cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Spectroscopic and Mechanistic Studies of Heterodimetallic Forms of Metallo-β-lactamase NDM‑1

In an effort to characterize the roles of each metal ion in metallo-β-lactamase NDM-1, heterodimetallic analogues (CoCo-, ZnCo-, and CoCd-) of the enzyme were generated and characterized. UV-vis, (1)H NMR, EPR, and EXAFS spectroscopies were used to confirm the fidelity of the metal substitutions, including the presence of a homogeneous, heterodimetallic cluster, with a single-atom bridge. This marks the first preparation of a metallo-β-lactamase selectively substituted with a paramagnetic metal ion, Co(II), either in the Zn1 (CoCd-NDM-1) or in the Zn2 site (ZnCo-NDM-1), as well as both (CoCo-NDM-1). We then used these metal-substituted forms of the enzyme to probe the reaction mechanism, using steady-state and stopped-flow kinetics, stopped-flow fluorescence, and rapid-freeze-quench EPR. Both metal sites show significant effects on the kinetic constants, and both paramagnetic variants (CoCd- and ZnCo-NDM-1) showed significant structural changes on reaction with substrate. These changes are discussed in terms of a minimal kinetic mechanism that incorporates all of the data.
Renal Artery Calcium Is Independently Associated With Hypertension

Objectives We tested the hypothesis that renal artery calcium (RAC), a marker of atherosclerotic plaque burden, is also significantly associated with higher blood pressure levels and a diagnosis of hypertension. Background In the nonrenal systemic vasculature, atherosclerotic plaque burden has been shown to be significantly associated with hypertension. Methods A total of 1,435 consecutive patients were evaluated at a university-affiliated disease prevention center for the extent of calcified atherosclerosis in the systemic vasculature. Results The overall prevalence of calcium in either renal artery was 17.1%, with men having a significantly higher prevalence (19.0%, 153 of 804) than women (14.7%, 93 of 631) (p = 0.03). After adjustment for age and gender, subjects with a RAC score >0 had a significantly higher prevalence of hypertension (41.2 vs. 29.5, p Conclusions The results of this study suggest that the presence of RAC is associated with higher odds for prevalent hypertension, independent of CVD risk factors and the extent of calcified atherosclerosis in the nonrenal vasculature.
Terrestrial sources and sinks of carbon inferred from terrestrial data

Two approaches have been used to calculate changes in terrestrial carbon storage with data obtained from terrestrial ecosystems, rather than with atmospheric or oceanographic data. One approach is based on the changes in carbon that result from changes in land use (conversion of forest to agricultural land, abandonment of agricultural land, harvest and regrowth). The other approach uses measurements of forest biomass obtained through forests inventories to determine change directly. These latter studies may also calculate changes in the amount of carbon stored in wood products and soil, but in this respect the two approaches are similar. If a significant fraction of the missing carbon sink is to be found in mid-latitude forests, one would expect direct measurement of biomass to show greater accumulations of carbon than analyses in which calculated accumulations result only from regrowth following previous harvests or abandonment of agricultural land. Data from Canada, the conterminous US, Europe, and the former USSR show this circumstance to be correct. Accumulations of carbon in biomass and soil are 0.8 PgC yr −1 greater than expected from past management practices (land-use change). In the tropics (where forest inventories are rare), the total net flux of carbon from changes in land use (1.6 PgC yr −1 ) is consistent with recent estimates of flux based on atmospheric data, but the geographic distribution of the flux is not the same. Globally, terrestrial ecosystems are calculated to have been a net source of 0.8 ± 0.6 PgC yr −1 during the 1980s. DOI: 10.1034/j.1600-0889.1996.t01-3-00002.x
The Role of c‐Jun N‐Terminal Kinase (JNK) in Parkinson's Disease

Given the critical role that the c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) pathway plays in regulating many of the cellular processes which are affected in Parkinson's disease (PD), the possible importance of JNK in disease pathogenesis is being increasingly recognized. Here we review recent findings implicating the JNK signaling pathway in animal models of Parkinson's disease and discuss the relationship between this pathway and the prominent pathological processes observed in the disease state. We suggest that regulation of the JNK signaling pathway may be a central facet in potential treatments for the disease.
Comparison of physico-chemical, advanced oxidation and biological techniques for the textile wastewater treatment

Abstract Toxic organic dye removal from the textile wastewater is a serious concern. It is difficult to choose a single or a combination of treatment techniques between various available options; each with certain advantages and drawbacks. Six different techniques were applied on the same textile wastewater to evaluate the most effective in terms of treatment efficiency. The three most important textile wastewater quality parameters of chemical oxygen demand (COD), total suspended solids (TSS) and color were made the basis of the comparison of different treatment techniques. Other critical parameters such as treatment time, ease of operation and chemical cost employed were also considered. No single biological or physico-chemical treatment technique was found capable of removing up to 80% of the influent COD, TSS and color simultaneously from the textile wastewater. The conventional activated sludge (CAS) treatment followed by effluent polishing with the sand filtration (SF) and activated carbon adsorption columns was proved to be the most promising with COD, TSS and color removal efficiencies of 81.6%, 88.5% and 94.5% respectively. Moreover this combination of techniques enjoys lower chemical cost, medium operation time and fewer difficulties in the process control. Hence, the combination is recommended for the treatment of the textile effluents.
A problem in the mathematical biophysics of blood circulation: II. Relation between pressure and flow of a viscous fluid in an elastic distensible tube

In an elastic distensible tube, like a blood vessel, the radius is determined by the equality of the hydrostatic pressure and the elastic forces. If a viscous fluid flows through such a tube, there is a pressure drop along the line of flow. This results in a variation of the radius of the tube along the axis. An approximate expression, valid within a limited range of values, is derived for the radius of the tube as a function of the distance along the axis. Another approximate expression is derived for the relation between pressure drop and total flow in such a case. For sufficiently high rates of flow the pressure drop does not vary linearly with the flow, as in the usual poiseuille's law, but more rapidly.
Autoantibody production is associated with polyclonal B cell activation in autoimmune mice which express the lpr or gld genes.

Systemic autoimmune disease in humans and mice is characterized by hypergamma-globulinemia and abnormally high levels of serum autoantibodies. The presence of certain genes, such as the lpr and gld genes, induces otherwise normal mice to spontaneously develop systemic autoimmunity. To better understand the effect of these genes on the development hypergammaglobulinemia, we quantitated the absolute number of splenic B cells producing antibodies reactive with each of four autoantigens and two conventional antigens and compared this to the total number of Ig-secreting spleen cells present in these mice. Whereas autoimmune mice had significantly greater numbers of autoantibody-secreting spleen cells than normal mice, they also had significantly greater numbers producing antibodies of conventional specificity. When expressed as a proportion of the total repertoire, no bias towards autoantibody production was present when autoimmune lpr and gld animals were compared to their congenic nonautoimmune C57BL/6 and C3H/HeJ counterparts We also examined the B cell repertoires of recombinant inbred mice derived by mating autoimmune NZB with normal NFS mice. Some recombinant inbred (RI) lines developed hypergammaglobulinemia and produced large quantities of autoantibody. While evidence for specific (auto) antigenic stimulation was present in some RI lines, hypergammaglobulinemia was commonly associated with polyclonal B cell activation in these autoimmune mice as well.
Adaptations of Crustaceans to Land: A Summary and Analysis of New Findings

Crustaceans have adapted to land through various morphological, physiological, biochemical, and behavioral modifications, of which some are shared by all land-dwelling crustaceans and others are unique to animals within a particular habitat. Among the three groups of crustaceans having truly terrestrial members, the amphipods have achieved their success on land primarily by behavioral means, while the isopods and the decapods have developed many morphological, physiological, and biochemical adaptations as well. In all three groups, behavioral modifications ensure that loss of water is minimal, that the animals are exposed to favorable rather than extreme environmental conditions, and that the fine line between evaporative cooling and excessive dehydration is maintained. In most crustaceans the excretion of nitrogenous wastes requires that copious supplies of water be available for washing away the soluble end-products. Yet terrestrial isopods are able to excrete ammonia as a gas, without being subject to toxic side-effects. In decapods, either ammonia or insoluble uric acid may be excreted, with ammonia the more likely product when water is available, uric acid when water is scarce. In adult land crabs water balance is maintained through the concerted action of gills, pericardial sacs, and gut. These organs may take up, store, and redistribute salts and water in response to control exerted by the central nervous system through its secretory products. In larvae of land crabs these organs are not known to function in this way. Rather, the larvae are adapted to cope with osmotic problems of their planktonic existence. Gaseous exchange in adult land crabs is carried on not only by the gills but also by the highly vascularized lining of the branchial chambers, and the hemocyanin ot these crabs is adapted to function in the environment peculiar to each species. Terrestrial crabs seem unable to withstand low temperatures, but their high rate of cytochrome c oxidase activity may help them to survive when temperatures are high. Modifications in behavior must have occurred quite early in the transition of crustaceans from sea to land. Then, as now, appropriate behavioral responses to light, temperatuie, humidity, tidal cycles, and so on. were crucial if a terrestrial animal was to survive. Social interactions, both for courtship and for aggression, required the sending and receiving of appropriate visual and acoustic signals and were promoted by the ritualization of potentially injurious patterns of behavior.
Update on Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Its Associated Metabolic Abnormalities: Insulin Resistance, Metabolic Syndrome, and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Obstructive sleep apnea is characterized by repeated episodes of upper airway collapse during sleep, leading to apneic and hypopneic episodes, oxygen desaturation, and sleep fragmentation. This condition is closely associated with features of “metabolic syndrome” as well as overt diabetes. Although the association of metabolic abnormalities clearly portend increased cardiovascular risk, it remains unclear to what extent obesity confounds these associations. Attempts to demonstrate a causal relationship between obstructive sleep apnea and insulin resistance have yielded conflicting results. Although several recent studies have demonstrated a relationship between obstructive sleep apnea and diabetes mellitus independent of obesity, there are currently limited data demonstrating a strong causative link. The currently proposed pathophysiology involves intermittent hypoxia, sleep fragmentation, sympathetic activation, oxidative stress, an increase in proinflammatory adipocytokines, and hyperleptinemia and leptin resistance. Although continuous positive airway pressure has shown promise in treating obstructive sleep apnea and its associated metabolic derangements, two recent large, randomized controlled trials have redoubled the emphasis on weight loss in treating the triad of metabolic syndrome, diabetes, and obstructive sleep apnea. Weight loss and aggressive lifestyle intervention remain a common treatment modality for all of these conditions and should always be considered first-line treatment for this clinical construct.
Fiber-Optic Probe Enabled by Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering for Early Diagnosis of Potential Acute Rejection of Kidney Transplant

We have explored the use of a fiber-optic probe with surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) sensing modality for early, noninvasive and, rapid diagnosis of potential renal acute rejection (AR) and other renal graft dysfunction of kidney transplant patients. Multimode silica optical fiber immobilized with colloidal Ag nanoparticles at the distal end was used for SERS measurements of as-collected urine samples at 632.8 nm excitation wavelength. All patients with abnormal renal graft function (3 AR episodes and 2 graft failure episodes) who were clinically diagnosed independently show common unique SERS spectral features in the urines collected just one day after transplant. SERS-based fiber-optic probe has excellent potential to be a bedside tool for early diagnosis of kidney transplant patients for timely medical intervention of patients at high risk of transplant dysfunction.
Relationship between the mRNA of polysomes and free ribonucleoprotein particles in the early sea urchin embryo

Abstract The cytoplasm of early sea urchin embryos contains nonribosomal, high molecular weight RNA both associated with ribosomes in polysomes and free of ribosomes in particles termed free RNP. In a 1-hr labeling period, 50% of the newly synthesized RNA enters the pool of ribosome-free RNP particles during the cleavage stages, and this percentage decreases until less than 20% of the new RNA in the mesenchyme blastula stage is found in the free RNP. mRNA from both polysomes and free RNP contain poly(A)(+) and poly(A)(−) species. During the cleavage stages only 8–10% of the RNA from each fraction is polyadenylated; however, in the blastula, 40–50% of the nonhistone polysomal RNA is polyadenylated while only 22–30% of the free RNP RNA is polyadenylated. At any developmental stage, the poly(A)(+)RNA from the free RNA and polysomes have identical sedimentation profiles; this is also the case for the poly(A)(−)RNA except for the absence of the 9 S histone mRNA from the free RNP. Changes in poly(A)(+)RNA content and sedimentation profiles during development occur simultaneously in the free RNP and the polysomes. Kinetic studies of these two RNP populations as well as nuclear RNP show that the bulk of the free RNP are not unusually stable cytoplasmic components. The free RNP decay with a half-life of about 40 min while nuclear RNA and polysomal RNA display half-lives of about 12 and 65 min, respectively. Further, the rate of synthesis of the free RNP is not consistent with their being the only precursors for polysomes. Our estimates of the rates of synthesis for nuclear RNA, polysomes, and free RNP are, respectively, 1.1 × 10 −15 , 2.2 × 10 −16 , and 5.0 × 15 −17 g/min/nucleus. The data on free RNP is discussed in terms of translational regulation of protein synthesis in the developing sea urchin.
Integrative analysis of multiple cancer genomic datasets under the heterogeneity model

In cancer research, genomic studies have been extensively conducted, searching for markers associated with prognosis. Because of the “large d, small n” characteristic, results generated from the analysis of a single dataset can be unsatisfactory. Integrative analysis simultaneously analyzes multiple datasets and can be more effective than the analysis of single datasets and classic meta-analysis. In many existing integrative analyses, the homogeneity model has been assumed, which postulates that different datasets share the same set of markers. In practice, datasets may have been generated in studies that differ in patient selection criteria, profiling techniques, and many other aspects. Such differences may make the homogeneity model too restricted. Here we explore the heterogeneity model, which assumes that different datasets may have different sets of markers. With multiple cancer prognosis datasets, we adopt the AFT (accelerated failure time) models to describe survival. A weighted least squares approach is adopted for estimation. For marker selection, penalization-based methods are examined. These methods have intuitive formulations and can be computed using effective group coordinate descent algorithms. Analysis of three lung cancer prognosis datasets with gene expression measurements demonstrates the merit of heterogeneity model and proposed methods.
Ultrafast photoinduced ferromagnetism in GaMnAs

We report on ultrafast photoenhanced ferromagnetism and para- to ferromagnetic phase transition, on a 100-ps time scale, due to a transient enhancement of Curie temperature Tc via the population of photoexcited carriers in III-Mn-V semiconductor GaMnAs.
Improving standardized time series methods by permuting path segments

We describe an extension procedure for constructing new standardized time series procedures from existing ones for simulation. The approach is based on averaging over sample paths obtained by permuting path segments. Analytical and empirical results indicate that permuting improves standardized time series methods. We also propose a new standardized time series method based on maximums.
Anxiety type modulates immediate versus delayed engagement of attention-related brain regions

Background Habituation of the fear response, critical for the treatment of anxiety, is inconsistently observed during exposure to threatening stimuli. One potential explanation for this inconsistency is differential attentional engagement with negatively valenced stimuli as a function of anxiety type. Methods The present study tested this hypothesis by examining patterns of neural habituation associated with anxious arousal, characterized by panic symptoms and immediate engagement with negatively valenced stimuli, versus anxious apprehension, characterized by engagement in worry to distract from negatively valenced stimuli. Results As predicted, the two anxiety types evidenced distinct patterns of attentional engagement. Anxious arousal was associated with immediate activation in attention-related brain regions that habituated over time, whereas anxious apprehension was associated with delayed activation in attention-related brain regions that occurred only after habituation in a worry-related brain region. Conclusions Results further elucidate mechanisms involved in attention to negatively valenced stimuli and indicate that anxiety is a heterogeneous construct with regard to attention to such stimuli.
Design and implementation of a 3D-LSI image sensing processor

A four-story structured image sensing processor implemented with three-dimensional LSI (3D-LSI) technology and integrating 5040 pixel photodiodes and 0.22 million transistors on a 14.3-mm/sup 2/ single die is described. The implemented chip allows a large degree of data parallelism in image computations where the image sensor unit operates without synchronous clocks. The chip, which is a second prototype, is able to sense 12 characters at the same time, and can recognize 64 different characters in upper and lower case, Arabic numerals, and some symbols, each consisting of a 10*14 matrix. The chip is made of a large number of simple processing elements working in parallel, which speeds up computation. The time needed to identify a sensed image as a memorized character is about 3 mu s. Successful measurements of the principal functions verify the usefulness of the chip. >
Qualitative Data Analysis: Common Phases, Strategic Differences

In dem vorliegenden Beitrag wird ein analytischer Bezugsrahmen vorgestellt, der insbesondere Noviz(inn)en im Feld qualitativer Forschung helfen soll, zum einen einige Gemeinsamkeiten qualitativer Datenanalyse kennenzulernen. Zum anderen sollen sie aufmerksam gemacht werden auf Differenzen, die insbesondere mit dem Kontext der Anwendung und mit den erkenntnistheoretischen Praferenzen bzw. mit der Expertise der Forschenden einhergehen. Es geht dabei nicht darum, spezielle Datenanalyseverfahren vorzustellen, sondern es werden Fragen an die Hand gegeben, die in verschiedenen Phasen des Auswertungsprozesses sinnvoll gestellt werden sollten. Hierzu gehe ich davon aus, dass qualitative Datenanalyse – unabhangig etwa von der jeweiligen methodologischen oder disziplinaren Orientierung – vier miteinander verknupfte Phasen beinhaltet: die Konzeption der Studie, die Klassifikation von Daten, das Herstellen von Bezugen bzw. die Entwicklung einer Theorie und schlieslich die Niederschrift der Befunde. Der vorliegende Beitrag bezieht sich auf die Phasen 1 bis 3. URN: urn:nbn:de:0114-fqs0103226
Anabolic influences of insulin-like growth factor I and/or growth hormone on the diaphragm of young rats.

Lewis, Michael I., Thomas J. LoRusso, and Mario Fournier.Anabolic influences of insulin-like growth factor I and/or growth hormone on the diaphragm of young rats. J. Appl. Physiol. 82(6): 1972–1978...
Topological simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM): toward exact localization without explicit localization

This paper presents a new method for simultaneous localization and mapping that exploits the topology of the robot's free space to localize the robot on a partially constructed map. The topology of the environment is encoded in a topological map; the particular topological map used in this paper is the generalized Voronoi graph (GVG), which also encodes some metric information about the robot's environment, as well. In this paper, we present the low-level control laws that generate the GVG edges and nodes, thereby allowing for exploration of an unknown space. With these prescribed control laws, the GVG can be viewed as an arbitrator for a hybrid control system that determines when to invoke a particular low-level controller from a set of controllers all working toward the high-level capability of mobile robot exploration. The main contribution, however, is using the graph structure of the GVG, via a graph matching process, to localize the robot. Experimental results verify the described work.
The Eshelby Tensors in a Finite Spherical Domain—Part II: Applications to Homogenization

In this part of the work, the Eshelby tensors of a finite spherical domain are applied to various homogenization procedures estimating the effective material properties of multiphase composites. The Eshelby tensors of a finite domain can capture the boundary effect of a representative volume element as well as the size effect of the different phases. Therefore their application to homogenization does not only improve the accuracy of classical homogenization methods, but also leads to some novel homogenization theories. This paper highlights a few of them: a refined dilute suspension method and a modified Mori-Tanaka method, the exterior eigenstrain method, the dual-eigenstrain method, which is a generalized self-consistency method, a shell model, and new variational bounds depending on the different boundary conditions. To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first time that a multishell model is used to evaluate the Hashin-Shtrikman bounds for a multiple phase composite (n≥3), which can distinguish some of the subtleties of different microstructures.
Bacterial adherence to vascular prostheses: A determinant of graft infectivity

An in vitro model was developed to quantitatively measure bacterial adherence to the surface of prosthetic vascular graft material. Four strains of bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus, nonmucin-producing S. epidermidis [SP-2], mucin-producing S. epidermidis [RP-12], and Escherichia coli) were used to inoculate expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE), woven Dacron, and velour knitted Dacron graft material. After graft specimens were incubated in a 10(7) suspension of bacteria, they were washed to remove nonadherent organisms and ultrasonically oscillated to dislodge adherent organisms. Quantitative culture of the sonication effluent was used to calculate bacterial adherence, expressed as the number of colony-forming units found in each square centimeter of graft material per 10(7) inoculum. All bacterial strains had a greater affinity to velour knitted Dacron graft than to ePTFE (p less than 0.025). E. coli and S. aureus adhered to velour knitted Dacron in greater numbers than to woven Dacron (p less than 0.04). The production of extracellular polysaccharide (mucin) by the RP-12 strain significantly increased adherence to both EPTFE and Dacron grafts compared with the other three bacterial strains tested (p less than 0.04). Although E. coli was less adherent to ePTFE than nonmucin-producing staphylococcal strains (S. aureus and SP-2), no difference in adherence to knitted or woven Dacron graft material was demonstrated. The differential adherence of bacteria to prosthetic vascular grafts pays an important role in the pathogenesis of graft sepsis and determines relative graft infectivity. The in vitro model developed is well suited for further study of the mechanisms by which bacteria adhere to and colonize vascular grafts.
“I’m a Storyteller!” Exploring the Benefits of TimeSlips Creative Expression Program at a Nursing Home

Background: TimeSlips creative storytelling program is beneficial for persons with dementia and caregivers, but no studies have qualitatively explored participant experience. Methods: Ten residents in a skilled nursing care unit participated in 2-hour-long TimeSlips sessions per week, for 6 weeks. Semistructured interviews of participants and staff members were conducted to elicit perceptions of TimeSlips. Thematic analysis was used to evaluate qualitative data. Results: There were specific benefits for residents (increased creativity, improved quality of life, positively altered behavior, and involvement in meaningful activity), staff members (learning new practices, developing a deeper understanding of residents, involvement in meaningful activity, and thinking creatively around programmatic challenges), and the nursing home community (nurturing relationships and improved atmo- sphere). Conclusion: Involvement in TimeSlips can engender benefits for residents, staff, and nursing home communities. Future research is needed to quantitatively assess whether the benefits noted in this study can longitudinally improve quality and lower cost of long-term care.
A Semi-parametric Bayesian Approach for Differential Expression Analysis of RNA-seq Data

RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) technologies have revolutionized the way that agricultural biologists study gene expression as well as generated a tremendous amount of data waiting for analysis. Detecting differentially expressed genes is one of the fundamental steps in RNA-seq data analysis. In this paper, we model the count data from RNA-seq experiments with a Poisson–Gamma hierarchical model, or equivalently, a negative binomial model. We derive a semi-parametric Bayesian approach with a Dirichlet process as the prior model for the distribution of fold changes between the two treatment means. An inference strategy using Gibbs algorithm is developed for differential expression analysis. The results of several simulation studies show that our proposed method outperforms other methods including the popularly applied edgeR and DESeq methods. We also discuss an application of our method to a dataset that compares gene expression between bundle sheath and mesophyll cells in maize leaves. Supplementary materials accompanying this paper appear online.
Use of Cross Species Genomic Profiling Identifies Pathways and Genes Differentially Regulated in Prostate Cancer Cells Treated with Soy Protein Isolates or Purified Genistein

Background: The main purified compound from soy protein isolates is genistein, but this purified phytoestrogen fails to recapitulate all the features of the soy-based diet that is associated with lower incidence of prostate cancer. Materials and Methods: Rat and human prostate cancer cell lines were treated with either soy protein isolates or purified genistein. In vitro cell growth was correlated with the associated genomic expression profiles using cDNA arrays. The data was subsequently bioinformatically analyzed within and across species to identify common changes in expression profiles associated with the soy protein or genistein treatments. Results: Gene expression profiling and data mining noted genes specific to soy; however, biological pathways showed the same gene regulation profiles between genistein and soy. Conclusion: Genistein is likely the major contributor to the effect of soy proteins on cellular pathways; however, the expression of different genes using soy protein isolates suggests complexity in the many compounds found in whole soy protein.
Interfraction changes in the brain during radiation therapy

Our study population consisted of 63 patients with brain tumours treated using image-guided radiation therapy (IGRT). Cranial IGRT corrections were expected to be small, but it was found that interfraction changes occured in a sizable proportion of these cranial radiation therapy patients. Such changes affect clinical target volume coverage and critical structure avoidance.
Getting Started on a Real-World Challenge Problem in Computational Game Theory and Beyond

The goal of this paper is to introduce a real-world challenge problem for researchers in multiagent systems and beyond, where our collective efforts may have a significant impact on activities in the real-world. The challenge is in applying game theory for security: Our goal is not only to introduce the problem, but also to provide exemplars of initial successes of deployed systems in this challenge problem arena, some key open research challenges and pointers to getting started in this research.
Market-Oriented Management Systems: The Current Status:

Current literature is of little value in determining the nature and extent of system support being provided to marketing executives in major companies in the United States. This article describes t...
A New Way to Characterize the Fracture Network using Seismic Velocity Volumes

SUMMARY Monitoring the change in velocity models for series of equivalent time periods may help determine the evolution of fracture network growth. The 2005 and 2010 compressional (P) and shear (S) wave seismic velocity volumes, provided by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory at The Geysers geothermal field, were fed into the workflow presented in this article to monitor changes in the reservoir. We derived various properties of the reservoir by integrating these volumes and available lithology logs. We implemented geostatistical tools such as kriging to enhance the resolution of velocity volumes as well as creating 3D density volume from lithology logs. This study points out the changes in the reservoir properties during steam production. We discuss the stress variation and rock properties within the normal temperature reservoir(NTR) where most wells have steam entries. For each year, the associated average daily production and injection rates were plotted to assist in correlation of the fluid movement with derived volumes. This analysis has allowed determination of regions with potentially higher fracture densities and may provide better understanding of the effects of water injection on reservoir properties. Results from studies within the overall framework of the workflow may help operators to optimize injection schemes, improve the production profiles and locate potential zones of interest for future development.
Verification and validation of expert systems

by Burton K. Smith and Keith E. Morris Rockwell International Space Transportation Systems Division 12114 Lakewood Boulevard Downey, California 90241 This paper investigates expert systems (ES) verification and validation (V&V) issues and their applicability to and affect on the development and production of operational ES software. V&V terminology, the role of prototyping, the importance of requirements, and the translation of requirements to design and design to code are first developed. Next, V&V, performance evaluation, and similarities and differences between ES and conventional software are identified and discussed. This is followed by a discussion of ES standards and tools and concludes with practical recommendations for V&V of deliverable ES.
Trends Towards Outcomes, Accountable Care, and Value-Based Purchasing

Transformation of the US health-care system and payment models was inevitable. In 2013, US health-care spending reached $2.9 trillion annually, approaching 18 % of the gross domestic product. Prior to passage of the Affordable Care Act, it was widely acknowledged that the Medicare Trust fund would enter deficit spending by approximately 2017. At the same time, there was growing consumer recognition that the costs of health insurance and the amount of out-of-pocket co-pays and deductible payments were outpacing rates of wage growth. The ever-increasing expenditures on health care in the US were not sustainable and reports from the Institute of Medicine (http://resources.iom.edu/widgets/vsrt/healthcare-waste.html) highlighted that up to 30 % of health-care spending is wasted on things such as unnecessary clinical services, excessive administrative costs, inefficiently delivered services, prices that are too high, fraud, and missed prevention opportunities.
Analysis of drinking water detection results in suburban district of Yangquan

Objective:To analyze the test results of drinking water quality in the past five years and discuss the related factors,to further understand the health condition of drinking water in this area.Methods:The detection data were analyzed according to " Standard examination method for drinking water"(GB/ T5750-2006).Results:Two hundred and forty-one samples were eligible of the 532 drinking water samples(45.30%).The main over-limit items were the total hardness,sulfate,total soluble solid,total bacterial count,coliform bacteria,heat-resistant coliform bacteria.Conclusion:The drinking water quality is greatly influenced by natural factors in this area.It is necessary to improve the health situation of the environment to increase the qualified rate of drinking water quality.
Fertilization Experiment of Pinus kesiya var.langbianensis Young Plantation by Utilizing "3414" Experiment Design

Choosing the young plantation of Pinus kesiya var.langbianensis in Jinggu county as study target,the fertilization experiment with the different combination of N,P and K was conducted in August 2007 by using "3414" experiment design.The results indicated that the site condition had considerable effect on growth of young plantation,the fertilization should be established on the basis of different site conditions.The recommended fertilizer formula for the land with the site index of 12 was nitrogen fertilizer of 50 g + phosphorus fertilizer of 150 g + potassium fertilizer of 80 g;and that for the land of site index 14 and site index 18 were nitrogen fertilizer of 100 g + phosphorus fertilizer of 75 g + potassium fertilizer of 80 g,and nitrogen fertilizer of 100 g + phosphorus fertilizer of 150 g + potassium fertilizer of 80 g respectively.
Evaluation of ventricular function in infants and children.

The present methods of direct evaluation of ventricular function can be divided into two general categories: those which attempt to assess ventricular performance in terms of the heart’s pumping characteristics, and those which analyze cardiac function in terms of basic muscle mechanics. These two methods are discussed separately, and data are presented to illustrate their usefulness in clinically evaluating individual patients.
Initial Treatment of Adult Patients With Essential Hypertension

The stepped-care approach to the treatment of hypertension suggests the use of a diuretic or, in some cases, a beta blocker as initial monotherapy. If either of these agents proves to be ineffective, the other can be tried as monotherapy. Stepped-care suggests the use of different classes of drugs that affect different mechanisms related to hypertension at various stages of treatment. Although empiric, the concept makes good physiologic sense. Results of its use in major clinical trials, as well as an extensive private practice experience, suggest that in a large majority of patients, hypertensive can be controlled with relatively little expense, few titration problems and a high rate of adherence. Advocates of individualization of care, or sequential monotherapy, base their suggestion on theory, but widespread use of this approach would make management more complex and more expensive, and would probably decrease adherence to long-term treatment. Stepped-care treatment allows for adequate individualization and a wide choice of drugs, and should continue to be employed unless data are obtained that demonstrate a better outcome with sequential monotherapy or other more complex approaches.
Precise Characterization and 3-Dimensional Reconstruction of the Autonomic Nerve Distribution of the Human Ureter

Purpose: We sought to characterize and 3-dimensionally reconstruct the distribution of the autonomic innervation of the human ureter.Materials and Methods: Three male and 3 female pairs of ureters were evaluated at 2 mm serial transverse sections along the entire length of the ureter. The location of nerve tissue was immunohistochemically identified using the neuronal marker, S100 protein. ImageJ software was used to calculate nerve count and density in the adventitia and smooth muscle. Blender® graphics software was used to create a 3-dimensional reconstruction of autonomic nerve distribution.Results: Within the adventitia nerve density was highest in the mid and distal ureter (females 2.87 and 2.71 nerves per mm2, and males 1.68 and 1.69 nerves per mm2) relative to the proximal ureter (females and males 1.94 and 1.22 nerves per mm2, respectively, p >0.0005). Females had significantly higher nerve density throughout the adventitia, especially in the distal ureter (2.87 vs 1.68 nerves per mm2, p <0.0005)....
Large, connected floodplain forests prone to flooding best sustain plant diversity.

Dams, levees, and water withdrawals disrupt hydrologic regimes and associated floodplain forests. Because these forests are also responding to changes in land use, species invasions, and climate change, their relative influences are hard to disentangle, limiting our ability to effectively intervene. Often lacking historic data, most studies of floodplain forests rely on short-term datasets or modern spatial relationships with predicted drivers to infer causes of vegetation dynamics. Here, we used survey data from the 1950s to reconstruct plant community changes across 40 floodplain forests in Wisconsin. We applied two partial least squares regression (PLS) models to evaluate how current site and landscape scale conditions and changes in these conditions since the 1950s influence contemporary patterns of community diversity and composition. Local site variables were among the most important in explaining current composition metrics and their changes, but historic landscape variables and changes in these were also important. Current local diversity (α) was the highest at sites prone to frequent flooding, even at sites in fragmented landscapes. Sites along sinuous rivers in large watershed areas with more contiguous forest had the highest abundance of wetland indicator plants in the re-survey and had the largest increases in α diversity since the 1950s, despite having the highest presence of exotic species then. These same sites have converged in composition, reflecting increases in wetland indicator plants and common native species. These patterns of increasing α diversity coupled with declines in community distinctiveness are uncommon among long-term studies. Increases in wetland plants may indicate that sites have become wetter with hydrologic changes, but these increases may also reflect improved colonization and establishment processes involving a robust regional pool of generalist wetland taxa. Woody and exotic plants more typical of upland forests have increased among rarely flooded sites in fragmented and urbanizing landscapes, indicating a shift towards a later-successional status and dampened disturbance regime. This has reduced local species diversity and increased regional distinctness at some sites. As hydrologic connections appear to best maintain native species diversity and composition, even in fragmented landscapes, managers should seek to recreate these whenever feasible. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
In vitro evaluation of mechanically detachable coils

This study was designed to evaluate the physical characteristics of mechanically detachable coils constructed of platinum, tantalum, and nitinol. Four physical characteristics of the coils were assessed: pliability of stiffness, shape memory, friction generated by introduction through a microcatheter, and stability following placement. Although we demonstrated that stiffer metals (tantalum > platinum > nitinol) exert greater frictional forces within the catheter and a greater resistive force during bending, we also demonstrated that they are more stable following placement.
Detecting Impact Craters in Planetary Images Using Machine Learning

Prompted by crater counts as the only available tool for measuring remotely the relative ages of geologic formations on planets, advances in remote sensing have produced a very large database of high resolution planetary images, opening up an opportunity to survey much more numerous small craters improving the spatial and temporal resolution of stratigraphy. Automating the process of crater detection is key to generate comprehensive surveys of smaller craters. Here we discuss two supervised machine learning techniques for crater detection algorithms (CDA): identification of craters from digital elevation models (also known as range images), and identification of craters from panchromatic images. We present applications of both techniques and demonstrate how such automated analysis has produced new knowledge about planet Mars.
The Clash of Economic Ideas: Postwar British Socialism and the Fabian Society

When Clement Attlee led the British Labour Party into the 1945 general election against Winston Churchill and the Conservatives, the controversial Harold Laski was serving as the Party’s chairman. Laski was a political scientist at the London School of Economics– his office close to F. A. Hayek’s– and a leading socialist intellectual. When a series of newspaper stories reported Laski’s seemingly favorable statements about the Soviet economic system and Stalin’s government, Attlee was not pleased. After winning the election by a wide margin, Prime Minister Atlee informed reporters that he, not Professor Laski, would be in charge of policy making. The New York Times duly ran a story with the droll headline: “Britain Not Run by Intellectuals.” Professor Laski, after the election was over, sued the popular British newspaper The Daily Express , charging that its stories had libelously accused him of advocating violent revolution. During the trial Laski had to spend several hours in the witness box interpreting his own speeches and academic prose as the newspaper’s barrister confronted him with statement after statement that did, on its face, seem to favor such a revolution. Instructed by the judge that they could interpret Laski’s words according to their ordinary meanings, the jury found that Professor Laski had not in fact been libeled.
Lee, Shelton J. (Spike)

Born: March 20, 1957, Atlanta, GA Education: Morehouse College, B.A., 1979; New York University, M.F.A., 1983 Noted independent filmmaker, Lee came of age during the civil rights–Black Power era in Brooklyn, New York. Like his grandfather and father, he finished Morehouse College and was knowledgeable in African American history and culture. During the 1980s hip-hop and rap music rage, he began producing black genre films. Lee's subjects include drugs and sex among blacks as well as racial freedom and violent conflict. She's Gotta Have It (1986) depicts a woman who is sexually adventurous, dates three men, and rationalizes her behavior as independence. School Daze (1988) shows rivalry between Greek and non-Greek students, reflecting skin-tone and hair-texture divisions, at a southern black college. Do the Right Thing (1989) traces rising tensions between an Italian pizzeria and poor blacks that explode in rioting, a black fatality, and the pizzeria's destruction. Malcolm X (1992), perhaps his best film, cost $34 million. Denzel Washington, who plays Malcolm, was an Academy Award nominee. By the end of 1994 Malcolm X had earned $48 million. Four Little Girls (1998) presents their church bomb deaths, premiered on Home Box Office, and received an Academy nomination. The owner of 40 Acres and a Mule Filmworks, Lee also produces musical videos, television specials, and commercials.
Financial Imbalance, Gender Roles, and Conflict among Male-Male Couples

While the influence of socioeconomic status and financial balance on conflict in female-male relationships has been widely examined, less is known about these phenomena in male-male relationships. This study consists of qualitative individual in-depth interviews with 20 self-identified gay/bisexual men to examine perceptions of financial roles within relationships, and the influence on relationship control and conflict. For some participants, financial roles were static, while others experienced dynamic roles across and within relationships. Some participants characterised financial imbalance using gendered constructs, ascribing masculine and feminine terms to financial roles. Overall, financial inequalities resulted in perception of power imbalance and conflict.
Finding all possiblea priori mechanisms for a given type of overall reaction

The method, presented for finding all thea priori possible mechanisms of a certain number of steps for a given type of overall reaction, is applied to finding the possible two-step mechanisms for: overall reactions of the type of molecular rearrangements, and of the type of molecular associations. Many examples from organic, physical or biochemistry are given such as mutarotation of glucose, Henry-Michaelis-Menten enzyme mechanism, rearrangements of halogenoamines, hydration of epoxides, etc. The approach provides a systematics for otherwise diverse mechanisms.
Increased stability of CuZrAl metallic glasses prepared by physical vapor deposition

Abstract We carried out molecular dynamics simulations (MD) using realistic empirical potentials for the vapor deposition (VD) of CuZrAl glasses. VD glasses have higher densities and lower potential and inherent structure energies than the melt-quenched glasses for the same alloys. The optimal substrate temperature for the deposition process is 0.625 × Tg. In VD metallic glasses (MGs), the total number of icosahedral like clusters is higher than in the melt-quenched MGs. Surprisingly, the VD glasses have a lower degree of chemical mixing than the melt-quenched glasses. The reason for it is that the melt-quenched MGs can be viewed as frozen liquids, which means that their chemical order is the same as in the liquid state. In contrast, during the formation of the VD MGs, the absence of the liquid state results in the creation of a different chemical order with more Zr-Zr homonuclear bonds compared with the melt-quenched MGs. In order to obtain MGs from melt-quench technique with similarly low energies as in the VD process, the cooling rate during quenching would have to be many orders of magnitude lower than currently accessible to MD simulations. The method proposed in this manuscript is a more efficient way to create MGs by using MD simulations.