cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Waterbird communities and seed biomass in managed and reference-restored wetlands in the Mississippi Alluvial Valley

The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) commenced the Migratory Bird Habitat Initiative (MBHI) in summer 2010 after the April 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. The MBHI enrolled in the program 193,000 ha of private wet- and cropland inland from potential oil-impaired wetlands. We evaluated waterfowl and other waterbird use and potential seed/tuber food resources in NRCS Wetland Reserve Program easement wetlands managed via MBHI funding and associated reference wetlands in the Mississippi Alluvial Valley of Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Missouri. In Louisiana and Mississippi, nearly three times more dabbling ducks and all ducks combined were observed on managed than reference wetlands. Shorebirds and waterbirds other than waterfowl were nearly twice as abundant on managed than referenced wetlands. In Arkansas and Missouri, managed wetlands had over twice more dabbling ducks and nearly twice as many duck species than reference wetlands. Wetlands managed via MBHI in Mississippi and Louisiana contained ≥1.3 times more seed and tuber biomass known to be consumed by waterfowl than reference wetlands. Seed and tuber resources did not differ between wetlands in Arkansas and Missouri. While other studies have documented greater waterbird densities on actively than nonmanaged wetlands, our results highlighted the potential for initiatives focused on managing conservation easements to increase waterbird use and energetic carrying capacity of restored wetlands for waterbirds.
Cinema and Radio in Britain and America, 1920–60: A Social History of the Big Screen: Richards, Jeffrey Manchester, UK: Manchester University Press 336 pp., $29.95 ISBN 978-1-78499-110-4 Publication Date: February 2016

Jeffrey Richards was already a well-respected film historian when he published 2010's Cinema and Radio in Britain and America, 1920–60. Now the in-depth historical study is available in a more affo...
Botanical nano composition with maximum bioavailability for pain management

The present patent pending invention relates to a topical pharmaceutical nano composition with maximum bioavailability for pain relief was developed Random clinical study on volunteers showed very fast and effective relief of all types of pain on all patients of both sexes For severe cases it was observed pain disappeared in less than minutes Observed results showed excellent results for all ages with no adverse or side effects
SERS Sensors: Recent Developments and a Generalized Classification Scheme Based on the Signal Origin

Owing to its extreme sensitivity and easy execution, surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) now finds application for a wide variety of problems requiring sensitive and targeted analyte detection. This widespread application has prompted a proliferation of different SERS-based sensors, suggesting the need for a framework to classify existing methods and guide the development of new techniques. After a brief discussion of the general SERS modalities, we classify SERS-based sensors according the origin of the signal. Three major categories emerge from this analysis: surface-affinity strategy, SERS-tag strategy, and probe-mediated strategy. For each case, we describe the mechanism of action, give selected examples, and point out general misconceptions to aid the construction of new devices. We hope this review serves as a useful tutorial guide and helps readers to better classify and design practical and effective SERS-based sensors.
Controlled Part-to-Substrate Micro-Assembly via Electrochemical Modulation of Surface Energy

A process designed for repeated parallel micro-assembly has been achieved by controlling the hydrophobicity of the binding sites between micro-parts and substrates. Active assembly sites consist of hydrophobic surfaces made of alkanethiol-coated gold, while inactive sites are clean, hydrophilic gold surfaces. Electrochemical reduction of the alkanethiolate monolayer on substrates with addressable binding sites returns the selected sites to their inactive, hydrophilic state. The parts are attracted, aligned, and anchored to the binding sites by a heat curable lubricant in an aqueous environment. The entire sequence is then repeated with a different set of active binding sites and parts. A two-batch assembly process is described in this paper. Principles for establishing electrical connections using electroplating are also demonstrated and discussed. This process forms the basis for a general technique to batch-assemble complex microstructures from simple components.
Examining the Association Between Maternal Smoking During Pregnancy and Child Behavior Problems Using Quality-Adjusted Life Years.

Objectives Examining the association between maternal smoking and losses in childhood health-related quality of life due to behavior problems provides parents and policymakers another tool for the valuation of smoking cessation during pregnancy. Methods Using the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979 Child and Young Adult data, this study retrospectively examined a cohort of 4114 women and 8668 children. In addition to questions focusing on maternal smoking and general demographics, each survey included the Behavior Problems Index (BPI), a 28-item questionnaire with six subscales measuring childhood behavior problems (antisocial behavior, anxiousness/depression, headstrongness, hyperactivity, immature dependency, and peer conflict/social withdrawal). Responses to the BPI, completed by mothers with children ages 4–14, were summarized on a QALY scale using published preference weights. Results Children whose mothers smoked during pregnancy experience additional QALY losses of 0.181, on average, per year due to increased behavior problems. Boys suffered larger QALY losses associated with maternal smoking (0.242) compared to girls (0.119; p value = .021), regardless of age. Moreover, heavier smoking during pregnancy (i.e., 1 or more packs/day) was associated with larger QALY losses (0.282; p-value < .001). Conclusions for Practice These findings illustrate the burden of maternal smoking during pregnancy on child health, namely behavioral problems. The losses in QALYs may be incorporated into economic evaluations for smoking cessation interventions during pregnancy. Future research will investigate how maternal smoking following childbirth is associated with child QALYs.
Mapping Segregation Distortion Loci

A basic assumption in QTL mapping is that genomic loci (QTL and markers) follow theMendelian segregation ratio. The Mendelian ratio depends on the population under investigation. For example, in a BC population, the Mendelian ratio is 1 : 1 for the two genotypes (A 1 A 1, A 1 A 2).
A Fluid Discontinuity Tracking Methodology for Finite Difference Thermal-Hydraulic Simulation

Finite difference schemes currently applied to the modeling of two-phase flows in flow networks exhibit difficulties in properly simulating certain spatial and temporal discontinuities. These discontinuities include points along the one-dimensional flow axis where density and other thermophysical properties become discontinuous or experience rapid state domain changes. A methodology for treating spatial and temporal discontinuities is presented. This methodology consists of three main features: (a) subnode time-averaged donoring of thermodynamic properties, (b) a variable pressure-at-discontinuity staggered mesh discretization, and (c) a variable point state equation linearization. The proposed scheme is similar in form to standard semi-implicit, staggered mesh discretizations, requires little extra overhead, and results in substantially improved accuracy and code execution times. Comparisons are made with standard time and spatial discretizations, as well as with two simpler alternate methods for recognizing and tracking discontinuities. The first of these attempts is to adjust the time-step size such that the fluid discontinuity arrives at a node boundary, or a change in fluid state occurs precisely at the end of a time advancement. The second attempts to redistribute mass and energy to correct for improperly donored values when a discontinuity crosses a node boundary during a time step. Neither of these alternativesmore » proved adequate.« less
Role of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in the pathogenesis and treatment of patients with brain metastases.

e14006Background: The assumption that metastases reach the brain by hematogenous spread informs concepts of pathogenesis and therapy in ways that may be incorrect. We suggest that the initial site ...
Mechanisms of CD8+ T-Cell Resistance to Post-Transplantation Cyclophosphamide (PTCy)

Despite the lymphocyte reducing effects of PTCy after hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT), CD8+ T-cell numerical reconstitution is rapid and diverges from CD4+ T-cell reconstitution. To understand this rapid reconstitution and explore possible mechanisms of CD8+ T-cell resistance to PTCy, we used mixed lymphocyte culture (MLC) of healthy donor CD3+ T cells with irradiated HLA-mismatched CD3− peripheral blood mononuclear cells as previously published (Kanakry CG et al., STM, 2013). Accordingly, cells in MLCs were treated on day 3 with the active Cy analog mafosfamide (Maf) 7.5 ug/ml or from days 0-7 with cyclosporine (CsA) 600 ng/ml or rapamycin (Rap) 15 ng/ml. We found that all drugs reduced CD8+ T-cell numbers at day 7. However, the relative impact on CD8+ subsets differed by treatment. Maf preserved a similar distribution of memory and naive subsets compared with untreated MLCs, unlike CsA and Rap which preferentially spared naives. Percentages of mucosal associated invariant T (MAIT) and phenotypically stem cell memory CD8+ T cells were increased after Maf. Proliferation was reduced after Maf but persisted at lower levels, distinct from CsA or Rap, which abolished proliferation. Mechanisms of resistance to Cy include expression of aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH), the major in vivo detoxifying enzyme for Cy. Multidrug transporter (MDR) effluxing also may play a role. At day 3 of MLC, all assessed CD8+ T-cell subsets increased expression of ALDH1A1 from undetectable expression in donor T cells. In a Rhodamine-123 efflux assay, all CD8+ T-cell subsets also increased MDR activity at day 3 compared with donor cells. Both ALDH1A1 expression and Rhodamine-123 effluxing declined at day 7. Increased effluxing by CD8+ T cells also was seen in clinical HCT from donor and recipient day 0 to recipient day +3 blood samples. In MLC, pharmacologic inhibition of ALDH with diethylaminobenzaldehyde or MDR with PK11195 sensitized CD8+ T cells to Maf, with combined inhibition leading to death of nearly all cells, suggesting both mechanisms may contribute to CD8+ T-cell resistance. To dissect the underlying molecular mechanisms, we explored the relative impact of proliferative state and cytokines on MDR activity. Effluxing was largely restricted to those cells that either had not proliferated or had proliferated in MLC only a single generation; most T cells that had proliferated ≥2 generations were not effluxing. Exogenous IL-4, IL-7, or IL-15 reduced effluxing, but IL-2, IL-6, IL-9, IL-17, IL-21, or IL-23 did not affect it. Conversely, exogenous IL-2 modulated ALDH1A1 expression in a dose-dependent manner: low doses (0.1-1 IU/ml) increased expression, while high doses (≥100 IU/ml) reduced it. Our work provides insight into the impact of PTCy on CD8+ T-cell subsets and the biology of chemotherapy resistance pathways relevant for understanding the dynamics of CD8+ T-cell immune reconstitution after PTCy.
Closed Loop Control of an MR-Conditional Robot with Wireless Tracking Coil Feedback.

This paper presents a hardware and software system to implement the task space control of an MR-conditional robot by integrating inductively coupled wireless coil based tracking feedback into the control loop. The main motivation of this work is to increase the accuracy performance and address the system uncertainties in the practical scenarios. We present the MR-conditional robot hardware design, wireless tracking method, and custom-designed communication software for real-time tracking data transfer. Based on these working principles, we fabricate the robot platform and evaluate the complete system with respect to various performance indices, i.e. data communication speed, targeting accuracy, tracking coil resolution, image quality, temperature variation, and task space control accuracy for static and dynamic targeting inside MRI scanner. The in-scanner targeting results show that the MR-conditional robot with wireless tracking coil feedback achieves the targeting error of 0.17 ± 0.08 mm, while the error calculated from the joint space optical encoder feedback is 0.68 ± 0.19 mm.
Design and Characterization of a 28-nm Bulk-CMOS Cryogenic Quantum Controller Dissipating Less Than 2 mW at 3 K

Implementation of an error-corrected quantum computer is believed to require a quantum processor with a million or more physical qubits, and, in order to run such a processor, a quantum control system of similar scale will be required. Such a controller will need to be integrated within the cryogenic system and in close proximity with the quantum processor in order to make such a system practical. Here, we present a prototype cryogenic CMOS quantum controller designed in a 28-nm bulk CMOS process and optimized to implement a 16-word (4-bit) XY gate instruction set for controlling transmon qubits. After introducing the transmon qubit, including a discussion of how it is controlled, design considerations are discussed, with an emphasis on error rates and scalability. The circuit design is then discussed. Cryogenic performance of the underlying technology is presented, and the results of several quantum control experiments carried out using the integrated controller are described. This article ends with a comparison to the state of the art and a discussion of further research to be carried out. It has been shown that the quantum control IC achieves promising performance while dissipating less than 2 mW of total ac and dc power and requiring a digital data stream of less than 500 Mb/s.
Palliative Care: A Guide for Health Social Workers Palliative Care: A Guide for Health Social Workers, edited by Bridget Sumser, Meagan Lyon Leimena, and Terry Altilio, Oxford University Press, Madison Avenue, New York, 2019, $39.26 (paperback).

Social workers, regardless of practice setting, commonly encounter individuals coping with issues related to serious illness, death, and loss. Yet, many social workers report that they lack confide...
Clinical Trials and Calcification-Based Treatment Decisions

Cardiovascular calcification is prevalent among asymptomatic patients and those with prevalent cardiovascular disease. It is associated with increasing age and other cardiovascular disease risk factors, such as chronic kidney disease. Observational registries, small case series, and clinical trials have been the mainstay for clinical decision-making in patients with calcified coronary and peripheral vessels and mitral valve disease. These studies have provided insight into the prevalence of calcification in select patient populations and communities as well as demonstrated how noninvasive imaging and a blood test for calcification propensity can inform treatment options and outcomes. Early studies testing novel and repurposed pharmacological therapies to prevent or limit the progression of cardiovascular calcification are underway. For symptomatic patients that require interventions, evidence from clinical trials has guided percutaneous coronary interventions, coronary artery bypass grafting surgery, and mitral valve interventions. Pertinent clinical trials and studies in these areas are reviewed herein.
Abstract B89: Determining the underlying protective mechanisms of bivalent Marek’s disease vaccine to prevent tumor induction

Marek’s disease (MD) is a lymphoproliferative disease in chicken and the most frequently diagnosed cancer in the animal kingdom. The causative pathogen is the ubiquitous Marek’s disease virus (MDV), a highly oncogenic alphaherpesvirus. Since the 1970s, poultry flocks have been controlled by widespread vaccination (e.g., 1 million birds per hour in the US alone); MD vaccines were revolutionary because they were the first to prevent tumors. Unfortunately, MD vaccines do not prevent viral infection or spread, which has likely promoted the repeated evolution of MDV field strains to higher virulence. Hence, in order to develop more effective MD vaccines, especially those that might prevent horizontal transmission, it is important to gain knowledge on the underlying mechanisms on tumor prevention and viral replication. In addition, chickens serve as a natural model of the disease to study viral oncology and cancer vaccines. The current study focuses on understanding how the commonly used MD vaccines SB-1 and HVT work better in combination (88% protection) compared to either SB-1 or HVT vaccine alone (44% and 24% protection, respectively). We find that bivalent SB-1+HVT vaccine is able to suppress MDV replication in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) until the end of the trial (8 weeks) while either monovalent vaccine failed to control MDV viremia beyond 2 weeks post-challenge. SB-1+HVT also shows the highest efficacy to inhibit tumor formation compared to either monovalent vaccine. To gain insight of how SB-1+HVT can inhibit tumors, we determined the replication of SB-1 and HVT vaccine and find that replication of SB-1 and HVT is different with respect to time after vaccination and tissue tropism. Specifically, SB-1 replicates increasingly in spleen from 1 day post challenge (DPC) to 14 DPC, contrasting to the replication of HVT, which is found only in bursa at 1 DPC. The differences in replication pattern of SB-1 and HVT vaccine may promote different sets of immune cells corresponding to immune protection. Additionally, SB-1+HVT shows the highest immune activation observed by the highest percent CD8 T-cell response. Further experiments are under way to determine whether the induced CD8 response results in antiviral effect at the early stage of infection or antitumor activity as well as identifying associated cytokines induced in the protection provided by SB-1+HVT vaccination. Citation Format: Supawadee Umthong, Hans Cheng, John Dunn. Determining the underlying protective mechanisms of bivalent Marek’s disease vaccine to prevent tumor induction [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy; 2018 Nov 27-30; Miami Beach, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Immunol Res 2020;8(4 Suppl):Abstract nr B89.
Imago Diaboli? Luther's Anthropological Holism

The Flacian controversy in mid-16th century Lutheranism turned on the question whether as a consequence of original sin the image of God in humankind has been lost and replaced by the image of the ...
Estimating the sample variance from the sample size and range.

For meta-analysis studies and systematic reviews, it is important to pool the data from a set of similar clinical trials. To pool the data, one needs to know their SD. Many trial reports, however, contain only the median, the minimum and maximum values, and the sample size. It is therefore important to be able to estimate the SD S from the sample size n and range r. For small n ≤ 100, we improve existing estimators of r/S, the "divisor," denoted by ξ(n) . This in turn yields improved estimators of the SD in the form S^=r/ξ^(n) on simulated as well as real datasets. We provide numerical values of the proposed estimator as well as approximation by a simple formula 3ln(n)-1.4025 . Furthermore, for large n, we provide estimators ξ^(n) of the divisor ξ(n) for the normal, exponential, and other bounded and unbounded distributions.
A modeling framework (WRF-Landlab) for simulating orogen-scale climate-erosion coupling

Abstract Precipitation-induced erosion and orographic precipitation are thought to be coupled during mountain building, potentially serving as a negative feedback on mountain uplift. However, the strength and spatial uniformity of this coupling are not well understood due to limitations in correlating past climate and orogenic events through proxy records, as well as the substantial differences in temporal and spatial scales at which climatic and erosional processes are typically modeled. Here, we present a novel numerical modeling framework that overcomes these order-of-magnitude differences in scale to study the co-evolution of climate, erosion, and mountain building. Our modeling framework uses asynchronous coupling and nested domains to link the National Center for Atmospheric Research Weather and Research Forecasting (WRF-ARW) model with Landlab, a landscape evolution model, through a hydrological model (WRF-Hydro). We conduct numerical experiments that simulate coupled climate-erosion processes during uniform surface uplift of a north-south trending mountain belt from an initial flat landscape over 5 Myrs between the latitudes 0° and 40°S in South America. Our results show that the precipitation-erosion coupling differs in strength as a function of both surface elevation and climate regime. With an increase in surface elevation and gradient, precipitation in the tropical and mid-latitude regions increases and a rain shadow forms on the leeward side of the mountain crest, while precipitation in sub-equatorial and subtropical regions exhibits little change. Erosion responds to these regional differences in precipitation and creates distinctive mean elevation, slope, and hypsometry. Our study highlights that interactions between climate and erosion have a first-order impact on mountain building over geological timescales and that it is necessary to incorporate these interactions in modeling land surface evolution.
Incidence and impact of acute kidney injury in patients with hypoplastic left heart syndrome following the hybrid stage 1 palliation.

Objective: Acute kidney injury leads to worse outcomes following paediatric cardiac surgery. There is a lack of literature focusing on acute kidney injury after the Hybrid stage 1 palliation for single ventricle physiology. Patients undergoing the Hybrid Stage 1, as a primary option, may have a lower incidence of kidney injury than previously reported. When present, kidney injury may increase the risk of post-operative morbidity and mortality. Methods: A retrospective, single centre review was conducted in patients with hypoplastic left heart syndrome who underwent Hybrid Stage 1 from 2008 to 2018. Acute kidney injury was defined as a dichotomous yes (meeting any injury criteria) or no (no injury) utilising two different criteria utilised in paediatrics. The impact of kidney injury on perioperative characteristics and 30-day mortality was analysed. Results: The incidence of acute kidney injury is 13.4–20.7%, with a severe injury rate of 2.4%. Patients without a prenatal diagnosis of hypoplastic left heart syndrome have a higher incidence of kidney injury than those prenatally diagnosed, (40% versus 14.5%, p = 0.024). Patients with acute kidney injury have a significantly higher incidence of 30-day mortality, 27.3%, compared to without, 5.6% (p = 0.047). Discussion: The incidence of severe acute kidney injury after the Hybrid Stage 1 palliation is low. A prenatal diagnosis may be associated with a lower incidence of kidney injury following the Hybrid Stage 1. Though uncommon, severe acute kidney injury following Hybrid Stage 1 may be associated with higher 30-day mortality.
Robust H_∞ Networked Control for Uncertain Fuzzy Systems with Time-delay

A robust H_∞networked control method for Takagi-Sugeno (T-S) fuzzy systems with uncertainty and time delay is presented.A state feedback controller is designed via the networked control system (NCS) theory.Sufficient condition for robust stability with H_∞performance is obtained.Network-induced delay in network transmission and packet dropout are analyzed. Simulation result shows the validity of this control scheme.
The Iterative Learning Gain That Optimizes Real-Time Torque Tracking for Ankle Exoskeletons in Human Walking Under Gait Variations.

Lower-limb exoskeletons often use torque control to achieve easy manipulation of energy flow and ensure human safety. Accuracy of applied torque greatly affects system performance and therefore it is always of interest to be improved. Feed-forward type iterative learning as a compensation term for feedback control was proved effective in torque tracking of these devices with complicated dynamics during human walking, since it is effectively stride-wise integral control. Although it was added merely to benefit average tracking performance over multiple strides, we found that iterative learning after proper gain tuning can help improving real-time torque tracking of lower-limb exoskeletons during human walking. We used theoretical analysis and predicted an optimal gain as the inverse of the passive actuator stiffness. Walking experiments resulted in an optimum 0.9929 $\pm$ 0.3846 times the predicted one, which agreed with the hypothesis. Results of this study provides guidance for the design of torque controller in robotic legged locomotion systems and will help improving the performance of gait assistive robots.
Complexity lower bounds from algorithm design

Since the beginning of the theory of computation, researchers have been fascinated by the prospect of proving impossibility results on computing. When and how can we argue that a task cannot be efficiently solved, no matter what algorithm we try to use? In this short article, I will briefly introduce some of the ideas behind a research program in computational complexity that I and others have studied, for the last decade. (The accompanying talk will contain more details.) The program begins with the observations that: (a) Computer scientists know a great deal about how to design efficient algorithms. (b) However, we do not know how to prove many weak-looking complexity lower bounds. It turns out that certain knowledge we have from (a) can be leveraged to prove complexity lower bounds in a systematic way, making progress on (b). For example, progress on faster circuit satisfiability algorithms (even those that barely improve upon exhaustive search) automatically imply circuit complexity lower bounds for interesting functions.1
n-uniformly consistent density estimation in nonparametric regression models

Abstract The paper introduces a n -consistent estimator of the probability density function of the response variable in a nonparametric regression model. The proposed estimator is shown to have a (uniform) asymptotic normal distribution, and it is computationally very simple to calculate. A Monte Carlo experiment confirms our theoretical results. The results derived in the paper adapt general U -processes theory to the inclusion of infinite dimensional nuisance parameters.
Hospitalizations and Outcomes of T1MI Observed Before and After the Introduction of MI Subtype Codes.

Background International Classification of Disease (ICD)-10 coding of type 1 myocardial infarction (MI) is used for reimbursement, value-based programs, and clinical research. Objectives This study sought to determine whether the introduction of ICD-10 codes for type 2 and types 3-5 MI was associated with changes in hospitalizations for ICD-10 codes now attributed to type 1 MI. Methods Using the Nationwide Readmissions Database, we identified patients with ICD-10 codes now attributed to type 1 MI between January 2016 and December 2018. Patients were stratified according to the timing of their event in relation to the introduction of the type 2 and types 3-5 MI codes on October 1, 2017. Results There were 2,680,323 hospitalizations for ICD-10 codes now attributed to type 1 MI; after adjustment for seasonality, there was a 13.7% decline in hospitalizations after the introduction of the new subtype codes. Patients with ICD-10 codes now attributed to type 1 MI after the coding change were less likely to be female, had lower prevalence of several cardiovascular and noncardiovascular comorbidities, and had higher rates of coronary angiography and revascularization. After introduction of the new codes, there was a positive deflection in the slope of risk-adjusted in-hospital mortality (0.007%; P Conclusions The introduction of ICD-10 codes for type 2 and types 3-5 MI was associated with a decrease in hospitalizations for ICD-10 codes now attributed to type 1 MI and changes in the observed characteristics and treatment patterns of these patients.
Federated Learning and Privacy

Centralized data collection can expose individuals to privacy risks and organizations to legal risks if data is not properly managed. Federated learning is a machine learning setting where multiple...
Formal Materialism: The New Version

The history of science is an account not of steady development but rather of progress in bursts. One such burst occurred in the seventeenth century, sparked by Galileo. Another, in the eighteenth century was led by Newton, and a third in the nineteenth century owed much to Darwin. The latest, in the twentieth century, is due chiefly to Planck and Einstein.
Finite-Difference Time-Domain (FDTD) Computational Electrodynamics Simulations of Microlaser Cavities in One and Two Spatial Dimensions

Advances in nanofabrication techniques are leading to semiconductor microlasers and associated coupling structures having feature sizes in the order of 0.1–10 µm. A detailed understanding of the electrodynamics of microlaser cavities is required in order to understand their operation and optimize their design. The finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) Maxwell’s equations solution method holds much promise for this application. This paper reviews the extension of the FDTD algorithm to include the macroscopic effects of frequency-dependent material gain and gain saturation. The recent use of this approach to model the electrodynamics of microlaser cavities in one and two dimensions is then summarized.
The Preparation and Characterization of an Active Derivative of Bovine Pancreatic Deoxyribonuclease A Formed by Selective Cleavage with α-Chymotrypsin

Abstract Bovine pancreatic deoxyribonuclease A was selectively cleaved by digestion with α-chymotrypsin under carefully controlled conditions. The peptide bond in DNase A between tryptophan residue 178 and serine 179 was quantitatively hydrolyzed in less than 15 min by 0.5% α-chymotrypsin at pH 8.5 and 4° when divalent metal ions were absent. The modified DNase A (DNase A (1–178,179–257)) was composed of two chains of molecular weights approximately 21,000 and 9,000 which were covalently linked by a disulfide bond. Enzymatically split DNase A retained about 70% of the activity of the native enzyme in the absence of calcium ions in the enzyme solution and exhibited nearly full activity when 20 mm CaCl2 was first added to the modified DNase. Enhancement of DNase A (1–178,179–257) activity by divalent calcium ions indicated that a greater functional dependence exists for Ca2+ in the modified DNase A than was observed with the native enzyme. The covalent linkage which connects the NH2- and COOH-terminal portions of DNase A (1–178,179–257) is formed between half-cystine residues 170 and 206. Reduction with mercaptoethanol inactivated both the native and cleaved DNase A. Unlike native DNase A, reduced DNase A (1–178,179–257) could not be reactivated by the addition of Ca2+ in the presence of 50 mm mercaptoethanol. Activity was restored to reduced DNase A (1–178,179–257), however, to the extent of 90% of that of the native enzyme when 20 mm CaCl2 was added to the reduced chains after the excess mercaptoethanol had been removed. DNase A (1–178,179–257) was further digested with a carboxypeptidase from yeast which quantitatively released 5 amino acid residues, all from the newly formed COOH terminus at position 178 in the modified enzyme. DNase A (1–173,179–257), produced by the carboxypeptidase from yeast, was more than 80% as active as native DNase A in the presence of 20 mm CaCl2. The sequence of residues 174 through 178 is known to be -Thr-Ser-Ser-Gln-Trp-, and threonine 174 is only 4 residues removed from the half-cystine residue at position 170 which participates in the essential —S—S— bond of DNase. These results indicate that a number of the amino acid residues located in the central portion of the peptide chain of DNase are structurally and functionally expendable. The fact that DNase A can be readily cleaved without loss of enzyme activity makes the possibility of proteolysis during preparation of the enzyme a very likely complication. Acrylamide gel electrophoresis, in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate and mercaptoethanol, of a sample of DNase A prepared by chromatography on phosphocellulose, indicated the presence of two minor bands which corresponded to the chains from DNase A (1–178,179–257). Chromatography of DNase on DEAE-Sephadex and then a re-chromatography of the pooled DNase fraction on phosphocellulose led to a homogeneous DNase A which was stable at pH 8.0.
Global Transition in Higher Education: From the Traditional Model of Learning to a New Socially Mediated Model

This article reports on the pedagogical value of Web 2.0 tools at Unisa (i.e., whether these tools can improve teaching and learning). A quantitative approach was used to conduct the study, with a questionnaire as a data collection instrument. The sample size was 301 lecturers drawn using stratified sampling, with proportional allocation drawn from all Unisa colleges. Descriptive statistics were employed to analyse and interpret the data. The results show that Web 2.0 tools are playing a pivotal role when it comes to opening avenues and collapsing the transactional distance in an ODL institution. A combination of web technology and the trend of constructivism can transform the learning process. This article therefore recommends that Unisa sensitise its lecturers to the adoption of Web 2.0 tools as an innovative way to improve teaching and learning.
On the space group of MgAl2O4 spinel

Abstract [001] electron diffraction patterns of MgAl2O4 spinel show (hk0) reflections with h + k = 4n + 2 ((200), (420), etc.) that violate the accepted Fd3m space group of this material. Since these ‘forbidden’ reflections cannot be attributed to double diffraction, non-zero Laue zones, or a second phase, this result is consistent with Grimes' recent suggestion that the correct space group for MgAl2O4 spinel is F43m.
CEO compensation in China: Accounting performance, corporate governance, and the gender gap

Purpose – This study investigates the determinants of Chief Executive Officer (CEO) cash compensation in relation to corporate governance and performance in China's listed firms. This article also aims at analyzing gender earning differentials among CEOs. Design/methodology/approach – The empirical analysis is based on the panel data set which contains information on the CEOs of 1,701 firm-year observations over the period 2006-2010. A Oaxaca decomposition is also implemented to measure the gap between male and female CEO compensation. Findings – The paper observes that CEO compensation relies more on firm accounting performance than on stock market performance. This relationship is especially evident when accounting performance is measured as the return-on-assets. Dominant shareholders such as the state and block holders have a distinct impact on the use of incentive pay. The presence of a compensation committee in a Chinese listed firm is correlated with an excessive pay package for the Chief Executive ...
Cryogenic Aspects of a Demountable Toroidal Field Magnet System for Tokamak-Type Fusion Reactors

The toroidal field (TF) coils in a tokamak fusion reactor have to be interlaced with the plasma chamber, OH, and poloidal field coils, and the neutral beam, coolant and vacuum lines, etc., in a very complex arrangement. This makes the construction of the reactor cumbersome since the continuously wound TF coils have to be built on-site first and the rest of the reactor components installed inside the coil assembly afterwards. This creates serious problems of space and accessibility and requires complicated installation procedures for that part of the reactor system inside the TF coil assembly. Figure 1 shows the complicated structures of the ORNL Tokamak EPR design [1]. In addition, the replacement of a failed TF coil after construction would be extremely difficult, if not impossible, which then requires that the TF coil system must be very reliable over its 30-year service lifetime. Replacing a failed TF coil in this type of reactor construction would involve removing and replacing a large number of highly radioactive, massive components with many major cuts and seals to be made. This means a very long plant downtown, even if were technically feasible, reduced plant availability, and large capital losses. Figure 2 illustrates how TF coils will have to be orders of magnitude more reliable than has been demonstrated to date if plant availability is to be above an acceptable limit of ~ 95%.
A Review of “The Message Matters: The Economy and Presidential Campaigns”

This book examines U.S. presidential election campaigns and how they matter. There are many books on the general subject. What sets The Message Matters apart is that it explicitly connects the cont...
Resilience and the Child with Learning Disabilities

In this chapter we address how the factors of risk and resilience affect children with learning disabilities. Because learning disabilities encompass varied disorders associated primarily with difficulty learning, and due to the fact that time spent in school is a substantial part of the day, our central focus is upon children attending school. Both positive and negative school experiences shape children’s self-perceptions and contribute to their academic self-concepts. Unfortunately, for many children with learning disabilities, their lowered academic self-perceptions are influenced by difficulties in both the academic and social aspects of school (Vaughn & Elbaum, 1999). In the first part of this chapter, we discuss how self-perception and, subsequently, resilience are shaped by school experiences. In the second part, we review various ways to help children with learning disabilities increase their resiliency and preserve their self-esteem and feelings of self-worth.
"Geographical morality" revisited: international relations, international law, and the controversy over placebo controlled HIV clinical trials in developing countries.

Since the early 1980s the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) have wreaked enormous damage on humanity. Table 1 below provides a statistical summary of the enormous scale of the HIV/AIDS pandemic in the period from 1998 to 2000. No abatement of the horror of HIV/AIDS is on the horizon. HIV/AIDS initially gained attention as an epidemic in developed countries but today 95% of existing cases are located in developing countries. Sub-Saharan Africa has been the most severely affected region in the world but experts fear the further spread of HIV/AIDS in the huge populations of India and China. Although HIV/AIDS is gaining prominence on the agendas of international organizations and the great powers of the international system the developing-country context of the pandemic creates significant problems in international relations. One of the most acrimonious conflicts concerns the lack of affordable access to effective HIV therapies in developing countries. Antiretroviral therapies such as zidovudine (AZT) and protease inhibitors have allowed persons with HIV living in developed countries to avoid acquiring AIDS and live longer lives but the therapies are expensive even in affluent countries and have been unaffordable to most individuals suffering from HIV/AIDS in developing countries. (excerpt)
Variable Conditions Produce Variable Responses in GTNP Breeding Birds

Conditions in the GTNP breeding season can differ dramatically among years, even between adjacent years such as 2011 and 2012. Specifically, 2012 was the warmest and driest spring since the early 1990s, with snow melt-out date (SMOD) on April 17, a few days earlier than the long-term average, and 90% aspen leaf-out also earlier than the mean by nearly a week. In contrast, 2011 was the latest SMOD and aspen leaf-out in some 50 y. Birds settle in breeding habitat with somewhat altered preferences in early, warm and dry years such as 2012 compared to opposite conditions in the 2011. In 2012, many birds typical of lower, more open and less mesic habitats were found breeding in taller, denser and usually wetter habitats, a clear influence of the currently prevailing conditions in the park. A monitoring site of intermediate vegetation height and density, Site #9: RKO Dry Willows, is used to calibrate these habitat shifts.
Some algebraic structure of the Riordan group

Abstract In this paper we highlight some of the algebraic properties of the Riordan group. We present some new properties and provide proofs for some known properties. For instance, proofs of properties of the power-Bell and derivative subgroups are presented. We also give a new property for generating stochastic Riordan matrices which are elements of the stochastic Riordan subgroup. Centralizers, stabilizers and certain Riordan group isomorphisms are also given and proved. We conclude by proving some properties connecting similar Riordan matrices and pseudo-involutions in the Riordan group.
Cholecystokinin effects on feeding, glucose, and pancreatic hormones in rhesus monkeys

The effects of cholecystokinin on feeding, and on plasma glucose and pancreatic hormone responses to a mixed-meal were determined in lean rhesus monkeys. Following an overnight fast the octapeptide of cholecystokinin (CCK-8) was administered intravenously over a 6 minute period coincident with the initiation of free feeding or an intragastric infusion of a mixed liquid diet. CCK-8 inhibited feeding and delayed the plasma glucose and insulin response to a mixed-meal. The threshold for the feeding effect ranged from 30 to 120 ng/kg/min across monkeys and did not extend beyond 15 minutes of the start of the CCK infusion. The delays in plasma glucose and insulin were not dependent on rate or amount of food entering the stomach. Further, there were no alterations from basal levels in plasma glucose or insulin prior to the onset of CCK-induced feeding inhibition. There was no evidence that CCK-8 stimulated insulin release, nor was the usual close relationship between plasma glucose and insulin levels in response to a mixed-meal changed by CCK-8.
Lymphoma as a model for chronic illness: effects on adrenocortical function testing.

Many dogs with chronic illness have serum biochemical abnormalities consistent with hyperadrenocorticism (HAC). Lymphoma (LSA) is a chronic disease of dogs. The purpose of this study was to evaluate adrenocortical screening test results in dogs with LSA to evaluate their specificity. Criteria for inclusion in the study included a diagnosis of LSA, an expected survival time of 16-56 weeks, no glucocorticoid treatment beyond 4 weeks after the initiation of chemotherapy, no evidence of HAC, and owner consent. Post-ACTH stimulation plasma cortisol concentrations (PACs), urine cortisol : creatinine (UC : Cr) ratios, and maximal left adrenal width measurements were performed at the time of LSA diagnosis before the initiation of chemotherapy and at 16, 24, 32, 40, and 52 weeks or until the loss of remission or the development of another disease. Ten dogs met the criteria for inclusion. Forty-two PACs were performed; 1 abnormal, 2 borderline, and 39 normal values were detected. Thirty-five maximal left adrenal width measurements were obtained; 0 abnormal, 5 borderline, and 30 normal measurements were detected. Thirty-six UC : Cr ratios were obtained, with 26 abnormal, 4 borderline, and 6 normal values detected and 9 of 10 dogs having at least 1 abnormal value. These data suggest that in dogs with LSA, the UC : Cr ratio frequently is abnormal and may not be a specific test for HAC, or it may be the most sensitive test for increases in cortisol secretion due to chronic illness. Maximal left adrenal width measurements and PACs were almost always normal and may be more specific for HAC or less sensitive for demonstrating chronic increases in cortisol secretion.
Proton Transfer from C-6 of Uridine 5′-Monophosphate Catalyzed by Orotidine 5′-Monophosphate Decarboxylase: Formation and Stability of a Vinyl Carbanion Intermediate and the Effect of a 5-Fluoro Substituent

The exchange for deuterium of the C-6 protons of uridine 5'-monophosphate (UMP) and 5-fluorouridine 5'-monophosphate (F-UMP) catalyzed by yeast orotidine 5'-monophosphate decarboxylase (ScOMPDC) at pD 6.5-9.3 and 25 °C was monitored by (1)H NMR spectroscopy. Deuterium exchange proceeds by proton transfer from C-6 of the bound nucleotide to the deprotonated side chain of Lys-93 to give the enzyme-bound vinyl carbanion. The pD-rate profiles for k(cat) give turnover numbers for deuterium exchange into enzyme-bound UMP and F-UMP of 1.2 × 10(-5) and 0.041 s(-1), respectively, so that the 5-fluoro substituent results in a 3400-fold increase in the first-order rate constant for deuterium exchange. The binding of UMP and F-UMP to ScOMPDC results in 0.5 and 1.4 unit decreases, respectively, in the pK(a) of the side chain of the catalytic base Lys-93, showing that these nucleotides bind preferentially to the deprotonated enzyme. We also report the first carbon acid pK(a) values for proton transfer from C-6 of uridine (pK(CH) = 28.8) and 5-fluorouridine (pK(CH) = 25.1) in aqueous solution. The stabilizing effects of the 5-fluoro substituent on C-6 carbanion formation in solution (5 kcal/mol) and at ScOMPDC (6 kcal/mol) are similar. The binding of UMP and F-UMP to ScOMPDC results in a greater than 5 × 10(9)-fold increase in the equilibrium constant for proton transfer from C-6, so that ScOMPDC stabilizes the bound vinyl carbanions, relative to the bound nucleotides, by at least 13 kcal/mol. The pD-rate profile for k(cat)/K(m) for deuterium exchange into F-UMP gives the intrinsic second-order rate constant for exchange catalyzed by the deprotonated enzyme as 2300 M(-1) s(-1). This was used to calculate a total rate acceleration for ScOMPDC-catalyzed deuterium exchange of 3 × 10(10) M(-1), which corresponds to a transition-state stabilization for deuterium exchange of 14 kcal/mol. We conclude that a large portion of the total transition-state stabilization for the decarboxylation of orotidine 5'-monophosphate can be accounted for by stabilization of the enzyme-bound vinyl carbanion intermediate of the stepwise reaction.
A distance-based rounding strategy for post-imputation ordinal data

Multiple imputation has emerged as a widely used model-based approach in dealing with incomplete data in many application areas. Gaussian and log-linear imputation models are fairly straightforward to implement for continuous and discrete data, respectively. However, in missing data settings which include a mix of continuous and discrete variables, correct specification of the imputation model could be a daunting task owing to the lack of flexible models for the joint distribution of variables of different nature. This complication, along with accessibility to software packages that are capable of carrying out multiple imputation under the assumption of joint multivariate normality, appears to encourage applied researchers for pragmatically treating the discrete variables as continuous for imputation purposes, and subsequently rounding the imputed values to the nearest observed category. In this article, I introduce a distance-based rounding approach for ordinal variables in the presence of continuous one...