cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Pioneer 9 and Pioneer 10 observations of the solar wind associated with the August 1972 events

Observations are presented of the changes in the solar wind proton parameters at 0.8 and 2.2 AU as a result of the solar flares in August 1972. These observations were obtained by the NASA Ames Research Center solar wind plasma analyzer experiments on Pioneer 9 and Pioneer 10. High time resolution measurements are presented of the solar wind proton speed associated with the arrival of the interplanetary shocks at Pioneer 9 and Pioneer 10. For these events, differential ion energy per unit charge spectra are shown which indicate the changes in the solar wind ion distribution function associated with the arrival of each of the interplanetary shocks. Four fast shocks are identified at Pioneer 9, and it is found that previously the time of arrival of the first interplanetary shock at Pioneer 9 was not correctly identified. Two fast shocks and one reverse shock are identified at Pioneer 10.
Efficacy and Tolerance of Single-Dose Azithromycin for Treatment of Chlamydial Cervicitis During Pregnancy

Objective: The intent of this study was to determine the efficacy and tolerance of single-dose oral azithromycin in the treatment of pregnant women with endocervical chlamydial carriage. Methods: A retrospective review of clinic records over a two-year period identified pregnant patients treated with a single 1-g dose of azithromycin for chlamydial carriage. The side effects and subsequent chlamydial carriage (test of cure) were noted. Results: A total of 146 pregnant women treated with azithromycin was reviewed. A cure rate of 96% was found. Side effects were reported in 5%. Conclusions: A single 1-g oral dose of azithromycin is effective for the treatment of chlamydia and is well tolerated in pregnant women.
Hydrogenation and hydrodesulfurization over sulfided ruthenium catalysts: II. Impact of surface phase behavior on activity and selectivity

Abstract Thiophene hydrodesulfurization (HDS) has been studied over sulfided Ru/γ-Al 2 O 3 and CoMo/γ-Al 2 O 3 catalysts using a microreactor operated at 101 kPa and 548–623 K. The activity and selectivity of thiophene HDS over ruthenium catalysts depended on the presulfidization procedures, yet similar trends were not observed over CoMo/γ-Al 2 O 3 catalysts. Ruthenium catalysts sulfided in 100% H 2 S at 673 K possessed ca. sevenfold higher thiophene conversion rates than CoMo/Al 2 O 3 when compared per square meter of active area. Thiophene HDS rates averaged over oxygen titratable sites were ca. twofold higher on Ru/Al 2 O 3 catalysts than on CoMo/Al 2 O 3 specimens when compared per oxygen titratable site. Mild presulfidization in 101 kPa of 10% H 2 S/H 2 at T ≤ 673 K or in 101 kPa of 100% H 2 S at T ≤ 523 K, provided surfaces (i) retaining partial monolayers of adsorbed sulfur as evidenced by microgravimetry, XPS, and pulse oxygen adsorption and (ii) catalyzing direct hydrogenolysis to C 4 products and H 2 S. Extensive presulfidization in 101 kPa of ≥ 80% H 2 S/H 2 at T ≥ 673 K leads to sulfur incorporation into the bulk and formation of crystalline RuS 2 at the surface. The RuS 2 -like surface produced approximately equal quantities of C 4 hydrogenolysis products and tetrahydrothiophene. S (a) /Ru (s) ratios observed by microgravimetry, XPS, and pulse oxygen adsorption were found to depend on the presulfidization conditions. S (a) /Ru (s) ratios could be reversibly altered by appropriate resulfidization/annealing procedures and were found to correlate well with thiophene HDS selectivity but not with the presence of RuS 2 in the bulk. The above-noted trends are believed to be the result of a phase transformation dictated by surface thermodynamic driving forces. Calculations and comparisons of thiophene selectivity versus presulfidization conditions indicate that Gibbs free energies of + 7 kJ/mole are required to form RuS 2 at the surface compared to values of −59 kJ/mole in the bulk. The instability of the RuS 2 surface may be indicative of a generalized surface thermodynamic criterion applicable to other pyrite sulfides. RuS 2 surfaces were observed to chemisorb much larger quantities of reversibly and irreversibly bound hydrogen which may affect the competition between direct hydrogenation and direct hydrogenolysis pathways, thereby controlling the selectivity of thiophene conversion.
Inverse design of optical antennas for sub-wavelength energy delivery

We report using Inverse Electromagnetic Design to computationally optimize optical antenna shapes. Optimized antennas deliver 10% of incident power to a 50×40×10 nm3 spot in a practical magnetic recording medium for Heat Assisted Magnetic Recording.
Phase diagram and critical points for a metamagnetic Ising model using constant coupling approximation

Abstract We compute the isotherms and phase diagram in the constant coupling approximation for an Ising metamagnet with various values for the ratio of the ferromagnetic to the antiferromagnetic coupling parameters. The constant coupling method is set up entirely with the internal fields as the variation parameter. The search for the tricritical point, both directly and indirectly via the hessian of the internal fields led to the conclusion that this model has no tricritical point, but a critical end point. Comparing our computation with the experimental result for FeBr2, we find that the value for the critical end point lies closer to the experiment than either the molecular field theory or the random phase approximation.
Microsomal electron transport and xenobiotic monooxygenase activities during the embryonic period of development in the killifish, Fundulus heteroclitus

The developmental patterns of aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase (AHH) activity and NADPH-cytochrome c reductase activity were followed during embryonic development in Fundulus. AHH activity was localized in microsomal fractions prepared from whole Fundulus embryos and eleutheroembryos. On the basis of this subcellular localization, the requirements of O2 and NADPH for activity, and sensitivity to carbon monoxide and cytochrome c inhibition, the AHH activity in Fundulus embryos and eleutheroembryos appeared to be cytochrome P-450 dependent. AHH activity was measurable in stages prior to the appearance of the liver rudiment, and during subsequent embryonic development the extrahepatic tissues were likely to have contributed substantially to the AHH activity measured. At all stages assayed before hatching, microsomal AHH specific activity remained uniformly low, but within 24 hr of hatching, AHH specific activity increased about ninefold. This posthatching increase in AHH activity was not age dependent, nor developmental stage dependent, but rather required hatching, and was not due to the presence of endogenous inhibitors in prehatching stages. The levels of NADPH-cytochrome c reductase activity and AHH activity were not closely correlated in whole embryo and eleutheroembryo microsomes, but the AHH activity in these preparations apparently was not limited by the levels of the NADPH-cytochrome c (P-450) reductase. The presence of AHH activity in Fundulus embryos during the period of active organogenesis, prior to hatching, indicates that this species is likely to be susceptible to a variety of teratogens requiring metabolic activation, and this may be the case for other species of fish as well.
Effect of low fluence diode laser irradiation on the hydraulic conductivity of perfused trabecular meshwork endothelial cell monolayers.

Objective: To determine the effect of low-fluence diode laser irradiation upon the fluid perfusion characteristics of cultured human trabecular meshwork cell monolayers when placed in a specially designed testing apparatus and subjected to fluid flow driven by a hydrostatic pressure gradient. Methods: Two experimental series were conducted. In the first series, six low-fluence diode laser irradiation experiments were conducted using cultured human trabecular meshwork cell monolayers grown on filter supports. Upon reaching a steady state perfusion condition at approximately 5.0 mmHg, monolayers were irradiated at fluencies ranging from 0.2619 to 0.8571 J/cm2 using a diode laser (λ = 810 nm). Perfusion and data collection continued for 45 minutes post-irradiation, after which the monolayers were tested to determine post-experimental viability. Hydraulic conductivity values were analyzed for post-irradiation response in 2.5-minute intervals, grouped by viability. In the second series, a total of six irradiat...
Superconducting fluctuations and tunneling anomalies below Tc

Abstract The theory of pair tunneling current due to superconducting fluctuations is generalized to include the effects of self-induced a.c. voltage. A new contribution to the d.c. I–V characteristics is found which contains a peak at the value of eV equal to the superconducting order parameter and which explains the secondary peak observed previously.
Sliding window-frequency domain equalization for multi-mode communication systems

Future wireless communications should be designed efficiently to support multi-mode operations for different types of applications, such as machine-to-machine, video streaming, web browsing and voice. In the physical layer multi-mode operation could include the coexistence of single carrier and multicarrier modulations. To reduce overall complexity and power consumption, it is highly desirable to design the receiver such that some of the components are shared or reused by multiple modulation schemes. In this paper we propose a receiver architecture which is composed of a common channel equalizer for all carrier modulation schemes. Furthermore, we investigate the feasibility of using a well-studied time domain equalizer designed for single carrier modulation, i.e., the sliding window-frequency domain equalizer (SW-FDE) for general multicarrier modulation (MCM) receivers. As a specific illustration of the concept, we present the application of this equalizer to an OFDM-offset QAM system.
NMR structure and dynamics of the second transmembrane domain of the neuronal acetylcholine receptor beta 2 subunit.

Structure and backbone dynamics of a selectively ( 15 N)Leu-labeled 28-residue segment of the extended second transmembrane domain (TM2e) of the human neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) ‚2 subunit were studied by 1 H and 15 N solution-state NMR in dodecylphosphocholine micelles. The TM2e structure was determined on the basis of the nuclear Overhauser effects (NOEs) and the hydrogen bond restraints, which were inferred from the presence of H R i-H N i+3 ,H R i-H ‚ i+3, and H R i-H N i+4 NOE connectivity and from the slow amide hydrogen exchange with D2O. The TM2e structure of the nAChR ‚2 subunit contains a helical region between T4 and K22. Backbone dynamics were calculated using the model-free approach based on the 15 N relaxation rate constants, R1 and R2, and on the 15 N-{ 1 H} NOE. The data acquired at 9.4 and 14.1 T and calculations using different dynamic models demonstrated no conformational exchange and internal motions on the nanosecond time scale. The global tumbling time of TM2e in micelles was 14.4 ( 0.2 ns; the NOE values were greater than 0.63 at 9.4 T, and the order parameter, S 2 , was 0.83-0.96 for all 15 N-labeled leucine residues, suggesting a restricted internal motion. This is the first report of NMR structure and backbone dynamics of the second transmembrane domain of the human nAChR ‚2 subunit in a membrane-mimetic environment, providing the basis for subsequent studies of subunit interactions in the transmembrane domain complex of the neuronal nAChR.
Circadian rhythm disturbances in depression.

Objective The aim of this article is to review progress in understanding the mechanisms that underlie circadian and sleep rhythms, and their role in the pathogenesis and treatment of depression. Methods Literature was selected principally by Medline searches, and additional reports were identified based on ongoing research activities in the authors' laboratory. Results Many physiological processes show circadian rhythms of activity. Sleep and waking are the most obvious circadian rhythms in mammals. There is considerable evidence that circadian and sleep disturbances are important in the pathophysiology of mood disorders. Depressed patients often show altered circadian rhythms, sleep disturbances, and diurnal mood variation. Chronotherapies, including bright light exposure, sleep deprivation, and social rhythm therapies, may be useful adjuncts in non-seasonal and seasonal depression. Antidepressant drugs have marked effects on circadian processes and sleep. Conclusions Recent progress in understanding chronobiological and sleep regulation mechanisms may provide novel insights and avenues into the development of new pharmacological and behavioral treatment strategies for mood disorders. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Two-level workload characterization of online auctions

Online auctions are rapidly becoming one of the significant forms of electronic commerce for buying and selling goods and services. A good understanding of the workload of auction sites should provide insights about their activities and help in improving the quality of the service provided to their users. This paper presents a site level and a user level workload characterization of a real online auction site using data collected by automated agents. The main contributions of this paper are as follows: (i) a detailed workload characterization of a real auction site; (ii) an analysis of the presence of heavy tailed distributions in this workload; (iii) an analysis of the bidding activity during closing minutes of auctions; and (iv) an analysis of the arrival rate process of bidders and bids within clusters based on different attributes. These results can be used to devise dynamic pricing and promotion models to improve revenue throughput of online auction sites.
Identification of New Members of Hydrophobin Family Using Primary Structure Analysis

Hydrophobins are fungal proteins that can turn into amphipathic membranes at hydrophilic/hydrophobic interfaces by self-assembly. The assemblages by Class I hydrophobins are extremely stable and possess the remarkable ability to change the polarity of the surface. One of its most important industrial applications is its usage as paint. Without detailed knowledge of the 3D structure and self-assembly principles of hydrophobins, it is difficult to make significant progress in furthering its research. In order to provide useful information to hydrophobin researchers, we analyzed primary structure of hydrophobins to gain more insight about these proteins. In this paper, we presented an in-depth primary sequence analysis using batch BLAST search of the database, sequence filtering by programming and motif finding by MEME. We used batch BLAST to find similar sequences in the NCBI nr database. Then we used MEME to find out motifs. Based on the newly found motifs and the well-known C-CC-C-C-CC-C pattern we used MAST to search the entire nr database. At the end, domain search and phylogenetic analysis were conducted to confirm the result. After searching the nr database with the new PSSM-format motifs identified by MEME, many sequences from various species were found by MAST. Filtering process by pattern, domain and length left 9 qualified candidates. All of them possess the common pattern and hydrophobin domain. From the multiple sequence alignment result, we can see that some of them are grouped very close to other known hydrophobins, which means their phylogenetic relationship is very close and it is highly plausible that they are indeed hydrophobin proteins. Key words: Hydrophobin,
Pitfalls of modeling wind power using Markov chains

An increased penetration of wind turbines have given rise to a need for wind speed/power models that generate realistic synthetic data. Such data, for example, might be used in simulations to size energy storage or spinning reserve. In much literature, Markov chains have been proposed as an acceptable method to generate synthetic wind data, but we have observed that the autocorrelation plots of wind speeds generated by Markov chains are often inaccurate. This paper describes when using Markov chains is appropriate and demonstrates the gross underestimation of storage requirements that occurs at short time steps. We found that Markov chains should not be used for time steps shorter than 15 to 40 minutes, depending on the order of the Markov chain and the number of wind power states. This result implies that Markov chains are of limited use as synthetic data generators for small microgrid models and other applications requiring short simulation time steps. New algorithms for generating synthetic wind data at shorter time steps must be developed.
Transitory increases of luteinizing hormone and follicle-stimulating hormone following luteectomy in hemiovariectomized primates significantly increase progesterone secretion in vitro by the subsequent corpus luteum.

Ten chronically hemiovariectomized cynomolgus and rhesus monkeys were luteectomized 5.5 ± 0.3 days after the midcycle luteinizing hormone (LU) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) surge in two consecutive cycles. The corpus luteum (CL) was removed, weighed, dispersed with collagenase and the luteal cells counted. Luteal cells (50,000/mI) were incubated in Ham’s FlO medium for 3 h at 37#{176}C either in the presence or absence of 100 ng/ml human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG). Daily blood samples were taken from the monkeys throughout the study for determination of LH, FSH, estradiol (E2) and progesterone levels. Within 5 days following each luteectomy (LX), all monkeys responded with a significant increase in FSH and LH (P 0.05). However, luteal cells obtained at the second LX produced more progesterone (P<0.05) in vitro under basal and hCG-stimulated conditions than cells from the first LX. The areas under the LH and FSH curves following the first LX were highly correlated (P<0.05) with the in vitro progesterone production following the second LX. Thus, the monkeys with the largest areas under the LH and FSH curves subsequently had the highest in vitro progesterone production.
A Conceptual Graph Approach to Feature Modeling

A software product-line is a set of products built from a core set of software components. Although software engineers develop software product-lines for various application types, they are most commonly used for embedded systems development, where the variability of hardware features requires variability in the supporting firmware. Feature models are used to represent the variability in these software product-lines. Various feature modeling approaches have been proposed, including feature diagrams, domain specific languages, constraint languages, and the semantic web language OWL. This paper explores a conceptual graph approach to feature modeling in an effort to produce feature models that have a more natural, and more easily expressed mapping to the problem domain. It demonstrates the approach using a standard Graph Product-line problem that has been discussed in various software product-line papers. A conceptual graph feature model is developed for the graph product-line and it is compared to other feature models for this product-line.
Time-Average Velocity and Turbulence Measurement Using Wireless Bend Sensors in an Open Channel with a Rough Bed

This paper is motivated by the need to develop low cost, wireless velocity sensors for hydraulic research and application in streams. A velocity bend sensor (VBS) is a flexible plastic polyimide substrate sheet with an electronic resistor connected to a voltage divider. Drag of a moving fluid bends the sensor, changes the electronic resistance, and produces a voltage drop that can be related to the time-averaged freestream velocity of the fluid. VBSs were tested in a recirculating hydraulic flume with a gravel bed. The VBSs show transition from rigid to elastic bending with increasing freestream velocity, which can be described using dimensionless fluid and beam- bending properties. The relationship between stream velocity and voltage drop across the circuit is nonlinear. A semitheoretical approach to estimate time-averaged streamwise velocity from the voltage drop based on fluid drag, elastic member bending, and circuit principles is applied and shows good agreement with experimentally derived calibration curves. The triple decomposition theorem and spectral analysis are performed on VBS and acoustic Doppler velocimeter (ADV) time series. Results show that the VBS captures low-frequency character- istics of macroturblence present within the turbulent open channel flow but is unable to measure smaller-scale characteristics of eddy shed- ding for these hydraulic conditions. Turbulent intensity calculated using VBS data is 12% of that from the ADV attributed to the lack of detection of shedding-sized eddies. But, the linear fit between turbulent intensity from the VBS and ADV suggests that the VBS can be used as a proxy for more detailed turbulent measurements when applied in streams. DOI: 10.1061/(ASCE)HY.1943-7900.0000725. © 2013 American Society of Civil Engineers. CE Database subject headings: Probe instruments; Decomposition; Spectral analysis; Turbulence; Open channels; Velocity; Flow measurement.
Mapping RNA‐seq Reads with STAR

Mapping of large sets of high-throughput sequencing reads to a reference genome is one of the foundational steps in RNA-seq data analysis. The STAR software package performs this task with high levels of accuracy and speed. In addition to detecting annotated and novel splice junctions, STAR is capable of discovering more complex RNA sequence arrangements, such as chimeric and circular RNA. STAR can align spliced sequences of any length with moderate error rates, providing scalability for emerging sequencing technologies. STAR generates output files that can be used for many downstream analyses such as transcript/gene expression quantification, differential gene expression, novel isoform reconstruction, and signal visualization. In this unit, we describe computational protocols that produce various output files, use different RNA-seq datatypes, and utilize different mapping strategies. STAR is open source software that can be run on Unix, Linux, or Mac OS X systems.
Comparison of higher-order diffractions in scattering by a strip

The authors consider the far-field scattering of a plane wave from a perfectly-conducting, finite-width, infinitely-long strip using the geometric theory of diffraction/uniform theory of diffraction (GTD/UTD). Formulations for monostatic and bistatic scattering for both TE and TM polarizations are given. The results are compared with extended spectral theory of diffraction and moment method (MM) results to determine guidelines on the accuracy of the traditional GTD/UTD formulation. >
Free flight simulations and pitch and roll control experiments of a sub-gram flapping-flight micro aerial vehicle

Flapping-flight micro aerial vehicles (MAVs) pose an ongoing design problem to the scientific community, requiring careful consideration of both body structure and force production. Here, we examine a flapping MAV prototype with a passively rotating wing design. While at the current scale the lift force produced is not enough for liftoff, observing its performance under roll and pitch control can lead to insights on both the body design and the eventual free-flight implementation. As the production of roll and pitch torques are primarily uncoupled for this design, PID control is implemented in the roll and pitch directions individually on a custom designed single degree of freedom rig. By doing so, we show that the body structure is capable of sustaining independent wing amplitudes and that actuator input voltage bias shifting is successful experimentally on a dynamically driven wing. Through force compensation, the experimentally tested controller is mapped to a ½ scale simulated system, theoretically capable of free-flight. Though initial simulation results suggest high sensitivity to feedback noise, simulations show that decoupled roll and pitch controllers have potential as a minimal computational means for hovering and translational motion.
A two-dimensional mutate-and-map strategy for non-coding RNA structure

Non-coding RNAs fold into precise base-pairing patterns to carry out critical roles in genetic regulation and protein synthesis, but determining RNA structure remains difficult. Here, we show that coupling systematic mutagenesis with high-throughput chemical mapping enables accurate base-pair inference of domains from ribosomal RNA, ribozymes and riboswitches. For a six-RNA benchmark that has challenged previous chemical/computational methods, this 'mutate-and-map' strategy gives secondary structures that are in agreement with crystallography (helix error rates, 2%), including a blind test on a double-glycine riboswitch. Through modelling of partially ordered states, the method enables the first test of an interdomain helix-swap hypothesis for ligand-binding cooperativity in a glycine riboswitch. Finally, the data report on tertiary contacts within non-coding RNAs, and coupling to the Rosetta/FARFAR algorithm gives nucleotide-resolution three-dimensional models (helix root-mean-squared deviation, 5.7 A) of an adenine riboswitch. These results establish a promising two-dimensional chemical strategy for inferring the secondary and tertiary structures that underlie non-coding RNA behaviour.
Varieties of Pathological Self-Mutilation

Pathological self-mutilation appears as a non-specific symptom as well as a specific syndrome. Since psychotic persons may commit horrifying acts, such as enucleation of an eye or amputation of a body part, identification of high risk patients is crucial. Stereotypical self-mutilation, such as head banging and biting off of fingertips, is associated with mental retardation and with the syndromes of Lesch-Nyhan, deLange, and Tourette. This type of self-mutilation is the focus of biological research or endorphins and on dopamine receptors. Skin cutting and burning, the most common type of self-mutilation, is often associated with personality disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder, and multiple personality disorder. When cutting and burning become established as responses to disturbing psychological symptoms on environmental events, a specific Axis I impulse disorder known as Repetitive Self Mutilation may be diagnosed. Patients with this newly identified syndrome may alternate their direct acts of self-mutilation with eating disorders and episodic alcoholism.
Induction Therapy In Heart Transplantation: Is There A Role?

T m t B p c t s s fi j i g t nduction therapy, originally conceived for providing mmunologic ablation as a prelude to inducing graft olerance by the use of upstream antibody therapy in rthotopic heart transplantation, remains controversial. he benefits and safety of this approach as a universal trategy have been studied during the past decade with isparate results. The central theme and approach to nduction therapy has also shifted with the use of lower oses and the introduction of new agents, making ong-term comparative outcome studies difficult. This eport reviews the challenges in induction therapy uring the past decade and explores pitfalls and benets of using this strategy in heart transplantation.
Limited Role of Antibody in Clearance of Streptococcus pneumoniae in a Murine Model of Colonization

Colonization is the first step in the interaction between Streptococcus pneumoniae and its human host. To better understand the mechanisms contributing to natural carriage, a mouse model of pneumococcal colonization was developed with a clinical isolate of S. pneumoniae previously characterized in experimental colonization of humans. Similar to carriage events in humans, colonization of mice was self-limited and there was no evidence of lower respiratory tract or invasive disease. Carriage induced a serum antibody response to whole pneumococci that was associated temporally with clearance of colonization in three inbred strains of mice. Individual mice, however, did not demonstrate a correlation between the density of colonization and amounts of serum or of mucosal antibodies, including antibodies of different isotypes and antigenic specificities. The role of antibody in the clearance of carriage was then examined in mice with genetic defects in humoral immunity. xid mice, which have deficient responses to polysaccharide antigens, cleared colonization at the same rate as the parent strain. Finally, we showed that μMT mice, which lack mature B cells and fail to produce antibody, were unaffected in the density or duration of colonization. These results demonstrate that antibody is not required for clearance of pneumococcal colonization in mice.
FoxO limits microtubule stability and is itself negatively regulated by microtubule disruption

Transcription factors are essential for regulating neuronal microtubules (MTs) during development and after axon damage. In this paper, we identify a novel neuronal function for Drosophila melanogaster FoxO in limiting MT stability at the neuromuscular junction (NMJ). foxO loss-of-function NMJs displayed augmented MT stability. In contrast, motor neuronal overexpression of wild-type FoxO moderately destabilized MTs, whereas overexpression of constitutively nuclear FoxO severely destabilized MTs. Thus, FoxO negatively regulates synaptic MT stability. FoxO family members are well-established components of stress-activated feedback loops. We hypothesized that FoxO might also be regulated by cytoskeletal stress because it was well situated to shape neuronal MT organization after cytoskeletal damage. Indeed, levels of neuronal FoxO were strongly reduced after acute pharmacological MT disruption as well as sustained genetic disruption of the neuronal cytoskeleton. This decrease was independent of the dual leucine zipper kinase–Wallenda pathway and required function of Akt kinase. We present a model wherein FoxO degradation is a component of a stabilizing, protective response to cytoskeletal insult.
The globalization of ecologically intensive aquaculture (1984–2008)

Social structures influence the spread of aquaculture and the particular ecological demands of this industry, which mediate the prospects of fisheries conservation. We assessed the effects of trade in food and fisheries commodities, the level of economic development, aquaculture production, and human population on the expansion of ecologically intensive aquaculture within the global food system. In doing this, we created a conservative measure of ecologically intensive aquaculture. We then conducted cross-national panel regression analyses (1984–2008) of 90 nations to investigate the expansion of ecologically intensive aquaculture and its integration into the global food system. The results indicated positive significant relationships between ecologically intensive aquaculture practices and fisheries commodity exports, total trade in food commodities, GDP per capita, and population size. These findings suggest that the dynamics of the modern global food system, characterized by increasingly globalized production of natural resource intensive processes, have significantly shaped the development of modern aquaculture systems and their ecological consequences.
Effects of acute blood removal via the sublingual vein on haematological and clinical parameters in Sprague-Dawley rats:

Haematological and clinical effects were evaluated after multiple blood samplings over 24 h in the laboratory rat and for up to 22 days after collection to determine the time required for a return to baseline values. Male and female Sprague-Dawley rats (n = 7/sex/group) were bled 4 times over 24 h and blood samples of 1.2, 1.6, 2.4 and 3.2 ml were taken. There were no adverse clinical signs and no statistically significant differences in body weight, body weight gain and food consumption. The acute effect on main haematological parameters of blood removal over 24 h consisted of reductions of red blood cell count, haemoglobin and haematocrit which were similar for blood removal exceeding 7.5% and less than 15% of circulating blood volume, and the reductions were positively related to the amount of blood loss beyond 15%. Time to recover to baseline values was also proportional to the initial blood collection volume and was estimated to range from 48 h for amounts from 5% to below 7.5%, 12 days for amounts from 7.5% to up to 20% and 19 days for amounts above 20%. Recommendations are made concerning suitable blood collection regimes.
Blood glucose regulates the effects of insulin and counterregulatory hormones on glucose production in vivo

Continuous, low dose, insulin infusion in conscious dogs produced moderate hypoglycemia but only a transient fall in glucose production that rose towards preinfusion levels 20 to 30 min before any detectable increase in plasma counterregulatory hormones. Addition of epinephrine or glucagon to the insulin infusion prevented the fall in glucose production throughout the experiment but only partially diminished the hypoglycemic response. When hypoglycemia was prevented by a variable glucose infusion, neither epinephrine nor glucagon was able to counteract the suppressive effect of insulin on glucose output. These findings suggest that a fall in blood glucose per se may reverse insulin-induced inhibition of glucose production independent of a rise in counterregulatory hormones and that the insulin antagonist effect of counterregulatory hormones is modulated, at least in part, by blood glucose concentration.
Educating The Next Generation Of Accounting Professionals

Each year accounting graduates are recruited by the accounting firms that hope the new crop of employees will be technically prepared to serve the clients of the firm. They are looking for these recruits to have a mastery of the principles and concepts of the accounting courses they have taken. Proof of mastery is the student’s ability to apply their accounting knowledge to solve their clients’ accounting-related issues. Many of these firms, if not all, devote substantial resources “on boarding” new employees and training them in the way the firm serves their clients. Those students who have mastered the accounting concepts in their undergraduate courses have a career building advantage over those who do not have mastery. A frequent topic of discussion at firm leadership meetings centers around how well prepared students are from the different universities. Inevitably the discussion turns to what are the most effective methods to teach accounting to the newest crop of potential accounting professionals. These same discussions take place at faculty meetings as well as at conferences for accounting educators across the country.
Chemical derivatization of neurosteroids for their trace determination in sea lamprey by UPLC-MS/MS

This article describes the development and validation of a sensitive and robust method for the determination of neurosteroids in sea lamprey, an ancestral animal in vertebrate evolution. Chemical derivatization was used to enhance the detection of neurosteroids containing ketone function by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS). Iminooxy derivatives of 12 oxosteroids and three internal standards were monitored by positive electrospray tandem mass spectrometry using the neutral loss of sulfate. Limit of quantification, extraction recovery and matrix effect were first evaluated and SPE using C18 sorbent was selected after comparison with liquid/liquid extraction and protein precipitation. Matrix effect ranged from 89.6% to 113.1% in plasma and from 79.8% to 100.0% in the brain. Recovery values ranged from 80.0% to 103.8% in plasma and from 86.3% to 107.9% in the brain. Chromatographic separation was achieved by reverse phase chromatography (2.1mm×100mm, 1.7µm particle size, C18) with a binary gradient between methanol and 0.1% formic acid in water. Limit of quantification ranged from 5 to 10pg/mL and was up to 80 times lower than those for non-derivatized steroids. Accuracy and precision parameters were determined and inter- and intra-day at three concentrations: 50, 500 and 5000pg/mL. This method was applied to analyze real samples. progesterone (P), pregnenolone (P5), 7-hydroxy-pregnenolpne (7P5), 17-hydroxy-pregnenolpne (17P5)dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), androstenedienone (A4), testosterone (T), dihydrotestosterone (DHT), allopregnanolone (THP), 11-hydroxy-androstenedienone (11A4) and 11-Deoxycortisol (S) were measured in sea lamprey brain and plasma matrixes.
Accurate simulation of large collections of phylogenetic trees

Phylogenetic analyses are growing at a rapid rate, producing increasingly large collections of trees. Scientists rarely share their tree collections, making it difficult for researchers to develop methods that anticipate and respond to this growth of data. While common methods for simulating phylogenetic trees focus on random topologies, the tree collections returned from phylogenetic search are rarely random and contain a high degree of topological similarity. In this paper, we introduce TreeSim, a software package that simulates large tree collections from published consensus trees. TreeSim implements our new simulation algorithm, the combined consensus. Our experimental results indicate that simulating trees based on the combined consensus produces collections whose topological diversity most closely resemble the trees returned from phylogenetic search. We expect that TreeSim will play a critical role in guiding the algorithmic development of new approaches that support the growth of phylogenetic data.
Visibility and Accountability: The Politics of Public Goods Provision in Tanzania

African countries that permit multi-party politics are frequently depicted as patronage democracies, where competition hinges on politicians abilities to deliver the goods. Less attention has been paid to which goods they prioritize. My study breaks new ground in the field of distributive politics by examining the electoral motives behind government allocations across public goods. I focus on Tanzania, which exhibits pronounced differences in public goods provision across sectors. Since the transition to multi-party politics in 1995, the Tanzanian government has made tangible and far-reaching efforts in some sectors  such as primary education and health - while allowing others  such as access to clean water - to decline or stagnate. I hypothesize that these differences in government responsiveness relate to the visibility of the public good in question, where visibility refers to the degree to which people can assess government effort. I test this hypothesis by examining how the provision of different public goods affects peoples reported approval ratings of local government officials, using data from a nationally representative household survey. I then link the survey data to recent election results to show how the underprovision of visible public goods is associated with electoral sanctioning.
Adoption, Diffusion, and Scaling of Agricultural Technologies in Developing Countries

Many organizations struggle to develop plans to achieve levels of scaling for agricultural technologies that demonstrate population-level impacts in developing countries. Scaling is a complex process, involving many disparate actors. There is no consensus model to follow; different models are needed at different stages. Practice for sound development activity planning generally involves analysis of feasibility in key areas, such as economic, financial, environmental, social, institutional, and technical. Attention to these should guarantee suitable, scalable, and sustainable technologies. This paper provides an introduction to the topics of the adoption, diffusion and scaling, with examples from agriculture.
ON THE MINIMUM EXIT RATE FOR A DIFFUSION PROCESS PERTAINING TO A CHAIN OF DISTRIBUTED CONTROL SYSTEMS WITH RANDOM PERTURBATIONS

In this paper, we consider the problem of minimizing the exit rate with which a diffusion process pertaining to a chain of distributed control systems, with random perturbations, exits from a given bounded open domain. In particular, we consider a chain of distributed control systems that are formed byn subsystems (withn 2), where the random perturbation enters only in the first subsystem and is then subsequently transmitted to the other subsystems. Furthermore, we assume that, for any'2f2;:::;ng, the distributed control systems, which is formed by the first ' subsystems, satisfies an appropriate H¨ ormander condition. As a result of this, the diffusion process is degenerate, in the sense that the infinitesimal generator associated with it is a degenerate parabolic equation. Our interest is to establish a connection between the minimum exit rate with which the diffusion process exits from the given domain and the principal eigenvalue for the infinitesimal generator with zero boundary conditions. Such a connection allows us to derive a family of Hamilton-Jacobi-Bellman equations for which we provide a verification theorem that shows the validity of the corresponding optimal control problems. Finally, we provide an estimate on the attainable exit probability of the diffusion process with respect to a set of admissible (optimal) Markov controls for the optimal control problems. dx 1 (t) = m1 x 1 (t);u1(t) dt + x 1 (t))dW (t) dx 2 (t) = m2 x 1 (t);x 2 (t);u2(t) dt . dx i (t) = mi x 1 (t);x 2 (t);:::;x i (t);ui(t) dt .
Gradient Based Optimal Output Feedback Using a Sylvester Expansion

A new method for gradient based determination of H2 optimal output feedback gains is presented. Constraints representing the dynamics of a linear time invariant system are substituted into the quadratic cost function. Sylvester’s expansion is used to write the matrix exponential in a form which can then be integrated closed-form. The cost function and its derivatives can then be written as algebraic expressions in terms of the system eigenvalues. Numerical examples are provided.
Maximal inner spaces and Hankel operators on the Bergman space

The paper deals with two closely related questions about the Bergman space of the unit disk. First, we investigate a special class of invariant subspaces of the Bergman space, namely, invariant subspaces induced by certain Hankel operators. We show that such spaces always have the co-dimension 1 or 2 property; and we determine exactly when such a space has the co-dimension 1 property. Second, we introduce the notion of inner spaces in the Bergman space and give several characterizations of when an inner space is maximal.
Aircraft High-Lift Aerodynamic Analysis Using a Surface-Vorticity Solver

This study extends an existing semi-empirical approach to high-lift analysis by examining its effectiveness for use with a three-dimensional aerodynamic analysis method. The aircraft high-lift geometry is modeled in Vehicle Sketch Pad (OpenVSP) using a newly-developed set of techniques for building a three-dimensional model of the high-lift geometry, and for controlling flap deflections using scripted parameter linking. Analysis of the low-speed aerodynamics is performed in FlightStream, a novel surface-vorticity solver that is expected to be substantially more robust and stable compared to pressure-based potential-flow solvers and less sensitive to surface perturbations. The calculated lift curve and drag polar are modified by an empirical lift-effectiveness factor that takes into account the effects of viscosity that are not captured in the potential-flow solution. Analysis results are validated against wind-tunnel data for The Energy-Efficient Transport AR12 low-speed wind-tunnel model, a 12-foot, full-span aircraft configuration with a supercritical wing, full-span slats, and part-span double-slotted flaps.
Cone calix[4]arene diethyl ester strapped calix[4]pyrrole: a selective receptor for the fluoride anion.

A calix[4]pyrrole strapped by a bulky calix[4]arene diester locked in its cone conformation has been prepared. On the basis of 1H NMR spectroscopic analyses carried out in CDCl3, it is concluded that this hybrid system, receptor 2, binds only the fluoride anion and does so with remarkably high affinity even in the presence of an excess of various potentially competing environmentally and biologically ubiquitous anions (studied as the tetrabutylammonium, cesium, or lithium salts). Solid state structural analyses provide support for the notion that receptor 2 interacts well with the fluoride anion in the solid state.
[Ir]rationality, Happiness, and Benefit-Cost Analysis: Introduction to the Special Issue

Behavioral economics and happiness research have many important implications for the conduct of benefit-cost analysis as well as for policy design and implementation. By identifying ways in which we may act irrationally and providing new perspectives on the relationship between our circumstances and our sense of well-being, this research raises numerous questions regarding the evaluation of individual and societal welfare and the desirability of alternative policies. In this special issue, we present a series of articles that explore these concerns and provide significant new insights.
Involving patients in medical decisions: what happens in real-world practice?

The article, which continues our series on take-away lessons from the Direct Observation of Primary Care Study, shows how FPs can help patients take a more active role in making decisions about their medical care and why this is beneficial.
Capacity of biochar application and nitrogen fertilization to mitigate grass competition upon tree seedlings during stand regeneration.

Abstract Background and aims This experiment examined early competition dynamics of a tree-grass intercropping system. We hypothesized that (1) the effects of competition would outweigh those of facilitation in this system and (2) soil amendment-induced fertility would alter competitive relationships between these species. Methods We intercropped loblolly pine and switchgrass seedlings at three rates of density-induced interspecific competition (high, low, and pine only) and amended soils with biochar (0, 5, and 20 Mg ha−1) and nitrogen fertilizer (0 and 56 kg ha−1 N). We measured soil properties, foliar N concentrations, and plant productivity over two years. Results Soil temperatures decreased and total soil N increased in intercropping treatments relative to the pine only control treatment. Competition reduced soil moisture and inorganic N concentrations as well as tree productivity and switchgrass yields. Biochar amendments increased total soil C, C:N ratios, and soil moisture. Fertilization acidified soil pH and decreased total soil C and N pools. Switchgrass yields were increased and soil moisture was decreased with N fertilization. Conclusions The net effects of competition outweighed those of facilitation within this system. Competitive relationships amongst these species were altered by soil amendment-induced fertility. Favorable switchgrass responses to soil inorganic N suggests its competitive ability is increased on nitrogen-rich or fertilized sites.
Interfacial Structure Determination

The understanding of biomolecule structure at the nanoparticle interface is critical for the design of sensors containing nanoparticles and biological recognition elements. While many inorganic binding peptides have been identified from phage display and other experiments, the relationship between the peptide sequence, structure, and functional properties at the interface have not been identified. The structure of biomolecules at the interface can be determined with the tools (Circular Dichroism (CD), Fourier transform infra-red (FTIR), and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR)) traditionally used for protein structure determination.