cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
System of System case study - why the network centric command and control system needed to change: Lessons from army command and control in Operation Iraqi Freedom

This case study investigates the United States Netcentric Command and Control (C2) System of Systems (SoS) before, during, and after the initial phases of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Netcentric (C2) systems are complex, large-scale, socio-technical, and highly interconnected. They require large capital investments, asynchronous design and test periods for different elements, and long deployment lifecycles with asynchronous clock speeds associated with the longevity of different elements. The study investigates what a Netcentric C2 SoS is, why the designed Netcentric C2 SoS needed to change, and how it changed to meet the needs of the Army during selected operational deployments over a ten year period (2000 – 2010). This report closes by offering related questions for further research.
In Vivo Pancreatic β-Cell–Specific Expression of Antiaging Gene Klotho: A Novel Approach for Preserving β-Cells in Type 2 Diabetes

Protein expression of an antiaging gene, Klotho, was depleted in pancreatic islets in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and in db/db mice, an animal model of T2DM. The objective of this study was to investigate whether in vivo expression of Klotho would preserve pancreatic β-cell function in db/db mice. We report for the first time that β-cell–specific expression of Klotho attenuated the development of diabetes in db/db mice. β-Cell–specific expression of Klotho decreased hyperglycemia and enhanced glucose tolerance. The beneficial effects of Klotho were associated with significant improvements in T2DM-induced decreases in number of β-cells, insulin storage levels in pancreatic islets, and glucose-stimulated insulin secretion from pancreatic islets, which led to increased blood insulin levels in diabetic mice. In addition, β-cell–specific expression of Klotho decreased intracellular superoxide levels, oxidative damage, apoptosis, and DNAJC3 (a marker for endoplasmic reticulum stress) in pancreatic islets. Furthermore, β-cell–specific expression of Klotho increased expression levels of Pdx-1 (insulin transcription factor), PCNA (a marker of cell proliferation), and LC3 (a marker of autophagy) in pancreatic islets in db/db mice. These results reveal that β-cell–specific expression of Klotho improves β-cell function and attenuates the development of T2DM. Therefore, in vivo expression of Klotho may offer a novel strategy for protecting β-cells in T2DM.
Bioconcentration of trans-chlordane by the midge, Chironomus decorus

Abstract The accumulation and transport of the organochlorine pesticide, trans-chlordane, by the midge, Chironomus decorus was examined in a whole life cycle laboratory exposure assay. Larvae were kept in dosed water exposures including food particles from egg stages through adult metamorphosis and were sampled for weight gain and chemical content over the course of the 50 day study. Accumulation of trans-chlordane was related to the amount of contaminant in the larval environment. Concentration of trans-chlordane (ng contaminant/g tissue) in larvae was not significantly different from second through fourth instar stages but depended upon the weight of the larvae. Differences in time to metamorphosis, weight gain and sex ratios occurred among all replicate exposures, including controls, suggesting nongenetic maternal differences, rather than environmental variation caused by chemical exposure. When the larvae metamorphosed, an average of 82.6% of the contaminant was retained in the adults while 11.4% was left behind in the shed exuviae. This study suggests that terrestrial predators feeding on emerging aquatic insects can be exposed to organic pesticides from aquatic environments.
Convective Inhibition, Subgrid-Scale Triggering Energy, and Stratiform Instability in a Toy Tropical Wave Model

Abstract A toy model of large-scale deep convection variations is constructed around a radiative–convective equilibrium climate, with an observed mean sounding as its thermodynamic basic state. Vertical structure is truncated at two modes, excited by convective (one-signed) and stratiform (two-signed) heating processes in tropical deep convection. Separate treatments of deep and shallow convection are justified by observations that deep convection is more variable. Deep convection intensity is assumed to be modulated by convective available potential energy (CAPE), while occurrence frequency is modulated by the ratio of convective inhibition (CIN) to “triggering energy” K, a scalar representing the intensity of subgrid-scale fluctuations. Deep convective downdrafts cool and dry the boundary layer but also increase K. Variations of K make the relationship between convection and thermodynamic variables (CAPE, CIN, θe) nonunique and amplify the deep convective response to temperature waves of small (∼1°C) am...
Trace Element Concentration in Amorphous Clays of Volcanic Ash Soils in Oregon

(Received 22 March 1971) Abstract-Clay fractions in soils from a transect of the Mazama ash deposit (6600-yr-old) contained more than 80% amorphous material. Instrumental neutron activation analysis was used to compare the trace element composition of the soil clay with the unweathered volcanic glass. The clay fractions had only 10% as much Na as the volcanic glass. Conversely, the rare earth element concentrations were about three times greater and the transition metal concentrations were up to nine times greater in the clay than in the glass. The < 2/z size fraction therefore contained mostly weathering products rather than fine glass. The abundances of Cr, Co, Sc, and Fe in the clay fraction decreased with depth. The Sc/Fe ratio was approximately 4 x 10 -4 for both clay and the unweathered glass. The relationship between ele- mental concentration in clay and fine sand size separates from the same soil horizons indicated that the clay exists in association with the larger size particles, probably as coatings. Dilute nitric acid removed about 80% of the rare earth elements La, Nd, Sm, Eu, Tb, Yb, and Lu from the clay. Deferration was necessary to remove Ce, a rare earth element that forms insoluble oxides upon oxidation to the Ce 4+ state. The residue of the KOH dissolution treatment contained 2 : 1 layer silicates that may be derived from primary biotite.
Revascularization of nerve grafts: A qualitative and quantitative study of the soft-tissue bed contributions to blood flow in canine nerve grafts

Blood flow to canine saphenous nerve grafts either in contact with a healthy soft-tissue bed or isolated from the soft-tissue bed by entubulation was quantitated at 3, 7, 14, and 28 days after surgery with radionuclide-labeled microspheres and evaluated histomorphometrically. At 3 days there was no statistical difference between the 2 techniques in regard to nerve graft blood flow, and neither group had blood flow in the middle portion of the graft. In contrast, analysis at 7, 14, and 28 days found blood flow in the middle segments of the nonisolated conventional nerve grafts to exceed that of entubulated nerve grafts with evidence in these segments of both lateral and longitudinal revascularization. The results of this investigation support an important role for the soft-tissue bed in nerve graft revascularization and suggest that neovascularization from the soft-tissue bed is the primary mechanism for restoration of blood flow in such grafts.
Psychosocial Correlates of Physical and Sedentary Activities of Early Adolescent Youth

This study examines physical and sedentary activities of early adolescent boys and girls using Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA), a method that can link mood and behaviors in specific social situations. Twenty-seven assessments were collected across 7 days from 82 participating adolescents, three times in seventh grade and one time in eighth grade. Assessments were completed during nonschool hours when youth had “free time.” Gender differences, longitudinal trends, and associations of physical activities (PA) and small screen recreation (SSR) with moods and peer presence are examined. Boys were engaged in PA more than girls. Patterns of PA differed by gender; boys significantly decreased PA from seventh to eighth grade, whereas girls had increased PA only during the spring. PA was associated with happier mood and was more likely to occur in the presence of peers. SSR significantly increased from seventh grade to eighth grade for both boys and girls. SSR occurred more when youth were alone and was not ...
Consequences of periodic augmented breaths on tongue muscle activities in hypoxic rats.

This study was designed to investigate the influence of hypoxia-evoked augmented breaths (ABs) on respiratory-related tongue protrudor and retractor muscle activities and inspiratory pump muscle ou...
Structural analysis of a functional DIAP1 fragment bound to grim and hid peptides.

Abstract The inhibitor of apoptosis protein DIAP1 suppresses apoptosis in Drosophila , with the second BIR domain (BIR2) playing an important role. Three proteins, Hid, Grim, and Reaper, promote apoptosis, in part by binding to DIAP1 through their conserved N-terminal sequences. The crystal structures of DIAP1-BIR2 by itself and in complex with the N-terminal peptides from Hid and Grim reveal that these peptides bind a surface groove on DIAP1, with the first four amino acids mimicking the binding of the Smac tetrapeptide to XIAP. The next 3 residues also contribute to binding through hydrophobic interactions. Interestingly, peptide binding induces the formation of an additional α helix in DIAP1. Our study reveals the structural conservation and diversity necessary for the binding of IAPs by the Drosophila Hid/Grim/Reaper and the mammalian Smac proteins.
GPS Precipitable Water as a Diagnostic of the North American Monsoon in California and Nevada

Precipitable water derived from archived global positioning system (GPS) zenith travel-time delays is used to describe the seasonal and interannual variation of the North American monsoon in California and Nevada. A 3-hourly dataset of precipitable water from 2003 to 2009, for over 500 sites in California and Nevada using temperature and pressure interpolated from the North American Regional Reanalysis (NARR), is constructed to study the temporal and spatial extent of the North American monsoon in the desert regions of California and Nevada. The statistical distribution of precipitable water values is shown to delineate the region that is most often affected by the monsoonal influence. A normalized precipitable water index is employed to indicate when the monsoon starts and stops and to investigate spatial variability. The GPS network provides much higher spatial resolution than other meteorological networks using surface-based methods, such as dewpoint criteria and rainfall, and is seen to contain comparable ability in capturing temporal variations. This dataset reveals the northwestward propagation of the monsoon onset both synoptically and seasonally. The GPS observations indicate that in the mean the decay of the monsoon is less well defined than the onset. Seven-year reanalysis 700-mb geopotential height composites for the monsoon onset and 3d ays prior indicate that the onset of the monsoon is associated with as hift in the synoptic pattern characterized by upper-level high pressure building from the east and offshore troughing retreating to the northwest.
Seasonality, Labor Scheduling, and Agricultural Intensification in the Nigerian Savanna

Human labor is the primary factor of production in indigenous agricultural systems, yet the organization and scheduling of labor, and effect of agricultural intensification on these processes, remain poorly understood. While most theoretical and empirical studies have emphasized overall labor input and efficiency, this study of the Kofyar of Nigeria analyzes the scheduling and mobilization of labor in ecological context. Detailed labor diaries for a sample of households over an entire agricultural cycle reveal intricate schedules that balance the labor demands of a variable crop complex with a set of complementary mechanisms for mobilizing labor. With rising population density and market impetus, the Kofyar have increased gross labor inputs, adjusted crop mixes to reduce weekly fluctuations in labor, and extended the agricultural season. Labor demands are met by three social mechanisms of labor mobilization, which offer varying sizes of labor pool, degree of flexibility, and type of compensation.
Probing Multiple Sight Lines through the SN 1006 Remnant by Ultraviolet Absorption Spectroscopy

Absorption-line spectroscopy is an effective probe for cold ejecta within a supernova remnant (SNR), provided that suitable background UV sources can be identified. For the SN 1006 remnant we have identified four such sources, in addition to the much-studied Schweitzer-Middleditch (SM) star. We have used STIS on the Hubble Space Telescope to obtain UV spectra of all four sources, to study "core samples" of the SN 1006 interior. The line of sight closest to the center of the SNR shell, passing only 20 away, is to a V = 19.5 QSO at z = 1.026. Its spectrum shows broad Fe II absorption lines, asymmetric with red wings broader than blue. The similarity of these profiles to those seen in the SM star, which is 28 from the center in the opposite direction, confirms the existence of a bulge on the far side of SN 1006. The Fe II equivalent widths in the QSO spectrum are ~50% greater than in the SM star, suggesting that somewhat more iron may be present within SN 1006 than studies of the SM star alone have indicated, but this is still far short of what most Type Ia supernova models require. The absorption spectrum against a brighter z = 0.337 QSO seen at 57% of the shell radius shows broad silicon absorption lines but no iron other than narrow, probably interstellar lines. The cold iron expanding in this direction must be confined within v 5200 km s-1, also consistent with a high-velocity bulge on the far side only. The broad silicon lines indicate that the silicon layer has expanded beyond this point, and that it has probably been heated by a reverse shock—conclusions consistent with the clumpy X-ray structure and anomalous abundances observed from Chandra in this region. Finally, the spectra of two ~A0 V stars near the southern shell rim show no broad or unusually strong absorption lines, suggesting that the low-ionization ejecta are confined within 83% of the shell radius, at least at the azimuths of these background sources.
Preventing hypothermia: convective and intravenous fluid warming versus convective warming alone

Abstract Study Objective: To test the hypothesis that warming intravenous (IV) fluids in conjunction with convective warming results in less intraoperative hypothermia (core temperature Design: Prospective, randomized study. Setting: University affiliated tertiary care teaching hospital. Patients: 61 ASA physical status I, II, and III adults undergoing major surgery and general anesthesia with isoflurane. Interventions: All patients received convective warming. Group 1 patients received warmed fluids (setpoint 42°C). Group 2 patients received room temperature fluids (∼21°C). Measurements and Main Results: Lowest and final intraoperative distal esophageal temperatures were higher (p versus Group 2 (35.4 ± 0.1°C and 36.1 ± 0.1°C, respectively). Compared with Group 1, more Group 2 patients were hypothermic at the end of anesthesia (10 of 26 patients, or 38.5% vs. 4 of 30 patients, or 13%; p vs . 11.5% in Group 2; p = 0.052). Conclusions: The combination of convective and fluid warming was associated with a decreased likelihood of patients leaving the operating room hypothermic. However, average final temperatures were greater than 36°C in both groups, and intergroup differences were small. Care must be taken to avoid overheating the patient when both warming modalities are employed together.
Ab initio fragment orbital‐based theory

A new formulation of ab initio theory is presented that treats a large molecule in terms of wave functions of its constituent molecular subunits (to be called fragments). The method aims to achieve near conventional ab initio accuracy but using a truncated set of fragment orbitals with a consequent drastic reduction of computing time and storage requirement. Illustrative calculations are presented for the molecule amino-nitro-stilbene. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2003
Mechanistic Models Describing Active Renal Reabsorption and Secretion: A Simulation-Based Study

The objective of the present study was to evaluate mechanistic pharmacokinetic models describing active renal secretion and reabsorption over a range of Michaelis-Menten parameter estimates and doses. Plasma concentration and urinary excretion profiles were simulated and renal clearance (CL(r)) was calculated for two pharmacokinetic models describing active renal reabsorption (R1/R2), two models describing active secretion (S1/S2), and a model containing both processes. A range of doses (1-1,000 mg/kg) was evaluated, and V (max) and K (m) parameter estimates were varied over a 100-fold range. Similar CL(r) values were predicted for reabsorption models (R1/R2) with variations in V (max) and K (m). Tubular secretion models (S1/S2) yielded similar relationships between Michaelis-Menten parameter perturbations and CL(r), but the predicted CL(r) values were threefold higher for model S1. For both reabsorption and secretion models, the greatest changes in CL(r) were observed with perturbations in V (max), suggesting the need for an accurate estimate of this parameter. When intrinsic clearance was substituted for Michaelis-Menten parameters, it failed to predict similar CL(r) values even within the linear range. For models S1 and S2, renal secretion was predominant at low doses, whereas renal clearance was driven by fraction unbound in plasma at high doses. Simulations demonstrated the importance of Michaelis-Menten parameter estimates (especially V (max)) for determining CL(r). K (m) estimates can easily be obtained directly from in vitro studies. However, additional scaling of in vitro V (max) estimates using in vitro/in vivo extrapolation methods are required to incorporate these parameters into pharmacokinetic models.
[INVITED] Signal and noise in Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy: An introductory review ☆

Abstract Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) has become a very popular technique for elemental analysis thanks to its ease of use. However, LIBS users often report poor repeatability of the signal, due to shot-to-shot fluctuations, and consequent not satisfactory limits of detection. In many practical cases, these shortcomings are difficult to control because the signal is affected by several noise sources that cannot be reduced simultaneously. Hopefully, there is a large amount of knowledge, accumulated during several decades, that can provide guidelines to reduce the effect of the single sources of fluctuations. Experimental setup and measurement settings can be optimized on purpose. Spectral data can be processed in order to better exploit the information contained. In the current paper several approaches to improve the analytical figures-of-merit are reviewed and the respective advantages and drawbacks are discussed.
Lehman Brothers: Peeking Under the Board Facade

Governance experts place considerable emphasis on structural attributes of the board. Many boards are now indistinguishable in terms of regulatory independence, size, and personal and professional composition. And yet, two companies can look quite similar in terms of board structure and have very different board quality.Has an emphasis on best practices for board structure led to a decrease in board quality? We explore this question by comparing the board of Lehman Brothers to Goldman Sachs.Topics, Issues and Controversies in Corporate Governance and Leadership: The Closer Look series is a collection of short case studies through which we explore topics, issues, and controversies in corporate governance. In each study, we take a targeted look at a specific issue that is relevant to the current debate on governance and explain why it is so important. Larcker and Tayan are co-authors of the book Corporate Governance Matters, and A Real Look at Real World Corporate Governance.
Application of principal component analysis (PCA) and improved joint probability distributions to the inverse first-order reliability method (I-FORM) for predicting extreme sea states

Abstract Environmental contours describing extreme sea states are generated as the input for numerical or physical model simulations as a part of the standard current practice for designing marine structures to survive extreme sea states. These environmental contours are characterized by combinations of significant wave height ( H s ) and either energy period ( T e ) or peak period ( T p ) values calculated for a given recurrence interval using a set of data based on hindcast simulations or buoy observations over a sufficient period of record. The use of the inverse first-order reliability method (I-FORM) is a standard design practice for generating environmental contours. This paper develops enhanced methodologies for data analysis prior to the application of the I-FORM, including the use of principal component analysis (PCA) to create an uncorrelated representation of the variables under consideration as well as new distribution and parameter fitting techniques. These modifications better represent the measured data and, therefore, should contribute to the development of more realistic representations of environmental contours of extreme sea states for determining design loads for marine structures
PERCEPTIONS HELD BY COMMUNITY COLLEGE COMPUTER INSTRUCTORS IN NORTH CAROLINA

Community college computer instructors provide a valuable service by preparing students for challenging careers. At the same time, they face many challenges to stay current in their field and to maintain industry certifications. Therefore, community college administrators need to determine what perceptions are held by computer instructors, address any negative perceptions, and determine if instructors are satisfied with their job. To address this need, a study of North Carolina community college computer instructors’ job satisfaction was conducted using the Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire (MSQ) Short Form. The MSQ Short Form is a 20 question survey developed by researchers at the University of Minnesota to study job satisfaction among workers. Although, the majority of the 182 respondents reported they were satisfied with their job and hold positive perceptions of their supervisors, only slightly over half of the respondents reported being either satisfied or very satisfied with the way policies are implemented within their organization, indicating for the first time that a significant percentage of computer instructors in North Carolina perceive a problem exists within this area. The results of this study should encourage academic institutions to find better ways to implement policies in ways that don’t negatively affect job satisfaction and worker productivity.
Seasonal foraging responses of beavers to sodium-enhanced foods: an experimental assessment with field feeding trials

Salt drive is a seasonal phenomenon common to several classes of wild herbivores. Coincident with shifts of nutrient quality when plants resume growth in the spring, sodium is secondarily lost as surplus potassium is excreted. The beaver ( Castor canadensis ) is an herbivore whose dietary niche closely follows that of other herbivores that are subject to salt drive, but no published studies to date have assessed the likelihood of its occurrence. To quantify if beavers experience seasonal salt drive, we designed a field experiment to measure the foraging responses of beavers to sodium-enhanced foods. We used sodium-treated (salted) and control (no salt) food items (aspen [ Populus tremuloides ] and pine [ Pinus spp.] sticks) during monthly feeding trials at beaver-occupied wetlands. If conventional ontogeny of salt drive was operant, we expected to observe greater utility of sodium-treated food items by beavers in May and June. Further, if water lilies ( Nymphaea spp. and Nuphar spp.) supply beavers with sodium to meet dietary requirements as is widely speculated, we expected foraging responses to sodium-treated food items at wetlands where water lilies were absent to be greater than at wetlands where water lily was present. Aspen was selected by beavers in significantly greater amounts than pine. There was no difference between the mean percent consumed of salted and control aspen sticks by beavers at lily and non-lily wetlands, and no differences in temporal consumption associated with salted or control pine sticks at either wetland type. Salted pine was consumed in greater amounts than unsalted pine. We propose that the gastrointestinal or renal physiology of beavers may preclude solute loss, thereby preventing salt drive.
Printing floating-point numbers: a faster, always correct method

Floating-point numbers are an essential part of modern software, recently gaining particular prominence on the web as the exclusive numeric format of Javascript. To use floating-point numbers, we require a way to convert binary machine representations into human readable decimal outputs. Existing conversion algorithms make trade-offs between completeness and performance. The classic Dragon4 algorithm by Steele and White and its later refinements achieve completeness --- i.e. produce correct and optimal outputs on all inputs --- by using arbitrary precision integer (bignum) arithmetic which leads to a high performance cost. On the other hand, the recent Grisu3 algorithm by Loitsch shows how to recover performance by using native integer arithmetic but sacrifices optimality for 0.5% of all inputs. We present Errol, a new complete algorithm that is guaranteed to produce correct and optimal results for all inputs while simultaneously being 2x faster than the incomplete Grisu3 and 4x faster than previous complete methods.
EPR : les aspects économiques

Les aspects economiques de l'EPR ont ete developpes par B. Barre au cours d'une conference Keynote.
The Creation of a Biocontainment Unit at a Tertiary Care Hospital. The Johns Hopkins Medicine Experience

In response to the 2014-2015 Ebola virus disease outbreak in West Africa, Johns Hopkins Medicine created a biocontainment unit to care for patients infected with Ebola virus and other high-consequence pathogens. The unit team examined published literature and guidelines, visited two existing U.S. biocontainment units, and contacted national and international experts to inform the design of the physical structure and patient care activities of the unit. The resulting four-bed unit allows for unidirectional flow of providers and materials and has ample space for donning and doffing personal protective equipment. The air-handling system allows treatment of diseases spread by contact, droplet, or airborne routes of transmission. An onsite laboratory and an autoclave waste management system minimize the transport of infectious materials out of the unit. The unit is staffed by self-selected nurses, providers, and support staff with pediatric and adult capabilities. A telecommunications system allows other providers and family members to interact with patients and staff remotely. A full-time nurse educator is responsible for staff training, including quarterly exercises and competency assessment in the donning and doffing of personal protective equipment. The creation of the Johns Hopkins Biocontainment Unit required the highest level of multidisciplinary collaboration. When not used for clinical care and training, the unit will be a site for research and innovation in highly infectious diseases. The lessons learned from the design process can inform a new research agenda focused on the care of patients in a biocontainment environment.
Serine synthesis by Leuconostoc mesenteroides.

SummaryLeuconostoc mesenteroides (ATCC 8042) required a member of the folic acid group of compounds for growth in the absence of serine. p-Aminobenzoic acid, or more efficiently, 5-formyltetrahydrofolic acid and tetrahydrofolic acid, met this requirement. With washed cell suspensions, serine synthesis was followed by incorporation of C14-labeled formate into serine. Over a relatively short incubation period p-aminobenzoic acid had little effect, while the reduced derivatives of folic acid effectively catalyzed the synthesis of serine.
IRCA's Antidiscrimination Provisions: What Went Wrong?

After negotiating for fifteen years, why couldn't Congress build into its major illegal immigration bill adequate safeguards against new national origin and citizenship discrimination? One answer lies in the process through which Congress and interest group advocates negoti? ated IRCA's verification and redress provisions, the bill's main protec? tions against discrimination. This essay concludes that, although it was foreseen that discrimination problems might arise from IRCA's "ex? isting documents" verification provisions, members of Congress still agreed on these provisions to avoid difficult political questions. Restrictionists and liberals must engage in a dialogue aimed at develop? ing verification provisions that will not be discriminatory.
Selection and application of molecular markers for starch synthesis-related genes in rice

The genotypes of starch synthesis genes were systematically screened in different rice varieties by means of molecular marker detection. A great number of polymorphisms of the genes were identified within indica and japonica rice with 48 molecular markers out of 83. The starch synthesis-related genes were highly conserved in indica rice and were highly diversed in japonica rice. Genotypes of indica varieties 9311 and Minghui 63 were closer to those of japonica varieties.Two or three alleles of six starch synthesis-related genes were found in 28 japonica parents. Four genotypes of the two soluble starch synthase genes,SSIIa and SSIIIa,were detected in 88 breeding lines derived from the cross of Kanto 194 /Wujing 13 by using the molecular markers.
Placental Production of Immunoregulatory Factors: Trophoblast is a Source of Interleukin-1

The placenta is often viewed as an immunologically passive organ either “camouflauged” to avoid immune surveillance or acting as a “sponge” to clear maternal anti-fetal antibodies. We and others have previously isolated low molecular weight lymphokines from human placental explant culture supernatants which would suggest a more active role of the placenta in modulating maternal immune responses (Lala et al., 1984). These include a 70–78 Kilodalton (KD) suppressor of IL-2 dependent cell proliferation (Main et al., 1985), and a 15–17 KD protein which on partial purification (by gel filtration and isoelectric focusing) and by biological activity is identical to adult monocyte-derived Interleukin-1 (IL-1) (Flynn et al., 1982). IL-1 is a key mediator of inflammatory responses leading to lymphocyte activation, systemic metabolic changes, elevated body temperature, local production of collagenase, and stimulation of fibroblast proliferation (Dinarello, 1984; Lachman, 1983). It is now known to be produced by a variety of cell types including monocytes, tissue fixed macrophages, keratinocytes, corneal epithelial cells, astrocytes, and renal mesangial cells. IL-1 is extraordinary potent, with biologic activity demonstrated in the 10-10M concentration range. This high specific activity has facilitated its detection in bioassays but because it is produced in such small quantities, purification and production of monoclonal antibodies has been difficult. We have measured placental IL-1 using both the mouse thymocyte assay and the newer, more sensitive IL-1 dependent tumor line assay. In this report, we address three issues: (1) Can villous tissue from early in gestation produce Interleukin-1? (2) Of the various cell types present in a human term placenta which are capable of producing IL-1? (3) How does the level of IL-1 production by placental cells compare to that produced by human peripheral blood monocytes?
Global Community Connectivity of Complex Networks

We defined and generated the community mapping network by the original network and its community structure, and we gave the definition of global community connectivity, which can measure the connectivity among all the communities of the original network at first. This metric can be built by the adjacency matrix of the community mapping network. Then in order to measure the node’s effect on the community connectivity, we defined a new property of node and give its calculating method. After that, we do the invulnerability experiment on three computer generate networks’ and three real networks’ in four different situations separately. The results prove that the global community connectivity is a monotonic and valid index for measuring the situation of network’s community connection. The connectivity among all the communities mainly depends on a few nodes in the original network which have the high value of node’s connecting number of community and the community’s connectivity represents both robustness and vulnerability in different node’s removal procedures.
The Future of the Corporate Tax

This paper discusses three essential challenges of the present economic environment: serious long-term budget imbalances, dramatic increases in income inequality over recent decades, and a discrepancy between national or sub-national government jurisdictions and an increasing global economy. This trio of tough policy challenges necessitates a reevaluation of capital taxation in general, and the corporate tax in particular. Corporate taxation has an important role to play in both protecting the revenue-raising capacity of the income tax system and addressing income disparities. However, the global nature of economic activity requires modernization of corporate taxation; reform of U.S. corporate taxation is long overdue.
Acute hypercapnic hyperoxia stimulates reactive species production in the caudal solitary complex of rat brain slices but does not induce oxidative stress

Central CO2 chemoreceptive neurons in the caudal solitary complex (cSC) are stimulated by hyperoxia via a free radical mechanism. Hyperoxia has been shown to increase superoxide and nitric oxide in...
Frequency-locked terahertz Smith-Purcell radiation

We present experimental measurements of coherent frequency-locked Terahertz Smith-Purcell radiation generation by a train of 15 MeV, femtosecond-scale electron bunches passing over a metal grating. This scheme leads to an increase in intensity by the number of grating periods, the number of electron bunches and the number of electrons in each bunch. This powerful SPR THz radiation can be detected with a high signal to noise ratio by a heterodyne receiver.
Acellular Dermal Matrices: To Use or Not?

Nipple-sparing mastectomy and prosthetic reconstruction is a frequent option for women considering therapeutic and prophylactic mastectomy. The use of acellular dermal matrices in the setting of prosthetic breast reconstruction has facilitated the ability to achieve full coverage of the prosthetic device and provide additional tissue support. Some surgeons feel that reconstructive outcomes are improved, whereas others feel that they are not. Thus, its use is controversial for a variety of reasons that include cost, risk of adverse events, and questionable benefits. This chapter will review the indications, techniques, and outcomes associated with the use of acellular dermal matrices in the setting of nipple-sparing mastectomy and prosthetic breast reconstruction.
Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction mediated by spin-polarized band with Rashba spin-orbit coupling

Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction (DMI) plays a central role in breaking chiral symmetry of magnetic domain wall structure. The recently observed chiral dependence of domain wall structures in ultrathin magnetic films with perpendicular anisotropy indicates the presence of a strong DMI. We calculate the indirect exchange interaction between magnetic ions mediated by spin-polarized conduction electrons with a Rashba spin-orbit coupling. We find the resulting DMI increases with the spin-orbit coupling strength, but decreases with the spin-polarization of the conduction electrons. The estimated DMI magnitude is comparable to the experimental results.
MCAK-mediated regulation of endothelial cell microtubule dynamics is mechanosensitive to myosin-II contractility

Compliance and dimensionality mechanosensing, the processes by which cells sense the physical attributes of the extracellular matrix (ECM), are known to drive cell branching and shape change largely through a myosin-II-mediated reorganization of the actin and microtubule (MT) cytoskeletons. Subcellular regulation of MT dynamics is spatially controlled through a Rac1-Aurora-A kinase pathway that locally inhibits the MT depolymerizing activity of mitotic centromere-associated kinesin (MCAK), thereby promoting leading-edge MT growth and cell polarization. These results suggest that the regulation of MT growth dynamics is intimately linked to physical engagement of the cell with the ECM. Here, we tested the hypothesis that MCAK contributes to compliance and dimensionality mechanosensing-mediated regulation of MT growth dynamics through a myosin-II-dependent signaling pathway. We cultured endothelial cells (ECs) on collagen-coupled stiff or compliant polyacrylamide ECMs to examine the effects of MCAK expression on MT growth dynamics and EC branching morphology. Our results identify that MCAK promotes fast MT growth speeds in ECs cultured on compliant 2D ECMs but promotes slow MT growth speeds in ECs cultured on compliant 3D ECMs, and these effects are myosin-II dependent. Furthermore, we find that 3D ECM engagement uncouples MCAK-mediated regulation of MT growth persistence from myosin-II-mediated regulation of growth persistence specifically within EC branched protrusions.
Active THz waveguides enabled by liquid metal actuation

We utilize electronically reconfigurable liquid metals to dynamically modify the coupling between two THz waveguides, to realize an active tunable filter with channel add-drop functionality.
Of Blood, Books, and Holy Men

"The intimacy of your love used to rejoice me greatly when I was with you," the monk, teacher, scholar, and poet Alcuin wrote to the monks of Lindisfarne after the monastery had been sacked on June 8, 793, "but conversely, the calamity of your tribulation saddens me greatly every day, though I am absent. Alcuin wrote from the court of Charlemagne, where he had heard the terrible news of the first of a number of Viking raids that would eventually devastate the monasteries of Northumbria in the ninth century. Himself a native of those northern lands, he received word of the barbaric acts of devastation with great pain, and sought to offer reasons for such an improbable conclusion to the history of a venerable religious institution which began with Aidan in the seventh century: ... the pagans desecrated the sanctuaries of God, and poured out the blood of saints around the altar, laid waste the house of our hope, trampled on the bodies of saints in the temple of God, like dung in the street. . . . Either this is the beginning of greater tribulation, or else the sins of the inhabitants have called it upon them. Truly it has not happened by chance, but is a sign that it was well merited by someone. But now, you who are left, stand manfully, fight bravely, defend the camp of God. . . . If anything ought to be corrected in your Grace's habits, correct it quickly. . . . Do not glory in the vanity of raiment; this is not a glory to the priests and servants of God, but a disgrace. Do not in drunkenness blot out the words of your prayers. Do not go out after luxuries of the flesh and worldly avarice, but continue steadfastly in the service of God and in the discipline of the regular life, that the most holy fathers, who begot you, may not cease to be your protectors. 1 It could not have happened by chance, because nothing in the Christian world of the early Middle Ages happened by chance alone, but was "a sign that it was well merited by someone." Alcuin interprets the attack as God's punishment for the laxity of His people - the suggested remedy is order and true monastic discipline, so that the saints-protectors who stood so firm during the early years of the establishment would not cease to shield the servants of God from danger.
The Fort Lookout Trading Post Sites - A Reexamination

A criticism is made of the identification of site 39LM57, the “Ft. Lookout II of the French Fur Trading Co.” in a recent publication of the River Basin Surveys Papers, Bureau of American Ethnology ...
Model-effects on likelihood ratios for fire debris analysis

Abstract A simple method is introduced for assessing the evidentiary value of fire debris samples. The method relies on models built by random draws from a database of ignitable liquid and substrate pyrolysis samples. A stratified random draw from database records belonging to each ASTM E1618 ignitable liquid class and the substrate class is taken in proportion to a prescribed distribution. The likelihood ratios are estimated by direct calculation from a one-level Gaussian kernel density model based on the covariance structure and multivariate means resulting from each random draw. Multiple draws result in model-related variation in the calculated likelihood ratios. The method is demonstrated for 500 random draws with replacement based on three distributions. Ten-fold cross-validation is performed for each model, with subsequent testing on laboratory burn samples. The average cross-validated receiver operating characteristic areas under the curve were 0.959, 0.956 and 0.947, for the three distributions. The mean log (base 10) of the likelihood ratio (LLR) values for the laboratory test burns of gasoline on polyester carpet and carpet padding were in the range of 1.5 to −3.1 and were qualitatively consistent with the observed gasoline contributions to the total ion chromatograms for the samples. The LLR values for laboratory test burns of a petroleum distillate on polyester carpet and carpet padding, 1.7 to −3.3, were also in qualitative agreement with the observed chromatographic patterns. The calculated LLR values for laboratory burns of a set of polyester carpet and padding samples were in the range −0.9 to −6.7.
Does clinical mastitis in the first 100 days of lactation 1 predict increased mastitis occurrence and shorter herd life in dairy cows

The objectives of this study were to estimate the direct effects of clinical mastitis (CM) occurring in early productive life (defined as the first 100 d of the first lactation) of Holstein dairy cows on the future rate of CM occurrence and on the length of total productive lifetime. Information on CM cases and other data occurring in 55,144 lactations in 24,831 cows in 5 New York State Holstein herds was collected from January 2004 until February 2014. For the first objective, a generalized linear mixed model with a Poisson distribution was used to study the effects of CM cases occurring in the first 100 d of a cow's first lactation, as well as farm indicator and number of days in the cow's lifetime, on the future lifetime rate of CM. Only cows that had completed their productive life [i.e., all had been culled (or sold) or had died; n = 14,440 cows] were included in this analysis. For the second objective, a Cox proportional hazards model was used to study the effects of CM cases occurring in the first 100 d of a cow's first lactation on the length of total productive lifetime. The model was stratified by farm. All 24,831 cows were included in this analysis with right censoring. Cows experienced between 0 and 4 CM cases in the first 100 d of lactation 1. Over their lifetime, cows experienced between 0 and 25 CM cases. During the study period, 10% of all cows died and nearly half of all cows were culled. The average length of productive life, including censored observations, was 2.0 yr after first calving. Compared with cows having no CM cases in the first 100 d of lactation 1, cows with 1 CM case in that time period had a 1.5 times higher rate of total number of CM cases over their lifetime. Cows with 2 (or 3 or more) CM cases in the first 100 d of lactation 1 had a 1.7 times (or 2.6 times) higher rate of total number of CM cases over their lifetime. For each additional CM case occurring in the first 100 d of lactation 1, the hazard rate of culling increased by 34%. Given economic conditions for preferentially culling mastitic cows, the study findings may help farmers make optimal decisions with regard to culling of such cows.
The RZZ complex integrates spindle checkpoint maintenance with dynamic expansion of unattached kinetochores

The Mad1-Mad2 heterodimer is the catalytic hub of the spindle assembly checkpoint (SAC), which controls mitosis through assembly of a multi-subunit anaphase inhibitor, the mitotic checkpoint complex (MCC) [1, 2]. Mad1-Mad2 first catalyzes MCC assembly at interphase nuclear pores [3], then migrates to kinetochores at nuclear envelope breakdown (NEBD) and resumes MCC assembly until bipolar spindle attachment is complete [1, 2]. There is significant debate about the factor(s) involved in targeting Mad1-Mad2 to kinetochores in higher eukaryotes [4-9]. Through gene editing and live-cell imaging, we found that the human Rod-Zw10-Zwilch (RZZ) complex is dispensable for cell viability and initial recruitment of Mad1-Mad2 to kinetochores at NEBD, but then becomes necessary to tether Mad1-Mad2 at kinetochores and sustain SAC arrest in cells challenged with spindle poisons. We also show that RZZ forms the mesh-like fibrous corona, a structural expansion of the outer kinetochore important for timely chromosome congression [10-13] once Mps1 phosphorylates the N-terminus of Rod. Artificially tethering Mad1-Mad2 to kinetochores enabled long-term mitotic arrest in the absence of RZZ. Conversely, blocking early RZZ-independent recruitment of Mad1-Mad2 eliminated the transient SAC response in RZZ-null cells. We conclude that RZZ drives structural changes in the outer kinetochore that facilitate chromosome bi-orientation and chronic SAC transduction, a key determinant of cytotoxicity during anti-mitotic drug therapy [14-16].
Automatic Time Step Determination for Enhancing Robustness of Implicit Computational Algorithms

A method for enhancing the robustness of implicit computational algorithms without adversely impacting their efficiency is investigated. The method requires control over two key issues: obtaining a reliable estimate of the magnitude of the solution change and defining a realistic limit for its allowable variation. The magnitude of the solution change is estimated from the calculated residual in a manner that requires negligible computational time. An upper limit on the local solution change is attained by a proper non-dimensionalization of variables in different flow regimes within a single problem or across different problems. The method precludes unphysical excursions in Newton-like iterations in highly non-linear regions where Jacobians are changing rapidly as well as non-physical results during the computation. The method is tested against a series of problems to identify its characteristics and to verify the approach. The results reveal a substantial improvement in the robustness of implicit CFD applications that enables computations starting from simple initial conditions without user intervention.
A Eulogy for the EULA

Participants in the Duquesne University Law Review were asked to write about the future of contract law, specifically contract law in 2025. My contribution is a short science fiction story that is set in 2025. Sometimes, conflicting terms in a contract can give you a headache...or a brilliant idea? Expect both the utopian and dystopian from this story, along with contract law theory.