cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Dose-kinetics of pancreatic α- and β-cell responses to a protein meal in normal subjects

A protein meal is well known to induce a prompt secretion of insulin and glucagon. However, the data regarding the dose-response relationship between the protein meal and the insulin and glucagon responses are sparse. This study assessed the effects of ingestion of protein meals of varying amounts on plasma glucose [S], insulin [I], and glucagon [G] concentrations in eight normal subjects. Protein meals were administered after an overnight fast in a randomized sequence at intervals of 10 days in four different quantities: 250 mg/kg body weight (BW) (A), 500 mg/kg BW (B), 1 g/kg BW (C), and 2 g/kg BW (D). Mean S levels were not significantly altered following A, B, or C, although significant decreases in S responses were noted after C and D as reflected by absolute changes (delta) and/or the cumulative responses (CR) and the areas under the curve (sigma). Mean I increased promptly to peak concentration by 30 minutes, although in individual subjects the peak was achieved either at 30 or 60 minutes following all protein meals. The increase was progressively greater and the return was delayed with increasing quantities resulting in progressive elevations in delta I and percent increase from basal concentration (%), as well as CRI and sigma I. G increased following all protein meals as well. The mean peak G concentrations were achieved by 90 minutes, although in individual subjects the peak G was reached at 90 or 120 minutes, a significant delay in comparison to the peak I levels. G returned to base line only following ingestion of A during the study period.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
An Automated Approach for Proving PCL Invariants

Protocol composition logic, PCL, is a formal approach for proving security properties of a class of network protocols. PCL involves reasoning directly about properties achieved by protocols steps, in a setting that does not require explicit reasoning about attacker actions. The method relies on protocol invariants to combine properties of different roles of a protocol. While some protocol invariants can be complex to identify and prove, many useful PCL invariants are relatively straightforward consequences of the programs (roles) executed by the agents involved in the protocol. We present a logic program based approach for automating proofs of invariants that appears effective for invariants that are required for several standardized, widely deployed protocols. We use the well-known Transport Layer Security Protocol (TLS/SSL) to illustrate the approach.
Pheromone Delivery System: Western Corn Rootworm (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) Pheromone Encapsulation in a Starch Borate Matrix

Western corn rootworm, Diabrotica virgifem virg;fem LeConte, sex phero- mone, racemic 8-methyl-2-decyl-propanoate (MDP) was successfully encapsulated in a starch borate (5B) matrix creating a controlled release granular formulation. The release rate of MDP from starch borate granules was attractive to male D. virg;fem at high and low D. virg;fera population levels in field corn. Male D. virg;fera were attracted to the 5B-MDP granules throughout the growing season, but efficacy declined during the period of peak female D. virgifera emergence and corn pollination. The 5B-MDP delivery system was as effective as a septa-MDP delivery system, and 5B-MDP formulations had a shelf life of at least 2 yr. Data suggest that the starch matrix concept may be useful as a delivery system for semiochemicals and may have potential as a tool that can be used in the development of new, more environmentally sound insect management systems.
Insulin receptor: role in the resistance of human obesity to insulin

Large adipocytes from obese subjects have similar receptor numbers and affinities for insulin as small adipocytes from subjects of normal weight. These results indicate that the insulin insensitivity of large fat cells from obese humans occurs after the insulin-receptor interaction and might be explained by either a dilution of receptors over the cell surface or by alterations in intracellular metabolism.
The blame game: An attribution theory approach to marketer–engineer conflict in high-technology companies

Abstract Marketer–engineer conflict is a pervasive and as-yet unresolved problem of critical importance to high-technology companies. This study updates and extends marketing literature by applying qualitative research methods including the critical incident technique to examine the causes of conflict between marketers and engineers in high-technology companies. Narratives from both marketers and engineers are interpreted from an attribution theory perspective as well as in the context of recent management research on interfunctional conflict. Results draw attention to a high proportion of personal attributions, indicating high levels of relationship-conflict; these results are in contrast to the task-conflict typically addressed by the marketing literature. Discussion highlights the changes in high-technology organizational culture since first by described by Workman 15 years ago [Workman, J. (1993). Marketing's limited role in new product development in one computer systems firm. Journal of Marketing Research, 30 (4), 405–421.], and recommendations for managers are offered.
Targeted and Highly Multiplexed Detection of Microorganisms by Employing an Ensemble of Molecular Probes

The vast majority of microscopic life on earth consists of microbes that do not grow in laboratory culture. To profile the microbial diversity in environmental and clinical samples, we have devised and employed molecular probe technology, which detects and identifies bacteria that do and do not grow in culture. The only requirement is a short sequence of contiguous bases (currently 60 bases) unique to the genome of the organism of interest. The procedure is relatively fast, inexpensive, customizable, robust, and culture independent and uses commercially available reagents and instruments. In this communication, we report improving the specificity of the molecular probes substantially and increasing the complexity of the molecular probe set by over an order of magnitude (>1,200 probes) and introduce a new final readout method based upon Illumina sequencing. In addition, we employed molecular probes to identify the bacteria from vaginal swabs and demonstrate how a deliberate selection of molecular probes can identify less abundant bacteria even in the presence of much more abundant species.
Conversion equipment in the United States Aluminum industry

There are a number of advantages in the operation and maintenance of mercury-arc rectifiers in comparison with rotary converters. Operation of rectifiers has been found to be simple, dependable, and relatively free from trouble by the aluminum industry in the United States. Comments and discussion presented apply only to reduction plants of the Aluminum Company of America.
Image compression for dermatology

Color 35mm photographic slides are commonly used in dermatology for education, and patient records. An electronic storage and retrieval system for digitized slide images may offer some advantages such as preservation and random access. We have integrated a system based on a personal computer (PC) for digital imaging of 35mm slides that depict dermatologic conditions. Such systems require significant resources to accommodate the large image files involved. Methods to reduce storage requirements and access time through image compression are therefore of interest. This paper contains an evaluation of one such compression method that uses the Hadamard transform implemented on a PC-resident graphics processor. Image quality is assessed by determining the effect of compression on the performance of an image feature recognition task.© (1990) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Characterization of Red Drum Microsatellite Markers in Spotted Seatrout

Polymerase chain reaction primers for a total of 132 nuclear-encoded microsatellites originally developed from genomic libraries for red drum Sciaenops ocellatus produced reliable and consistent amplifications in the closely related spotted seatrout Cynoscion nebulosus. Thirty-three of the primers amplified microsatellites that were monomorphic among a sample of 30 individuals, while 12 of the remaining 99 polymorphic loci exhibited possible null alleles. This provides a set of 87 microsatellite loci that will be highly useful in future genetic studies related to the stock enhancement and culture of spotted seatrout. Spotted seatrout comprise an important recreational fishery in the bays and estuaries in U.S. waters of the Gulf of Mexico and western Atlantic Ocean, and stock enhancement via supplementation with hatchery-reared individuals is ongoing, planned, or under consideration in several southern states.
Role of melanocyte morphology in pigmentation of mouse hair.

The pigmented hair provides a lasting record of the complex interactions of melanocytes and keratinocytes which lead to its formation within the hair follicle. Large clumps of pigment are deposited within the developing hair when follicular melanocytes are uprooted from fixed sites in the hair bulbs. The frequency with which melanocytes are incorporated is in some way related to their morphology. Melanocytes with poorly developed dendrites (nucleopetal melanocytes) are dislodged from hair bulbs more frequently than those with well developed dendrites (nucleofugal melanocytes). A detailed investigation of pigment clumping brought about by action of the light (Blt) and leaden (ln) genes has yielded results consistent with this interpretation. Leaden melanocytes remain nucleopetal in morphology throughout the hair growth cycle whereas light melanocytes, initially nucleofugal, often become nucleopetal. The unexpected absence of pigment clumping in light (Blt/—) mice which are homozygous or heterozygous for the pink-eyed dilution gene p, is correlated with the persistence of nucleofugal melanocytes. In contrast, the pigment clumping found in the hairs of pink-eyed leaden mice is associated with the presence of nucleopetal follicular melanocytes. The differing interactions of the p-locus with the ln and b loci, suggest that the leaden and light genes elicit similar morphological changes in melanocyte morphology via different developmental pathways.
Significance of the perigametic interval as a major source of spontaneous mutations that result in mosaics.

An earlier analysis showed that a significant percentage of spontaneous specific-locus mutations in mice are recovered as mosaics and that the spontaneous mutation rate per cell cycle is probably higher for those mutations that produce mosaics than for those that produce whole-body mutants. The finding that the average germline composition of the mosaics was approximately 50% supported the suggestion that single-strand DNA alterations during the perigametic interval constitute the major source of spontaneous mosaics. Here, alternative origins of 50% germline mosaicism are examined. Supporting the earlier hypothesis is the finding that spontaneous mutations that are recovered as clusters constitute a different array of types from those giving rise to singletons, and the evidence from interspecies comparisons that a unique component of the life cycle, probably meiosis, makes a major contribution to spontaneous mutations. Biological factors associated with the perigametic interval were examined in an effort to suggest explanations for the observations that 1) the spontaneous mutation rate in that interval is high relative to that characterizing any mitotic cell cycle, 2) the types of mutations appear to be different from those arising during mitotic divisions, and 3) the spontaneous mutation rate for males is higher than that for females. It is concluded that the higher yield from the perigametic interval is consistent with what is known about methylation status in development of both sexes and with repair capacity in the male germline. For both parameters, differences between the sexes during their respective perigametic intervals may be at least partly responsible for the fact that the spontaneous mutation rate of mammalian females is lower than that of males.
Parallelizing large-scale data processing applications with data skew: a case study in product-offer matching

The last decade has seen a surge of interest in large-scale data-parallel processing engines. While these engines share many features in common with parallel databases, they make a set of different trade-offs. In consequence many of the lessons learned for programming parallel databases have to be re-learned in the new environment. In this paper we show a case study of parallelizing an example large-scale application (offer matching, a core part of online shopping) on an example MapReduce-based distributed computation engine (DryadLINQ). We focus on the challenges raised by the nature of large data sets and data skew and show how they can be addressed effectively within this computation framework by optimizing the computation to adapt to the nature of the data. In particular we describe three different strategies for performing distributed joins and show how the platform language allows us to implement optimization strategies at the application level, without system support. We show that this flexibility in the programming model allows for a highly effective system, providing a measured speedup of more than 100 on 64 machines (256 cores), and an estimated speedup of 200 on 1280 machines (5120 cores)of matching 4 million offers.
Claude Bernard was a 19th century proponent of medicine based on evidence.

Abstract The French physiologist Claude Bernard (1813–1878) has the unfair reputation of being ferociously opposed to the use of probabilities and statistics in medicine. In the 19th century, he would have been included among those who opposed the emergence of what would eventually become clinical epidemiology. The truth is that Bernard valued the role of medical statistics in clinical medicine but viewed it as potentially misleading in laboratory-based physiology. He posited that clinical medicine had to be guided by probabilistic evidence as long as physiological mechanisms remained unknown. Bernard praised the clinical researches of Pierre Louis aiming to assess the efficacy of bloodletting in the treatment of pneumonitis. The real objects of Bernard's contempt were the physicians who pretended that medicine was an art strictly based on intuition and tact and who pretended that comparative trials and statistics were useless for clinical medicine. Overall, Bernard was a strong and explicit proponent of the importance of scientific evidence in medical knowledge, be it from experiments or from comparative trials.
Phylogeny and biogeography of ice crawlers (Insecta: Grylloblattodea) based on six molecular loci: Designating conservation status for Grylloblattodea species

Ice crawlers (Insecta: Grylloblattodea) are rarely encountered insects that consist of five genera representing 26 species from North America and Asia. Asian grylloblattids are the most diverse, but North American ice crawlers (genus Grylloblatta) are known for their adaptation to cold conditions. Phylogenetic relationships among grylloblattid species and genera are not known. Six genes were sampled in 35 individuals for 18S rRNA, 28S rRNA, histone 3, 12S rRNA, 16S rRNA, and cytochrome oxidase II from 21 populations of Grylloblatta, three populations from Japan (genus Galloisiana), and three populations from Russia (genus Grylloblattina). Phylogenetic analysis of these data with two mantophasmid outgroups in POY supported monophyletic genera, with Grylloblatta as sister to Grylloblattina. Grylloblatta was shown to contain two major lineages: a clade in Northern California and Oregon and a clade in Washington and Oregon. One new species and six candidate species are proposed. IUCN Red List Conservation Criteria were implemented to designate conservation status for each lineage.
Targeting BCL6 in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma: what does this mean for the future treatment?

The BCL6 (B-cell lymphoma 6) transcriptional repressor has emerged as a critical therapeutic target in diffuse large B-cell lymphomas (DLBCL). Although a sequence-specific transcription factor, which were traditionally considered to be “undruggable”, in depth mechanistic studies have facilitated the development of BCL6 targeted therapies, which are the first rationally designed transcription factor inhibitors.
Pharmacologic Strategies to Preserve Renal Function in Acute Decompensated Heart Failure

Over a million patients get hospitalized with the diagnosis of acute decompensated heart failure which poses an insurmountable financial burden on the health care system. Heart failure alone incurs over 30 billion dollars with half the cost spent towards acute hospitalizations. Majority of the treatment strategies have focused towards decongesting patients which often comes with the cost of worsening renal function. Renal dysfunction in the setting of acute decompensated heart failure portends worse morbidity and mortality. Recently, there has been a change in the focus with shift towards therapies attempting to conserve renal function. In the past decade, we have witnessed several large randomized controlled trials testing the established as well as emerging therapies in this subset of population with mixed results. This review intends to provide a comprehensive overview of the pharmacologic therapies commonly utilized in the management of acute decompensated heart failure and the body of evidence supporting these strategies.
The Synthetic Triterpenoid, CDDO-Me, Modulates the Proinflammatory Response to In Vivo Lipopolysaccharide Challenge

The synthetic triterpenoid, CDDO-Me, has potent antiproliferative and antioxidant properties. However, its immunomodulatory effects in the context of LPS challenge are incompletely defined. Pretreatment with oral CDDO-Me significantly improved survival following lethal-dose LPS challenge in mice. To define this protection further, we measured effects of CDDO-Me pretreatment on splenocyte populations and cytokine production following LPS challenge, using low-level LPS pretreatment as an in vivo control for reducing cytokine production. Despite similar decreases in levels of LPS-inducible, circulating proinflammatory cytokines (IL-12p70, IFN-γ, IL-6, IL-17, and IL-23) and increases in heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1) protein expression, low-dose LPS and CDDO-Me pretreatments markedly differed in their overall response profiles. Splenocytes from LPS-pretreated mice contained reduced numbers of dendritic cells, increased percentages of Th17 and T-regulatory cells, lower levels of TLR-inducible IL-6, and higher levels ...
Development of a common cause failure analysis method: The inverse stress—strength interference (ISSI) technique

Abstract In this paper, common cause failure analysis methods are reviewed. Stress-strength interference (SSI) theory and the common load model are used to develop an original common cause failure (CCF) analysis method. The approach derived involves an inversion of results based on SSI theory, and is called the inverse stress-strength interference (ISSI) technique. The relationship between the ISSI technique and other commonly used common cause failure analysis methods is also described. Finally, the qualitative and quantitative behavior of the ISSI technique is discussed.
Inviting Consumers To Downsize Fast-Food Portions Significantly Reduces Calorie Consumption

Policies that mandate calorie labeling in fast-food and chain restaurants have had little or no observable impact on calorie consumption to date. In three field experiments, we tested an alternative approach: activating consumers’ self-control by having servers ask customers if they wanted to downsize portions of three starchy side dishes at a Chinese fast-food restaurant. We consistently found that 14–33 percent of customers accepted the downsizing offer, and they did so whether or not they were given a nominal twenty-five-cent discount. Overall, those who accepted smaller portions did not compensate by ordering more calories in their entrees, and the total calories served to them were, on average, reduced by more than 200. We also found that accepting the downsizing offer did not change the amount of uneaten food left at the end of the meal, so the calorie savings during purchasing translated into calorie savings during consumption. Labeling the calorie content of food during one of the experiments had ...
Elementary excitation spectrum of the Heisenberg ferromagnet

Abstract The method of thermodynamic two-time retarded Green function is applied to calculate the elementary excitation spectrum of a simple cubic Heisenberg ferromagnet. An expression for the spin-wave self-energy operator is obtained in terms of the three-particle Green function. The equation of motion for the three-particle Green function is solved in the approximation in which all Green functions involving more than three particles are neglected. In the limit of low temperatures the spectrum reduces to the result of Silberglitt and Harris. This spectrum is valid for all wavelengths and includes the effect of two-spin-wave bound states and scattering resonances. In the limit of long wavelengths the well-known spectrum of Dyson is recovered. The extension of the Green-function method to higher-order calculations and to the study of the effect of multi-spin-wave complexes is straightforward and is briefly discussed.
On the estimation of residual variance in nonparametric regression

This note generalizes the analysis of Buckley et al. 1988 from the case of normal errors to the class of non-normal errors with finite first four moments. The effect of misspecifying errors as normal is also indicated.
What is the future of scholarly journals in an open access environment

A growing number of colleges and universities are requiring faculty to publish manuscripts accepted in peer-reviewed journals on their internal school websites in open access format so all of the articles would be available free to the public. This is exciting to anyone who wants to share knowledge and enhance the visibility of ideas, but mildly terrifying to publishers of scholarly journals. If people can get any article online for free, why would anyone pay to subscribe to a journal? This “disruption” is likely to cause some difficult transitions for faculty, colleges, and universities and publishers, as well as some innovation.
π-Acid/π-Base Carbonyloxo, Carbonylsulfido, and Mixed-Valence Complexes of Tungsten

Carbonyloxotungsten(IV) complexes, Tp*WOX(CO), are produced in the reactions of dioxygen (for X = Cl, Br, I) or pyridine N-oxide [for X = S2P(OPri)2, S2PPh2] with Tp*WX(CO)2 [Tp* = hydrotris(3,5-dimethylpyrazol-1-yl)borate]. Analogous carbonylsulfidotungsten(IV) species, Tp*WSX(CO), result from the reactions of Tp*WX(κ2-MeCN)(CO) with propylene sulfide. The carbonyloxo complexes exhibit ν(CO) and ν(WO) IR bands in the 1995−1965 and 957−951 cm-1 regions, respectively; the ν(CO) and ν(WS) bands of the carbonylsulfido species appear at 1970−1937 and 512−502 cm-1, respectively. The complexes possess C1 symmetry and display carbonyl 13C NMR resonances at δ 272−287, with JWC 160−196 Hz. The crystal structures of Tp*WO(S2PPh2)(CO) and Tp*WS(S2PPh2)(CO)·0.5CHCl3 reveal distorted octahedral tungsten centers coordinated by a fac tridentate Tp* ligand and mutually cis, monodentate chalcogenido [d(WO) = 1.698(4) A; d(WS) = 2.135(4) A], carbonyl, and dithiophosphinato ligands. In refluxing toluene, Tp*WOI(CO) converts...
Morphine and morphine-6β-glucuronide-induced feeding are differentially reduced by G-protein α-subunit antisense probes in rats

Although morphine and its active metabolite, morphine-6beta-glucuronide (M6G), each induce mu-opioid receptor-sensitive feeding, different antisense oligodeoxynucleotide (AS ODN) probes directed against the MOR-1 clone produce distinct effects. Thus, MOR-1 AS ODN probes directed against exons 1 or 4 reduce morphine-, but not M6G-induced feeding, whereas probes directed against exons 2 or 3 reduce M6G-, but not morphine-induced feeding. AS ODN probes directed against different G-protein alpha-subunits differentially reduced morphine (G(ialpha2)) and M6G (G(ialpha1))-induced analgesia. The present study evaluated the ability of AS ODN probes directed against G-protein alpha-subunits to reduce feeding induced by morphine and M6G in rats. The AS ODN probes (25 microg, i.c.v.) were administered once 24 h prior to morphine (5 microg, i.c.v.) or M6G (250 ng) and spontaneous free feeding was assessed 1, 2 and 4 h thereafter. In agreement with analgesic studies, morphine-induced feeding was significantly reduced by the G(ialpha2) AS ODN probe. Morphine-induced feeding was unaffected by AS ODN probes directed against either G(ialpha1), G(ialpha3), G(oalpha), G(x/zalpha), G(qalpha) or a nonsense control probe, and was significantly enhanced by pretreatment with the G(salpha) probe. In contrast, M6G-induced feeding was significantly reduced by AS ODN probes directed against either G(ialpha1), G(ialpha3) or G(x/zalpha), whereas AS ODN probes targeting G(ialpha2), G(oalpha), G(salpha), G(qalpha) or a nonsense control probe were ineffective. When M6G-induced feeding was assessed at a dose (500 ng) which was sensitive to MOR-1 AS ODN effects, none of the G-protein alpha-subunit AS ODN probes were effective. These data indicate that morphine and M6G-induced feeding are mediated through different G-protein alpha-subunits, and provide further evidence for separate and distinct molecular mechanisms mediating these functional responses through different opioid receptors. This strongly suggests that M6G may act through a novel opioid receptor displaying a distinct pharmacological mechanism.
Modeling passive power generation in a temporally-varying temperature environment via thermoelectrics

Abstract This paper presents a model to predict the power generation of a thermoelectric generator in a temporally-varying temperature environment. The model employs a thermoelectric plate sandwiched between two different heat exchangers to convert a temporal temperature gradient in the environment to a spatial temperature gradient within the device suitable for thermoelectric power generation. The two heat exchangers are designed such that their temperatures respond to a change in the environment's temperature at different rates which sets up a temperature differential across the thermoelectric and results in power generation. In this model, radiative and convective heat transfer between the device and its surroundings, and heat flow between the two heat exchangers across the thermoelectric plate are considered. The model is simulated for power generation in Death Valley, CA during the summer using the diurnal variation of air temperature and radiative exchange with the sun and night sky as heat sources and sinks. The optimization of power generation via scaling the device size is discussed. Additional applications of this device are considered.
Calculation of distance traveled by fishing vessels using GPS positional data: A theoretical evaluation of the sources of error

Using theoretical cruise paths of known distances, the errors associated with the use of polled GPS data to calculate the distance traveled by fishing vessels were explored. Specific attention was given to how errors vary in response to changes to the polling frequency, cruise path complexity, vessel speed, and GPS error and precision. Simulation results show that distance estimates derived from high-frequency polled GPS data are susceptible to both mapping (GPS precision) and measurement errors (GPS error), while estimates derived from low-frequency data are susceptible to interpolation errors. At high polling frequencies (>1 fix/40 s), GPS error and limitations of GPS precision can lead to overestimation of distance traveled exceeding 10% of the true distance with the effects inversely proportional to vessel speed. At low-polling frequencies ( 35%. The amount of underestimation is inversely related to the polling frequency, and increases with path sinuosity and vessel speed. Comparison of simulated path results to the distance estimates of actual fishing trips suggests that the conclusions are relevant to real-world applications. At speeds, spatial scales and cruise track complexities typical of most fishing operations, use of medium-frequency GPS polling (1 fix/40 s to 1 fix/200 s) will mitigate the factors affecting calculation of distance traveled; however, users should carefully consider their specific application prior to choosing a polling frequency.
Variational bounds in dissipative systems

Abstract We present a general method for estimating the space-time average dissipation in a large class of dissipative PDEs. The method leads to variational problems with spectral side conditions.
The "Assimilation" of Unauthorized Mexican Workers: Another Social Science Fiction?.

Our research in Los Angeles on the adaptation of unauthorized Mexican workers reveals a binational life-style. Rather than giving up ties to Mexico, these workers work in the United States and maintain residences in both countries. While an assimilationist perspective would lead us to believe that extended residence would result in the acceptance of the values and practices of the United States, our research leads us to posit an alternative hypothesis: Extended residence will result in an awareness of the limited opportunities for Mexicans in the United States and an awareness of the advantages of living in both countries. Rather than study the assimilation of these Mexican workers, it would be more fruitful to study the adaptation to living in two countries.
X Chromosome of Female Cells Shows Dynamic Changes in Status during Human Somatic Cell Reprogramming

Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) acquire embryonic stem cell (ESC)-like epigenetic states, including the X chromosome. Previous studies reported that human iPSCs retain the inactive X chromosome of parental cells, or acquire two active X chromosomes through reprogramming. Most studies investigated the X chromosome states in established human iPSC clones after completion of reprogramming. Thus, it is still not fully understood when and how the X chromosome reactivation occurs during reprogramming. Here, we report a dynamic change in the X chromosome state throughout reprogramming, with an initial robust reactivation of the inactive X chromosome followed by an inactivation upon generation of nascent iPSC clones. iPSCs with two active X chromosomes or an eroded X chromosome arise in passaging iPSCs. These data provide important insights into the plasticity of the X chromosome of human female iPSCs and will be crucial for the future application of such cells in cell therapy and X-linked disease modeling.
The use of infrared imagery to quantify near-surface thermal and hydrodynamic features on bodies of water

Infrared imaging has proven to be an invaluable tool for remotely detecting and tracking coupled near-surface thermalhydrodynamic structures such as foam patches of breaking waves, Langmuir circulation and convective cells, thermal impressions of water mass movement and pollutant effluxes. The ability to quantify such characteristics is vital to determining the complex nature of heat transport, gas entrainment and momentum exchange across air-water interfaces. These physical processes play an important role in determining global climate and their accurate description is necessary for consistent weather modeling. In this presentation, we focus on a laboratory scale subsurface turbulent water jet that serves as a canonical near surface event. The jet liquid has a slightly elevated temperature and is placed in close proximity to the air-water interface of a quiescent water basin into which it flows. Infrared image sequences of the surface thermal field were collected for various water jet flow rates and used to examine the detailed statistical nature of the resulting coupled thermal-hydrodynamic field. We discuss the similarities of the spatial structure of the surface thermal field in light of observations made with other sensing techniques, the relevant length and thermal scales present and the order of the fluctuating surface thermal field using Karhunen-Loeve analysis.
Laparoscopic Radical Prostatectomy: Decreasing the Learning Curve Using A Mentor Initiated Approach

ABSTRACTPurpose: Laparoscopic radical prostatectomy is being evaluated at several centers in the United States as a treatment option for localized prostate cancer. It is a technically difficult operation to perform with a steep learning curve. It has been stated that 50 procedures are necessary to satisfy the learning curve. To expedite performance and evaluation of laparoscopic radical prostatectomy a surgeon (mentor) who had performed 200 cases was invited to instruct a fellowship trained laparoscopist (trainee).Materials and Methods: From March 2001 through September 2001 we performed 30 laparoscopic radical prostatectomies. The mentor performed the first 12 procedures with the trainee acting as assistant (group 1). The subsequent 18 procedures were performed by the trainee with the mentor acting as assistant (group 2). A final set of 20 procedures was performed by the trainee alone using 1 of 3 urological residents as the assistant (group 3). The transperitoneal approach was used and all suturing was ...
Situated Engineering Learning: Bridging Engineering Education Research and the Learning Sciences

Contributors Indigo Esmonde, University of Toronto; Krishna Madhavan, Purdue University; Wolff-Michael Roth, University of Victoria; Dan L. Schwartz and Jessica Tsang, Stanford University; Estrid Sorensen, Humboldt University and Aarhus University; Iris Tabak, Ben Gurion University of the Negev Background The field of engineering education research has seen substantial growth in the last five years but it often lacks theoretical and empirical work on engineering learning that could be supplied by the learning sciences. In addition, the learning sciences have focused very little on engineering learning to date. Purpose This article summarizes prior work in the learning sciences and discusses one perspective—situative learning— in depth. Situativity refers to the central role of context, including the physical and social aspects of the environment, on learning. Furthermore, it emphasizes the socially and culturally negotiated nature of thought and action of persons in interaction. The aim of the article is to provide a foundation for future work on engineering learning and to suggest ways in which the learning sciences and engineering education research communities might work to their mutual benefit. Scope/Method The article begins with a brief discussion of recent developments in engineering education research. After an initial overview of the field of learning sciences, situative learning is discussed and three analytical aspects of the perspective are outlined: social and material context, activities and interactions, and participation and identity. Relevant expert commentaries are interspersed throughout the article. The article concludes with an exploration of the potential for contributions from the learning sciences to understanding engineering learning. Conclusion There are many areas of mutual benefit for engineering education and the learning sciences and many potential areas of collaborative research that can contribute not only to engineering learning but to the learning sciences.
Maximum Entropy and Reliability Distributions

An effort is made to show the relevance and usefulness of the principle of maximum entropy to reliability considerations. The constraints entering into the maximum entropy principle are identified as a class of sufficient statistics which determine the unknown parameters in the probability densities that occur in the most commonly used reliability models. In this way, the maximum entropy principle is shown to be completely compatible with prevailing practice in failure analysis. It is also pointed out that the differential entropy is equal to unity minus the expectation of the natural logarithm of the hazard rate. Maximization of the differential entropy is therefore equivalent to minimization of the expectation of the logarithm of the hazard rate. Behavior of the differential entropy under transformation of variable is used as an indicator of change or lack of change of conditions of failure.
Can We Measure Autism

Newly released definitions of autism spectrum disorder demonstrate the need for precise diagnoses informed by the integration of clinical, molecular, and biochemical characteristics in a patient-information commons.
Anterior Cingulate Cortex Makes 2 Contributions to Minimizing Distraction

When we detect conflicting irrelevant stimuli (e.g., nearby conversations), we often minimize distraction by increasing attention to relevant stimuli. However, dissociating the neural substrates of processes that detect conflict and processes that increase attention has proven exceptionally difficult. Using a novel cross-modal attentional cueing task in humans, we observed regional specialization for these processes in the cognitive division of the anterior cingulate cortex (ACCcd). Activity in a dorsal subregion was associated with increasing attention to relevant stimuli, correlated with behavioral measures of orienting attention to those stimuli, and resembled activity in dorsolateral prefrontal regions that are also thought to bias attention toward relevant stimuli. In contrast, activity in a rostral subregion was associated only with detecting response conflict caused by irrelevant stimuli. These findings support a 2-component model for minimizing distraction and speak to a longstanding debate over how the ACCcd contributes to cognitive control.
A micromethod for studying kinetics of conversion of C14 substrate to CO2 by tissue slices, and its application to brain

An in vacuo micromethod is described, involving diffusion plating, for the determination of changes with time in the rates of formation and specific activities of the CO2 produced by 50 mg. of tissue slices. Experiments were conducted in which the concentration and specific activity of the C14-labeled glucose in the medium were kept rigidly constant throughout the entire course of the incubation period. The constancy in the tissue's environment was maintained by replacement of the incubation medium plus gas phase every 30–60 min. As little as 20–120 μl. CO2, produced at each 20- to 60-min. interval, was measured with an accuracy of 5%. Measurements made after isotopic equilibrium of the respired CO2 was attained showed that as much as 15% of this CO2 produced by rat cerebral cortex slices was derived from a source or sources other than the labeled glucose, i.e., from a substrate or substrates within the slices.
High-resolution magnetic mapping using a SQUID magnetometer array

A four-channel, high-resolution superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) magnetometer array was used to map magnetic fields from various samples. Each SQUID has a 3-mm-diameter pickup coil located 4.4 mm from the adjacent channel. The spacing between the cryogenic array and the room-temperature sample is adjustable from 1.5 mm to 4.0 mm. The authors mapped the field from a 350- mu m-diameter hole in an 11 cm*15 cm*60 mu m copper sheet that was carrying a current of 100 mA. Field shape and strength were compared with predictions from analytical and finite-element models, which indicate that this technique should be able to detect an order of magnitude smaller flaws in flat plates. The ability is demonstrated to detect magnetic contamination in a 230- mu m-deep by 1.1-mm-long slot that was electric-discharge-machined into a nonmagnetic tube, and to determine the orientation of the slot with respect to the tube axis. Slices of pyroclastic rock of thickness as low as 30- mu m-thick have also been mapped.
The priority of social order

If we are to have political, legal, and constitutional order, we must first have a substantial degree of general social order to enable us to create and organize these grander orders. In short, suc...
Variability of Escherichia coli Concentrations in an Urban Watershed in Texas

In this study, daily Escherichia coli measurements at six locations in an urban watershed in Houston, were undertaken over a period of 12 weeks, and were analyzed using time series and fractal analyses. The time series analysis revealed that the E. coli data series were nonrandom in nature and were characterized by a lack of periodicity. Shorter E. coli time series data sets (on the order of 10 days or less) exhibited a fractal structure, suggesting that micro scale time series may be fractal in nature in urban environments, a finding that has significant implications for bacteriological water quality monitoring. Although stormflow E. coli concentrations were significantly higher than baseflow levels, the range of variability in E. coli concentrations both during dry and wet weather conditions was comparable, indicating the residual impacts of rain events on bayou water quality. While other studies in the literature have shown that afternoon E. coli levels were lower than morning levels, the results from ...
Recoil-Atom Reactions at Low Temperature

CHEMICAL effects attending transformations of the nuclei of atoms in solids have been observed in a large number of systems1. Such effects are attributed to nuclear recoil, inner shell ionization followed by an Auger cascade, or nuclear charge change, for example in β-decay. Atoms which have transformed may be found in their original chemical form2 or in altered chemical states. The percentage of radioactive atoms found in the original chemical form has been called the ‘retention’ by Libby2. A recoil atom of the latter type may be considered a defect in the crystalline lattice, and in analogy with thermal annealing reactions of defects, for example interstitial atoms, produced by heavy particles of γ-ray bombardment3, the application of heat to crystals containing recoil atoms frequently changes the observed distribution of chemical species1. In general, annealing reactions of recoil atoms tend to restore those atoms to their original (‘parent’) chemical form. Recoil reactions following slow neutron capture are known as Szilard–Chalmers reactions, after the discoverers of this effect4.
Fused methods for visual saliency estimation

In this work, we present a new model of visual saliency by combing results from existing methods, improving upon their performance and accuracy. By fusing pre-attentive and context-aware methods, we highlight the abilities of state-of-the-art models while compensating for their deficiencies. We put this theory to the test in a series of experiments, comparatively evaluating the visual saliency maps and employing them for content-based image retrieval and thumbnail generation. We find that on average our model yields definitive improvements upon recall and f-measure metrics with comparable precisions. In addition, we find that all image searches using our fused method return more correct images and additionally rank them higher than the searches using the original methods alone.
Identification of Phosphorylation Sites for Bruton's Tyrosine Kinase within the Transcriptional Regulator BAP/TFII-I

Bruton's tyrosine kinase (Btk), a member of the Tec family of cytosolic kinases, is essential for B cell development and function. BAP/TFII-I, a protein implicated in transcriptional regulation, is associated with Btk in B cells and is transiently phosphorylated on tyrosine following B cell receptor engagement. BAP/TFII-I is a substrate for Btk in vitro and is hyperphosphorylated on tyrosine upon coexpression with Btk in mammalian cells. In an effort to understand the physiologic consequences of BAP/TFII-I tyrosine phosphorylation following B cell receptor stimulation, site-directed mutagenesis and phosphopeptide mapping were used to locate the predominant sites of BAP/TFII-I phosphorylation by Btk in vitro. These residues, Tyr248, Tyr357, and Tyr462, were also found to be the major sites for Btk-dependent phosphorylation of BAP/TFII-I in vivo. Residues Tyr357 and Tyr462 are contained within the loop regions of adjacent helix-loop-helix-like repeats within BAP/TFII-I. Mutation of either Tyr248, Tyr357, or Tyr462 to phenylalanine reduced transcription from a c-fos promoter relative to wild-type BAP/TFII-I in transfected COS-7 cells, consistent with the interpretation that phosphorylation at these sites contributes to transcriptional activation. Phosphorylation of BAP/TFII-I by Btk may link engagement of receptors such as surface immunoglobulin to modulation of gene expression.
The Effect of Personality Type on Assembly Time and Wrist Kinematics during a Laboratory Task

Psychosocial factors are becoming increasingly more prevalent in studies that explore occupational musculoskeletal injury/illness. The research presented here explores the relationships between two psychosocial factors (personality type and time stress) and biomechanical indicators of task performance. Twenty-four subjects participated in this laboratory study. Personality type was assessed using the Jenkins Activity Survey. Participants (12 Type A and 12 Type B) performed an assembly task under verbally imposed “no time stress” and “time stress” conditions. Dependent measures included assembly time and wrist motion parameters. Personality type and time stress demonstrated significant effects on mean assembly time. Time stress significantly and consistently impacted the wrist motion parameters while personality type did not. No significant interactions were noted. Psychosocial factors were found to directly impact biomechanical indicators of task performance. This study demonstrates the feasibility of thi...
The Chechen Exception: Rethinking Russia’s Human Rights Policy

Orthodox interpretations of human rights policies and practices in post-Soviet Russia are often construed by external critics through a historicist lens of tsarist and Soviet-era authoritarianism. Contemporary Russia's adherence to emerging international human rights norms is commonly judged in sole reference to its human rights disaster in Chechnya. In this article, we contest the notion that human rights abuses in Chechnya fully illustrate Russia's stance on international human rights. We suggest that Chechnya is the exception in the post-Soviet era, and that Russia has increasingly brought its human rights standards in line with the West. We use a historical comparative context as well as Russia's discursive response to NATO's intervention in Kosovo and its UN Security Council voting record as empirical evidence for our argument.1
Patricians’ Embrace of the Dominican Convent of St. Catherine in Thirteenth-Century Barcelona

Abstract In this article, I examine patterns of charitable giving to the mendicant orders in surviving testaments from thirteenth-century Barcelona. My findings reveal that an elite group of wealthy and influential merchant families, the city’s emerging patriciate, provided the majority of charitable contributions to the mendicant friars. The friars’ urban religiosity and propagation of the doctrine of purgatory appealed to patricians, who were heavily involved in commercial activities and increasingly concerned with the fate of their souls in the afterlife. Patricians also utilized their pious contributions to the mendicant friars to bolster their social prestige and legitimize their monopolization of political power in the city. While patricians donated generously to the two largest mendicant orders (Dominicans and Franciscans), they contributed more money to the Dominican convent of St. Catherine. Patricians favored the Dominicans because of the latter’s superior educational training, their close ties to the kings of the Crown of Aragon, and their association with the city’s municipal government.