cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Using Metabolomics to Identify Cell Line-Independent Indicators of Growth Inhibition for Chinese Hamster Ovary Cell-Based Bioprocesses

Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells are widely used for the production of biopharmaceuticals. Efforts to improve productivity through medium design and feeding strategy optimization have focused on preventing the depletion of essential nutrients and managing the accumulation of lactate and ammonia. In addition to ammonia and lactate, many other metabolites accumulate in CHO cell cultures, although their effects remain largely unknown. Elucidating these effects has the potential to further improve the productivity of CHO cell-based bioprocesses. This study used untargeted metabolomics to identify metabolites that accumulate in fed-batch cultures of monoclonal antibody (mAb) producing CHO cells. The metabolomics experiments profiled six cell lines that are derived from two different hosts, produce different mAbs, and exhibit different growth profiles. Comparing the cell lines' metabolite profiles at different growth stages, we found a strong negative correlation between peak viable cell density (VCD) and a tryptophan metabolite, putatively identified as 5-hydroxyindoleacetaldehyde (5-HIAAld). Amino acid supplementation experiments showed strong growth inhibition of all cell lines by excess tryptophan, which correlated with the accumulation of 5-HIAAld in the culture medium. Prospectively, the approach presented in this study could be used to identify cell line- and host-independent metabolite markers for clone selection and bioprocess development.
Panchromatic dirhodium photocatalysts for dihydrogen generation with red light

A series of three dirhodium complexes cis-[Rh2(DPhB)2(bncn)2](BF4)2 (1, DPhB = diphenylbenzamidine; bncn = benzocinnoline), cis-[Rh2(DPhTA)2(bncn)2](BF4)2 (2, DPhTA = diphenyltriazenide), and cis-[Rh2(DPhF)2(bncn)2](BF4)2 (3, DPhF = N,N′-diphenylformamidinate) shown to act as single-molecule photocatalysts for H2 production was evaluated. Complexes 1–3 are able to generate H2 in the absence of any other catalyst in homogenous acidic solution upon irradiation with red light in the presence of the sacrificial electron donor BNAH (1-benzyl-1,4-dihydronicotinamide). The excited state of each complex is reductively quenched by BNAH, producing the corresponding one-electron reduced complex. The latter is also able to absorb a photon and oxidize another BNAH molecule, producing the doubly-reduced, activated form of the catalyst that is able to generate H2. The present work shows the effect of substitution on the bridging ligands on the driving force for reductive quenching and hydricity of the proposed active intermediate, both of which affect the efficiency of hydrogen production. Complexes 1–3 operate following a double reductive quenching mechanism and, importantly, are active with red light. This work lays the foundation for the design of single-molecule photocatalysts that operate from the ultraviolet to the near-infrared, such that solar photons throughout this entire range are harnessed and utilized for solar energy conversion.
Where have all the emergency paediatric mental health patients gone during COVID-19?

The novel coronavirus that results in COVID-19 has significantly impacted the global healthcare system and economy since first reported in December 2019.1 Many countries and states have enacted stay-at-home orders and implemented social distancing guidelines to mitigate disease transmission. One recent Italian study described delays in seeking pediatric emergency care for fear of COVID-19 infection, resulting in potentially avoidable intensive care unit admissions and deaths.
Application of Appropriate Use Criteria for Echocardiography in Pediatric Patients with Palpitations and Arrhythmias.

Before the integration of the pediatric appropriate use criteria (AUC) for initial transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) in the outpatient setting with our electronic medical record (EMR), there was a high proportion of "rarely appropriate" TTEs (17.2%) ordered for palpitations/arrhythmias. We studied appropriateness ratings and applicability of pediatric AUC on the initial outpatient evaluation of children with palpitations/arrhythmias after EMR integration and the yield of abnormal TTEs for these indications. Methods We obtained data after the EMR integration of the AUC at our institution. The TTE ordering physician assigned the AUC indication and the corresponding appropriateness ratings autopopulated as: appropriate (A), may be appropriate (M), and rarely appropriate (R). We recorded the abnormal TTE findings. Results A total of 463 TTEs were ordered for palpitations/arrhythmias. Overall, 142 (30.7%) were for A, 263 (56.8%) for M, 41 (8.8%) for R, and 17 (3.7%) for "unclassifiable" indications. Only 14 (3.0%) had abnormal TTE findings, of which none were for indications rated R. A TTE ordered for premature ventricular contractions in a 17-year-old revealed a significant abnormality (moderate atrial septal defect). Conclusions The integration of AUC with the EMR significantly improved the appropriate utilization of TTE for palpitations and arrhythmias with a decrease in the proportion of TTEs for R indications (17.2%-8.8%). Although the yield of abnormal findings on TTE performed for palpitations/arrhythmias is quite low, the AUC ratings successfully stratified the indication with no abnormalities for indications rated R. These findings can guide future revisions of AUC indications and ratings to optimize resource utilization.
Suppression of phrenic nerve activity as a potential predictor of imminent sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP).

Abstract Sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP) is a leading cause of death in patients with refractory epilepsy. Centrally-mediated respiratory dysfunction has been identified as one of the principal mechanisms responsible for SUDEP. Seizures generate a surge in adenosine release. Elevated adenosine levels suppress breathing. Insufficient metabolic clearance of a seizure-induced adenosine surge might be a precipitating factor in SUDEP. In order to deliver targeted therapies to prevent SUDEP, reliable biomarkers must be identified to enable prompt intervention. Because of the integral role of the phrenic nerve in breathing, we hypothesized that suppression of phrenic nerve activity could be utilized as predictive biomarker for imminent SUDEP. We used a rat model of kainic acid-induced seizures in combination with pharmacological suppression of metabolic adenosine clearance to trigger seizure-induced death in tracheostomized rats. Recordings of EEG, blood pressure, and phrenic nerve activity were made concomitant to the seizure. We found suppression of phrenic nerve burst frequency to 58.9% of baseline (p
Design of electromagnetic compatibility test platform for transformer fire-fighting nitrogen injection extinguishing system

The transformer fire-fighting nitrogen injection extinguishing system plays an important role in preventing transformer fires in the field of power transformation. However, the fire-fighting system operating on site is often misoperation or non-operation caused by electromagnetic interference and other factors, which affects the reliability of transformer fire extinguishing. This paper builds an electromagnetic compatibility platform for the fire control cabinet of the transformer oil discharge and nitrogen injection system to develop the simulation system of the oil discharge and nitrogen injection fire extinguishing device, and study the factors affecting the reliability of the oil discharge and nitrogen injection fire extinguishing device. Electromagnetic compatibility test refers to a test that uses electromagnetic interference detection equipment and electromagnetic interference generation equipment to assess the electromagnetic compatibility of systems and equipment under laboratory or external environmental conditions. The electromagnetic compatibility test is mainly divided into electrostatic test, electric fast pulse EFT, surge impact and so on.
Robust Control Framework for Lateral Dynamics of Autonomous Vehicle Using Barrier Lyapunov Function

This article presents the robust lateral control of an autonomous vehicle in the presence of unknown lateral tire forces, road curvature angle, and parametric uncertainties. The sliding mode control (SMC) with barrier Lyapunov function is implemented to guarantee the system robustness while maintaining the outputs of the system in realistic bounds. Following the model reduction approach, the slow and fast dynamics of the system are separately controlled using the proposed control technique. The efficacy of the proposed control technique is examined by comparing the simulation results with conventional sliding mode control in two-time scales.
The Psychology of Big Data: Developing a “Theory of Machine” to Examine Perceptions of Algorithms

Historically, people have informed their decisions with advice from other people. However, the rise of “big data” has increased both the availability and utility of a new source of advice: algorithms. These scripts for mathematical calculations cull through massive amounts of data and produce insights that can improve decision making. Many organizations are already trying to capture this potential, using algorithms to hire promising applicants (e.g., Amazon), predict performance of current employees (e.g., Navy Seals, National Football League teams, and Premier League soccer teams), and identify individuals who are likely to leave in order to improve retention (e.g., Johnson & Johnson). While organizations are swimming in data and investing in algorithms, many are trying to understand how to maximize the benefits of algorithmic advice. And while companies focus on producing more analytical insights, it is not clear how well those insights are utilized. What happens when algorithmic advice lands in the hands of managers and other decision makers; when do they listen to it and when do they disregard it? One article aptly labeled the gap between producing and utilizing insights from algorithms as the Last Mile Problem. The “last mile” concept is commonly used in supply chain management to describe how goods are transported from a centralized hub to the final end user. In data analytics, the last mile problem describes the issue of producing analytical insights but 1) failing to communicate them at all, leading to wasted information, or 2) failing to communicate them clearly, leading to misapplied information. This problem is similar to a soccer player with great footwork who fails to convert plays into goals or assists. Failing to communicate analytical results clearly hinders decisionmakers from acting on them. In an article describing predictive analytics, Schrage eloquently states, “Effectively communicating and sharing analytic insights is as important as finding them.” Data analytics needs psychology. Organizations cannot realize the full potential of algorithms until they address the last mile problem and consider how people respond to algorithmic advice. Algorithms have the potential to greatly improve human judgment and decision making, as they generally outperform the accuracy of experts when the two are directly compared. But people can only leverage the accuracy of algorithms if they are willing to listen. Should they ignore algorithmic advice, the resources invested into data analytics, both within academia and industry, will go to waste. While the field of data analytics (the systematic computation of data, most commonly using algorithms) continues to evolve at a rapid rate, most overlook the important connection between producing and utilizing insights.
"'if buizy Love intrenches': Adorno and Rochester on Pleasure and Love

John Wilmot, Earl of Rochester presents in his poetry an enigmatic and seemingly contradictory worldview that is a common topic of discussion amongst his critics. Marianne Thormahlen talks about a “fundamental paradox that confronts a student of Rochester’s stances and values as expressed in his verse” which is that “the mind pursues satisfaction through the body;” but “minds are particularly unreliable guides and bodies are lamentably fallible” (27). Paul Hammond further argues, “His poetry often disturbs […] continuity through the fragmentation of experience into discrete moments which may be severed from any possible narrative” (49). It makes sense then that a body of work lacking narrative continuity can best be analyzed through the application of a theory that shares the same fragmented construction. Hammond’s description of Rochester’s poetry sounds a great deal like Devra Lee Davis’ assertion about Theodor Adorno that “His [thought] models are not duplicable, system-bound expressions: they are moments, expressions, and sketches,” and are arguably “mood betraying.” She goes on to describe his writing as an “orchestrated cacophony of outrage” (396), as if the author’s mood itself were the center of the interpretation, which is then “orchestrated” around it. From these critical observations it can be concluded that Rochester and Adorno are both notable for an intense authorial presence in their writing, revealing inconsistencies that can only come from the changeability of an active, individual mind that is not content with constructions of abstract theory, but also insists on the importance of individual experience. For Adorno, critical theory is only valuable when it considers specificity and difference, which makes his theory an ideal approach to consider the writing of the Earl of Rochester. Using Adorno’s Minima Moralia alongside a selection of Rochester’s poems, this study examines the interesting intersections in the observations and beliefs of Adorno and Rochester, specifically as they are expressed in ideas about sex, pleasure, and love, and explores the implications of these shared viewpoints as they manifest themselves in Rochester’s life and work.
Biochemical Identification and Biological Origin of Key Odor Components in Livestock Waste

Animal production results in conversion of feeds into valuable products such as meat, milk, eggs, and wool as well as into unavoidable and less desirable waste products. Intensification of animal numbers and increasing urbanization has resulted in considerable attention to odorous gases produced from animal wastes. It is clear that animal manure was, and still is, a valuable resource. However, it may be a major obstacle to future development of the animal industry if its impact on the environment is not properly controlled. Poor odor prevention and control from animal wastes is related to a lack of knowledge of the fundamental nature of odor and its production by farm animals. Odor, like noise, is a nuisance or disturbance and there is no universally accepted definition of an objectionable odor. Thus, regulation and control of odors in the environment is difficult because of the technical difficulties of defining odor limits and their measurement and evaluation. A variety of direct (sensory) and indirect (analytical instruments) methods for measuring odor intensity and determination of individual or key odor components are discussed. The biological origins of the four principal classes of odor compounds, namely branched- and straight-chain VFA, ammonia and volatile amines, indoles and phenols, and the volatile sulfur-containing compounds, are reviewed. Because more than 50% of N from animals is excreted as urea, one strategy to conserve N in waste is to inhibit the urease enzyme that converts urea to ammonia. Laboratory studies to evaluate di- and triamide compounds to control urea hydrolysis in slurries of cattle and swine wastes are presented. Finally, a brief overview of various intervention strategies is provided. Multiple combinations of nutritional management, housing systems, treatment options as well as storage and disposal of animal wastes will be required to reduce environmental pollution and provide for long-term sustainable growth.
Reactive Oxygen Species in Tumorigenesis

In this review we will summarize recent data on reactive oxygen species-induced mutagenesis and consider its relationship to tumorigenesis in humans. With the use of a single-stranded DNA template it has been possible to correlate oxygen radical-induced chemical alterations at specific nucleotides with the types of mutations that occur when these altered bases are copied by DNA polymerases. This has allowed us to identify the types of mutations that occur secondary to a variety of oxidative stresses and study several of the mechanisms by which they arise. The most frequent mutations that result from reactive oxygen species-induced damage to DNA in bacteria are C to T transitions. These mutations, however, are not pathoneumonic for mutagenesis by oxygen-free radicals since they result from DNA damage caused by other genotoxic agents as well as by DNA polymerase errors. One type of mutation, a tandem CC to TT double substitution, has been shown to be induced by reactive oxygen species generated by a variety of systems and may be diagnostic for such damage. In studies with mammalian DNA polymerases, DNA damaged by reactive oxygen species yields mutations different from those observed in Escherichia coli . This diversity of mutagenic changes in these in vitro studies highlights the role of DNA replicating enzymes in specifying the types of mutations produced by reactive oxygen species. In conclusion, we will consider the role of reactive oxygen species in the pathogenesis of three common tumors, carcinoma of the liver, lung, and prostate with consideration on the possible use of antioxidant preventive therapy to slow tumorigenesis sufficiently to prevent clinical presentation of these cancers during the life span of a patient.
Pension Benefit Guarantees in the United States: A Functional Analysis

In this paper we use functional analysis to examine the pension benefit guarantee system in the United States. The functional perspective on financial policy making begins with the set offunctions required, and then looks for the optimal institutional structure to perform those functions. Our analysis begins with a brief description of the functions served by the pension system and of the institutional structure currently in place to perform those functions in the United States. We explore the roles of the government and the private sector in providing retirement-income security and the complex interaction between them. The paper then focuses on the federal system for insuring private-sector defined-benefit pension promises against default risk. Finally, we consider how pension benefits might be adjusted for changes in both the cost of living and the standard of living.
A stochastic QIM algorithm for robust, undetectable image watermarking

We propose a blind image watermarking algorithm that has three main features: (1) it satisfies an undetectability constraint with respect to a statistical image model, (2) it rejects host-signal interference and (3) it is robust against additive and multiplicative noise, filtering, cropping, and random bending.
How the Progression of Nuclear Technology in French Culture Has Led to a More Sustainable Country

approved by: ___________________________________________ Dr. Jack Higginbotham Of the major players in the birth and growth of nuclear technology, France and the United States are two of the biggest. Their glaring differences in culture and political regimes, therefore, have resulted in two very different attitudes toward adoption and implementation of nuclear power. Through extensive literary research, cultural immersion and analysis of public perception, the French approach to nuclear power indicates a society more willing to incorporate it as a means of energy production. This trust has allowed nuclear power to relieve France of foreign energy dependence, and has had profound impacts on its waste production. This study proves that, if allowed to be more accessible while being handled in a safe and responsible manner, nuclear power has the potential for economic longevity and environmental sustainability.
Size does not matter for mitochondrial DNA

That large populations harbor more genetic diversity than small ones holds true for nuclear genomes, but may not apply to mitochondrial DNA. If so, the use of mitochondrial DNA as a standard for genetic diversity may not be appropriate.
A review of predictive factors of student success in and satisfaction with online learning

Students perceive online courses differently than traditional courses. Negative perceptions can lead to unfavourable learning outcomes including decreased motivation and persistence. Throughout this review, a broad range of factors that affect performance and satisfaction within the online learning environment for adult learners will be examined including learning outcomes, instructional design and learner characteristics, followed by suggestions for further research, and concluding with implications for online learning pertinent to administrators, instructors, course designers and students. Online learning may not be appropriate for every student. Identifying particular characteristics that contribute to online success versus failure may aid in predicting possible learning outcomes and save students from enrolling in online courses if this type of learning environment is not appropriate for them. Furthermore, knowing these learner attributes may assist faculty in designing quality online courses to meet students’ needs. Adequate instructional methods, support, course structure and design can facilitate student performance and satisfaction. Keywords: online learning; learner characteristics; instructional design; online learning outcomes (Published: 27 August 2015) Responsible Editor: Meg O’Reilly, Southern Cross University, Australia Citation: Research in Learning Technology 2015, 23 : 26507 - http://dx.doi.org/10.3402/rlt.v23.26507
Cladribine in the treatment of hairy-cell leukaemia.

Abstract Cladribine, a purine nucleoside analogue, is a safe and effective treatment for patients with hairy-cell leukaemia. It is administered at a dose of 0.09 mg/kg daily as a continuous intravenous infusion over 7 days. This chapter discusses the history, rationale, chemical structure and mechanism of action of cladribine. The indications for therapy and guidelines for clinical usage are reviewed. The response of hairy-cell leukaemia to cladribine, the acute and chronic complications and the risk for second malignancies are summarized. The chapter concludes with a section on salvage therapy.
Control, Choice, and Assessments of the Value of Behavioral Management to Nonhuman Primates in Captivity

Many people have devoted considerable effort to enhancing the environments of nonhuman primates in captivity. There is substantial motivation to develop experimental, analytical, and interpretational frameworks to enable objective measurements of the value of environmental enrichment/behavioral management efforts. The consumer-demand approach is a framework not frequently implemented in studies of nonhuman primate welfare but profitably used in studies of the welfare of nonhuman animals in agriculture. Preference studies, in which primates can voluntarily choose to socialize or to participate in training, may be the best current examples of a consumer-demand-like approach to assessing the effects of captive management strategies on primate welfare. Additional work in this area would be beneficial; however, there are potential ethical constraints on purposefully subjecting primates to adverse circumstances to measure their demand for a resource. Primate welfare researchers need to design consumer-demand studies with obstacles that will help measure the relative value of resources to captive primates without compromising the welfare they are attempting to evaluate and enhance.
Multicultural Life Skills Assessment of Individuals with Severe Disabilities

Educators have become increasingly aware of the need for a multicultural perspective in assessing students with special needs. This article extends this discussion to life skills assessment for stu...
Mental Comorbidity and Quality of Diabetes Care Under Medicaid: A 50-State Analysis

Background Patients with comorbid medical and mental conditions are at risk for poor quality of care. With the anticipated expansion of Medicaid under health reform, it is particularly important to develop national estimates of the magnitude and correlates of quality deficits related to mental comorbidity among Medicaid enrollees.
Toward an Automatic, Online Behavioral Malware Classification System

Malware authors are increasingly using specialized toolkits and obfuscation techniques to modify existing malware and avoid detection by traditional antivirus software. The resulting proliferation of obfuscated malware variants poses a challenge to antivirus vendors, who must create signatures to detect each new malware variant. Although the many variants in a malware family have different static signatures, they share characteristic behavioral patterns resulting from their common function and heritage. We describe an automatic classification system that can be trained to accurately identify new variants within known malware families, using observed similarities in behavioral features extracted from sensors monitoring live computers hosts. We evaluate the accuracy of the classifier on a live testbed under a heavy computational load. The described classification system is intended to perform classification online, using the computed classes of newly detected malware variants to guide the automatic mitigation of infected hosts.
Normal tissue reactions and complications following high-energy neutron beam therapy: I. Crude response rates.

Abstract The incidence of significant complications (fibrosis, ulceration, necrosis of bone or soft tissue or serious functional impairment) was determined in relation to neutron dosage and follow-up time for 5 anatomical sites totalling 617 patients who had survived 2 or more years following treatment. The regions studied were head and neck (268 patients), thorax (lung and esophagus, 76 patients), upper abdomen (132 patients), pelvis (prostate and bladder, 114 patients) and extremities (27 patients). Neutron doses ranged from 16 to 28 Gy. All patients were followed until death or up to 10 years after treatment. A total of 109 complications were observed yielding a crude complication rate of 18% for the whole series. Observed complication rates were 7% in the 16–20 Gy dose range, 19% between 20 and 24 Gy, and 33% in patients receiving more than 24 Gy. Probit analysis of the data indicated a median effective dose (50% complications) of 29 (±0.5) Gy with an estimated standard deviation of 8 Gy. A reasonable estimate of “tolerance” may then be taken as 29 − 8 = 21 Gy. Comparing the 5 anatomical sites revealed no significant differences in estimated tolerance doses. With the available data, no effect of field-size or target volume could be demonstrated. The incidence of complications apparently increases with time in long-term survivors. Although the overall incidence is only 18%, actuarial analysis of the data suggests that the complication rate might have exceeded 50% if all treated patients had survived 10 years. It is concluded that, with the exception of the nervous system and possibly other viscera, a neutron dose of 20 Gy (in 12 fractions over 4 weeks) represents a practical tolerance limit for all sites.
THE ROBUSTNESS OF CROSS‐CULTURAL FINDINGS

After decades of provincialism and suspected ethnocentrism, the behavioral and social sciences have recently been expanding their horizons by undertaking more and more cross-cultural comparative research. The inventories of theories and empirical findings of Western social sciences are being applied o r overhauled with increasing vigor in one or another cross-cultural comparison. Cross-cultural studies are proliferating at an unprecedented rate. While this is certainly a welcome improvement over past trends, there has generally been very little coordination and continuity among these numerous studies. Instead, each has gone off more or less in its own idiosyncratic direction,80 producing isolated empirical findings usually formulated at very low levels of abstraction and generality.96 The net result is that little reliable systematic knowledge has been gained a t a time when such knowledge is urgently needed. The findings generated from one-shot cross-cultural comparisons cannot be taken as final products, although tacitly they often are. They are more appropriately t o be regarded as highly preliminary and tentative hypotheses that require programmatic follow-up replication tests t o ascertain their reliability, validity, generality, and consequences. This paper discusses some of the principles and problems that are involved in constructing and interpreting such tests. The objective is t o identify some conditions of research tactics and practice that may adversely affect the robustness of cross-cultural findings. In this context “robustness” means the ability of a cross-cultural finding t o retain its essential characteristics when attempts are made t o reproduce and extend it under the same and different conditions.
New Approaches to Understanding the Genetics of Asthma

Several key conditions that are necessary to identify disease susceptibility genes in common diseases such as asthma are now available, including (1) increasingly comprehensive genomic information on gene location, genomic structure, and sequence variants, from the Human Genome Project (and from other species); (2) better understanding of the biologic functions of relevant genes and inflammatory and immunity pathways important in asthma; (3) newer high throughput and accurate technologies for DNA sequencing and SNP genotyping; (4) improved statistical methods for analyzing genetic data from families and populations; and (5) availability of methods to characterize function of sequence variants and study biologic responses. Collectively, these conditions will allow the prioritization of candidate genes based on available knowledge of map position and biologic relevance; obtain genomic structure of these genes; and study sequence variants in these genes in populations to facilitate the identification of genes that are important in the development and expression (severity) of asthma and associated phenotypes. Although, it is still a labor-intensive and expensive project to identify susceptibility genes in common diseases such as asthma, the new techniques that are now being used will greatly facilitate gene mapping. The techniques discussed in this article include genome-by-genome analysis in family data, such as those listed in Box 2. This analysis has already been shown to be a powerful too in mapping genes for another common disease (prostate cancer) with interesting preliminary results for asthma. Second, the use of man-mouse homology mapping that has proven very useful in cardiovascular studies is beginning to be applied to asthma and related phenotypes. finally with new available technology, genome-wide screens using very dense SNP maps are now a reality and a significant new development in family linkage and case-control association studies. In summary, these new approaches should be considered in designing studies to detect genes that are important in asthma and allergy.
Interfacial Scattering at Electrochemically Fabricated Atom-Scale Junctions between Thin Gold Film Electrodes in a Microfluidic Channel

Atom-scale junctions were formed between two Au thin-film electrodes by a combination of lithography, microfluidics, and electrochemistry. Two Au thin-film electrodes with a small (0.25−25 μm) gap between them were lithographically defined such that the gap fell in the center of a 100-μm-wide microfluidic channel in poly(dimethylsiloxane). Directional electrodeposition between the Au thin-film electrodes, accomplished by applying a potential between the thin-film electrodes, caused Au to etch from the anode and deposit on the cathode, thereby closing the gap. Current through the gap was monitored continuously, and the directional electrodeposition was terminated when a current near that corresponding to the conductance quantum, G0 = 2e2/h, was reached. To regenerate the device, the atom-scale junction was broken with a potential sweep, the microfluidic channel was rinsed, and the junction was re-formed with a subsequent comparator-terminated directional electrodeposition. Alternating current impedance was...
On the impact of network-state knowledge on the Feasibility of secrecy

In this paper, the impact of network-state knowledge is studied in the context of decentralized active non-colluding eavesdropping. The main contribution is a formal proof of a paradoxical effect that might appear when increasing the available knowledge at each of the network components. Using a broadcast channel similar to the time-division downlink of a single-cell cellular system, it is shown that providing more knowledge to both the transmitter and the receivers negatively affects their performance. Eavesdroppers become more conservative in their attacks, which makes them harmless in terms of information leakage, whereas the transmitter becomes more careful and less willing to transmit, which reduces the expected secrecy capacity of this channel. Finally, it is shown that this counter-intuitive effect vanishes in the high SNR regime, in which the system becomes resilient to active attacks.
A health dividend for America: the opportunity cost of excess medical expenditures.

s of 2010, health care-related expenditures in the U.S. totaled some $2.6 trillion (17.9% of the gross domestic product (GDP)). Year after year, healthcare spending rises at double the rate of overall GDP growth, and total healthcare spending growth con- sistently outpaces overall inflation. This exuberant growth would be welcome if health care were thriving because of its efficiency. Instead, it is among the least- efficient parts of the economy, and much of the health- care spending does not improve health outcomes sub- stantially. 1 Indeed, the IOM recently conservatively estimated that some $750 -$765 billion spent on health care in the U.S. is in excess a of what should be spent to achieve the observed health outcomes. 1 Others have esti- mated the excess to be between $700 billion 2 to upward of $1.2 trillion. 3 Despite spending almost 50% more per capita on health care than the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) country with the next-highest ex- penditure and 2.5 times the average of all OECD countries, 4 U.S. outcomes are much worse than other developed countries. The U.S. ranks 26th among 34 developed countries in life expectancy, and 30th in infant mortality. 4 Many analyses of the relatively poor health of the American population and the large disparities in health among various subgroups of the population point to two underlying determinants: social environment and physi- cal environment. Babies born to mothers who did not graduate from high school are twice as likely to die in the first year of life as those born to mothers with 16 or more years of education. 5 Adult men with less than a high school education can expect to live 7 years less than those with 16 or more years of education; for women the differ- ence is 5 years. 5 Thirty-one percent of those living below the federal poverty line (FPL) are in fair or poor health compared with less than 7% of those over 400% of FPL. 5 Rates of diabetes are twice as high among those below the poverty line as those above it. 5 The physical environment, too, has profound effects on population health, through the walk- ability of neighborhoods, the safety of streets, the viability of infrastructure (e.g., transportation and water supply), and the abatement of environmental toxins.
A fast coincidence circuit

Abstract A coincidence circuit with a resolving time determined by the rise time of the input pulses is described. Two input pulses of opposite polarity are added and trigger a tunnel diode, which is the fast component of the circuit. The positive output pulse from the tunnel diode and the negative output pulse from a conventional coincidence circuit are mixed in a second part of the circuit. A final output is registered only if the input pulses are strictly coincident and the tunnel diode is not triggered. The circuit has been tested with photomultiplier scintillators using a 450 MeV external proton beam. A coincidence resolving time (half width of coincidence curve measured at half height) of 1 n sec was measured.
Sulfasalazine inhibition of binding of N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (FMLP) to its receptor on human neutrophils

Abstract Sulfasalazine, a drug useful in the therapy of inflammatory bowel disease, was found to block N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (FMLP)-induced arthritis in rabbits as well as FMLP-induced Superoxide production and chemotaxis in human neutrophils in vitro. Sulfasalazine was also found to block FMLP binding to human neutrophils with an I50 of 10 μM. The dose-response curve for the inhibition of binding was very similar to the dose-response curves for the inhibition of FMLP-induced neutrophil activation.
Role of 'Vision' in Neighbourhood Racial Segregation: A Variant of the Schelling Segregation Model:

The Schelling model of neighbourhood racial segregation is extended to include agents who can authentically 'see' their neighbours up to a distance R, called 'vision'. By exploring the consequences of systematically varying R, an understanding has been developed of how vision interacts with racial preferences and minority concentrations and leads to novel, complex segregation behaviour. Three regimes have been discovered: an unstable regime, where societies invariably segregate; a stable regime, where integrated societies remain stable; and an intermediate regime where a complex behaviour is observed. Detailed results are presented for the symmetrical case (which maximises conflict), where equal numbers of agents of two races occupy the same cityscape. The policy implications of these simulations are briefly indicated.
Setting operational goals for corporate social responsibility

Abstract In this article the author argues that more formality in social responsibility planning efforts is a concept which is extremely pertinent in today's conditions. Rewards will accrue to the organization that can move beyond aesthetic objectives and achieve operationality in social responsibility goal setting. This requires, basically, the application of techniques that have proved to be successful in MBO programs. By translating broadly stated social objectives into goals that are clear, concise, time related and cost related, management will inject an increased measure of integrity into its planning process, improve social responsibility programs, assure future successes in the social performance arena, facilitate the appraisal of management personnel, and enhance the organization's credibility with its multiple publics. Positive benefits will flow to the organization, its immediate publics, and to the society at large as a consequence of operational planning methods as described herein.
On a new exact solution to Stokes’ first problem for Maxwell fluids☆

Abstract Stokes’ first problem for Maxwell fluids is re-examined using integral transform methods and several forms of the exact solution are presented. In the process, we call attention to, and correct, a recent case in the literature where this solution has been stated incorrectly. In addition, we note a number of analytical results and give several velocity profile plots. Finally, connections are drawn to other areas of research.
Consideration of the environmental impact of the volatilization of PCDDs and PCDFs

Abstract Volatilization of PCDDs and PCDFs from deposited particulates may contribute significantly to the ambient concentrations of these toxins in risk assessments of combustion sources and may be important to include in estimates of the environmental flux of these pollutants.
Land-surface-type classification using microwave brightness temperatures from the Special Sensor Microwave/Imager

The use of empirical parameter retrieval algorithms over land requires the prior classification of surface types according to their microwave emission properties. A land-surface-type classification scheme was developed to be used with the Special Sensor Microwave/Imager (SSM/I) algorithm package. The classification rules were based on statistical analysis of SSM/I brightness temperature combinations from several surfaces, including dense vegetation, rangeland and agricultural soils, deserts, snow, precipitation, surface moisture, etc. A set of independent classification rules was derived which should result in increased confidence of parameter retrievals. >
Cell poration and cell fusion using an oscillating electric field.

It has been shown in previous studies that cell poration (i.e., reversible permeabilization of cell membrane) and cell fusion can be induced by applying a pulse (or pulses) of high-intensity DC (direct current) electric field. Recently we suggested that such electro-poration or electro-fusion can also be accomplished by using an oscillating electric field. The DC field relies solely on the dielectric breakdown of the cell membrane to induce cell fusion. The oscillating field, on the other hand, can produce not only a dielectric breakdown, but also a sonicating motion in the membrane that could result in a structural fatigue. Thus, a combination of a DC field and an oscillating field is expected to enhance the efficiency of cell poration and cell fusion. This study is an experimental test of such an idea. Here, pulses of high-intensity, DC-shifted RF (radio frequency) electric field were used to induce cell poration and cell fusion. The fusion experiments were done on human red blood cells. The poration experiments were done on a fibroblast cell line using a molecular probe (which is a DNA plasmid containing the marker gene chloramphenicol acetyltransferase, CAT) and assayed by a gene transfection technique. It was found that the pulsed RF field is highly efficient in both cell fusion and cell poration. Also, in comparison with electro-poration using a DC field, the RF field results in a higher percentage of cells surviving the exposure to the electric field.
Direct linking of metabolism and gene expression in the proline utilization A protein from Escherichia coli

The control of gene expression by enzymes provides a direct pathway for cells to respond to fluctuations in metabolites and nutrients. One example is the proline utilization A (PutA) protein from Escherichia coli. PutA is a membrane-associated enzyme that catalyzes the oxidation of L: -proline to glutamate using a flavin containing proline dehydrogenase domain and a NAD(+) dependent Delta(1)-pyrroline-5-carboxylate dehydrogenase domain. In some Gram-negative bacteria such as E. coli, PutA is also endowed with a ribbon-helix-helix DNA-binding domain and acts as a transcriptional repressor of the proline utilization genes. PutA switches between transcriptional repressor and enzymatic functions in response to proline availability. Molecular insights into the redox-based mechanism of PutA functional switching from recent studies are reviewed. In addition, new results from cell-based transcription assays are presented which correlate PutA membrane localization with put gene expression levels. General membrane localization of PutA, however, is not sufficient to activate the put genes.
An anatomical study of anther development in Acorus L.: Phylogenetic implications

Critical morphological synapomorphies have not been found in support of the Acoranan hypothesis, the molecular phylogenetic discovery that Acoranae are the basal monocots. The previously undetermined pattern of anther wall development in Acorus has been suggested to be one such character. Two main types of anther wall development have been recognized: 1) the “monocotyledonous” type, which characterizes both monocots and dicots, and 2) the “dicotyledonous” type, which is almost exclusively found among dicots. An anatomical study of anther wall development in Acorus was here undertaken using the electron microscope. Development of the anther wall in Acorus was found to be somewhat irregular or perhaps even intermediate between the two types although largely consistent with the “monocotyledonous” type. The presumed significance of anther wall development and other critical morphological characters to the Acoranan hypothesis in the absence of knowledge about the sister group to the monocots is evaluated.
Parietal bone agenesis with gracile bones and splenic hypoplasia/aplasia: Clinico‐pathologic report and differential diagnosis with review of cranio‐gracile bone syndromes, “osteocraniostenosis” and Kleeblattschädel

The findings in a newborn male with agenesis of parietal bones, gracile long bones, and hypoplasia of the spleen are presented. Although parietal agenesis is unique, the findings are compatible with 18 previously reported cases characterized by cranial hypomineralization, Kleeblatschadel, gracile bones, and splenic aplasia/hypoplasia, the nomenclature for which has been descriptive: gracile bone disorders, "osteocraniostenosis," "osteocraniosplenic syndrome." The term "osteocraniostenosis" may be inappropriate in that craniostenosis has been infrequently reported, a feature also of importance with respect to the pathogenesis of the Kleeblatschadel. The group likely reflects heterogeneous etiology and pathogenesis. Precedent, however, including animal models, justifies consideration of genetic aberrations, in particular, mutations in homeobox genes. (c) 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Bilateral Transfemoral/Transtibial Amputations Due to Battle Injuries: A Comparison of Vietnam Veterans with Iraq and Afghanistan Servicemembers

Background Multiple limb loss from combat injuries has increased as a proportion of all combat-wounded amputees. Bilateral lower-extremity limb loss is the most common, with bilateral transfemoral amputations being the most common subgroup followed by bilateral amputations consisting of a single transfemoral amputation and a single transtibial amputation (TFTT). With improvements in rehabilitation and prostheses, we believe it is important to ascertain how TFTT amputees from the present conflicts compare to those from the Vietnam War.
Controllable production rates in a family production context

We consider a single facility dedicated to the production of a family of items where the policy used is to cycle production through the items every T units of time. This is known as the Common Cycle or Rotation Schedule and is a special case of the Economic Lot Scheduling Problem (ELSP). We consider the case in which the production rates can be reduced from known maximum rates. Moreover, we assume that production rates can be changed during the production runs. We optimally partition the items into those with high and low holding costs. The former are initially produced to meet demand while the latter are always produced at their maximum rates. Numerical examples indicate savings almost twice as large as those reported in the literature.