cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Softly Unbiased Prediction Part 2: The Random Effects Model

At the First Hotine-Marussi Symposion, this author compared varieous methods to pretict the sate vector” within a Random Effects Model ineluding inhomBLIP (”lesst-squar” collocation”), homI3LIP and horn- BLUP (”robust collocation”); see (1986). The term ”robust” refers to the specific restance of homBLUP against scale errore In the prior infonnation. The case of resistance against multiple scale errors was later discussed in tvo popers by 8. Sehaf-frin/B, Middd tl989; 1991) related to terrestrial gravity field studies.
Detection of Vitamin D and Its Major Metabolites

The field of vitamin D assay technology has progressed significantly over the past four decades. Further, the clinical utility of these measurements has moved from esoteric into mainstream clinical diagnosis. This movement has been fueled by the realization that vitamin D is involved in bodily systems beyond skeletal integrity. The clinical assay techniques for circulating 25(OH)D and 1,25(OH) 2 D have progressed away from competitive protein-binding assays (CPBAs) that utilize tritium reporters to radioimmunoassays (RIAs) that utilize both I 125 and chemiluminescent reporters. These advances have allowed direct serum analysis of 25(OH)D in an automated format that provides a huge sample throughput. Detection of circulating 25(OH)D can also be achieved utilizing direct high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) or liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (LC-MS) techniques. These methods are accurate, however, they require expensive equipment and restrict sample throughput in the large clinical laboratory. Direct serum detection of 1,25(OH) 2 D is unlikely to occur for many reasons as a sample prepurification will always be required. These advances will allow 25(OH)D to be detected in an accurate, rapid fashion to meet the clinical demands emerging.
Reactive and Neoplastic Lymphoid Lesions

Involvement of the gastrointestinal tract by malignant lymphoma is a common phenomenon judging from autopsy series. Two large autopsy series, which used the older classification, reported 40 to 82% of reticulum cell sarcomas, 42 to 52% of lymphosarcomas, and 13 to 20% of cases of Hodgkin’s disease to have at least microscopic evidence of gastrointestinal involvement at the time of death.1,2 The lower figures are from a series in which only stomach involvement was considered.1 Most such involvement was late in the disease and often incidental.
The Possible Consequences of Bank Entry into the Real Estate Brokerage Market: What the Research Tells Us

This article examines the extant literature on real estate brokerage to identify and assess the possible consequences of allowing financial holding companies and financial subsidiaries of national ...
Indications for Rib Fixation

There are no clear, absolute, and universally accepted indications or contraindications for operative rib fixation. Furthermore, although the majority of experts believe patients benefit most from early operative fixation, there is no consensus agreement regarding optimal timing of surgery. The most common and well-accepted indication for operative rib fixation is the presence of a flail chest segment in a patient on mechanical ventilation with no underlying pulmonary contusion. This indication is in concordance with the clinical practice guidelines issued by the Eastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma. Additional relative indications supported by the literature and recommended by experts in the field include severe chest wall deformity, symptomatic rib fracture nonunion, acute pulmonary herniation, failure to wean from mechanical ventilation or poor pulmonary mechanics in a patient with severe chest wall trauma, need for acute or chronic pain/symptom control, and thoracotomy for another reason. Surgeons should take into consideration possible contraindications for operative repair including the location of rib fractures and presence of either pulmonary contusion or traumatic brain injury.
Mn porphyrin/ascorbate sensitizes serous epithelial ovarian cancer to chemotherapy

Ovarian cancer is the most lethal gynecologic malignancy. Even with aggressive frontline treatment, the majority of patients with advanced disease will develop a recurrence within the first 3 years and ultimately die of disease. Serous epithelial ovarian cancers [high-grade serous ovarian cancers(HGSC) and low-grade serous ovarian cancers(LGSC)] are especially challenging to treat due to primary and/or secondary chemoresistance that ultimately result in death. Oxidative stress plays important role in the carcinogenesis, cancer progression and metastases. Mn porphyrin(MnP)-based SOD mimics, when combined with ascorbate (Asc) and/or radiation (RT), largely suppress 4T1 mouse breast tumor growth through MnP-catalyzed H2O2/GSH-mediated oxidative modification of signaling proteins, with NF-kB/TAB3/p38MAPK/p38α(MAPK14)/HSP60 as a key S-glutathionylated network. Here we extended our studies of MnP/Asc tumor therapy to ovarian tumor. Genomic RNA microarray data from HGSC patients point to the key role of Bcl-2, which is transcriptionally regulated by NF-kB. Bcl-2 was downregulated by MnP/RT in our mouse glioma study. Bcl2 was overexpressed in HGSC specimens from women with shorter survival. We tested here MnTnBuOE-2-PyP5+(BMX-001) which is presently in 3 clinical trials as a normal tissue radioprotector. We used LGSC cell line HOC7 and HGSC cell line Caov2. Caov2 harbors a p53 mutation, characteristic of the genetic profile of HGSCs. Caov2 also has a high taxane- (paclitaxel and docetaxel) and moderate platinum resistance. Combination of BMX-001/Asc, with either chemotherapy (carboplatin or paclitaxel) resulted in a complete loss of HOC7 cell viability. 25% and 40% reduction in Coav2 cell viability was seen when BMX-001/Asc was combined with carboplatin or paclitaxel, respectively. BMX-001 was 1 µM and Asc 0.5 mM. Carboplatin and paclitaxel concentrations were 5.4 µM, and 1.8 nM. Our data point to the clinical potential of MnP/Asc system on suppression of ovarian tumor growth. Work was supported by Charles B. Hammond Grant, NC Biotechnology grant 2016-BIG-6518 and philanthropic funds.
#OurChangingClimate: Building Networks of Community Resilience Through Social Media and Design

#OurChangingClimate incorporates social media tools into a public practice design project that examines climate change as a place-based and everyday experience. Based on the pilot stage of the proj...
Understanding specimen- and grain-size effects on nanoscale plastic deformation mechanisms and mechanical properties of polycrystalline yttria-stabilized tetragonal zirconia nanopillars

Abstract Specimen- and grain-size effects on nanoscale plastic deformation mechanisms and mechanical properties of polycrystalline yttria-stabilized tetragonal zirconia (YSTZ) nanopillars are studied by molecular dynamics simulations. Through uniaxial compression of YSTZ columnar nanopillars, intergranular and transgranular deformation mechanisms are investigated. Cooperative intergranular deformations including grain boundary sliding and migration, grain rotation, and amorphous phase formation at grain boundaries are revealed. Results also reveal formation of partial dislocations, which act as splitters of large grains and play a significant role in facilitating the rotation of grains, and consequently promote amorphous-to-crystalline phase transition in-between neighboring grains. An increase in free surface-to-volume ratio is found to be responsible for specimen size-induced softening phenomenon, where a decrease in Young's modulus and strength is observed when the specimen width decreases from 30 nm to 10 nm. Also, a decrease in Young's modulus and strength is revealed with the decrease of average grain size from 15 nm to 5 nm. Grain boundary density is identified to be responsible for the observed grain size-induced softening behavior in polycrystalline YSTZ nanopillars. A transition in dominant deformation mechanism is observed from amorphous phase formation at grain boundaries to a competition between intergranular grain boundary sliding and transgranular phase transformation. Furthermore, an inverse Hall-Petch relationship is revealed describing the correlation between grain size and strength for polycrystalline YSTZ nanopillars with grain sizes below 15 nm.
7-methylation of chenodeoxycholic acid derivatives yields a substantial increase in TGR5 receptor potency

TGR5 agonists are potential therapeutics for a variety of conditions including type 2 diabetes, obesity, and inflammatory bowel disease. After screening a library of chenodeoxycholic acid (CDCA) derivatives, it was determined that a range of modifications could be made to the acid moiety of CDCA which significantly increased TGR5 agonist potency. Surprisingly, methylation of the 7-hydroxyl of CDCA led to a further dramatic increase in potency, allowing the identification of 5.6 nM TGR5 agonist 17.
Total intravenous anaesthesia versus inhaled anaesthesia for endoscopic sinus surgery: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Background Total intravenous anaesthesia (TIVA) with propofol, compared to inhaled anaesthesia (IA), has been proposed to reduce bleeding and improve surgical field quality during endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS), but prior meta-analyses have not been conclusive. We performed an updated meta-analysis to determine the benefit of TIVA versus IA during ESS. Methodology PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library were searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing TIVA versus IA. Demographic and outcome data were extracted from articles meeting selection criteria and analysed. Results We included 12 RCTs for a total of 560 patients. Preoperative characteristics were similar between the two groups. Compared to IA, TIVA improved surgical visibility, estimated blood loss (EBL), and operative time. In a subgroup analysis with remifentanil as the short-acting opioid, TIVA improved surgical visibility, EBL, and operative time. These benefits were not seen with fentanyl as the short-acting opioid. Conclusions TIVA with propofol, in comparison to IA, may improve surgical field quality, reduce blood loss, and decrease operative time for ESS. Remifentanil is the preferred short-acting opioid for TIVA in ESS.
Improved computer-aided detection of pulmonary nodules via deep learning in the sinogram domain

Computer aided detection (CADe) of pulmonary nodules plays an important role in assisting radiologists’ diagnosis and alleviating interpretation burden for lung cancer. Current CADe systems, aiming at simulating radiologists’ examination procedure, are built upon computer tomography (CT) images with feature extraction for detection and diagnosis. Human visual perception in CT image is reconstructed from sinogram, which is the original raw data acquired from CT scanner. In this work, different from the conventional image based CADe system, we propose a novel sinogram based CADe system in which the full projection information is used to explore additional effective features of nodules in the sinogram domain. Facing the challenges of limited research in this concept and unknown effective features in the sinogram domain, we design a new CADe system that utilizes the self-learning power of the convolutional neural network to learn and extract effective features from sinogram. The proposed system was validated on 208 patient cases from the publicly available online Lung Image Database Consortium database, with each case having at least one juxtapleural nodule annotation. Experimental results demonstrated that our proposed method obtained a value of 0.91 of the area under the curve (AUC) of receiver operating characteristic based on sinogram alone, comparing to 0.89 based on CT image alone. Moreover, a combination of sinogram and CT image could further improve the value of AUC to 0.92. This study indicates that pulmonary nodule detection in the sinogram domain is feasible with deep learning.
PRO: Patients With Chronic Hepatitis B in Immune-Tolerant Phase Should Be Treated

Young adults with IT‐CHB (high viral load and normal liver enzymes) may have underlying hepatic inflammation, fibrosis, or both. Young adults with CHB are also at risk for development of HCC as early as age 30 years, suggesting that the process of development of HCC begins in the IT‐CHB phase. Patients with IT‐CHB seem to have a similar T cell cytokine profile, HBV DNA integration, and clonal expansion of altered hepatocytes as compared with IA‐CHB, suggesting that the IT‐CHB phase may not be a benign phase and may lead to the evolution of cirrhosis and HCC. Newer antiviral agents effectively suppress HBV DNA in patients with IT‐CHB with minimal drug resistance, and thus may decrease the development of cirrhosis and HCC. In conclusion, patients with IT‐CHB should be considered for treatment with antiviral therapy. This is likely to improve the overall treatment rates for CHB worldwide and decrease the risk for development of cirrhosis and HCC. Treat IT‐HBV; fight against HBV‐HCC.
Development of an automated compressor performance mapping using artificial neural network and multiple compressor technologies

Abstract In the last decades, several technological improvements to positive displacement compressors have been developed and introduced into market. During the process of implementing new compressor technologies, high-accuracy numerical models are essential to predict the performance at both component and system levels. ANSI/AHRI Standard 540 10-coefficient cubic polynomial model is still the industry-standard compressor mapping approach despite the well documented limitations. In order to generate accurate compressor maps by using the 10-coefficient cubic polynomial models, compressor manufacturers are required to obtain, in some cases, more than 20 compressor-calorimeter data points depending on the compressor type and operating envelope. This paper attempts to address the need for more generalized and versatile compressor mapping methodologies as well as to reduce the time-consuming and expensive compressor calorimeter testing. To this end, an automated compressor performance mapping approach based on artificial neural network (ANN) is proposed to identify the compressor operating envelope and map the performance of any positive displacement compressors for HVAC&R applications with minimum number of data points. In addition, the paper also aims at demonstrating the feasibility and reliability of the proposed automated compressor performance mapping approach for training the ANN models in comparison to conventional 10-coefficient cubic polynomial maps. Three different compressor types, i.e. reciprocating, scroll, and rotary rolling piston, have been considered as test cases.
Modeling the Efficacy of Natalizumab in Multiple Sclerosis Patients Who Switch From Every-4-Week Dosing to Extended-Interval Dosing

Natalizumab is approved for multiple sclerosis treatment at a dose of 300 mg every 4 weeks. Extended-interval dosing of natalizumab has been proposed as a strategy to mitigate the risk of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy, but the efficacy of extended-interval dosing is not established. Previous models suggesting lower efficacy when initiating natalizumab treatment with extended-interval dosing rather than every-4-week dosing are inconsistent with reports from clinical observations and real-world studies conducted in patient populations switching to extended-interval dosing after a period of receiving natalizumab every 4 weeks. Here, the efficacy of natalizumab extended-interval dosing was modeled specifically in patients switching from every-4-week dosing to extended-interval dosing. Published population pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic models were used to simulate the distribution of alpha-4 integrin saturations for different body weight categories and dosing intervals (every 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, or 12 weeks). Generalized estimating equations relating alpha-4 integrin saturation to probability of multiple sclerosis lesion or relapse were derived from RESTORE trial data, which included patients (n = 175) who discontinued natalizumab after being treated every 4 weeks for ≥1 year and had no relapses in the year before discontinuation. The model-based simulations described indicate that every-5-week or every-6-week dosing is likely to maintain the efficacy of natalizumab, particularly at body weights <80 kg, in patients who switch after a period of stability on every-4-week dosing. The efficacy of natalizumab decreases as dosing intervals and body weight increase. Partial model validation was achieved in that observed outcomes in an independent clinical study were similar to those predicted by the models.
Facilitating and Interpreting High School Students’ Identity Exploration Trajectories in STEM

This research project applied Projective Reflection (PR) as a theoretical and methodological framework to facilitate learning as identity exploration. PR was used to iteratively design and implemen...
Discovery of 16.6 and 25.5 s Pulsations from the Small Magellanic Cloud

We report the serendipitous detection of two previously unreported pulsars from the direction of the Small Magellanic Cloud, with periods of 16.6 and 25.5 seconds. The detections are based on archival PCA data from the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer (RXTE). The observation leading to these detections occurred in September 2000 extending over 2.1 days with an exposure of 121 ks. A possible identification of the 16.6 s pulsar with an X-ray source RX J0051.8-7310 seen by both ROSAT and ASCA imaging X-ray satellites is presented.
Associations between accessibility to health care service, social support, and Korean Americans' mental health status amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Background While previous studies have examined the relationships between social support and health care accessibility among ethnic minority populations, studies on Korean Americans remain scarce. Therefore, this study aims to assess the relationship between Korean Americans' mental health, accessibility to health care, and how they perceive the level of social support during the COVID-19 pandemic. Method/result We distributed online surveys to Korean Americans from May 24, 2020, to June 14, 2020, generating 790 responses from participants residing in 42 states. Binary Logistic and Ordinary Least Square regression analyses revealed that poor mental health was associated with language barriers inhibiting Korean Americans' access to COVID-19-related information. Their perceived social support from family members and close friends was positively associated with mental health. Conclusion Our findings recommend that equipping community health care services with translators or interpreters is necessary. Additionally, health practitioners and staff should be trained to utilize telehealth tools to effectively treat individuals with mental health problems. American policymakers and health care professionals need to understand and address the unique hardships Korean Americans experience amid COVID-19.
Guidelines for psychological practice for people with low-income and economic marginalization: Executive summary.

This is a summary of the guidelines for working with low-income and economically marginalized (LIEM) people developed by the American Psychological Association (APA) task force and approved by the APA Council of Representatives. The task force, consisting of psychologists from a range of psychological specialties and both practice and educational settings, created guidelines in four main categories: Education and Training, Health Disparities, Treatment Considerations, and Career Concerns and Unemployment. Each category includes specific guidelines and recommended interventions. Further, the task force identified two major assumptions that cut across all of the recommendations: (1) The intersection of economic status and other identities is critical to psychological and other aspects of health, and (2) biases and stigma exacerbate the negative experiences of living with LIEM, and must be acknowledged and confronted by psychologists and trainees. Many of the guidelines and corollary interventions reinforce the need for psychologists and trainees to engage in activities that increase their own self-awareness and knowledge of issues and concerns that are exacerbated by economic marginalization, as well as challenge their own implicit and explicit biases related to social class and poverty. The impact of economic marginalization on education, health, and career attainment are addressed, and adaptations to psychological interventions are recommended. The task force concludes with a call to engage psychologists in action that seeks and promotes economic justice. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).
Organization of biological systems: some principles and models.

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses some of the key principles that may be involved in the construction of biological units from basic components and presents a set of examples in which the processes of biological organization can be modeled and simulated using these principles. The first example deals with the folding of polypeptide chains to form globular protein molecules. The chapter explores the hypothesis that the broad features of the tertiary structure of a protein may be determined by simple distance constraints that can be deduced from the proteins' amino acid sequence or primary structure. The underlying idea is that it may not be necessary to take into account all of the intricate molecular interactions occurring in a polypeptide chain to predict its three-dimensional structure. The second example considers a thermodynamic model showing how protein molecules may combine to form stable aggregates. The emphasis is on determining the mechanism that enables protein molecules to combine in a highly selective way to produce genetically predetermined structures.
Deficient activity of DPNH-dependent methemoglobin diaphorase in cord blood erythrocytes.

Activity of DPNH-dependent methemoglobin diaphorase was measured in the erythrocytes obtained from 54 cord bloods and 54 adult controls. There was a significantly lower mean level for this enzyme in the cord bloods and the defect was occasionally severe. Mean diaphorase values of smaller infants was less than that of larger infants, suggesting a greater degree of metabolic immaturity in the former group, even in the absence of prematurity. This transient deficiency of methemoglobin diaphorase is probably a major cause for the increased susceptibility of young infants to the development of acquired methemoglobinemia.
Laboratory Modeling of Internal Wave Generation in Straits

Abstract : The long term research goal of this project is to develop a clear picture of the key processes involved in internal tide generation at the Luzon Strait through the use of laboratory experimentation supported by analytical modeling, and thereby assist the predictive capability for large amplitude solitary waves in the South China Sea. The objective is to design and execute the necessary laboratory experiments in appropriate dynamic regimes. To use this to clearly determine the big picture regarding internal tide generation at the Luzon Strait. To share these results with researchers performing numerical simulations and field studies and support the interpretation of their data sets. The primary approach is to perform a large scale laboratory experiment at the Coriolis platform in Grenoble, France, in which a realistic model of the topography is used and care is taken so that the key geometrical and dynamical parameters in the experiment are consistent with those of the ocean. The internal wave fields generated in the laboratory are studied using a variety of experimental techniques, in particular Particle Image Velocimetry to obtain velocity field data. The data from these experiments is processed and visualized in a variety of ways in order to explain the observed wave dynamics. The experiments were performed in Fall 2010, producing a vast amount of data. Experiments were run for a wide range of forcing amplitudes, single and multiple forcing frequencies, and stratifications. Since then, the PIV data sets for these experiments have been processed to obtain velocity field data for all the key experiments, and further processing of this data has been used to generate our results.
Photosynthetic Pigments in Marine Algae and Bacteria

Biochemistry of Pigments in Algae and Bacteria Methods for Identification and Quantification of Pigments Ecological Distributions of Algal and Bacterial Pigments Pigments and Taxonomy CHEMTAX Analysis of Phytoplankton Community Composition Keywords: algae, marine; marine environment; photosynthetic pigments
Altered Differentiation, Diminished Pathogenicity, and Regulatory Activity of Myelin-Specific T Cells Expressing an Enhanced Affinity TCR

Whereas increased affinity enhances T cell competitiveness after immunization, the role of affinity in modulating the pathogenicity of self-reactive T cells is less established. To assess this, we generated two myelin-specific, class II MHC-restricted TCR that differ only in a buried hydroxymethyl that forms a common TCR β-chain V region variant. The variation, predicted to increase TCR stability, resulted in a ∼3log 10 difference in TCR sensitivity with preserved fine specificity. The high-affinity TCR markedly diminished T cell pathogenicity. T cells were not deleted, did not upregulate Foxp3, and barring disease induction were predominantly naive. However, high-affinity CD4 + T cells showed an altered cytokine profile characterized by the production of protective cytokines prior to experimental allergic encephalomyelitis induction and decreased effector cytokines after. Further, the high-affinity TCR promoted the development of CD4 − CD8 − and CD8 + T cells that possessed low intrinsic pathogenicity, were protective even in small numbers when transferred into wild-type mice and in mixed chimeras, and outcompete CD4 + T cells during disease development. Therefore, TCR affinities exceeding an upper affinity threshold may impede the development of autoimmunity through altered development and functional maturation of T cells, including diminished intrinsic CD4 + T cell pathogenicity and the development of CD4 − Foxp3 − regulatory populations.
Tutorial: High Level Tools for Knowledge Systems Design

Just like computer science moved from a phase of assembly languages to one of high level languages, which had constructs much more appropriate to express a number of control constructs directly, the field of expert systems is moving towards an era of special purpose languages each of which is appropriate for building a particular generic type of problem solving. But much of the progress in the field in this direction is rather ad hoc.
Cross-Generational Reproductive Fitness Enforced by Microchimeric Maternal Cells

Exposure to maternal tissue during in utero development imprints tolerance to immunologically foreign non-inherited maternal antigens (NIMA) that persists into adulthood. The biological advantage of this tolerance, conserved across mammalian species, remains unclear. Here, we show maternal cells that establish microchimerism in female offspring during development promote systemic accumulation of immune suppressive regulatory T cells (Tregs) with NIMA specificity. NIMA-specific Tregs expand during pregnancies sired by males expressing alloantigens with overlapping NIMA specificity, thereby averting fetal wastage triggered by prenatal infection and non-infectious disruptions of fetal tolerance. Therefore, exposure to NIMA selectively enhances reproductive success in second-generation females carrying embryos with overlapping paternally inherited antigens. These findings demonstrate that genetic fitness, canonically thought to be restricted to Mendelian inheritance, is enhanced in female placental mammals through vertically transferred maternal cells that promote conservation of NIMA and enforce cross-generational reproductive benefits.
Monooctanoin, a dissolution agent for retained cholesterol bile duct stones: Physical properties and clinical application

Abstract A commercial emulsifying agent consisting largely of glyceryl-l-monooctanoate (monooctanoin) was found to be an excellent cholesterol solvent. In vitro, the agent dissolved mixed cholesterol gallstones more than twice as fast as sodium cholate solutions, which have been previously used for dissolution of retained cholesterol bile duct stones by T-tube infusion. To test clinical efficacy, the solvent was infused, via T-tube, into 12 patients with retained bile duct stones. Some or all of the stones disappeared in 10 patients during biliary tract infusion of monooctanoin for 4–21 days. Stones from the 2 patients whose stones did not disappear were removed surgically and in vitro were found to be insoluble in monooctanoin. Monooctanoin infusions were well tolerated. This digestible solvent appears to be a useful substance for direct physical dissolution of retained bile duct stones by T-tube infusion.
The western Mediterranean during the Last Glacial: Attacking a no-analog problem

Abstract Assemblages of planktic Foraminifera from the western Mediterranean during the last world ice volume maximum (18 000 yrs. B.P.) are presented for two rapid sedimentation rate deep-sea cores, one from the northern and one from the western part of the basin. The locations permit monitoring of hydrography in the Alboran Sea, where exchange occurs with the Atlantic, and in the northern Balearic Sea, where the warm Mediterranean out-flow to the world ocean is generated by a unique vertical mixing process. This latter makes a significant contribution to the heat budget of the global deep-sea. Thus the assemblages reflect western Mediterranean oceanography and interaction with the Atlantic during the last ice age. Quantitative empirical paleo-oceanographic interpretation of the faunas is not possible because they occur in relative abundances not seen in the North Atlantic or Mediterranean of today. However, some more general deductions of paleohydrography are possible. The faunas indicate that the western Mediterranean was considerably colder 18 000 yrs. B.P. and highly seasonal (large annual thermal contrast), reflecting the seas' nearly land-locked position. Climate surrounding the basin appears to have been quite variable over periods of less than 500 years. The faunas also indicate that interchange between the eastern and western Mediterranean seas was much altered during the glacial and that the character of the water returned to the Atlantic from the Mediterranean was quite different, probably colder, from that of the present. The deep world ocean would then have been lacking a significant heat source 18 000 yrs. B.P.
Diffusion Coefficients, Electrophoretic Mobilities, and Morphologies of Charged Phospholipid Vesicles by Pulsed Field Gradient NMR and Electron Microscopy

Abstract Charged phospholipid vesicles were characterized at low ionic strengths by means of pulsed field gradient NMR and scanning electron microscopy for use as model systems for electrokinetic studies. Vesicles containing dioleoylphosphatidylglycerol (DOPG) and 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl phosphatidylcholine (POPC) in a molar ratio of 1:4 with 250 m M sucrose and neutral pH but no added salt were found to be unstable and to have diffusion coefficients unrelated to the 0.1- or 0.2-μm filter pore sizes used in their preparation. Scanning electron microscopy showed giant multilamellar structures and aggregates for this vesicle system. In contrast, neutral vesicles containing only POPC exhibited average sizes comparable to the filter pore sizes and electron micrographs with mainly normal unilamellar structures. It was also found that charged vesicles prepared with dilauroylphosphatidylglycerol (DLPG) and either dilauroylphosphatidylcholine (DLPC) or egg phosphatidylcholine (EPC) at 1:4 molar ratio were well behaved and stable. Why the short-chained DLPG (saturated C 12 chains, 12:0) enhances stability compared with DOPG is not clear. The distribution of electrophoretic mobilities for unilamellar, 0.1 μm DLPG/ EPC (1:4) vesicles was determined by electrophoretic NMR.
Two types of carbonate substitution in the apatite structure

Um die Art des Karbonateinbaues in die Apatitstruktur zu klaren, wurden zwei Typen von synthetischen Karbonatapatiten untersucht: solche, die sich in wassrigen Medien bildeten, und andere, die bei hohen Temperaturen und unter Ausschluss von Wasser entstanden.
A Study on Process Parameters of Ultrasonic Assisted Micro EDM Based on Taguchi Method

Experimental investigation of ultrasonic assisted micro electro discharge machining was performed by introducing ultrasonic vibration to workpiece. The Taguchi experimental design has been applied to investigate the optimal combinations of process parameters to maximize the material removal rate and minimize the tool wear. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was performed and signal-to-noise (S/N) ratio was determined to know the level of importance of the machining parameters. Based on ANOVA, ultrasonic vibration at 60% of the peak power with capacitance of 3300 PF was found to be significant for best MRR. The machining time plays a significant role in the tool wear. The results were confirmed experimentally at 95% confidence interval.
Spinal manipulation alters electromyographic activity of paraspinal muscles: a descriptive study.

Abstract Objective To examine the effect of spinal manipulation on electromyographic (EMG) activity in areas of localized tight muscle bundles of the low back. Methods Surface EMG activity was collected from 16 participants in 2 chiropractic offices during the 5 to 10 minutes of the treatment protocol. Electrodes were placed over the 2 sites of greatest paraspinal muscle tension as determined by manual palpation. Spinal manipulation was administered to 8 participants using Activator protocol; the other 8 were treated using Diversified protocol. Results Electromyographic activity decreased by at least 25% after treatment in 24 of the 31 sites that were monitored. There was less than 25% change at 3 sites and more than 25% increase at 4 sites. Multiple distinct increases and decreases were observed in many data plots. Conclusion The results of this study indicate that manipulation induces a virtually immediate change, usually a reduction, in resting EMG levels in at least some patients with low back pain and tight paraspinal muscle bundles. In some cases, EMG activity increased during the treatment protocol and then usually, but not always, decreased to a level lower than the pretreatment level.
Influence of Protein Percent and Source on Cows in Early Lactation

Abstract Four rations were compared in 68 lactating cows (17 per group) from 14 to 140 days postpartum. Treatments were negative control (12.5% crude protein of plant origin), positive control (16% crude protein of plant origin), urea (16% crude protein-75% from plant origin, 25% from urea in both urea-treated silage and in concentrate), ammonia-urea (16% crude protein-similar to urea except that silage was treated with ammonia). Mean daily milk yields, adjusted by covariance, from 3 to 20 wk did not differ and were 28.0, 29.0, 27.9, and 27.5kg for the respective treatments. For wk 3 to 6 postpartum, high producing cows (over 25kg during wk 2) from the positive control outyielded those on urea. Intakes of dry matter and calculated net energy did not differ between treatments but were generally higher for the negative control. Production of milk or composition of its major components did not differ. Rumen ammonia and urea of plasma reflected quantities of protein and nonprotein nitrogen fed. Milk yields of cows in early lactation were not significantly increased by added soybean meal or by nonprotein nitrogen to raise the crude protein of corn silage-type rations from 12.5 to 16%.
Total cross-section calculations on proton-impact ionization of hydrogen

We have calculated the total cross section for proton-impact ionization of atomic hydrogen for the intermediate energy range 25--100 keV. We evaluate error bars of 5% on our theoretical values. The present results disagree with the experiment of Shah and Gilbody [J. Phys. B 14, 2361 (1981)] and Shah et al. [J. Phys. B 20, 2481 (1987)], differing by 20% at the peak of the ionization cross section. On the other hand, our results show better agreement with two recent theoretical calculations, one performed by close coupling and the other by integrating the time-dependent Schr\"odinger equation on a three-dimensional lattice. The present results also compare favorably with theoretical and experimental determinations of capture and excitation cross sections. We describe the two-center momentum space discretization method, used here, in detail, explaining how the cross sections and corresponding error bars are determined.
An InGaAsP/InP integration platform with low loss deeply etched waveguides and record SOA RF-linearity

We present a novel InGaAsP/InP integration platform that simultaneously achieves high saturation power and low deeply etched waveguide loss, while requiring only a single blanket regrowth. RF-linearity of SOAs was characterized with record performance.
Radiative transfer in a semiinfinite medium with a specularly reflecting boundary

A consistent solution of the radiative transfer equation characterizing photon transport in a semi-infinite medium of refractive index greater than or equal to one is obtained following the method of Sobolev. Fresnel specular reflection, Snell's law and isotropic scattering are assumed. An algorithm is developed and its accuracy is demonstrated. A numerical Laplace transform inversion leads to an efficient evaluation for the interior flux and source function distributions.
Toward a unified solid state theory for pre-earthquake signals

Many different non-seismic pre-earthquake signals have been reported but there is great uncertainty about their origin, their correlation to each other and to the impending seismic event. The discovery of stress-activated electric currents in rocks provides a possible explanation. Stresses activate electronic charge carriers, namely defect electrons in the oxygen anion sublattice, equivalent to O− in a matrix of O2−, also known as positive holes. These charge carriers pre-exist in unstressed rocks in a dormant, electrically inactive state as peroxy links, O3Si-OO-SiO3, where two O− are tightly bound together. Under stress dislocations sweep through the mineral grains causing the peroxy links to break. Positive holes, thus generated, flow down stress gradients, constituting an electric current with attendant magnetic field variations and EM emissions. The positive holes accumulate at the surface, creating electric fields, strong enough to field-ionize air molecules. They also recombine leading to a spectroscopically distinct IR emission seen in laboratory experiments and night-time infrared satellite images. In addition positive holes interact with radon in the soil, affecting the radon emanation.
Proteolysis of Virulence Regulator ToxR Is Associated with Entry of Vibrio cholerae into a Dormant State

Vibrio cholerae O1 is a natural inhabitant of aquatic environments and causes the diarrheal disease, cholera. Two of its primary virulence regulators, TcpP and ToxR, are localized in the inner membrane. TcpP is encoded on the Vibrio Pathogenicity Island (VPI), a horizontally acquired mobile genetic element, and functions primarily in virulence gene regulation. TcpP has been shown to undergo regulated intramembrane proteolysis (RIP) in response to environmental conditions that are unfavorable for virulence gene expression. ToxR is encoded in the ancestral genome and is present in non-pathogenic strains of V. cholerae, indicating it has roles outside of the human host. In this study, we show that ToxR undergoes RIP in V. cholerae in response to nutrient limitation at alkaline pH, a condition that occurs during the stationary phase of growth. This process involves the site-2 protease RseP (YaeL), and is dependent upon the RpoE-mediated periplasmic stress response, as deletion mutants for the genes encoding these two proteins cannot proteolyze ToxR under nutrient limitation at alkaline pH. We determined that the loss of ToxR, genetically or by proteolysis, is associated with entry of V. cholerae into a dormant state in which the bacterium is normally found in the aquatic environment called viable but nonculturable (VBNC). Strains that can proteolyze ToxR, or do not encode it, lose culturability, experience a change in morphology associated with cells in VBNC, yet remain viable under nutrient limitation at alkaline pH. On the other hand, mutant strains that cannot proteolyze ToxR remain culturable and maintain the morphology of cells in an active state of growth. Overall, our findings provide a link between the proteolysis of a virulence regulator and the entry of a pathogen into an environmentally persistent state.
Are all coronal mass ejections hollow flux ropes

A quantitative specification of a three-dimensional flux rope is examined statistically for comparison to previously published statistical measures of coronal mass ejections (CMEs) as observed by the Solar Maximum Mission (SMM) spacecraft. The three-dimensional geometry that has been previously shown to reproduce statistical measures (average angular widths) of CME image data that show flux-rope morphologies is based on a "hollow" pre-eruption density structure extrapolated into the corona. It is shown that the SMM results are consistent with this hollow flux-rope geometry.
Remote control of an MR imaging study via tele-collaboration tools

In contrast to traditional 'video conferencing' the Access Grid (AG), developed by Argonne National Laboratory, is a collaboration of audio, video and shared application tools which provide the 'persistent presence' of each participant. Among the shared application tools are the ability to share viewing and control of presentations, browsers, images and movies. When used in conjunction with Virtual Network Computing (VNC) software, an investigator can interact with colleagues at a remote site, and control remote systems via local keyboard and mouse commands. This combination allows for effective viewing and discussion of information, i.e. data, images, and results. It is clear that such an approach when applied to the medical sciences will provide a means by which a team of experts can not only access, but interact and control medical devices for the purpose of experimentation, diagnosis, surgery and therapy. We present the development of an application node at our 4.7 Tesla MR magnet facility, and a demonstration of remote investigator control of the magnet. A local magnet operator performs manual tasks such as loading the test subject into the magnet and administering the stimulus associated with the functional MRI study. The remote investigator has complete control of the magnet console. S/he can adjust the gradient coil settings, the pulse sequence, image capture frequency, etc. A geographically distributed audience views and interacts with the remote investigator and local MR operator. This AG demonstration of MR magnet control illuminates the potential of untethered medical experiments, procedures and training.
Effect of the Apple Blotch Leafminer (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae) on Apple Leaf Abscission

Impact of damage from the apple blotch leafminer, Phyllonorycter crataegella (Clemens), on abscission of ‘McIntosh’ apple leaves was studied at Hamden, Corn., during 1980 and 1981. Leaves on vegetative shoots abscised significantly earlier if mined than if unmined. Number of mines and premature drop of leaves were greater in 1981 than in 1980. Mine density and injury were greater on mined leaves that fell prematurely between July and September than on those that fell later. Week of leaf abscission was significantly negatively correlated with number of mines and with percentage of leaf surface damaged. This study provides the first experimental evidence that injury from leafminers can cause early abscission of leaves on a woody plant.
Effect of mannose on the plasma membrane ATPase from sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L.) leaves

Abstract Experiments were conducted to determine if the observed reduced influx of sugars following mannose treatment could be attributed to changes in ATPase activity. Mannose was supplied to Beta vulgaris L. (sugar beet) leaves via the transpiration stream for either a 16- or 24-h light period. The plasma membrane was then isolated using the aqueous polymer two-phase partitioning technique. Analysis of ATP hydrolytic activity showed that mannose pretreatment had a progressive inhibitory effect on the H+-ATPase activity. These results are consistent with previous reports that mannose can dramatically influence membrane transport events in sugar beet leaves. Measurement of Mg ATP-dependent, pH-gradient formation by plasma-membrane vesicles indicated that mannose pretreatment shifted the maximal initial rate of proton pumping to more alkaline regions compared with control membranes. At pH 6.5, mannose pretreatment also inhibited the total quench. We cannot attribute this to increased leakage of protons out of the vesicles as mannose pretreatment had no effect on the passive backflow of protons out of the vesicles. Mannose appears to elicit a general perturbation of membrane transport processes which is not limited to sugars and amino acids. Collectively, these studies indicate that mannose may inhibit sugar transport, at least in part, by affecting the activity of the plasma-membrane ATPase.
Dictionary learning based nonlinear classifier training from distributed data

This paper addresses the problem of collaborative training of nonlinear classifiers using big, distributed training data. The supervised learning strategy considered in this paper corresponds to data-driven joint learning of a nonlinear transformation that maps the (training) data to a higher-dimensional feature space and a ridge regression based linear classifier in the feature space. The key aspect of this paper, which distinguishes it from related prior work, is that it assumes: (i) the training data are distributed across a number of interconnected sites, and (ii) sizes of the local training data as well as privacy concerns prohibit exchange of individual training samples between sites. The main contribution of this paper is formulation of an algorithm, termed cloud D-KSVD, that reliably, efficiently and collaboratively learns both the nonlinear map and the linear classifier under these constraints. In order to demonstrate the effectiveness of cloud D-KSVD, a number of numerical experiments on the MNIST dataset are also reported in the paper.