cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
QUANTITATIVE GENETICS OF THE WING COLOR PATTERN IN THE BUCKEYE BUTTERFLY (PRECIS COENIA AND PRECIS EVARETE): EVIDENCE AGAINST THE CONSTANCY OF G.

Models for the evolution of continuously varying traits use heritabilities, genetic correlations, and the G-matrix to quantify the genetic variation upon which selection acts. Given estimates of these parameters, it is possible to predict the long-term effects of selection, infer past selective forces responsible for observed differences between populations or species, and distinguish the effects of drift from selection. Application of these methods, however, requires the unproven assumption that the G-matrix remains constant from one generation to the next. This study examines the assumption of constancy for the wing pattern characteristics of two sibling species of butterflies, Precis coenia and P. evarete (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae). Quantitative genetic parameters were estimated from parent-offspring regression. Two approaches were taken to test the null hypothesis of equality between species. First, pairwise tests between corresponding elements of G and between heritabilities and genetic correlations for the two species were constructed. Second, a modification of Bartlett's modified likelihood-ratio test was used to test for equality between the G-matrices. The matrix test failed to detect any between species differences. In contrast, pairwise comparision revealed significant differences. Thus, it appears that constancy cannot be assumed at the species level in quantitative genetic studies. In particular, the assumption of constancy was violated for the trait with the greatest difference in mean phenotype.
Lipocalin-type prostaglandin D2 synthase (L-PGDS) modulates beneficial metabolic effects of vertical sleeve gastrectomy

Abstract Background Vertical sleeve gastrectomy (VSG) ameliorates metabolic complications in obese and diabetic patients through unknown mechanisms. Objective The objective of this study was to investigate the role of lipocalin-type prostaglandin D 2 synthase (L-PGDS) in glucose regulation in response to VSG using L-PGDS knock-out (KO), knock-in (KI), and C57BL/6 (wild type) mice. Setting Winthrop University Hospital Research Institute. Methods Animals were divided into 6 groups: L-PGDS KO sham/VSG (n = 5), L-PGDS KI sham/VSG (n = 5), and C57BL/6 (wild type) sham/VSG (n = 5). Related parameters were measured in fasting animals after 10 weeks. Results Our intraperitoneal glucose tolerance tests and homeostatic model assessment insulin resistance results showed significant glycemic improvement 10 weeks post-VSG in both C57BL/6 and KI groups compared with the sham group. In contrast, the KO group developed glucose intolerance and insulin resistance similar to or greater than the sham group 10 weeks post-VSG. Interestingly, weight gain was insignificant 10 weeks post-VSG in all the groups and even trended higher in the KO group compared with sham. Peptide YY levels in the KO group post-VSG were slightly increased but significantly less than other groups. Similarly, the KO group showed significantly less leptin sensitivity in response to VSG compared with the KI group. Total cholesterol level remained unchanged in all groups irrespective of sham or surgery but interestingly, the KO group had significantly higher cholesterol levels. In parallel, adipocyte size was also found to be significantly increased in the KO group post-VSG compared with the sham group. Conclusion Our findings propose that L-PGDS plays an important role in the beneficial metabolic effects observed after VSG.
Hearing test results of drilling workers in an oilfield from 2006-2010

[Objective]To investigate the continuous effect of productive noise on hearing of drilling workers in a oilfield.[Methods] A total of 673 drilling workers of a oilfield who received 5-year-consecutive-examination from 2006-2010 were selected and compared hearing loss rate between different years and between different service lengths.[Results]The results showed that the incidence of hearing loss in high frequency increased annually,there were 17.98%,19.91%,23.92%,26.00%,30.61% from 2006-2010.The χ2 tend test suggested that the incidence of high frequency and language frequency hearing loss showed some rising trend along with the service length(P0.01).[Conclusion]There are continuous influence of the productive noise on the hearing of drilling workers,it is necessary to take active preventive measures immediately for protecting workers' health.
Comparison of moxifloxacin hydrochloride with azithromycin in treatment of female genital infection

Objective:To compare the efficacy of moxifloxacin hydrochloride and azithromyc in treatment of female genital infection.Methods:A total of 78 patients were randomized into 2 groups:40 cases of oral moxifloxacin hydrochloride 400mg once a day;38 cases of oral azithromycin 500mg once daily for 6 days.Results:The clinical total effective rate was 90% and 76.32% in the 2 groups,respectively. Conclusion:Moxifloxacin hydrochloride is a safe and effective drug for treatment of female genital mycoplasma infection.
Scintigraphic Tracking of Allogeneic Mesenchymal Stem Cells in the Distal Limb After Intra-Arterial Injection in Standing Horses

Objective: To assess the feasibility of intra-arterial administration of allogeneic mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) in the median artery of standing horses and evaluate the distribution and retention of radiolabeled cells. Study Design: In vivo experimental study. Animals: Six research horses. Methods: Technetium-HexaMethyl-Propylene-Amine Oxime-labeled MSC were injected under ultrasound guidance in the median artery of 6 front limbs of 3 horses, standing under sedation. Scintigraphic images were obtained at the time of injection, and at 1, 6, and 24 hours postinjection. Six additional limbs from 3 horses were similarly injected with unlabeled MSC. Ultrasound was performed the following day for assessment of vascular changes. Results: Intra-arterial injection was performed successfully in 11 of 12 limbs. In 1 limb, partial periarterial injection compromised the success of the procedure. Homogeneous distribution of radiolabeled MSC was observed through the entire distal limb, including within the hoof. Partial venous thrombosis was found in both groups of horses, but was subjectively less severe in horses injected with unlabeled MSC. No lameness was observed. Transient swelling of the distal limb occurred in only 1 limb. Conclusion: Intra-arterial injection of MSC can be performed in standing horses under sedation and successfully distribute MSC to the distal limb. A risk of periarterial injection was identified but can be reduced with proper sedation, local anesthesia, and increased experience. Partial venous thrombosis was observed as a complication, but did not cause changes of clinical importance, other than rare transient swelling.
Tumor Necrosis Factor-Mediated Inflammation Exacerbates Genomic Instability and Promotes Leukemia Development.

A correlation has been shown between elevated circulating pro-inflammatory cytokines and anemia in patients with leukemia-related diseases but direct evidence for the mechanistic link between inflammation and leukemia is lacking. We have investigated the role of the pro-inflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor a (TNF-a) in leukemic development using the disease model of Fanconi anemia, a genetic disorder clinically characterized by congenital anomalies, progressive bone marrow failure, and a high risk of developing leukemia and other cancers. We demonstrate that long-term TNF-a exposure of Fanconi bone marrow progenitors enhances inflammatory response, promotes clonal proliferation, and ultimately leads to leukemia development. NF-kB activation is required for TNF-a-promoted progenitor growth and early stage of leukemia development but is dispensable for the maintenance of leukemic transformation. Pharmacological elimination of TNF-a-induced reactive oxygen species reduces inflammation and delays leukemia development, suggesting that oxidative damage may serve as a link between inflammation and leukemia. In addition, TNF-a-promoted leukemic cells show persistent DNA damage response and increased genomic instability. Furthermore, correction of Fanconi genetic deficiency prevents clonal progenitor proliferation and leukemic transformation by eliminating oxidative DNA damage. Thus, inflammation can exacerbate genomic instability and contribute to leukemia development. This may explain, at least in part, why cells with genomic instability have high predisposition to cancer. Our study underscores therapeutic value of anti-oxidants and anti-inflammation towards tumorigenesis.
JavaScript Object Notation (JSON) data serialization for IFC schema in web-based BIM data exchange

Abstract In the building industry, building data such as objects and processes are described in Industry Foundation Classes (IFC) data model schema to support a neutral data exchange format for BIM tools interoperability. While IFC specification has been encoded in ifcXML format by buildingSMART to support XML-based data transmission, there is a lack of studies on the implementation of IFC specification using JavaScript Object Notation (JSON) serialization. JSON is a key-value style lightweight data exchange format that has higher parsing efficiency than XML and due to the inadequacies of XML, JSON has been widely used in Web applications, specifically in Asynchronous JavaScript and XML (AJAX) Web services. This paper highlights the need for JSON implementation of IFC specification and introduces ifcJSON Schema and its data content. The main objective of this study is to outline how IFC specification can be represented in JSON format. Therefore, the study explains the implementation of the IFC standard as a JSON schema to guide the creation of JSON documents. The ifcJSON documents can be used for web-based data transfer as an alternative to XML documents. Since current IFC specification release is IFC4 Add1, the implementation of ifcJSON4 schema is specified and guidelines for generating and validating ifcJSON documents are described. Additionally, this paper implements ifcJSON4 schema in a use case within the precast concrete domain by indicating the data content for a precast building element with its corresponding geometry representation, product placement, and owner history data. The analysis of results indicates that ifcJSON4 schema developed in this paper is a valid JSON schema that can guide the creation of valid ifcJSON documents to be used for web-based data transfer and to improve interoperability of Cloud-based BIM applications.
“Their Only Protector and Support”: Protection and Dependency in Charlotte Smith’s The Old Manor House

ABSTRACTThis essay argues that the American scenes of Charlotte Smith’s novel, The Old Manor House, provide a crucial representation of Smith’s concerns in the novel with economic and social dependency in eighteenth-century Britain. For Smith, the experiences in America of the novel’s protagonist, Orlando Somerive, pose complex iterations of “feminine” dependency that can be understood as a generalized and, at times, de-gendered experience of the economically and politically vulnerable. Vital to this claim is Orlando’s capture by a group of Iroquois warriors, an ordeal that challenges the possibility of stable national and gender identities. Smith’s depiction of Orlando’s American experience and his return to England concludes with the resigned recognition of the intractability of the “romance of property.”
Unique Regenerative Mechanism to Replace Bone Lost During Dietary Bone Depletion in Weanling Mice

The present study was undertaken to determine the mechanism whereby calcitropic hormones and mesenchymal stem cell progeny changes are involved in bone repletion, a regenerative bone process that restores the bone lost to calcium deficiency. To initiate depletion, weanling mice with a mixed C57BL/6 (75%) and CD1 (25%) genetic background were fed a calcium-deficient diet (0.01%) for 14 days. For repletion, the mice were fed a control diet containing 1.2% calcium for 14 days. Depletion decreased plasma calcium and increased plasma parathyroid hormone, 1,25(OH)2D (calcitriol), and C-terminal telopeptide of type I collagen. These plasma parameters quickly returned toward normal on repletion. The trabecular bone volume and connectivity decreased drastically during depletion but were completely restored by the end of repletion. This bone repletion process largely resulted from the development of new bone formation. When bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) was administered in the middle of depletion for 3 days and examined by fluorescence-activated cell sorting at 7 days into repletion, substantial increases in BrdU incorporation were seen in several CD105 subsets of cells of osteoblastic lineage. When BrdU was administered on days 1 to 3 of repletion and examined 11 days later, no increases in BrdU were seen in these subsets. Additionally, osteocytes that stained positively for BrdU were increased during depletion. In conclusion, the results of the present study have established a unique regenerative mechanism to initiate bone repair during the bone insult. Calcium homeostatic mechanisms and the bone repletion mechanism are opposing functions but are simultaneously orchestrated such that both endpoints are optimized. These results have potential clinical relevance for disease entities such as type 2 osteoporosis.
Chorionic Villi: Histology and Villous Development

The chorionic villi are the site where virtually all maternofetal and fetomaternal exchange takes place. Most metabolic and endocrine activities of the placenta are localized there as well. The villi have a dual blood supply from both the fetal and maternal circulations. Despite the diversification of villous types, all chorionic villi exhibit the same basic structure (Fig. 6.1). They are covered by syncytiotrophoblast, an epithelial surface layer (Fig. 6.1a) that is in direct contact with the maternal blood and functions as an endothelium. Between syncytiotrophoblast and the basement membrane are the villous cytotrophoblast, or Langhans’ cells. These are the villous stem cells of the syncytium, supporting its growth and regeneration. The trophoblastic basement membrane separates the trophoblast from the villous stroma. The stroma is composed of connective tissue cells, connective tissue fibers, ground substance, and fetal vessels.
Ethanol withdrawal-induced dysregulation of neurosteroid levels in plasma, cortex, and hippocampus in genetic animal models of high and low withdrawal

Endogenous γ-aminobutyric acidA receptor (GABAAR)-active neurosteroids (e.g., allopregnanolone) regulate central nervous system excitability and many physiological functions, so fluctuations are implicated in several neuropsychiatric disorders. Pertinently, evidence supports an inverse relationship between endogenous GABAAR-active neurosteroid levels and behavioral changes in excitability during ethanol withdrawal (WD). The present studies determined mouse genotype differences in ten neurosteroid levels in plasma, cortex, and hippocampus over the time course of ethanol WD in the WD Seizure-Prone (WSP) and WD Seizure-Resistant (WSR) selected lines and in the DBA/2J (DBA) inbred strain. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry was utilized to simultaneously quantify neurosteroid levels from control-treated male WSP-1, WSR-1, and DBA mice and during 8 and 48 h of WD. Combined with our prior work, there was a consistent decrease in plasma allopregnanolone levels at 8 h WD in all three genotypes, an effect that persisted at 48 h WD only in DBA mice. WSR-1 and WSP-1 mice exhibited unexpected divergent changes in cortical neurosteroids at 8 h WD, with the majority of neurosteroids (including allopregnanolone) being significantly decreased in WSR-1 mice, but unaffected or significantly increased in WSP-1 mice. In DBA mice, hippocampal allopregnanolone and tetrahydrodeoxycorticosterone were significantly decreased at 8 h WD. The pattern of significant correlations between allopregnanolone and other GABAAR-active neurosteroid levels differed between controls and withdrawing mice. Ethanol WD dysregulated neurosteroid synthesis. Results in WSP-1 mice suggest that diminished GABAAR function is more important for their high WD phenotype than fluctuations in neurosteroid levels.
Eyes and stroke: the visual aspects of cerebrovascular disease

A large portion of the central nervous system is dedicated to vision and therefore strokes have a high likelihood of involving vision in some way. Vision loss can be the most disabling residual effect after a cerebral infarction. Transient vision problems can likewise be a harbinger of stroke and prompt evaluation after recognition of visual symptoms can prevent future vascular injury. In this review, we discuss the visual aspects of stroke. First, anatomy and the vascular supply of the visual system are considered. Then, the different stroke syndromes which involve vision are discussed. Finally, topics involving the assessment, prognosis, treatment and therapeutic intervention of vision-specific stroke topics are reviewed.
Effect of Neurotransmitters and Neuropeptides on Vasopressin Release

The release of vasopressin (VP) from the neural lobe occurs in response to action potentials, which are generated at the perikaryon and propagated down the axon to the nerve terminal located in the posterior pituitary. The generation of electrical signals and subsequent hormonal release occurs in response to synaptic release of neuroactive agents from nerve terminals in the hypothalamus. VP release may also be regulated by neuroactive agents released from nerve terminals in the posterior pituitary. Figure 1 summarizes our current knowledge of the neuronal projections and identified transmitters to the supraoptic nucleus (SON) and neural lobe. This literature is reviewed in detail by Swanson and Sawchenko (1983) (see also Chapter 1, this volume). It is apparent that this anatomical evidence implicates numerous neurotransmitters and neuropeptides as candidates for regulating hormonal release from the neural lobe. An even greater number of neuroactive substances have been localized to the paraventricular nucleus (PVN), but the complexity of that nucleus suggests that these additional agents may subserve functions other than regulation of hormonal release from the neurohypophysis. Thus, this chapter concentrates on neuroactive substances localized in SON and the neural lobe in evaluating the physiological regulation of VP release from the neural lobe by neurotransmitters and neuropeptides.
Anglo Concepts and Indian Reality: A Study of Juvenile Delinquency

In a study of Seminole youth on Florida reservations, delinquency was found to be related, in varying degrees, to attachment to teachers, school, and police. The work suggests that the young people...
The Effect of Demographic Changes on Transit Ridership Trends

Since 2013, there has been a noted overall decline in U.S. transit ridership despite continued growth in population. Transit ridership declines are not a new phenomenon, however. Since 1980, riders...
Imposed ω-k magnetometer and dielectrometer applications

Dispersive properties (i.e., frequency dependent properties) of multiple layered media cannot be measured with conventional multiple-frequency techniques, because such techniques cannot uniquely distinguish between the impedance transitions caused by property variations with frequency and those caused by spatial property variations. In addition, at a single frequency, conventional eddy current sensor techniques can measure only the conductivity-thickness product for a thin metal layer or coating.
Psychosocial interventions for social dysfunction in psychosis

Abstract In this chapter, we provide an overview of psychosocial interventions that incorporate social engagement or social skills targets for patients with psychosis. We briefly review early formulations of psychosis with regard to sociality, and how they have informed psychosocial intervention approaches. We then describe social functioning as a target in broad-based psychosocial treatments, and interventions targeting social functioning directly. We will then discuss evidence regarding efficacy of these interventions on social cognition and social function. Psychosocial interventions that target social cognition as the sole therapeutic aim are covered in a separate chapter (Fiszdon & Davidon, Chapter 11 ).
Review of Arctic Marine Resource Governance and Development by Niels Vestergaard, Brooks A. Kaiser, Linda Fernandez, and Joan Nymand Larsen (eds.) 2018

“An average …Norwegian farmed salmon fetched a higher price than a barrel of Norwegian North Sea crude oil in January 2016” (B.A. Kaiser et al, @206). This edited book, here referred to for simplicity as Governance, is a valuable storehouse of facts (most more important than that above), scientific knowledge of many kinds, and important theoretical perspectives on a central question facing the Arctic region today: What gaps remain, if any, in the approaches to governance of the Arctic taken by the international community?
A parametric study of the behavior of the angular momentum vector during spin rate changes of rigid body spacecraft

During a spin-up or spin-down maneuver of a spinning spacecraft, it is usual to have not only a constant body-fixed torque about the desired spin axis, but also small undesired constant torques about the transverse axes. This causes the orientation of the angular momentum vector to change in inertial space. Since an analytic solution is available for the angular momentum vector as a function of time, this behavior can be studied for large variations of the dynamic parameters, such as the initial spin rate, the inertial properties and the torques. As an example, the spin-up and spin-down maneuvers of the Galileo spacecraft was studied and as a result, very simple heuristic solutions were discovered which provide very good approximations to the parametric behavior of the angular momentum vector orientation.
Risk Limits in Fair Subject Selection.

In this welcome contribution, MacKay and Saylor (2020) break down the widely accepted principle of fair subject selection into several sub-principles. Because these subprinciples can conflict, ther...
Sex Differences in Energy Balance and Weight Control

Energy balance is a complex process influenced by many factors including sex, age, acute bouts of exercise and chronic training, genetic factors, as well as numerous hormones. This chapter describes sex-related differences in weight control considering the roles of leptin, insulin, ghrelin, catecholamines, cortisol, estrogen, and androgens. Their impact on appetite, metabolism, and body fat distribution is also described, and sex differences are discussed. Notable sex differences in energy balance include the amount and distribution of body fat as women generally have greater fat mass and store greater amounts of fat subcutaneously compared to men who store more fat viscerally. Women also have a more difficult time achieving negative caloric balance after exercise as the post-exercise appetite suppression is less than men. Hormonal factors supporting the conservation of mass for reproduction in females are also proposed in this chapter. Finally, sex differences in hormone levels and their impact on fuel metabolism during rest and exercise are discussed.
Debugging incidents in Google's distributed systems

This article covers the outcomes of research performed in 2019 on how engineers at Google debug production issues, including the types of tools, high-level strategies, and low-level tasks that engi...
Benign Hematopoietic Disorders of the Mediastinum

Benign or reactive hematopoietic lesions of the mediastinum represent a large part of the routine cases of surgical pathologists and thoracic pathologists. Most of these lesions present as mediastinal lymphadenopathy with or without disease elsewhere, and the main clinical and radiologic suspicion is that of malignancy. A biopsy is obtained in an attempt to establish a diagnosis. In some cases, benign lesions of the mediastinum may be the main pathology, whereas in other cases a benign or reactive condition may be an incidental finding seen in biopsies obtained for other reasons (staging for lung adenocarcinoma, rule out metastatic disease, etc.). Benign or reactive conditions of the mediastinum discussed here include granulomatous lymphadenitis, Castleman disease (unicentric and multicentric types), sclerosing mediastinitis/IgG4-related disease, and histiocytic disorders. For most of these, morphology and a limited panel of ancillary studies are helpful, but for others, clinico-radiologic correlation is mandatory to be able to render an appropriate pathologic interpretation.
Strategies to enhance identification of hereditary breast cancer gene carriers.

Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women worldwide [1], with 268,600 new cases diagnosed in the United States in 2019 [2]. An estimated 5–10% of all breast cancer cases are due to heredi...
The Distance to the Large Magellanic Cloud via the Eclipsing Binary HV 2274

We present UBV photometry of the eclipsing binary Harvard Variable 2274 in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC). The stellar parameters of this binary system were recently calculated by Guinan et al., who gave both a reddening toward HV 2274 of E(B-V) = 0.083 ± 0.006 and a distance modulus to the LMC of μLMC = 18.42 ± 0.07. The reddening of this system was also determined by Udalski et al., who found E(B-V) = 0.149 ± 0.015. With Udalski et al. B and V photometry, Guinan et al. obtained E(B-V) = 0.12 ± 0.009 and μLMC = 18.30 ± 0.07. Using our UBV photometry, we derive a reddening of E(B-V) = 0.088 ± 0.023, consistent with the original value of Guinan et al. and supporting a longer distance modulus to the LMC of about μLMC = 18.40 ± 0.07. We stress the uncertainties inherent in ground-based UBV photometry and the concomitant uncertainties in determining distances based upon such photometry.
The Philosophy and Psychology of Character

In this short reflection piece, I outline how I see both philosophy and psychology contributing to the study of character. In addition, I highlight an area where far more collaborative work needs to be done.
Do Not Overpay for Fault Tolerance

In this paper, we argue that distributed real-time and embedded systems sometimes “overpay” for fault tolerance, by using a protocol that is more powerful than what is actually needed, or by failing to take advantage of unique features in these systems. As a result, these systems sometimes perform more computation or communication than is strictly necessary, or they can be unnecessarily complex, and thus more difficult to analyze. We take a look at the design space for two common problems, broadcast and consensus, and we show that, in a number of scenarios that would be common in real-time systems, these problems have trivial solutions. We then examine two solutions from the literature and propose alternatives that are substantially simpler, less expensive, and more reliable.
AudiBERT: A Deep Transfer Learning Multimodal Classification Framework for Depression Screening

Depression is a leading cause of disability with tremendous socioeconomic costs. In spite of early detection being crucial to improving prognosis, this mental illness remains largely undiagnosed. Depression classification from voice holds the promise to revolutionize diagnosis by ubiquitously integrating this screening capability into virtual assistants and smartphone technologies. Unfortunately, due to privacy concerns, audio datasets with depression labels have a small number of participants, causing current classification models to suffer from low performance. To tackle this challenge, we introduce Audio-Assisted BERT (AudiBERT), a novel deep learning framework that leverages the multimodal nature of human voice. To alleviate the small data problem, AudiBERT integrates pretrained audio and text representation models for the respective modalities augmented by a dual self-attention mechanism into a deep learning architecture. AudiBERT applied to depression classification consistently achieves promising performance with an increase in F1 scores between 6% and 30% compared to state-of-the-art audio and text models for 15 thematic question datasets. Using answers from medically targeted and general wellness questions, our framework achieves F1 scores of up to 0.92 and 0.86, respectively, demonstrating the feasibility of depression screening from informal dialogue using voice-enabled technologies.
Green Means Go … Physical Activity and the Prevention of Heart Failure.

Up until the late 1990s, questions about the safety and benefit of exercise in patients with heart failure (HF) were common. As a result, patients with HF were not routinely asked to engage in regular exercise training. However, over time, much evidence emerged such that regular exercise now
Rational Buyer Meets Rational Seller: Reserves Market Equilibria under Alternative Auction Designs

We examine efficiency properties and incentive compatibility of alternative auction formats that an electricity network system operator may use for the procurement of ancillary services required for real-time operations. We model the procurement auction as a hierarchical multiproduct auction, and study several designs such as a uniform price auction minimizing revealed “social” cost, a uniform price auction minimizing the system operator's cost and a pay as bid auction minimizing revealed “social” cost. We take into account that rational bidders will respond to any market design so as to maximize their expected benefit from participating in that market. Under the assumptions of our model, we show that the uniform price auction minimizing revealed “social” cost is the only one that guarantees productive efficiency. We also find that expected revenue (payment in our case) equivalence between pay as bid and uniform price auctions does not extend to the hierarchical products case and the ranking of these auctions is ambiguous and depends on the data. For the procurement auction minimizing the system operator's cost, we show that misrepresentation of capability may result in capacity shortages if there are capacity constraints. For the case where only higher capability resources are constrained, this will result in random price spikes decreasing in frequency with the price cap (this is the amount paid to capacity in demand states with shortages). When lower type resources are capacity constrained as well, price spikes will be seen for both type of resources. Such artificial shortages result in reduced reliability in real-time operations.
Security Testing of an Online Banking Service

Online banking and electronic commerce have become an everyday reality for millions of users. Almost every large banking institution offers services such as account management, fund transfers, automatic payments, and investments through the Internet. The quality of the provided services has become a driving factor in user selection of a banking institution. Given the critical nature of the services provided, banks and financial institutions are investing substantial resources in the implementation of sophisticated financial applications that are appealing to the end-user. In the design and implementation of these applications developers face a trade-off between user-friendliness and security.
Determinants of Infant Perception

Publisher Summary This chapter describes that the young infants are responsive to quantitative aspects of the world. It presents evidence that, for young infants, it is only the overall amount of stimulation to which infants respond. The data presented indicate that stimulus attributes, such as size and luminance are additive, and a reduction in stimulation in one attribute is substitutable by an increment in another. Furthermore, stimulation from different modalities is additive and young infants ignore the differences between inputs in different modalities, and respond to these inputs as equivalent when their effective intensity is the same. The chapter uses a series of studies to examine the outcomes that are logically predicted from the view that infants respond to the world in terms of the amount rather than the kind of stimulation. It examines response measures, such as finger movements, visual preferences, and cardiac responses. These measures have been used in conjunction with variations along a number of quantitative dimensions, including size, distance, luminance, configuration, spatial and temporal frequency, and sound pressure level.
Inelastic Instability and Incremental Theories of Plasticity

A most troublesome paradox has existed for a number of years with respect to buckling in the plastic range. Theoretical considerations and all direct experimental evidence show conclusively that an incremental or flow type of mathematical theory of plasticity is valid. However, the results of plastic buckling tests are well correlated by a simple total or deformation theory 1 4 and bear no resemblance to published predictions of incremental theory. ' The suggestion was made that initial imperfections of shape or loading might well explain this most peculiar result. However, subsequent investigations by several authors seem to have given the impression that excessively large imperfections would be needed and that the answer would be overly sensitive to the magnitude of such imperfections.^' I t is the purpose of this paper to demonstrate that extremely small, and therefore unavoidable, imperfections of shape do account for the paradox in a simple manner. The buckling load is shown to be extremely insensitive to the amount of imperfection. The example chosen is a simplified version of the long rectangular plate hinged along one edge and free on the other under uniform compressive stress at the ends. This is the equivalent of the case of the cruciform column, which has been so disturbing in the past because incremental theory applied to a perfect cruciform column did lead to an entirely incorrect result.
Hans Spemann on vitalism in biology: translation of a portion of Spemann's autobiography.

The following comes to us from Viktor Hamburger (b. 1900), Edward Malinckrodt Distinguished University Professor Emeritus at Washington University (St. Louis), and former student of embryologist Hans Speman (1869-1941). It consists of a translation of a section of about ten pages from Spemann's posthumously-published autobiography, long out of print and largely unavailable to non-German-reading scholars. It deals with Spemann's recollections of his initiation into holistic, non-mechanistic, or "psychic" (as it was often referred to) aspects of biology in Germany in the late nineteenth century. Easily dismissed by more mainstream, mechanistic biologists at the time as wooly-minded and mystical, holism nevertheless represented an attempt to understand organisms as complex, interacting and self-regulating systems rather than as the simplistic machines to which they were so often compared. While much of this holistic approach to biology spilled over into vitalism and other metaphysical notions about the special nature of living systems, the attempt to frame questions about life in non-mechanistic terms represents a long-standing and influential tradition in biology. Hans Spemann was one of those who accepted a holistic way of understanding living systems embryonic systems in particular without crossing the line into speculation or mysticism. For Spemann was above all else an empiricist, and the only useful ideas were those that could be confirmed by observations or, if possible, experiments. Indeed, many of his own experiments were highly delicate embryonic transplants for which he designed
Direct Testing of Blood Cultures for Detection of Streptococcal Antigens

A direct, rapid, and simple method for the detection of streptococcal antigens of Lancefield groups A, B, C, D, and G from blood cultures was developed by using a coagglutination test. Fifty-five clinical specimens and 117 simulated blood cultures containing gram-positive cocci were tested. Out of 6,261 clinical blood cultures screened, 55 cultures from 53 patients were positive, with organisms resembling streptococci, by Gram stain. Of these cultures, 78% (43 of 55) were pure cultures of streptococci, and 22% (12 of 55) were mixed with at least one other organism. Of the 43 pure cultures only, correct reactions were obtained (grouping correctly or giving no cross-reactions, or both) with 86% (37 of 43) of the isolates, 12% (5 of 43) exhibited cross-reactions, and 2% (1 of 43) gave false-negative reactions. All of the cross-reacting isolates were Streptococcus pneumoniae, which reacted with the group C reagent, and the false-negative reaction occurred with a Streptococcus bovis isolate. However, by using a direct modified bile solubility test, the correct identification of the S. pneumoniae isolates was obtained. Therefore, by using the modified bile solubility test in conjunction with the direct grouping method, 98% (42 of 43) of the isolates in pure culture could be identified accurately and rapidly after the detection of a positive Gram stain. Correct grouping reactions were obtained with 83% (10 of 12) of the mixed blood cultures, and false-negative results occurred with 17% (2 of 12) of them. Both cultures contained an enterococcus and a gram-negative rod. Of the 117 simulated blood cultures, there was only one incorrect grouping reaction; this occurred with an S. bovis isolate that cross-reacted with the group C reagent. The direct grouping reaction was positive when blood cultures contained a minimum of 1 × 108 to 8 × 108 colony-forming units per ml. In general, this procedure provided information on the identification of the organism 24 h earlier than by conventional identification methods.
Breathing Stimulant Compounds Inhibit TASK-3 Potassium Channel Function Likely by Binding at a Common Site in the Channel Pore.

Compounds PKTHPP (1-{1-[6-(biphenyl-4-ylcarbonyl)-5,6,7,8-tetrahydropyrido[4,3-d]-pyrimidin-4-yl]piperidin-4-yl}propan-1-one), A1899 (2ʹ′-[(4-methoxybenzoylamino)methyl]biphenyl-2-carboxylic acid 2,4-difluorobenzylamide), and doxapram inhibit TASK-1 (KCNK3) and TASK-3 (KCNK9) tandem pore (K2P) potassium channel function and stimulate breathing. To better understand the molecular mechanism(s) of action of these drugs, we undertook studies to identify amino acid residues in the TASK-3 protein that mediate this inhibition. Guided by homology modeling and molecular docking, we hypothesized that PKTHPP and A1899 bind in the TASK-3 intracellular pore. To test our hypothesis, we mutated each residue in or near the predicted PKTHPP and A1899 binding site (residues 118–128 and 228–248), individually, to a negatively charged aspartate. We quantified each mutation's effect on TASK-3 potassium channel concentration response to PKTHPP. Studies were conducted on TASK-3 transiently expressed in Fischer rat thyroid epithelial monolayers; channel function was measured in an Ussing chamber. TASK-3 pore mutations at residues 122 (L122D, E, or K) and 236 (G236D) caused the IC50 of PKTHPP to increase more than 1000-fold. TASK-3 mutants L122D, G236D, L239D, and V242D were resistant to block by PKTHPP, A1899, and doxapram. Our data are consistent with a model in which breathing stimulant compounds PKTHPP, A1899, and doxapram inhibit TASK-3 function by binding at a common site within the channel intracellular pore region, although binding outside the channel pore cannot yet be excluded.
Transfer of Immunity Against Listeria monocytogenes by T Cells Purified by a Positive Selection Technique

Abstract Affinity columns prepared with rabbit antibody to the F(ab′)2 fragment of rat immunoglobulin were used to separate rat thoracic duct lymphocytes into sub-populations that differ with respect to the density of their surface membrane immunoglobulin. Using this technique, it was shown that lymphocytes in the DNA synthetic (S) phase of the mitotic cycle are added in increased number to the lymph of rats infected with Listeria monocytogenes. The great majority of these S-phase cells lacked a high density of surface immunoglobulin as indicated by their failure to bind to the immunoabsorbent. Cells which can protect recipient rats against a challenge infection with L. monocytogenes also segregated with nonadherent thoracic duct lymphocytes obtained from Listeria-immune donors. These protective cells realized their full immunological potential only in recipients that shared histocompatibility-gene-coded structures with the immune lymphocyte donors. The above findings accord with the view that immunity to L. monocytogenes is mediated in rats by activated T cells which are formed as part of the animal's cell-mediated response to infection. Although Listeria-protective lymphocytes concentrate in the nonadherent, T-cell-enriched fraction, it was consistently observed that the adherent, B-cell-enriched fractions of immune donor thoracic duct lymphocytes also could transfer a low level of antimicrobial resistance. This immunity was restricted in allogeneic recipients, a finding which implies that the protection afforded by the adherent population is related to its content of T cells. Nonadherent S-phase lymphoblasts moved in substantial numbers from the blood into peritoneal inflammatory exudates induced by L. monocytogenes. The above finding encourages the belief that recently activated T cells realize their protective function locally in centers of infection where they have secondary effects on macrophages.
Experimental and Fluid Structure Interaction analysis of a morphing wind turbine rotor

Abstract Active control of blade pitch for wind turbines is known to increase efficiency, especially for part and over-load operation. An unfortunate consequence of this practice is added upfront and maintenance costs, making these schemes economically viable only in large scale applications. This study investigates a novel concept for wind turbine design, in which the blade is purposefully built of a flexible material which can passively adapt its geometry according to local wind conditions. This design concept therefore acts as a low cost, simplistic passive pitch control mechanism. Using a finite-volume fluid–structure interaction solver, the aeroelastic response of such a turbine is analyzed and compared to experimental data collected from wind tunnel tests as part of this project. The results indicate that the flexible rotor is markedly superior to a geometrically identical rigid one in terms of the size of its operational envelope as well as average and maximal torque production. Using post-processing tools, the performance improvements are attributed to passive deflection of the airfoil, which act to delay blade stall and drastically change surface pressure distribution to improve turbine performance.
A Necessary and Sufficient Condition for Global Existence for a Degenerate Parabolic Boundary Value Problem

Consider the degenerate parabolic boundary value problemut = Δϕ(u) + f(u) on Ω × (0, ∞) in which Ω is a bounded domain inRNand theC([0, ∞)) functionsfand φ are nonnegative and nondecreasing with ϕ(s)f(s) > 0 ifs > 0 and ϕ(0) = 0. Assume homogeneous Neumann boundary conditions and an initial condition that is nonnegative, nontrivial, and continuous on Ω. Because the function ϕ is not sufficiently nice to allow this problem to have a classical solution, we consider generalized solutions in a manner similar to that of Benilan, Crandall, and Sacks [Appl. Math. Optim.17(1988), 203–224]. We show that this initial boundary value problem has such a nonnegative generalized solution if and only ifi∞0 ds/(1 + f(s)) = ∞.
Planning for dexterous manipulation with sliding contacts

Dexterous manipulation refers to the skillful execution of object reorienting and repositioning maneuvers, especially when performed within the grasp of an articulated mechani cal hand. In this pap...
Surface crystallography by means of electron and ion yield SEXAFS

Abstract A discussion is given of principles and applications of surface extended X-ray absorption fine structure (SEXAFS) measurements of chemisorbed atoms on surfaces. The SEXAFS studies utilized synchrotron radiation in the 200–4000 eV spectral range and were carried out by means of either electron yield (i.e. Auger yield or total electron yield) or ion yield (selected desorbing adsorbate ions) detection. Such measurements are shown to provide complete structural information (distances, sites) for the surface chemisorption complexes if the polarized nature of synchrotron radiation is exploited. Surface structure determinations will be presented for selected chemisorption systems involving gas-solid reactions [i.e. S on Ni(100) and O on Mo(100)].
Bullet injury to the esophagus detected by intestinal migration

Esophageal injury resulting from a gunshot wound of the chest is unusual. Even more rare is intraluminal movement of the bullet through the gut, which we found described only twice previously. The perforation was demonstrated by esophagram and confirmed by thoracotomy.
Variability in Cotton Fiber Yield, Fiber Quality, and Soil Properties in a Southeastern Coastal Plain

To maximize profitability, cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) producers must attempt to control the quality of the crop while maximizing yield. The objective of this research was to measure the intrinsic variability present in cotton fiber yield and quality. The 0.5-ha experimental site was located in a producer's field (Norfolk-Coxville soil association) in Florence, SC, for 2 yr (1996 and 1997). Soil (0-20 cm) and fiber samples (1-m row) were collected from a regular grid (129.2 by 45.6 m, 7.6-m interval). Soil properties determined included soil moisture, soil texture, organic matter, pH, Ca, Mg, K, P, and Na. Fiber quality was estimated by the high-volume instrumentation method and the Advanced Fiber Information System. Fiber strength and elongation were also estimated by the stelometer procedure. All fiber and soils data were analyzed by both nonspatial statistics and geostatistical techniques. Distinct patterns of spatial correlation were observed in soils and fiber yield. These patterns were not equally evident in all fiber properties Soil pH, soil P, and soil organic matter were correlated with fiber yield and a number of fiber properties, including micronAFIS, immature fiber fraction, fine fiber fraction, cross-sectional area, and micronaire. Factor analysis of soil properties identified four factors in 1996 and three in 1997. In both years, a Carolina bay factor and an exchangeable bases factor were obtained. These factors were not successfully related to fiber yield and quality. Kriged contour maps of soil properties provided useful indicators of fiber yield and quality variation.