cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Using Switchable Pins to Increase Off-Chip Bandwidth in Chip-Multiprocessors

Off-chip memory bandwidth has been considered as one of the major limiting factors of processor performance, especially for multi-cores and many-cores. Conventional processor design allocates a large portion of off-chip pins to deliver power, leaving a small number of pins for processor signal communication. We observe that a processor requires much less power during memory intensive stages than is available. This is due to the fact that the frequencies of processor cores waiting for data to be fetched from off-chip memories can be scaled down in order to save power without degrading performance. Motivated by this observation, we propose a dynamic pin switching technique to alleviate this bandwidth limitation. This technique is introduced to dynamically exploit surplus power delivery pins to provide extra bandwidth during memory intensive program phases, thereby significantly boosting performance. This work is extended to compare two approaches for increasing off chip bandwidths using switchable pins. Additionally, it shows significant performance improvements for memory intensive workloads on a memory subsystem using Phase Change Memory.
How Current Users of Public Transit Determine its Attractiveness to Others

Previous research has indicated that individuals prefer to engage in behavior with similar others. From this it was hypothesized that the reported willingness to ride a city bus would be influenced by the perceived similarity between an individual and other riders. Two descriptions of bus riders were developed, one based on demographic information provided by 51 students waiting in line to purchase parking decals and the other based on their stereotypes of a typical rider. These descriptions were then presented to other similarly selected students as representations of a “typical rider.” Those who believed that typical riders would be similar to themselves (n = 34) indicated that they would be significantly more likely to ride a bus than those who believed that a typical rider would be dissimilar (n = 59).
Intratracheal instillation of high dose adenoviral vectors is sufficient to induce lung injury and fibrosis in mice.

Rationale Replication deficient adenoviruses (Ad) vectors are common tools in gene therapy. Since Ad vectors are known to activate innate and adaptive immunity, we investigated whether intratracheal administration of Ad vectors alone is sufficient to induce lung injury and pulmonary fibrosis. Methods We instilled Ad viruses ranging from 107 to 1.625×109 ifu/mouse as well as the same volume of PBS and bleomycin. 14 and 21 days after administration, we collected bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and mouse lung tissues. We measured the protein concentration, total and differential cell counts, and TGF-β1 production, performed Trichrome staining and Sircol assay, determined gene and protein levels of profibrotic cytokines, MMPs, and Wnt signaling proteins, and conducted TUNEL staining and co-immunofluorescence for GFP and α-SMA staining. Results Instillation of high dose Ad vectors (1.625×109 ifu/mouse) into mouse lungs induced high levels of protein content, inflammatory cells, and TGF-β1 in BALF, comparable to those in bleomycin-instilled lungs. The collagen content and mRNA levels of Col1a1, Col1a2, PCNA, and α-SMA were also increased in the lungs. Instillation of both bleomycin and Ad vectors increased expression levels of TNFα and IL-1β but not IL-10. Instillation of bleomycin but not Ad increased the expression of IL-1α, IL-13 and IL-16. Treatment with bleomycin or Ad vectors increased expression levels of integrin α1, α5, and αv, MMP9, whereas treatment with bleomycin but not Ad vectors induced MMP2 expression levels. Both bleomycin and Ad vectors induced mRNA levels of Wnt2, 2b, 5b, and Lrp6. Intratracheal instillation of Ad viruses also induced DNA damages and Ad viral infection-mediated fibrosis is not limited to the infection sites. Conclusions Our results suggest that administration of Ad vectors induces an inflammatory response, lung injury, and pulmonary fibrosis in a dose dependent manner.
Relation of Renal Arterial Pressure to Activity of Renin-Angiotensin System in Renal Hypertension.

SummaryUnilateral renal hypertension was produced in rats by constricting the aorta just above the ostium of the left renal artery. This caused a sharp reduction in renal arterial pressure which usually remained below 80 mm Hg for 1 to 2 weeks. During this interval the renal vein blood contained a potent vasopres-sor agent and an elevated content of renin. By 2 weeks the left renal arterial pressure had returned to normal levels in most animals and this was associated with disappearance of the vasopressor agent from renal vein blood as well as a marked reduction in the output of renin. Not a single rat was encountered in which a low renal arterial pressure persisted indefinitely or in which the kidney continued to produce excess vasopressor material or to discharge an increased amount of renin. These findings indicate that(1) in unilateral renal hypertension the renal arterial pressure probably governs the release of renin by the kidney and that(2) low renal arterial pressure and hence increased activity ...
PERSONALITY AND PERSONAL CONSTRUCT LOGICAL CONSISTENCY

Kelly's (6) theory of personal constructs suggests personality maladjustment occurs from the repeated use of invalid constructs. Chambers ( 1 ) suggested constructs' logical consistency is necessary for conflict-free, valid construction. A grid measure of lo,gical inconsistency ( 1 ) correlated with Cattell's 1 6 PF scores, suggesting neurotic maladjustment. Chambers and Sanders ( 4 ) later found alcoholics to be less logical. Chambers, Mahn, and Parsley ( 2 ) recently reported a curvilinear relation between logic and depression predicted by Neimeyer's personal construct theory of logic and depression. These studies support the link between logical inconsistency and neurotic forms of maladjustment. The present smdy extended chis line of inquiry. Logical inconsistency was predicted to correlate positively with the measure of neuroticism on the Eysenck Personality Inventory, positively with Chambers and O'Day's ( 3 ) Personal Construct Inventory measures of anxiety, guilt, and threat, and negatively with Crumbaugh and Maholick's ( 5 ) measure of purpose in life. Forty-six undergraduates with an approximate average age of 18 yr., participated for a small amount of academic credit. Subjects completed a coordinate grid ( 1 ) composed of self, mother, father, brother, sister, spouse (boy/girlfriend), same-sex friend, a disliked acquaintance, a recent acquaintance and ideal self. Subjects ranked these figures with respect to general similarity. This formed a square matrix of explicit ranks. Logical inconsistency was determined by finding Spearman correlations between the rows of explicit ranks, ranking these correlations across the rows to form implicit ranks and subtracting the explicit ranks from the implicit ranks. Logical inconsistency scores were the sums of the absolute values of these differences. As expected, inconsistency correlated with neuroticism ( r , ~ = .48, p < .01) , anxiety ( f r o = .44, # < .01) , guilt (740 = .52, p < .01) , threat (no = .52, # < .01) , and purpose in life (7:s = -.35, p < .05) . Pearson correlations were used. Degrees of freedom varied because some subjects did not complete all items. Association of logical inconsistency wich neurotic maladjustment is supported. Although based on a relatively small sample, the results are consistent with previous studies using many more subjects. These findings suggest further research wich the logic measure is warranted.
Bisphosphonates, Denosumab, and Anabolic Agents in the Treatment of Metastatic Bone Disease

Cancer uses local factors to activate the ever-present osteoclasts in bone to prepare a cavity into which it may grow. For this reason, medical treatments have targeted the recruitment of osteoclasts to decrease metastasis. At the moment two major classes of drugs are utilized for this purpose: the bisphosphonates and the more-recent arrival denosumab. This chapter summarizes the mechanisms of action and modes of use in metastatic bone treatment of these drugs, along with their side effects and how these may be addressed.
Determination of nitrofuran metabolites in aquatic products by high performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry with solid phase extraction

Objective The method for determination of metabolites of four nitrofuran antibiotics,nitrofurantoin(AMOZ),furaltadone(SEM),nitrofurazone(AHD) and furazolidone(AOZ) in aquatic products was developed by solid-phase extraction coupled with liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry(LC-MS/MS).Methods Samples with isotope internal standard solutions were hydrolyzed by HCl and derivatized with 2-nitrobenzaldehyde.The analytes were cleaned up on HLB solid-phase column and eluted with ethyl acetate,then evaporated and dried with nitrogen gas.The extract components were separated and gradient eluted on a XTerra C18 column with acetonitrile-5 mmol/L ammonium acetate of 0.1% formic acid solutions ion,and simultaneously quantified by the isotope internal standard operating in positive ion under multiple reactions monitoring mode.Results The limits of quantification ranged from 0.10 μg/kg to 0.30 μg/kg for four nitrofuran metabolites.The standard curves were linear in the range of 0.5-25 μg/kg,with the correlation coefficients0.995.The average recoveries for nitrofuran metabolites were 81.0%-104.8%,91.0%-110.3%,85.0%-111.4%,88.0%-108.2% respectively,and their relative standard deviation varied between 2.7% and 14.5%.The method was applied to analyze 180 fish samples from Guangdong region,four of which were confirmed to contain AOZ ranging from 1.3 to 3.6 μg/kg.Conclusion The method developed was selective,sensitive and accurate,completely suitable for nitrofuran metabolites trace analysis in aquatic products.
Serendipitous diagnosis of appendicovesical fistula by bone scan: a case report.

Abstract A 71-year-old patient had recurrent urinary tract infections for 7 years after sigmoid colectomy via a Hartmann procedure. Extensive radiological and endoscopic tests were inconclusive as to the cause of bacteriuria. Chronic back pain led to performance of a radionuclide bone scan with the incidental demonstration of a vesicoenteric fistula, confirmed at exploration. Appendectomy with resection of the involved bladder resulted in cessation of bacteriuria. (J. Urol, 142: 815–816, 1989)
PROGNOSTIC FACTORS IN ENDOMETRIAL CARCINOMA

Endometrial carcinoma is the third most common carcinoma of the female genital tract in Singapore. Although most endometrial carcinomas are detected while still at low stage, there is still a significant mortality from the disease. It is desirable that patients at high risk of relapse are identified early for consideration for additional treatment. Some information required for management can be obtained from clinical history, gross examination of the uterus and routine microscopy. These are age, stage of disease, histologic type of carcinoma (serous carcinoma and clear cell carcinomas are poor prognostic types), grade and lympho-vascular space involvement. Of less certain significance are tumour size, location and status of peritoneal cytology. Other factors currently being investigated are oestrogen and progesterone receptor status, p53 status, flow cytometric analysis for ploidy and S-phase fraction, and oncogenes such as HER-2/neu (c erbB-2). Although some of these show independent prognostic significance on multivariate analysis, it is still uncertain if the information adds significantly to the information available from routine evaluation.
Uncertainties in Observed Changes in Climate Extremes

Some of the sources of uncertainty in evaluating observed changes in climate extremes include the highly non-linear, chaotic behavior of the dynamical climate system; inhomogeneities in the climate station records, and incomplete sampling of the climate system. There is no known theoretical basis for characterizing uncertainties arising from the chaotic nature of the climate system. Ensemble simulations as well as long control simulations from climate models offer an opportunity to characterize this source of uncertainty, realizing that climate models introduce their own layer of uncertainty. Prominent examples of inhomogeneities in climate station records include changes in instrumentation, station moves, changes in measurement methodology, and changes in time of observation. Examples of the potential effects of an instrument change in the U.S. cooperative observer network and a shift in the predominant time of observation are provided. Sampling uncertainties are greater for precipitation than temperature extremes, because precipitation extremes are smaller in scale. A Monte Carlo approach to quantify sampling uncertainty is described, based on station distribution in the U.S. cooperative observer network. Also, the use of statistical tools (such as Kendall’s tau, generalized extreme value theory, and bootstrap resampling) and climate model ensemble experiments are discussed.
The effects of analyte mass and collision gases on ion beam formation in an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer

Abstract Planar laser induced fluorescence (PLIF) was used to evaluate the effect of matrix components on the formation and focusing of a Ba ion beam in a commercial inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer. Cross sections of the ion beams were taken in the second vacuum stage, in front of the entrance to the mass analyzer. Under normal operating conditions, the addition of Pb shifted the position of the Ba ion beam to the right. PLIF was also used to evaluate the effect of a collision reaction interface (CRI) on Ca and Ba ion beams. A wider velocity distribution of ions and a decrease in overall intensity were observed for the CRI images. The fluorescence and mass spectrometer signals decreased with increased CRI flow rates. These effects were most obvious for Ca ions with He gas.
Prediction of slip generation during rapid thermal processing

Advanced device scaling requires thinner, higher quality oxides with low leakage and high reliability, and tighter process control, whereas a small temperature gradient on a heated wafer above 1000C causes a plastic deformation as crystalline slip, which strongly affects the device production yield. Hence, we propose a real-time technique to predict slip generation in rapid thermal processing (RTP) tools, and confirm the validity of the prediction model.
AMP-activated protein kinase fortifies epithelial tight junctions during energetic stress via its effector GIV/Girdin

Loss of epithelial polarity impacts organ development and function; it is also oncogenic. AMPK, a key sensor of metabolic stress stabilizes cell-cell junctions and maintains epithelial polarity; its activation by Metformin protects the epithelial barrier against stress and suppresses tumorigenesis. How AMPK protects the epithelium remains unknown. Here, we identify GIV/Girdin as a novel effector of AMPK, whose phosphorylation at a single site is both necessary and sufficient for strengthening mammalian epithelial tight junctions and preserving cell polarity and barrier function in the face of energetic stress. Expression of an oncogenic mutant of GIV (cataloged in TCGA) that cannot be phosphorylated by AMPK increased anchorage-independent growth of tumor cells and helped these cells to evade the tumor-suppressive action of Metformin. This work defines a fundamental homeostatic mechanism by which the AMPK-GIV axis reinforces cell junctions against stress-induced collapse and also provides mechanistic insight into the tumor-suppressive action of Metformin.
Comment on ‘Species-selective lattice launch for precision atom interferometry’

Errors and uncertainties in calculations presented by Chamakhi et al (2015 New J. Phys. 17 123002) are identified.
Does partial muscle reinnervation preserve future re-innervation potential?

Introduction: Late revision nerve surgery for incomplete motor recovery due to partial reinnervation would improve muscle function only if all muscle fibers were protected from developing denervation atrophy. Methods: Sixty immature Sprague-Dawley rats underwent the following tibial nerve manipulations (n=15/group): Group A, partial denervation (2/3 of nerve resected and remaining 1/3 crushed), revision repair at 8 months; Group B, partial denervation; Group C, complete denervation, immediate reconstruction; Group D, complete denervation, reconstruction at 8 months; Group E, control group. Final testing at 11 months included muscle force, weight, and histology. Results: Muscle weight was significantly (P B>C>A>D), and force was significantly lower in A and D compared to E. Muscle fiber cross-sectional area was statistically smaller in A than in B, C, or E. Discussion: Partial reinnervation still allowed substantial muscle recovery, but it did not preserve the noninnervated muscle fibers. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
History is a mirror to the future: best-effort approximate complex event matching with insufficient resources

Complex event processing (CEP) has proven to be a highly relevant topic in practice. As it is sensitive to both errors in the stream and uncertainty in the pattern, approximate complex event processing (ACEP) is an important direction but has not been adequately studied before. ACEP is costly, and is often performed under insufficient computing resources. We propose an algorithm that learns from the past behavior of ACEP runs, and makes decisions on what to process first in an online manner, so as to maximize the number of full matches found. In addition, we devise effective optimization techniques. Finally, we propose a mechanism that uses reinforcement learning to dynamically update the history structure without incurring much overhead. Put together, these techniques drastically improve the fraction of full matches found in resource constrained environments.
On Revenue-Maximizing Walrasian Equilibria for Size-Interchangeable Bidders

We study a market setting in which bidders are single-valued but size-interchangeable, and there exist multiple copies of heterogeneous goods. Our contributions are as follows: (1) providing polynomial-time algorithms for finding a restricted envy-free equilibrium with reserve prices (EFEr); (2) posing the problem of finding a revenue-maximizing EFEr, and running experiments to show that our algorithms perform well on the metrics of revenue, efficiency, and time, without incurring too many violations of the stronger Walrasian equilibrium with reserve (envy-free plus market clearance) conditions.
A neuropsychological challenge to the sentimentalism/rationalism distinction

Critical reflection on the available neuropsychological evidence suggests that the roles of emotion and reason in moral judgment may not be distinct. This casts significant doubt on our current understanding of moral judgment, and therefore also on all philosophical theories based on that understanding. Most notably, it raises doubts about both sentimentalism and rationalism, which historically have often been treated as exclusive and exhaustive theories regarding the nature of moral concepts. As an alternative, I endorse pluralism with regard to the emotional and rational nature of moral concepts.
A Literature Review of the Effectiveness of CDS Vaccine Reminders on the Vaccination Rates

Some infectious and contagious diseases can spread like wildfire. Vaccinations can prevent this from happening. They can prevent two to three million deaths every year worldwide. Thirty-three percent of US children are incompletely protected against some vaccine-preventable diseases. The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether clinical decision support alerts or reminders appeared to clinicians can increase vaccination rates or not. To do so, PubMed, Google Scholar and Scopus were searched to find out what has been said about this topic. Among 82 articles, 14 articles were included in this paper based on the inclusion criteria. All the articles support the statement that CDS reminders or alerts can improve the vaccination rate.
On the recorded motion of the S phase at Florissant

Abstract The initial motions of the P and S phases have been tabulated from the original seismograms of sixty earthquakes which recorded at the Florissant station in the years 1927–1938. The epicenters of these earthquakes were within limited areas of the following regions: the Aleutian Islands, the west-central coast of South America, and Central America. The study indicates that the Florissant seismograms show a preferential direction of motion for both P and S waves in the recordings of certain earthquakes from selected regions. The data compiled on the S phase indicated that a majority of the Aleutian and South American earthquakes recorded a sharp impulsive initial northeast motion at Florissant. The Central American earthquakes studied recorded S phases of somewhat indefinite onset which did not exhibit a preferential motion as they were read. The results of the application of Neumann9s method of S-wave analysis to the Saint Louis seismograms of two selected Aleutian Island earthquakes are presented and a brief discussion of some possible structural implications of the various data is given.
Stability of Switching ODEs

The main motivational forces for this chapter are the work of Davis [30] on piecewise deterministic systems, and the work of Kac and Krasovskii [79] on stability of randomly switched systems. In recent years, growing attention has been drawn to deterministic dynamic systems formulated as differential equations modulated by a random switching process. This is because of the increasing demands for modeling large-scale and complex systems, designing optimal controls, and carrying out optimization tasks.In this chapter, we consider stability of such hybrid systems modulated by a random-switching process, which are “equivalent” to a number of ordinary differential equations coupled by a switching or jump process.
Traceur as Bricoleur. Poaching public space through bricolent use of architecture and the body

This paper emerged from many months of regular participation in the parkour community in Indianapolis, Indiana. First, this study looks at the art of parkour as a bricolent engagement with architecture. Acts of bricolage, a sort of artistic making-do with objects (including one’s body) in the environment, play with(in) the dominant order to “manipulate the mechanisms of discipline and conform to them only in order to evade them” (de Certeau, 1984: xiv). Second, this study investigates architecture’s participation in the production and maintenance of what de Certeau calls, “operational logic” (p. xi). That is, how architecture acts as a communicative mode of space; one, which conveys rationalized or acceptable ways of being in space. This critical ethnography, then, takes to task the investigation of how traceurs, the practitioners of parkour, uncover emancipatory potential in city space through bricolent use of both architecture and the body.
In Vitro Comparison of Holmium Lasers: Evidence for Shorter Fragmentation Time and Decreased Retropulsion Using a Modern Variable-pulse Laser

Objective To compare the performance of variable- and fixed-pulse lasers on stone phantoms in vitro. Materials and Methods Seven-millimeter stone phantoms were made to simulate calcium oxalate monohydrate stones using BegoStone plus. The in vitro setting was created with a clear polyvinyl chloride tube. For each trial, a stone phantom was placed at the open end of the tubing. The Cook Rhapsody H-30 variable-pulse laser was tested on both long- and short-pulse settings and was compared to the Dornier H-20 fixed-pulse laser; 5 trials were conducted for each trial arm. Fragmentation was accomplished with the use of a flexible ureteroscope and a 273-micron holmium laser fiber using settings of 1 J × 12 Hz. The treatment time (in minute) for complete fragmentation was recorded as was the total retropulsion distance (in centimeter) during treatment. Laser fibers were standardized for all repetitions. Results The treatment time was significantly shorter with the H-30 vs the H-20 laser (14.3 ± 2.5 vs 33.1 ± 8.9 minutes, P = .008). There was no difference between the treatment times using the long vs short pulse widths of the H-30 laser (14.4 ± 3.4 vs 14.3 ± 1.7 minutes, P = .93). Retropulsion differed by laser type and pulse width, H-30 long pulse (15.8 ± 5.7 cm), H-30 short pulse (54.8 ± 7.1 cm), and H-20 (33.2 ± 12.5 cm) (P Conclusion The H-30 laser fragmented stone phantoms in half the time of the H-20 laser regardless of the pulse width. Retropulsion effects differed between the lasers, with the H-30 causing the least retropulsion. Longer pulse widths result in less stone retropulsion.
Reflections on the historiography of the twentieth century from the perspective of the twenty-first century

The paper summarises and critically discusses the main trends of twentieth-century historiography worldwide and sets an agends for future orientation.
Stadia, Larval-Pupal Weight, and Width of Head Capsules of Corn Earworm (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) After Feeding on Varying Resistance Levels of Maize Silks

Weight of larvae, developmental time to pupation, weight of pupae, length of stadia, and width of head capsule were determined for larvae of the corn earworm, Helicoverpa zea (Boddie), that were fed on meridic diets with silks of ‘Stowell's Evergreen’, a susceptible genotype, or low, intermediate, and high levels of ‘Zapalote Chico’, a corn, Zea mays L., cultivar with antibiotic resistance. As the level of resistance increased, the weight of larvae at 9 days and weight of pupae significantly decreased, and developmental time to pupation significantly increased. Also, as the concentration of resistant material increased in the diet, stadial length also significantly increased. The intermediate and high levels of resistance also resulted in a significant reduction in the width of the head capsule of larvae. Thus, two new characteristics of resistance in maize silks to the corn earworm were identified: increased stadia and decreased width of head capsule.
JAK/STAT-1 Signaling Is Required for Reserve Intestinal Stem Cell Activation during Intestinal Regeneration Following Acute Inflammation

The intestinal epithelium serves as an essential barrier to the outside world and is maintained by functionally distinct populations of rapidly cycling intestinal stem cells (CBC ISCs) and slowly cycling, reserve ISCs (r-ISCs). Because disruptions in the epithelial barrier can result from pathological activation of the immune system, we sought to investigate the impact of inflammation on ISC behavior during the regenerative response. In a murine model of αCD3 antibody-induced small-intestinal inflammation, r-ISCs proved highly resistant to injury, while CBC ISCs underwent apoptosis. Moreover, r-ISCs were induced to proliferate and functionally contribute to intestinal regeneration. Further analysis revealed that the inflammatory cytokines interferon gamma and tumor necrosis factor alpha led to r-ISC activation in enteroid culture, which could be blocked by the JAK/STAT inhibitor, tofacitinib. These results highlight an important role for r-ISCs in response to acute intestinal inflammation and show that JAK/STAT-1 signaling is required for the r-ISC regenerative response.
Detection and pharmacokinetics of grapiprant following oral administration to exercised Thoroughbred horses.

Traditional therapeutic options for the treatment of lameness associated with inflammation in performance horses include administration of cyclooxygenase enzyme inhibiting non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID). As long-term use of these drugs can adversely impact the health of the horse, anti-inflammatories with a more favorable safety profile are warranted. Grapiprant is a newly approved non-cyclooxygenase inhibiting NSAID that has demonstrated efficacy and safety in other species and which may be a valuable alternative to traditional NSAIDs used in the horse. The objectives of the current study were to describe drug concentrations and the pharmacokinetics of grapiprant in exercised Thoroughbred horses and to develop an analytical method that could be used to regulate its use in performance horses. To that end, grapiprant, at a dose of 2 mg/kg was administered orally to 12 exercised Thoroughbred horses. Blood and urine samples were collected prior to and for up to 96 hours post drug administration. Drug concentrations were measured using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Grapiprant remained above the LOQ of the assay (0.005 ng/mL) in serum for 72 hours post administration and urine concentrations were above the LOQ until 96 hours. The Cmax , Tmax and elimination half-life were 31.9 ± 13.9 ng/mL, 1.5 ± 0.5 hours and 5.86 ± 2.46 hours, respectively. The drug was well tolerated in all horses at a dose of 2 mg/kg. Results support further study of this compound in horses. Furthermore, development of a highly sensitive analytical method demonstrate that this compound can be adequately regulated in performance horses.
Dispersion of Weathered Biodiesel, Diesel, and Light Crude Oil in the Presence of Sophorolipid Biosurfactant in Seawater

AbstractSophorolipid biosurfactants have shown promise in remediation of oil-contaminated environments. This study investigated the potential application of sophorolipid biosurfactants for enhanced...
Cosmic Rays and the Sunspot Cycle: A Large Cosmic-Ray Decrease accompanying the Solar Maximum of 1957

Several obsevations of the general cosmic-ray level at balloon altitudes have been made which show a very large decrease in intensity during the spring and summer of 1957 compared with 1955 and 1956. The obsevations are of two types, the first made with a small Geiger counter vertical telescope of stepping power 0.2 g/cm/sup 2/, and the second with a combination of Geiger counter and ionization chamber. The 1957 measuremente were made at latitudes of 51.2 deg , 55.3 deg , and 58.6 deg in June for comparison with the earlier measurements at latitudes from 51.2 deg to 64.2 deg . The vertical particle flux has decreased at all atmospheric depths less than 300 g/cm/sup 2/, and the change increases with decreasing depth until at high altitudes and high latitudes it almost reaches a factor of two. (W.D.M.)
A quantum chemical study of the mechanism of action of Vitamin K carboxylase (VKC): III. Intermediates and transition states

A reaction path including transition states is generated for the Dowd mechanism [P. Dowd, R. Hershlne, S.W. Ham, S. Naganathan. Vitamin K and energy transduction: a base strength amplification mechanism. Science 269 (2005) 1684-1691] of action for Vitamin K carboxylase (VKC) using quantum chemical methods (B3LYP/6-311G**). VKC, an essential enzyme in mammalian systems, catalyzes the conversion of hydroquinone form of Vitamin K to the epoxide form in the presence of oxygen. An intermediate species of the oxidation of Vitamin K, an alkoxide, acts apparently to abstract the gamma hydrogen from specifically located glutamate residues. We are able to follow the Dowd proposed path to generate this alkoxide species. The geometries of the proposed model intermediates and transition states in the mechanism are energy optimized. We find that the most energetic step in the mechanism is the uni-deprotonation of the hydroquinone - once this occurs, there is only a small barrier of 3.5kcal/mol for the interaction of oxygen with the carbon to be attacked - and then the reaction proceeds downhill in free energy to form the critical alkoxide species. The results are consistent with the idea that the enzyme probably acts to facilitate the formation of the epoxide by reducing the energy required to deprotonate the hydroquinone form.
Activation of α-sp3 centres toward electrophilic substitution in alcohols and amines

The scope of electrophilic substitution at alpha-sp3 centres in alcohols and amines via their alpha-lithio species is reviewed. The importance of alpha-activation by the hetero atom protecting group is deliniated with special reference to transient protection-activation methodology.
Palatability of beef chuck, loin, and round muscles from three USDA quality grades.

The objective of this study was to determine the palatability of various beef cuts from 3 USDA quality grades. Five different beef subprimals from USDA Prime, Choice, and Select (n = 10/quality grade) carcasses were utilized for the study, including: strip loins, inside rounds, bottom rounds, shoulder clods, and chuck rolls. Subprimals were fabricated into 9 retail cuts, which contained the following beef muscles: longissimus lumborum (LL); longissimus thoracis, complexus, and spinalis dorsi (LCS); infraspinatus (IF); serratus ventralis (SV); triceps brachii (TB); teres major (TM); adductor (AD); semimembranosus (SM); and biceps femoris (BF). The pH and percentage of fat, moisture, protein, and collagen was determined for each muscle on a raw basis. Additionally, cooked steak measurements included Warner-Bratzler shear force (WBSF) and slice shear force (SSF). Consumer and trained sensory panelists evaluated palatability traits of each cut and quality grade combination. A quality grade × muscle interaction was determined for trained panelists assessment of overall tenderness (P = 0.03), SSF (P = 0.02), proximate composition (P 0.05) were found among quality grades for the AD, BF, and SM. The WBSF values decreased (P < 0.05) across all muscles, as quality grade increased (Prime < Choice < Select). The results of this study indicate that muscles from the chuck may be utilized to provide consumers with a positive eating experience. Meanwhile, muscles from the round are likely to provide consumers with a lower quality eating experience.
NATURAL RUBBER BIOSYNTHESIS: STILL A MYSTERY

ABSTRACT Currently, Hevea brasiliensis (the Brazilian rubber tree) is the only commercially available source of natural rubber (NR) for use in many products, which vary from tires to medical produc...
Stabilization of lncRNA GAS5 by a Small Molecule and Its Implications in Diabetic Adipocytes.

Summary Long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) are regulatory RNAs >200 nt. We previously showed that lncRNA GAS5 decreases significantly in serum of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients. Hence, we sought to decipher the molecular mechanisms underlying the role of GAS5 in T2DM in adipose tissue. Using CHIP-RIP, we demonstrate that GAS5 binds to promoter of insulin receptor to regulate its expression, and its depletion inhibits glucose uptake and insulin signaling. Toward stabilizing GAS5 levels in T2DM, we incorporated a strategy to limit the degradation of GAS5 by blocking the interaction of GAS5 and UPF1 with a small molecule identified using OBTC screening strategy. NP-C86 binds to GAS5 with high affinity, and increases GAS5 levels and glucose uptake in diabetic patient adipocytes. As a broader impact, NP-C86 may be used as a molecular probe to investigate the intricacies of GAS5 in relevant biological systems as it offers specificity, efficient cellular uptake and is non-cytotoxic.
Trademark Protection of Product Characteristics: A Predictive Model

Marketing professionals, in their quests to find new ways to distinguish products, now seek trademark protection for a wide array of product attributes, such as colors, odors, sounds, and shapes. P...
Estimating risk premiums for adopting no-till and cover crops management practices in soybean production system using stochastic efficiency approach

Abstract Several alternative conservation practices that address farmers' concerns over natural resource stewardship are currently available. Such conservation practices as the planting of cover crops and conservation tillage are some of the most widely promoted practices throughout the U.S. today. Based on three-years (2016–2018) of field data and historical market price, crop yield, crop price, and fuel and fertilizer price are simulated to create net return distributions. To evaluate the profitability of conservation alternatives and the risk efficiency of these alternatives, the stochastic efficiency with respect to a function (SERF) method is used for analyzing the no-till and cover crop management systems in Louisiana soybean production. SERF estimates certainty equivalents (CE) in order to rank a set of risk-efficient alternatives over a range of risk aversion preferences. Results indicate that CE values are higher for conventional tillage practices than for no-till and risk premiums are positive across all risk-aversion values; however, for risk-averse farmers, premiums are almost zero if their current system is either a no-till or conventional tillage system where the farmer has already implemented a cover crop.
Truth in a Post-Truth World: Transcendence and the Essence of Mattering

The possibility of transcendent, objective, perdurant truth seems to have fallen on hard times lately, the very concept increasingly being called into question – if not simply dismissed outright. I...
Bronchoprovocation Testing

Airway smooth muscles of asthmatics tend to be hyperresponsive when provoked. The exaggerated bronchial constriction can be measured by the airflow limitation seen following bronchial provocation. Measuring bronchial hyperresponsiveness by broncho provocation testing is helpful in diagnosing and optimizing therapy. While numerous agents have been used to provoke a measurable airflow limitation, standardized protocols are available for only a few. This article aims to discuss the various methods that have been reported for bronchoprovocation testing.
Cultural imaginaries or incommensurable ontologies? Relationality and sovereignty as worldviews in socio-technological system transitions

Abstract Scholars bridging the fields of science and technology studies (STS) and energy research in social sciences (ERSS) offer a rich and integrated conceptualization of how energy systems are imbued in social systems, including cultures, social structures, institutions, and social relations of power. Yet as fields of study, STS and ERSS are dominated by approaches to understanding nature, culture, and relationships among them with origins in western European Enlightenment thinking. In this article, we argue that the language of “imaginaries” provides an understanding of culturally organized normative commitments but may obscure attention to what are actually diverse and sometimes incommensurable yet legitimate plural ontologies. Tribal Nations, Indigenous communities, and other non-Western worldviews are not simply imagined; they offer different teachings regarding the relational and embedded realities governing relations among human and more-than-human beings across time and space. The field of STS has a rich history of exploring ontological controversies and provides insight into understanding diverse and competing perspectives in science and technology, yet without articulating the connection between this conceptual terrain and the lived realities of socio-technological system entrenchment or change. ERSS recognizes participation, energy system democratization, and even co-production as components of a just energy transition, while most typically thinking about participation as a methodology or research approach rather than as requiring consideration and even wholesale reconceptualization of ontological foundations. To advance convergent, transdisciplinary social science research in socio-technological transitions requires grappling with plural ontologies regarding the reality of relations in the world. Here, we explore diverse ontologies shaping the realities of energy systems through the lens of Tribal Nations in the Great Lakes region in the United States. Ontologies that recognize reciprocal relationships among human and more-than-human beings as well as the sovereignty of these beings and their collective kinships suggest fundamentally different priorities for energy systems transitions. Moving beyond the language of imagination to recognize that cultures can involve diverse and sometimes incommensurable pluralistic ontologies is essential for developing inclusive and just frameworks for socio-technological system transitions.
BRAC+: Improved Behavior Regularized Actor Critic for Offline Reinforcement Learning.

Online interactions with the environment to collect data samples for training a Reinforcement Learning (RL) agent is not always feasible due to economic and safety concerns. The goal of Offline Reinforcement Learning is to address this problem by learning effective policies using previously collected datasets. Standard off-policy RL algorithms are prone to overestimations of the values of out-of-distribution (less explored) actions and are hence unsuitable for Offline RL. Behavior regularization, which constraints the learned policy within the support set of the dataset, has been proposed to tackle the limitations of standard off-policy algorithms. In this paper, we improve the behavior regularized offline reinforcement learning and propose BRAC+. First, we propose quantification of the out-of-distribution actions and conduct comparisons between using Kullback-Leibler divergence versus using Maximum Mean Discrepancy as the regularization protocol. We propose an analytical upper bound on the KL divergence as the behavior regularizer to reduce variance associated with sample based estimations. Second, we mathematically show that the learned Q values can diverge even using behavior regularized policy update under mild assumptions. This leads to large overestimations of the Q values and performance deterioration of the learned policy. To mitigate this issue, we add a gradient penalty term to the policy evaluation objective. By doing so, the Q values are guaranteed to converge. On challenging offline RL benchmarks, BRAC+ outperforms the baseline behavior regularized approaches by 40%~87% and the state-of-the-art approach by 6%.
An Eddy-Current Study of Casting

Even though casting technology has a 5000-year history, the understanding and control of the process still has significance to current metal producers. Nondestructive evaluation is usually applied to finished or semifinished product; however, in casting, when the evaluation is moved to the point of production, the testing procedure can be incorporated into the casting control. The metallurgical impetus for such casting control and evaluation cannot be simply stated since the needs are process and product dependent. The main technical advantage of applying eddy-current analysis to the study of solidification is that eddy currents have a reasonable sensitivity to continuous and discontinuous conductivity changes. A drawback in the examination of the liquid-solid interfaces is that the eddy-current signals are integrated over a substantial volume, which averages out detailed information such as dendrite structure. To successfully use the technique of eddy-current analysis, one must utilize postmortem metallographic examination of specimens for standards and detailed mathematical modeling of the solidification response, which cover probable morphologies. Laboratory measurements of freezing of a Pb-20Sn alloy demonstrate that directional solidification can be identified. Finally, two techniques of data analysis for processing eddy-current signals are presented and discussed.
One More River to Cross: The Therapeutic Rhetoric of Race in the Post-Civil Rights Era

The rhetoric of W.E.B. Du Bois contributed both to a sense of group failure among blacks and a sense of individual failure. Du Bois also created a need to explain the reasons for the failure of the group, as well as that of individuals within the group, specifically those within a segment of the black population deemed the talented tenth. Today the talented tenth is more generally spoken of as those occupying positions within the black middle class. Explanations for failure among blacks as a group are generally of two kinds. The first posits that the failure blacks experience as a group is due to the failure of the talented tenth to provide adequate leadership of the race. The second posits that the failure blacks experience as a group is due to the failure of American society to commit itself to establishing not only legal equality but also social, political, and economic equality for all Americans. Members of the talented tenth, not understanding that the root of the problem lies with the impossible situation Du Bois placed them in as saviors of the race begin to attribute perceived failures among blacks to American society. Instead of questioning Du Bois’s goal and the possibility for complete ‘racial uplift,’ members of the talented tenth begin to question American society’s commitment to realize the goals of the civil rights
Apomorphine Is a Potent Radical Scavenger and Protects Cultured Pheochromocytoma Cells from 6-OHDA and H2O2-Induced Cell Death

Publisher Summary The mixed-type dopamine D1-D2-receptor agonist apomorphine has had an impressive career as a replacement for L-dopa in the therapy for Parkinson's disease in the late stage of the disease. Earlier attempts to introduce apomorphine as a dopamine replacement had failed because of its short duration of action and gastrointestinal side effects. Presently, the pharmacokinetic problems have been overcome with sophisticated drug delivery devices, as portable infusion pumps or insulin pens. Coadministration of the peripherally acting dopamine receptor antagonist domperidone prevents the undesired noncentral effects of apomorphine, which has become the medication of choice for patients suffering from on-off fluctuations after years of L-dopa administration. The discovery that catecholamines can be cytotoxic has raised the question of the long-term effects of the treatment in Parkinson's disease with drugs like L-dopa or apomorphine on the progression of the disease. Catecholaminergic drugs can act as reducing agents and iron chelators. They can interfere with cellular redox reactions and promote the formation of free radicals, which are thought to be mediators of neurodegeneration. Damage is caused close to the site where free radicals are formed. Catecholamines can act as radical scavengers and slow down the progression of neurodegenerative diseases. In this chapter it has been demonstrated that apomorphine can act as a potent free radical scavenger in vitro and in cell culture. The balance between catecholamine toxicity and possible beneficial effects because of antioxidation was looked into in PC12 cell culture, a system to study apoptotic and necrotic cell death. Because the dopamine prodrug L-dopa and apomorphine are used in the treatment of Parkinson's disease, it is of interest to investigate the influence of these agents on the biochemical processes involved in the progression of neurodegeneration. It was found that apomorphine is a representative of a catecholamine with pronounced antioxidant effects.
Ketone bodies as precursors of sterols and fatty acids in the developing rat.

Four substances, β-hydroxy[3-14C]butyrate, [3-14C]acetoacetate, [2-14C]acetate and [2-14C]mevalonate, were compared by subcutaneous injection in 9- to 12-day-old rats as precursors of lipids in the central nervous system and in other organs. Subcutaneously injected mevalonate is a poor substrate for sterol synthesis in the central nervous system as compared to the utilization by the liver and kidneys, the latter taking far the largest share of available mevalonate for sterol biosynthesis. The data obtained demonstrated that 3-hydroxybutyrate was the preferred substrate for sterol and fatty acid biosynthesis in the three organs of ectodermal origin: the brain, spinal cord, and the skin. It is postulated that ketone bodies play a major role in the central nervous system during myelination not only as sources of energy, but also of carbon for lipid biosynthesis.
Baltimore, David (1938–)

This article has no abstract. Keywords: Baltimore, David (tumor viruses and genetic material interaction); HIV dynamics