cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Learning to Describe Solutions for Bug Reports Based on Developer Discussions

When a software bug is reported, developers engage in a discussion to collaboratively resolve it. While the solution is likely formulated within the discussion, it is often buried in a large amount of text, making it difficult to comprehend, which delays its implementation. To expedite bug resolution, we propose generating a concise natural language description of the solution by synthesizing relevant content within the discussion, which encompasses both natural language and source code. Furthermore, to support generating an informative description during an ongoing discussion, we propose a secondary task of determining when sufficient context about the solution emerges in real-time. We construct a dataset for these tasks with a novel technique for obtaining noisy supervision from repository changes linked to bug reports. We establish baselines for generating solution descriptions, and develop a classifier which makes a prediction following each new utterance on whether or not the necessary context for performing generation is available. Through automated and human evaluation, we find these tasks to form an ideal testbed for complex reasoning in long, bimodal dialogue context.
Large mesenteric cyst mimicking an ovarian cyst in an 8-year-old: A case report.

Abstract Introduction and importance Pediatric mesenteric cysts, rare and usually benign intra-abdominal tumors, are a difficult preoperative diagnosis due to ambiguous clinical characteristics. The final diagnosis is typically established only during surgery or histological analysis. Case presentation An 8-year-old female presented with five days of worsening abdominal pain, associated with nausea, vomiting, and fever, as well as vague tenderness in the right quadrants on examination. Computed tomography imaging showed a 10.5 × 8.7 × 7 cm abdominal mass, most suspicious for a cystic mass of ovarian origin. Upon diagnostic laparoscopy, a mesenteric cyst extending to the root of the mesentery was visualized and entirely resected after conversion to an exploratory laparotomy. Histopathological examination of both the cystic fluid and specimen suggest a benign mesenteric cyst. Clinical discussion Although mesenteric cysts are noticeably rare, it is important differential to consider in pediatric patients with non-specific symptoms like abdominal pain and distention, intestinal obstruction, or a palpable abdominal mass. Notably, these cysts can be managed successfully by complete surgical resection with an excellent outcome. Conclusion This report recounts an interesting case of a large mesenteric cyst that mimicked an ovarian cyst in a pre-pubertal girl.
The Making of Developmental Psychology

This chapter provides a synthesis of the historical foundations of developmental psychology. The roots of the developmental approach are traced from nineteenth-century concepts in psychology and allied disciplines (e.g., biology, developmental psychobiology, developmental psychopathology, ethology, and philosophy) to current perspectives of a holistic science of development. The genesis and contributions of major developmental theories are examined in relation to both their contemporary and historical contexts. James Mark Baldwin's pioneering developmental approaches bridging the study of social institutions (i.e., sociology) and individual functioning (i.e., psychology) are highlighted. Additional foundations of an integrative developmental science are explored in relation to the social applications of psychology. Keywords: developmental; foundations; history; psychology; science; theory
Exploiting loop level parallelism in nonprocedural dataflow programs

Discussed are how loop level parallelism is detected in a nonprocedural dataflow program, and how a procedural program with concurrent loops is scheduled. Also discussed is a program restructuring technique which may be applied to recursive equations so that concurrent loops may be generated for a seemingly iterative computation. A compiler which generates C code for the language described below has been implemented. The scheduling component of the compiler and the restructuring transformation are described.
A New Era of Courtship

The central purpose of this study was to determine whether a single interpersonal communication event could influence perceptions of physical attractiveness in a dating environment. A total of 104 undergraduate students at a large United States university engaged in speed-dating in order to examine the effects of both positive communication and negative communication. Speed-dating was incorporated into the present research because this round-robin method of dating offered an efficient means for investigating attraction and analyzing the effects of a single conversation. It was upon arrival at the event that participants completed a pre-test measure, engaged in a series of three minute speed-dates, and then completed a post-test measure. Results produced evidence of an interaction. Perceptions of physical attractiveness increased from pre-test to post-test in the positive communication condition while perceptions of physical attractiveness decreased from pre-test to post-test in the negative communication condition. Additional findings illustrated that three minutes of non-neutral social interaction had differing effects on women and men. One of the central conclusions from the present research was that females can strategically use interpersonal communication as a tool for enhancing their physical appearance. The results from this study also yielded practical implications that are relevant to casual dating as well as theoretical implications that are germane to communication theory.
FWD Backcalculated Moduli Compared with Pavement Pressuremeter Moduli and Cyclic Triaxial Moduli

A relatively new in situ testing device, the pavement pressuremeter (PPMT), was used on three airport pavement subgrades in order to evaluate its usefulness in pavement design and evaluation. Four models which predict the modulus for various stress levels, various strain levels, various loading rates or creep, and repetitive loadings were chosen since these loads are all encountered on airport pavements. An airport PPMT test was developed which enabled four models to be evaluated. The PPMT moduli from the four models were compared with moduli from cyclic triaxial (CT) tests and moduli backcalculated from falling weight deflectometer (FWD) tests. The moduli comparison indicated that the pavement pressuremeter was capable of yielding moduli similar to both the cyclic triaxial and falling weight deflectometer tests. FWD deflections were compared with deflections predicted by inputting PPMT moduli and CT moduli into the finite-element program ILLI-PAVE.
Threshold effects of coastal urbanization on Phragmites australis (common reed) abundance and foliar nitrogen in Chesapeake Bay.

The invasion of North American tidal marshes byPhragmites australis, or common reed, is a large-scale ecological problem that has been primarily studied at small spatial scales. Previous local-scale studies have provided evidence that the expansion ofPhragmites is facilitated by disturbance and increased nitrogen (N) associated with agricultural and urban-suburban (developed) land uses along wetland-upland borders. We tested the generality of previous findings across a larger spatial scale and wider range of environmental conditions in Chesapeake Bay, the largest estuarine ecosystem in the USA. We sampled 90 tidal wetlands nested within 30 distinct subestuarine watersheds and examined the relationship between land use andPhragmites abundance and foliar N, an indicator of nitrogen availability. We estimated land use adjacent to wetland borders and within subestuary watersheds and explored the importance of spatial proximity by weighting land use by its distance from the wetland border or subestuary shoreline, respectively. Regression tree and changepoint analyses revealed thatPhragmites abundance sharply increased in almost every wetland where development adjacent to borders exceeded 15%. Where development was 14–22% shoreline development, the same level of development that corresponded to high levels of invasion. Our results suggest that development near wetlands is at least partially responsible for patterns of invasion across Chesapeake Bay. Larger-scale phenomena, such as nitrogen pollution at the watershed-subestuary scale, also may be facilitating invasion. Urbanization near coastlines appears to play an important role in the invasion success ofPhragmites in coastal wetlands of Chesapeake Bay and probably much of eastern North America.
In Pursuit of Liberty: Coming of Age in the American Revolution – By Emmy E. Werner

Historians of early America often refer to the new nation as a “young society,” a nod to the fact that half of the American population was under the age of sixteen in the republic's early years. Em...
First Report of Powdery Mildew Caused by an Oidium sp. on White Sweetclover in Kansas.

Powdery mildew was observed on plants of white sweetclover (Melilotus alba Medik.) in Riley County, Kansas, in 1995, 1996, and 1997 but was not examined closely until 1997. White, effuse to dense, amphigenous mycelia bearing Oidium conidia were obvious by mid June. Effuse growth occurred on petioles and stems. Invaded leaflets wilted and dropped, sometimes leaving a green petiole. Signs and symptoms diminished during the warmer periods of July and August, reoccurred in September, and remained prominent until the foliage froze in November. However, on 1 December, viable, newly produced conidia were collected from scant hyphal growth on protected leaves at the base of a few plants. A sexual state was not found. Characteristics of the conidial state fit those of Erysiphe pisi (1). Powdery mildew was never observed on plants of yellow sweetclover (M. officinalis (L.) Lam.) growing among the mildewed plants of white sweetclover. This is the first report of powdery mildew on M. alba in Kansas. Reference: (1) H....
Presidential Succession and Political Rationality in Mexico

Although presidential succession in Mexico is shrouded in mystery, this article suggests an indirect method of understanding the politics surrounding that process. The fundamental framework of presidential politics has changed in the 1970s from populist redistribution to oil patronage. Such a change has involved the collapse of traditional, party-led populism at the end of the Echeverria presidency and the reorientation of the Mexican economy during President Lopez Portillo's “Alliance for Production,” made possible largely by the oil boom. The conservative tone of Lopez Portillo's administration, combined with the relative strengthening of the state via increased public spending, has shaped policy choices for the new president, Miguel de la Madrid. The conjuncture of the collapse of populism and the rise and fall of the oil-boom economy results in a state whose political flexibility is limited by the weakness of “new populist” politics, while oil patronage is reduced by fiscal constraints and external payments crises.
The Evolution of Dynamical Cores for Global Atmospheric Models

The evolution of global atmospheric model dynamical cores from the first developments in the early 1960s to present day is reviewed. Numerical methods for atmospheric models are not straightforward because of the so-called pole problem. The early approaches include methods based on composite meshes, on quasi-homogeneous grids such as spherical geodesic and cubed sphere, on reduced grids, and on a latitude-longitude grid with short time steps near the pole, none of which were entirely successful. This resulted in the dominance of the spectral transform method after it was introduced. Semi-Lagrangian semi-implicit methods were developed which yielded significant computational savings and became dominant in Numerical Weather Prediction. The need for improved physical properties in climate modeling led to developments in shape preserving and conservative methods. Today the numerical methods development community is extremely active with emphasis placed on methods with desirable physical properties, especially conservation and shape preservation, while retaining the accuracy and efficiency gained in the past. Much of the development is based on quasi-uniform grids. Although the need for better physical properties is emphasized in this paper, another driving force is the need to develop schemes which are capable of running efficiently on computers with thousands of processors and distributed memory. Test cases for dynamical core evaluation are also briefly reviewed. These range from well defined deterministic tests to longer term statistical tests with both idealized forcing and complete parameterization packages but simple geometries. Finally some aspects of coupling dynamical cores to parameterization suites are discussed.
Intracellular sites of photodamage as a factor in apoptotic cell death

The cytotoxic response to photodynamic therapy can involve apoptosis, necrosis or both. Using agents with known patterns of sub-cellular localization, we assessed different sites of photodamage as a determinant of cell death, using murine leukemia cells in vitro. Mitochondrial or mitochondrial + lysosomal photodamage led to a rapid apoptotic response, associated with the release of cytochrome c from mitochondria into the cytosol. This occurred immediately after irradiation of photosensitized cells. When photodamaged cells were warmed to 37 °C, there was a rapid apoptotic response. Lysosomal photodamage led to the immediate release of cathepsins and other proteolytic enzymes. During a subsequent incubation at 37 °C, there was a slow loss of the mitochondrial membrane potential, with cytochrome c appearing in the cytosol within 30 min. These effects derive from proteolytic effects of lysosomal enzymes on mitochondria. The apoptotic response to lysosomal photodamage was both slow and incomplete, with many non-viable cells not exhibiting apoptotic morphology. The latter result was correlated with photodamage to procaspase-3, an effect not observed when mitochondria were the predominant target for photodamage. Depending on the sub-cellular target, photodynamic therapy can either activate or inhibit critical elements of apoptosis. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Phase-resolved pulsed electro-acoustic technique to detect space charge in solid dielectrics subjected to AC voltage

The PEA technique has been modified to study the space charge development in solid dielectrics subjected to AC electric field. Narrow (5 ns) electrical pulses are applied at various phase angles of the AC waveform. Special software, developed to precisely synchronize the pulse generator with the high voltage supply, applied the narrow pulses at 0deg phase angle and then in steps of 10deg till 360deg. By processing the PEA data at various phase angles of the AC waveform, without resorting to complex mathematical analysis, the electric field at which charges are injected into the polymeric insulation was determined. The phase resolved PEA technique can also provide the dynamics of space charge development under AC fields
The apparent dependence of terrestrial scintillation intensity upon atmospheric humidity

Observations have indicated that terrestrial scintillation intensity increases with increasing relative humidity. A theory is developed to supplement air refractive and diffractive treatments; the theory attributes this increased modulation intensity to water droplets formed either gradually or instantaneously for relative humidities of about 70% or more. Modulation at the visible wavelengths is attributed to scattering, while far infrared wavelength modulation is thought to be caused by spectral absorption. Limited experimental substantiation is offered. The opacity of the atmosphere at the far infrared wavelengths (10-μ region) under high-humidity conditions, as compared to the lower-humidity case, is discussed. An empirical equation for the determination of the scintillation intensity index is presented, and conclusions are explained through the use of several graphs.
Age-dependence of a 6-hydroxydopamine lesion on SKF 38393- and m-chlorophenylpiperazine-induced oral activity responses of rats

Abstract Neonatal 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) treatment is associated with destruction of dopamine (DA) fibers and subsequent sprouting of serotonin (5-HT) fibers in the striatum of rats. Enhanced oral activity responses to SKF 38393 and m-chlorophenylpiperazine (ifm-CPP), respective agonists for the DA D1 receptor complex and 5-HT2C receptor complex, ensue. To study the ontogenetic nature of this effect, rats were treated at birth, 3 days, 7 days, 10 days or 14 days with 6-OHDA-HBr (200 μg i.c.v.; salt form), following desipramine-HCl pretreatment (20 mg/kg i.p., 1 h; base form). Another group of rats was treated at 35 days and again at 42 days with 6-OHDA-HBr (300 γg i.c.v.), following desipramine-HCl (20 mg/kg i.p., 1 h) and pargyline-HCl (50 mg/kg i.p., 30 min). In rats treated from birth to 10 days, 6-OHDA reduced striatal DA content at 5 months by ≥ 94%. Striatal 5-HT content was elevated by 28% to 51%, but only in rats treated with 6-OHDA at 7 days from birth or earlier. An enhanced oral activity response to SKF 38393-HCl (0.03 to 1.0 mg/kg i.p.) was absent in rats treated 7 days or later, and the change in SKF 38393 effect was correlated with a change in striatal DA content. An enhanced response to m-CPP-2HCl (0.3 to 6.0 mg/kg i.p.) was absent after treatment at 14 or 35 days, when striatal DA content was reduced only 44% to 63% and 5-HT content was not changed. Loss of the enhanced m-CPP response was not directly correlated with the magnitude of change in striatal content of either DA or 5-HT. The findings indicate that SKF 38393 and m-CPP-enhanced oral activity responses are dependent on the age at which 6-OHDA is administered to rats, and that the enhanced response to m-CPP can persist when there is no enhanced response to SKF 38393.
Effect of interferon on synthesis of ssRNA in reovirus type 3-infected L cell cultures.

Abstract Interferon treatment of L cell cultures prior to infection with reovirus type 3 resulted in a dose-dependent reduction in synthesis of infectious virus and single-stranded ribonucleic acids (ssRNA). New species of ssRNA were synthesized in interferon-treated infected cell cultures, including ssRNA species larger and smaller than those normally found in infected cells.
International criminal justice: reflections on the past and the future

While Nuremberg constitutes a watershed in the evolution of international law with its establishment of the fundamental principle of individual criminal responsibility under international law it has not left much else by way of precedent for the subsequent international criminal tribunals. The adoption of UN Security Council Resolution 827 establishing the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia, and Resolution 955 (1994) establishing the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, set the groundwork for a new model of hybrid tribunals, with the establishment of the Special Court for Sierra Leone in 2002, the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia in 2006, and the Special Tribunal for Lebanon in 2007. Perhaps one of the greatest legacies of these ad hoc and hybrid courts and tribunals has been paving the way for the establishment of a permanent international criminal court. However, they have also brought about the development of international criminal law through judicial inte...
The effect of froth stability and wettability on the flotation of a xerographic toner

The Separation of ink and pulp fibers in recycled paper is primarily achieved by flotation methods. Xerographic toners from photocopiers and laser printers are known to cause problems in flotation deinking. Wettability and froth stability are two important factors which determine the floatability of xerographic toners. The floatability is investigated for a selected toner using a cationic, a nonionic, and an anionic surfactant. At low surfactant concentrations the froth is too unstable to support flotation, whereas at high surfactant concentrations the toner is rendered hydrophilic by adsorbed surfactant molecules and does not stick to air bubbles. Consequently, a maximum in flotation response is found at an intermediate surfactant concentration near the critical micelle concentration. Cationic, nonionic, and anionic surfactants all adsorb with their hydrocarbon tails on the toner surface. By choosing appropriate froth-stabilizing additives it is possible to enhance the flotation performance.
Effects of naloxone on penile erection in cats.

Abstract Male cats were anesthetized with pentobarbital. A Foley catheter was placed in the urinary bladder and physiologic saline, under a head of pressure, was allowed to flow at a constant rate through the bladder. Naloxone, 0.2 mg, caused penile erection in 5 of 11 experiments. The onset of action was 0.5 to 4 minutes, and the duration of the erection was 5 to 36 minutes. in two of three experiments a second injection of naloxone caused a second erection. The erection caused by naloxone was not changed by pre- or posttreatment with morphine or by posttreatment with propranolol. It was suggested that the erection could be due either to altered levels of hormones released from the central nervous system or to removal of reflex inhibitory tone in the spinal cord or sacral parasympathetic ganglia.
Strategies for Penile Prosthesis Placement in Peyronie’s Disease and Corporal Fibrosis

Peyronie’s disease (PD) is a wound healing disorder of the tunica albuginea of the penis. PD is generally categorized into two phases: the early acute inflammatory and late chronic fibrotic. Surgical reconstruction is only recommended during the latter established phase. There are a variety of options when erections are functional. However, when erectile dysfunction is present, the gold standard treatment is the placement of an inflatable penile prosthesis with or without additional straightening procedures. General recommendations include that after implanting and inflating the cylinders, if a clinically significant curvature is present, manual modeling is performed. If a residual curve >30° remains after modeling, then various techniques, including plaque releasing incision, is the next step. Grafting can be considered if tunical defects are >2.0 cm. Causes of corporal fibrosis include complications from an infected implant such as explantation, priapism, penile trauma, and prolonged use of an intracavernosal injection agent. Implant placement in the setting of corporal fibrosis can be technically challenging. Available strategies include incision or excision of the scar, corporotomies with or without grafting, the use of cavernotomes, or other specialized dilators, implant downsizing, and transcorporeal resection.
Natural Potency and Political Power: Forests and State Authority in Contemporary Laos. Sarinda Singh.

Honolulu: University of Hawai'i Press, 2012. x and 185 pp., maps, photos, notes, index. $45.00 cloth (ISBN 978-0-8248-3571-2). Singh unearths fertile ground within the realm of a well-trodden topic...
10.1.1 An Index to Measure and Monitor a System‐of‐Systems' Performance Risk

This paper extends an earlier published methodology [1] for measuring the technical performance risk of a system to that of a system-of-systems (SoS). The earlier work established an approach for combining an individual system's Technical Performance Measures (TPMs) into an overall measure of performance risk, defined as the Technical Risk Index (TRI). This paper extends this approach so a similar index can be developed for a system composed of many interdependent or connected systems that come together as a whole to provide an SoS capability.
Application of thermogravimetric analysis to the calcination of dolomite at high pressures

Abstract A high-pressure TG system in which sample heat-up to an isothermal steady-state condition is reduced to less than 20 sec has been designed and constructed. The system has been used successfully to obtain conversion-time data for the half-calcination of several dolomites of different geographic origins in 7.8–34.0 atm of CO 2 /N 2 mixtures at 750–1000°C. The conversion-time data show a strong dependence of the rate on temperature, but a lack of total or CO 2 partial pressure effect. Except for low conversions at 760°C, all the data can be fitted to the Avrami equation with a value of n equal to 2.
7.1.1 Social Systems Engineering and Architecture

Although the methods of systems engineering were developed to build complex technological systems, many practitioners feel they can be equally well applied to social and political processes and problems. This desire to rationalize social systems, and to do so through the application of the principles of science and engineering, is not new. It clearly dates back at least 200 years to the French Revolution. Unfortunately, the history of these attempts is mixed. This paper surveys the engineering approach to human systems and examines general criticisms of such an approach. We propose a classification of problem types and suggest variants of the system approach that may be better suited to particular classes of social system problem. Many of these issues, and the resulting classifications, can be seen in the long history of civil architecture and its attempts to deal with the interaction of engineering and society.
Reforming the strategic planning process: Integration of social responsibility and business needs

Abstract In this article the author argues that one of the prime organizational imperatives for the development of a responsive, operational, ‘corporate social policy’ must be reform of the strategic planning process. Indeed he argues that this reform is the essential pre-requisite to making the true integration of social responsibility and business needs.
Increased blood pressure in the SHR is not related to a deficit in renomedullary PGE2

Synthesis of prostaglandin E2 by renal medulla from SHR and WKY rats was compared during early postnatal development. Although arterial blood pressure was significantly higher in SHR as early as 6 weeks of age, no difference in renal medullary prostaglandin synthesis was observed.
Individualizing management of aggressive fibromatoses.

Abstract Purpose: To examine prognostic indicators in aggressive fibromatoses that may be used to optimize case-specific management strategy. Methods and Materials: One hundred and seven fibromatoses presenting between 1971 and 1992 were analyzed. The following treatment modalities were utilized: (a) surgery alone for 51 tumors; (b) radiation alone for 15 tumors; and (c) radiation and surgery (combined modality) for 41 tumors. Outcome analysis was based on 5-year actuarial local control rates. Results: Control rates among surgery, radiation therapy, and combined modality groups were 69%, 93%, and 72%. Multivariate analysis identified age 60 Gy was seen in patients with unresected or gross residual disease. Of the patients, 23 with disease involving the plantar region had a control rate of 62%, with significantly worse outcomes in children. Conclusions: These results are consistent with those found in the relevant literature. They support primary resection with negative margins when feasible. Radiation is a highly effective alternative in situations where surgery would result in major functiontional or cosmetic defects. When negative surgical margins are not achieved in recurrent tumors, radiation is recommended. Perioperative radiation should be considered in other high-risk groups (recurrent disease, positive margins, and plantar tumors in young patients). Doses of 60–65 Gy for gross disease and 50–60 Gy for microscopic residual are recommeded. Observation may be considered for primary tumors with disease remaining in situ when they are located such that progression would not cause significant morbidity. Although plantar lesions in children may represent a group at high risk for recurrence or aggessive behavior, the greater potential for radiation-induced morbidity in this group must also temper its use. Given the inconsistent nature and treatment response of this tumor, it is fundamental that treatment recommendations should be made based on the risk: benefit analysis for the individual patient, dependent on tumor characteristics and location, as well as patient characterics and preferences.
Stability of elastic columns with periodic retarded follower forces

The objective of this work is to present a stability analysis for elastic columns under the influence of periodically varying follower forces whose orientation is retarded, i.e., depends on the position of the system at a previous time. One- and two-degree-of-freedom (dof) discretized systems under the simultaneous influence of both parametric excitation and time-delay, whose effects on such systems have previously been only considered separately, are studied. By employing an orthogonal polynomial approximation, the infinite-dimensional Floquet transition matrix associated with the time-periodic differential-delay system is approximated. The stability criteria that all the eigenvalues (Floquet multipliers) of this matrix must lie within the unit circle is then applied. The stability charts for different combinations of the remaining system parameters are shown, and the previously reported results for the special cases where either the parametric excitation or the time-delay vanishes are verified. Two cases, when the parametric forcing period is equal to or twice the delay period are taken into consideration in this work. For special cases of the single dof system, the numerical stability plots are verified by considering the analytical expressions for the corresponding stability boundaries for an analogous delayed Mathieu equation.
Controlled microfluidic production of alginate beads for in situ encapsulation of microbes

The development and refinement of a microfluidic-based alginate bead generator system for bacterial encapsulation is presented. The resulting microgels have application for the encapsulation of single cells, and can allow for small scale, clonal expansion of thousands of isolated cells in parallel. PDMS based microfluidic chips were fabricated using conventional lithography techniques to produce both externally gelled and directly gelled alginate microspheres using a controlled, water-in-oil emulsion system. The production of directly gelled beads, formed by the in-chip mixing of aqueous alginate and calcium chloride solutions dispersed within an organic carrier flowstream is qualitatively compared to a system, which produces beads and relies on diffusion of a crosslinking agent from the carrier fluid to cause gelation (external gelation). While the direct gelation scheme allows the use of biocompatible oils as the organic carrier, it also has a detrimental effect on device stability often resulting in clogging and gel-streaming at the microfluidic interface of these solutions. A design for the continuous production of directly gelled beads was evaluated in terms of the threshold flow conditions and reagent concentrations that did not result in clogging or streaming. Monodisperse alginate microgels of 30µm diameter were produced at frequencies of over 500 beads per second. The beads could be completely dispersed into aqueous media using an off-chip washing protocol to remove the organic phase. The microgels effectively encapsulated individual or small numbers of GFP-expressing Escherichia. coli, which could be subsequently clonally expanded. The described microfluidic platform is a robust front-end sample preparation technology that shows strong potential for use in drug delivery systems, biosensors, and other cell-based microcompartmentalization applications. The co-culturing of microbial colonies in a large population of alginate beads will allow for functional sorting and genetic analyses at the single cell level.
Effect of topical fluticasone propionate on the mucosal allergic response induced by ragweed allergen and diesel exhaust particle challenge.

Glucocorticoids block the local allergic response in a variety of ways. However, studies have also shown that glucocorticoids increase in vitro IgE synthesis and that treatment with corticosteroids may result in elevated serum IgE concentrations. The ability of topical glucocorticoids to modulate the mucosal IgE response has not been elucidated. We studied the effect of topical steroid (fluticasone propionate) treatment on the local allergic antibody response induced by challenge with either allergen or diesel exhaust particles (DEP). A parallel group study was performed with ragweed-allergic subjects, each subject serving as his/her own control. Nasal provocation challenges were performed on three groups. One group received ragweed allergen, another diesel exhaust particles, and the third saline. The study was repeated following 1 week of treatment with intranasal fluticasone propionate. Each group received the same challenge as before. The concentrations of total immunoglobulins (IgE, IgG, IgA, and IgM), anti-ragweed antibody, IgE- and IgA-secreting cells, epsilon (epsilon) mRNA, and cytokine mRNAs (IL-2, -4, -5, -6, TNF-alpha, INF-gamma) were measured in nasal lavages performed before and at various time points after challenge. Treatment with fluticasone propionate for 7 days caused a decrease in the concentrations of nasal IgE protein, IgE-producing cells, total epsilon mRNA, and all the cytokine mRNAs tested. Furthermore, treatment with fluticasone propionate inhibited the production of allergen-specific IgE and cytokine mRNAs following challenge with ragweed antigen. However, fluticasone treatment did not significantly inhibit the enhancement of mucosal IgE production or cytokine mRNAs observed following nasal challenge with DEP. These results indicate that 1-week treatment with topical fluticasone propionate was effective in blocking local effects of allergen exposure but was unable to inhibit the adjuvant-like effect of DEP.
FACTORS INFLUENCING THE CORRELATION BETWEEN DIFFERENCES OF ELECTRIC POTENTIAL IN THE SKIN OF HUMAN SUBJECTS AND BASAL METABOLISM

High metabolic rates are associated normally with small differences of electric potential, whereas low metabolic rates are associated with large differences of electric potential as measured on the extremities of the body. Within the normal range of metabolism there appears to be a definite correlation between the metabolic rates and the difference of electric potential over a specified area of the skin, provided the person under test has no abnormalities of the circulatory system or of the functions of the skin. If there are no dysfunctions of the circulation or of the skin, the metabolic rate may be calculated, within +/-4 points, from the expression See PDF for Equation where x is the metabolic rate and y is the difference of electric potential across the specified areas of skin (electrodes 12 cm. apart). In general, there are abnormalities of the circulation of the blood or of the functions of the skin of persons for whom the metabolic rates determined by the two methods (difference of electric potentials and gasometric procedures) do not agree with +/-4 points. Manifest retardation or return to normality in the rate of circulation of the blood, such as may be produced by the sphygmomanometric cuff under varying pressures, produces marked changes in the difference of electric potentials obtained across a specified intervening area of skin. Retardation of flow of blood produces increased differences of electric potential. Preliminary investigations indicate that there is an inverse correlation between cutaneous temperatures and differences of electric potential. Day by day variations, emotive effects and the partaking of food have less effect, in general, on the electric potentials across a specified area of skin than they have on the metabolic rates. These experimental results indicate that there may be a more direct correlation between electric potentials and the circulation of the blood per se than between electric potentials and the metabolism of the body per se. When normality of circulation of the blood and of the functions of the skin exists in the areas under test for differences of electric potential, there is apparently a correlation between metabolic rates and electric potentials.
XXIX. Methods of measuring electric currents of great strength; together with a comparison of the wilde, the gramme, and the siemens machines

(1879). XXIX. Methods of measuring electric currents of great strength; together with a comparison of the wilde, the gramme, and the siemens machines. The London, Edinburgh, and Dublin Philosophical Magazine and Journal of Science: Vol. 7, No. 42, pp. 165-173.
Rapid screening of aqueous chemical warfare agent degradation products: ambient pressure ion mobility mass spectrometry.

The use of electrospray ionization ambient pressure ion mobility spectrometry with an orthogonal reflector time-of-flight mass spectrometer to analyze chemical warfare (CW) degradation products from aqueous environmental samples has been demonstrated. Certified reference materials of analytical standards for the detection of Schedule 1, 2, or 3 toxic chemicals or their precursors as defined by the chemical warfare convention treaty verification were used in this study. A combination of six G/V-type nerve and four S-type vesicant related CW agent degradation products were separated with baseline resolution by this instrumental technique. Analytical figures of merit for each CW degradation product were determined. In some cases, reduced mobility constants (Ko) have been reported for the first time. Linear response ranges for the selected CW degradation products were found to be generally ∼2 orders of magnitude, where the overall dynamic response ranges were found to extend to 4 orders of magnitude. Limits o...
A MONOCLONAL ANTIBODY AGAINST THE HUMAN IL-2 RECEPTOR BINDS TO PARAFORMALDEHYDE-FIXED BUT NOT VIABLE FROG (XENOPUS) SPLENOCYTES

Others have reported that a monoclonal anti-human IL-2 receptor antibody (anti-CD25) specifically binds a membrane receptor on Xenopus laevis PHA-induced and paraformaldehyde-fixed splenic blasts. In this paper, we present evidence suggesting that this binding is an artifact of membrane damage. Specifically, significant binding of anti-CD25 could only be achieved if the lymphoblasts were acid-washed and/or paraformaldehyde-fixed prior to being incubated with the fluoresceinated antibody. For example, in a representative experiment 95% of paraformaldehyde-fixed blasts, about 19% of acid-washed but not fixed blasts, but fewer than 2% of viable (untreated) blasts were positive for the CD25 epitope. Paraformaldehyde is known to alter membrane permeability. The DNA dye propidium iodide (PI) was used to demonstrate that the acid washing procedure also causes membranes to become permeable. Flow cytometric analyses of acid-washed PHA-induced splenic blasts doubly stained with the anti-CD25 antibody and PI showed that only 1.5% of the cells that were positive for CD25 did not stain with PI. Additionally, the anti-CD25 antibody, which immunoprecipitated a molecule from human lymphoblasts of between 50 and 60 kDa, did not immunoprecipitate any surface molecules from 125I-labeled Xenopus splenic blasts. Since binding of anti-CD25 to Xenopus splenic blasts appears to occur only after membrane damage, the antibody may be recognizing a cross-reactive internal epitope that is not involved in ligand binding on the cell surface.
Poly(ethylene glycol) on the liposome surface: on the mechanism of polymer-coated liposome longevity

The hypothetical model is built explaining the molecular mechanism of protective action of poly(ethylene glycol) on liposomes in vivo. The protective layer of the polymer on the liposome surface is considered as a statistical 'cloud' of polymer possible conformations in solution. Computer simulation was used to demonstrate that relatively a small number of liposome-grafted molecules of hydrophilic and flexible polymer can create a dense protective conformational cloud over the liposome surface preventing opsonizing protein molecules from contacting liposome. A more rigid polymer fails to form this dense protective cloud, even when hydrophilic. Computer simulation was also used to reveal possible heterogeneity of reactive sites on a polymer-coated liposome surface, and to estimate the optimal polymer-to-lipid ratio for efficient liposome protection. Experiments have been performed with the quenching of liposome-associated fluorescent label (nitrobenzoxadiazole or fluorescein) with protein (rhodamine-ovalbumin or anti-fluorescein antibody) from solution. It was shown that poly(ethylene glycol) grafting to liposomes hinders protein interaction with the liposome surface, whereas liposome-grafted dextran (more rigid polymer) in similar quantities does not affect protein-liposome interaction. Highly-reactive and low-reactive populations of chemically identical reactive sites have been found on polymer-coated liposomes. Experimental data satisfactory confirm the suggested mechanism for the longevity of polymer-modified liposome.
Comparing invariant distances and conformal metrics on Riemann surfaces

We exhibit sharp inequalities comparing the hyperbolic distance (and hyperbolic metric) to distances (and associated metrics) defined via positve harmonic functions as well as bounded harmonic functions. In the simply connected case, all four inequalities are identities. For the non-simply connected case, we determine precisely when equality can hold: for a pair of points in a distance inequality, or a single point in a metric inequality.
Mercury in water and biomass of microbial communities in hot springs of Yellowstone National Park, USA

Ultra-clean sampling methods and approaches typically used in pristine environments were applied to quantify concentrations of Hg species in water and microbial biomass from hot springs of Yellowstone National Park, features that are geologically enriched with Hg. Microbial populations of chemically-diverse hot springs were also characterized using modern methods in molecular biology as the initial step toward ongoing work linking Hg speciation with microbial processes. Molecular methods (amplification of environmental DNA using 16S rDNA primers, cloning, denatured gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) screening of clone libraries, and sequencing of representative clones) were used to examine the dominant members of microbial communities in hot springs. Total Hg (THg), monomethylated Hg (MeHg), pH, temperature, and other parameters influential to Hg speciation and microbial ecology are reported for hot springs water and associated microbial mats. Several hot springs indicate the presence of MeHg in microbial mats with concentrations ranging from 1 to 10 ng g 1 (dry weight). Concentrations of THg in mats ranged from 4.9 to 120,000 ng g 1 (dry weight). Combined data from surveys of geothermal water, lakes, and streams show that aqueous THg concentrations range from l to 600 ng L 1 . Species and concentrations of THg in mats and water vary significantly between hot springs, as do the microorganisms found at each site. � 2006 Published by Elsevier Ltd.
Absence of hind limb tactile placing in spinal cats and kittens.

Abstract Tactile placing and associated responses of the fore and hind paws to a light tactile stimulus were studied in normal young-adult cats and kittens and their spinal littermates. All spinal transections were performed at T12 on the 14th postnatal day. In the first study, responses of normal and spinal young-adult cats were compared at 9 to 10 months of age. Frequency of forelimb tactile placing (FL-TP) was similar for both groups, but hind limb tactile placing (HL-TP), seldom elicited in the normal cats, was never elicited in the spinal cats. Due to the absence of HL-TP in the spinal young-adult cats, a second study was conducted. Kittens, 1 to 62 days of age, were tested to determine if tactile placing was present prior to supraspinal maturation. The initial withdrawal ifsponse to the light tactile stimulus was equally developed in forelimbs and hind limbs at birth. In normal kittens, development of FL-TP preceded that of HL-TP by 2 weeks. During the first week after transection, forelimb responses of spinal kittens were more frequent than those of their normal littermates, suggesting an enhancement of motor responses proximal to the lesion, the difference decreasing thereafter. Frequency of hind limb withdrawal was not immediately altered after transection, and airstepping was easily triggered within 48 h after cordotomy. During tactile-triggered airstepping, the hind paw occasionally contacted the placing surface, but HL-TP was not observed in spinal kittens during the testing period. The absence of HL-TP in all spinal cats tested suggests that tactile placing is not a spinal reflex.
Rely-guarantee references for refinement types over aliased mutable data

Reasoning about side effects and aliasing is the heart of verifying imperative programs. Unrestricted side effects through one reference can invalidate assumptions about an alias. We present a new type system approach to reasoning about safe assumptions in the presence of aliasing and side effects, unifying ideas from reference immutability type systems and rely-guarantee program logics. Our approach, rely-guarantee references, treats multiple references to shared objects similarly to multiple threads in rely-guarantee program logics. We propose statically associating rely and guarantee conditions with individual references to shared objects. Multiple aliases to a given object may coexist only if the guarantee condition of each alias implies the rely condition for all other aliases. We demonstrate that existing reference immutability type systems are special cases of rely-guarantee references.In addition to allowing precise control over state modification, rely-guarantee references allow types to depend on mutable data while still permitting flexible aliasing. Dependent types whose denotation is stable over the actions of the rely and guarantee conditions for a reference and its data will not be invalidated by any action through any alias. We demonstrate this with refinement (subset) types that may depend on mutable data. As a special case, we derive the first reference immutability type system with dependent types over immutable data.We show soundness for our approach and describe experience using rely-guarantee references in a dependently-typed monadic DSL in Coq.
Reduction of cellular sulfation during mouse brain development results in microcephaly marked by neuronal cell death and abnormal neuronal progenitor proliferation

ligands of several signalling pathways during development. Notum, a secreted alpha/beta hydrolase, was found to antagonize the signalling of the prototypical Drosophila Wnt, Wingless, by shedding glypicans from the cell surface. Biochemical work demonstrated that a mammalian Notum homologue could induce the release of glypicans by GPI cleavage. In zebrafish, we found three notum genes. One homologue, nom1a, is most closely related to mammalian Notum with respect to protein identity and genomic synteny. The expression of nom1a is dynamic and regulated by Wnt/Beta-Catenin signalling. Overexpression of nom1a at multiple stages of development causes changes in gene expression consistent with Wnt/Beta-Catenin inhibition. Additionally, nom1a expression rescues phenotypes induced by Wnt1 and Wnt8 overexpression, while loss of Nom1a enhances these phenotypes. Using loss and gain of function studies, we have shown that Nom1a is required for the proper patterning of the dorsal neural tube. We have found no evidence that Nom1a inhibits the function of Glypican 4 in Wnt/PCP signalling. In contrast, Glypican 3 is a likely target of Nom1a, as alterations of Gpc3 levels alter the severity of Nom1a-overexpression phenotypes. Our analyses suggest that Nom1a has a surprisingly limited set of targets, and we have identified a novel mechanism restricting Wnt/Beta-Catenin signalling.