cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Automatic Question Generation: From NLU to NLG

Questioning has been shown to improve learning outcomes, and automatic question generation can greatly facilitate the inclusion of questions in learning technologies such as intelligent tutoring systems. The majority of prior QG systems use parsing software and transformation algorithms to create questions. In contrast, the approach described here infuses natural language understanding NLU into the natural language generation NLG process by first analyzing the central semantic content of each independent clause in each sentence. Then question templates are matched to what the sentence is communicating in order to generate higher quality questions. This approach generated a higher percentage of acceptable questions than prior state-of-the-art systems.
Rapid prototyping and tooling: A survey and applications

Publisher Summary With highly sophisticated computing power now available on the shop floor of production systems, new technologies are being introduced everyday. Among the emerging technologies that are making great strides toward reducing the cycle time in manufacturing is the areas of rapid prototyping (RP). RP is the process of rapid creation of a physical solid model (prototype) for an object from its design data without the use of tools or traditional manufacturing processes. The intent of this chapter is to provide an introduction to RP technologies, highlight the role of computers in making the technology feasible, and provide some results of applying the technology for the production of parts replacement in remote maintenance operations. This chapter discusses the technologies, namely, stereolithography, selective laser sintering, solid ground curing, fused decomposition modeling, and laminated object manufacturing. Rapid tooling techniques are discussed as an extension of rapid prototyping, though it is still at an experimental level. The application of the technologies involves the case of experimental rapid production of thermal tile replacements in the space shuttle.
Determination of geometrically necessary dislocations in large shear strain localization in aluminum

Abstract In this paper, a systematic approach is presented to quantifying shear band evolution by quantifying geometrically necessary dislocations (GND) associated with morphological anisotropy in 7039-aluminum alloy using the compact forced-simple shear (CFSS) design. A statistically motivated approach, i.e. the line averaged GND density profile, has been developed to investigate the GND density near heavily deformed, shear band regions. Our study shows that: i) line average GND density profiles for the Al samples machined in the A-direction (transverse to pancake-shaped grains), B-direction (parallel to longitudinal pancake-shaped grains, shearing in through-thickness direction), C-direction (parallel to pancake-shaped grains, shearing in the in-plane direction) and D-direction (parallel and through the pancake-shaped grains) are nominally similar; ii) apart from 7039-aluminum alloy C-direction that has a uniform GND distribution in the direction normal to shear due to a grain-sliding mechanism, GND profiles for other samples decrease steadily away from the shear band as plastic strain diminishes, in agreement with Ashby's theory of work hardening, iii) anisotropy in damage evolution and shear-stress shear-strain response of 7039-aluminum alloy is associated with the grain structure of the material, i.e. morphological anisotropy creating variations in grain boundary interactions; iv) microbands formation in D-direction is associated with local GND peaks; v) stress-relief crack propagating along grain boundaries due to the presence of voids or inclusions generates a ‘shielding effect’ on neighboring grains; and vi) the line average GND density profile within a single grain usually varies inversely with the width of the grain for A-, B- and D-directions, leading to generally pronounced higher GND density near triple junctions.
Load and Time Dependence of Interfacial Chemical Bond-Induced Friction at the Nanoscale.

Rate and state friction (RSF) laws are widely used empirical relationships that describe the macroscale frictional behavior of a broad range of materials, including rocks found in the seismogenic zone of Earth's crust. A fundamental aspect of the RSF laws is frictional ``aging,'' where friction increases with the time of stationary contact due to asperity creep and/or interfacial strengthening. Recent atomic force microscope (AFM) experiments and simulations found that nanoscale silica contacts exhibit aging due to the progressive formation of interfacial chemical bonds. The role of normal load (and, thus, normal stress) on this interfacial chemical bond-induced (ICBI) friction is predicted to be significant but has not been examined experimentally. Here, we show using AFM that, for nanoscale ICBI friction of silica-silica interfaces, aging (the difference between the maximum static friction and the kinetic friction) increases approximately linearly with the product of the normal load and the log of the hold time. This behavior is attributed to the approximately linear dependence of the contact area on the load in the positive load regime before significant wear occurs, as inferred from sliding friction measurements. This implies that the average pressure, and thus the average bond formation rate, is load independent within the accessible load range. We also consider a more accurate nonlinear model for the contact area, from which we extract the activation volume and the average stress-free energy barrier to the aging process. Our work provides an approach for studying the load and time dependence of contact aging at the nanoscale and further establishes RSF laws for nanoscale asperity contacts.
Chimeric Antigen Receptors: A Cell and Gene Therapy Perspective

Chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) are synthetic receptors that reprogram T lymphocytes to target chosen antigens. The targeting of CD19, a cell surface molecule expressed in the vast majority of leukemias and lymphomas, has been successfully translated in the clinic, earning CAR therapy a special distinction in the selection of "cancer immunotherapy" by Science as the breakthrough of the year in 2013. CD19 CAR therapy is predicated on advances in genetic engineering, T cell biology, tumor immunology, synthetic biology, target identification, cell manufacturing sciences, and regulatory compliance—the central tenets of CAR therapy. Here, we review two of these foundations: the genetic engineering approaches and cell types to engineer.
Improving the Properties of Banana Fiber Reinforced Polymeric Composites by Treating the Fibers

Abstract This study looks at two different chemical treatments designed to promote the interfacial bonding between banana fibers and an LDPE matrix: peroxide treatment and permanganate treatment. The effects of the treatments on the tensile properties of individual banana pseudo-stem fibers were explored, with peroxide treatment enhancing the tensile properties and permanganate treatment having an inconclusive effect. Some interesting results from composite processing are briefly explored, leading to peroxide treated fibers being excluded from composite testing. The flexural and tensile properties of untreated and permanganate treated injection molded composite parts were then explored. Untreated banana pseudo-stem fibers provided a measurable increase in composite properties, especially in tensile stiffness. Permanganate treated fibers provided little to no advantage in composite properties compared to their untreated counterparts, even with post-fracture analysis showing enhanced interfacial bonding.
Dal trauma familiare al sistema di supporto alla famiglia

Qualsiasi diagnosi di malattia mentale grave e un evento traumatico che porta confusione, dolore e modifica la vita sia dei pazienti che dei loro familiari. Esiste, ad oggi, un sostanziale corpus di letteratura sull’ impatto traumatico di malattie psichiatriche quali schizofrenia e disturbo bipolare sulle famiglie, incluso il carico del prendersi cura, Tuttavia, gli studi sul disturbo di personalita borderline (DPB) si sono focalizzati ampiamente sull’eziologia, vale a dire, sugli eventi antecedenti e le relazioni che, presmnibilmente, hanno dato origine alla malattia. Vi e, invece, una scarsita di informazioni su come le famiglie sentono le difficolta di convivere con il DPB. In questa capitolo si vuole fomire in generale, quindi, una rassegna della letteratura sul carico familiare nella malattia psichiatrica, la maggiore parte della quale e applicabile anche al DPB. Verranno discussi poi i risultati delle specifiche ricerche sulle famiglie nei casi di DPB; questi risultati vengono utilizzati nella formazione dei professionisti della salute mentale e possono influenzare la loro attitudine nei confronti delle famiglie. Le implicazioni di questo training sulle relazioni tra famiglie e professionisti della salute mentale devono essere ampiamente indagati. Queste relazioni possono infatti essere utili o dannose e non mancare di influenzare la competenza a funzionare come adeguato sistema di supporto per la persona malata.
The moderating influence of instructional intensity and word type on the acquisition of academic vocabulary in young English language learners

This study used a within-subjects design to explore two instructional conditions for developing vocabulary in second-grade Spanish-speaking English learners (ELs)—extended instruction and embedded instruction implemented during shared interactive reading. Words assigned to the extended condition were directly taught using a multifaceted approach that included visuals, bilingual definitions, examples, spelling, and partner-talk about the words’ meaning. Words assigned to the embedded condition were taught solely through brief definitions to embedded text, writing activities, and songs. In the control condition students heard the target words read aloud during shared interactive reading but without definitions or direct instruction. The study also explored the interaction between instructional condition and word type. Four types of words—abstract cognates, abstract noncognates, concrete cognates, and concrete noncognates—were randomly assigned to each condition. Nine teachers in four schools and 187 second-grade ELs participated in this within-subjects intervention, which took place in transitional bilingual classrooms. Findings indicated that across all word types, both extended and embedded instruction were more effective than the control condition in helping ELs acquire vocabulary. Findings also indicated that extended instruction was more effective then embedded instruction for all word types except concrete cognates suggesting that these young Spanish-speaking ELs were advantaged by word knowledge in their home language. Finally, while embedded instruction was less effective than extended instruction, it was much more effective than a control condition. Embedded instruction takes significantly less preparation and instructional time than extended instruction, offering teachers a practical way to teach more vocabulary to ELs.
Decision Making in Cells

Cellular signal transduction networks are structured in a highly complex manner that strongly suggests they have functions beyond simply passing information from the outside of the cell to the interior. Recent evidence from mathematical and systems approaches to the study of these networks indicates that these complex networks might actually process external signals in a nontrivial way, endowing the cell emergent-decision making ability. In this chapter, we will first analyze the concepts of information, information processing, and decision making from a quantitative perspective. We will then apply that analysis to the structures and functions of intracellular signal transduction networks and see that they have many features that are consistent with nontrivial decision-making systems.
Proteome-transcriptome analysis and proteome remodeling in mouse lens epithelium and fibers

Epithelial cells and differentiated fiber cells represent distinct compartments in the ocular lens. While previous studies have revealed proteins that are preferentially expressed in epithelial vs. fiber cells, a comprehensive proteomics library comparing the molecular compositions of epithelial vs. fiber cells is essential for understanding lens formation, function, disease and regenerative potential, and for efficient differentiation of pluripotent stem cells for modeling of lens development and pathology in vitro. To compare protein compositions between the lens epithelium and fibers, we employed tandem mass spectrometry (2D-LC/MS) analysis of microdissected mouse P0.5 lenses. Functional classifications of the top 525 identified proteins into gene ontology categories by molecular processes and subcellular localizations, were adapted for the lens. Expression levels of both epithelial and fiber proteomes were compared with whole lens proteome and mRNA levels using E14.5, E16.5, E18.5, and P0.5 RNA-Seq data sets. During this developmental time window, multiple complex biosynthetic and catabolic processes generate the molecular and structural foundation for lens transparency. As expected, crystallins showed a high correlation between their mRNA and protein levels. Comprehensive data analysis confirmed and/or predicted roles for transcription factors (TFs), RNA-binding proteins (e.g. Carhsp1), translational apparatus including ribosomal heterogeneity and initiation factors, microtubules, cytoskeletal [e.g. non-muscle myosin IIA heavy chain (Myh9) and βB2-spectrin (Sptbn2)] and membrane proteins in lens formation and maturation. Our data highlighted many proteins with unknown functions in the lens that were preferentially enriched in epithelium or fibers, setting the stage for future studies to further dissect the roles of these proteins in fiber cell differentiation vs. epithelial cell maintenance. In conclusion, the present proteomic datasets represent the first mouse lens epithelium and fiber cell proteomes, establish comparative analyses of protein and RNA-Seq data, and characterize the major proteome remodeling required to form the mature lens fiber cells.
Assessing Cash Holdings in Agribusiness

By using fixed-effects panel regression, we model cash holdings for agribusiness firms during the 1970-2012 period. The results suggest that agribusiness firms manage cash in a manner consistent with the precautionary theory of caution management. Specifically, agribusiness firms hold cash to quickly execute growth opportunities and limit transaction costs of acquiring capital for growth. Furthermore, a subset of cash-rich agribusiness firms, which concentrates 78.5% of the aggregate cash and 49% of total revenues, is analyzed with a logit model. Results of cashrich agribusiness deviate from predictions by the precautionary theory. This finding has potential implications for structural changes in this sector.
Adapting for Unique Settings

Although Stepped Care 2.0 is a new model, programming and principles are familiar to many. What is new, are the processes for system building and adjustment discussed in Chap. 6. Equipped with these processes many institutions are adopting variations of the model to suit their unique ecosystems. Specifically, post-secondary counselling centres across North America and publicly funded mental health care systems in Canadian provinces and territories are now implementing Stepped Care 2.0. A comprehensive case study, based on an amalgamation of implementation experiences, illustrates the co-design process, emphasizing strategies for working through conflict and ensuring maximum stakeholder buy-in.
Ractopamine changes in pork quality are not mediated by changes in muscle glycogen or lactate accumulation postmortem.

Abstract Pork quality is a product of the rate and extent of muscle pH decline paced by carbohydrate metabolism postmortem. The beta-adrenergic agonist ractopamine (RAC) alters muscle metabolism but has little impact on pork quality. The objective of this study was to determine how feeding RAC alters postmortem carbohydrate metabolism in muscle. Muscle pH was higher early postmortem in pigs fed RAC for 2 wks compared to control, while other time points and temperatures were largely unaffected. Early postmortem, muscle lactate levels were reduced (P
A stress-driven computational homogenization method based on complementary potential energy variational principle for elastic composites

Based on the complementary potential energy variational principle, in this work, we proposed a stress-driven homogenization procedure to compute overall effective material properties for elastic composites with locally heterogenous micro-structures. We have developed a novel incremental variational formulation for homogenization problems of both infinitesimal and finite deformations where the macro-stress-based complementary potential energy is obtained for hyperelastic materials for a global minimization problem with respect to fine-scale displacement fluctuation field. The point of departure of our approach is a general complementary variational principle formulation that can determine material responses of elastic composites with heterogeneous micro structures. We have implemented the proposed stress-driven computational homogenization procedure with the finite element method. By comparing the numerical results with the analytical method and the strain-driven homogenization method, we find that the stress-driven homogenization offers the lower bound estimate of materials properties for elastic composites.
Image processing methods for Rayleigh scattering measurements of diesel spray mixing at high repetition rate

This work describes the diagnostic implementation and image processing methods to quantitatively measure diesel spray mixing injected into a high-pressure, high-temperature environment. We used a high-repetition-rate pulse-burst laser developed in-house, a high-speed CMOS camera, and optimized the optical configuration to capture Rayleigh scattering images of the vaporized fuel jets inside a constant volume chamber. The experimental installation was modified to reduce reflections and flare levels to maximize the images’ signal-to-noise ratios by anti-reflection coatings on windows and surfaces, as well as series of optical baffles. Because of the specificities of the high-speed system, several image processing techniques had to be developed and implemented to provide quantitative fuel concentration measurements. These methods involve various correction procedures such as camera linearity, laser intensity fluctuation, dynamic background flare, as well as beam-steering effects. Image inpainting was also applied to correct the Rayleigh scattering signal from large scatterers (e.g. particulates). The experiments demonstrate that applying planar laser Rayleigh scattering at high repetition rate to quantitatively resolve the mixing of fuel and ambient gases in diesel jets is challenging, but possible. The thorough analysis of the experimental uncertainty and comparisons to past data prove that such measurements can be accurate, whilst providing valuable information about the mixing processes of high-pressure diesel jets.
Peripheral nerve block use in ankle arthroplasty and ankle arthrodesis: utilization patterns and impact on outcomes.

Ankle arthrodesis and total ankle arthroplasty (TAA) are often associated with significant postoperative pain. While this may be mitigated by the use of peripheral nerve blocks (PNB), large-scale data are lacking. Using national data, we aimed to evaluate PNB utilization pattern and its impact on outcomes. This retrospective cohort study utilized data from the nationwide database (2006–2016) on TAA (n = 5,290) and ankle arthrodesis (n = 14,709) procedures. PNB use was defined from billing; outcomes included opioid utilization, length and cost of stay, discharge to a skilled nurse facility, and opioid-related complications. Mixed-effects models estimated the association between PNB use and outcomes, separate by procedure type and inpatient/outpatient setting. We report odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals (CI). Overall, PNB was utilized in 8.7% of TAA and 9.9% of ankle arthrodesis procedures, with increased utilization from 2006 to 2016 of 2.6% to 11.3% and 5.2% to 12.0%, respectively. After adjustment for relevant covariates, PNB use was significantly associated with decreased total opioid utilization specifically in the inpatient setting in TAA ( − 16.9% CI − 23.9%; − 9.1%) and ankle arthrodesis procedures ( − 18.9% CI − 24.4; − 13.0%), this was particularly driven by a decrease in opioid utilization on the day of surgery. No clinically relevant effects were observed for other outcomes. PNB utilization is associated with substantial reductions in opioid utilization, particularly in the inpatient setting. Our study is in support of a wider use of this analgesic technique, which may translate into more benefits in terms of clinical outcomes and resource utilization. III.
Weaving a Wide Net

SUMMARY Any single approach tostudents' heterosexism and homophobia, however well conceived and executed, is most successful when supported by an integrated campus approach to the problem. Taking as a model the multifaceted efforts at California State University, Fresno-a large public institution located in what can be considered the state's Bible Belt-this essay discusses the strengths and logistics of a campus-wide program to address homophobia and alleviate LGBTQ students' feelings of alienation from the institution and their oppression in society. The efforts of CSUF take place at a number of different levels-classroom, academic department, student services, faculty networking-and can be considered a successful work in progress.
Long-term tolerability of capnography and respiratory inductance plethysmography for respiratory monitoring in pediatric patients treated with patient-controlled analgesia

SummaryBackground The Anesthesia Patient Safety Foundation has advocated the use of continuous electronic monitoring of oxygenation and ventilation to preemptively identify opioid-induced respiratory depression. In adults, capnography is the gold standard in respiratory monitoring. An alternative technique used in sleep laboratories is respiratory inductance plethysmography (RIP). However, it is not known if either monitor is well tolerated by pediatric patients for prolonged periods of time. Aim The goal of this study was to determine whether capnography or RIP is better tolerated in nonintubated, spontaneously breathing pediatric patients being treated with intravenous patient-controlled analgesia (IVPCA). Methods Nasal cannula capnography with oral sampling and thoracic and abdominal inductance plethysmography bands were placed along with the routine monitors on pediatric patients being treated for acute pain with IVPCA. Study monitors were left in place for as long as they were tolerated by the patient, up to a maximum of 24 consecutive hours. If the patient did not wear a particular study monitor for any reason, but tolerated the remaining monitor, participation in the study continued. If the patient would not wear either monitor, participation was terminated. Results Twenty-six patients (18 female, eight male, average age 10.1 ± 5.5 years) consented to participate, but only 14 patients attempted to wear one or both the devices. Among those who wore either device, median time to device removal was 8.33 h (range 0.3–23.6 h) for capnography and 23.5 h (range 0.7–24 h) for RIP bands. Conclusion Children did not tolerate wearing capnography cannulae for prolonged periods of time, limiting the usefulness of this device as a continuous monitor of ventilation in children. RIP bands were better tolerated; however, they require further assessment of their utility. Until more effective, child-friendly monitors are developed and their utility is validated, guidelines recommended for adult patients cannot be extended to children.
Stoichiometry of O2 Metabolism and NADPH Oxidation of the Cell-free Latent Oxidase Reconstituted from Cytosol and Solubilized Membrane from Resting Human Neutrophils*

The stoichiometry of NADPH-dependent O2 consumption expressed by reconstituted latent oxidase obtained by combining cytosol and membrane fractions from resting human neutrophils with GTP gamma S and SDS in a cell-free assay was evaluated with regard to NADPH consumed and superoxide and H2O2 production. Oxidase activity monitored simultaneously by O2 uptake analysis using a Clark cell and O2 electrode for O2 consumption, and spectrally at 340 nm for NADPH oxidation, in the presence of excess superoxide dismutase and catalase, yielded an O2 uptake: NADPH consumption ratio of 0.51 +/- 0.04 (+/- 1 S.D., n = 6). In the presence of varying concentrations of ferricytochrome c in excess of 100 microM, and with exclusion of superoxide dismutase, the net rate of O2 consumption plateaued at approximately 6% of the rate seen with exclusion of ferricytochrome c from final assay mixtures. Cytosol and solubilized membrane fractions employed in these assays were devoid of endogenous superoxide trapping, or dismutase-like, activities. These results indicate that of the total O2 consumed, 94% is associated with direct univalent generation of superoxide. The remaining albeit low level of O2 consumption appears to be recovered in the form of H2O2 indicating that the cell-free oxidase reconstituted with SDS is capable of channeling electron equivalents through its redox sites in a highly controlled manner in ensuring that superoxide is its principal O2 reduction product concomitant with oxidation of NADPH.
DFT for test optimisations in a complex mixed-signal SOC - case study on TI's TNETD7300 ADSL modem device

The design and integration challenges for SOCs include DFT for test integration to meet the test quality and test cost goals. This work describes the DFT implementation on TNETD7300, a single chip ADSL modem SOC with analog and digital sub-systems, IP cores and embedded memories, to address several test optimisation requirements, including scan architecture support for high-end and low-cost testers, concurrent test of digital logic with analog functions, at-speed testing for logic operating in different clock domains and clock frequencies, testing non-homogeneous IP cores together, configurable memory BIST operation, static and dynamic burn-in, and a comprehensive set of SOC test modes to support these operations. These techniques have significantly influenced the silicon test of this device, and have also influenced the design and test methodology adopted in other similar designs in Texas Instruments.
Satellite observations of terrestrial water storage provide early warning information about drought and fire season severity in the Amazon

Fire risk in the Amazon can be predicted several months before the onset of the dry season using sea surface temperatures in the tropical north Atlantic and tropical Pacific. The lead times between ocean state and the period of maximum burning (4–11 months) may enable the development of forecasts with benefits for forest conservation, yet the underlying physical and biological mechanisms responsible for these temporal offsets are not well known. Here, we examined the hypothesis that year-to-year variations in soil water recharge during the wet season modify atmospheric water vapor and fire behavior during the following dry season. We tested this hypothesis by analyzing terrestrial water storage observations from the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE), active fires from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS), and several other satellite and atmospheric reanalysis datasets during 2002–2011. We found that terrestrial water storage deficits preceded severe fire seasons across the southern Amazon. The most significant relationships between monthly terrestrial water storage and the sum of active fires during the dry season occurred during April–August (p < 0.02), corresponding to 1–5 month lead times before the peak month of burning (September). Analysis of other datasets provided evidence for a cascade of processes during drought events, with lower cumulative precipitation (and higher cumulative evapotranspiration) in the wet season substantially reducing terrestrial water storage, and subsequently, surface and column atmospheric water vapor. Our results suggest that terrestrial water storage observations from GRACE have the potential to improve fire season forecasts for the southern Amazon.
Isomorphism Testing and Canonical Forms for k-Contractable Graphs (A Generalization of Bounded Valence and Bounded Genus)

This paper includes polynomial time isomorphism tests and canonical forms for graphs called k-contractable graphs for fixed k. The class of k-contractable graphs includes the graphs of bounded valence and the graphs of bounded genus. The algorithm uses several new ideas including: (1) it removes portions of the graph and replaces them with groups which are used to keep track of the symmetries of these portions; (2) it maintains with each group a tower of equivalence relation which allows a decomposition of the group. These towers are called a tower of Γk actions. It considers the canonical intersection of groups.
Reflection and Reflexion: Female Coming-of-Age: the Mirror Stage and the Absence of Mirrors in Robin McKinley's Beauty and Rose Daughter

In Robin McKinley's novels Beauty and Rose Daughter (both retellings of Madame Leprince de Beaumont's "Beauty and the Beast"), McKinley describes adolescent coming-of-age as a psychological development both traumatic and identity-shaping; its ultimate success allows young adults to understand their actions as individuals as well as members of the adult community. Both McKinley's versions of adolescent coming-of-age in the traditional tale are structured to double Lacan's theory of a child's psychological development--the transition from the Imaginary to the Symbolic Order-- in that they contain a second set of Lacan's three stages.
Action of Gastrin on Gastrointestinal Structure and Function

In previous communications we have reported using the rat fed by total parenteral nutrition to examine the effects of the absence of food from the gut on functional and structural parameters of the gastrointestinal tract. In the current study three groups of animals were fed parenterally; one received a continuous infusion of pentagastrin equal to about one-half the D50 for acid secretion, another received a comparable infusion of histamine, and a third group was given only the liquid diet. These animals were compared to orally fed sham operated controls. The parenterally fed animals had significantly lower levels of antral and serum gastrin. When compared to whole body weight, the weights of the oxyntic gland area of the stomach, the pancreas, and the small intestine were significantly lower. In addition, the total and specific activities of the disaccharidase enzymes were significantly reduced. Pentagastrin prevented both the decreases in weights of the gastrointestinal tissues and the decreases in dissaccharidase activity. Histamine was without effect. We conclude that pentagastrin prevents the changes in gastrointestinal structure and function caused by the absence of food from the gut and that the trophic action of gastrin is necessary for the maintenance of the functional and structural integrity of the gastrointestinal tract.
Simultaneous, Untargeted Metabolic Profiling of Polar and Nonpolar Metabolites by LC‐Q‐TOF Mass Spectrometry

At its most ambitious, untargeted metabolomics aims to characterize and quantify all of the metabolites in a given system. Metabolites are often present at a broad range of concentrations and possess diverse physical properties complicating this task. Performing multiple sample extractions, concentrating sample extracts, and using several separation and detection methods are common strategies to overcome these challenges but require a great amount of resources. This protocol describes the untargeted, metabolic profiling of polar and nonpolar metabolites with a single extraction and using a single analytical platform.
Study of Two Bacteriophages of Bacillus stearothermophilus Strain NCA1518

Studies of bacteriophages GH5 and GH8 of Bacillus stearothermophilus strain NCA1518 revealed that their properties were sufficiently different from known phages and from each other to indicate that each was a different entity, although no major deviation was demonstrated.
Photochemische Reaktionen. 2. Mitteilung. Über gegenseitige Beziehungen und Umwandlungen bei Bestrahlungsprodukten des Santonins

Irradiation of santonin in dioxan solution or in alcohol yields a new isomer, lumisantonin, which in turn has been correlated with 3 known compounds: photosantonin, photosantonic acid and isophotosantonic acid lactone. The chemistry of lumisantonin is interpreted in terms of structure b.
Partial specific volume and preferential hydration of low density lipoprotein subfractions.

We have determined the partial specific volume ( $$\bar v$$ ) for five low density lipoprotein (LDL) subfractions (n=5–7) and evaluated preferential hydration (n=2) for LDL subfraction 3 in normolipoproteinemic subjects in order to characterize these highly atherogenic components of the human plasma lipoprotein spectra. Values for $$\bar v$$ at 1 g were determined by sixth place density measurements of the solvent and lipoprotein solutions and carbon, hydrogen and nitrogen (CHN) absolute mass of the lipoprotein concentrations. Mean values for $$\bar v$$ were 0.9757±0.0019, 0.9701±0.0007, 0.9674±0.0016, 0.9616±0.0016 and 0.9550±0.0025 ml/g for subfractions 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5, respectively. However, molecular densities (σ) obtained from ϱ(rho)=1/ $$\bar v$$ for respective LDL subfractions were 1.0249, 1.0308, 1.0337, 1.0399 and 1.0471 g/ml, respectively. The preferential hydration of lipoprotein subfraction 3 (n=2) in NaCl/H2O solutions was 2.9–4.8 wt percent, whereas values were much lower (0.3–0.6 wt percent) in NaCl/NaBr/H2O solvent system. Unhydrated densities for LDL subfraction 3 (n=2) at 1 g (sixth-place density meter) were 1.0287 and 1.0269 g/ml, whereas at 200,000 × g (used in D2O flotation ηFo vs ϱ determinations) both values were 1.0308 g/ml, indicating that these similar LDL fractions have 23 and 53% higher compressibility than the solvent at 200,000 × g force. It was observed that the linearity of ηFo vs ϱ may not be valid for solvents NaCl/NaBr/H2O of density as high as 1.4744 g/ml. Thus, flotation velocity data using extreme salt concentrations (1.4744 g/ml and higher) may be viewed with caution.
Steady-State Polypeptide Profiles of Whorl Tissue from Lepidoptera-Resistant and Susceptible Corn Inbred Lines

Breeding lines of corn (Zea mays L.) with resistance to the south-western corn borer (Diatraea grandiosella Dyar) and fall armyworm [Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith)] have been developed, yet the underlying mechanisms of the resistance have not been fully elucidated. Our objective was to determine whether qualitative differences exist in polypeptide profiles of whorl tissue from leaf-feeding-resistant inbreds (Mp708, Mp707, Mp704, and Mp496) vs. several leaf-feeding-susceptible inbreds (Tx601, Ab24E, GT106, and SC229) (.)
Studies on the isolation and chemical properties of porcine follicle-stimulating hormone.

SummaryPorcine follicle-stimulating hormone (pFSH) has been prepared from acetone dried pituitary glands. The acetone powder was initially extracted in pH 5 ethanol-acetate buffer (40% ethanol and acetate at 0.5 ionic strength) containing 0.02% PMSF. The gonadotropin rich fraction, obtained in the 80% ethanol precipitate, was dissolved in 0.12 M NH4HCO3, heated at 60° for 3 min, cooled, and centri-fuged. The supernatant was lyophilized for chromatography on QAE-Sephadex, then Sephadex G-100. The pFSH obtained has a biological activity of 15 x NIH-FSH-P-1 and 2.1% sialic acid. The amino acid analysis is characterized by high lysine, aspartic acid, and glutamic acid with notable amounts of threonine, proline, and half-cys-tine.
Asymptotic solutions for axisymmetric contact of a thin, transversely isotropic elastic layer

The problem of a rigid sphere in normal contact with a thin, transversely isotropic elastic layer is investigated. The thin elastic layer rests on a rigid foundation and both the limiting cases, wherein the interface is either ideally bonded or unbonded and frictionless, are considered. Approximate analytical solutions for the contact pressure beneath the spherical indenter and for the contact patch radius are presented. By comparing these with those predicted by the finite element method, the accuracy of the solution methods is determined.
When is a regular local ring a locality

Let A be a regular local ring and let R be a polynomial extension of A in a finite number of variables. Several attempts have been made to study the structure of projective modules over R and to find the minimal numbers of generators of ideals of R; to wit, [Z, V.4; 3; 61. The methods employed in these references depend very much on the structure of A; the cases dealt with are formal power series rings over fields and local rings at smooth points of algebraic varieties. Cohen’s structure theorem tells us precisely what regular local rings are formal power series rings. We present here the following characterization for a regular local ring to be a locality over a field :
Simulations of Lipid Bilayer Domain Formation: Effects of Steroid Structure and Asymmetry

There is a growing amount of evidence that laterally segregated domains of lipids are an integral part of biological membrane structure and function. Using Coarse Grain and Atomistic Molecular Dynamics Simulations we investigate the role of steroid structure and asymmetry in domain formation. Cholesterol, an essential component of animal membranes, appears to be well suited for ordering neighboring lipid chains and promoting domain formation. We demonstrate that alterations to the steroid headgroup hydrophobicity trigger a conversion from domain promoting to domain inhibiting. Those steroids which inhibit domain formation are observed to be less stable in the typical, upright orientation, and instead insert into the bilayer hydrophobic core and reside in an orientation perpendicular to the bilayer normal axis. A second set of simulations are used to address the role of bilayer asymmetry in domain formation. Cellular membranes are thought to be asymmetric, containing different lipid compositions on opposing leaflets, with the outer leaflet capable of domain formation and the inner leaflet uniformly disordered. These simulations suggest how domain formation is affected by an opposing uniformly disordered leaflet.
Punishments and Dispute Settlement in Trade Agreement

This paper interprets dispute settlement procedures and punishments as responses to the fact that trade agreements are incomplete contracts. I argue that this can explain prominent features and has implications for trade agreements. If no weight is given to the adjudication phase and if the degree of trade relatedness is known with certainty, the negotiated trade agreement will induce violation of the dispute settlement ruling and will deliver optimal liberalization and the optimal unilateral action. This suggests a central role, in multilateral trade liberalization, for an implicit agreement to allow countries to violate commitments if the violation implies no retreat from reciprocity. With the adjudication phase of concern the trade agreement will feature less liberalization. There is a presumption that the optimal trade agreement features commensurate punishment, or approximately commensurate punishment. The optimal trade agreement will likely induce abiding by the ruling when the negotiators attach more importance to the adjudication phase, and violating it when they attach less.
Safeguarding Justice Research

What do people think is just? A basic element in justice research is the just reward–the observer’s idea about what is just for a particular rewardee. But discerning the just reward is not easy; mu...
Biting disrupts integration to spur skull evolution in eels

Functional integration limits the potential for morphological differences to evolve. Here, the authors show an association between changes in skull morphology and evolutionary integration with feeding behaviour in eels.
Developing Laminar Gravity-Driven Thin Liquid Film Flow Down an Inclined Plane

Three-dimensional (3D)—steady—developing—laminar—isothermal—and gravity-driven thin liquid film flow adjacent to an inclined plane is examined and the effects of film flow rate, surface tension, and surface inclination angle on the film thickness and film width are presented. The film flow was numerically simulated using the volume of fluid model and experimental verification was conducted by measuring film thickness and width using a laser focus displacement instrument. The steady film flow that is considered in this study does not have a leading contact line, however, it has two steady side contact lines with the substrate surface at the outer edge of its width. Results reveal that the film width decreases and the average film thickness increases as the film flows down the inclined plane. The film thickness and width decrease but its streamwise velocity increases as surface inclination angle (as measured from the horizontal plane) increases. A higher film flow rate is associated with a higher film thickness, a higher film width, and a higher average film velocity. Films with higher surface tension are associated with a smaller width and a higher average thickness. A ripple develops near the side contact line, i.e., the spanwise distribution of the film thickness exhibits peaks at the outer edges of the film width and the height of this ripple increases as the surface tension or the film flow rate increases. The width of the film decreases at a faster rate along the streamwise direction if liquid film has higher surface tension. Measurements of the film thickness and the film width compare favorably with the numerically simulated results.
Maintaining quality control using a radiological digital X-ray dashboard.

Repeats are indicators for the quality-imaging manager to schedule additional training and to be used as a basis for dialog with the reading radiologists to improve the service and quality to patients and referring physicians. Through the thoughtful application of software and networking, dose management, X-ray usage, and repeat analysis data can be made available centrally. This provides clinically useful technologist-centric results greatly benefiting an enterprise. This study tracked a radiology department’s use of a digital X-ray dashboard software application. It was discovered that 80% of the exams were performed by only 21% of the technologists and that the technologist with the highest throughput had a personal repeat rate of 6.5% compared to the department average of 7.6%. This study indicated that useful information could be derived and used as a basis for improving the radiology department’s operations and in maintaining high quality standards.
A thermal annealing procedure for the reduction of 10.6 μm optical losses in CdTe

A thermal annealing procedure involving a coordinated decrease of cadmium overpressure with sample temperature lowering has been developed for producing CdTe disks having low optical absorption at 10.6 μm. Recent results indicate optical absorption coefficients typically β < 0.002 cm−1 and as low as 0.0007 cm−1 as measured using a calorimetric technique. An analysis of the effect is presented in terms of a precipitate hypothesis.
Internal Friction in Moon and Earth Rocks

RECENT measurements of the quality factor, Q, for mechanical vibrations generated by dropping parts of the Apollo lunar module and by moonquakes1 indicate that the Q of the Moon for these vibrations is of the order of 3,000, but seismological measurements of the Earth's rocks indicate Qs of 110 for the outer mantle2, with higher values for the inner mantle. It is the purpose of this report to indicate that these lunar results are consistent with a dislocation source for internal friction.
Embodied Inequality The Experience of Domestic Work in Urban Ecuador

Research on bodies and work relies on theoretical perspectives that see the working body as a resource and/or symbol. This study bridges these complementary theories, incorporating two concepts (occupational habitus and body work) that extend and synthesize them into a more holistic model of embodied inequality. Drawing primarily on the accounts of women domestic workers in Ecuador’s largest city, I explore the embodied dimensions of domestic work and show how unequal relations between workers and employers manifest in and on bodies, specifically through interactions around health, food, and appearance/clothing. I argue that paid domestic workers’ bodies are simultaneously resources that can be used (up) for work, and symbols interpreted according to local hierarchies of gender and class.
Current Distribution in a Rectangular Conductor

The extensive use of rectangular conductors for large alternating their electrical characteristics a problem of practical importance. Although these conductors are usually used in groups and in special configurations, no solution other than that of direct measurement has been given even for the basic problem of the distribution of current in a single isolated conductor. The mechanical complications of the direct measurement method are great, and the results obtained are necessarily an approximation. This paper presents a method by which the current density inside a rectangular section may be analytically determined if the surface current density, a comparatively easy quantity to determine, is known.
Multi-sensor derivation of regional vegetation fractional cover in Africa

Abstract A spatially continuous field of landscape fractional covers of tree, grass and bare soil is required at regional and continental scales for earth system modeling and environmental monitoring. Climate and its variability drive vegetation fractional cover over time and space. For savanna ecosystems, precipitation plays the main role in shaping vegetation composition. In this study, we estimate land cover fraction at a satellite pixel scale by employing an existing ‘Mean-Sensitivity Unmixing Algorithm’ (MSUA), which is based on a state space defined by two key variables: (1) mean pixel values (referring to mean vegetation states), and (2) inter-annual sensitivity of pixel values to precipitation (referring to vegetation sensitivity to precipitation). We define these two variables through a multi-sensor assessment of three vegetation remote sensing datasets, namely (i) Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), based on the visible and near-infrared bands from the Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR); (ii) backscatter coefficients (dB) from the NASA QuikSCAT active-microwave scatterometer; and (iii) Vegetation Optical Depth (VOD) based on NASA Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer on EOS (AMSR-E) passive-microwave radiometry measurements. A merged satellite-gauge precipitation dataset from the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) version 3B42V6 is used. The three remote sensing datasets show generally similar but distinctive performances in characterizing the two key variables over various land cover types. NDVI and VOD perform better than dB in characterizing land cover variation based on mean pixel values; while dB represents more reliable and robust vegetation sensitivity to precipitation. By using NDVI for mean vegetation states and dB for inter-annual variability of vegetation to precipitation, we develop an improved fractional cover product. We find that our product agrees well with the tree fraction derived from high-resolution images for natural vegetation regions, and can reproduce the distinctive land cover pattern of grass and bare soil in the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) land cover product. For cropland-mixed regions, our tree fraction is overestimated since human impacts (e.g. irrigation) have not been accounted for in the MSUA. The improved performance from our approach is achieved by the synergistic use of the three vegetation remote sensing datasets, and their physical interpretations have been discussed to support the validity of this approach.