cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Micromechanical evaluation of rock and fluid interactions

Abstract The deformation of the solid system in the process of fluid flow in deformable porous media, such as underground fluid flow, carbon-dioxide (CO2) sequestration, is the result of external stress, particle-particle, and fluid-particle interactions. Such behavior is very crucial in CO2 sequestration as it causes a significant instability and onset of displacements. The small-scale deformations of pore-pressure may trigger waking up of the pre-existing and unrevealed fractures and faults, which in turn cause seismicity. Thus, studying the effect of fluid flow on rock deformation is very important. In this paper, the effect of external stress and fluid-particle interactions on the deformation of porous media is elucidated through evaluating of micromechanical behaviors of rock and fluid under an external stress. To this end, packing of multi-size spherical particles in dry and wet conditions are used to represent the medium. Then, the deformation under different external stress is quantified using various morphological and flow properties, such as strain, pore-size distribution, porosity, and velocity field. The results indicate that as the external stress increases, the deformation of both dry and wet states increase. By increasing the external stress, the discrepancy between the deformation of the dry and wet cases declines, whereas the deformation of the dry cases is always bigger than that of the wet samples as the fluid-particle drag force inhibits the solid deformation.
Activin A induces leiomyoma cell proliferation, extracellular matrix (ECM) accumulation and myofibroblastic transformation of myometrial cells via p38 MAPK.

Abstract Objective The objective of this study was to evaluate the role of Activin A and p38β MAPK-activated signaling in human leiomyoma cells, myometrial cells and mouse myometrial tissues. Methods The immortalization human leiomyoma cells (HuLM), the immortalized human myometrial cells (HM) and mouse myometrial tissues were treated with Activin A (4 nM) and/or specific p38 inhibitor SB202190 (10 μM) for different days of interval (to measure proliferation rate) or 1 h (to measure signaling molecules) or 48 h (to measure proliferating markers Ki-67, ECM mRNA, and/or ECM protein expression) by real-time PCR, Western blot, and/or immunocytochemistry. Results Activin A induced cell proliferation and ECM proteins accumulation in HuLM cells via p38 MAPK. Activin A also induced myofibroblastic transformation in HM cells and mouse myometrical tissues via the phosphorylation of p38. The effects of Activin A in leiomyoma cells, myometrical cells and tissues were abolished by p38α/β MAPK inhibitor SB202190. Conclusion This study demonstrates Activin A-p38 MAPK signaling pathway in leiomyoma and myometrium may contribute to excessive ECM production, leiomyoma growth and progression. Targeting Activin A-p38 MAPK signaling pathway could be a potential therapeutic intervention for uterine leiomyoma.
Social rank, color morph, and social network metrics predict oxidative stress in a cichlid fish

Dominance hierarchies are a fundamental part of social systems in many species and social rank can influence access to resources and impact health and physiology. While social subordination is a profound stressor, few studies consider the social stress experienced by dominant males due to constantly needing to defend their dominance status through costly aggressive displays. Recent studies suggest that in species that use body coloration to signal status, these costs may also be color morph-specific. Our study examines the link between the social rank, intensity of territorial defense, body coloration, and oxidative stress in males of the color polymorphic cichlid fish Astatotilapia burtoni where males are either blue or yellow. We studied behavior in naturalistic communities and examined circulating reactive oxygen metabolites (ROMs) and antioxidant defenses. We found that dominant males experience higher concentrations of circulating ROMs without notably increasing their antioxidant defenses, but this effect was not related to color morph. Aggression and social network ties predicted oxidative stress in a morph-specific manner, with yellow but not blue males showing signs of increased oxidative damage with increasing agonistic effort. In contrast to expectation, oxidative stress was not influenced by cortisol or testosterone levels. We conclude that oxidative stress is instrumental to understanding the costs and benefits of high social rank. Living in a social hierarchy can be stressful even for those on top. While past work has established the stress involved in being a low-ranking member of a hierarchy, we show that while high-ranking males attain definite advantages in terms of decreased stress hormone levels and increased reproductive opportunities, they also pay for their increased activity level with increased risk of cellular damage.
Electrostatic Interactions in Membrane Fusion

Presynaptic nerve terminals convert electrical signals into chemical signals that target other neurons or somatic cells.
Linnaeus: Interpretable Deep Learning Classification of Single Cell Transcript Data

High throughput data is commonplace in biomedical research as seen with technologies such as single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) and other Next Generation Sequencing technologies. As these techniques continue to be increasingly utilized it is critical to have analysis tools that can identify meaningful complex relationships between variables (i.e., in the case of scRNA-seq: genes) in a way such that human bias is absent. Moreover, it is equally paramount that both linear and non-linear (i.e., one-to-many) variable relationships be considered when contrasting datasets. HD Spot is a deep learning-based framework that generates an optimal interpretable classifier a given high-throughput dataset using a simple genetic algorithm as well as an autoencoder to classifier transfer learning approach. Using four unique publicly available scRNA-seq datasets with published ground truth, we demonstrate the robustness of HD Spot and the ability to identify ontologically accurate gene lists for a given data subset. HD Spot serves as a bioinformatic tool to allow novice and advanced analysts to gain complex insight into their respective datasets enabling novel hypotheses development.
Pulp Mill Integration with Alcohol-to-Jet Conversion Technology

Abstract This study examines the integration of commercial liquid fuels production from biomass using the alcohol-to-jet pathway into a conventional kraft pulp mill operation. Mill assets including feed handling and supply chain infrastructure, power and recovery systems, and potential equipment retrofitting opportunities are utilized by a fuel production unit through lignocellulosic ethanol fermentation and alcohol-to-jet processing. Potential economic benefits of integrating the energy recovery system (recovery boiler) of the pulp mill with the biomass pretreatment systems are evaluated through energy and mass balances of the integrated facility. Process variations explored within this model include the use of hemicellulose pre-extraction or black liquor fractionation, modifications to digester operations and the scale of a mill retrofitting project. The production of liquid fuels is found to provide a relative reduction in energy use compared to pulp production. With the low energy costs provided by this design, maintaining a high yield throughout the conversion process and the reduction of capital costs offer the best opportunities for further improving economics. Although the economic viability of a realistic biorefinery is not directly evaluated in this study, the aim is to identify technical barriers and opportunities for development of integrated strategies for implementing proven biofuels production technologies.
Normativity and Global Bioethics

Human rights are currently weakly defended. Many doubt their effectiveness and politicians often prioritize economic and military considerations. This chapter examines the implications of this weakening of human rights discourse. Is global bioethics losing its normative force? This question raises the issue of normativity in global bioethics. It is argued that normativity in global bioethics differs from that in ethics in general since it is a specific area of ethics with specific values. This specific normativity is reflected in theory and practice. As a moral discourse, global bioethics is broader than bioethics which is usually focused on the individual perspective. Global bioethics also has a larger repertoire of practices, including for example advocacy. The normativity of global bioethics furthermore is dialectical; it moves between the global and local levels so that it is continuously developing and transforming.
Strengthen the management of clinical research and promote the good development of clinical research

In China,with the development of medicine,more and more clinical researches are increased.However,along with this development,there are still a lot of problems.In order to normalize the management of clinical researches,make the research results reliable and benefit for patients,several strict aspects of management are taken by our hospital,included standardizing the application procedures,introducing the roles of the academic committee and the ethics committee,strengthening the projects management and researchers training,etc.And all these ways promote the good development of clinical researches of our hospital. Key words: clinical research; academic committee; ethics committee; management
Syndemics theory must take local context seriously: An example of measures for poverty, mental health, and food insecurity

Abstract Syndemics theory has provided insight into the ways that disease states and social adversity interact in marginalized populations to further disempower these groups. Yet, until recently, scholars have not identified how we might actually recognize and measure a syndemic, as opposed to a situation where there are multiple but non-interacting diseases present in a population. As researchers like those included in this special issue develop new methods for assessing syndemic interactions in diverse global populations, this short communication argues for the value of locally relevant measures. Poverty, mental health, food insecurity, and type 2 diabetes are used to illustrate the assessment of a potential syndemic from a locally grounded perspective. The discussion emphasizes the insights locally adapted measures can add and what information would be lost without their use.
Efficacy of palliative SBRT in local control of sarcoma

For patients presenting with recurrent, inoperable, or metastatic sarcoma, treatment options are limited. The inherent low radiosensitivity of many sarcoma histologies can limit effectiveness of palliative radiation for these patients. Stereotactic radiation (SBRT) allows escalation of biologically effective dose while limiting dose to normal tissues, which is particularly important in previously irradiated tissues. In this retrospective cohort study, we examine the efficacy of SBRT in the palliation of sarcoma. A retrospective cohort study was performed of patients treated at a single large tertiary academic medical center with SBRT for management of sarcoma from 2011 through 2016. Details regarding patient demographics, treatment context, tumor histology, treatment parameters, and disease outcomes were recorded. Descriptive statistics and Cox analysis of factors associated with improved local control were examined. Results were available on 22 tumors treated with SBRT in 14 patients. Median follow-up was 6.7 months. Median tumor size was 4.8 cm, with a median total dose and dose per fraction of 27.5 Gy and 6 Gy/fraction, respectively. There were 6 recurrences, with a 1-year local control of 62%. Seventy-nine percent of symptomatic lesions had improvement in their pain. On univariate Cox-analysis, total dose, performance status, and BMI were found to be significantly associated with local control, and dose per fraction was significantly associated with local failure. One-year overall survival was 37%. Our institutional experience provides encouraging evidence of the feasibility of SBRT in the palliation of sarcoma. Poor overall survival is a substantial competing risk in these patients. Further studies will be required to identify the ideal dose and fractionation across histological subtypes. Prospective clinical trials may be warranted.
Divided We Stand: The Collaborative Work of Patients and Providers in an Enigmatic Chronic Disease

In chronic conditions, patients and providers need support in understanding and managing illness over time. Focusing on endometriosis, an enigmatic chronic condition, we conducted interviews with specialists and focus groups with patients to elicit their work in care specifically pertaining to dealing with an enigmatic disease, both independently and in partnership, and how technology could support these efforts. We found that the work to care for the illness, including reflecting on the illness experience and planning for care, is significantly compounded by the complex nature of the disease: enigmatic condition means uncertainty and frustration in care and management; the multi-factorial and systemic features of endometriosis without any guidance to interpret them overwhelm patients and providers; the different temporal resolutions of this chronic condition confuse both patients and providers; and patients and providers negotiate medical knowledge and expertise in an attempt to align their perspectives. We note how this added complexity demands that patients and providers work together to find common ground and align perspectives, and propose three design opportunities (considerations to construct a holistic picture of the patient, design features to reflect and make sense of the illness, and opportunities and mechanisms to correct misalignments and plan for care) and implications to support patients and providers in their care work. Specifically, the enigmatic nature of endometriosis necessitates complementary approaches from human-centered computing and artificial intelligence, and thus opens a number of future research avenues.
Biotechnology for African food security

Transgenic maize for human consumption and livestock feed has the capacity to increase yields for a variety of farming operations in Africa and the potential to ensure food security in the face of climate change.
Measuring indoor fine particle concentrations, emission rates, and decay rates from cannabis use in a residence

Abstract Fifteen states have legalized the sales of recreational marijuana, and California has the largest sales of any state. Cannabis is most often smoked indoors, but few measurements have been made of fine particle mass concentrations produced by secondhand cannabis smoke in indoor settings. We conducted 60 controlled experiments in a 43 m3 room of a residence, measuring PM2.5 concentrations, emission rates, and decay rates using real-time monitors designed to measure PM2.5 mass concentrations. We also measured the room's air exchange rate. During each experiment, an experienced smoker followed an identical puffing protocol on one of four different methods of consuming marijuana: the pre-rolled marijuana joint (24 experiments), the bong with its bowl containing marijuana buds (9 experiments), the glass pipe containing marijuana buds (9 experiments), and the commercially available electronic vaping pen with a cartridge attached containing cannabis vape liquid (9 experiments). For comparison, we used the same puffing protocol to measure the PM2.5 emissions from Marlboro cigarettes (9 experiments). The results indicated that cannabis joints produced the highest indoor PM2.5 concentrations and had the largest emission rates, compared with the other cannabis sources. The average PM2.5 emission rate of the 24 cannabis joints (7.8 mg/min) was 3.5 times the average emission rate of the Marlboro cigarettes (2.2 mg/min). The average emission rate of the cannabis bong was 67% that of the joint; the glass pipe's emission rate was 54% that of the joint, and the vaping pen's emission rate was 44% that of the joint. The differences compared to the joint were statistically significant.
Facet Theory Research Into Avian Cognition and Behaviour

In this chapter, I return to considering the traditional mapping sentence. The reason for my positioning this writing at this point and not in earlier chapters that took the traditional mapping sentence as their subject is because of the novelty of the application of the approach to investigate avian cognition and behaviour. My colleagues and I conducted the research I report (Hackett et al., International Journal of Comparative Psychology, 32, 2019) in which a re-analysis of a previously gathered set of data (Shaw et al., Animal Behaviour, 109, 101–111, 2016) was undertaken using a facet theory and mapping sentence approach. In the initial 2016 research conducted by Shaw and colleagues, a test-battery for avian intelligence was developed and administered to a group of New Zealand Robins (Petroica longipes). The data they gathered was analysed using principle component analysis (PCA). Hackett et al. (2019) used this data to facilitate analysis using traditional quantitative facet theory and it associated statistical techniques of Smallestspace Analysis (SSA) and Partial Order Scalogram Analysis (POSA). Based upon the results of these analyses, Hackett, et al., formulated a traditional mapping sentence for avian cognition and extended the understanding of the original analysis by Shaw et al. (2016) through identifying two facets with an interactive relationship specified in a mapping sentence. Hackett et al. (2019) suggested that this mapping sentence constituted a framework within which research into avian cognition may be designed, conducted, and interpreted and that the mapping sentence may be adapted and applied to analogous areas of animal behaviour.
A General Multi-method Approach to Data-Driven Redesign of Tutoring Systems

Analytics of student learning data are increasingly important for continuous redesign and improvement of tutoring systems and courses. There is still a lack of general guidance on converting analytics into better system design, and on combining multiple methods to maximally improve a tutor. We present a multi-method approach to data-driven redesign of tutoring systems and its empirical evaluation. Our approach systematically combines existing and new learning analytics and instructional design methods. In particular, our methods involve identifying difficult skills and creating focused tasks for learning these difficult skills effectively following content redesign strategies derived from analytics. In our past work, we applied this approach to redesigning an algebraic modeling unit and found initial evidence of its effectiveness. In the current work, we extended this approach and applied it to redesigning two other tutor units in addition to a second iteration of redesigning the previously redesigned unit. We conducted a one-month classroom experiment with 129 high school students. Compared to the original tutor, the redesigned tutor led to significantly higher learning outcomes, with time mainly allocated to focused tasks rather than original full tasks. Moreover, it reduced over- and under-practice, yielded a more effective practice experience, and selected skills progressing from easier to harder to a greater degree. Our work provides empirical evidence of the effectiveness and generality of a multi-method approach to data-driven instructional redesign.
Use of Sorption Technology for Treatment of Humidity Condensate for Potable Water

This research focused on the testing of the original potable water processor aboard Space Station Freedom that was to produce potable water from the humidity condensate and additional water generated by carbon dioxide reduction. Humidity condensate was simulated by an influent water model 'Ersatz'. The humidity condensate was treated with multifiltration (MF) beds that consisted of a train of sorption beds (referred to as 'Unibed') designed to remove specific contaminants. For the complete simulated MF system runs tested for 100 bed volumes (BV) (volume processed/total column volume), 0.6 percent of the TOC was removed by the SAC/IRN 77 (Strong Acid Cation exchange resin), 39.6 percent of the total organic carbon (TOC) was removed by the WBA/IRA 68 (Weak Base Anion exchange resin), 13.2 percent of the TOC was removed by activated carbon adsorption (580-26), and the remaining sorbent media acted as polishing units to remove an additional 1.6 percent of the TOC at steady state. At steady state, 45 percent of the influent TOC passed through the MF bed.
Abstract B09: Targeting macrophages to degrade fibrosis in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA) is commonly resistant to chemotherapy due to extensive stromal fibrosis and poor vascularity which combine to inhibit chemotherapy diffusion into tumor tissue. Strategies that target tumor-associated fibrosis have shown promise in preclinical and early clinical trials. We have previously shown that treatment with an agonist CD40 monoclonal antibody (mAb) can induce macrophages to facilitate degradation of tumor-associated fibrosis in PDA, resulting in tumor regressions. Here, we investigated the mechanism by which macrophages facilitate stromal degradation using the KrasG12D; Trp53R172H; Pdx-1 Cre (KPC) genetically engineered mouse model of PDA. By immunofluorescence imaging, we first characterized the extracellular matrix that surrounds PDA tumors in the KPC model. We found high levels of fibronectin, hyaluronic acid and type I collagen present within the surrounding PDA stroma. Treatment with a CD40 mAb resulted in macrophage dependent degradation of both fibronectin and type I collagen, but had no effect on hyaluronic acid. To examine the ability of macrophages to degrade type I collagen, we developed an in vitro colorimetric collagen degradation assay. We found that neither CD40 activation nor classical activation with IFN-γ and LPS were sufficient to induce macrophages to degrade type I collagen. In contrast, classical activation of macrophages in the presence of tumor cells led to >50% collagen degradation in vitro. This effect was correlated with the ability of classically activated macrophages to eliminate tumor cells. Our findings suggest that macrophages acquire the capacity to degrade tumor-associated stromal fibrosis only after activation and successful elimination of tumor cells. This finding has important implications for the design of novel strategies that exploit the anti-fibrotic potential of macrophages for potentially improving drug delivery in PDA. Citation Format: Kristen B. Long, Santiago L. Luque, Gregory L. Beatty. Targeting macrophages to degrade fibrosis in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Pancreatic Cancer: Innovations in Research and Treatment; May 18-21, 2014; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(13 Suppl):Abstract nr B09.
How Do Fair Sharing Tasks Facilitate Young Children’s Access to Fractional Concepts?

The National Science Foundation funded a 2-year program in the US to investigate the cognitive and mathematics development of children aged 3–6. Interview and assessment data of children’s strategies to solve fair sharing tasks involving fractional quantities are reviewed. Children were asked how snacks could be shared among differing numbers of friends (social condition) or to distribute items into containers (physical condition). Some children demonstrated a qualitative understanding of fractional unit and with increasing grade level we observed an increased quantitative understanding. In addition, we documented significant relationships between children’s emerging causal reasoning, verbal IQ, and mathematics performance.
Characterization of the traC determinant of the Enterococcus faecalis hemolysin-bacteriocin plasmid pAD1 : binding of sex pheromone

pAD1, a conjugative, 60-kb, hemolysin-bacteriocin plasmid in Enterococcus faecalis, encodes a mating response to a small peptide sex pheromone, cAD1, secreted by potential recipient bacteria. A gene, traC, encoding a 60.7-kDa protein with a typical amino terminal signal peptide, was identified within a region that appears to encode a product that binds to exogenous pheromone. A cloned segment of DNA containing traC resulted in specific binding of cells to synthetic cAD1. The putative traC product has strong similarity to a product of the E. faecalis plasmid pCF10 as well as oligopeptide binding proteins of Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhimurium, and Bacillus subtilis.
Optimal CXCL8 secretion by IL-1 stimulated Caco-2 epithelial cells requires an effect of the Rho associated kinase, ROCK, on the JIP-3 scaffold signaling to JNK (MUC9P.815)

Elevated levels of Interleukin-1 (IL-1) accompany inflammatory bowel disease. IL-1-stimulated intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) secrete potent chemokines like CXCL-8 (IL-8), which can attract neutrophils and exacerbate inflammation. Previously, we found that inhibiting the Rho-Associated Kinase, ROCK, using the compound Y27632 could inhibit IL-1-induced CXCL8 secretion by the Caco-2 colonic epithelial cell line. We also reported that ROCK inhibition during IL-1 signaling did not affect signaling through IκBα, but suppressed the phosphorylation of JNK. Therefore, ROCK inhibition-mediated suppression of CXCL8 secretion may be due to an inhibition of JNK and not the NF-κB pathway. We now confirm that ROCK inhibition had no effect on the formation of the upstream IRAK1-TRAF6 signaling complex in IL-1-stimulated cells. Also, inhibiting ROCK had no effect on p38 MAPK phosphorylation or the stability of CXCL8 mRNA. Yet, inhibiting ROCK suppressed the IL-1-induced phosphorylation of MKK4, a known activator of JNK, but not MKK7. Immunoprecipitation of the JIP3 scaffold protein from IL-1-stimulated cells showed that inhibiting ROCK suppresed both the association of JNK with JIP3 and the phosphorylation of JNK. Hence, a ROCK-JIP3-JNK interaction may be a crucial regulatory sequence during IL-1-induced chemokine responses by IEC. These studies indicate a novel signaling event, which could provide a target for suppressing IEC chemokine responses involved in mucosal inflammation.
Texture classification with a biorthogonal directional filter bank

Classifying textures is a problem that has been considered by many researchers. Many of the high performance methods are based on extracting features from the textures and performing classification in the feature space. In this paper, we consider the application of a new directional filter bank (DFB) to the problem of texture classification. The DFB is used to provide a compact and efficient representation in which fast classification can be performed using classical statistical methods. The resulting method is shown to yield higher performance than feature-based techniques reported previously. Furthermore, the approach has the added attraction that both the computational complexity and storage requirements are relatively low. Experimental comparisons using the Brodatz texture database are also presented.
Fluvial Hydraulics of Deltas and Alluvial Fans

Delta formation and its associated steam channel hydraulics have been studied using data obtained in a large laboratory flume. The findings for deltas are generally applicable to alluvial fans. Delta or fan shape is directly related to the pattern of stream flow, its loci, and mode of deposition. In response to a change in water discharge, sediment feeding rate or base level, stream channel adjustments on the delta are characterized by the formation of a single channel or multiple distributary channels. The changes in channel pattern are associated with large changes in channel width and stream power expenditure. Stream channel changes are related to the stream’s tendency to seek equal power expenditure along the channel; they also provide delicate adjustments in velocity and sediment load to favor restoration of channel’s equilibrium.
Smallpox, Public Health Threat

The global eradication of smallpox was achieved more than 20 years ago but the world is now threatened by its possible deliberate reintroduction into the population by bioterrorists. Two actions are needed to mitigate this threat: production of a large reserve supply of vaccine and universal compliance with the agreement that virus stocks be destroyed in 2002. Keywords: eradication; bioterrorism; vaccination
The 10 cm wavelength polarimetric weather radar at NOAA's National Severe Storms Laboratory

The Cimarron radar is located approximately 40 kilometers to the northwest of the NSSL's main facility in Norman, Oklahoma. The remote facility consists of a 10-m antenna structure, transmitter, receiver, signal processor, auxiliary power source, and a computer system. The radar is operated by remote control using a 9600 baud dedicated communication line. Real-time data are transmitted to the central facility by a microwave link. The remote computer and communications equipment are maintained on an uninterrupted power supply to eliminate loss of control. A diesel generator can be remotely switched on to provide power to the entire system in case of power failure or interruptions caused by lightning. The transmitter power supplies, cooling equipment, and all high-power switches are controlled by the remote computer system. Antenna control is provided by a closed-loop servo system with an embedded microprocessor connected to the remote computer to allow efficient execution of complex scanning strategies. >
Babies at Double Hazard: Early Development of Infants at Biologic and Social Risk

From the population of a neonatal intensive care unit, 114 infants and their families were followed from birth to age 3 1/2 years. Infants showing massive brain damage at birth and/or severe mental retardation at 7 months of age were excluded from this analysis. The remainder were predominantly poor and nonwhite. The group showed normal cognitive development through age 15 months. By 28 months of age and thereafter, a severe decline in cognitive status proved to be associated with social class. In addition, serious behavioral maladjustment led to improverished cognitive development. The incidence of maladjustment was unrelated to social class. The impact of maladjustment on test scores was significant in all classes, but greater for the higher rather than the lower socioeconomic social groups. Neither neurologic pathology (excepting severe brain damage) nor gestational age (small for gestation age [SGA] vs appropriate for gestational age [AGA]) had a significant effect on IQ scores at 3 1/2 years of age. It is suggested that environmental deficits and stresses impair early cognitive and psychosocial development for both full-term and premature infants, but that the latter group is more vulnerable to environmental insufficiencies than are full-term babies.
Double and Triple Photoionization of Ground-State Lithium

The double and triple photoionization of ground-state lithium is investigated in the high-energy limit. Relative to the total photoionization cross section, the fraction of two-electron escape processes is 0.0325, while the fraction leading to triple escape is only $5.6\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}6}$. Double ionization via ${\mathrm{Li}}^{+}$ autoionizing states accounts for more than $40%$ of the two-electron escape processes. A comparison of the high-energy-limit calculations with experiments at 424 eV shows close agreement for double photoionization. A factor of 10 discrepancy exists for triple photoionization at 424 eV, however, which presumably indicates that the high-energy limit has not yet been reached.
Uncovering the Historical Body of Florence: Dante, Forese Donati, and Sumptuary Legislation

AbstractThis paper considers the historical antecedent of Cardinal Latino’s specific interdiction against women’s clothing that exhibited frontal exposure as evoked by Forese Donati in Purgatorio 23, situating this interdiction within the history of sumptuary counsel and legislation. This gendered aspect of Dante’s history of Florence is informed by the political discourse of sumptuary excess amongst Florentine elite families and the tensions amongst such families, both those which had true claims to nobility (such as the Donati), and the upwardly mobile mercantile elite (such as the Cerchi). Dante’s choice of Forese Donati as the speaker of this invective carries implications for Dante’s political thought, as it reflects the concerns of the popolo more than those of elite families. This essay relates the intersection of political critique, concupiscence, and virility to the insufficient covering of Nella in the tenzone between Dante and Forese Donati and elsewhere in the Purgatorio, reading the exposed f...
Quantifying Off-hour Emergency Physician Coverage of In-hospital Codes: A Survey of Community Emergency Departments

Abstract Background Community emergency physicians (EPs) are often required to respond to unstable patients outside of their department during off-hours. Objective The primary objective of this study was to describe the critical care responsibility of community EPs outside of their departments. Methods A one-page survey was mailed to emergency department (ED) directors of 10 states and Washington, DC. Results Three hundred forty of 1169 surveys were returned. The median (interquartile range [IQR]) number of hospital and intensive care unit (ICU) beds was 145 (IQR 60–242) and 11 (IQR 6–20), respectively. Median ED annual volume and ICU admission percentage was reported to be 25 K (IQR 14–40) and 5% (IQR 2–10), respectively. Seventy-six percent of reporting institutions require EPs to leave their department and respond to medical codes on the floors after hours. In 57% of institutions, the EP was the only physician required to respond. In addition, 48% of EPs must respond to unstable patients in the ICUs after hours. Hospitals in which EPs were required to respond to medical codes and unstable ICU patients were more likely to have fewer hospital beds (137 vs. 275; p p p Conclusions Many community EPs are responsible for covering critically ill patients outside of their ED. Further investigation is required to determine the impact on patient care.
Targeted degradation of β-catenin by chimeric F-box fusion proteins

Adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) tumor suppressor protein, together with Axin and glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK-3β), forms a Wnt-regulated signaling complex that mediates phosphorylation-dependent degradation of cytoplasmic β-catenin by ubiquitin-dependent proteolysis. Degradation of phosphorylated β-catenin is initiated by interaction through the WD40-repeat of a F-box protein β-TrCP, a component of SCF ubiquitin ligase complex. Mutations in APC, Axin, and β-catenin that prevent down-regulation of cytoplasmic β-catenin are found in various types of cancers. In the search for efficient treatment and prevention of malignancies associated with increased levels of cytoplasmic β-catenin, we created chimeric F-box fusion proteins by replacing the WD40-repeat of β-TrCP with the β-catenin-binding domains of Tcf4 and E-cadherin. Expression of chimeric F-box fusion proteins successfully promotes degradation of β-catenin independently of GSK-3β-mediated phosphorylation. More importantly, this degradation does not require intact APC protein (pAPC).
GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT AS INFLUENCED BY FRUIT AND SEED FORMATION.

Some years ago Briggs, Kidd, and West (3) summarized the very extensive data which had been accumulated at a much earlier time by U. Kreisler and his co-workers on the growth of several field crop plants, especially Zea mays (14, 15). The data had been lying more or less dormant and neglected up to that time. When the weekly percentage increases in dry weight (growth rate) and leaf area per unit dry weight (leaf -area ratio) were plotted against time, curves were obtained from these old records which could be roughly reduced to a generalized form (fig. 1). The similarity in the direction of the two schematic curves thus secured suggests that the growth rate (percentage increase in dry weight) is a function of the leaf area and that it is quite constant during the life cycle of the plant. There are, however, two quite noticeable discrepancies. Growth seems to be independent of the leaf area early in the development of the plant when the seedling is still drawing on the food reserves of the
Recovering Delivery for Digital Rhetoric

Abstract This article develops a rhetorical theory of delivery for Internet-based communications. Delivery, one of the five key canons of classical rhetoric, is still an important topic for rhetorical analysis and production. However, delivery needs to be re-theorized for the digital age. In Part 1, the article notes the importance of delivery in traditional rhetoric and argues that delivery should be viewed as a form of rhetorical knowledge ( techne ). Part 2 presents a theoretical framework for “digital delivery” consisting of five key topics—Body/Identity, Distribution/Circulation, Access/Accessibility, Interaction, and Economics—and shows how each of these topics can function strategically and heuristically to guide digital writing.
The shallow oxygen maximum layer and primary production

Abstract The shallow oxygen maximum (SOM) is a vertical maximum in the dissolved oxygen concentration of the upper ocean. This feature develops largely from photosynthetic oxygen production, and measurement of the rate of oxygen accumulation provides the basis to make an independent estimate of primary production. Net accumulation of dissolved oxygen represents new production, which is generally presumed to require a new nutrient input consisting of some form of preformed nutrients. Here the time scales, vertical distribution or properties and new nutrient sources associated with formation of the SOM in the North Pacific ocean area considered. The SOM forms on two distinct time scales, episodic and gradual, and apparently through different processes on each scale. The episodic SOM develops from physical events in which nutricline water is transported into the mixed layer and then ventilated to the atmosphere. This process results in the local creation of preformed nutrients that stimulate a phytoplankton bloom and a vertical maximum of chlorophyll and dissolved oxygen. However, the time scale of formation of the gradual SOM is inconsistent with this mechanism because repeated mixing and ventilation events cannot result in the gradual accumulation of oxygen. An alternative new nutrient source is required. It is hypothesized that the gradual SOM develops from input of the “new” nutrients contained in organic matter transported from other depths by migrating animals and/or sinking particles. This hypothesis implies that the concept of new production must be carefully defined in context of the vertical structure of the euphotic zone. Whether or not my hypothesis is correct, these observations show that estimating primary production by measuring the increase in dissolved oxygen is very difficult. For both the episodic and gradual SOM, estimating production requires that the gas fluxes due to air-sea exchange and vertical and horizontal mixing be well known, in addition to direct measurements of the temporal change in dissolved oxygen within a water parcel.
Expert systems for mechanical design: Examples of symbolic representations of design geometries

A major issue in the development of computer-integrated manufacturing systems is the creation and maintenance of a suitable data base that will serveall the various functions in the design through manufacturing sequence. These functions include the designer interface, graphics output, evaluation of manufacturability, functional evaluation (including possibly finite element analyses), process design, process planning, process control, and quality control. Since design is the beginning of this design manufacturing spectrum, it is incumbent on the design process to produce the required data structure that will allow input and access by the other functions. A key element in such a multipurpose data base is the method by which the design geometry is represented, and an essential ingredient of this representation is information about the geometricfeatures of the design that are relevant to the various parts of the sequence. We are exploring “design with features” as a design method to obtain the needed feature information and experimenting with different data structures for symbolic representation of the resulting designs. In this paper, we describe three examples of different types of features for use as design primitives and four data structures (in LISP) that result from their use. The domains of the examples are extrusion, injection molding, and casting.
Use of a Fluorescent Indicator in Monitoring Underlying Corrosion on Coated Aluminum 2024-T4

A fluorescent indicator (FI) can be used to monitor the underlying corrosion on metal substrates based on sensing pH changes caused by corrosion reactions. One coumarin derivative was chosen as FI and added to a coated-aluminum system. The initial state of the coating system is fluorescent under UV light and it changes to nonfluorescent at the site of corrosion. The effects of the fluorescent indicator on the fluorescent intensity and protectiveness of the coating system are discussed. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) was used to estimate the protectiveness of the coating and interface corrosion reactions between the metal and coating. This was correlated with the fluorescent intensity change of the coating. Based on the impedance measured by EIS, the coating failed shortly after immersing into the 3.5% sodium chloride solution. After 24 h, pH-induced fluorescent quenching points began to appear. Scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive spectroscopy of selected specimens indicated that the quenching point was the corrosion site. Several coating thicknesses were examined, and based on these tests the optimal coating thickness was determined to be about 80 μm.
Deletion analysis of K+ channel assembly

An understanding of K+ channel structure is a critical step in developing an appreciation of the function and regulation of these proteins. We have begun a biochemical analysis of the early steps in K+ channel formation following translation into endoplasmic reticulum membranes. In our experiments, a series of K+ channel subunit protein deletions were constructed and then tested for posttranslational processing and assembly. We find that all deletions containing the S1 domain are inserted into the membrane. The loop between S1 and S2 is glycosylated; thus, this segment is topologically extracellular. Translated subunit proteins mix in the membrane, then assemble into tetramers. This subunit assembly is critically driven by a conserved, self-tetramerizing sequence in the N-terminal cytoplasmic region, which we have named the tetramerization 1 domain.
Clinical significance methods: Which one to use and how useful are they?

Clinical significance refers to changes that are clinically meaningful for individuals as they progress through a course of treatment. Since the first method of assessing clinical significance was proposed, a number of alternatives have been suggested, each purporting to increase sensitivity for detecting meaningful change. However, few comparisons have been conducted on these methods, and there is little evidence for any method's predictive validity. This study compares classification rates of five clinical significance methods with participants treated for major depressive disorder (N = 128). It also compares the methods' accuracy in predicting relapse of depression 2 years posttreatment. Although all methods successfully predicted relapse from chance discrimination, no significant differences emerged between methods. Implications for future research are discussed.
Industrial Composition, Labor Markets, and Crime

Abstract While employment and other proximate economic factors have long been a focus of criminological research, less empirical attention has been given to the structural forces that precede employment patterns and the economic well-being of communities. The current research uses 1980 county-level U.S. Census and 1981 Uniform Crime Report data to examine the influence of industrial composition on unemployment, poverty, part-time employment, community instability, and residential segregation. In turn, the influence of all of these variables on violent and property crime rates is measured. Special attention is given to the question of whether these relationships are conditioned by levels of urbanization. Collectively, the findings offer strong support to the argument that broadening our view of the employment and crime relationship to include the precursors to labor market opportunity and other community characteristics, as well as allowing for relationships between employment and crime to vary across urba...
Ecological Ethics: Building a New Tool Kit for Ecologists and Biodiversity Managers

Ecological research and biodiversity management often raise ethical questions in areas that in- clude responsibilities and duties to the scientific community, public welfare, research animals, species, and ecosystems. Answering these questions is challenging because ecologists and biodiversity managers do not have the equivalent of bioethics, an established field with a support network focused mainly on biomedicine, to guide them in making decisions. Environmental ethics provides some insight into environmental values and the duties these may impose on humans. But for the most part those in the field have not considered many of the common responsibilities and obligations that ecologists and managers have to the scientific profession or to public welfare. There is a need to bring ethicists, scientists, and biodiversity managers together in a collab- orative effort to study and inform the methods of ethical analysis and problem solving in ecological research and biodiversity management. We present a series of cases that illustrate the kinds of ethical questions faced by researchers and biodiversity managers in practice. We argue for the creation of an extensive case database and a pluralistic and integrated ethical framework, one that draws from the theoretical (normative), research, animal, and environmental ethics traditions. These tools form the foundations of a new area of inquiry and practical ethical problem solving, that we call "ecological ethics."
Constrained controllability of discrete-time systems†

The constrained controllability of the discrete-time system xk+1=A(k)xk+B(k)u,k is considered where the control uk is termed admissible if it satisfies specified magnitude constraints. Constrained controllability is concerned with the existence of an admissible control which steers the state x to a given target set from a specified initial state Conditions for checking constrained controllability to a given target set from a specified initial state are presented. These conditions involve solving finite-dimensional optimization problems and can be checked via numerical computation. In addition, conditions for checking global constrained controllability to a given target set are presented. A system is globally constrained controllable if for every initial state, there exists an admissible control that steers the system to the target. If a given discrete-time system is constrained controllable, it may be desirable to obtain an admissible control that steers the system to the target from a specified initial s...