cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Purification of the isoforms of tear specific prealbumin

A chromatographic method for separating tear specific prealbumin (TSP) into six isoelectric forms is described. Size exclusion high performance liquid chromatography (SE-HPLC) was used to isolate TSP from whole tears, followed by chromatofocusing fast protein liquid chromatography (FPLC) of the SE-TSP fraction on a Mono P column. This yielded six fractions varying in isoelectric point (pI) between 5.3 and 4.6. Subsequent anion exchange FPLC (Mono Q column) allowed a slight further purification of each Mono P fraction and removed Polybuffer from the Mono P fractions. Isoelectric focusing (IEF) of the TSP isoforms verified that the heterogeneity was based on pI, and confirmed that the chromatofocusing separation was in many respects the same as an IEF separation. Purity of TSP isoforms was determined by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), IEF, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and immunoblotting of samples separated by SDS-PAGE and IEF. Amino acid analysis and N-terminal amino acid sequencing revealed subtle differences between the TSP isoforms. The entire purification procedure was conducted both with and without the addition of reducing agents and protease inhibitors to tear samples and all buffers used in the purification process. Relatively little difference was seen in the TSP isoform profile under these two sets of conditions. However, the tendency of isolated TSP to aggregate and precipitate was dramatically decreased under reducing conditions, resulting in significantly higher protein recoveries. This chromatographic purification procedure provides a basis for further study of the nature of the heterogeneity of TSP and characterization of the properties of this protein.
A Meta-Analysis of the Efficacy of Different Types of Parental Involvement Programs for Urban Students

This meta-analysis of 51 studies examines the relationship between various kinds of parental involvement programs and the academic achievement of pre-kindergarten-12th-grade school children. Analyses determined the effect sizes for various parental involvement programs overall and subcategories of involvement. Results indicate a significant relationship between parental involvement programs overall and academic achievement, both for younger (preelementary and elementary school) and older (secondary school) students as well as for four types of parental involvement programs. Parental involvement programs, as a whole, were associated with higher academic achievement by .3 of a standard deviation unit. The significance of these results is discussed.
Activation of cryptic metabolite production through gene disruption: Dimethyl furan-2,4-dicarboxylate produced by Streptomyces sahachiroi

At least 65% of all small molecule drugs on the market today are natural products, however, re-isolation of previously identified and characterized compounds has become a serious impediment to the discovery of new bioactive natural products. Here, genetic knockout of an unusual non-ribosomal peptide synthetase (NRPS) C-PCP-C module, aziA2, is performed resulting in the accumulation of the secondary metabolite, dimethyl furan-2,4-dicarboxylate. The cryptic metabolite represents the first non-azinomycin related compound to be isolated and characterized from the soil bacterium, S. sahachiroi. The results from this study suggest that abolishing production of otherwise predominant natural products through genetic knockout may constitute a means to "activate" the production of novel secondary metabolites that would otherwise lay dormant within microbial genome sequences.
Dynamic changes in reinforcer effectiveness: Satiation and habituation have different implications for theory and practice

Reinforcers lose their effectiveness when they are presented repeatedly. Early researchers labeled this loss of effectiveness as satiation without conducting an experimental analysis. When such an analysis is conducted, habituation provides a more precise and empirically accurate label for the changes in reinforcer effectiveness. This paper reviews some of the data that suggest that habituation occurs to repeatedly presented reinforcers. It also argues that habituation has surprisingly different implications than satiation for theory and practice in behavior analysis. For example, postulating that habituation occurs to repeatedly presented reinforcers suggests ways for maintaining the strength of an existing reinforcer and for weakening the strength of a problematic reinforcer that differ from those implied by an account in terms of satiation. An habituation account may also lead to different ways of conceptualizing the regulation of behavior. For example, habituation may be a singleprocess contributor to the termination of behaviors that are usually attributed to satiation (e.g., ingestive behaviors such as eating and drinking), fatigue (e.g., energetic behaviors such as running), the waning of attention (e.g., cognitive behaviors such as studying), and pharmacodynamic factors (e.g., drug taking).
A Novel Point Mutation at Position 156 of Reverse Transcriptase from Feline Immunodeficiency Virus Confers Resistance to the Combination of (−)-β-2′,3′-Dideoxy-3′-Thiacytidine and 3′-Azido-3′-Deoxythymidine

Mutants of feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) resistant to (-)-beta-2',3'-dideoxy-3'-thiacytidine (3TC) were selected by culturing virus in the presence of increasing stepwise concentrations of 3TC. Two plaque-purified variants were isolated from the original mutant population, and both of these mutants were resistant to 3TC. Surprisingly, these mutants were also phenotypically resistant to 3'-azido-3'-deoxythymidine (AZT) and to the combination of 3TC and AZT. Purified reverse transcriptase (RT) from one of these plaque-purified mutants was resistant to the 5'-triphosphates of 3TC and AZT. DNA sequence analysis of the RT-encoding region of the pol gene amplified from the plaque-purified mutants revealed a Pro-to-Ser mutation at position 156 of RT. A site-directed mutant of FIV engineered to contain this Pro-156-Ser mutation was resistant to 3TC, AZT, and the combination of 3TC and AZT, confirming the role of the Pro-156-Ser mutation in the resistance of FIV to these two nucleoside analogs. This represents the first report of a lentiviral mutant resistant to the combination of AZT and 3TC due to a single, unique point mutation.
Insulator contamination monitoring and performance in a nuclear power generating station

This paper presents the results of a project performed to (a) determine the severity of insulator contamination in nuclear power generating station, and (b) compare and evaluate different types of room temperature vulcanized (RTV) silicone rubber coatings available for improving the contamination performance of the porcelain insulators in the station. Cap and pin suspension insulators coated with four different formulations of RTV silicone rubber and uncoated insulators, were evaluated over a 3 year period. Periodic measurements of ESDD, NSDD, contaminant analysis, flashover testing and material analysis were performed. Results indicate that the RTV coatings evaluated can provide a significant improvement in the contamination performance, are resistant to environmental conditions prevailing in the station, and exhibit similar electrical and weathering, characteristics.
An Experimental Validation of the Time-Varying Initialization Response in Fractional-Order Systems

This paper provides an experimental validation of the required time-varying initialization response for fractional-order systems. The experiment considers thermal conduction in a long aluminum rod, whose thermal impedance can be approximated as a half-order integral. Experimental results using seven different history functions are compared with theoretical predictions. The experimental results compare well with the expected theoretical predictions. Deviations from the theoretical predictions are discussed.© 2011 ASME
Robust stabilization with positive real uncertainty: beyond the small gain theory

In many applications of feedback control, phase information is available concerning the plant uncertainty. For example, lightly damped flexible structures with colocated rate sensors and force actuators give rise to positive real transfer functions. Closed-loop stability is thus guaranteed by means of negative feedback with strictly positive real compensators. In this paper, the properties of positive real transfer functions are used to guarantee robust stability in the presence of positive real (but otherwise unknown) plant uncertainty. These results are then used for controller synthesis to address the problem of robust stabilization in the presence of positive real uncertainty. One of the principal motivations for these results is to utilize phase information in guaranteeing robust stability. In this these sense results go beyond the usual limitations the small gain theorem and quadratic Lyapunov functions which may be conservative when phase information is available. The results of this paper are based upon a Riccati equation formulation of the positive real lemma and thus are in the spirit of recent Riccati-based approaches to bounded real (H∞) control.
Parameters determining the efficacy of CD32 to inhibit activation of FcεRI in human basophils.

The conditions needed to readily observe the role of CD32 in modulating IgE-mediated secretion are enumerated and include consideration of IgG subclass, with a possible emphasis on IgG3, antibody:antigen ratios, but with no evidence that polymorphic variants of CD32 influence its function.
Intellectual Capital and Financial Performance: An Evaluation of Islamic Banks in Pakistan

This study seeks to investigate the relationship between intellectual capital and bank’s performance in Pakistan. A sample of five major Islamic Banks in Pakistan namely Meezan Bank, Burj Bank, Dubai Islamic Bank, Bank Islami and Albaraka Bank had taken for the period of 2009 to 2014. Multiple regression analysis is used to show the relationship of intellectual capital and the bank’s performance. The results suggest that the bank’s performance (Return on asset, Return on equity) is positively and significantly related to the intellectual capital of Islamic Banks in Pakistan. The main components of intellectual capital that is structural capital efficiency, human capital efficiency and capital employed efficiency have significant impact on the bank’s performance. Human capital efficiency and capital employed efficiency show direct association with the bank’s performance whereas structural capital efficiency shows no relationship with the bank’s performance in Pakistan. This is the first study to investigate the relationship between the intellectual capital and bank’s performance of Islamic Banks in Pakistan.
Counter Weigh Optimization of PWA100120 Out-Moving Jaw Crusher Based on Matlab

In order to achieve the optimum balance state of the PWA100120 out-moving jaw crusher,the Matlab optimization function is applied to determine the size and location of the counter weigh of the PWA100120 out-moving jaw crusher while the vibration force is minimum for the operating machine and its base.
Abstract A39: Profiles, motivations, and networks of prostate cancer advocates in southern black communities

Black men have the highest number of new cases and mortality rates for prostate cancer: 1.6 and 2.4, respectively when compared to whites (NCI, 2015). Also, black men are more likely to have an advanced stage and grade of prostate cancer at initial presentation. Prostate cancer disparities are a complex problem that needs to be assuaged with complex and multifaceted strategies. Advocates can be one of the many tools used to alleviate the prostate cancer health disparities that are observed today in black communities. While there is no shortage of research being done on black men and prostate cancer, there is a very little research on the work of advocates for prostate cancer awareness in black communities. Advocates are already engaging on different levels with black communities to increase prostate cancer awareness. This research seeks to further illuminate the advocates9 efforts and voices, exploring their strategies and approaches. Through the use of qualitative methods, data collection yielded a total of 24 in-depth interviews and 14 ethnographic observations. These expanded methods capture a more nuanced and complex understanding of prostate cancer advocacy. Major findings include (1) the description of the advocates, including their demographics and self-definitions, (2) the interrelated internal and external sources of motivation for their advocacy efforts; and (3) an examination of the complex networks of advocacy that incorporate social networks, organizations, and research and political entities. These insights can help to create and support more effective interventions that are specifically developed for men in black communities. Citation Format: Lauren Rose Gilbert. Profiles, motivations, and networks of prostate cancer advocates in southern black communities. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Eighth AACR Conference on The Science of Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; Nov 13-16, 2015; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2016;25(3 Suppl):Abstract nr A39.
Nicht-lineare mehratomige Radikale und Ionen

Ein Molekul kann, wie jedes System von Massenpunkten, ein oder mehrere Symmetrieelemente haben: eine Symmetrieebene, ein Symmetriezentrum, eine p-zahlige Symmetrieachse. Zu jedem Symmetrieelement gehort eine Symmetrieoperation: Spiegelung an einer Symmetrieebene oder an einem Symmetriezentrum oder eine Drehung um 360 °/p um eine Symmetrieachse. Ein lineares Molekul hat eine unendliche Zahl von Symmetrieelementen (jede Ebene durch die Kernverbindungslinie ist eine Symmetrieebene) und daher eine unendliche Zahl von Symmetrietypen (Spezies oder Rassen) der Molekulwellenfunktionen (∑+, ∑−, П, Δ,…). Im Gegensatz dazu hat ein nicht-lineares Molekul eine endliche, gewohnlich kleine Zahl von Symmetrieelementen und demgemas eine endliche Zahl von Symmetrietypen (Rassen).
High-Quality Immunofluorescence of Cultured Cells

Immunofluorescence microscopy of cultured cells often gives poor preservation of delicate structures. We have obtained dramatically improved results with a simple modification of a standard protocol. Cells growing on a coverslip are rapidly dehydrated in a cold organic solvent, and then are rehydrated in a solution containing a homobifunctional crosslinker. The crosslinking reaction stabilizes cellular structures during subsequent incubation and wash steps, usually without compromising antigenicity. This method reproducibly yields high-quality images of endomembrane compartments and cytoskeletal elements.
Clinical predictors of depression treatment outcomes in patients with coronary heart disease.

Abstract Objectives Patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) who respond to treatment for depression are at lower risk of mortality than are nonresponders. This study sought to determine whether variables that have been shown to predict both depression treatment outcomes in psychiatric patients and cardiac events in patients with CHD, also predict poor response to depression treatment in patients with CHD. Methods One hundred fifty-seven patients with stable CHD who met the DSM-IV criteria for a major depressive episode were treated with cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) for 16 weeks, either alone or in combination with an antidepressant. Results The mean Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II) score was 30.2 ± 8.5 at baseline and 8.5 ± 7.8 at 16 weeks. Over 50% of the participants were in remission (HAM-D-17 score ≤ 7) at the end of treatment. Of the hypothesized predictors, severe depression at baseline (p = 0.02), stressful life events during the first (p = 0.03) and last (p Conclusions Patients who are under considerable stress do not respond as well to evidence-based treatments for depression as do patients with less stress. If future studies support these findings, more work will be needed to better address stressful life events in patients who may otherwise remain at high risk for mortality and medical morbidity following depression treatment.
Energy saving in microgrid with tree configurations using Nash Bargaining Solution

In many power networks, power supplies are usually set to be in a redundant configuration. The total power demands in the networks may be far less than that of the capacity of the power supplies. After the power demands fulfilled an energy saving power generation dispatch becomes possible, and it plays an important role in saving the excess power in the networks. In this paper, we studied the energy saving problem in distributed power systems with tree configurations. We formulated the problem as a cooperative game among bus agents in a decentralized way. The Nash Bargaining Solution (NBS) provides a Pareto optimal and our energy saving algorithm is fair to all participated agents. Finally, we applied the algorithm to different scaled bus-oriented microgrids and the simulation results showed that the feasibility and performance are promising.
Distinguishing uniform switching from filamentary switching in resistance memory using a fracture test

Resistance random access memory (RRAM) is a rapidly developing emergent nanotechnology. For practical applications and basic understanding, it is important to ascertain whether RRAM undergoes uniform or filamentary switching, but on this point previous area-scaling studies have often shown ambiguous and conflicting findings. Here we demonstrate a simple test—physically breaking the device into two and studying their characteristics individually—can make a definitive determination. Our experiment on two prototypical RRAMs found that one (the nanometallic memory) switches and conducts uniformly while the other (the filamentary memory) does not. It also probes the statistics of nanofilaments: the resistance statistics of the filamentary memory reveals for the first time a large population of partially developed filaments in addition to the filament that dominates switching. Remarkably, the filamentary memory can also be stress-switched to a lower resistance state during fracture, which is reminiscent of stress-switching of the nanometallic memory and may be taken as direct evidence of electron–phonon interaction in the filaments.
Critical Illness Polyneuropathy and Myopathy

Critical illness polyneuropathy (CIP) and myopathy (CIM) are neuromuscular disorders that have been documented in critically ill patients admitted into intensive care units and are usually noted because of their failure to wean from mechanical ventilation. As a result of the diseases, there are increases in hospitalization length of stay, morbidity, and costs.
Understanding the Asian summer monsoon response to greenhouse warming: the relative roles of direct radiative forcing and sea surface temperature change

Future hydroclimate projections from state-of-the-art climate models show large uncertainty and model spread, particularly in the tropics and over the monsoon regions. The precipitation and circulation responses to rising greenhouse gases involve a fast component associated with direct radiative forcing and a slow component associated with sea surface temperature (SST) warming; the relative importance of the two may contribute to model discrepancies. In this study, regional hydroclimate responses to greenhouse warming are assessed using output from coupled general circulation models in the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project-Phase 5 (CMIP5) and idealized atmospheric general circulation model experiments from the Atmosphere Model Intercomparison Project. The thermodynamic and dynamic mechanisms causing the rainfall changes are examined using moisture budget analysis. Results show that direct radiative forcing and SST change exert significantly different responses both over land and ocean. For most part of the Asian monsoon region, the summertime rainfall changes are dominated by the direct CO2 radiative effect through enhanced monsoon circulation. The response to SST warming shows a larger model spread compared to direct radiative forcing, possibly due to the cancellation between the thermodynamical and dynamical components. While the thermodynamical response of the Asian monsoon is robust across the models, there is a lack of consensus for the dynamical response among the models and weak multi-model mean responses in the CMIP5 ensemble, which may be related to the multiple physical processes evolving on different time scales.
Non-Myeloablative vs. Conventional Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation for Lymphoma.

Abstract Non-myeloablative allogeneic stem cell transplantation (NMT) is increasingly used as an alternative to conventional bone marrow transplantation (BMT). Limited NMT data is available for lymphoma patients (pts). Most series include all hematological malignancies and only a minority with Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) or non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). Therefore, we reviewed the Cleveland Clinic BMT Program experience with lymphoma pts and specifically compared the outcome between NMT and BMT. Between July 2, 1985 and December 7, 2004, 67 pts received a matched related (n=47) or unrelated (n=20) donor BMT (n=46) or NMT (n=21) for HL (n=11), aggressive NHL (n=32), indolent NHL (n=23), or unknown NHL (n=1). Pts with lymphoblastic, Burkitt, or atypical Burkitt-like lymphoma were excluded. Compared to BMT pts, NMT pts were older, had longer time from diagnosis to transplant (tx), and were more likely to have a normal LDH and be in remission (CR/PR) at tx. The median follow-up of surviving BMT and NMT pts was 73.8 (range 11.8–106.7) and 20.6 (range 2.8–44.0) months, respectively. 18 (39%) BMT and 5 (24%) NMT pts progressed, and 9 (20%) BMT and 2 (10%) NMT pts died from lymphoma. The incidence of grade 2–4 acute GVHD was not different between the BMT and NMT groups. Among all pts, the risk of lymphoma progression was significantly higher in pts with compared to pts without GVHD (Figure 1). The overall survival for NMT pts was significantly better than for BMT pts (P=.019). Among 15 pts that previously received high dose therapy with autologous stem cell transplant (ASCT), all 7 BMT pts died a median of 1 (range 1–14) month post-BMT while 4/8 NMT pts remained alive 8, 21, 29, and 33 months post-NMT. By multivariate analysis, BMT (HR 7.74, 95% CI 2.49–24.0, P 3 prior chemotherapy regimens, tumor >10 cm at diagnosis, older age, and no remission at tx were all associated with a significantly higher mortality. We conclude that: 1) lymphoma progression and lymphoma- or transplant-related death beyond 2 years are uncommon; 2) BMT after failed ASCT is uniformly fatal while NMT (even after failed ASCT) may lead to long-term survival; 3) GVHD (with its presumed graft vs. lymhoma effect) is important for long-term, progression-free survival; 4) compared to BMT, NMT is associated with a better OS (although pt selection may account for some of the observed difference), and 5) both NMT and BMT are appropriate options for selected NHL pts. Whether NMT or BMT offers any benefit compared to ASCT for HL pts is unclear. Download : Download high-res image (75KB) Download : Download full-size image
Acute myocardial infarction in a City Hospital: V. Follow-up study of one hundred thirty-one survivors∗☆

Abstract 1. 1. A 5-year follow-up study of 131 survivors of acute myocardial infarction in a city hospital during a 1-year period is presented. 2. 2. The mortality rate was 28 per cent at 1 year and 49 per cent at 5 years. Seventy per cent of the deaths occurred in the hospital. Eighty-eight per cent of deaths were due to recurrent myocardial infarction and/or congestive heart failure. 3. 3. Pre-existing hypertension, angina pectoris, or congestive heart failure, location of the acute infarction or cardiomegaly during hospitalization, did not significantly affect the long range outcome. Previous myocardial infarctions adversely affected the 5-year survival rate of the acute infarction. 4. 4. Pre-existing angina pectoris was absent in one-fourth of cases 3 and 5 years after discharge, while pre-existing hypertension disappeared in one-half at 3 years and one-fourth at 5 years. 5. 5. Angina pectoris appeared for the first time in over half of the patients by 3 and 5 years after discharge. Hypertension was first noted in 25 per cent of patients at 3 years and 50 per cent at 5 years. 6. 6. Congestive heart failure was demonstrated objectively in 68 per cent of the cases at 3 years and 33 per cent at 5 years. 7. 7. Cardiomegaly was noted roentgenographically in 46 per cent at 3 years and 77 per cent at 5 years and was apparently associated with coronary artery disease alone in 8 per cent and 28 per cent respectively. 8. 8. The electrocardiogram revealed no evidence of infarction in 13 per cent at 3 years and 20 per cent at 5 years.
Leverage Ratios in Financial Analysis

This note introduces multiple concepts of leverage from an accounting context, specifically as they relate to balance sheets and income statements. Both operating- and financial-leverage ratios and their relation to changes in widely accepted profitability measures are reviewed. Excerpt UVA-C-2291 Dec. 1, 2014 Leverage Ratios in Financial Analysis In a business context, “leverage” relates to the degree to which an entity employs its assets, liabilities, and fixed-cost mix to achieve increased returns. A balance of risk is involved with increasing leverage because any benefits achieved can often quickly reverse. Understanding the fundamental definitions, calculations, and principles of leverage s critical to analyzing a business and its investment opportunities. This note introduces multiple concepts of leverage from an accounting context, specifically as they relate to balance sheets and income statements. Both operating- and financial-leverage ratios and their relation to changes in widely accepted profitability measures are reviewed. Leverage on the Balance Sheet Arguably the most common view of leverage relates to how much a firm's assets are encumbered by debt, often labeled balance sheet leverage. The manager's motivation for balance sheet leverage is straightforward: Borrowed capital increases the return to stock investors if the company can deploy that borrowed capital in investments that yield greater returns than the cost of debt. Balance sheet leverage can be characterized in ratio form as: . . .
Chapter 6 – Young Minds on Video Games

Abstract Over the past 20 years, researchers across domains of psychology have investigated the potential impact of playing video games. Within the domain of cognitive psychology, one particular video game genre—what is known as the “action video game” genre—has been consistently linked with a number of enhancements in perceptual and cognitive abilities. Most of this work has been conducted in young adult populations; however, the existing work utilizing child participants suggests that the same pattern also holds for younger populations. Critically though not all human-technology interactions are necessarily beneficial with respective to cognitive abilities. For instance, long-term concurrent use of multiple forms of technology appears to reduce performance on a number of measures of attentional performance. Furthermore, attempts to “gamify” cognitive training platforms (i.e., utilize lessons derived from commercial video games to augment standard cognitive training) have not been universally successful, suggesting that more work is needed before we can purposefully harness the power of video games and other modern technology to engender positive cognitive outcomes.
Compositional Kernel Machines

Convolutional neural networks (convnets) have achieved impressive results on recent computer vision benchmarks. While they benefit from multiple layers that encode nonlinear decision boundaries and a degree of translation invariance, training convnets is a lengthy procedure fraught with local optima. Alternatively, a kernel method that incorporates the compositionality and symmetry of convnets could learn similar nonlinear concepts yet with easier training and architecture selection. We propose compositional kernel machines (CKMs), which effectively create an exponential number of virtual training instances by composing transformed sub-regions of the original ones. Despite this, CKM discriminant functions can be computed efficiently using ideas from sum-product networks. The ability to compose virtual instances in this way gives CKMs invariance to translations and other symmetries, and combats the curse of dimensionality. Just as support vector machines (SVMs) provided a compelling alternative to multilayer perceptrons when they were introduced, CKMs could become an attractive approach for object recognition and other vision problems. In this paper we define CKMs, explore their properties, and present promising results on NORB datasets. Experiments show that CKMs can outperform SVMs and be competitive with convnets in a number of dimensions, by learning symmetries and compositional concepts from fewer samples without data augmentation.
Escherichia coli attachment to model particulates: The effects of bacterial cell characteristics and particulate properties

E. coli bacteria move in streams freely in a planktonic state or attached to suspended particulates. Attachment is a dynamic process, and the fraction of attached microorganisms is thought to be affected by both bacterial characteristics and particulate properties. In this study, we investigated how the properties of cell surfaces and stream particulates influence attachment. Attachment assays were conducted for 77 E. coli strains and three model particulates (ferrihydrite, Ca-montmorillonite, or corn stover) under environmentally relevant conditions. Surface area, particle size distribution, and total carbon content were determined for each type of particulate. Among the three particulates, attachment fractions to corn stover were significantly larger than the attachments to 2-line ferrihydrite (p-value = 0.0036) and Ca-montmorillonite (p-value = 0.022). Furthermore, attachment to Ca-montmorillonite and corn stover was successfully modeled by a Generalized Additive Model (GAM) using cell characteristics as predictor variables. The natural logarithm of the net charge on the bacterial surface had a significant, positive, and linear impact on the attachment of E. coli bacteria to Ca-montmorillonite (p-value = 0.013), but it did not significantly impact the attachment to corn stover (p-value = 0.36). The large diversities in cell characteristics among 77 E. coli strains, particulate properties, and attachment fractions clearly demonstrated the inadequacy of using a static parameter or linear coefficient to predict the attachment behavior of E. coli in stream water quality models.
An evaluation of the bid price and nested network revenue management allocation methods

Abstract We compare the revenue generating capabilities of the bid price allocation method and the nested network method in hotel revenue management. Revenue maximization is achieved by an optimal allocation of assets across market segments, subject to constraints such as overbooking limit and the cross-elasticity of competitors’ pricing. Using a simulation model of a large hotel’s reservation system, validated by Marriott hotels, we find that the nested network method outperforms the bid price method, and, on average, leads to an improvement of 6% in revenue in the worst-case scenarios across operating environments. This improvement is 3.6% when restricted to cases in which overbooking and allocation are performed simultaneously. In no operating environment is the improvement less than 2%. Since the bid price method is, by far, the most commonly used allocation method in practice, these results indicate that hotels should consider switching to the nested network method. This change is feasible because (1) most hotels already have in place the core optimization system required to execute the nested network method, and (2) the nested network method converges to optimality in less than two minutes for most realistically sized problems, as we demonstrate.
Public key exchange scheme that is addressable (PKA)

The objective of the PKA encryption scheme is to complement, or replace, existing Public Key Infrastructures (PKI) [1]. In this scheme, the initialization step is based on the secure exchange of addressable cryptographic tables between the communicating parties. These tables are generated either with random numbers, or with arrays of addressable Physical Unclonable Function (PUFs). The subsequent communications between the parties can therefore occurs over untrusted channels, by exchanging dynamically generated public keys. Private keys are, generated independently with all communicating parties using their cryptographic tables, and the shared public keys. The private keys are combined with methods such as the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) to encrypt and decrypt the communication between users. The generation of private keys is done without mathematical computations that are potentially vulnerable to quantum computers using algorithms such as the one developed by Shor [2]. PKA is fast and requires approximately 800 CPU clock cycles. We implemented, and tested the PKA dynamic key exchange scheme in legacy systems to secure PC-to-PC communication, and PC to smart card communication with AES.
What’s in the Water? How Media Coverage of Corporate GenX Pollution Shapes Local Understanding of Risk

Media coverage of water pollution has been a topic of theoretical examination and empirical testing. Still, green criminologists have not fully explored issues relating to water pollution. This paper draws from the environmental literature on risk society and criminology’s crime news frame to explore media coverage of corporate deviance through the lens of green cultural criminology. A content analysis of local newspaper articles in a southeastern city analyzes constructions of corporate deviance, risk, and blame regarding the discovery of GenX. Results demonstrate how media discourse around risk and science plays an important role in shaping concerns about corporate environmental pollution. Magnification of risk and uncertainty draws the public’s attention to issues of regulatory enforcement and funding. At the same time, risk is minimized by corporate and regulatory officials who urge the public to wait for more research before introducing new laws and regulations while also individualizing the blame.
A Comparison of the Effectiveness of Modular Drafting Instruction versus Contemporary Drafting Instruction on Collegiate Technology Education Students

Modular technology education (MTE) has grown considerably since the middle of the 1980s (Reed, 2001). According to Weymer (1999), MTE is defined as a curriculum provided by a commercial vendor in which students learn about an area of technology by (a) participating in interactive media presentations, (b) following instructions in workbooks, (c) writing responses in student journals, and (d) experimenting and building projects. With the growth of MTE has come the decline of traditional and contemporary technology education laboratories, but is this curriculum more effective in educating technology education students than the contemporary instruction it is replacing?
The Cell Cycle and Tumorigenesis in Plants

The experimental oncologist is interested in persistently dividing cells and in discovering the reason why tumor cells divide continuously in their hosts while the growth of all normal cells is precisely regulated. The development by tumor cells of a capacity for essentially unrestrained or autonomous growth is the essential feature that characterizes the tumorous state for without it there would be no tumors. It is therefore clear that an understanding of those substances and mechanisms that regulate normal cell growth and division is important if insight is to be gained into how those regulatory mechanisms are affected when a cell is transformed to the neoplastic state. Other clinically important characteristics, such as, for example, the ability of certain tumor cells to invade and metastasize, may be acquired, sometimes relatively late, and can therefore be dismissed in a search for the earliest events that lead to the establishment and maintenance of the tumorous state.
Mechanism of Action of Gonadotropins and the Regulation of Gene Expression

Growth and maturation of the ovary, culminating in the onset of complete and cyclic ovulation as well as functional steroidogenesis, are clearly some of the most profound physiological changes that occur during the postnatal development of the female. The postnatal developmental period is characterized by the acquisition of new functions that necessitate the induction of specific cellular proteins partaking in the diversity of ovarian function. The induction of new specific ovarian proteins during the period of postnatal differentiation requires mechanisms that conceivably involve selective activation and derepression of genetic information residing in the genome. It implies both a selection and restriction of DNA function, with specific regions of the repressed genome being called into activity in the various ovarian cells, resulting in synthesis of specific species of RNA and of specific cellular proteins that reflect the degree of differentiation of the ovary.
Walk for well-being: The main effects of walking on approach motivation

The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of exercise in the development of self-efficacy and approach motivation. An 8-week blind experimental design was used (N = 185), with two control and two treatment groups. Already physically active participants were assigned to one control group, while participants that reported a sedentary lifestyle at pretest were randomly assigned to either a sedentary control group or one of two treatment groups that began a brisk walking intervention. Treatment group participants walked either outdoors or indoors for 30 min per day, 4 days per week, for 8 weeks. The indoor/outdoor treatment group assignment was implemented to determine if exercising outdoors enhanced the outcomes. Significant main effects of walking were found for exercise self-efficacy, general self-efficacy and global approach motivation tendencies. Walking outdoors resulted in the greatest gains in general self-efficacy and global approach motivation. Given the alarmingly sedentary nature of American culture, these findings further evidence how simple changes in physical activity may have profound effects on well-being.
Dissociation of muscle and cortical response scaling to balance perturbation acceleration.

Reactive balance recovery requires sensory inputs to be transformed into appropriate balance-correcting motor responses via brain stem circuits; these are accompanied by simultaneous and poorly und...
Aircraft Control and Simulation: Dynamics, Controls Design, and Autonomous Systems

1 The Kinematics and Dynamics of Aircraft Motion 2 Modeling the Aircraft 3 Modeling, Design, and Simulation Tools 4 Aircraft Dynamics and Classical Control Design 5 Modern Design Techniques 6 Robustness and Multivariable Frequency-Domain Techniques 7 Digital Control 8 Modeling and Simulation of Miniature Aerial Vehicles 9 Adaptive Control With Application to Miniature Aerial Vehicles
Why do Some Beetles Develop in Fallen Twigs

Many beetle species emerge in twigs pruned from the host tree by larvae inside the twig or externally girdled by adult females. Benefits of developing in fallen twigs have been afforded little experimental attention. If predation or parasitism in the canopy drive pruning and girdling behaviors, emergence is expected to be greatest in twigs on the ground, where predation and parasitism are expected to be minimized. Here, 220 twigs pruned from oak trees by larval Anelaphus parallelus (Newman) (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) were randomly placed into one of four treatments in a forested hedge: 1) on the ground; 2) on the ground within a mesh bag; 3) tied into the hedge 2.5 m above the ground; 4) secured in a mesh bag and tied into the hedge; or 5) stored in a cool basement. The percentage of beetle emergence was greatest in twigs stored in the basement (87%) and bagged twigs on the ground (74%) and was least from unbagged twigs placed in the hedge (40%). Reduced rates of predation on the ground are, therefore, implicated as a potential selective force for pruning behaviors. The percentage of parasitized twigs was least from twigs stored in a basement (2%) but, unexpectedly, greatest from twigs placed in mesh bags in the hedge (24%). Support for parasitism as a determinant of pruning behavior was, therefore, ambiguous but may be confounded if mesh bags did not deter parasitoids. Considering results of other studies, selective forces for pruning and girdling behaviors may not generalize among species.
Increased cerebral vascularization and decreased water exchange across the blood-brain barrier in aquaporin-4 knockout mice

Aquaporin-4 (AQP4) plays an important role in regulating water exchange across the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and brain-cerebrospinal fluid interface. Studies on AQP-4 knockout mice (AQP4-KO) have reported considerable protection from brain edema induced by acute water intoxication and ischemic stroke, identifying AQP4 as a potential target for therapeutic interventions. However, the long-term effects of chronic AQP4 suppression are yet to be elucidated. In the current study, we evaluated the physiological and structural changes in adult AQP4-KO mice using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and immunohistochemical analysis. Water exchange across BBB was assessed by tracking an intravenous bolus injection of oxygen-17 (17O) water (H217O) using 17O-MRI. Cerebral blood flow (CBF) was quantified using arterial spin-labeling (ASL) MRI. Capillary density was determined by immunohistochemical staining for glucose transporter-1 (GLUT1). Compared to wildtype control mice, AQP4-KO mice showed a significant reduction in peak and steady-state H217O uptake despite unaltered CBF. Interestingly, a 22% increase in cortical capillary density was observed in AQP4-KO mice. These results suggest that increased cerebral vascularization may be an adaptive response to chronic reduction in water exchange across BBB in AQP4-KO mice.
The Captivating Vision of the “New Growth Strategy”: The Missing Political Economy Perspective

One hears little about the Planning Commission’s Framework for Economic Growth launched a year ago. This is indicative of its inappropriateness and lack of consideration of Pakistan’s economy or its structures and political economy. The Framework avoids tackling the core issues of taxation, distribution, and equity. It privileges the market and free enterprise over the role of the state, and undermines and dismisses the significant role and contribution of the government and state in promoting growth, particularly at a time when market failure has made economists rethink the role of markets after 2008. By ignoring central issues related to politics and the articulation of power, and of issues that fall in the realm of political economy, the Planning Commission constructs a technicist script that has little value to the messy world of realpolitics.
Genome-Wide Association and Gene Co-expression Network Analyses Reveal Complex Genetics of Resistance to Goss’s Wilt of Maize

Goss's bacterial wilt and leaf blight is a disease of maize caused by the gram positive bacterium Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. nebraskensis (Cmn). First discovered in Nebraska, Goss's wilt has now spread to major maize growing states in the United States and three provinces in Canada. Previous studies conducted using elite maize inbred lines and their hybrids have shown that resistance to Goss's wilt is a quantitative trait. The objective of this study was to further our understanding of the genetic basis of resistance to Goss's wilt by using a combined approach of genome-wide association mapping and gene co-expression network analysis. Genome-wide association analysis was accomplished using a diversity panel consisting of 555 maize inbred lines and a set of 450 recombinant inbred lines (RILs) from three bi-parental mapping populations, providing the most comprehensive screening of Goss's wilt resistance to date. Three SNPs in the diversity panel and 10 SNPs in the combined dataset, including the diversity panel and RILs, were found to be significantly associated with Goss's wilt resistance. Each significant SNP explained 1-5% of the phenotypic variation for Goss's wilt (total of 8-11%). To augment the results of genome-wide association mapping and help identify candidate genes, a time course RNA sequencing experiment was conducted using resistant (N551) and susceptible (B14A) maize inbred lines. Gene co-expression network analysis of this time course experiment identified one module of 141 correlated genes that showed differential regulation in response to Cmn inoculations in both resistant and susceptible lines. SNPs inside and flanking these genes explained 13.3% of the phenotypic variation. Among 1,000 random samples of genes, only 8% of samples explained more phenotypic variance for Goss's wilt resistance than those implicated by the co-expression network analysis. While a statistically significant enrichment was not observed (P < 0.05), these results suggest a possible role for these genes in quantitative resistance at the field level and warrant more research on combining gene co-expression network analysis with quantitative genetic analyses to dissect complex disease resistance traits. The results of the GWAS and co-expression analysis both support the complex nature of resistance to this important disease of maize.
Spaced-Antenna Aperture Synthesis Using an X-Band Active Phased-Array

Spaced antenna (SA) radars retrieve wind-fields by tracking resolution volume sized bins of scatterers as they advect between two physically displaced antennas. To date, SA methods have been applied for profiling the ionosphere and precipitation free atmosphere. The primary technological difficulty in applying these methods to probe precipitation at microwave frequencies is the requirement for such a short antenna separation that a significant overlap in apertures is necessary. In this article, we synthesize overlapped apertures by segmenting active phased-arrays into subarrays that are multiplexed in time. Antenna pattern measurements are then employed to evaluate beamforming errors on a family of implementations. Based on measurements and Monte Carlo simulations, we find that highly overlapping apertures are most immune to beam squint errors. This is because element-level phase errors are retained on the synthesized SAs and differential beam squint errors are minimized. Finally, we demonstrate a novel method to measure relative phase center displacement between SAs that obviates the need for near-field antenna measurements.