.
Stable-yet-switchable (SyS) attractor networks

Recurrent neural networks functioning as associative memories are often studied and optimized for recall quality and capacity, with the focus primarily on the network's stability, i.e., convergence to stored attractors. However, the ability of networks to switch between attractors in a controlled way is also potentially a useful phenomenon. Networks that are stable under most conditions, but can be switched by specific stimuli may be used to model cognitive control and other timevarying cognitive phenomena. Such networks, which we term stable-yet-switchable (SyS) networks, are also of interest from the networks perspective, and the SyS properties of scale-free networks have been noted by researchers. In this paper, we consider networks with bimodal connectivity - a core of densely connected neurons and a larger periphery with sparser connectivity - and compare their SyS performance with random and scale-free recurrent neural networks. The results show that core-periphery networks have much better SyS performance than scale-free networks.
Cyanobacterial proliferation is a recent response to eutrophication in many Florida lakes: A paleolimnological assessment.

Abstract Cyanobacteria dominate many highly productive Florida lakes. Algal proliferation often is attributed to eutrophication during the last century, but it is poorly documented because Florida's water-quality monitoring programs became common only after 1980. We interpret paleolimnological data from the sediment cores of 6 productive lakes to determine when cyanobacterial proliferation first occurred, and whether it resulted from natural edaphic influence or from eutrophication caused by human activities. Major algal-pigment groups in sediments were analyzed using pigment-extraction and spectrophotometric techniques. Pigment profiles are compared with WACALIB-derived inferences for limnetic total-P, limnetic chlorophyll a, and trophic-state index values based on sedimented diatoms, and with stable isotope (δ13C & δ15N) signatures of organic matter. Cyanobacterial and algal proliferation increased during recent decades in 5 of the 6 study lakes in response to eutrophication. Two lakes demonstrated some...
Wind-Tunnel Wall Effects on Delta Wings

ACOMPUTATIONAL study was performed to assess the effects of wind-tunnel wall interference on the flowfield around delta wings. The free vortex sheet theory was applied to three sizes of a 65-deg delta wing surrounded by representative wind-tunnel walls to determine the extent to which the walls displace the leading-edge vortex core and alter its circulation distribution, hence, altering detailed flowfield properties. A wing size is determined such that these details can be corrected through a simple global adjustment to the angle of attack. Contents A wind-tunnel experiment is under consideration for measuring Reynolds number effects on the subcritical flow around a 65-deg delta wing in the NASA Langley Research Center Low-Turbulence Pressure Tunnel (LTPT) using a three-component laser velocimetry (LV) system. The primary factors affecting the determination of model size are the contrasting requirements for 1) a large model for adequate LV resolution of flow details, with 2) a small wing to minimize wall interference effects. This issue is of particular importance here because the LTPT, primarily an airfoil test facility, has a narrow test section with solid walls, which limits the allowable model span. This study focused on determination of a model size that best meets the test requirements by using an available computational tool to estimate the wall effects on the flowfield. The presence of the walls around a lifting wing induces variations in the magnitude and direction of the flow that are not present around the wing in free air. These effects increase substantially as model size increases. Induced curvature in the flow is manifested in the wing as artificial camber and twist. Because the proposed wing will primarily experience vortex flow, the induced camber and twist will alter the flow nonlinearly. With such effects present, details in the flow are difficult to correct because the principles of superposition are no longer valid. From a practical standpoint, it is desirable to determine the largest wing for which flow curvature effects are sufficiently small so that flow details in the confined flow can be directly related to a free-air flow through a simple adjustment to the global angle of attack. The vortex flowfield was computed for several sizes of the 65-deg delta planform confined within simulated solid testsection walls using the free vortex sheet (FVS) theory of Ref. 1. The FVS code utilizes a potential-flow panel formulation to model steady subsonic, in viscid flow about wings or wingbody configurations with separation-induced leading- and/or
Eliciting Benefit–Risk Preferences and Probability-Weighted Utility Using Choice-Format Conjoint Analysis

This study applies conjoint analysis to estimate health-related benefit-risk tradeoffs in a non-expected-utility framework. We demonstrate how this method can be used to test for and estimate nonlinear weighting of adverse-event probabilities and we explore the implications of nonlinear weighting on maximum acceptable risk (MAR) measures of risk tolerance. We obtained preference data from 570 Crohn's disease patients using a web-enabled conjoint survey. Respondents were presented with choice tasks involving treatment options that involve different efficacy benefits and different mortality risks for 3 possible side effects. Using conditional logit maximum likelihood estimation, we estimate preference parameters using 3 models that allow for nonlinear preference weighting of risks--a categorical model, a simple-weighting model, and a rank dependent utility (RDU) model. For the second 2 models we specify and jointly estimate 1- and 2-parameter probability weighting functions. Although the 2-parameter functions are more flexible, estimation of the 1-parameter functions generally performed better. Despite well-known conceptual limitations, the simple-weighting model allows us to estimate weighting function parameters that vary across 3 risk types, and we find some evidence of statistically significant differences across risks. The parameter estimates from RDU model with the single-parameter weighting function provide the most robust estimates of MAR. For an improvement in Crohn's symptom severity from moderate and mild, we estimate maximum 10-year mortality risk tolerances ranging from 2.6% to 7.1%. Our results provide further the evidence that quantitative benefit-risk analysis used to evaluate medical interventions should account explicitly for the nonlinear probability weighting of preferences.
Angiogenic Factors in Preeclampsia and Related Disorders

During fetal development, the human placenta undergoes high levels of both angiogenesis and vasculogenesis. Additionally, the developing placenta undergoes a process of vascular mimicry (referred to as pseudovasculogenesis) as cytotrophoblasts convert from an epithelial to an endothelial phenotype. The initiation, maturation, and maintenance of the placental vasculature are of critical importance. Failure to do so can lead to adverse obstetric outcomes such as preeclampsia and/or intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR). Furthermore, the foundation of many aspects of adult health is laid in utero. In this context, normal placental function is not only critical for normal fetal development but can also permanently influence long-term health and disease. Understanding the mechanisms that regulate placental vasculogenesis and angiogenesis is therefore of critical importance. This chapter will focus on placental vascular development with a particular emphasis on the role of angiogenic factors in the pathogenesis of the maternal syndrome of preeclampsia and related disorders.
Modeling wildfire risk to northern spotted owl (Strix occidentalis caurina) habitat in Central Oregon, USA

Natural disturbances including wildfire, insects and disease are a growing threat to the remaining late successional forests in the Pacific Northwest, USA. These forests are a cornerstone of the region's ecological diversity and provide essential habitat to a number of rare terrestrial and aquatic species including the endangered northern spotted owl (Strix occidentalis caurina). Wildfires in particular have reduced the amount of late successional forests over the past decade, prompting land managers to expand investments in forest management in an attempt to slow losses and mitigate wildfire risk. Much of the emphasis is focused specifically on late successional reserves established under the Northwest Forest Plan to provide habitat for spotted owls. In this paper, we demonstrate a probabilistic risk analysis system for quantifying wildfire threats to spotted owl habitat and comparing the efficacy of fuel treatment scenarios. We used wildfire simulation methods to calculate spatially explicit probabilities of habitat loss for fuel treatment scenarios on a 70,245 ha study area in Central Oregon, USA. We simulated 1000 wildfires with randomly located ignitions and weather conditions that replicated a recent large fire within the study area. A flame length threshold for each spotted owl habitat stand was determined using the forest vegetation simulator and used to predict the proportion of fires that resulted in habitat loss. Wildfire modeling revealed a strong spatial pattern in burn probability created by natural fuel breaks (lakes and lava flows). We observed a non-linear decrease in the probability of habitat loss with increasing treatment area. Fuels treatments on a relatively minor percentage of the forested landscape (20%) resulted in a 44% decrease in the probability of spotted owl habitat loss averaged over all habitat stands. The modeling system advances the application of quantitative and probabilistic risk assessment for habitat and species conservation planning.
Collision avoidance response stereotypes in pilots and nonpilots.

A two-part study was conducted to investigate the effects of target variables upon pilot and nonpilot collision avoidance responses to simulated approaches which were head-on or nearly so. Part I investigated the effect of bearing and found that nonpilots preferred to turn left in a head-on approach. Although pilots generally turned right under the same conditions, 25% exhibited the nonpilot left-turn response. The nonpilot response bias seemed related to the type of control used for aircraft pilotage. Part II examined the effects of bearing and collision index (a geometric construct representing an index for optimal response selection) upon the responses of 24 pilots. Two subgroups were identified, one apparently attending primarily to bearing while the other attended to aspect. Only one subject appeared to use the optimal collision-index construct for response selection.
The impact of the business environment on the business creation process

New data from the 2008 World Bank Group Entrepreneurship Survey indicates a very strong and statistically significant relationship between entrepreneurship and a better business environment. Data for 100 countries on the number of total and newly registered corporations over an eight-year period (2000-2007) were collected directly from registrars of companies around the world. Data were also collected on the functioning and structure of business registries. Empirical evidence suggests that greater ease in starting a business and better governance are associated with increased entrepreneurial activity. After controlling for economic development (gross domestic product per capita), higher entrepreneurial activity is significantly associated with cheaper, more efficient business registration procedures and better governance. Although the degree of progress in the modernization of business registries varies greatly, countries usually have a common goal to evolve from a paper-based business registry to a one-stop, automated, web-enabled registry capable of delivering products and services online via transactions involving authenticated users and documents. Tests show that business registry modernization (often a component of broader private sector reforms) has a positive impact not only on the ease of creating a business, but also on new business registration. Overall, the data show that a quick, efficient, and cost-effective business registration process is critical for fostering formal sector entrepreneurship.
SIDEpro: A novel machine learning approach for the fast and accurate prediction of side‐chain conformations

Accurate protein side-chain conformation prediction is crucial for protein modeling and existing methods for the task are widely used; however, faster and more accurate methods are still required. Here we present a new machine learning approach to the problem where an energy function for each rotamer in a structure is computed additively over pairs of contacting atoms. A family of 156 neural networks indexed by amino acid and contacting atom types is used to compute these rotamer energies as a function of atomic contact distances. Although direct energy targets are not available for training, the neural networks can still be optimized by converting the energies to probabilities and optimizing these probabilities using Markov Chain Monte Carlo methods. The resulting predictor SIDEpro makes predictions by initially setting the rotamer probabilities for each residue from a backbone dependent rotamer library, then iteratively updating these probabilities using the trained neural networks. After convergences of the probabilities, the side-chains are set to the highest probability rotamer. Finally, a post-processing clash reduction step is applied to the models. SIDEpro represents a significant improvement in speed and a modest, but statistically significant, improvement in accuracy when compared to the state-of-the-art for rapid side-chain prediction method SCWRL4 on the following datasets: (1) 379 protein test set of SCWRL4; (2) 94 proteins from CASP9; (3) a set of 7 large protein-only complexes; and (4) a ribosome with and without the RNA. Using the SCWRL4 test set, SIDEpro's accuracy (χ1 86.14%, χ1+2 74.15%) is slightly better than SCWRL4-FRM (χ1 85.43%, χ1+2 73.47%) and it is 7.0 times faster. On the same test set SIDEpro is clearly more accurate than SCWRL4-RRM (χ1 84.15%, χ1+2 71.24%) and 2.4 times faster. Evaluation on the additional test sets yield similar accuracy results with SIDEpro being slightly more accurate than SCWRL4-FRM and clearly more accurate than SCWRL4-RRM; however, the gap in CPU time is much more significant when the methods are applied to large protein complexes. SIDEpro is part of the SCRATCH suite of predictors and available from: http://scratch.proteomics.ics.uci.edu/.
Use of potassium chloride and flavor enhancers in low sodium Cheddar cheese

We investigated use of potassium chloride (KCl) to maintain both the salty flavor and to replace the preservative effects of salt when reducing the sodium content in natural cheese. Because salt replacers can affect flavor because of inherent off-flavors, such as bitter and metallic, we examined the use of flavor enhancers for their ability to modulate some of these undesirable sensory effects. Stirred-curd Cheddar-style cheese was manufactured using 2 cheese-making procedures (different curd knife sizes and target salting titratable acidities), in duplicate. Curd was salted with sodium chloride (NaCl) or 60% reduced sodium blends of NaCl and KCl (2 different sources). Curd was also salted at a 60% reduced sodium rate with NaCl and KCl with added flavor enhancers. A hydrolyzed vegetable protein/yeast extract blend, a natural "potassium-blocking type" flavor, disodium inosinate, or disodium guanylate were each blended with the reduced sodium salt blend and added to curd at the salting step. The resulting blocks of cheese were aged for 5 mo and evaluated monthly for chemical, microbial, and sensory differences. At 5 mo of aging, we measured liking for the cheeses using a consumer panel. Overall, cheeses were well liked by the consumer panel, and the scores of reduced sodium cheese with 2 different KCl sources were not different from those of the full-sodium control. The addition of flavor enhancers to Cheddar curd had mixed results, with one improving the consumer flavor liking only slightly over KCl, and one (disodium inosinate) significantly reducing consumer flavor liking scores, presumably due to the amount of umami flavor it contributed. Potassium chloride replacement salts sourced from different manufacturers affected the chemical and flavor properties of cheese, and changes to pH and temperature targets may be necessary to yield cheese with the moisture and pH targets desired. The cheese-making procedure used also influenced flavors observed, which resulted in higher levels of brothy flavor in cheese made with smaller curd knives and a higher target salting titratable acidity. This effect resulted in lower consumer liking scores.
Polydimethylsiloxane Microlens Arrays Fabricated Through Liquid-Phase Photopolymerization and Molding

We report on polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) microlens arrays fabricated through liquid-phase photopolymerization and molding. The gist of this fabrication process is to form liquid menisci of variable radii of curvature at an array of apertures through pneumatic control, followed by photopolymerization under ultraviolet radiance. The resultant polymerized structures are then transferred to PDMS utilizing two molding steps. By adjusting the pneumatic pressure during the process, a single aperture array can be used to fabricate PDMS microlens arrays with variant focal lengths. The liquid menisci are formed by liquid-air interfaces that are pinned at the top edges of the apertures along hydrophobic-hydrophilic boundaries generated through surface chemical treatments. The microlens arrays are optically characterized. Variant focal lengths from 2.35 to 5.54 mm and f-numbers from 1.27 to 5.88, dependent on the diameter of apertures and the applied pressure to form the liquid menisci, are achieved with this relatively simple process and match well with the physical model. Owing to the formation from the liquid-air interfaces, the surface roughness of microlenses is measured to be around 25 nm.
The Rewards of Good Behavior

With the debate over American healthcare reform still at a fever pitch, President Obama has submitted his national budget for 2009 with the provocative title “A New Era of Responsibility,” a notion that each individual’s actions can have an effect on the greater good.1 In the healthcare sector, specifically pertaining to coronary heart disease, there is no clearer opportunity for the individual patient to contribute to our country’s reform while also reaping the rewards of improved health than in the area of prevention and behavioral modification. Although primary prevention has taken the forefront as an economic area of focus, secondary prevention should not be overlooked as an equally important target for improvement. In the first year after an initial myocardial infarction (MI), 20% of patients will be rehospitalized, and 18% of men and 23% of women >40 years of age will die.2 The rehospitalization cost after MI averages 30% more than the cost of the index hospitalization.3 Article see p 750 Secondary prevention after acute coronary syndrome (ACS) represents a 2-phase process, with efforts to mitigate acute adverse outcomes while working to prevent longer-term events. When patients present with acute coronary events, current medical therapies, including antiplatelet agents, statins, and β-blockers, have proven to be beneficial to both causes, and as such, guidelines have focused on the importance of timely initiation of these therapies during the index hospitalization.4 For Medicare patients, as of 2007, approximately 95% of ACS patients were receiving aspirin and β-blocker therapy at the time of discharge.2 Beyond pharmacological therapy, lifestyle modification, including smoking cessation, diet modification, and exercise, is known as an effective preventive intervention in those with stable coronary heart disease over time. Unlike medications, however, less is known about the impact of behavioral changes on short-term morbidity after an …
Association of Plasma Heat Shock Protein 70, Interleukin 6, and Creatine Kinase Concentrations in a Healthy, Young Adult Population

Variations of baseline plasma concentrations of creatine kinase (CK), heat shock protein 70 (HSP70), and interleukin 6 (IL-6) have been reported. We report categorical associations which may influence these protein levels. Methods. Blood was harvested for DNA and plasma protein analysis from 567 adults. Mean protein levels of CK, HSP70, and IL-6 were compared by sex, ethnicity, genetic variants—CKMM Nco1 (rs1803285), HSPA1B +A1538G (rs1061581), and IL6 G-174C (rs1800795)—self-reported history of exercise, oral contraceptive use, and dietary supplement use. Results. SNP major allele frequencies for CKMM, HSPA1B, and IL6 were 70% A, 57% A, and 60%. Mean CK statistically differed by sex, ethnicity, oral contraceptives, and caffeine. Plasma HSP70 differed by caffeine and protein. Mean IL-6 concentration differed by sex, ethnicity, and genotype. Plasma IL-6 was significantly lower (29%) in males (1.92 ± 0.08 pg/mL) and higher (29%) among African Americans (2.85 ± 0.50 pg/mL) relative to the others. IL6 G-174C GG genotype (2.23 ± 0.14 pg/mL) was 19% greater than CG or CC genotypes. Conclusion. Differences in baseline CK and IL-6 plasma protein concentrations are associated with genetics, sex, ethnicity, and the use of oral contraceptives, caffeine, and protein supplements in this young and athletic population.
Empagliflozin and linagliptin combination therapy for treatment of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus

Introduction: Many patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) fail to achieve the desired A1c goal because the antidiabetic medications used do not correct the underlying pathophysiologic abnormalities and monotherapy is not sufficiently potent to reduce the A1c to the 6.5 – 7.0% range. Insulin resistance and islet (beta and alpha) cell dysfunction are major pathophysiologic abnormalities in T2DM. We examine combination therapy with linagliptin plus empagliflozin as a therapeutic approach for the treatment of inadequately controlled T2DM patients.Areas covered: A literature search of all human diabetes, metabolism and general medicine journals from year 2000 to the present was conducted. Glucagon like peptide-1 (GLP-1) deficiency/resistance contributes to islet cell dysfunction by impairing insulin secretion and increasing glucagon secretion. DPP-4 inhibitors (DPP4i) improve pancreatic islet function by augmenting glucose-dependent insulin secretion and decreasing elevated plasma glucagon levels. Linag...
The Destabilization of the Future in Racine's Iphigénie

Le futur joue un role central dans la piece de R. a travers les oracles, les prediction et les visions decrites par les personnages. Paradoxalement l'abondance des references destabilise ce domaine du futur qui apparait davantage relever de l'incertitude que du destin pre-ordonne.
Sierra Structural Dynamics Theory Manual

Sierra/SD provides a massively parallel implementation of structural dynamics finite element analysis, required for high fidelity, validated models used in modal, vibration, static and shock analysis of structural systems. This manual describes the theory behind many of the constructs in Sierra/SD. For a more detailed description of how to use Sierra/SD , we refer the reader to Sierra/SD, User's Notes . Many of the constructs in Sierra/SD are pulled directly from published material. Where possible, these materials are referenced herein. However, certain functions in Sierra/SD are specific to our implementation. We try to be far more complete in those areas. The theory manual was developed from several sources including general notes, a programmer notes manual, the user's notes and of course the material in the open literature. This page intentionally left blank.
Proteinaceous (angiocentric sclerosing) lymphadenopathy: a polyclonal systemic, nonamyloid deposition disorder

Proteinaceous lymphadenopathy with hypergammaglobulinemia (PLWH) is an exceedingly rare disease of unknown etiology. Described primarily as a pathologic entity, relatively little is known about its clinical manifestations or its response to therapy. The disease is often referred to and treated as an unusual form of plasma cell dyscrasia or light chain deposition disease. We have recently encountered a young patient with PLWH who presented with generalized lymphadenopathy, marked liver function abnormalities, hypocomplementemia, cryoglobulinemia, decreased T4/T8 ratio, and ophthalmopathy. Contrary to the notion that PLWH is a clonal disorder, we found no evidence of clonality in this patient. The most characteristic finding in this and in another patient, previously seen at our institution, was marked angiocentric hyaline sclerosis of the small and mid-sized blood vessels of involved lymph nodes and organs. Based on these findings, we propose the term angiocentric sclerosing lymphadenopathy, which more accurately defines this clinicopathologic entity that appears to be distinct from light chain deposition disease and other plasma cell dyscrasias.
I Am Community

This column explores the humanbecoming paradigm perspective of community. Community is written about as a vastness of the galaxy; as serene valley, mountain, turbulent sea; and, as nameless stranger, friend, family. Presented are tenets and indicators for living the art of humanbecoming community for health professionals.
THE DEVELOPMENT OF SARCOMA IN BONE SUBJECTED TO ROENTGEN OR RADIUM IRRADIATION

1. Twenty-four cases of bone sarcoma which followed x-ray or radium irradiation of bone are reviewed. All except six of these occurred in association with chronic joint infection. 2. Three cases are added which are regarded as bone sarcoma/resulting from irradiation of bone for earlier independent tumors. Two are chondrosarcoma, and one is fibrosarcoma with tumor cartilage. 3. In all cases except one, the amount of irradiation was large and was administered in fractional doses over a long period. 4. The interval between irradiation and recognition of irradiation-produced sarcoma is long. The median time in reported cases is six years. 5. Chondrosarcoma occurs more frequently among irradiation-produced sarcomata than in other bone tumors.
Optical limiting processes in derivatized fullerenes and porphyrins/phthalocyanines

The authors review their results from spectral studies of the ultrafast excited-state absorption in fullerenes and derivatized fullerenes. These results allow determination of both the spectral response of reverse saturable absorption (RSA) nonlinearities such as optical limiting (OL) in fullerenes, and the dynamical response for different morphologies. The authors have investigated the effects of thin film and various sol-gel glass environments on the nanosecond OL and femtosecond dynamics of derivatized fullerenes. These data provide evidence of decay pathways which compete with the intersystem crossing to a triplet from the initial singlet states. With appropriate processing, however, the OL response of derivatized-fullerene sol-gel glasses can be enhanced to approach that of the same molecule in solution, while significantly enhancing the optical damage threshold. The optical limiting of these derivatized fullerenes is compared with that of various porphyrin and phthalocyanine molecules.
Purchase Intention of Socially Responsible Apparel Goods: Investigating Consumers Cross-Culturally

In the 21st marketplace, companies are under increasing pressure from multiple stakeholders to be socially responsible (SR). However, as part of the apparel and textiles (AT) business literature, very few studies exist examining the relationship between CSR and apparel purchasing behavior (e.g., Dickson 2000; Madrigal and Boush 2008; Norum and Ha-Brookshire 2011). As such, it is our intention to contribute to a better understanding of consumers’ decision making process to engage in SR apparel purchasing behavior, noting cross-cultural differences among consumers. According to Hofstede (1991), consumer behavior and business practices are culturally bound. Thus, CSR and consumer behavior toward CSR should be cross-culturally investigated to deepen the interpretation of the relationship between CSR and consumer behavior. To date, most CSR studies related to consumer behavior have been examined within a single country and very few studies have compared CSR activities cross-culturally.
CORBA-Based Distributed Object Technology and Its Application to the Power Dispatching Automation System

The background of developing the next generation of power dispatching automation system based on the Standard IEC 61970 is introduced,and the feasibility of CORBA-based distributed object technology in the development is discussed according to a lot of testing data of CORBA performance in this paper.To construct an integration framework for the system and to encapsulate the existing sapplications or programs are main methods for CORBA-based distributed object technology applications.Finally,the whole system structure and its design scheme of the dispatching automation system are discussed.
Inhibition of PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling in PI3KR2-overexpressing colon cancer stem cells reduces tumor growth due to apoptosis.

// Sugong Chen 1, * , Robert C. Fisher 1, 2, * , Steven Signs 2 , L. Alex Molina 2 , Anitha K. Shenoy 3 , Maria-Cecilia Lopez 3 , Henry V. Baker 3 , John M. Koomen 4 , Yi Chen 4 , Haley Gittleman 5 , Jill Barnholtz-Sloan 5 , Annamarie Berg 2 , Henry D. Appelman 6 and Emina H. Huang 1, 2 1 Department of Surgery, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32610, USA 2 Department of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Cleveland Clinic Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland, Ohio 44195, USA 3 Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32610, USA 4 Molecular Oncology and Proteomics, SRB3, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida 33612, USA 5 Bioinformatics, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, Cleveland, Ohio 44106, USA 6 Department of Pathology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, USA * These authors have contributed equally to this work Correspondence to: Emina H. Huang, email: huange2@ccf.org Keywords: colon cancer stem cells, ALDEFLUOR, tumorigenesis, PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling, apoptosis Received: February 05, 2016 Accepted: May 19, 2016 Published: June 8, 2016 ABSTRACT In sporadic colon cancer, colon cancer stem cells (CCSCs) initiate tumorigenesis and may contribute to late disease recurrences and metastases. We previously showed that aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) activity (as indicated by the ALDEFLUOR ® assay) is an effective marker for highly enriching CCSCs for further evaluation. Here, we used comparative transcriptome and proteome approaches to identify signaling pathways overrepresented in the CCSC population. We found overexpression of several components of the phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt/mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway, including PI3KR2, a regulatory subunit of PI3K. LY294002, a PI3K inhibitor, defined the contribution of the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway in CCSCs. LY294002-treated CCSCs showed decreases in proliferation, sphere formation and self-renewal, in phosphorylation-dependent activation of Akt, and in expression of cyclin D1. Inhibition of PI3K in vivo reduced tumorigenicity, increased detection of cleaved caspase 3, an indicator of apoptosis, and elevated expression of the inflammatory chemokine, CXCL8. Collectively, these results indicate that PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling controls CCSC proliferation and CCSC survival, and suggests that it would be useful to develop therapeutic agents that target this signaling pathway.
Characterization of the Synaptosomal Dopamine Uptake in Studies with Postmortem Human Brain

Investigations in the neurochemical pathology of the cerebral dopaminergic systems in humans do not involve studies of the high-affinity DA uptake. This is possibly based on the relative rapid decline of DA uptake during postmortem storage in situ as well as its drastic decrease by tissue freezing in liquid nitrogen (below 20 % of controls). Therefore, binding studies with 3H cocaine were recently proposed as a reliable probe for the DA uptake complex (Pimoule et al., 1983). On the other hand, we investigated the kinetic parameter of the synaptosomal high-affinity DA uptake (Hetey and Quiring, 1980; 3H DA: 0.02 – 0.1 µm in the incubation buffer, Lineweaver-Burk analysis of 37° – 0°C values). The DA uptake was measured after freezing of brain pieces in the presence of dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO), after postmortem storage in situ and in some postmortem brain of schizophrenia patients.
Caffeine Content in Popular Energy Drinks and Energy Shots.

ABSTRACTThe use of energy beverages is high among the general population and military personnel. Previous studies have reported discrepancies between the actual amount of caffeine in products and the amount of caffeine on stated labels. Thus, the purpose of this study was to examine the content of caffeine listed on the labels of various energy drinks and energy shots. Top-selling energy drinks (n = 9) and energy shots (n = 5) were purchased from retail stores. Three of each of the 14 products were purchased and analyzed for caffeine content by an independent laboratory. Of the 14 products tested, 5 did not provide caffeine amounts on their facts panel—of those, 3 listed caffeine as an ingredient and 2 listed caffeine as part of a proprietary blend. The remaining 9 (of 14) products stated the amounts of caffeine on their labels, all of which were within 15% of the amount indicated on the label. In this study, although the energy beverages that indicated the amount of caffeine it contained had values withi...