cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Prions of Mammals and Fungi Minireview Series

The mammalian spongiform encephalopathies gave rise to the concept of infectious proteins, proteins that can transmit an infection without an essential nucleic acid. This concept is now identified with the term “prion.” These diseases, including scrapie of sheep, bovine spongiform encephalopathy, and human Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (and its variants), are believed to be the result of a self-propagating change of PrP, a cell surface protein. The minireview in this issue by Charles Weissmann (1) examines the spongiform encephalopathies and summarizes work from a number of laboratories. In 1994, it was suggested that two non-chromosomal genetic elements of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, [URE3] and [PSI], were infectious protein (prion) forms of Ure2p and Sup35p. These findings have been particularly exciting because these systems will permit the application of the powerful genetic methods available in yeast to the study of the prion problem. Recently, [Het-s], a non-Mendelian genetic element of the filamentous fungus Podospora anserina has been identified as another likely prion. In each case, the evidence points to an altered form of a chromosomally encoded protein that has acquired the ability to convert the normal form of the protein into the same altered (prion) abnormal form. These new developments will be summarized in a second minireview by Reed Wickner et al. (2), focused on the evidence that prions of yeast and fungi can serve as genetic material, and a third by Susan Liebman and Irina Derkatch (3) discussing the yeast [PSI 1 ] prion in detail, including its interactions with chaperones and other proteins. Although the epidemic of “mad cow disease” has brought this field to the headlines, its scientific excitement rests more on the notion that altered protein conformations can impart disease and the somewhat revolutionary concepts of infection and heredity that have come out of this work.
Images of turbulent, absorbing-emitting atmospheres and their application to windshear detection

The simulation of images generated by thermally-radiating, optically- thick turbulent media are discussed and the time-dependent evolution of these images is modeled. This characteristics of these images are particularly applicable to the atmosphere in the 13-15 mm band and their behavior may have application in detecting aviation hazards. The image is generated by volumetric thermal emission by atmospheric constituents within the field-of-view of the detector. The structure of the turbulent temperature field and the attenuating properties of the atmosphere interact with the field-of-view's geometry to produce a localized region which dominates the optical flow of the image. The simulations discussed in this paper model the time-dependent behavior of images generated by atmospheric flows viewed from an airborne platform. The images ar modelled by (1) generating a random field of temperature fluctuations have the proper spatial structure, (2) adding these fluctuation to the baseline temperature field of the atmospheric event, (3) accumulating the image on the detector from radiation emitted in the imaging volume, (4) allowing the individual radiating points within the imaging volume to move with the local velocity, (5) recalculating the thermal field and generating a new image. This approach was used to simulate the images generated by the temperature and velocity fields of a windshear. The simulation generated pais of images separated by a small time interval. These image paris were analyzed by image cross-correlation. The displacement of the cross-correlation peak was used to infer the velocity at the localized region. The localized region was found to depend weakly on the shape of the velocity profile. Prediction of the localized region, the effects of imaging from a moving platform, alternative image analysis schemes, and possible application to aviation hazards are discussed.
Analysis of left-handed rectangular waveguides with dielectric-filled corrugations using the asymptotic corrugation boundary conditions

The asymptotic corrugation boundary conditions are employed to analyse left-handed rectangular waveguides with dielectric-filled transverse corrugations. The dispersion relations as well as the field expressions in the waveguide and the corrugation are derived. An equivalent multiport network model for the case of the two-walled corrugated waveguide is presented, and can easily be reduced to the one-walled case. Compared to the rather sophisticated full-wave solution, the asymptotic solution proves to provide accurate results within a wide frequency band. The limitations of the asymptotic boundary conditions are investigated to determine the range of validity of the presented solution.
Seizure semiology and aging.

Abstract The incidence of epilepsy is high in older individuals. However, epilepsy in the elderly may be underdiagnosed and undertreated because of diagnostic difficulties. The main goal of this study was to determine whether seizure semiology differs between older and younger adults with epilepsy in the outpatient setting. Fifty patients with focal epilepsy aged 55 years and older and 50 patients aged between 18 and 45 years were included. Review of medical records contained detailed seizure description. There were no differences in seizure semiology between groups, except that subtle perceptions of transient confusion were seen in older patients but not in younger patients (P = 0.0028). Older patients had less generalized motor seizures, but the differences between groups did not reach significance (P = 0.01). Older patients may present with subtle symptoms of seizures characterized by brief periods of confusion, which may contribute to greater difficulty diagnosing seizures in the elderly.
Novel revascularization therapies--TMLR and growth factor-induced angiogenesis monitored with cardiac MRI.

Employment of cardiac MRI techniques (cine MRI, wall thickening analysis, quantitative MRFPP, MR tissue tagging) allowed non-invasive localization and assessment of early and late changes in myocardial function and perfusion produced by these new approaches of myocardial revascularization. With its precision in assessment of myocardial perfusion and collateral-dependent territories, cardiac MRI techniques may be of excellent use for the evaluation of effects on myocardial function and perfusion as well as longitudinal outcomes in clinical trials with TMLR and angiogenesis therapies in patients with CAD. As growth factor therapies approach phase III clinical trials, such vital questions as the most effective delivery system, dosages and techniques used for treatment-monitoring parameters remain unanswered. In addition, better definitions of patient selection criteria for TMLR and angiogenesis therapies for both short- and long-term maximum benefits are needed at this time. Large-scale clinical trials with cardiac MRI techniques are needed to reliably assess functional and perfusion reserves of the myocardium pre and post TMLR and angiogenesis therapies. MR-based outcome parameters may aid in answering questions pertinent to the new revascularization treatments.
Evidence of Double Brooding by Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks

Abstract We report the first observation of double brooding by Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks (Dendrocygna autumnalis). We monitored 151 nest boxes on the Rob and Bessie Welder Wildlife Refuge in south Texas during 1998 and 1999 and uniquely marked all incubating pairs of Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks using these nesting structures. We color-banded a pair of Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks in May 1999 that was incubating a clutch of 21 eggs, from which 18 young eventually fledged. The same pair later incubated a second clutch of 15 eggs in July and August 1999, of which 12 hatched. Double brooding is apparently not a common reproductive strategy for Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks in south Texas, but could be facilitated through biparental investment in most aspects of reproduction, including incubation and brood rearing, and a relatively long potential breeding season in most of this species' breeding range.
Talk is Cheap: On the Usability Advice Salespeople offer to Older Consumers:

When older consumers approach a salesperson with questions about product usability, what advice are they likely to receive? To find out, we interviewed salespeople selling four types of products – cell phones, dryers, recliners, and jewelry. Our 63 participants were more likely to recommend specific features rather than specific products, and they were more likely to focus on mobility rather than cognitive or sensory issues. However, when directly asked to make suggestions for a person who had sensory or cognitive concerns, the salespeople were generally able to do so. We found no evidence that the type of store, the salesperson's gender, or the salesperson's age predicted the amount of usability information they could provide. However, we did learn that the people who provided the most suggestions generally reported coming up with their advice through direct interaction with older adults rather than from reading product literature or from personal product use.
Local structural fluctuations in amorphous and liquid metals: a simple theory of the glass transition

A method of describing the thermal fluctuations in the local atomic structure of liquid and amorphous metals in terms of the fluctuations in the atomic level stresses is proposed. The energy of the system is expressed in terms of these stresses in the elastic approximation. The temperature dependence of the second moments of the stresses is then calculated and shown to be linear with temperature. The glass transition is assumed to take place when the second moments freeze to certain values determined by computer simulation. It is shown that the pressure fluctuations and the shear fluctuations freeze at different temperatures. The glass transition, in the normal sense, is described by the freezing of the pressure fluctuation. This method provides a reasonable estimate of the glass transition temperature, and predicts it to be proportional to the product of atomic volume and bulk modulus. It furthermore provides an explanation of the different relaxation behaviours between the pressure and shear fluctuations.
Selected Types of Frozen Blood for Patients with Multiple Blood Group Antibodies

A statistical study of the incidence and specificity of multiple irregular blood group antibodies shows predominance of those within the Rh-Hr, Kell, and Duffy systems. When multiple antibodies included those in the Lewis, Lutheran, MNS, P, or Kidd systems, the other antibodies were usually in the Rh-Hr, Kell, and Duffy systems. The following categories of donors: 1a Group O Rh-neg. (dce/dce) K-neg. Fya-neg. 1b Group O Rh-neg. (dce/dce) K-neg. Fyb-neg. 2a Group O Rh-pos. (R1R1-DCe) K-neg. Fya-neg. 2b Group O Rh-pos. (R1R1-DCe/DCe) K-neg. Fyb-neg. 3a Group O Rh-pos. (R2R2-DcE7DcE) K-neg. Fya-neg. 3b Group O Rh-pos. (R2R2-DcE/DcE) K-neg. Fyb-neg. are further subtyped for Lea, Leb, P, Jka, Jkb, M, N, S, s, and Lua. Erythrocytes from these donors, frozen in glycerol, with Anti-A, and Anti-B antibodies removed during deglycerolization simplifies the problem of finding compatible blood for patients with multiple antibodies.
An analysis of undergraduate and graduate student nurses’ moral sensitivity:

This study describes the level of moral sensitivity among nursing students enrolled in a traditional baccalaureate nursing program and a master’s nursing program. Survey responses to the Modified Moral Sensitivity Questionnaire for Student Nurses from 250 junior, senior, and graduate students from one nursing school were analyzed. It was not possible to draw conclusions based on the tool. Moral category analysis showed students ranked the category structuring moral meaning highest and interpersonal orientation second. The moral issue ranking highest was honesty, respect for the patient second, and third was responsibility to know the patient’s situation. Seniors agreed more often about the need to focus on patient safety. As students progress through the baccalaureate program and into the graduate program, their perspectives increasingly recognize the contextuality of moral issues. The results show a need to further develop a tool to measure moral sensitivity, using student understanding and perceptions o...
Structure and Density of Active Zn Species in Zn/H-ZSM5 Propane Aromatization Catalysts☆

Abstract Exchanged Zn cations increase propane conversion turnover rates, hydrogen formation rates, and selectivity to aromatics on H-ZSM5.In situZnK-edge X-ray absorption studies show that aqueous ion exchange with H-ZSM5 (Si/Al=14.5) leads to isolated Zn2+cations with tetrahedral symmetry. These Zn species reside at cation exchange sites as monomeric cations and form directly from nitrate solutions during ion exchange. X-ray absorption and temperature-programmed reduction studies show that Zn2+cations in Zn/H-ZSM5 do not reduce to zero-valent species during propane reactions at 773 K. Extrazeolitic ZnO crystals form on samples prepared by impregnation techniques. In contrast to exchanged Zn2+cations, these bulk ZnO crystals reduce to Zn metal and elute from the catalyst bed as Zn vapor under typical propane aromatization conditions. Condensation reactions of (Zn2+OH)+species with acidic OH groups appear to lead to the formation of the active Zn2+cations interacting with two Al sites (O−–Zn2+–O−). This active Zn species is supported by acid site density measurements from NH3titration and isotopic titration of remaining Bronsted acid sites with deuterium in Zn/H-ZSM5.
Alkynyliodonium salts in organic synthesis. Application to the preparation of the tricyclic core of (+/-)-halichlorine.

The tricyclic core of halichlorine has been synthesized through the use of an alkynyliodonium salt/alkylidenecarbene/1,5 C−H insertion sequence that sets the pivotal quaternary center in the target.
Fractional biorthogonal partners in channel equalization and signal interpolation

The concept of biorthogonal partners has been introduced recently by the authors. The work presented here is an extension of some of these results to the case where the upsampling and downsampling ratios are not integers but rational numbers, hence, the name fractional biorthogonal partners. The conditions for the existence of stable and of finite impulse response (FIR) fractional biorthogonal partners are derived. It is also shown that the FIR solutions (when they exist) are not unique. This property is further explored in one of the applications of fractional biorthogonal partners, namely, the fractionally spaced equalization in digital communications. The goal is to construct zero-forcing equalizers (ZFEs) that also combat the channel noise. The performance of these equalizers is assessed through computer simulations. Another application considered is the all-FIR interpolation technique with the minimum amount of oversampling required in the input signal. We also consider the extension of the least squares approximation problem to the setting of fractional biorthogonal partners.
Channel tortuosity variation in Florida triggered lightning

We present the channel geometries and vertical profiles of tortuosity for five natural lightning flashes and seven triggered flashes photographed in Florida. The tortuosity variation with height was quantified using the tortuosity measurement method of Hill applied over successive 200 m vertical sections. Total channel lengths analyzed were between 1 km and 1.5 km. The triggered channels often show a significant reduction of tortuosity with height; the natural flashes show no apparent trend of tortuosity variation with height. A time-resolved record of one of the triggered flashes reveals an abrupt doubling in speed of the upward leader associated with a sharp reduction in channel tortuosity. This observation suggests that positive lightning leaders may manifest decreased tortuosity when driven by larger fields.
An overview of smart power technology

The evolution of smart power technology and the impact of this technology on electronic systems are reviewed. After providing a definition of smart power technology, the author describes the key technological developments in power semiconductor devices, namely power MOSFETs and IGBTs (insulated-gate bipolar transistors). These developments are the foundation upon which smart power technology rests. Smart power technology requires the marriage of power device technology with CMOS logic and bipolar analog circuits. The technical challenges involved in combining power handling capability with on-chip regulation of overcurrent, overvoltage, and overtemperature conditions are described, together with examples of solutions for telecommunications, motor control, and switch mode power supplies. >
Coenzyme Q10 levels are low and may be associated with the inflammatory cascade in septic shock

Introduction: Mitochondrial dysfunction is associated with increased mortality in septic shock. Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is a key cofactor in the mitochondrial respiratory chain, but whether CoQ10 is depleted in septic shock remains unknown. Moreover, statin therapy may decrease CoQ10 levels, but whether this occurs acutely remains unknown. We measured CoQ10 levels in septic shock patients enrolled in a randomized trial of simvastatin versus placebo. Methods: We conducted a post hoc analysis of a prospective, randomized trial of simvastatin versus placebo in patients with septic shock (ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT00676897). Adult patients with suspected or confirmed infection and the need for vasopressor support were included in the initial trial. For the current analysis, blood specimens were analyzed for plasma CoQ10 and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels. The relationship between CoQ10 levels and inflammatory and vascular endothelial biomarkers was assessed using either the Pearson or Spearman correlation coefficient. Results: We analyzed 28 samples from 14 patients. CoQ10 levels were low, with a median of 0.49 (interquartile range 0.26 to 0.62) compared to levels in healthy control patients (CoQ10 = 0.95 μmol/L ± 0.29; P < 0.0001). Statin therapy had no effect on plasma CoQ10 levels over time (P = 0.13). There was a statistically significant relationship between plasma CoQ10 levels and levels of vascular cell adhesion molecule (VCAM) (r 2 = 0.2; P = 0.008), TNF-a (r 2 = 0.28; P = 0.004), IL-8 (r 2 = 0.21; P = 0.015), IL-10 (r 2 = 0.18; P = 0.025), E-selectin (r 2 = 0.17; P = -0.03), IL-1ra (r 2 = 0.21; P = 0.014), IL-6 (r 2 = 0.17; P = 0.029) and IL-2 (r 2 = 0.23; P = 0.009). After adjusting for LDL levels, there was a statistically significant inverse relationship between plasma CoQ10 levels and levels of VCAM (r 2 = 0.24; P = 0.01) (Figure 3) and IL-10 (r 2 = 0.24; P = 0.02). Conclusions: CoQ10 levels are significantly lower in septic shock patients than in healthy controls. CoQ10 is negatively associated with vascular endothelial markers and inflammatory molecules, though this association diminishes after adjusting for LDL levels.
Patterns, Hypotheses and Processes in the Biology of Rare Bryophytes

Dominant patterns and processes in rare bryophyte ecology are presented within the framework of current rarity theory. Available evidence suggests that bryophyte conservation should primarily consider the importance of establishment and habitat requirements for rare species. Preservation of rare and high quality habitats is essential. Future understanding of causes of rarity in bryophytes will benefit most by exploring the ecological drivers that allow species to expand their ranges. Comparisons of rare-common congeners, rare species throughout their range (not only where they are rare) and species currently experiencing range expansions or contractions are likely to yield the most robust and relevant data sets.
PLEISTOCENE CHANGE FROM CONVERGENCE TO EXTENSION IN THE APENNINES AS A CONSEQUENCE OF ADRIA MICROPLATE MOTION

Discussions about the Adria microplate offer differing views depending on the timescale and data considered. Neotectonic studies using earthquake mechanisms and GPS site velocities find Adria moving northeastward away from Italy, and bounded by an extensional boundary in the Apennines and convergent boundaries in the Dinarides and Venetian Alps. However, geologic data show that Adria was subducting southwestward beneath Italy during Mio-Pliocene time. We suggest that these views are consistent and reflect the recent spatio-temporal evolution of a multiplate system. We assume that during Mio-Pliocene time Adria was no longer part of Africa and had become an independent microplate. Convergence occurred as Adria moved northeastward with respect to Eurasia as at present, because the faster back arc spreading in the Tyrrhenian Sea caused Adria to move southwestward with respect to Italy. The transition from convergence to extension in the Apennines in the past 2 Ma resulted from the cessation of subduction in the Apennines accompanied by breakoff of the subducting Adria slab, and the associated cessation of back arc spreading in the Tyrrhenian Sea. As a result, western Italy became part of Eurasia, and Adria's northeastward motion produced a new extensional boundary along the Apennines.
Cost-effectiveness of uterine-preserving procedures for the treatment of uterine fibroid symptoms in the USA

Objective: To evaluate the cost–effectiveness of the following three treatments of uterine fibroids in a population of premenopausal women who wish to preserve their uteri: myomectomy, magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) and uterine artery embolization (UAE). Materials & methods: A decision analytic Markov model was constructed. Cost–effectiveness was calculated in terms of US$ per quality-adjusted life year (QALY) over 5 years. Two types of costs were calculated: direct costs only, and the sum of direct and indirect (productivity) costs. Women in the hypothetical cohort were assessed for treatment type eligibility, were treated based on eligibility, and experienced adequate or inadequate symptom relief. Additional treatment (myomectomy) occurred for inadequate symptom relief or recurrence. Sensitivity analysis was conducted to evaluate uncertainty in the model parameters. Results: In the base case, myomectomy, MRgFUS and UAE had the following combinations of mean cost and mean QALYs, re...
An AI Modeling Tool for Designers and Developers

We describe an AI modeling tool meant to be used by both designers and developers. The method for authoring is visual and meant to convey decision logic in a more intuitive manner while retaining expressiveness. This data-driven approach features an AI runtime engine which incorporates several augmentations which make it suitable for use across a wide array of deployed systems.
Distribution Analysis of Freight Transportation with Gravity Model and Genetic Algorithm

The application of a gravity model in freight modeling work on both short-haul and long-haul trips is discussed. A commodity-based gravity model was developed to assess the distribution of freight by long-haul trucks in southeastern Virginia. Although gravity models have been used extensively in transportation studies, little work has been done to address the special characteristics of freight transportation, such as the definition of friction factors and the differences between long-haul and short-haul trips. Results of a recent study of these and similar problems provide valuable insight into freight distribution modeling. A new calibration method that used a genetic algorithm was applied, various commodities were modeled, and the impact of the commodities on the accuracy of the gravity model was studied. Both travel time and travel distance were tested to generate the impedance for friction factors; results showed that for commodity-based long-haul models, travel times were more appropriate for frictio...
DORIC: design of optimal and robust integrated circuits

An interactive IC design methodology aimed at making designs less sensitive to manufacturing variations is presented, as well as a CAD tool to support it. The methodology, based on Taguchi's Robust Design Method, is shown to improve the performance and robustness of basic analog circuits. >
Health Care Decisions of Households in Economic Crisis: An Example from the Peruvian Highlands

In the study of medical decision-making, health care costs have perhaps received the greatest share of attention by researchers. This article illustrates an Andean pattern of medical treatment choice and how it changed when household resources suddenly became scarce during an economic crisis. With the economic downturn, highlanders did not revert from biomedical to traditional care, but continued to use each in lesser quantities, focusing their resources on the most serious cases of illness. In an effort to maximize their health satisfaction when cash flow was restricted, Andean households conserved their resources for the gravest of illnesses, foregoing treatment for mild and moderate problems. Use of traditional care diminished more than either lay biomedical or biomedical care at Time 2, despite it being the cheapest option. The quantitative analysis integrates several monetary measures, which represent both predisposing and enabling factors in health care decision-making: household wealth, household e...
Hyperspectral Image Compression Using JPEG2000 and Principal Component Analysis

Principal component analysis (PCA) is deployed in JPEG2000 to provide spectral decorrelation as well as spectral dimensionality reduction. The proposed scheme is evaluated in terms of rate-distortion performance as well as in terms of information preservation in an anomaly-detection task. Additionally, the proposed scheme is compared to the common approach of JPEG2000 coupled with a wavelet transform for spectral decorrelation. Experimental results reveal that, not only does the proposed PCA-based coder yield rate-distortion and information-preservation performance superior to that of the wavelet-based coder, the best PCA performance occurs when a reduced number of PCs are retained and coded. A linear model to estimate the optimal number of PCs to use in such dimensionality reduction is proposed
The long-term effects of space weather on satellite operations

Abstract. Integrated lifetime radiation damage may cause spacecraft to become more susceptible to operational anomalies by changing material characteristics of electronic components. This study demonstrates and quantifies the impact of these effects by examining the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) National Geophysical Data Center (NGDC) satellite anomaly database. Energetic particle data from the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites (GOES) is used to construct the total lifetime particle exposure a satellite has received at the epoch of an anomaly. These values are compared to the satellite's chronological age and the average exposure per year (calculated over two solar cycles.) The results show that many anomalies occur on satellites that have received a total lifetime high-energy particle exposure that is disproportionate to their age. In particular, 10.8% of all events occurred on satellites that received over two times more 20 to 40 MeV proton lifetime particle exposure than predicted using an average annual mean. This number inflates to 35.2% for 40 to 80 MeV protons and 33.7% for ≥2 MeV electrons. Overall, 73.5% of all anomalies occurred on a spacecraft that had experienced greater than two times the expected particle exposure for one of the eight particle populations used in this study. Simplistically, this means that the long term radiation background exposure matters, and that if the background radiation is elevated during the satellite's lifetime, the satellite is likely to experience more anomalies than satellites that have not been exposed to the elevated environment.
Gene dosage effect of the TrkB receptor on rod physiology and biochemistry in juvenile mouse retina.

PURPOSE: To strengthen our understanding about the role of trkB in rod development by correlating functional and biochemical retinal phenotypes with levels of trkB expression in two independently created trkB transgenic lines. METHODS: Juvenile mice that carried two hypomorphic trkB alleles (trkBfbz/fbz) expressing roughly 25% of normal trkB, and their heterozygous (trkB+/fbz) and wild type (WT) littermates were tested with electroretinographic (ERG) protocols that isolate rod driven responses. Rod development was assessed histologically (outer segment length) and spectrophotometrically (rhodopsin content). Functional and biochemical data were compared to those obtained from mice that have trkB removed completely (trkB-/-). RESULTS: (1) Retinal rod function and morphology was unaffected by a loss of up to 50% of trkB. (2) However, reducing trkB below a critical threshold (<50%) significantly reduced rhodopsin content and outer segment length, resulting in reduced a- and b-wave amplitudes and slower kinetics. (3) A second threshold was determined for rod to bipolar cell signaling, which requires the presence of at least 25% of wild type trkB levels. CONCLUSIONS: (1) These results demonstrated that rod biochemistry, physiology and synaptic signaling are compromised in a gene dosage dependent manner when the expression of trkB is reduced in transgenic mice. (2) This study confirmed our previous conclusion that the knockout of trkB expression altered rod development, because this gene product is essential for normal rod maturation and not because of alternative indirect mechanisms. (3) More generally, this study showed that the specificity of complex phenotypes can be investigated in gene knockout mice, if a gene dosage study is performed.
Spin Coherence and Dephasing of Localized Electrons in Monolayer MoS2

We report a systematic study of coherent spin precession and spin dephasing in electron-doped monolayer MoS2. Using time-resolved Kerr rotation spectroscopy and applied in-plane magnetic fields, a nanosecond time scale Larmor spin precession signal commensurate with g-factor |g0| ≃ 1.86 is observed in several different MoS2 samples grown by chemical vapor deposition. The dephasing rate of this oscillatory signal increases linearly with magnetic field, suggesting that the coherence arises from a subensemble of localized electron spins having an inhomogeneously broadened distribution of g-factors, g0 + Δg. In contrast to g0, Δg is sample-dependent and ranges from 0.042 to 0.115.
Long-term regulation of urea transporter expression by vasopressin in Brattleboro rats.

Regulation of urea concentration in the renal medullary interstitium is important for maintenance of hypertonicity and therefore the osmotic driving force for water reabsorption. Studies in Sprague...
Reason and Society: An Approach to F. D. Maurice*

1972 is the centennial of the death of Frederick Denison Maurice, most famous for his leadership in the short-lived, though influential, Christian Socialist Movement of 1848–1854. Maurice's theological works have always been widely respected, but even among professional theologians and historians of thought there is little really precise knowledge of his views, because his writings — prodigious both as to number and length — are often discouragingly chaotic and, taken separately, fragmentary and inconclusive. Several short books on Maurice have given helpful, though usually somewhat impressionistic, expositions of his thought, but as yet no one has published in English a full-dress analysis of his theology and its philosophical foundations.
Stewarding the Discipline With Cross-Boundary Leadership

ABSTRACTProposals to prepare disciplinary stewards and optimize the conditions for collective stewardship can be framed in two ways. The dominant frame emphasizes disciplinary caretaking and lends comparatively less attention to reform and transformation. A second frame is grounded in the social ecology of particular disciplines, their fast-changing university homes, and society’s complex needs, problems, and opportunities, especially those that no longer fit inside the long-standing boundaries of particular disciplines and their specialties. Reformist and transformative stewardship in this second frame prioritizes the development of adaptive, connected disciplines characterized by new boundaries and bridging mechanisms for interdisciplinary research, teaching, and outreach/engagement. This frame also provides the opportunity to explore the difference between an academic discipline and a helping discipline. Questions remain about how leaders will persuade, support, and reward career-oriented, specialized ...
Establishment and operational analysis of student health surveillance and early warning information management system in Hangzhou

Objective To assess the effects of Student Health Surveillance and Early Warning information Management System on student health related information processing as well as surveillance and early warning of outbreaks of infectious disease in schools.Methods A system based on BROWSE/SEVER structure and NET platform was established and its operational condition was evaluated by analyzing the datasets acquired from student annual physical examination,school environmental monitoring and student symptomatic surveillance.Results There were 118088 students from 115 schools and 119594 students from 113 schools placed under surveillance during school-year of 2009-2010 and 2010-2011,respectively.It was found that poor eyesight was the most prevailing health problem among students with the incidence of 70.32% and 72.40% in 2009-2010 and 2010-2011,respectively.Except malnutrition,the incidences of poor eyesight,obesity,trachoma and dental caries were all higher among students in 2010-2011 than in 2009-2010(P0.05).Most sets of desk and chair(90.89% and 90.45% in 2009-2010 and in 2010-2011),at school did not fit for the height of corresponding students.The qualification rates of kitchenware hygiene and chair fitness were higher in 2009-2010 than in 2010-2011(P0.05).There were no significant differences between those two school-years in terms of the qualification rates of other monitoring items.Influenza-like symptoms including fever,cough and angina,were the most common symptoms under surveillance both in 2009-2010 and 2010-2011,especially in the former.Conclusions The system should be further promoted based on its importance both in early identification of main health problem in students and early warning of infectious disease outbreaks at school.
Practical public PUF enabled by solving max-flow problem on chip

The execution-simulation gap (ESG) is a fundamental property of public physical unclonable function (PPUF), which exploits the time gap between direct IC execution and computer simulation. ESG needs to consider both advanced computing scheme, including parallel and approximate computing scheme, and IC physical realization. In this paper, we propose a novel PPUF design, whose execution is equivalent to solving the hard-to-parallel and hard-to-approximate max-flow problem in a complete graph on chip. Thus, max-flow problem can be used as the simulation model to bound the ESG rigorously. To enable an efficient physical realization, we propose a crossbar structure and adopt source degeneration technique to map the graph topology on chip. The difference on asymptotic scaling between execution delay and simulation time is examined in the experimental results. The measurability of output difference is also verified to prove the physical practicality.
Thermally induced changes

It is often assumed that cremation produces highly oxidised bone fragments that are little more than inorganic ash, but this is not the case for most prehistoric cremations. Bone fragments often display a gradient of thermal alteration, ranging from calcined through blackened to apparently unaltered. Many cremations produce bones that still contain organic matter in the form of thermally altered organics or reduced carbon. Charred bones from archaeological contexts can be expected to contain more organic carbon than uncharred bones from the same context, because reduced carbon in charred bone is more resistant to diagenetic change than uncharred collagen and other organic fractions of bone. Cremated burials would provide an abundant and promising source of paleodietary data through isotope studies if limits for applying these methods can be established. We test these ideas in two ways. Experimentally, charred bone yields carbon isotope signatures similar to unburned bone, but nitrogen isotope signatures are altered. This result was evaluated using charred bone from the three sites in the American Midwest from which data on isotopic signatures of unburned remains is available: Klunk Late Archaic, Yokem Late Woodland and Mississippian and Angel Mississippian. We find evidence for age-dependent decrease in carbon isotope ratios, suggesting diagenesis. Samples for dietary reconstruction from cremated remains should be drawn from elements showing the least thermal alteration.
Build Versus Buy

The classic question that has challenged business organizations is whether to build applications in-house or to buy them as prepackaged software. This chapter will provide guidance on the appropriate steps to determine the right choice. Obviously the decisions can be complex and vary depending on the application, the generic nature of the application itself, and the time requirements to have a functional application to meet business needs. Build decisions are further complex in that they can be developed in-house or an outsource provider. Buying can also come with choices on the amount of custom modifications that are necessary—the general rule being that over 20 % modifications tend to be a bad choice for the buy equation. However, the advent of digital transformation is rapidly changing this balance. The inventory of sophisticated object-based products in an open-systems environment has become more and more appealing to organizations. We may be seeing a more rapid movement of firms that consider third-party products that needs to be integrated with in-house developed applications. The analyst will need to position their role to be the major driver of the decisions on how internal and external products operate together and evolve to meet market needs.
ConEVA: a toolbox for comprehensive assessment of protein contacts

In recent years, successful contact prediction methods and contact-guided ab initio protein structure prediction methods have highlighted the importance of incorporating contact information into protein structure prediction methods. It is also observed that for almost all globular proteins, the quality of contact prediction dictates the accuracy of structure prediction. Hence, like many existing evaluation measures for evaluating 3D protein models, various measures are currently used to evaluate predicted contacts, with the most popular ones being precision, coverage and distance distribution score (Xd). We have built a web application and a downloadable tool, ConEVA, for comprehensive assessment and detailed comparison of predicted contacts. Besides implementing existing measures for contact evaluation we have implemented new and useful methods of contact visualization using chord diagrams and comparison using Jaccard similarity computations. For a set (or sets) of predicted contacts, the web application runs even when a native structure is not available, visualizing the contact coverage and similarity between predicted contacts. We applied the tool on various contact prediction data sets and present our findings and insights we obtained from the evaluation of effective contact assessments. ConEVA is publicly available at http://cactus.rnet.missouri.edu/coneva/ . ConEVA is useful for a range of contact related analysis and evaluations including predicted contact comparison, investigation of individual protein folding using predicted contacts, and analysis of contacts in a structure of interest.
Slurry Pipeline Transport of Minerals and Coal

A review is presented on slurry pipeline transportation of minerals and coal. Primary emphasis is put on past commercial applications, technical characteristics of the various pipeline system components, preliminary costing methodologies, and the hydraulic design criteria for both conventional as well as nonconventional slurries. A number of numerical examples are included for illustration purposes. Although a majority of the technical details pertain to cross-country, large-throughput coal slurry pipelines, appropriate generalizations are also offered for application to other types of slurry pipelines. Also assessed briefly are the overall energy, economic and environmental aspects of slurry pipelines.
Dynamic spectrum leasing methodology (DSLM): A game theoretic approach

In recent years, the demand for spectrum has increased exponentially. Cognitive radio (CR) technology provides the capability to dynamically sense the spectrum for available channels, estimate them and select a good channel. The technology facilitates a set of users called secondary users to utilize the available channels when the channels are not utilized by another set of users called the primary users, who subscribe to the services offered by a service provider. Thus the technology allows for spectrum sharing in an opportunistic way, and establishes a network of CR devices for transmitting information efficiently and improve spectrum and network utilization. This paper introduces the concept of dynamic spectrum leasing methodology (DSLM), a paradigm based on game theoretic concepts. DSLM takes into account the demand for spectrum by secondary users and the willingness of primary users to relinquish spectrum in a restricted manner, making possible spectrum leasing as a long-term commercially viable concept. This paper also introduces the notion of a Cognitive Radio Network Service Provider (CRNSP) and the leasing of spectrum by CRNSP from a Wireless Service Provider (WSP). By defining suitable utility functions, a game theoretic formulation is presented using which the CRNSP leases the licensed spectrum bands from WSP.
Federal Funding Insulated State Budgets From Increased Spending Related To Medicaid Expansion

As states weigh whether to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and Medicaid reform remains a priority for some federal lawmakers, fiscal considerations loom large. As part of the ACA’s expansion of eligibility for Medicaid, the federal government paid for 100 percent of the costs for newly eligible Medicaid enrollees for the period 2014–16. In 2017 states will pay some of the costs for new enrollees, with each participating state’s share rising to 10 percent by 2020. States continue to pay their traditional Medicaid share (roughly 25–50 percent, depending on the state) for previously eligible enrollees. We used data for fiscal years 2010–15 from the National Association of State Budget Officers and a difference-in-differences framework to assess the effects of the expansion’s first two fiscal years. We found that the expansion led to an 11.7 percent increase in overall spending on Medicaid, which was accompanied by a 12.2 percent increase in spending from federal funds. There were no signi...
Cooling strategy for LED filament bulb utilizing thermal radiation cooling and open slots enhancing thermal convection

As a novel replacement of conventional light sources, LED filament bulb has gained popularity recently due to its long lifetime, low cost and high energy efficiency. However, the bottleneck in LED filament development is thermal management of the whole bulb and consequential degradation of light output performance. The potential cooling strategies include passive cooling and active cooling. Compared with passive cooling methods, active cooling ones are more costly, space-consuming, heavier and do not apply to the case of filament bulb. Thus, passive cooling such as thermal conductive phosphor-silicon composite and thermal radiation coating wrapped around the filaments can be adopted to boost the thermal conduction and radiation into the environment. Notice that the temperature distribution within phosphor layer is non-uniform, thermal radiation coating can make phosphor temperature more uniform as well as reduce the risk of thermal quenching and hotspot. Here, the effect of our self-developed thermal radiation coatings with different emissivity are compared and investigated. What's more, open slots or holes on the bulb can be considered to enhance the thermal convection of the filament. According to our simulation, the junction temperature will decrease with filament thickness. This is because the outer surface of filament for both thermal convection and radiation is increased, which stimulates the total heat transfer. With this optimized passive cooling strategy, thermal issue of LED filament bulb can be mitigated largely and cost-performance ratio is at a relatively low level.
Human Neurospheroid Arrays for In Vitro Studies of Alzheimer’s Disease

Neurospheroids are commonly used for in vitro disease modeling and drug screening. However, the heterogeneity in size of the neurospheroids mixtures available through current methods limits their utility when employed for basic mechanistic studies of neurodegenerative diseases or screening for new interventions. Here, we generate neurospheroids from immortalized neural progenitor cells and human induced pluripotent stem cells that are uniform in size, into large-scale arrays. In proof of concept experiments, we validate the neurospheroids array as a sensitive and robust tool for screening compounds over extended time. We show that when suspended in three-dimensional extracellular matrix up to several weeks, the stem cell-derived neurospheroids display extensive neurite outgrowth and extend thick bundles of dendrites outward. We also cultivate genetically-engineered stem cell-derived neurospheroids with familial Alzheimer’s disease mutations for eight weeks in our microarray system. Interestingly, we observed robust accumulation of amyloid-β and phosphorylated tau, key hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease. Overall, our in vitro model for engineering neurospheroid arrays is a valuable tool for studying complex neurodegenerative diseases and accelerating drug discovery.
Critical Current Behavior in Fiber Spun YBCO Superconducting Rods

The critical current as a function of temperature has been measured in fiber spun YBCO superconducting rods down to 4K. The critical current obeys the T2 rule to within the experimental error. The thermal behavior is used to predict the current carrying capacity of an assembly of such rods at various temperatures and magnetic fields. The I-V characteristic near the critical current is used to predict the thermal run-away behavior of a current lead constructed from such rods.
Oxygen supply to the open rabbit cornea.

The cornea is composed of three principal cellular layers, the epithelium, stroma and endothelium. Each layer requires oxygen in sufficient amount for aerobic metabolism to occur at some minimum level if normal corneal transparency is to be maintained over any extended time period. It has been well established that the surrounding limbal circulation supplies little, if any, oxygen to the central portion of the cornea. Thus, oxygen must be supplied from the atmosphere, in the case of an open eye, and/or the aqueous humor in the anterior chamber.