cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Computerized use of Transient Thermal Resistance to Avoid Forware Biased Second Breakdown in Transistors

The power handling capability of any transistor is limited by its peak junction temperature. Equally as important as the more familiar ICBO thermal runaway is a second, thermally related, phenomenon called forward biased second breakdown (S/B). Much has been written on S/B (see Ref. 1 for a thorough description and bibliography) but it is sufficient here to say that S/B is a potentially destructive phenomena that can occur in any bipolar transistor when the energy absorbed exceeds a critical value and creates a hot spot within the pellet. If the temperature of the hot spot is left unchecked, it will eventually cause the space-charge layer to collapse resulting in the transistor assuming a low resistance state.
Effects of feeding diets containing an imbalance of branched-chain amino acids on fingerling channel catfish

Abstract A series of studies was conducted to investigate the effects of feeding diets imbalanced with respect to branched-chain amino acids on channel catfish. Basal diets contained casein and gelatin supplemented with crystalline L-amino acids to correspond to the amino acid pattern found in 24% whole egg protein except for the branched-chain amino acids. Basal diets were formulated to be deficient in either leucine, isoleucine, or valine. Excess levels of either leucine, isoleucine, or valine were added to the appropriate basal diet. Growth and feed efficiency data demonstrate that excess leucine depressed growth of fish fed diets deficient in isoleucine or valine, but not in diets adequate in branched-chain amino acids. The deleterious effects of excess leucine could be reversed by supplementation with the deficient amino acid, but not by the other branched-chain amino acid. Growth was also depressed in fish fed excess isoleucine but not valine in leucine-deficient diets. Serum levels of isoleucine and valine suggest that leucine may control the tissue uptake of these amino acids in the channel catfish.
Expression and function of autocrine motility factor receptor in human choriocarcinoma.

Abstract Objective: Our purpose was to determine whether human choriocarcinoma cells express autocrine motility factor receptor (AMF-R) and to study its function in this tumor system. Study design: The expression and localization of AMF-R were compared in choriocarcinoma and normal placental trophoblasts using both cell lines and tissue sections. In addition, migratory properties of choriocarcinoma cells and normal placental cells was determined. Results: Using immunofluorescence and immunoperoxidase staining, we have detected the expression of AMF-R in choriocarcinoma cells with receptor clustering on the cell surface, while term placenta cells expressed AMF-R less intensely with no receptor clustering. In choriocarcinoma tissues, AMF-R was strongly expressed in malignant cytotrophoblasts cells while adjacent normal villous trophoblast cells and necrotic regions were weakly or negatively stained. Choriocarcinoma cells responded to AMF-R stimulation with increased cell motility, while term placental cells were unresponsive. Conclusion: Human choriocarcinoma cells express functional cell surface AMF-R in vitro and in choriocarcinoma tissue suggesting that this receptor may play an important role in cancer cell motility.
Structural Determinants Involved in the Formation and Activation of G Protein βγ Dimers

Heterotrimeric G proteins, composed of an α, β and γ subunit, represent one of the most important and dynamic families of signaling proteins. As a testament to the significance of G protein signaling, the hundreds of seven-transmembrane-spanning receptors that interact with G proteins are estimated to occupy 1–2% of the human genome. This broad diversity of receptors is echoed in the number of potential heterotrimer combinations that can arise from the 23 α subunit, 7 β subunit and 12 γ subunit isoforms that have been identified. The potential for such vast complexity implies that the receptor G protein interface is the site of much regulation. The historical model for the activation of a G protein holds that activated receptor catalyzes the exchange of GDP for GTP on the α subunit, inducing a conformational change that substantially lowers the affinity of α for βγ. This decreased affinity enables dissociation of βγ from α and receptor. The free form of βγ is thought to activate effectors, until the hydrolysis of GTP by G α (aided by RGS proteins) allows the subunits to re-associate, effectively deactivating the G protein until another interaction with activated receptor.
Diminished finger volume pulse in borderline hypertension: Evidence for early structural vascular abnomality

Digital volume pulse maximum dilation was determined in 27 patients with borderline essential hypertension (BHT) and 28 age-matched normotensive controls (NT). Finger pulse volume (PV) and finger systolic pressure (SBP) were measured by pneumoplethysmography during vasodilation induced by combining direct and reflex heat dilation and reactive hyperemia. Finger SBP was higher (p less than 0.01) in BHT than in NT (120 +/- 18.7 vs. 104 +/- 14.8 mm Hg, respectively); PV was lower (p less than 0.01) in BHT than in NT (9.7 +/- 4.2 vs. 15.3 +/- 6 ml/5 ml finger X 10(-3). Pulse volume correlated inversely with SBP in BHT (r = -0.40, p less than 0.05) but was unrelated to SBP in NT. Pulse volume was not altered by high or low sodium intake in BHT or NT despite significant changes in plasma renin activity (PRA). In BHT finger vessels are less distensible at a higher pressure than in NT. This abnormality is demonstrable during maneuvers to withdraw sympathetic tone and is not influenced by alteration of PRA. These data support the concept that BHT can produce structural vascular change, and demonstrate that this abnormality can be detected by a relatively simple method.
Carcinosarcoma of the ovary: A case-control study

Abstract Introduction Carcinosarcoma of the ovary is a rare tumor with a grim prognosis. Chemotherapy for these tumors is chosen according to guidelines established for epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). The purpose of this study is to compare response to chemotherapy and survival in patients with advanced stage carcinosarcoma of the ovary. Methods We identified women with advanced carcinosarcoma of the ovary who underwent first-line platinum and taxane-based chemotherapy. Each case was matched to two women with serous EOC. Cases and controls were matched by age, stage, and year of diagnosis. The Kaplan–Meier method was used to generate overall survival (OS) data. Factors predictive of outcome were compared using the log-rank test and Cox proportional hazards model. Results Fifty women treated with first line platinum and taxane-based chemotherapy had advanced carcinosarcoma of the ovary and were selected as cases. The response rates to chemotherapy for cases and controls were 62% and 83% (P = 0.03), respectively. Median progression-free survival was 11 months (95% CI, 8 to 14 months) versus 16 months (95% CI, 12 to 21 months; P = 0.02) and median overall survival was 24 months (95% CI, 18 to 29 months) versus 41 months (95% CI, 33 to 49 months; P = 0.002) for cases and controls, respectively. Conclusion Patients with advanced carcinosarcoma of the ovary have a poorer response to platinum and taxane-based first-line chemotherapy and worse survival, compared to patients with serous EOC. Aggressive surgical treatment may play an important role. However, other alternative systemic therapeutic approaches should be sought for patients with carcinosarcoma of the ovary.
Management of Resistant Hypertension

“Resistant” hypertension has been variously defined, but most authors accept a definition that includes a blood pressure ≥140/90 mm Hg after prescription of a diuretic and typically two other appropriately chosen antihypertensive drugs at near-maximal doses. Patients with resistant hypertension are of great public health importance because they have a high absolute cardiovascular and renal risk, greater health care expenditures, a higher prevalence of secondary hypertension and target-organ damage, and are, by definition, more “difficult to control” than hypertensive patients who are controlled with only one or two medications. Centers that specialize in these patients report that more than 90% can be diagnosed with a specific cause of their treatment resistance, and more than 50% can be controlled in a relatively short time after an appropriate intervention. This article reviews the differential diagnosis, evaluation, and outcomes of treatment paradigms for such patients, and emphasizes the role of hypertension specialists in their management.
Computational differential topology

Some of the more differential aspects of the nascent field of computational topology are introduced and treated in considerable depth. Relevant categories based upon stratified geometric objects are proposed, and fundamental problems are identified and discussed in the context of both differential topology and computer science. New results on the triangulation of objects in the computational differential categories are proven, and evaluated from the perspective of effective computability (algorithmic solvability). In addition, the elements of innovative, effectively computable approaches for analyzing and obtaining computer generated representations of geometric objects based upon singularity/stratification theory and obstruction theory are formulated. New methods for characterizing complicated intersection sets are proven using differential analysis and homology theory. Also included are brief descriptions of several implementation aspects of some of the approaches described, as well as applications of the results in such areas as virtual sculpting, virtual surgery, modeling of heterogeneous biomaterials, and high speed visualizations.
Midcareer Transitions-: Adult Development and Its Effect on Teachers

Writing about her own research of teachers' careers, the author explains two major but unnoticed transitional periods in the occupational lives of teachers. She believes the information offers admi...
Heterophil Function and Resistance to Staphylococcal Challenge in Broiler Chickens Naturally Infected with Avian Leukosis Virus Subgroup J

Avian leukosis virus subgroup J has a high tropism for myeloid lineage cells and frequently induces neoplastic transformation of myelocytes. The impact of congenital avian leukosis virus subgroup J infection on the function of circulating heterophils and susceptibility to staphylococcal infection was investigated. Six-week-old broiler chickens negative for exogenous avian leukosis viruses or congenitally infected with avian leukosis virus subgroup J were inoculated intravenously with 10(6) colony-forming units of Staphylococcus aureus, and pre- and postinoculation heterophil function was assessed. All chickens developed a leukocytosis with heterophilia after inoculation, but total leukocyte and heterophil counts were significantly higher in leukosis-negative chickens than in virus-infected chickens. Tenosynovitis was more severe in leukosis-negative chickens, and 2/10 (20%) of the virus-infected chickens had no histologic evidence of tenosynovitis. Osteomyelitis in the tibiotarsus or tarsometatarsus developed in 5/10 (50%) of the chickens in each group. S. aureus was recovered from the hock joint of 6/10 (60%) of the chickens in each group. Heterophils from all chickens exhibited similar phagocytic ability pre- and postinoculation. Heterophils from virus-infected chickens exhibited less bactericidal ability preinoculation than did heterophils from leukosis-negative chickens. However, postinoculation bactericidal ability was similar in both groups. Avian leukosis virus subgroup J provirus was present in heterophils isolated from congenitally infected chickens. Heterophils isolated from broiler chickens congenitally infected with avian leukosis virus subgroup J exhibit no significant functional deficits, and infected and uninfected chickens exhibit similar susceptibility to staphylococcal infection.
Aging and Motor Learning of a Functional Motor Task

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare the ability of older and younger adults to learn a functional motor task following a single session of directed practice. The task under investigation was the use of a standard walker to get into the passenger side of a four-door sedan using a specific procedure.Methods: Thirty younger community-dwelling adults (aged 20–35), and thirty older community-dwelling adults (aged 61–93), with no diagnosis of dementia and no prior experience using a walker were included in the study. Subjects received individual instruction using a predetermined instruction method and practice in the specific procedure for use of a walker to get into the passenger side of a car. The single practice session lasted a maximum of twenty minutes or 5 practice trials. Performance of the motor task was scored on a specially designed form during the final trial of the training session and again 48 hours later.Results: Younger adults scored significantly higher than the older adults on the...
Chemical aspects of Pb-Zr-Ti oxide thin film syntheses by PE-MOCVD below 500°c

The general features of the chemistry in synthesizing lead zirconium titanate thin films by PE-MOCVD are discussed based on a preliminary experimental investigation. A qualitative model was constructed as a guide for optimizing the formation of the perovskite phase in the as-deposited condition. This was based on concepts of crystal chemistry of the perovskite and pyrochlore structures and the observed deposition kinetics. Currently, thin films containing up to 92 vol % perovskite have been formed below 500°C in the as-deposited condition. Sufficient latitude remains in adjusting the operating parameters that the formation of phase pure perovskite is considered possible. A thermodynamic analysis of the solid state suggests that low temperature thermal equilibration will yield minority lead-rich phases. Consequently, nonequilibrium processing techniques such as plasma processing are considered necessary. Ferroelectric hysteresis was observed for films receiving post deposition anneals.
Interoceptive stress activates glucagon-like peptide-1 neurons that project to the hypothalamus

This study tested the hypothesis that systemic stressors in rats activate glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1)-immunoreactive neurons in the caudal brain stem, including those that project to the parave...
Literacy: The End and Means of Literature

In modern times a gap has appeared between the arts of history and literature, and the sciences of historicism and criticism. Many modern critics, historians, and teachers of literature and history (and even many so-called authors of literature) have welcomed, or at least complied with, the “scientification” of their arts, resulting in widespread illiteracy with regard to literature and history. The solution to this problem lies in a (re-)investigation of how the art of literature teaches us the truth. I maintain that the lifeblood of literature is the set of common joys and griefs, the common blessings and sufferings, of mankind. Without a communication of these passions as passions with the result of a transformation or shaping of the soul – without a mimesis, as the Greeks would say –across the boundaries of tribe, race, gender and era, there is no literature; and no literacy. Using a scene from Solzhenitsyn's First Circle, I argue that these passions are part of the truth (or falsity) of any story involving human beings. So literature and history would both be restored if the writers, readers, and teachers of each developed a deeper concern for the whole truth.
An Apparatus for the Measurement of Gas Fluxes through Immobilized Liquid Membranes

Abstract An automated apparatus to measure gas fluxes through immobilized liquid membranes is described. Specific design features permit safe operation for experimentation with CO, NO, and H2S. Nitric oxide fluxes through immobilized Fe(II) solutions have been measured and are presented as a typical equipment application. Facilitation factors (ratio of total flux to flux without carrier) greater than 5 were observed.
RAFT1: a mammalian protein that binds to FKBP12 in a rapamycin-dependent fashion and is homologous to yeast TORs.

Summary The immunosuppressants rapamycin and FK506 bind to the same intracellular protein, the immunophilin FKBP12. The FKBP12-FK506 complex interacts with and inhibits the Ca*+-activated protein phosphatase calcineurin. The target of the FKBPl2-rapamycin complex has not yet been identified. We report that a protein complex containing 245 kDa and 35 kDa components, designated rapamycin and FKBPlP targets 1 and 2 (RAFT1 and RAFTS), interacts with FKBPl2 in a rapamycin-dependent manner. Sequences (330 amino acids total) of tryptic peptides derived from the 245 kDa RAFT1 reveal striking homologies to the yeast TORgene products, which were originally identified by mutations that confer rapamycin resistance in yeast. A RAFT1 cDNA was obtained and found to encode a 269 kDa protein (2549 amino acids) that is 43% and 39% identical to TOR2 and TORl, respectively. We propose that RAFT1 is the direct target of FKBPlS-rapamycin and a mammalian homolog of the TOR proteins.
Genetic parts to program bacteria

Genetic engineering is entering a new era, where microorganisms can be programmed using synthetic constructs of DNA encoding logic and operational commands. A toolbox of modular genetic parts is being developed, comprised of cell-based environmental sensors and genetic circuits. Systems have already been designed to be interconnected with each other and interfaced with the control of cellular processes. Engineering theory will provide a predictive framework to design operational multicomponent systems. On the basis of these developments, increasingly complex cellular machines are being constructed to build specialty chemicals, weave biomaterials, and to deliver therapeutics.
Reliability and validity of a brief method to assess nociceptive flexion reflex (NFR) threshold.

Abstract The nociceptive flexion reflex (NFR) is a physiological tool to study spinal nociception. However, NFR assessment can take several minutes and expose participants to repeated suprathreshold stimulations. The 4 studies reported here assessed the reliability and validity of a brief method to assess NFR threshold that uses a single ascending series of stimulations (Peak 1 NFR), by comparing it to a well-validated method that uses 3 ascending/descending staircases of stimulations (Staircase NFR). Correlations between the NFR definitions were high, were on par with test-retest correlations of Staircase NFR, and were not affected by participant sex or chronic pain status. Results also indicated the test-retest reliabilities for the 2 definitions were similar. Using larger stimulus increments (4 mAs) to assess Peak 1 NFR tended to result in higher NFR threshold estimates than using the Staircase NFR definition, whereas smaller stimulus increments (2 mAs) tended to result in lower NFR threshold estimates than the Staircase NFR definition. Neither NFR definition was correlated with anxiety, pain catastrophizing, or anxiety sensitivity. In sum, a single ascending series of electrical stimulations results in a reliable and valid estimate of NFR threshold. However, caution may be warranted when comparing NFR thresholds across studies that differ in the ascending stimulus increments. Perspective This brief method to assess NFR threshold is reliable and valid; therefore, it should be useful to clinical pain researchers interested in quickly assessing inter- and intra-individual differences in spinal nociceptive processes.
Primary mesothelioma of the pericardium.

Mesotheliomas of the pericardium are one of the causes of sanguineous pericardial effusion. Clinical and pathologic features of a case of this rare condition are presented. Certain clinical manifestations and laboratory findings that may serve as a basis for future antemortemn diagnosis are emphasized.
Behavioral functions of the mesolimbic dopaminergic system: an affective neuroethological perspective.

Abstract The mesolimbic dopaminergic (ML-DA) system has been recognized for its central role in motivated behaviors, various types of reward, and, more recently, in cognitive processes. Functional theories have emphasized DA's involvement in the orchestration of goal-directed behaviors and in the promotion and reinforcement of learning. The affective neuroethological perspective presented here views the ML-DA system in terms of its ability to activate an instinctual emotional appetitive state (SEEKING) evolved to induce organisms to search for all varieties of life-supporting stimuli and to avoid harms. A description of the anatomical framework in which the ML system is embedded is followed by the argument that the SEEKING disposition emerges through functional integration of ventral basal ganglia (BG) into thalamocortical activities. Filtering cortical and limbic input that spreads into BG, DA transmission promotes the “release” of neural activity patterns that induce active SEEKING behaviors when expressed at the motor level. Reverberation of these patterns constitutes a neurodynamic process for the inclusion of cognitive and perceptual representations within the extended networks of the SEEKING urge. In this way, the SEEKING disposition influences attention, incentive salience, associative learning, and anticipatory predictions. In our view, the rewarding properties of drugs of abuse are, in part, caused by the activation of the SEEKING disposition, ranging from appetitive drive to persistent craving depending on the intensity of the affect. The implications of such a view for understanding addiction are considered, with particular emphasis on factors predisposing individuals to develop compulsive drug seeking behaviors.
Decreased cortical gray and cerebral white matter in male patients with familial bipolar I disorder

Background: Previous MRI studies of bipolar disorder have failed to consistently demonstrate cortical gray or cerebral white matter tissue loss, as well as sulcal or ventricular enlargement. The inconsistencies are most likely due to the clinical and gender heterogeneity of the study populations as well as the different MRI acquisition and processing techniques. The objective of this study was to determine if there was a cortical gray matter and cerebral white matter deficit as well as sulcal and ventricular enlargement in a homogeneous sample of euthymic male patients with familial bipolar I disorder. Methods: MRI tissue segmentation was utilized to obtain cortical gray matter, cerebral white matter, ventricular cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), and sulcal CSF volumes in 22 euthymic males with familial bipolar I disorder and 32 healthy male control subjects. Results: Relative to the controls, the familial bipolar I patients demonstrated: (1) significant reductions of both cortical gray matter and cerebral white matter volumes; and (2) significant increases in both sulcal and ventricular CSF volumes. In the bipolar group, there was a significant negative correlation between cortical gray matter volume and sulcal CSF volume. Limitations: Small sample size, retrospective interviews, possible medication effects. Conclusions: These results provide evidence for significant cortical gray matter and cerebral white matter deficits and associated sulcal and ventricular enlargement in euthymic males with familial bipolar I disorder.
Design and synthesis of potent cystine-free cyclic hexapeptide agonists at the human urotensin receptor.

Cyclic hexapeptides, incorporating a dipeptide unit in place of the disulfide bond found in urotensin, were prepared and screened at the human urotensin receptor. The bridging dipeptide unit was found to influence dramatically the affinity for the urotensin receptor. Alanyl-N-methylalanyl and alanylprolyl dipeptide bridges failed to afford active ligands, while the alanyl-alanyl unit yielded a ligand with submicromolar affinity for the urotensin receptor. Further development led to a hexapeptide agonist with nanomolar affinity (2.8 nM).
Nonlinear model predictive tracking control for rotorcraft-based unmanned aerial vehicles

We investigate the feasibility of a nonlinear model predictive tracking control (NMPTC) for autonomous helicopters. We formulate a NMPTC algorithm for planning paths under input and state constraints and tracking the generated position and heading trajectories, and implement an on-line optimization controller using a gradient-descent method. The proposed NMPTC algorithm demonstrates superior tracking performance over conventional multi-loop proportional-derivative (MLPD) controllers especially when nonlinearity and coupling dominate the vehicle dynamics. Furthermore, NMPTC shows outstanding robustness to parameter uncertainty, and input saturation and state constraints are easily incorporated. When the cost includes a potential function with a possibly moving obstacle or other agents' state information, the NMPTC can solve the trajectory planning and control problem in a single step. This constitutes a promising one-step solution for trajectory generation and regulation for RUAVs, which operate under various uncertainties and constraints arising from the vehicle dynamics and environmental contingencies.
Image encryption based on chaotic maps

In this paper, it is shown how to adapt certain invertible chaotic 2D maps on a torus or on a square to create new symmetric block encryption schemes. The schemes are especially useful for encryption of large amounts of data, such as digital images or electronic databases. A chaotic map is first generalized by introducing parameters and then discretized to a finite square lattice of points which represent pixels or some other data items. Although the discretized map is a permutation and thus cannot be chaotic, it shares certain sensitivity and mixing properties with its continuous counterpart as long as the number of iterations remains small. It is shown that for the 2D baker map the permutations behave as typical random permutations. The discretized map is further extended to 3D and composed with a simple diffusion mechanism. As a result, a block product encryption scheme is obtained. To encrypt an N/spl times/N image, the ciphering map is iteratively applied to the image. This paper is an extension of the work of Pichler and Scharinger (1994, 1996) who first introduced encryption schemes based on 2D baker map.
Computability classes for enforcement mechanisms

A precise characterization of those security policies enforceable by program rewriting is given. This also exposes and rectifies problems in prior work, yielding a better characterization of those security policies enforceable by execution monitors as well as a taxonomy of enforceable security policies. Some but not all classes can be identified with known classes from computational complexity theory.
Computational analysis of the surface permittivity and charging of dielectrics with the SEM-mirror technique

Computational analysis based on the charge simulation method (CSM) is used to predict the electric potential distribution produced by charges implanted within the surface layer of a solid dielectric. The potential distribution thus obtained is used to match the experimental distribution using the scanning electron microscope (SEM) mirror technique. Using an optimization iteration process, a comparison is obtained for quartz, alumina, and yttria. The computational analysis assumes a surface layer with a permittivity higher than that of the bulk. The justification for this assumption is discussed. The electric potential distribution produced by a surface with increased surface defects, as determined by the SEM mirror technique, indicates a surface with a higher permittivity. It is also shown that the ability of such a surface to store charges is decreased. The results are consistent with physical models based on band structure (or trapping energy) considerations. >
Consuming My Way Gay: An Autoethnographic Account of Coming Out as Consumptive Pedagogy

As members of consumerist societies, we are socialized into what it means to be good citizens and participate in society through our consumption. For many, this is taught in the home, yet for lesbi...
The role of PLDα1 in providing specificity to signal-response coupling by heterotrimeric G-protein components in Arabidopsis.

Heterotrimeric G-proteins comprised of Gα, Gβ and Gγ subunits are important signal transducers in all eukaryotes. In plants, G-proteins affect multiple biotic and abiotic stress responses, as well as many developmental processes, even though their repertoire is significantly limited compared with that in metazoan systems. One canonical and three extra-large Gα, 1 Gβ and 3 Gγ proteins represent the heterotrimeric G-protein complex in Arabidopsis, and a single regulatory protein, RGS1, is one of the few known biochemical regulators of this signaling complex. This quantitative disparity between the number of signaling components and the range of processes they influence is rather intriguing. We now present evidence that the phospholipase Dα1 protein is a key component and modulator of the G-protein complex in affecting a subset of signaling pathways. We also show that the same G-protein subunits and their modulators exhibit distinct physiological and genetic interactions depending on specific signaling and developmental pathways. Such developmental plasticity and interaction specificity likely compensates for the lack of multiplicity of individual subunits, and helps to fine tune the plants' responses to constantly changing environments.
Alloxan diabetes in different strains of mice.

Summary1. Male mice of the C3H, C, A and D8 strains are susceptible to the diabetogenic action of alloxan. A difference in susceptibility depended upon the strain, the D8 was the most susceptible and the C3H, the most resistant, to a given amount of alloxan injected. 2. Glucose tolerance tests in diabetic as well as in non-diabetic mice are presented. The blood sugar changes after intravenous injection of alloxan showed the triphasic type curve described in most experimental animals.
Market Behaviour, Arrivals, and Price Behaviour of Cumin in Mandor Market of Jodhpur District, Rajasthan

The present study was conducted in Jodhpur district of Rajasthan. Two tehsils, namely Looni and Falodi were selected on the basis of highest production and area. Six villages were selected randomly from the selected tehsils. The present study was carried out to ascertain the marketable surplus, sales pattern, market arrivals, and prices in the cultivation of cumin crop. Primary as well as secondary data were utilized in the study. The marketable and marketed surplus ranged between 95% to 97% on different sized farms. The sample farmers disposed of 85.74% surplus cumin seed in the Mandor regulated market, and only 14.26% of the surplus cumin seed was disposed in the villages to village traders. 53% was sold in the first quarter immediately after harvest (March to May), and the remaining 47% was marketed in the remaining three-quarters of the year (August to February). Small-size farmers disposed off their total surplus cumin seed in one lot as against the medium and large-size farmers, who disposed off their total surplus in two and more lots. It was noted that 63% of the cumin produce arrived in the first quarter (March-May) of the year. The arrivals were 17.93%, 8.54%, and 10.02% in the second, third, and fourth quarters. Farmers got 10.36% higher price by selling cumin in the second quarter over the post-harvest season (peak season or first quarter). Sale of cumin in the third and fourth quarters of the year was not found to be advantageous. The correlation coefficients between monthly wholesale prices and arrival of cumin in the corresponding months and in the subsequent months were -0.578 and -0.588, showing that there existed an inverse relationship between the two. The value of the correlation coefficients was estimated to be higher for the subsequent months than for the corresponding months. The value of the correlation coefficients between yearly arrivals and prices of cumin were negative in four years and was positive only in one year out of the five year study period.
Let Actual Landscape Engineering Accompany Class Teaching——Teaching Research on Landscape Engineering Bidding and Preliminary Budget

Landscape engineering bidding and preliminary budget is a theoretical and practical course.In the teaching process,the introduction of the actual landscape engineering projects can expand the teaching time,space and content.Garden project presents students a practical platform,which can not only let students experience,use knowledge to participate in the actual project,and can also let students experience garden project comprehensively,help students to enter the working state earlier.
Epidemiological analysis of hepatitis C in Quanzhou of Fujian in 1990-2011

Objective To analyze the epidemiological features of hepatitis C in Quanzhou and to provide scientific evidence for disease control.Methods A descriptive epidemiological method was used to analyze the data of hepatitis C collected from 1990 to 2011 in Quanzhou.Results A total of 1 241 cases of hepatitis C were reported from 1990-2011with the annual incidence of 0.83 per 100 thousand population,which showed an annual up ward trend(χ2=1351.78,P0.001).The annual incidence of hepatitis C in coastal area was lower than in central city(χ2=55.71,P0.001),which was higher than in mountainous area(χ2=43.72,P 0.001).There was no peak season and majority of patients were adults aged 20to 39yeas.The incidence increased with age(χ2=412.63,P0.001)and was higher in male than in female(χ2=45.24,P0.001).Majority of patients were famers,housekeepers,unemployed personnel and workers.Conclusions The overall incidence of hepatitis C remains in a low level in Quanzhou,but it shows an up ward trend.Therefore,a comprehensive control measure should be implemented to block the transmission route of the disease.
Determination and Value on Air Anion Concentration in Yunding Tea Garden of Longyan National Forest Park

On the basis of introducing air anion concentration production,action,and value method,the results showed that air anion concentration average value was 607 thousand per cm~3 in every spots of Yunding Tea Garden,the cation concentration reached 687 thousand per cm~3,CI value was 539.1 averagely,q value was 1.132 averagely;the air anion average concentration of every spots was 100 times and more of the air anion concentration of Longyan urban section.
Canadian Pacific's Bid for Norfolk Southern

On December 16, 2015, Canadian Pacific Railroad (CPR), in conjunction with hedge fund activist William Ackman (Pershing Square), made its third bid to acquire Norfolk Southern Corporation (NSC), one of the largest railroads in the United States. Having rejected the prior offers, NSC's CEO James Squires and the NSC board must now value the current offer including the projected merger synergies as well as a recently-added contingent value right (CVR) security designed to "sweeten" the offer, and decide how to respond.This case provides a comprehensive review of topics covered in both introductory and advanced corporate finance courses. For example, it covers acquisition bidding strategies, capital structure, DCF valuation, valuation using transaction multiples, valuation of projected synergies, the role of activist investors, corporate restructuring, fiduciary duties, option pricing, and payoff diagrams, and does so in a very interesting and current setting.
Superoxide anion mediates the endothelium-dependent contractions to serotonin by regenerated endothelium.

The endothelium modulates vascular tone by releasing a variety of vasoactive compounds that relax or contract the underlying vascular smooth muscle. We have previously demonstrated that regenerated endothelium exhibits endothelium-dependent hypercontraction to the platelet-derived compound serotonin (or 5-HT). To determine if this hypercontraction is mediated by superoxide anion produced by the endothelium, we performed balloon catheter denudation on the thoracic and abdominal aorta of male Lewis rats. Eight weeks after arterial injury, endothelium-dependent responses to serotonin were examined in tissue bath experiments. Vascular rings (5 mm in length), with and without endothelium, were contracted with norepinephrine and then exposed to serotonin (10–9 to 3 × 10–5 mol/L). Vascular rings with regenerated endothelium exhibited hypercontraction to serotonin (251% ± 25% of initial norepinephrine contraction; p
Staphylococcus aureus SufT: an essential iron-sulphur cluster assembly factor in cells experiencing a high-demand for lipoic acid.

S. aureus SufT is composed solely of the domain of unknown function 59 (DUF59) and has a role in the maturation of iron-sulfur (Fe-S) proteins. We report that SufT is essential for S. aureus when growth is heavily reliant upon lipoamide-utilizing enzymes, but dispensable when this reliance is decreased. LipA requires Fe-S clusters for lipoic acid (LA) synthesis and a ΔsufT strain had phenotypes suggestive of decreased LA production and decreased activities of lipoamide-requiring enzymes. Fermentative growth, a null clpC allele, or decreased flux through the TCA cycle diminished the demand for LA and rendered SufT non-essential. Abundance of the Fe-S cluster carrier Nfu was increased in a ΔclpC strain and a null clpC allele was unable to suppress the LA requirement of a ΔsufT Δnfu strain. Over-expression of nfu suppressed the LA requirement of the ΔsufT strain. We propose a model wherein SufT, and by extension the DUF59, is essential for the maturation of holo-LipA in S. aureus cells experiencing a high demand for lipoamide-dependent enzymes. The findings presented suggest that the demand for products of Fe-S enzymes is a factor governing the usage of one Fe-S cluster assembly factor over another in the maturation of apo-proteins. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
MICPSO: A method for incorporating dependencies into discrete particle swarm optimization

In this work, we present an extension to the recently developed Integer and Categorical Particle Swarm Optimization (ICPSO), which we refer to as Markovian ICPSO (MICPSO). MICPSO uses a Markov network to represent a particle's position, thus allowing each particle to incorporate information about dependencies between solution variables. In this work, we compare MICPSO to ICPSO, Integer PSO (IPSO), an Estimation of Distribution Algorithm called Markovianity-Based Optimization Algorithm (MOA), and a hillclimber on a set of benchmark vertex coloring problems. We find that MICPSO significantly outperforms all alternatives on all problems tested.
Linguistic diversity, language vitality and the advancement of Linguistics as a science

The study of linguistic and cognitive strategies for spatial referencing has seen an increase in studies reported in the literature since the 1970s. This research has moved from formulating theorie...
Synthesis of PET Radiopharmaceuticals

This chapter gives a description of synthesis and characteristics of different PET radiopharmaceuticals that are clinically used and also those that have potential for human use. 18F-, 11C-, 13N-, and 18O-labeled compounds are described in detail and some structures are illustrated. A description of an automated synthesis box used for PET radiopharmaceuticals along with a schematic diagram is presented. PET radiopharmaceuticals must be highly purified for patient administration, and it is accomplished by high-performance liquid chromatography at the end of synthesis. Prior to release for human use, PET radiopharmaceuticals undergo stringent quality control tests following FDA and USP recommendations, which include radiochemical yield, radiochemical purity, sterility and endotoxin tests, and many others, which are briefly described.
Performance Analysis of Uplink Multi-User OFDMA in IEEE 802.11ax

IEEE 802.11ax is the upcoming standard of the IEEE 802.11 wireless local area networks (WLAN) family. Until its most recent standard, i.e. 802.11ac, the primary focus of the 802.11 Working Group has been to increase the overall throughput of the physical (PHY) layer using innovative mechanisms such as multi-user multiple input multiple output (MU- MIMO), higher order modulation and coding schemes etc. However, these PHY layer gains often fail to translate to high throughput at the medium access control (MAC) layer, particularly in dense deployment scenarios. To address this limitation, IEEE 802.11ax introduces new features, most notably the use of Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA), thereby enabling concurrent MU transmissions. In this paper, we first provide an overview of the uplink MU OFDMA in IEEE 802.11ax. Second, we provide an analytical model for characterizing the performance of the 802.11ax MAC layer. We investigate the trade-off between providing high network throughput and supporting new users using a metric - namely, BSR delivery rate. Finally, we validate our analyses using extensive NS-3 simulations, and present the resulting findings.
Pharmacokinetic and Immunological Considerations for Expanding the Therapeutic Window of Next-Generation Antibody–Drug Conjugates

Antibody–drug conjugate (ADC) development has evolved greatly over the last 3 decades, including the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of several new drugs. However, translating ADCs from the design stage and preclinical promise to clinical success has been a major hurdle for the field, particularly for solid tumors. The challenge in clinical development can be attributed to the difficulty in connecting the design of these multifaceted agents with the impact on clinical efficacy, especially with the accelerated development of ‘next-generation’ ADCs containing a variety of innovative biophysical developments. Given their complex nature, there is an urgent need to integrate holistic ADC characterization approaches. This includes comprehensive in vivo assessment of systemic, intratumoral and cellular pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, toxicodynamics, and interactions with the immune system, with the aim of optimizing the ADC therapeutic window. Pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic factors influencing the ADC therapeutic window include (1) selecting optimal target and ADC components for prolonged and stable plasma circulation to increase tumoral uptake with minimal non-specific systemic toxicity, (2) balancing homogeneous intratumoral distribution with efficient cellular uptake, and (3) translating improved ADC potency to better clinical efficacy. Balancing beneficial immunological effects such as Fc-mediated and payload-mediated immune cell activation against harmful immunogenic/toxic effects is also an emerging concern for ADCs. Here, we review practical considerations for tracking ADC efficacy and toxicity, as aided by high-resolution biomolecular and immunological tools, quantitative pharmacology, and mathematical models, all of which can elucidate the relative contributions of the multitude of interactions governing the ADC therapeutic window.
Systematic Review of Natural Experiments for Childhood Obesity Prevention and Control.

Context The National Academy of Medicine recommends childhood obesity prevention efforts making healthier options the passive choice. This review evaluated the effectiveness of population-level policies and programs from natural experiments for childhood obesity prevention. Evidence acquistion The search included PubMed, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and EconLit from 2000 to 2017 for policies evaluated by natural experiments reporting childhood BMI outcomes. The studies were analyzed in 2017–2018. Interventions were classified by environmental focus (food/beverage, physical activity, or both) and stratified by setting (school, community, both). Risk of bias was evaluated for each study. Evidence synthesis Of 33 natural experiments, most (73%) took place in the school setting only. The most common environmental focus in any setting was food/beverage (48%). All four studies that focused on both food/beverage and physical activity in schools demonstrated decreased prevalence of overweight/obesity or BMI z-score by 0.04–0.17. BMI decreased in all four studies in both school and community settings. The largest effect size was a decrease in BMI z-score of 0.5, but most were Conclusions Natural experiments evaluating school-based policies focusing on both the food/beverage and physical activity environments (versus targeting only one) consistently showed improvement in BMI. However, most studies had high risk of bias, highlighting the need for improved methods for evaluation of natural experiments for childhood obesity prevention.
White-Light Photothermal Mirror Spectrophotometer

We describe an arc-lamp based pump-probe photothermal mirror spectrophotometer to measure the spectrum of the thermal quantum yield of the surface of solid samples. We discuss advantages of the method to characterize solid nontransparent materials.
A Cross Industry Study of Institutional Pressures on Organizational Effort to Raise Information Security Awareness

In this paper, we conceptually and empirically investigate the relationship between industry and information security awareness (ISA). Different industries have unique security related norms, rules, and values, which we propose promotes different levels of organizational effort to raise their employees’ general ISA. To examine these potential industry effects, we draw on Neo-Institutional Theory (NIT) because different industries operate in unique institutional environments. We specifically theorize that the pressures from the three institutional pillars (regulative, normative, and cultural-cognitive) will affect employees across all industries but the magnitude of those effects will vary across industries, because different industries have institutionalized security practices in unique ways. To evaluate our theorized relationships empirically, we surveyed employees in the banking, healthcare, retail, and higher education industries. We found that our subjects’ perceptions of the pressures from the three institutional pillars positively affected their perceptions of how much effort their organizations exerted to raise their general ISA. However, we also found that these effects were not consistent across our surveyed employees in the different industries, especially related to the direct and moderating effect of perceived normative institutional pressures. The implication of our paper is that future behavioral information security research should consider how industry and their corresponding institutional structures might affect (positively or negatively) the relationships in our core theoretical models.
Explicit Von Neumann Stability Conditions for the C-Tau Scheme: A Basic Scheme in the Development of the Ce-Se Courant Number Insensitive Schemes

As part of the continuous development of the space-time conservation element and solution element (CE-SE) method, recently a set of so call ed "Courant number insensitive schemes" has been proposed. The key advantage of these new schemes is that the numerical dissipation associa ted with them generally does not increase as the Courant number decre ases. As such, they can be applied to problems with large Courant number disparities (such as what commonly occurs in Navier-Stokes problem s) without incurring excessive numerical dissipation.
DEVELOPING A DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION WINTER SEVERITY INDEX

AbstractAdverse weather conditions are responsible for millions of vehicular crashes, thousands of deaths, and billions of dollars per year in economic and congestion costs. Many transportation age...