cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Differential central projections of vestibular afferents in pigeons

The question of whether a differential distribution of vestibular afferent information to central nuclear neurons is present in pigeons was studied using neural tracer compounds. Discrete tracing of afferent fibers innervating the individual semicircular canal and otolith organs was produced by sectioning individual branches of the vestibular nerve that innervate the different receptor organs and applying crystals of horseradish peroxidase, or a horseradish peroxidase/cholera toxin mixture, or a biocytin compound for neuronal uptake and transport. Afferent fibers and their terminal distributions within the brainstem and cerebellum were visualized subsequently. Discrete areas in the pigeon central nervous system that receive primary vestibular input include the superior, dorsal lateral, ventral lateral, medial, descending, and tangential vestibular nuclei; the A and B groups; the intermediate, medial, and lateral cerebellar nuclei; and the nodulus, the uvula, and the paraflocculus. Generally, the vertical canal afferents projected heavily to medial regions in the superior and descending vestibular nuclei as well as the A group. Vertical canal projections to the medial and lateral vestibular nuclei were observed but were less prominent. Horizontal canal projections to the superior and descending vestibular nuclei were much more centrally located than those of the vertical canals. A more substantial projection to the medial and lateral vestibular nuclei was seen with horizontal canal afferents compared to vertical canal fibers. Afferents innervating the utricle and saccule terminated generally in the lateral regions of all vestibular nuclei in areas that were separate from the projections of the semicircular canals. In addition, utricular fibers projected to regions in the vestibular nuclei that overlapped with the horizontal semicircular canal terminal fields, whereas saccular afferents projected to regions that received vertical canal fiber terminations. Lagenar afferents projected throughout the cochlear nuclei, to the dorsolateral regions of the cerebellar nuclei, and to lateral regions of the superior, lateral, medial, and descending vestibular nuclei.
The use of 13C-NMR. Spectroscopy in biosynthetic studies. II[1]. Biosynthesis of narasin, a new polyether ionophore from fermentation of Streptomyces aureofaciens [2].

The labeling of the polyether ionophore, narasin, using 13C-labeled acetate, propionates, and butyrates in the course of fermentation of Streptomyces aureofacies resulted in the isolation of differently labeled compounds. A careful examination of the 13C-NMR. spectral data indicated derivation of narasin from five acetate, seven propionate, and three butyrate units. The evidence of indirect incorporation of 13C led to the first documented demonstration of conversion of propionate to butyrate in the course of the synthesis of narasin by S. aureofaciens.
Modified Natural Excitation Technique for Stochastic Modal Identification

AbstractThis paper presents an improvement to the eigensystem realization algorithm (ERA) with natural excitation technique (NExT), which is called the ERA-NExT-AVG method. The method uses a coded ...
The index of general nonlinear DAEs

In the last few years there has been considerable research on differential algebraic equations (DAEs) $F(t, y, y') = 0$ where $F_{y'}$ is identically singular. Much of the mathematical effort has focused on computing a solution that is assumed to exist. More recently there has been some discussion of solvability of DAEs. There has historically been some imprecision in the use of the two key concepts of solvability and index for DAEs. The index is also important in control and systems theory but with different terminology. The consideration of increasingly complex nonlinear DAEs makes a clear and correct development necessary. This paper will try to clarify several points concerning the index. After establishing some new and more precise terminology that we need, some inaccuracies in the literature will be corrected. The two types of indices most frequently used, the differentiation index and the perturbation index, are defined with respect to solutions of unperturbed problems. Examples are given to show that these indices can be very different for the same problem. We define new "maximum indices," which are the maxima of earlier indices in a neighborhood of the solution over a set of perturbations and show that these indices are simply related to each other. These indices are also related to an index defined in terms of Jacobians.
Review of the Development of the Transportation, Aging, and Disposal (TAD) Waste Disposal System for the Proposed Yucca Mountain Geologic Repository

Abstract The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) began studying Yucca Mountain in 1978 to determine whether it would be suitable for the nation’s first long-tem geologic repository for over 70,000 metric tons of spent (or used) nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste. The purpose of the continuing Yucca Mountain study, or project, is to comply with the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982 as amended in 1987 and develop a national disposal site for spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste disposal. In 2005, DOE shifted the design of the proposed repository from a concept of unloading spent nuclear fuel from transportation canisters and loading into disposal canisters (which required a great deal of handling radioactive material at the repository site) to a “clean” facility, unveiling the transportation, aging, and disposal (TAD) canister system. The TAD waste system consists of a canister loaded with commercial spent nuclear fuel. This review paper provides a comprehensive review on the status of TAD, technical and licensing requirements, the work that has been done so far, and the challenges and issues that must be addressed before TAD can be successfully implemented. Though the future of the Yucca Mountain project is bleak at this point, the progress that has come in the field of TAD will be one of its lasting legacies.
Multilevel holographic counterfeit protection

The degree of protection for common types of security holograms is reviewed. The possibility of hologram recording directly from the holographic film being used for protection is demonstrated. We suggest the structure of security hologram allows one to prevent such unwanted copying. We also propose a detection system which provides for fast testing of a hologram's authenticity.
Effect of in vivo desensitization to leukotriene B4 on eosinophil infiltration in response to C5a in guinea‐pig skin

1. The effect of in vivo desensitization to leukotriene B4 (LTB4) on eosinophil infiltration in response to recombinant C5a was examined in guinea-pig skin. 2. LTB4 (10-300 ng) and C5a (1-10 micrograms) caused a dose-dependent increase in the levels of eosinophil peroxidase activity (a measure of eosinophil infiltration) 4 h after injection into guinea-pig skin. Leukotriene B4 and C5a were approximately equipotent on a molar basis. Platelet activating factor (0.01-10 micrograms) also caused eosinophil accumulation but was much less active than LTB4 or C5a. 3. 20-Hydroxy-LTB4 caused a dose-dependent desensitization of eosinophil responses to LTB4 (ED50 = 1.6 micrograms kg-1, s.c.) and partially reduced responses to C5a. At a dose of 20-hydroxy-LTB4 (10 micrograms) which inhibited responses to LTB4 completely, responses to C5a were reduced by 56.5 +/- 1.8% (n = 5). The structurally related metabolite of 20-hydroxy-LTB4, 20-carboxy-LTB4, which does not cause desensitization to the effects of LTB4, did not inhibit eosinophil infiltration in response to C5a. 4. The LTB4 receptor antagonist, SC-41,930 (10 mg kg-1, p.o.), also inhibited eosinophil accumulation in response to C5a by 63.0 +/- 3.9% (n = 5) at a dose which inhibited responses to LTB4 by 86.5 +/- 1.9% (n = 5). 5. These data indicate that eosinophil infiltration in response to C5a may, in part, be mediated by the generation of secondary chemotactic factors such as LTB4.
South African divestment decisions and shareholder wealth

Abstract Empirical analysis of the South African divestment decisions announced by U.S. firms suggests that such actions resulted in an approximately 3% decline in share values.
Letter to the editor the asymptotic distribution of the process capability index cpmk

In theorem 3.1 of Chen and Hsu (1995) an expressin for an upper confidence bound for Cpmk in the case when µ = M and so Cpmk = Cpm, is given as a multiple of Cpm. However, if the value µ = M known then it would be more reasonable to use the estimator obtained by replacing Xn by M.
Spontaneous occurrence of symptomatic paroxysmal atrial fibrillation and paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia in untreated patients.

BACKGROUNDAmbulatory outpatients (n = 150) with a history of paroxysmal supraventricular arrhythmia were studied to establish the characteristics of the first recurrence of symptomatic tachycardia (time to first recurrence, heart rate during tachycardia, and observed rhythm that was regular versus irregular) when no antiarrhythmic drug was being taken. Baseline variables were examined to assess their impact on time to first recurrence: index arrhythmia (paroxysmal atrial fibrillation [n = 37] versus paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia [n = 113]), age (mean +/- SD, 43.3 +/- 16.1 years), female sex (n = 71), or presence of other heart or lung disease (n = 53).METHODS AND RESULTSTranstelephonic monitoring of the ECG was used to document the rhythm during recurrences of symptomatic tachycardia. Time to first recurrence of symptomatic tachycardia and heart rate during tachycardia were measured, the observed rhythm was classified as irregular (consistent with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation) or regular (cons...
Strategic response to pollution taxes in supply chain networks: Dynamic, spatial, and organizational dimensions

Abstract This paper presents a model of the strategic behavior of firms operating in a spatial supply chain network. The manufacturing and retailing firms engage in an oligopolistic, noncooperative game by sharing customer demand such that a firm’s decisions impact the product prices, which in turn result in changes in all other firms’ decisions. Each firm’s payoff is to maximize its own profit and we show that, in response to such changes in prices and to exogenous environmental taxes, the manufacturing firms may strategically alter a variety of choices such as ’make-buy’ decisions with respect to intermediate inputs, spatial distribution of production, product shipment patterns and inventory management, environmental tax payment vs recycling decisions, and timing of all such choices to sustainably manage the profit and the environmental regulations. An important implication is that effects of a tax depends on the oligopolistic game structure. With respect to methods, we show that this dynamic game can be represented as a set of differential variational inequalities (DVIs) that motivate a computationally efficient nonlinear complementarity (NCP) approach that enables the full exploitation of above-mentioned salient features. We also provide a numerical example that confirms the utility of our proposed framework and shows substantial strategic reaction can be expected to a tax on pollution stocks.
The Beginnings of A Geological Naturalist: Desmarest, The PrintedWord, and Nature

Nicolas Desmarest (1725-1815), one of the great pioneering field naturalists of the eighteenth century, began to pursue geological field work only in the later 1750s, Well past the age of 30. Until that time, the patterns of Desmarest's scientific interests and thinking resembled those of a scholarWhose range of experienceWas defined mostly by books. In this essay I attempt to characterize Desmarest's intellectual orientations, prior to his conversion into an investigative naturalist. Before his first efforts in active field research, Desmarest became committed to an empiricist epistemology of a phenomenalist type, emphasizing know ledge of natural regularities in a fashion parallel to views expressed in the early volumes of Histoire Naturelle, by Georges-Louis Leclerc, comte du Buffon (1707-1788). Through his close linksWith antiquarian scholars, Desmarest formed critical mental habits regarding use of historical and archeological evidence in interpretations of the past. These early scholarly experiences...
Toluene and ethanol effects on baboon match-to-sample performance: possible synergistic action.

Abstract Four juvenile male baboons were trained to respond for banana pellet rewards on a match-to-sample discrimination task. Exposure of the animals to a range of concentrations of either toluene or ethanol vapor resulted in a slowing of response times and a reduction in the percent trials attempted for some concentrations of either vapor. When behaviorally ineffective (sub-threshold) concentrations of each vapor were combined, effects upon response times and trials attempted were similar to the effects produced by the higher concentrations of the individual vapors. However, while high concentrations of ethanol vapor produced errors in half of the subjects, combinations of ethanol and toluene did not increase this effect. This information suggests an ethanol potentiation of toluence effects, rather than the reverse.
Co-occurring substance dependence and posttraumatic stress disorder among incarcerated men

The co-occurrence of substance use disorders (SUDs) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is prevalent among inmates and is associated with numerous adverse outcomes. The present study sought to estimate the prevalence and patterns of co-occurring PTSD among substance-dependent inmates. Structured diagnostic assessment interview data from 176 adult male inmates incarcerated in a local jail facility were analyzed to assess study aims. Alcohol dependence was the most prevalent SUD with 81.3% of the total sample meeting current Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Text Revision (DSM-IV-TR) criteria. The remaining substance dependence diagnoses that predominated were as follows: cocaine, 35.2%; marijuana, 21.0%; heroin, 15.5%; and stimulant, 6.8%. Over half (54.6%) met diagnostic criteria for PTSD. A bimodal distribution was found for the PTSD cases as inmates tended to report either no symptoms or sub-diagnostic indications (45.4%), or acknowledge sufficient information t...
Multi‐state models and diabetic retinopathy

This paper discusses the application of a multi-state model to diabetic retinopathy under the assumption that a continuous time Markov process determines the transition times between disease stages. The multi-state model consists of three transient states that represent the early stages of retinopathy, and one final absorbing state that represent the irreversible stage of retinopathy. By using a model with covariables, we explore the effects of factors that influence the onset, progression, and regression of diabetic retinopathy among subjects with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. We can also introduce time-dependent covariables in the model by assuming that the covariables remain constant between two observations. We can also obtain survival-type curves from each stage of the disease and for any combination of patient risk factors.
Leadership Transition, Intra-Party Democracy, and Institution Building in China

The world’s most populous nation has a new leader, Hu Jintao. His election in November 2002 as Chinese Communist Party (CCP) general secretary and in March 2003 as Chinese president was the first smooth power transfer in the history of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) that was not prompted by natural death or political crisis. However, the reelection of former Party and state leader Jiang Zemin as Party Central Military Commission (CMC) chairman, and his continued influence in Chinese politics, has fomented outsiders’ speculation as to who is actually at the core, if any, of China’s new leadership. Many speculate that Jiang still utters a strong voice on critical policy issues through informal channels, following the codes of conduct established by China’s former leader Deng Xiaoping, who gradually transferred power to younger leaders over several years. It is safe to say that leadership transition in China is far from sharply defined—or complete—in the absence of free and competitive elections.
Acute toxicity of ammonia in white shrimp (Litopenaeus schmitti) (Burkenroad, 1936, Crustacea) at different salinity levels

article i nfo Litopenaeus schmitti juveniles (total length 15±0.7 mm) were exposed to different concentrations of ammonia-N (un-ionized plus ionized ammonia as nitrogen), using the static renewal method at different salinity levels (5‰ ,2 0‰ and 35‰) at pH 8.0 and 20 °C. The 24, 48, 72, 96 h LC50 values of ammonia-N in L. schmitti juveniles were 40.72, 32.63, 24.63, 19.12 mg l �1 at 5‰; 53.52, 38.60, 27.76, 25.55 mg l �1 at 20‰; 54.32, 47.87 and 41.67, 38.88 mg l �1 at 35‰ salinity. The 24, 48, 72, 96 h LC50 values of NH3-N (un-ionized ammonia as nitrogen) were 1.46, 1.17, 0.88, 0.69 mg l �1 at 5‰; 1.80, 1.30, 0.93, 0.86 mg l �1 at 20‰ and 1.67, 1.47, 1.28, 1.20 mg l �1 at 35‰ salinity. As the salinity decreased from 35‰ to 5‰, susceptibility of ammonia-N increased by 33.4%, 46.7%, 69.2% and 103.3%, after 24, 48, 72 and 96 h of exposure, respectively. Furthermore, we found that exposure of shrimp to ammonia-N caused an increase in oxygen consumption of 137.3%, 99.2% and 81.4% and an increase in the ammonia excretion level of 112.5%, 87% and 64.3% with respect to the control.
Slow-drift instability in model reference adaptive systems ― an averaging analysis

The paper presents instability theorems for one- and two-time scale time-varying non-linear systems using averaging theory. These theorems are then applied to the model reference adaptive control system with unmodelled dynamics and output disturbance to analyse the mechanism of slow-drift instability.
Contemporary Approach to Aortic and Mitral Regurgitation

Hemodynamically severe aortic regurgitation (AR) and mitral regurgitation (MR) are among the most predictable causes of heart failure (HF) and sudden death (SD). During the past 4 decades, surgery has become the primary intervention for patients with these diseases. However, timing of operation is a “moving target”: surgical techniques have improved dramatically; noninvasive methods have developed for objective interrogation of cardiac size and function, continually enhancing knowledge of natural history and its predictors, and an increasing array of nonsurgical treatments show potential to beneficially alter the natural course of disease. Consequently, the benefit-to-risk relation underlying management decisions changes continually. Simultaneously, the myocardial cellular and molecular pathophysiology of valvular regurgitation is being progressively elucidated, promising new clinical evaluation strategies and novel treatments. The net result of these factors has been progressively earlier application of valve surgery and continuing discussion about the correct mix of drugs, surgery, and watchful waiting. Guidelines for management of patients with valvular heart diseases were developed by the American College of Cardiology and American Heart Association 5 years ago1 and
A low-temperature in-situ deposition and planarizing phosphosilicate glass process for filling high-aspect-ratio topography

A low-temperature (i.e. 400 degrees C) phosphosilicate glass (PSG) passivation process has been developed that will fill high-aspect-ratio (i.e. 3:1) topography and that can be planarized in situ without a high-temperature (i.e. 800-1100 degrees C) reflow anneal. A tetraethylorthosilicate (TEOS)/ozone chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process, with triethylphosphine (TEP) as the dopant, deposits the PSG. CVD boron oxide (B/sub 2/O/sub 3/) reflows as it is deposited and is used as a sacrificial planarization material. In addition to the high-aspect-ratio fill and in-situ planarization, the PSG process is run as an integrated sequence on a single tool, which optimizes process time and control. >
Parental Incarceration Among Adolescents Receiving Mental Health Services

The Bureau of Justice Statistics estimates that approximately 1 in every 50 youth in the U.S. had a parent in State or Federal prison in 1999. Studies of children of incarcerated parents suggest that these youth are at risk for experiencing emotional and behavioral problems. Using a sample of 258 adolescents receiving routine mental health services, this study explored: (1) differences in demographic characteristics, lifetime exposure to risk factors, recent stressful life experiences, and clinical profiles of adolescents with and without a history of parental incarceration; and (2) the effect of parental incarceration relative to other risk factors on levels of emotional and behavioral problems and treatment outcomes. Nearly half (43%) of the youth studied had experienced the incarceration of one or both parents. Youth who experienced parental incarceration had been exposed to significantly more risk factors during their lifetimes including parental substance abuse, extreme poverty, and abuse or neglect. They were more likely than other treated youth to present with attention-deficit/hyperactivity and conduct disorders and less likely to have major depression. Findings provide preliminary evidence that parental incarceration may have a discrete negative effect on certain outcomes of treatment.
Fin development in stream- and hatchery-reared Atlantic salmon

To determine the effect of development and environment on fin growth, we measured fin lengths of juvenile Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) from two hatcheries (August, October and April–May), stream-reared fish (July and October) stocked as fry into two tributaries, and smolts from the main stem of the Connecticut River (May). For stream-reared parr, there was a linear relationship between the dorsal, caudal and anal fins with fork length, while the pectoral, pelvic and adipose fins exhibited a curvilinear relationship with fork length. Parr from a high gradient stream had larger caudal fins than fish from a low gradient stream, but other fins did not differ. Regression lines for the fins of stream-reared smolts were all linear when fin length was regressed against fork length. Stream-reared parr had larger pectoral, pelvic and anal fins than smolts of similar size while dorsal and caudal fin lengths did not differ. Regression equations formulated using the fins of stream-reared parr were used to calculate the percent difference (100observed fin length/expected) in fin lengths between stream- and hatchery-reared parr. The pelvic, adipose, caudal and anal fins of hatchery-reared parr showed no signs of degeneration by the first sampling period 7 months after hatching, whereas degeneration in the pectoral (13–20%) and dorsal (15–18%) fins was evident at this time. By the end of the study, degeneration was present in every fin except the adipose, with the pectoral (35– 65%) and dorsal (32–58%) fins exhibiting the greatest amount of fin loss. All fins of hatchery-reared parr became shorter with time. There were minor differences in fin degeneration among parr from the two hatcheries, but the overall pattern of decreasing fin size was similar, indicating a common cause of fin degeneration. Comparison of stream- and hatchery-reared fish is a valuable means of determining the impact of captive environments on fin growth. Published by Elsevier Science B.V.
The quadrant approach to full-arch impressions.

By use of the dual impression technic, accurate impressions of two quadrants were made separately, and their exact relationship was maintained in the final impression.
Irreversible enzyme inhibitors 98 Hydrophobic interactions with succinoadenylate kinosynthetase and 9-substituted adenines

Adenines substituted at the 9-position with n-butyl or benzyl groups were complexed about tenfold better to succinoadenylate kinosynthetase than 9-methyladenine. The same n-butyl or benzyl substituents on 6-mercaptopurine failed to show this hydro-phobic interaction even though 5′-adenylate and thioinosinate are complexed equally well to the enzyme. It is proposed that either (a) 6-mercaptopurine can complex in only one way to the inosinate binding locus regardless of the 9-substituent, whereas adenine can complex to the inosinate locus as one of two rotomers dependent upon whether the 9-substituent is hydrophilic or hydrophobic, or (b) the adenines complex at the inosinate binding locus, but the 6-mercaptopurines complex at the cofactor (guanosine-5′-triphosphate) binding locus.
Optimization of methyl jasmonate application to broccoli florets to enhance health-promoting phytochemical content.

BACKGROUND Spray treatment of methyl jasmonate (MeJA) has been shown to increase glucosinolate (GS) concentrations and health-promoting activity in Brassica vegetables. Since there is no reported standardized protocol, several MeJA treatment studies have been conducted to maximize human health bioactivity using the F1 broccoli cultivar ‘Green Magic’. RESULTS Foliar MeJA application 4 days prior to harvest of broccoli at commercial maturity resulted in enhanced total GS concentrations. Although a single application of 250 µmol L−1 MeJA maximized GS concentrations in broccoli florets, two days of consecutive treatments (4 and 3 days prior to harvest) of 250 µmol L−1 MeJA further enhanced neoglucobrassicin concentrations and floret extract quinone reductase (QR)-inducing activity. With increasing concentrations of MeJA in spray applications to broccoli florets, concentrations of the glucosinolates glucoraphanin, gluconasturtiin and neoglucobrassicin and the isothiocyanate sulforaphane as well as anticancer and anti-inflammatory bioactivities as measured by QR induction and inhibition of nitric oxide (NO) production respectively were significantly increased. Concentrations of these phytochemicals showed strong positive correlations with QR-inducing and NO-inhibitory activities. CONCLUSION These application protocols were found to maximize GS and GS hydrolysis product concentrations and putatively enhance the health-promoting properties of broccoli heads for consumers. © 2013 Society of Chemical Industry
Superficial femoral artery occlusive disease severity correlates with MR cine phase‐contrast flow measurements

(n = 26) 1.5 + 0.5 0.56 6 (23%) 0.12 2.3 + 1.3 0.89 Mod-to-Severe (n = 35) 1.9 + 1.0 0.01 17 (49%) < 0.001 2.5 + 1.7 0.61 Occlusion (n = 35) 2.0 + 1.0 0.003 33 (94%) < 0.001 3.9 + 4.4 0.04 Figure 1. Flow volume curves for right SFA occlusion compared to a left SFA with only mild narrowing. Note the loss of triphasic flow and markedly decreased flow volume with SFA occlusion. Table 1. Cine PC flow parameters versus SFA disease
A microcontroller solution for AMR magnetic sensing in flying munitions systems

In this paper, a low-cost, effective microcontroller digital solution is presented to improve the accuracy and reliability of the anisotropic magnetoresistive (AMR) sensor. The proposed approach eliminates the inaccuracies caused by the nonidentical thin-film stripes of the Wheatstone bridge and minimizes the effect of nonlinearities, hysteresis and temperature drifts.
Dynamic Decision Support for Emergency

To enhance support of emergency response decision making, we are investigating decision aids that use simulation models to predict the range of plausible consequences of each potential course of action. Due to the rapid pace of emergency operations, the user interface displaying the models' results needs to facilitate quick understanding of a changing landscape of possible futures. This paper describes a user test aimed at (1) determining whether a model-driven visualization was useful and (2) confirming the validity of a principled design approach for developing decision-making test situations. Two groups of participants received identical textual descriptions of situations and were asked to decide the number of emergency response vehicles to dispatch. One group also saw a visual depiction of model results. The decision-aided group's decisions were closer to the normatively correct decisions and this group's confidence was higher. Further, the decision-aided group rated the degree of decision support higher. The decision times for each of the four types of test situations differed significantly from each other, re-validating our method of developing test situations.
Hydrogels as mucoadhesive and bioadhesive materials: a review

The primary goal of bioadhesive controlled drug delivery is to localize a delivery device within the body to enhance the drug absorption process in a site-specific manner. Bioadhesion is affected by the synergistic action of the biological environment, the properties of the polymeric controlled release device, and the presence of the drug itself. The delivery site and the device design are dictated by the drug's molecular structure and its pharmacological behaviour. This review addresses several issues which clarify the central goals of bioadhesive drug delivery research. Subsequently, a brief review of a wide variety of techniques which have been used to characterize bioadhesives is presented. This is followed by an overview of several proposed mechanisms of adhesion. The primary mechanisms for polymer systems, adsorption and diffusion, are examined in more detail.
Federal Personal Income Tax Policy in the 1920s

During the 1920s, federal personal income tax rates, which had been dramatically increased during World War I, were sharply reduced. These tax rate cuts have often been cited as an example of a successful supply-side policy, but they have also been criticized as policies designed primarily to benefit the wealthy. We argue that a primary motive for the tax cuts of the 1920s was the desire to reduce the tax avoidance by wealthier individuals that occurred as a result of the previous tax rate increases and that the tax cuts enacted did reduce tax avoidance.
Virgina's critical infrastructure protection study

Virginia's Critical Infrastructure Protection (CLP) study implements risk assessment and management methodologies upon eight case studies located in the commonwealth of Virginia. Research was undertaken because of a growing national concern involving infrastructures that are so vital that their incapacity or destruction would jeopardize the security of the United States. Furthermore, the project's pertinence is palpable in the wake of 9-11. The report demonstrates the efficacy of the risk assessment and risk management methodologies and its output will be utilized in the development of a computer-based tool for use by Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) employees. The net result of the project's analysis extends beyond the immediate benefits of the risk management output generated by individual case studies. Rather, the analysis below helped highlight errors and highlight commonalities that will be utilized in the development of a more robust and more effective computer-based risk management tool.
Primary Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease: A Call to Action

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) in the United States represents a continuing crisis of epidemic proportions, with nearly 960 000 individuals dying from heart disease and stroke each year.1 CVD has been the leading cause of death in this country every year since 1900, with the exception of 1918, the year of the great influenza epidemic. According to the most recent statistics, if all forms of major CVD were eliminated, life expectancy would rise almost 7 years. Furthermore, although often perceived as a disease of older age, approximately 50% of CVD diagnoses and 15% of CVD deaths are in patients under 65 years of age.1 Of greater significance, many young adults with no clinical evidence of CVD have two or more risk factors that predispose them to subsequent clinical events and death over the course of several decades.2,3 In apparently healthy young people, these risk factors usually go unrecognized and untreated. See p 3143 Many of these risk factors are modifiable, and compelling evidence indicates that a major proportion of the current CVD burden is either totally or partially preventable. Data from the Nurses Health Study,4 for example, suggest that women who maintain a desirable body weight, consume a healthy diet, exercise regularly, avoid smoking, and drink alcohol in moderation reduce their risk of CVD by 84%. Yet only 3% of the women studied followed these recommendations, which points to the need for more effective public health messages, changes in the healthcare system that promote preventive strategies, and more effective methods to educate healthcare providers on evolving primary prevention guidelines. Additionally, it is imperative that primary preventive efforts be targeted at younger people so …
Traveling Loads on Rigid-Plastic Beams

Problem of rigid plastic beam crossed by load which is too large for beam to support statically, such as crossing unsafe bridge; investigation on critical magnitude of traveling load, above which crossing cannot be made at any finite speed without causing total plastic collapse; present study indicates that critical load will not be obtained if mass of beam is taken into account.
How Bridges and Walls Grow Out of Abstractions

This brief commentary on Yoni Van Den Eede’s rumination, “Concrete/Abstract,” explores residual conceptual ambiguities and raises questions about information technologies and the felt sense of primacy regarding selves and communities.
Planning for change in a formal verification of the raft consensus protocol

We present the first formal verification of state machine safety for the Raft consensus protocol, a critical component of many distributed systems. We connected our proof to previous work to establish an end-to-end guarantee that our implementation provides linearizable state machine replication. This proof required iteratively discovering and proving 90 system invariants. Our verified implementation is extracted to OCaml and runs on real networks. The primary challenge we faced during the verification process was proof maintenance, since proving one invariant often required strengthening and updating other parts of our proof. To address this challenge, we propose a methodology of planning for change during verification. Our methodology adapts classical information hiding techniques to the context of proof assistants, factors out common invariant-strengthening patterns into custom induction principles, proves higher-order lemmas that show any property proved about a particular component implies analogous properties about related components, and makes proofs robust to change using structural tactics. We also discuss how our methodology may be applied to systems verification more broadly.
EFFECT OF MELANIN BIOSYNTHESIS INHIBITING COMPOUNDS ON GAEUMANNOMYCES SPECIES

AbstractInhibition of melanin production was observed in Gaeumannomyces isolates treated with DHN-melanin inhibiting compounds (tricyclazole, pyroquilon, fthalide and chlobenthiazone) but not with ...
EFFICACY AND SAFETY OUTCOMES OF VARIOUS RATE CONTROL STRATEGIES FOR PATIENTS WITH ACUTE DECOMPENSATED HEART FAILURE WITH REDUCED EJECTION FRACTION AND ATRIAL FIBRILLATION OR FLUTTER WITH RAPID VENTRICULAR RESPONSE

There is no current evidence regarding the safety and efficacy of various rate control strategies for rapid atrial fibrillation or atrial flutter (AF/AFL; heart rate > 100 bpm) in hospitalized patients with acute decompensated heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (ADHFrEF). Single center
Modeling Rate Dependent Response of Shape Memory Alloys Using a Thermo-Mechanical Continuum Phase Field Approach

A recently developed thermomechanically coupled, thermodynamically consistent, constitutive model based on phase field theory is used to describe the rate dependent response of polycrystalline shape memory alloys (SMAs). The model, which constitutively accounts for transformation rate, is used to study the evolution of phase transformation coupled with different mechanical and thermal response of SMA. The goal is to model the rate dependent behavior of SMAs. Phase transformation is simulated for an SMA axisymmetric rod. Simulation conditions are varied between isothermal and adiabatic conditions under quasi-static pseudoelastic loading. The effect of kinetic coefficient, which relates to the phase transformation kinetics, is studied. Stress relaxation and creep behavior reported in experiments is described. Heterogeneous rise in temperature, which occurs at the material interface as well as its influence on thermal hardening for different loading rates are also described. Results suggest that the rate dependency in SMA is a result of the latent heat of transformation, heat conduction and convection, strain rates, transformation kinetics and their couplings. Therefore, this work demonstrates that the reported model is able to capture the rate dependent response of SMA constitutively. The simulation results affirm the need for application specific testing conditions in order to account for the complex thermomechanical interaction, rate dependency and length scale effects in the design of SMAs. Based on these simulation results, the model provides new insight into the design of SMAs for thermomechanical engineering applications
Housing the Homeless: The Non-Linearity of Community

Research explaining and predicting deviance is voluminous. Established theories include such approaches as the inherently antisocial (if not evil) nature of being human (Gottfredson & Hirschi, 1990), institutional anomie in an increasingly materialistic society (Messner & Rosenfeld, 1997), oppositional culture and the “street” code (Anderson, 1994), differential association with other deviants (Sutherland & Cressey, 1970), labeling of non-conformists (Schur, 1971), noneconomic forms of strain (Agnew, 1992), techniques of neutralization (Sykes & Matza, 1957), life course persistent deviance (Sampson & Laub, 1990), the radical or Marxist-based assessment of the distribution of power and resources in capitalist societies, (Lynch, Michalowski, & Groves, 2000), gender as a mediating construct for deviance (Daly, 1994), and reintegrative shaming (Braithwaite, 1989). Each of these approaches, while useful in their own right, does not account for the “postmodern turn in theory, the arts, and the sciences, one that is part of a major paradigm shift and, some would argue, an epochal transformation from a modern to a postmodern world” (Best & Kellner, 1997, p. viii). This is a period marked by perspectivity, indeterminacy, hermeneutics, contingency, and discontinuity (Rosenau, 1992). Thus, the phenomenon of deviance, especially in its construction and meaning, mostly remains an artifact of modernist culture, notwithstanding the epistemological and sociological transition in which it most assuredly is engulfed (see Chapter 3 of this volume; also Arrigo, Milovanovic, & Schehr, in press).
Nucleation and interactions of 360∘ domain walls on planar ferromagnetic nanowires using circular magnetic fields

We propose a mechanism for nucleation of 360∘ domain walls (DWs) on planar ferromagnetic nanowires, of 100 nm width, by using circular magnetic fields, and find the minimal spacing possible between 360∘ DWs. The extent of the stray field from a 360∘ DW is limited in comparison to 180∘ DWs, allowing 360∘ DWs to be spaced more closely without interactions than 180∘ DWs, which is potentially useful for data storage devices. We use micromagnetic simulations to demonstrate the positioning of 360∘ DWs, using a series of rectangular 16 × 16 nm2 notches to act as local pinning sites on the nanowires. For these notches, the minimum spacing between the DWs is 240 nm, corresponding to a 360∘ DW packing density of 4 DWs per micron. Understanding the topological properties of the 360∘ DWs allows us to understand their formation and annihilation in the proposed geometry. Adjacent 360∘ DWs have opposite circulation, and closer spacing results in the adjacent walls breaking into 180∘ DWs and annihilating.
Regulation of MYC gene expression by aberrant Wnt/β-catenin signaling in colorectal cancer

The Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway controls intestinal homeostasis and mutations in components of this pathway are prevalent in human colorectal cancers (CRCs). These mutations lead to inappropriate expression of genes controlled by Wnt responsive DNA elements (WREs). T-cell factor/Lymphoid enhancer factor transcription factors bind WREs and recruit the β-catenin transcriptional co-activator to activate target gene expression. Deregulated expression of the c-MYC proto-oncogene (MYC) by aberrant Wnt/β-catenin signaling drives colorectal carcinogenesis. In this review, we discuss the current literature pertaining to the identification and characterization of WREs that control oncogenic MYC expression in CRCs. A common theme has emerged whereby these WREs often map distally to the MYC genomic locus and control MYC gene expression through long-range chromatin loops with the MYC proximal promoter. We propose that by determining which of these WREs is critical for CRC pathogenesis, novel strategies can be developed to treat individuals suffering from this disease.
Kaposi’s sarcoma herpesvirus (KSHV) microRNA K12-1 functions as an oncogene by activating NF-κB/IL-6/STAT3 signaling

// Mingqing Chen 1, 2, 3, * , Fan Sun 1, 2, * , Lei Han 1, 2, * , Zhaoxia Qu 1, 2 1 University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA 2 Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA 3 Hubei Key Laboratory of Genetic Regulation and Integrative Biology, School of Life Sciences, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, Hubei, China * These authors have contributed equally to this work Correspondence to: Zhaoxia Qu, email: quz@upmc.edu Keywords: KSHV/HHV8, miR-K12-1, NF-κB, IL-6, STAT3 Received: March 18, 2016 Accepted: April 10, 2016 Published: May 7, 2016 ABSTRACT The human oncogenic virus Kaposi’s sarcoma herpesvirus (KSHV) is the most common cause of malignancies among AIDS patients. KSHV possesses over hundred genes, including 25 microRNAs (miRNAs). The roles of these miRNAs and many other viral genes in KSHV biology and pathogenesis remain largely unknown. Accordingly, the molecular mechanisms by which KSHV induces tumorigenesis are still poorly defined. Here, we identify KSHV miRNA K12-1 (miR-K12-1) as a novel viral oncogene by activating two important transcription factors, nuclear factor-κb (NF-κB) and signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3). Interestingly, miR-K12-1 activates STAT3 indirectly through inducing NF-κB activation and NF-κB-dependent expression of the cytokine interleukin-6 (IL-6) by repressing the expression of the NF-κB inhibitor IκBα. Accordingly, expression of ectopic IκBα or knockdown of NF-κB RelA, IL-6 or STAT3 prevents expression of cell growth genes and suppresses the oncogenicities of both miR-K12-1 and KSHV. These data identify miR-K12-1/NF-κB/IL-6/STAT3 as a novel oncogenic signaling underlying KSHV tumorigenesis. These data also provide the first evidence showing that IL-6/STAT3 signaling acts as an essential mediator of NF-κB oncogenic actions. These findings significantly improve our understanding of KSHV pathogenesis and oncogenic interaction between NF-κB and STAT3.
The emergence of contemporary criminology: an oral history of its development as an independent profession

Criminology, as an independent academic pursuit, has maturated to the point where it is now interested in exploring its genealogy. Larger soio-political developments evidenced a pattern of influence in terms of promoting ideas and building the field’s infrastructure. The field’s growth from its early professionalization is documented here through an analysis of oral histories offered by seventeen influential scholars. Respondents explained their respective journeys to the field via three avenues: biographical, intellectual, and through the graduate school experience. Four scholars spoke to the emotive elements that attracted them to the field. The remainder sought answers to nagging questions on either empirical or theoretical matters. Lastly, the semi-structured interviews elicited accounts of their respective graduate school curricula and the role of mentoring. The essential lesson to be drawn from the collective experience is that the graduate school experience should include exposure to the broader liberal tradition and on the history of the field.
Energy consumption of synchronization algorithms in distributed simulations

Power and energy consumption are important concerns in the design of high performance and mobile computing systems, but have not been widely considered in the design of parallel and distributed simulations. The importance of these factors is discussed and metrics for power and energy overhead in parallel and distributed simulations are proposed. Factors affecting the energy consumed by synchronization algorithms and software architectures are examined. An experimental study is presented examining energy consumption of the well-known Chandy/Misra/Bryant and YAWNS synchronization algorithms. The effects of lookahead and event communication on energy use are examined. Initial results concerning queueing network simulations are also presented. The results of this study suggest that existing distributed simulation algorithms require a significant amount of additional energy compared to a sequential execution. Further, different synchronization algorithms can yield different energy consumption behaviors.
Leveraging the final project to improve student motivation in introductory digital design courses

Student retention rates in engineering, especially among traditionally underrepresented groups, remain an obstacle to training a large, diverse engineering workforce. The NSF's Science and Engineering Indicators 2016 indicate that of students entering college with an intent to major in engineering, only 63% graduate with an engineering degree [1]. With research suggesting that misperceptions or a lack of knowledge about what work in a certain field is like can deter students from studying that discipline [2], [3], it is possible that providing a meaningful project experience at the introductory level could provide a strong positive impact on retention rates. This could be especially true for disciplines like Digital Design, where students of have little to no exposure to the discipline before starting college. This paper discusses my work to develop a representative design project for introductory digital design students with the goal of increasing retention.