cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Robustness of Textural Features to Predict Stone Fragility Across Computed Tomography Acquisition and Reconstruction Parameters.

Rationale and Objectives Previous studies have demonstrated that quantitative relationships exist between stone fragility at lithotripsy and morphological features extracted from computed tomography (CT) scans. The goal of this study was to determine if variations in scanner model, patient size, radiation dose, or reconstruction parameters impact the accuracy of the prediction of renal stone fragility in an in vitro model. Materials and Methods Sixty-seven kidney stones were scanned using routine single and dual energy stone protocols, mimicking average, and large patient habitus. Low dose scans were also performed. Each scan was reconstructed with routine protocol parameters, and with thinner (0.6 mm) or thicker (3 mm) images, two different reconstruction kernels, and iterative reconstruction at two strengths. Fragility of each stone was measured in a controlled ex vivo experiment. A single predictive model was developed from a reference CT protocol configuration and applied to data from each CT acquisition and reconstruction parameter tested to obtain estimated stone comminution times. Results None of the investigated protocols showed a significant variation in the accuracy of stone fragility classification, except for the ones with the most aggressive iterative reconstruction and/or with thicker images. In these protocols, a number of stone fragility assessments changed from fragile to hard (or vice versa), compared to their ground truth measurement. Conclusion Prediction accuracy of stone fragility models developed from CT data is robust to expected variations in CT stone protocols used for quantification tasks. This finding facilitates their future adoption to different clinical practices.
Interface Design Strategy for the Fabrication of Highly Stretchable Strain Sensors.

Simultaneously achieving high piezoresistive sensitivity, stretchability, and good electrical conductivity in conductive elastomer composites (CECs) with carbon nanofillers is crucial for stretchab...
Age-related tumor growth in mice is related to integrin α 4 in CD8+ T cells

Cancer incidence increases with age, but paradoxically, cancers have been found to grow more quickly in young mice compared with aged ones. The cause of differential tumor growth has been debated and, over time, attributed to faster tumor cell proliferation, decreased tumor cell apoptosis, and/or increased angiogenesis in young animals. Despite major advances in our understanding of tumor immunity over the past 2 decades, little attention has been paid to comparing immune cell populations in young and aged mice. Using mouse colon adenocarcinoma model MC38 implanted in young and mature mice, we show that age substantially influences the number of tumor-infiltrating cytotoxic CD8+ T cells, which control cancer progression. The different tumor growth pace in young and mature mice was abrogated in RAG1null mice, which lack mature T and B lymphocytes, and upon selective depletion of endogenous CD8+ cells. Transcriptome analysis further indicated that young mice have decreased levels of the Itga4 gene (CD49d, VLA-4) in tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes when compared with mature mice. Hypothesizing that VLA-4 can have a tumor-protective effect, we depleted the protein, which resulted in accelerated tumor growth in mature mice. These observations may explain the paradoxical growth rates observed in murine cancers, point to the central role of VLA-4 in controlling tumor growth, and open new venues to therapeutic manipulation.
“Since when have people been illegal?”: Latinx youth reflections in Nepantla

Using Gloria Anzaldua’s idea of nepantla alongside critical theories of race and citizenship, this article highlights how Latinx undocumented youth and youth of mixed status families navigate, resist, and at times endorse the various and competing discourses around immigration, citizenship, and illegality. The author uses platicas as a methodological and pedagogical tool with youth who live in a migrant housing complex to examine how they enter sociopolitical conversations centered on their lived realities. Drawing on the youths’ reflections, the author emphasizes a need to centralize and create spaces for the voices of youth within discussions and action around immigration and citizenship, because they are continuously subjected to and forced to navigate dominant narratives and discourses that surface about them, their families, and (im)migrant communities.
A Racial Reckoning of a Progressive Ideology in Public Discourse

Applying racial formation theory, this research argues that when the political progressive ideology becomes the status quo, it loses its focus on “reform” and “progress” toward equity. Critical discourse analysis of media texts reveals how the ideology evolved into a “racial project” perpetuating institutional racism. When a moment of racial reckoning is presented to challenge the hegemonic politics in this case study, politicians, journalists, and engaged citizens employ discursive strategies to uncover privileges, call out (dis)trusting relationships, and reclaim the dominant narrative around what reform and progress look like. This work demonstrates how political communication unfolds when a progressively maintained infrastructure is revealed to be a system of oppression and where digital platforms allow for a substantial challenge.
Coal Feeds My Family: Subsistence, Energy, and Industry in Central Appalachia

Across Central Appalachia, you can see the message scrawled across bumper stickers, protest signs, and billboards: “Coal Feeds My Family”. The metaphor of coal feeding families is one that stresses the economic importance of this extractive industry to the economy of the industrialized rural mountain South. This essay examines the change in land-human relationships through the lens of food. A contrast is drawn between homesteading’s cultivation of life and coal’s energy economy of the dead. The energy economy of the preindustrial Appalachian farm is shown to be a slight alteration from the energy cycles of the Appalachian forest. The industrial energy economy of coal, on the other hand, severed Appalachian people from their traditional agricultural energy economy, from the results of their production, from the sources of their consumption, and from the very thing, the sun, which made the preindustrial economy possible. The coal energy economy was not only made possible through various technological innovations in production and consumption, but also by certain social relations and political structures. These relations and structures remain relatively intact, in spite of the rapid disintegration of the coal economy, and their inertia explains the popularity of the slogan “Coal Feeds My Family”.
Addressing Current and Planning for Future Ethical Issues in Child Maltreatment Research

Although the ethical challenges facing investigators in planning for and performing child maltreatment research are being recognized, formal discussion is just beginning regarding the complexities of those ethical questions, regarding the methods available to aid investigators in the identification of the issues, and regarding how investigators might learn acceptable ways in which to address those issues. Also, there has been little discussion regarding how investigators can best be informed about past and current ethical issues, about the guides that were available at those times to address the issues and how the results of the application of those guides might be applied to specific circumstances today. Ethics education in professional curricula, for example, has been very limited; this has resulted in inconsistency of interpretation of current ethical guidelines, especially regarding novel or less familiar ethical dilemmas (see, e.g., Rae & Worchel, 1991; Tymchuk, 1985; Tymchuk et al., 1979, 1982).
The short happy life of the affluent working class: Consumption, debt and Embourgeoisement in the Age of Credit:

This article reconsiders the debate over the alleged embourgeoisement of the British working classes after Second World War. ‘Bourgeois affluence and proletarian apathy’ examines why members of the...
Caregiver expressed emotion as mediator of the relationship between neuropsychiatric symptoms of dementia patients and caregiver mental health in Hong Kong

Objectives: Quality of life among Hong Kong’s family dementia caregivers is a current heightened public health concern. This was one of the first East Asian studies to examine the role of family ex...
Retinoblastoma Intra-arterial Chemotherapy

Retinoblastoma is the most common intraocular tumor of childhood with an average age at diagnosis is 18 months. First-line intra-arterial chemotherapy is very promising for intraocular retinoblastoma and may be superior to intravenous chemotherapy or external beam radiotherapy. Intra-arterial chemotherapy is associated with tolerable systemic toxicity.
A Study of the Elastic Constants of 4H Silicon Carbide (4H-SiC)

Stress sensors integrated on silicon ICs represent a powerful tool for experimental evaluation of die stress distributions, but silicon's upper temperature range is limited by its relatively low bandgap energy. Stress sensors made with wide bandgap semiconductor such as 4H silicon carbide (4H-SiC) offer the advantage of much higher temperature operation and can be utilized to monitor stresses in high-voltage, high-power SiC devices and have applications in deep well drilling, geothermal plants, and automotive and aerospace systems, to name a few. Strain distributions can be evaluated from stresses according to single crystal elastic constants $[\mathrm{C}_{\mathrm{ij}}]$ . However, elastic properties of 4H-SiC evaluated by several groups using various methods have relatively large variations. Therefore, determining the elastic constants of 4H-SiC carbide is essential for improving measurement accuracy. This paper discusses the theory and extraction of elastic constants of 4H-SiC. Coordinate transformations of engineering strain, tensorial strain, stress and stiffness matrices are reviewed here. Experimentally, the elastic properties of 4H-SiC are measured using both nano-indentation and fourpoint bending beam deflection methods. Strain gauges were also used for validation of elastic modulus and measurement of the Poisson's ratio. The elastic stiffness coefficients for 4HSiC available in the literature were compared with our data.
The Effect of Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs on Tendon-to-Bone Healing: A Systematic Review with Subgroup Meta-Analysis.

Background: There is some concern that non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) may impair the healing of certain musculoskeletal tissues. However, the effect of NSAIDs on the specialized fibrocartilaginous transition at the tendon-to-bone interface remains largely unknown. Thus, the purpose of the present study is to investigate the effect of NSAIDs on tendon-to-bone healing following acute injury or surgery.
The lex of the Earth? Arendt’s critique of Roman law:

How political communities should be constituted is at the center of Hannah Arendt’s engagement with two ancient sources of law: the Greek nomos and the Roman lex. Recent scholarship suggests that A...
Personalized precision medicine—Part A: Concepts and relevance in Mendelian disorders

Abstract The concepts of personalized precision medicine were promoted initially by Hood and Flores in 2012. In 2015 Collins and Varmus announced a new initiative on Precision Medicine. The term precision signaled inclusion of advances in genetics, genomics, proteomics, metabolomics and informatics and imaging. Inclusion of information from medical records is considered important. Genomic sequence variants report standards have evolved over time to include classification of variants based on the strength of available evidence that evaluates not only the type of variant but also strength of evidence that variant was associated with a specific disease. Functional validation of variant is important. Precision Medicine is proving particularly important in diagnosis and management of rare Mendelian disorders. It is important to note however that genotype does not always predict phenotype and that impact of modifier genes and environmental effects need to be considered.
Capuchin (Sapajus [Cebus] apella) change detection.

Author(s): Leinwand, Jesse G; Brosnan, Sarah F | Abstract: Change blindness is a phenomenon in which individuals fail to detect seemingly obvious changes in their visual fields.n Like humans, several animal species have also been shown to exhibit change blindness; however, no species of New World monkey has been tested to date.n Nine capuchins (Sapajus [Cebus] apella) were trained to select whether or not a stimulus changed on a computerized task.n In four phases of testing, consisting of full image changes, subtle occlusion changes, and two levels of feature location changes, the search display and mask durations were systematically varied to determine whether capuchins experienced change blindness and in what contexts.n Only the full image change test yielded significant results, with subjects detecting changes most accurately with longer search displays and, perplexingly, least accurately when there was no mask.n No interactions between search display and mask durations were found in any test phase, suggesting that the relationship between the two parameters may not be important to how capuchins perceive changes.n While it is possible that capuchins do not experience change blindness, we suspect that a mix of experimental design, the difficulty of the task, and the inability to verify how closely the subjects attended to each trial contributed to the lack of significant results.
The mechanical response of a magma chamber with poroviscoelastic crystal mush

Improved understanding of the impact of crystal mush rheology on the response of magma chambers to magmatic events is critical for better understanding crustal igneous systems with abundant crystal...
A note on unitarily invariant matrix norms

Abstract Given a unitarily invariant matrix norm ‖ ⋅ ‖ on n × n (real or complex) matrices, characterization is given for matrices A and B such that ‖ A B ‖ = ‖ A ‖ ‖ B ‖ .
STAMPede: A Precision Oncology Catalogue of Solid Tumors

Molecular profiling of tumor specimens is a key contributor in the application of precision medicine toward patient care in oncology. The presence of genetic mutational data may provide insight into the etiology of the cancer and inform about the available therapeutic options for patients diagnosed with various cancer types. However, the ability to centrally organize, structure, and visualize this genetic data can be hindered by the lack of necessary computational infrastructure. Here we present a somatic tumor data visualization portal titled STAMPede that utilizes tumor sequencing data from an in-house solid tumor oncology sequencing panel at Stanford Health Care. STAMPede is intended to provide Stanford healthcare providers and clinical researchers an easy to navigate web-based portal to query and display gene-, variant-, and cancer-level summary statistics.
A residue-type phenomenon and its applications to higher order nonlinear systems of Poisson type

Abstract In this paper, we establish a Residue-type phenomenon for the fundamental solution of the Laplacian. With the aid of the formula, we derive a higher order derivative formula for the Newtonian potential and its Holder estimates with a gain of two derivatives. The estimates allow us to obtain the solvability of a type of higher order nonlinear Poisson system.
Reward type and performance: An examination of organizational wellness programs

Abstract We examine organizational control in the context of wellness programs—organizational initiatives designed to improve the physical and mental health of employees. In a field study setting, we examine the associations of three different types of incentives (cash, gift cards, and tangible rewards) with wellness program performance. We find that employees who successfully complete program challenges are associated with greater weight loss. We also find participants choosing gift cards are associated with the greatest program success, even though cash rewards are selected more than twice as often as gift cards. Tangible rewards are the least frequently selected reward and are associated with lower performance than gift cards but relatively similar performance to cash. These results support theories of individual choice and motivation, and suggest that employees’ incentive choices are not necessarily aligned with the strongest motivational power.
Nonparametric Modeling of U.S. Interest Rate Term Structure Dynamics and Implications on the Prices of Derivative Securities

This paper develops a nonparametric model of interest rate term structure dynamics based on a spot rate process that permits only positive interest rates and a market price of interest rate risk that precludes arbitrage opportunities. Both the spot rate process and the market price of interest rate risk are nonparametrically specified so that the model allows for maximum flexibility in fitting into the data. Marginal density of interest rates and historical term structure data are exploited to provide robust estimation of the nonparametric term structure model. The model is implemented using U.S. data, and the estimation results are compared to those in available literature. Empirical results not only provide strong evidence that most traditional spot rate models and market prices of interest rate risk are misspecified, but also confirm that the nonparametric model generates significantly different term structures and prices of common derivatives.
Observation of New Dynamics of Transitions among Intermediate Species in Crystal Evolution and Its Role in a Generic Model of Crystallization

The mass and phase transitions among intermediate species are unique dynamics in nonclassical crystallization that are under investigation. In this research, we used a pulsed laser to initiate crys...
Conspiracy, Contract, and Covenant: Redefining Conspiracy's Actus Reus Through an Analysis of Selected Biblical Agreements

This paper articulates the ambiguities in defining, first, whether an agreement exists between would-be co-conspirators, and second, whether a particular offense is within that agreement’s scope. It argues that the actus reus of a conspiracy must necessarily be redefined in terms of a continuous conspiratorial relationship, arriving at that conclusion by examining and analyzing selected agreements and covenants in the Bible. Part I reviews the relevant legal framework surrounding conspiracy. Part II considers the applicability of the definition of “agreement” in the Second Restatement of Contracts to the criminal law context, while Part III articulates the fundamental, immutable problems with such a consideration. Part IV argues in favor of turning to Scripture for historical examples of agreements, contrasting various examples of agreements made in Scripture with contract law and finding the biblical agreements more applicable to the criminal law of conspiracy. Part V argues that since the common thread in all of the examined biblical agreements is the existence of a continuous relationship between the parties at hand, the actus reus of a conspiracy should be correspondingly redefined.
Chapter XIII The Indole Alkaloids

Publisher Summary This chapter presents information on indole alkaloids. The chapter presents a classification of various groups of alkaloids, according to the position of the substituents and the degree of substitution in the pyrrole part of the indole nucleus. The groups are extended to accommodate alkaloids, carrying substituents in the benzene ring, as well as those already specified for each group. The chapter discusses the following: (1) abrine, (2) hypaphorine, (3) gramine, (4) the ergot alkaloids, (5) the alkaloids of Peganum harmala , (6) those of Evodia rutaecarpa , (7) the yohimbe alkaloids, (8) the quebracho alkaloids, (9) the alkaloids of Rauwolfia species, (10) the alkaloids of Gelsemium species, (11) the alkaloids of Calycanthareae , (12) those of the calabar bean, (13) the iboga alkaloids, (14) the Alstonia alkaloids, (15) those of Geissospermum vellosii , (16) quinamine and cinchonamine, and (17) C-dihydrotoxiferine-I. The action of amyl alcoholic potassium hydroxide on quinamine causes rapid epimerization and three products are obtained—namely, epiquinamine, isoquinamine, and epi-isoquinamine. The chapter presents a table on the alkaloids and their transformation products.
Very low internal loss, 1.5 /spl mu/m wavelength SCH-MQW InGaAsP/InP laser diodes with broadened-waveguides

We have shown that the cladding layer free-carrier absorption is the main source of internal loss in the studied InGaAsP/InP SCH-MQW laser structures. Very low internal loss (1.3 cm/sup -1/) and low threshold current density (260 A/cm/sup 2/ for a 2 mm cavity) are obtained with the broadened-waveguide laser structure. High efficiency lasers can be made using this structure.
Carnitine acetyltransferase in nervous tissue.

Abstract Some of the kinetic properties of carnitine acetyltransferase in brain homogenates have been reported with the use of a new, sensitive radiometric method for the determination of acetylcarnitine. Those properties and the distribution pattern of carnitine acetyltransferase in various rat tissues, subcellular fractions, and discrete areas of the brain have been compared with those obtained for choline acetyltransferase and found to be markedly different. In subcellular fractions of brain, the carnitine enzyme remained associated with the mitochondrial fragments after "hypoosmotic" shock, whereas the choline enzyme showed enrichment in the "nerve ending particle" fraction. In developing brain cortex, the choline enzyme reaches adult levels of activity earlier than the carnitine enzyme. Thus, we have concluded that the two enzymes appear to be associated with different morphological structures. Further, the uniform distribution of carnitine acetyltransferase within the nervous system, as well as its association with the mitochondrial fraction, argues against the hypothesis that acetylcarnitine functions in brain as a neurohumoral agent. These data support the concept that carnitine acetyltransferase is involved in the transport of acyl groups across mitochondrial membranes.
Selection of the optimum uniform partition search

Given an ordered list of records stored on a tape, the binary search minimizes the number of comparisons whereas the sequential search minimizes the distance traveled by the read head. This paper finds the optimum search which minimizes both the number of comparisons and the amount of travel.
Imaging of the Actin Cytoskeleton and Mitochondria in Fixed Budding Yeast Cells

The budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae is widely used as a model system to study the organization and function of the cytoskeleton. In the past, its small size, rounded shape, and rigid cell wall created obstacles to explore the cell biology of this model eukaryote. It is now possible to acquire and analyze high-resolution and super-resolution multidimensional images of the yeast cell. As a result, imaging of yeast has emerged as an important tool in eukaryotic cell biology. This chapter describes labeling methods and optical approaches for visualizing the cytoskeleton and interactions of the actin cytoskeleton with mitochondria in fixed yeast cells using wide-field and super-resolution fluorescence microscopy.
Stimulation of receptor-coupled phospholipase A2 by interferon-γ

The biomolecular mechanisms that mediate signal transduction by type 11 (γ) interferon (IFN) are poorly understood. IFN-γ is a potent growth inhibitory cytokine also endowed with antiviral, immunomodulatory, and differentiating activities on various cell targets, including neural cells. IFN-γ induced a rapid and transient activation of phospholipase A2 in LAN-5, a human neuroblastoma cell line. A consequence of phospholipase A2 activation was the release of arachidonic acid and the generation of lysophospholipids from membrane phospholipids. Treatment of pre-labeled LAN-5 cells with a receptor-saturating concentration of IFN-γ led to a time-dependent release of [3H]arachidonic acid into the culture media and generation or [32P]lysophosphatidylcholine. Pretreatment of cultures with the phospholipase A2 inhibitor, bromophenacyl bromide, markedly inhibited both [3H]arachidonic acid release and lysophosphatidylcholine production induced by IFN-γ treatment. Pretreatment of LAN-5 cells with nordihydroguaiaretic acid, a lipoxygenase inhibitor, or with indomethacin, a cyclooxygenase inhibitor, amplified the release of[3H]arachidonic acid and production of lysophosphatidylcholine induced by non-saturating concentrations of IFN-γ. In parallel, and with the same time-dependent effect, a significant decrease in phosphatidylcholine labeling was observed in IFN-γ-treated cells, further indicating that a potential signal transduction mechanism of IFN-γ is the hydrolysis of membrane phosphatidylcholine by phospholipase A2.
New 2-methyl-6-alkylamino-5,8-quinolinequinones and 1,2,3,4-tetrahydro derivatives†

The syntheses of six new 2-methyl-6-alkylamino-5,8-quinolinequinones, three 1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-5,8-quinolinequinones, and 7-(2′,6′,10′-trimethylundecyl)-6-hydroxy-5,8-quinolinequinone are described as potential antimetabolites of coenzyme Q and as potential antimalarial agents. The six 2-methyl-6-alkylamino-5,8-quinolinequinones were prepared by a six-step synthesis. 2-Methyl-6-methoxy-8-nitroquinoline was prepared from 2-nitro-4-methoxyaniline and crotonaldehyde by a Skraup reaction. Raney nickel reduction gave 2-methyl-6-metboxy-8-aminoquinoline, which upon diazotization followed by dithionite reduction yielded 2-methyl-6-methoxy-5,8-diaminoquinoline. Subsequent dichromate oxidation gave 2-methyl-6-methoxy-5,8-quinolinequinone, which yielded the corresponding 2-methyl-6-alkylamino-5,8-quinolinequinone in good yield when treated with the appropriate alkylamine. The telrahydro-5,8-quinolinequinones were prepared by catalytic hydrogenation of the appropriate 5,8-quinolinequinones at elevated H2 pressure followed by air oxidation of the reduction product. 7-(2′,6′,10′-Trimethylundecyl)-6-hydroxy-5,8-quinolinequinone was synthesized by radical alkylation of 6-hydroxy-5,8-quinolinequinone by thermal decomposition of di-3,7,11-trimethyldodecanoyl peroxide, which was prepared by a multistep procedure from farnesol. Of the five new 2-methyl-6-alkylamino-5,8-quinoline-quinones tested against P. berghei in mice (blood schizonticidal test), only 2-methyl-6-cycloheptylamino-5,8-quinolinequinone was active (T-C = 6.1 at 320 mg./kg.). Both 7-(2′,6′,10′-trimelhytundecyl)-6-hydroxy-5,8-quinolinequinone and the tetrahydro derivatives were inactive in this same test system.
Additivity of tunnel number for small knots

We show that for small knots \( K_1, K_2, t(K_1) + t(K_2) - 1 \leq t(K_1\#K_2) \leq t(K_1)+t(K_2)+1 \), and that for small knots \( K_1, \dots, K_n, t(K_1 \# \dots \# K_n) \geq n \).
High Loading Efficiency and Tunable Release of Plasmid DNA Encapsulated in Submicron Particles Fabricated from PLGA Conjugated with Poly-L-lysine

Poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) particles have been widely explored as vehicles for delivery of plasmid DNA to mammalian cells both in vitro and in vivo. Achieving high incorporation efficiencies and control over release kinetics are significant challenges in encapsulating hydrophilic molecules such as DNA within submicron particles fabricated from PLGA. This study explored two modifications in the preparation of submicron particles to specifically address these challenges. Firstly, we compared homogenization and sonication as energy sources for emulsification. It was demonstrated that particles prepared with homogenization resulted in higher encapsulation efficiency and a linear release profile of DNA as compared to particles prepared with sonication, which exhibited lower encapsulation efficiency and a burst release. Also investigated was conjugation of poly-L-lysine to PLGA (PLGA-PLL) to create an electrostatically favorable interaction between the carrier material and the DNA. Particles fabricated with high weight percentages of PLGA-PLL/PLGA resulted in remarkably increased loading (>90%). Additionally, the release profile could be dictated by the quantity of PLGA-PLL incorporated into the particles. Particles incubated in vitro on COS-7 cells were able to transfect cells. These results demonstrated that DNA encapsulation and release were modulated by the method of fabrication.
A novel mouse model for segmental orthotopic colon cancer

Spontaneous colon tumor mouse strains offer numerous advantages in modeling disease. However, the wide temporal window in which lesions form and the stochastic nature of lesion location require larger cohorts for assessment of disease modulation. Reliable, reproducible and inexpensive mouse models of early-stage and invasive cancer would add to existing transgenic models. We show a new method for the creation of orthotopic murine tumors centered in the mucosal and submucosal layers anywhere in the colon, allowing creation of lesions of known age, location and extent. The system overcomes the disadvantages of heterotopic implantation and allows evaluation of lesions distally in the colon as well as proximally, thereby providing an additional method to study the effects of regionality. Invasion, host vascularization and application to disparate cell lines are demonstrated. Noninvasive imaging with magnetic resonance and colonoscopy, allowed in part by the tumor location, show potential applications of this approach.
Global finite-time stabilization of a class of uncertain nonlinear systems

This paper studies the problem of finite-time stabilization for nonlinear systems. We prove that global finite-time stabilizability of uncertain nonlinear systems that are dominated by a lower-triangular system can be achieved by Holder continuous state feedback. The proof is based on the finite-time Lyapunov stability theorem and the nonsmooth feedback design method developed recently for the control of inherently nonlinear systems that cannot be dealt with by any smooth feedback. A recursive design algorithm is developed for the construction of a Holder continuous, global finite-time stabilizer as well as a C^1 positive definite and proper Lyapunov function that guarantees finite-time stability.
Can Human Rights Build a Better War

“Humanity's law”—the merger of human rights law and the laws of war—is more ambivalent than first appears. The two regimes speak in one voice with respect to genocide and crimes against humanity, due process and detainee rights, and the prohibition of torture and cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment. But on the military terrain of “strategy,” and in the conduct of battlefield operations, human rights struggle for recognition. The law of war maintains a near monopoly over the right to life in wartime; even the International Court of Justice refracts the right to life through the prism of international humanitarian law. War law as lingua franca drives the discussion toward military issues related to targeting and restraint and away from broader human rights issues. Human rights rest uneasily with military norms that accept the strategic utility of violence. The comparative advantage of human rights is not necessarily to do a better job of applying the laws of war but to address the broad-based effects of...
Appropriate Polarization following Pharmacological Rescue of V2 Vasopressin Receptors Encoded by X-linked Nephrogenic Diabetes Insipidus Alleles Involves a Conformation of the Receptor That Also Attains Mature Glycosylation

To understand the mechanisms of G protein-coupled receptor delivery and steady state localization, we examined the trafficking itineraries of wild type (WT) and mutant V2 vasopressin receptors (V2Rs) in polarized Madin-Darby canine kidney II (MDCK II) cells and in COS M6 cells; the mutant V2Rs represent selected alleles responsible for X-linked nephrogenic diabetes insipidus. The WT V2R is localized on the plasma membrane and mediates arginine vasopressin (AVP)-stimulated cAMP accumulation, whereas the clinically relevant V2R mutants, L292P V2R, ΔV278 V2R, and R337X V2R, are retained intracellularly, are insensitive to extracellularly added AVP, and are not processed beyond initial immature glycosylation, manifest by their endoglycosidase H sensitivity. Reduced temperature and pharmacological, but not chemical, strategies rescue mutant V2Rs to the cell surface of COS M6 cells; surface rescue of L292P V2R and R337X V2R, but not of ΔV278 V2R, parallels acquisition of AVP-stimulated cAMP production. Pharmacological rescue of the L292P or R337X V2R by incubation with the membrane-permeant V2R antagonist, SR121463B, leads to a mature glycosylated form of the receptor that achieves localization on the basolateral surface of polarized MDCK II cells indistinguishable from that of the WT V2R. Surprisingly, however, the immature form of the mutant L292P V2R escapes to the apical, but not basolateral, surface of polarized MDCK II cells, even in the absence of SR121463B. These findings are consistent with the interpretation that the receptor conformation that allows appropriate processing through the N-linked glycosylation pathway is also essential for V2R targeting to the appropriate surface of polarized epithelial cells.
EXPERIMENTAL STUDIES ON THE HYPOPHYSIS CEREBRI III. THE EFFECT OF SEVERAL PREGNANCIES IN THE ALBINO RAT

In a previous study the writer reported the effect of single pregnancy (1) and the current study presents the results of an attempt to show by means of careful volumetric, histologic, and statistical methods the changes induced in the hypophysis by several pregnancies. Several reviews covering this field have been published recently (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6). To these the reader is referred for the bulk of the pertinent literature. A few contributions that are either not covered in the above or because they present certain interesting facts may be summarized here to advantage. Agdhur (7) reports that white mice with an increasing number of pregnancies reared on a basal diet show an increase in the weight of the whole hypophysis as well as of its pars anterior and pars posterior, but not in the pars intermedia. In the pars anterior the increase in number of the glandular epithelial cells was increased by about 100 per cent, the volume of the corresponding cells showed an increased growth of about 250 per cent, an...
A new defective retroviral vector system based on the bryan strain of rous sarcoma virus

Abstract We have constructed a helper cell line and vector system based on the Bryan high titer (BH) strain of Rous sarcoma virus (RSV). BH-RSV is a defective virus which lacks an env gene; however, if env is supplied in trans , it replicates to a very high titer. Like BH-RSV, the vector contains gag and pol genes and lacks an env gene. The helper cell line supplies env in trans and permits the production of infectious virions. To construct the helper cell line the subgroup A env gene from the Schmidt-Ruppin-A (SRA) RSV was stably transfected into Qt6 cells, a chemically transformed quail fibroblast line. To minimize homology between the vector and helper cell line, transcription of the env gene is driven by a MuLV LTR, and 3′ processing is controlled by the simian virus 40 (SV40) polyadenylation signal. This combination of vector and helper cells can be used to produce high-titer viral stocks in which recombinant replication-competent virus have not been detected even when the stocks were used to inoculate chickens. This system should be useful for developing transgenic chickens, studying cell lineage, and introducing genes into cultured cells.
Radioprotection by WR-2721 of gamma-irradiated rat parotid gland: effect on gland weight and secretion at 8-10 days post irradiation.

Abstract Changes in rat parotid salivary gland weight and functional parameters were evaluated at 8 to 10 days post irradiation in V1'R-2721 protected and non-protected animals following exposure to a single 15.3 Gy dose of Cs-137 radiation to the head. Glandular fluid secretory capacity was assessed by maximum flow rate, total volume of saliva and duration of secretion following pilocarpine stimulation. Protection against radiomucositis was also evaluated irectly by daily monitoring of food and water intake, body weight and paraoral symptomatology. WR-2721 provided a significant degree of protection for all glandular functional parameters as well as gland weight. Relative protective factors (RPF) were computed for irradiated protected and non-protected animals compared to their sham-irradiated, pair-fed controls. The calculated RPFs were: Gland weight 1.9, maximum flow rate 2.9, volume of saliva 2.1 and duration of secretion 2.1 for a mean “relative protection” of 2.25. Substantial protection against radiomucositis in protected animals was evident by a progressive gain in body weight and lack of oral signs and symptoms as compared to non-protected animals. Protection against radiomucositis and preservation of residual parotid gland secretory capacity as determined by functional parameters suggests that %1'R-2721 may be of significant benefit in alleviating oral symptoms and maintaining salivary gland function for patients receiving radiotherapy for head and neck tumors.
Manganese based magnetic nanoparticles for heavy metal detection and environmental remediation

The presence of environmental toxins, heavy metals and organic pollutants is a serious environmental issue that has continued to attract much attention from the public as well as the scientific community. In this work we use manganese based magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) synthesized using a micro-emulsion method and then coated with gold for heavy metal capture and detection. The MNPs were characterized using X-ray Diffraction (XRD) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). Cysteine immobilization onto the gold coated magnetic nano-particles was monitored using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. Lead chelation to cysteine on MNPs was monitored using square wave voltammetry. Square wave voltammetry for gold coated MNPs with immobilized cysteine and with chelated lead showed higher current. These MNPs were found to be efficient nano-sorbents for the potential removal of heavy metals from wastewater due to the large surface area.
The Effects of Early Childhood Academic and Professional Experience on Self Perceptions and Beliefs about Developmentally Appropriate Practices

(1997). The Effects of Early Childhood Academic and Professional Experience on Self Perceptions and Beliefs about Developmentally Appropriate Practices. Journal of Early Childhood Teacher Education: Vol. 18, No. 3, pp. 55-68.
The Issue of Uncertainty for the River Watershed: Data Analysis of Scaled Space and Time Variability

The issue of uncertainty is the basis for any application of knowledge ("Uncertainty is an attribute of information." From L. Zadeh, 2005) and has to be one of the main tasks in Earth's systems study. Knowledge about natural systems may be only obtained by the analysis of the empirical (instrumental) data. Uncertainty starts from unveiling of the research task by the researcher. The main source of uncertainty comes from the natural system "extraction" (unit's boundaries) for modeling and limitations of data representing both time and space variability.The consideration of uncertainty is placed in context of time and space with use of the U.S. part of the Great Lakes watershed as an example. All possible empirical (instrumental) data were used for this research. Data analysis was completed for river discharge, precipitation and air temperatures. of data analysis provide a base for regionalization, a multi-scaled description of the structure of river watersheds and their interaction with climate characteristics, and uncertainty of the obtained knowledge. The consideration of uncertainty in research helps practical applications like water balance estimations for conservation and/or management of water resources of different scales, and educating the public/communities about environmental issues.
Miniature Piezoelectric Shaker Mechanism for Autonomous Distribution of Unconsolidated Sample to Instrument Cells

To perform in-situ measurements on Mars or other planetary bodies many instruments require powder produced using some sampling technique (drilling/coring) or sample processing technique (core crushing) to be placed in measurement cells. This usually requires filling a small sample cell using an inlet funnel. In order to minimize cross contamination with future samples and ensure the sample is transferred from the funnel to the test cell with minimal residual powder the funnel is shaken. The shaking assists gravity by fluidizing the powder and restoring flow of the material. In order to counter cross contamination or potential clogging due to settling during autonomous handling a piezoelectric shaking mechanism was designed for the deposition of sample fines in instrument inlet funnels. This device was designed to be lightweight, consume low power and demonstrated to be a resilient solid state actuator that can be mechanically and electrically tuned to shake the inlet funnel. In the final design configuration tested under nominal Mars Ambient conditions the funnel mechanism is driven by three symmetrically mounted piezoelectric flexure actuators that are out of the funnel support load path. The frequency of the actuation can be electrically controlled and monitored and mechanically tuned by the addition of tuning mass on the free end of the actuator. Unlike conventional electromagnetic motors these devices are solid state and can be designed with no macroscopically moving parts. This paper will discuss the design and testing results of these shaking mechanisms.
The impact of stereoscopic three-dimensional (3-D) advertising

The popularity of stereoscopic 3-D technology is encouraging advertisers to adopt this format as a new advertising tool in diverse contexts. This research investigates the impact of nonglasses and glasses types of stereoscopic 3-D advertising, and proposes a theoretical model examining the role of presence in advertising effectiveness. Due to their power to increase presence, both stereoscopic 3-D advertising formats have a significantly stronger impact on diverse marketing variables than flat 3-D advertising. A structural equation model reveals the process through which presence affects advertising effectiveness by enhancing enjoyment and increasing perceived product knowledge. In addition, the moderating effects of novelty and cybersickness on presence are identified.
Stepwise Selection of ECATs for Maximum Mean Validity

The problem addressed in this article is how to select a common battery of predictor tests for all armed services schools. A technique was developed for selecting a subset of tests from a larger te...
Exploratory Assessment of Corrosion Behavior of Stainless Steel Clad Rebar: Part 2— Modeling of Galvanic Corrosion at Cladding Breaks

Abstract The galvanic corrosion of exposed carbon steel at stainless steel clad rebar (SCR) breaks was investigated computationally with both spatially detailed (2-D finite difference) and broadly ...
Trypanothione: a novel bis(glutathionyl)spermidine cofactor for glutathione reductase in trypanosomatids

Glutathione reductase from trypanosomes and leishmanias, unlike glutathione reductase from other organisms, requires an unusual low molecular weight cofactor for activity. The cofactor was purified from the insect trypanosomatid Crithidia fasciculata and identified as a novel glutathione-spermidine conjugate, N1,N8-bis(L-gamma-glutamyl-L-hemicystinyl-glycyl)spermidine, for which the trivial name trypanothione is proposed. This discovery may open a new chemotherapeutic approach to trypanosomiasis and leishmaniasis.
The Check is in the Mail. Correspondent Clearing and the Collapse of the Banking System, 1930 to 1933

Weaknesses within the check-clearing system played a hitherto unrecognized role in the banking crises of the Great Depression. Correspondent check-clearing networks were vulnerable to counter-party cascades. Accounting conventions that overstated reserves available to corresponding institutions may have exacerbated the situation. The initial banking panic began when a correspondent network centered in Nashville collapsed, forcing over 100 institutions to suspend operations. As the contraction continued, additional correspondent systems imploded. The vulnerability of correspondent networks is one reason that banks that cleared via correspondents failed at higher rates than other institutions during the Great Depression. During the Great Depression, banks failed in larger numbers than at any other time in United States history. Economists have long debated the reasons for the banking system's collapse. A traditional school of scholarship maintains that the underlying causes were withdrawals of deposits, illiquidity of assets, and the Federal Reserve's reluctance to act.' A revisionist school concludes that banks failed because the economy contracted and fundamental forces pushed banks into insolvency.2 These opposing views exist for many reasons. A principal reason is differences in data sources. Scholars in the traditional school analyze data aggregated at the national or regional level. These data reveal bank suspensions clustered in space and time, often coinciding with turning points in macroeconomic time-series such as indices of industrial production, the money multiplier, interest rates, and the deflation rate. Narrative sources from the 1930s characterize these clusters as banking
An In Silico Transwell Device for the Study of Drug Transport and Drug–Drug Interactions

Purpose Validate and exemplify a discrete, componentized, in silico, transwell device (ISTD) capable of mimicking the in vitro passive transport properties of compounds through cell monolayers. Verify its use for studying drug–drug interactions.
Automated Colorimetric Method for Total Cyanide in Water and Wastewater

Abstract An automated benzidine-pyridine method for the analysis of total cyanide is described. Cyanides are converted to cyanogen bromide by the reaction with bromine water. Cyanogen bromide reacts with benzidine in a dilute pyridine medium to form an intense red color directly proportional to the cyanide concentration. Cyanide often is found complexed with metals. Complex iron cyanides such as ferrocyanide or ferricyanide are difficult to decompose, but the conversion is hastened with mercuric chloride and magnesium chloride in a modified Serfass distillation.1 Hydrogen cyanide is readily formed and absorbed in sodium hydroxide.
Overexpression of the Pepper Transcription Factor CaPF1 in Transgenic Virginia Pine (Pinus Virginiana Mill.) Confers Multiple Stress Tolerance and Enhances Organ Growth

Transcription factors play an important role in regulating gene expression in response to stress and pathogen tolerance. We describe here that overexpression of an ERF/AP2 pepper transcription factor (CaPF1) in transgenic Virginia pine (Pinus virginiana Mill.) confers tolerance to heavy metals Cadmium, Copper, and Zinc, to heat, and to pathogens Bacillus thuringiensis and Staphylococcus epidermidis, as by the survival rate of transgenic plants and the number of decreasing pathogen cells in transgenic tissues. Measurement of antioxidant enzymes ascorbate peroxidase (APOX), glutathione reductase (GR), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities demonstrated that the level of the enzyme activities was higher in transgenic Virginia pine plants overexpressing the CaPF1 gene, which may protect cells from the oxidative damage caused by stresses, compared to the controls. Constitutive overexpression of CaPF1 gene enhanced organ growth by increasing organ size and cell numbers in transgenic Virginia pine plants over those in control plants.