cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Temperature-Phased Anaerobic Biofilter Process

The “temperature-phased anaerobic biofilter” or TPAB process (U.S. Patent pending), is a new high-rate anaerobic treatment system that includes a thermophilic (56°C) biofilter connected in series with a mesophilic (35°C) biofilter providing for two-temperature, two-phase treatment. Three TPAB systems of different thermophilic:mesophilic reactor size ratios were operated at system HRTs of 24 hrs, 36 hrs, and 48 hrs to characterize performance and to determine if an optimum size ratio exists between the thermophilic and mesophilic phases. The three TPAB systems achieved SCOD reductions in excess of 97% and TCOD reductions in excess of 90% for a synthetic milk substrate over a range of system COD loadings from 2 g COD/L/day to 16 g COD/L/day. There was little difference in performance between the three TPAB systems based on COD reduction and methane production. The 1:7 ratio of thermophilic:mesophilic phase TPAB system performed as well as the 1:3 and 1:1 size ratio TPAB systems. In applications of the process, a relatively small thermophilic first-phase can be used without sacrificing overall two-phase system performance. The TPAB process is a promising new anaerobic treatment technology with the ability to achieve higher efficiencies of organic removals than is generally possible for single-stage anaerobic filter systems operated at equivalent HRTs and organic loadings.
The antineoplastic effect of vitamin D in transgenic mice with retinoblastoma.

Vitamin D has been shown to inhibit growth of human retinoblastoma in tissue culture and nude mouse heterografts. We have described a heritable transgenic mouse model of retinoblastoma. The in vivo efficacy of 1,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol (vitamin D3) was examined by administering this agent to transgenic mice with retinoblastoma. Forty-six 8-10-week-old transgene-bearing mice were injected intraperitoneally for 5 wk. Experimental animals received 0.05 jug (15 animals) or 0.025 ng (15 animals) of vitamin D. Sixteen control animals received only a mineral oil vehicle. Eyes were enucleated at 5 mo and were examined histologically by two investigators in a masked fashion. All control animals demonstrated bilateral involvement of retinoblastoma. Four eyes in the low-dose group and six eyes in the high-dose group had no evidence of retinoblastoma. Eyes treated with vitamin D3 showed less extensive involvement of the retina by retinoblastoma. Vitamin D-treated animals demonstrated tumors confined to the retina, whereas control animals demonstrated larger tumors, more often invading the vitreous, anterior chamber, and choroid. Thus, Vitamin D inhibited the growth and local extension in a dose-dependent fashion. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 33:2354-2364, 1992 Retinoblastoma, the most common primary ocular malignancy of childhood, is a prototypical heritable cancer. Treatment of this cancer with external beam radiation, plaque radiation, cryotherapy, photocoagulation, or enucleation are locally effective therapies. These therapies are well accepted and successful but are destructive and may often compromise visual function. In contrast, the role of chemotherapy in the treatment of human retinoblastoma is controversial. 1 " 3 Although adjuvant chemotherapy and external beam radiation have been used successfully in patients with metastatic disease, 4 - 5 the efficacy of adjuvant therapies for metastatic and nonmetastatic retinoblastoma is not well defined. Although encouraging results from experimental 6 - 7 and clinical 8 " 10 studies exist, additional evaluation of various chemotherapeutic drugs is needed.
Calcium and Calcium Regulating Hormones in Human Hypertension

Although the importance of calcium in cardiovascular physiology is historically well established, its relevance to the regulation of blood pressure has only recently become a topic of clinical significance. More than one hundred years ago, Sidney Ringer first demonstrated the involvement of calcium in cardiac muscle contraction (1). As part of a final common pathway by which neural as well as hormonal inputs alter muscle contraction, calcium has also become central in our attempts to better understand the regulation of peripheral vasoconstrictor tone and thus of blood pressure homeostasis. Developing in a parallel fashion, calcium has also been shown to be involved in the mechanism of stimulus-secretion coupling, and is thus critical for endocrine secretion. It is not surprising therefore, that hypertensive disease, characterized as it is by increased peripheral vasoconstrictor tone and a variety of other cardiovascular, endocrine, and neural abnormalities, is witnessing intense, calcium-directed research seeking to define how calcium at molecular and biochemical levels may contribute to the hypertensive process.
De-Extinction and the Conception of Species

Developments in genetic engineering may soon allow biologists to clone organisms from extinct species. The process, dubbed “de-extinction,” has been publicized as a means to bring extinct species back to life. For theorists and philosophers of biology, the process also suggests a thought experiment for the ongoing “species problem”: given a species concept, would a clone be classified in the extinct species? Previous analyses have answered this question in the context of specific de-extinction technologies or particular species concepts. The thought experiment is given more comprehensive treatment here. Given the products of three de-extinction technologies, twenty-two species concepts are “tested” to see which are consistent with the idea that species may be resurrected. The ensuing discussion considers whether or not de-extinction is a conceptually coherent research program and, if so, whether or not its development may contribute to a resolution of the species problem. Ultimately, theorists must face a choice: they may revise their commitments to species concepts (if those concepts are inconsistent with de-extinction) or they may recognize de-extinction as a means to make progress in the species problem.
Role of Histone Acetylation and Acetyltransferases in Gene Regulation

Abstract The compaction of DNA into chromatin poses a significant obstacle to DNA-templated events such as transcription, replication, and DNA repair. Importantly, chromatin structure is dynamically regulated, and one mechanism that facilitates this process is the posttranslational modification of histone proteins within nucleosomes. This is mediated by the action of chromatin-modifying activities, such as histone acetyltransferases. The acetyltransferases and deacetylases that regulate histone acetylation and chromatin function are arguably the most well-studied group of chromatin protein modifiers. Here, we provide an overview of this field and particularly draw insights from studies in yeast where many archetypal acetyltransferases and deacetylases have been found, along with their regulatory mechanisms. We provide an account of the families of histone acetyltransferases and their diverse roles in gene expression. We also give examples of diseases and environmental exposures that influence histone acetylation.
INPATIENT OUTCOMES OF SINGLE VERSUS COMBINED MECHANICAL CIRCULATORY SUPPORT DEVICES IN PATIENTS WITH CARDIOGENIC SHOCK OF ISCHEMIC ETIOLOGY

Despite significant advancement in primary percutaneous interventions, cardiogenic shock (CS) remains a clinical challenge in patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy (ICM). Percutaneous mechanical circulatory support devices (MCS) have been increasingly utilized and have become an essential component
Experimental study of vibration isolation in thin-walled structural assemblies with embedded total-internal-reflection metasurfaces

Abstract The concept of total-internal-reflection elastic metasurface (TIR-MS) was recently proposed [1] and employed within flexible planar waveguides in order to create highly subwavelength sound-hard barriers impenetrable to low frequency elastic waves. The underlying physical mechanism relies on the design of engineered interfaces exhibiting extreme phase gradients such that any incoming wave at, approximately, any incidence will experience total-internal-reflection conditions. At the design frequency, the metasurface exhibits a large phase gradient such that, in accordance with the generalized Snell's law, the first critical angle is virtually always exceeded. It is worth noting that in practical realizations, the actual total reflection performance might vary depending on the angle of incidence. This dependence is due to the discrete implementation of the metasurface which results in diffraction effects. This paper presents the results of an experimental study that explores the vibration isolation performance of TIR-MS when applied to structures made of complex combinations of different elastic waveguides (e.g. bolted assemblies of beams, plates, and shells). Such system can be seen as a prototypical structure emulating mechanical assemblies of practical interest for many engineering applications. Experimental results confirm that, when the TIR-MS is embedded in the host waveguide, significant vibration isolation capabilities are achieved under quasi-omnidirectional incidence and highly subwavelength excitation conditions (i.e. the ratio of the operating wavelength to the width of the TIR-MS is approximately 5.25). These experimental results suggest new interesting directions to achieve vibration isolation and mechanical energy filtering for practical engineering systems.
Employee perceptions of climate as an antecedent of time banditry in the workplace

Time banditry has recently been introduced as a distinct construct in the organizational behavior literature. An employee is engaged in time banditry when he or she pursues nontask‐related activities during work time (i.e., chatting with a co‐worker or surfing the web). This study examines the novel concept of time banditry and the impact of climate on its prevalence in the workplace. Climate is a direct reflection of how employees feel about where they work, and is postulated to have a direct effect on engagement in time banditry behaviors. Results provide evidence that employee perceptions of process, policies, and satisfaction as they relate to the job climate are positively related to engagement in time banditry. Thus, when climates promote positive feelings at the job level, employees actually engage in more time banditry behavior. However, no significant relationship was found between time banditry and climate perceptions at the team or the organizational level.
Evaluating Potential Behavioral Mediators for Increasing Similarity in Friends' Body Size among College Students.

College students and their friends become more similar in weight status over time. However, it is unclear which mediators explain this relationship. Using validated survey measures of diet, physical activity, alcohol intake, sleep behaviors, mental health, and food security status, we take a comprehensive look at possible factors associated with excess weight gain that may explain friends’ convergence on body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, waist to hip ratio, and waist to height ratio over time. We use linear mixed models applied to a longitudinal dataset of first-year college students to examine whether these variables satisfy two criteria for potential candidate mediators of friends’ influence on anthropometrics—cross-sectional similarity among friends (n = 509) and longitudinal associations with increasing anthropometrics (n = 428). While friends were similar on some survey measures (such as dining hall use, home cooked meal consumption, fruit intake, alcohol intake, hours of sleep, and stress). Only dining hall use and stress emerged as potential explanations for why friends’ BMI and anthropometric change may be similar. Given that only a few variables satisfied the two criteria as potential mediators, future research may need to consider alternative measurement approaches, including real-time assessments, objective measurements, and alternative factors causing the convergence of friends’ and college students’ body size over time.
Smartphone based on-chip fluorescence imaging and capillary flow velocity measurement for detecting ROR1+ cancer cells from buffy coat blood samples on dual-layer paper microfluidic chip.

Diagnosis of hematological cancer requires complete white blood cell count, followed by flow cytometry with multiple markers, and cytology. It requires substantial time and specialized training. A dual-layer paper microfluidic chip was developed as a quicker, low-cost, and field-deployable alternative to detect ROR1+ (receptor tyrosine-like orphan receptor one) cancer cells from the undiluted and untreated buffy coat blood samples. The first capture layer consisted of a GF/D glass fiber substrate, preloaded with cancer specific anti-ROR1 conjugated fluorescent particles to its center for cancer cell capture and direct smartphone fluorescence imaging. The second flow layer was comprised of a grade 1 cellulose chromatography paper with wax-printed four channels for wicking and capillary flow-based detection. The flow velocity was used as measure of antigen concentration in the buffy coat sample. In this manner, intact cells and their antigens were separated and independently analyzed by both imaging and flow velocity analyses. A custom-made smartphone-based fluorescence microscope and automated image processing and particle counter software were developed to enumerate particles on paper, with the limit of detection of 1 cell/μL. Flow velocity analysis showed even greater sensitivity, with the limit of detection of 0.1 cells/μL in the first 6 s of assay. Comparison with capillary flow model revealed great alignment with experimental data and greater correlation to viscosity than interfacial tension. Our proposed device is able to capture and on-chip image ROR1+ cancer cells within a complex sample matrix (buffy coat) while simultaneously quantifying cell concentration in a point-of-care manner.
Defining behavioral challenges in Down syndrome utilizing a multidimensional dynamic approach: Implications for treatment intervention

Abstract Behavioral challenges in Down syndrome are often complex, multifactorial, and range in severity. A model that incorporates factors from the molecular to the phenotypic level can support improved understanding of the nature of behaviors within the Down syndrome population. In this chapter, we will first describe what we know about behavioral challenges in Down syndrome. We will then explore what key genetic, systemic, biological, learning, and environmental factors must be included in any approach to evaluating behavioral challenges in Down syndrome. Finally, we will discuss the relevance of creating a multidimensional dynamic approach to advance the science and understanding of behaviors in individuals with Down syndrome.
Vedolizumab for Steroid Refractory Lower Gastrointestinal Tract Graft-Versus-Host Disease.

ABSTRACT Steroid-refractory (SR) lower gastrointestinal (LGI) acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD) has poor prognosis, and novel drugs are needed. We describe outcomes of patients with SR-LGI aGVHD treated with vedolizumab. The primary objective was to determine overall response rate (ORR) at days 14, 28, and 56. Secondary outcomes included overall survival (OS), non-relapse mortality and toxicities. Twenty patients, median age 46 years (range, 23-71), were included. All but 2 patients (90%) had grade 3 to 4 aGVHD (45% stage 4, 40% stage 3 LGI). Median time to vedolizumab was 21 days (range, 5-1031) and 13 days (range, 0-533) after diagnosis of LGI aGVHD and SR-LGI aGVHD, respectively. It was given as ≥3rd line (median 3; range 2-6) in 75% after failure of steroids, and additional treatments including ruxolitinib (n = 12) and others. Median follow-up was 17 months (range, 10-34). The days 14, 28 and 56 ORRs were 45% (9/20; complete response [CR] 25%), 35% (7/20; CR 20%), and 25% (5/20; CR 20%), respectively. Among ruxolitinib failures, it was 50% (6/12; CR 25%), 50% (6/12; CR 25%) and 25% (3/12; CR 16.7%), respectively. Fifteen patients died (14 GVHD, 1 leukemia relapse). The actuarial 6-month OS was 35% (95% confidence interval 16-55). No progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy or infusion reaction occurred. Forty-four infection events (22 viral, 18 bacterial, and 4 fungal) were noted in 16 patients. Vedolizumab was well tolerated and demonstrated potential efficacy even after ruxolitinib failure for SR-LGI aGVHD. Yet the responses were suboptimal, and its use requires further investigation.
Bank failures and the cost of systemic risk: Evidence from 1900 to 1930

Abstract We measure the effect of bank failures on economic growth using data from 1900 to 1930, a period without active government stabilization policies and several severe banking crises. VAR model estimates suggest bank failures have long-lasting negative effects on economic growth. A bank failure shock involving one percent of system liabilities leads to a 6.5% reduction in GNP growth within three quarters and a measurable reduction for 10 quarters. Panel VAR model estimates for the 48 states show bank failures aggravate commercial non-bank failures. Institutional and regulatory features affect the intensity of the bank failure effect. We find that bank failures have a larger impact in states with deposit insurance, in states more heavily concentrated in agriculture, and in states with fewer large firms. However, because a number of states exhibit all three characteristics, we are not able to clearly identify the true marginal effects of these factors independently.
Automated Openstreetmap Data Alignment for Road Network Mapping

OpenStreetMap(OSM) provides extensive coverage of road network that can be a source to prepare training samples for automated road mapping using very high resolution(VHR) satellite images and machine learning. However, several studies have shown that the pervasive spatial misalignment between OSM vector data and VHR images yields poor quality training samples and thereby compromises the performance of models. In this study, we undertake to address this shortcoming and develop an automated line segment shifting workflow to yield OSM vector data that aligns with VHR road features to generate high quality training samples. The approach leverages the standard deviation differences of road pixels and background information to guide the transformations. By taking into account trees, shadows, cars and water body on or beside the road when STD was calculated, our method is robust to various road obstacles. Experimental validations are conducted to confirm the correctness of aligned OSM data showing up to 338% improvement compared with original OSM. Finally, based on visual inspection, the road map generated by aligned OSM also presents obvious quality improvement in comparison with map created by original OSM.
Protein unfolded states populated at high and ambient pressure are similarly compact.

Abstract The relationship between the dimensions of pressure-unfolded states of proteins compared with those at ambient pressure is controversial; resolving this issue is related directly to the mechanisms of pressure denaturation. Moreover, a significant pressure dependence of the compactness of unfolded states would complicate the interpretation of folding parameters from pressure perturbation and make comparison to those obtained using alternative perturbation approaches difficult. Here, we determined the compactness of the pressure-unfolded state of a small, cooperatively folding model protein, CTL9-I98A, as a function of temperature. This protein undergoes both thermal unfolding and cold denaturation, and the temperature dependence of the compactness at atmospheric pressure is known. High-pressure small angle x-ray scattering studies, yielding the radius of gyration and high-pressure diffusion ordered spectroscopy NMR experiments, yielding the hydrodynamic radius were carried out as a function of temperature at 250 MPa, a pressure at which the protein is unfolded. The radius of gyration values obtained at any given temperature at 250 MPa were similar to those reported previously at ambient pressure, and the trends with temperature are similar as well, although the pressure-unfolded state appears to undergo more pronounced expansion at high temperature than the unfolded state at atmospheric pressure. At 250 MPa, the compaction of the unfolded chain was maximal between 25 and 30°C, and the chain expanded upon both cooling and heating. These results reveal that the pressure-unfolded state of this protein is very similar to that observed at ambient pressure, demonstrating that pressure perturbation represents a powerful approach for observing the unfolded states of proteins under otherwise near-native conditions.
Collective Action with Uncertain Payoffs: Coordination, Public Signals, and Punishment Dilemmas

How can one analyze collective action in protests or revolutions when individuals are uncertain about the relative payoffs of the status quo and revolution? We model a “calculus of protest” of individuals who must either submit to the status quo or support revolt based only on personal information about their payoffs. In deciding whether to revolt, the citizen must infer both the benefit of successful revolution and the likely actions of other citizens. We characterize conditions under which payoff uncertainty overturns conventional wisdom: (a) when a citizen is too willing to revolt, he reduces the incentives of others to revolt; (b) less accurate information about the value of revolution can make revolt more likely; (c) public signals from other citizens can reduce the likelihood of revolt; (d) harsher punishment can increase the incidence of punishment; and (e) the incidence of protest can be positively correlated with that of repression.
Cost-effectiveness analysis of infected necrotizing pancreatitis management in an academic setting

Abstract Background and aims Traditional management for infected necrotizing pancreatitis (INP) often utilizes open necrosectomy, which carries high morbidity and complication rates. Thus, minimally invasive strategies have gained favor, specifically step-up approaches utilizing endoscopic or minimally-invasive surgery (MIS); however, the ideal management modality for INP has not been identified. Methods A decision tree model was designed to analyze costs and survival associated with open necrosectomy, endoscopic step-up, and MIS step-up protocols for management of INP after 4 weeks of necrosis development with adequate retroperitoneal access . Costs were based on a third-party payer perspective using Medicare reimbursement rates. The model's effectiveness was represented by quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs). Sensitivity analyses were performed to validate results. Results Endoscopic step-up was the dominant economic strategy with 7.92 QALYs for $90,864.09. Surgical step-up resulted in a decrease of 0.09 QALYs and a cost increase of $10,067.89 while open necrosectomy resulted in a decrease of 0.4 QALYs and an increased cost of $18,407.52 over endoscopic step-up. In 100,000 random-sampling simulations, 65.5% of simulations favored endoscopic step-up. MIS step-up was favored when MIS acute mortality rates fell and when MIS drainage success rates rose. Conclusions In our simulated patients with INP, the most cost-effective management strategy is endoscopic step-up. Cost-effectiveness varies with changes in acute mortality and drainage success, which will depend on local expertise.
Ecologies and politics of health

Foreword Billie Lee Turner II Chapter 1: Human Health at the Nexus of Ecologies and Politics Kelley A. Crews and Brian King Section I: Health within Social and Ecological Systems Chapter 2: Positioning Health in a Socio-Ecological Systems Framework Kelley A. Crews Chapter 3: Capitals and Context: Bridging Health and Livelihoods in Smallholder Frontiers Leah K. VanWey, James R. Hull, and Gilvan Guedes Chapter 4: Change in Tropical Landscapes: Implications for Health and Livelihoods Kenneth R. Young Section II: Empirical Approaches to Injury and Infectious Disease Chapter 5: Buruli Ulcer Disease: The Unknown Environmental and Social Ecology of a Bacterial Pathogen Jiaguo Qi, Lindsay P. Campbell, Jenni van Ravensway, Andrew O. Finley, Richard W. Merritt, and M. Eric Benbow Chapter 6: The Ecology of Injuries in Matlab, Bangladesh Elisabeth D. Root and Michael Emch Chapter 7: Human Settlement, Environmental Change, and Frontier Malaria in the Brazilian Amazon Marcia C. Castro and Burton H. Singer Section III: Disease Histories, the State, and [Mis]Management Chapter 8: Vaccines, Fertility, and Power: The Political Ecology of Indigenous Health and Well-Being in Lowland Latin America Kendra McSweeney and Zoe Pearson Chapter 9: Tsetse and Trypanosomiasis: Eradication, Control, and Coexistence in Africa Paul F. McCord, Joseph P. Messina, & Carolyn A. Fahey Chapter 10: Geographies of HIV and Marginalization: A Case Study of HIV/AIDS Risk among Mayan Communities in Western Belize Cynthia Pope Chapter 11: The Mosquito State: How Technology, Capital and State Practice Mediate the Ecologies of Public Health Paul Robbins and Jacob C. Miller Section IV: Health Vulnerabilities Chapter 12: Exposure to Heat Stress in Urban Environments Olga Wilhelmi, Alex de Sherbinin, and Mary Hayden Chapter 13: Power, Race, and the Neglect of Science: The HIV Epidemics in Sub-Saharan Africa Eileen Stillwaggon and Larry Sawers Chapter 14: Disease as Shock, HIV/AIDS as Experience: Coupling Social and Ecological Responses in Sub-Saharan Africa Brian King Chapter 15: Futures for Ecologies and Politics of Health Brian King and Kelley A. Crews
The Polygraph and Psychiatrists

The use of the polygraph as a supposed lie detector is reviewed, as well as some of the literature purporting to uphold claims of scientific reliability and validity for the technique. Interviews with individuals involved with polygraphic lie detection indicate that any effectiveness of the technique may be, in the main, due to the suggestibility of the examinees and the coercive mystique of the instrument. The 1988 Polygraph Protection Act may have placed some effective restrictions on what was formerly untrammeled and overtly abusive use of the polygraph in private industry. However, considerable potential for current and future abuse continues to exist. Psychiatrists and all mental health experts are especially warned about the ethical problems resulting therefrom.
Purification and properties of mutant and wild-type dihydrofolate reductase from Diplococcus pneumoniae.

Abstract Dihydrofolate reductase from wild-type Diplococcus pneumoniae and three mutant strains (amer-5, amer-6, and amer-8) has been highly purified by a sequence of ammonium sulfate fractionation, molecular sieve chromatography, and anion exchange chromatography on DEAE-cellulose. Final purification of wild-type and amer-5 enzyme was approximately 1000-fold, but only slightly more than 400-fold for the amer-6 and amer-8 enzymes. Purification of the latter two enzymes, however, was actually 7000-fold in comparison to crude wild-type material, owing to the increase in specific activity genetically determined by both mutations. Properties of the three mutant enzymes revealed by the various fractionation procedures were indistinguishable from those of the wild-type enzyme. A molecular weight of 20,000 has been calculated for dihydrofolate reductase by molecular sieve chromatography on calibrated gel columns. Dihydrofolate reductase from another mutant (amer-3) and a recombinant form (amer-3-5) exhibited properties which were radically dissimilar to those of the other enzymes. Both amer-3 and amer-3-5 were less soluble in ammonium sulfate; they were labile in salt solutions and unstable during storage, and appeared to exist mainly in an associated form consistently excluded during molecular sieve chromatography. A 7-fold purification of both enzymes was obtained by ammonium sulfate fractionation. Elution characteristics during DEAE-chromatography of dihydrofolate reductase in frozen, stored enzyme preparations revealed the presence of a new component not observed during chromatography of fresh preparations.
The External Dimensions of Democratization Revisited: Comparing the Transnational Protection Regime in Taiwan and South Korea

Between 1986 and 1987, Taiwan and South Korea experienced democratic breakthrough as the zeitgeist of democracy began to sweep into the Pacific Asian region. Soon after, the dramatic fall of the Berlin Wall exploded the notion that democratization was a domestic process largely insulated from external influences, but no systematic comparative study of what these international factors might have been in the Pacific Asian region was subsequently carried out. The potentially destabilizing expansion of political space in Taiwan and South Korea drew attention toward the impact of democratization on regional stability and the direction of inquiry became an “in-out” one instead.This paper first argues that the premature foreclosure of a systematic inquiry into the external influences of democratization in Taiwan and South Korea has obscured certain important international factors and led to a partial understanding of democratization processes there. A re-examination of these cases has also yielded new empirical findings with wider theoretical implications, however. Indeed, it has been found that the protective function of the “transnational protection regime” – complex networks of transnational non-state and substate actors – was vital to the development of an effective opposition movement in Taiwan and South Korea in the late 1980s. Working within an international normative environment that allowed them to flag political repression as human rights abuses to the international community, these actors were able to generate external pressures that increasingly constrained the repressive behavior of the authoritarian governments in question. In systematizing the study of these complex networks of non-state and substate actors within the context of democratization, these case studies help to fill a gap in the comparative literature.The protection regime did not operate in exactly the same fashion in both cases, however. These differences in fact point to the need to consider how geopolitical circumstances immediately surrounding each case determines the menu of responses available to the authoritarian governments and thus, the extent to which such external pressures can effectively translate into constraints on the authoritarian governments. As such, this paper not only brings into sharp relief the international-domestic interface of democratization previously neglected, it specifies the structural contexts that are important to the operation of agency.
Alpha thalassaemia in tribal communities of coastal Maharashtra, India.

Background & objectives: In a routine community health survey conducted in adult Adivasis of the costal Maharashtra, microcytosis and hyprochromia were observed in more than 80 per cent of both males and females having normal haemoglobin levels suggesting the possibility of α-thalassaemia in these communities. We conducted a study in Adivasi students in the same region to find out the magnitude of α-thalessaemia. Methods: The participants (28 girls and 23 boys) were 14-17 yr old studying in a tribal school. Fasting venous blood samples (5 ml) were subjected to complete blood count (CBC), Hb-HPLC and DNA analysis using gap-PCR for deletion of - α3.7 and - α4.2, the two most common molecular lesions observed in α-thalassaemia in India. Results: Microcytic hypochromic anaemia was observed 50 and 35 per cent girls and boys, respectively. Iron supplementation improved Hb levels but did not correct microcytois and hypochromia. m0 ore than 80 per cent non-anaemic students of both sexes showed microcytois and hypochromia. DNA analysis confirmed that the haematological alterations were due to α-thalassaemia trait characterized by deletion of - α3.7. Majority (> 60%) of the affected students had two deletions (-α3.7/-α3.7 genotype α+ thalassaemia. Interpretation & conclusions: This is perhaps the first report on the occurrence of α-thalassaemia in tribal communities of coastal Maharashtra. Very high (78.4%) haplotype frequency of -α3.7 suggests that the condition is almost genetically fixed. These preliminary observations should stimulate well planned large scale epidemiological studies on α-thalassaemia in the region.
Semi-automated simulation transformation for DDDAS

Ultimate DDDAS success demands that DDDAS simulations be increasingly reconfigurable and adaptable to a growing variety of runtime sensor feedback. Because we expect a simulation's requirements to change during its lifetime, a new emphasis is placed on designing simulations that are prepared for transformation. In this paper, we address this new interest in designing for transformation. Our technology combines the specialized insight of simulation designers with the principled application of automation techniques to capitalize on untapped human and computational resources. In addressing simulation transformation issues that arise at design time, composition time, and runtime, we demonstrate how a semi-automated process impacts the entire simulation life cycle. The resulting suite of simulation transformation tools supports the crosscutting needs of DDDAS practitioners.
Image transfer optimization for agile development

Cloud computing is becoming a common delivery model for IT services. Development and testing of applications and services is usually conducted on a development cloud environment often within customer premises and deployed in stages to a production cloud. Agile development process integrates development and deployment of IT systems and requires frequent and low cost synchronization between development and deployment cloud environments. This article proposes and evaluates virtual machine transfer algorithm based on image redundancy that allows to reduce bandwidth and time required to transfer specific images from development to production sites. It also explores how a typical image library, including public and private images, evolves over time and what impact it has on potential gain from the proposed algorithm. An analytical model is also proposed that allows to quantify degree of saving from using the algorithm. Evaluation shows up to 80% reduction in terms of transfer time and network bandwidth usage.
Effects of aging and blood pressure on timing and amplitude of central pulse contour landmarks

An arterial pulse contour can be defined by its amplitude and timing landmarks. We studied the effects of aging and hypertension on central blood pressure landmarks in a reference cohort of normotensive and hypertensive individuals (treated and untreated (n1⁄4376, age 16-90) designed to mimic the NHANES III cohort. Each participant had standard cuff BP (oscillometry, Omron CP705) and radial artery tonometry (Sphygmocor) after >5 min sitting. In a subset (n1⁄463), supine heart-femoral pulse wave velocity (hfPWV, Colin VP 1000) and systemic vascular resistance (SVR, impedance cardiography, Bio-Z) were also measured. Variables were inter-correlated (Pearson) and the group was dichotomized at age 55 for landmark comparisons (ttests) and ensemble wave averaging. Mean age of the younger (Y) group (n1⁄4213) was 33 years; the older (O) group (n1⁄4163) was 66 years. Figure 1 demonstrates the ensemble waveforms and landmarks for Y (gray line) and O (black line), with timing (Y long vertical lines, O short verticals) and pressure (vertical intersections for Y, filled dots for O) landmarks. Mean timing values for each landmark deviated by only a few msec between Y and O, with T2/P2 always occurring in late systole. P2 amplitude was most strongly correlated with age and P2 differed most between Y and O groups (highest T-statistic). Amplitude at each pressure landmark correlated with age, brachial BP, hfPWV and SVR, with the highest values occurring in late systole (P2). Further, the amplitude of the first diastolic peak (DT1/DP1) was not greater in Y than O absolutely or relative to other pressure landmarks. A very similar
Ca handling during excitation-contraction coupling in heart failure.

In the heart, coupling between excitation of the surface membrane and activation of contractile apparatus is mediated by Ca released from the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR). Several components of Ca machinery are perfectly arranged within the SR network and the T-tubular system to generate a regular Ca cycling and thereby rhythmic beating activity of the heart. Among these components, ryanodine receptor (RyR) and SR Ca ATPase (SERCA) complexes play a particularly important role and their dysfunction largely underlies abnormal Ca homeostasis in diseased hearts such as in heart failure. The abnormalities in Ca regulation occur at practically all main steps of Ca cycling in the failing heart, including activation and termination of SR Ca release, diastolic SR Ca leak, and SR Ca uptake. The contributions of these different mechanisms to depressed contractile function and enhanced arrhythmogenesis may vary in different HF models. This brief review will therefore focus on modifications in RyR and SERCA structure that occur in the failing heart and how these molecular modifications affect SR Ca regulation and excitation–contraction coupling.
Pressure and Distortion Regulate Human Mesenchymal Stem Cell Gene Expression

While the concept that physical forces such as tension and compression are involved in mature tissue modeling is widely accepted, the role of these specific types of mechanical loading in the differentiation and maturation of uncommitted cell types like human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) is currently unknown. We observed that hMSCs have the fundamental ability to distinguish between dynamic tensile and compressive loading by regulating distinct gene expression patterns and that these differences in gene expression can be related to conformational changes in cell shape and volume. Dynamic tension was found to regulate both fibroblastic and osteogenic associated genes while dynamic compression up-regulated genes associated with chondrogenesis. Identifying genes involved in the mechanotransduction of different modes of physical loading in hMSC may greatly enhance the ability to rationally design tissue regeneration systems to restore proper tissue function.
A Feature Selection Approach in Evaluation of Parameter Changes on the Human Operator Under Thermal Stress

Abstract A feature selection approach is used lo define changes in the parameters (input-output characteristics) of the human operator involved in a closed loop tracking task subjected to thermal stress. By choosing a class of features which characterise the general shape of the human operator's transfer function, significant changes in these characteristics are found lo occur under the thermal stress condition. A F-Ratio Test was used with an Analysis of Variance to test the significance of the change in those features which describe the input-output characteristics of the human. The results of this experiment indicate that the effect of thermal stress (and the type of electrolyte used in the recovery period) will significantly change the input-output characteristics of the human operator. Therefore, the thermal stress condition is used to illustrate how this physiological stress condition manifests itself in the type of analysis performed here.
System performance characteristics of superconducting alternators for electric utility power generation

The application of superconductors in the field windings of large steam-turbine generators appears to offer a number of significant economic and operational advantages. The principal advantage offered by such machines appears to be a potentially large reduction in size, weight, and cost for a given power rating. In addition, superconducting alternators also appear to have a number of unique and potentially advantageous operational characteristics, most of which are a consequence of the relatively low per-unit synchronous reactance that is characteristic of these machines. This paper reviews the reasons for the low synchronous reactance attributable to the use of superconducting field winding, and compares the expected performance characteristics of a superconducting alternator in the 1000 MVA range with those of a conventional power system generator of comparable rating. Among the specific topics discussed are performance with regard to dynamic stability, transient stability, voltage regulation, and excitation control. The principal operational advantages of a superconducting alternator appear to be 1) the absence of a dynamic stability limit within its MVA capability, 2) significantly greater transient stability when operating at leading power factors, 3) superior voltage regulation, and 4) no degradation of dynamic stability due to automatic voltage regulator action. Consequently, superconducting alternators appear to be ideally matched to modern power system applications that require operation of generators at leading power factors.
19F and 13C spectra of fluorinated and partially fluorinated vinyl alkyl ethers

Abstract Fluorine, hydrogen, and 13C NMR spectral data have been obtained for vinyl alkyl ethers containing fluorines. Some of the molecules are perfluorinated and others include hydrogen, bromine, and chlorine substituents. New generalizations regarding F F spin–spin coupling are developed and used, along with previously recognized correlations, in the confirmation of structures and the assignments of resonances. 13C spectroscopy, especially the analysis of 13C 19F coupling, is critical in several of the structure determinations. Chlorine isotope effects on fluorine chemical shifts are observed when the chlorine and fluorine are attached to the same carbon, and are also used in the structure analyses. Long-range couplings between fluorines in the vinyl group and fluorines in the alkyl group are interpreted in terms of molecular geometry which allows certain of the alkyl fluorines to “touch” the fluorines cis and gem to the ether oxygen but not the fluorine trans to the oxygen. Two bond 13C 19F coupling across the vinyl double bond is found to vary dramatically with the electronegativity of the vinyl substituents in the ethers, in accordance with previous observations for olefins.
Forensic psychiatric aspects of inpatient violence

Inpatient aggression jeopardizes the safety of psychiatric clinicians and patients. A minority of psychiatric inpatients is responsible for most of inpatient assaults; this subset of repetitively assaultive patients warrants greater attention in the form of systematic study. In developing treatment approaches for assaultive inpatients, it is important to characterize the primary motivation driving aggressive behavior. There are many pharmacologic agents and psychotherapeutic approaches available to address inpatients who engage in impulsive and psychotic violence, but the treatment of inpatients with antisocial or psychopathy personality remain limited, and further study is needed. To protect the safety of patients and staff, criminal prosecution of inpatient assaults is clinically justified if an assailant continues to be aggressive despite appropriate clinical interventions or commits an act of planned aggression so egregious that prosecution is the only reasonable alternative.
Effect of ventilatory drive on upper airway patency in humans during NREM sleep

The pharynx is the site of upper airway obstruction during sleep. As a collapsible tube, pharyngeal patency is determined by transmural pressure and the compliance of the pharyngeal wall. Thus, several factors may influence upper airway patency including the activity of upper airway dilating muscles, the magnitude of caudal traction generated by thoracic inspiratory activity, vascular tone and mucosal surface forces. Changing ventilatory motor output influences upper airway patency primarily by altering dilating muscle activity or caudal traction. Increased ventilatory motor output enhances upper airway patency. Isolated reduction of ventilatory motor output has no significant effect on upper airway patency. However, upper airway narrowing or occlusion occur at the nadir of ventilatory drive during induced periodic breathing and during central apnea. The latter indicates that negative intraluminal pressure is not required for upper airway obstruction during sleep. Therefore, upper airway occlusion during sleep may be due to: (1) passive collapse of a compliant upper airway by gravitational factors or (2) active closure generated by the contraction of the pharyngeal constrictors.
Attaching Proteins to Carbon Nanotubes via Diimide-Activated Amidation

Carbon nanotubes are functionalized by bovine serum albumin (BSA) proteins via diimide-activated amidation under ambient conditions. The nanotube-BSA conjugates thus obtained are highly water-soluble, forming dark-colored aqueous solutions. Results from characterizations using atomic force microscopy (AFM), thermal gravimetric analysis, Raman, and gel electrophoresis show that the conjugate samples indeed contain both carbon nanotubes and BSA proteins and that the protein species are intimately associated with the nanotubes. Bioactivities of the nanotube-bound proteins are evaluated using the total protein micro-determination assay (the modified Lowry procedure). The results show that the overwhelming majority (∼90%) of the protein species in the nanotube-BSA conjugates remain bioactive.
Fundamental U.S. Tax Reform and Energy Markets

This paper presents a new intertemporal general equilibrium model of the U. S. economy incorporating a detailed representation of U. S. tax structure . We employ the model to analyze the impact of fundamental tax reform on U.S. energy markets. More rapid economic growth would dominate energy conservation , leading to greater energy consumption and higher carbon emissions.
Transnational science during the Cold War: the case of Chinese/American scientists.

ABSTRACT This essay examines the experiences of about five thousand Chinese students/scientists in the United States after the Communist takeover of mainland China in 1949. These experiences illustrate the often hidden transnational movements of people, instruments, and ideas in science and technology across the Iron Curtain during the Cold War. I argue that those hundreds who returned to China represented a partial “Americanization” of Chinese science and technology, while the rest of the group staying in the United States contributed to a transnationalization of the American scientific community.
Antioxidant Function of Thyroxine in Vivo

The aim of this study has been to determine whether thyroxine may have an in vivo antioxidant effect. The possibility had been suggested from in vitro work. Euthyroid, male rats were treated with a single injection of 1 mg of L-thyroxine subcutaneously 24 hr prior to sacrifice. The benzene extract of the epididymal fat pad was examined for content of esterified lipid and peroxide products. The quantity of peroxide product per unit of esterified lipid was found to be uniformly less in the thyroxine treated rats. In pharmacologic, nonphysiologic doses thyroxine serves as an antioxidant to lipid peroxidation in vivo. (Endocrinology 83: 376, 1968)