cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effect of Physical Activity Level on Biomarkers of Inflammation and Insulin Resistance Over 5 Years in Outpatients With Coronary Heart Disease (from the Heart and Soul Study)

Higher levels of physical activity are associated with lower rates of coronary heart disease (CHD). Previous studies have suggested that this is due partly to lower levels of inflammation and insulin resistance. The aim of this study was to determine whether physical activity level was associated with inflammation or insulin resistance during a 5-year period in outpatients with known CHD. A total of 656 participants from the Heart and Soul Study, a prospective cohort study of outpatients with documented CHD, were evaluated. Self-reported physical activity frequency was assessed at baseline and after 5 years of follow-up. Participants were classified as low versus high activity at each visit, yielding 4 physical activity groups: stable low activity, decreasing activity (high at baseline to low at year 5), increasing activity (low at baseline to high at year 5), and stable high activity. Year 5 markers of inflammation (C-reactive protein [CRP], interleukin-6, and fibrinogen) and insulin resistance (insulin, glucose, and glycated hemoglobin) were compared across the 4 activity groups. After 5 years of follow-up, higher activity was associated with lower mean levels of all biomarkers. In the fully adjusted regression models, CRP, interleukin-6, and glucose remained independently associated with physical activity frequency (log CRP, p for trend across activity groups = 0.03; log interleukin-6, p for trend = 0.01; log glucose, p for trend = 0.003). Subjects with stable high activity typically had the lowest levels of biomarkers. In conclusion, in this novel population of outpatients with known CHD followed for 5 years, higher physical activity frequency was independently associated with lower levels of CRP, interleukin-6, and glucose.
Use of Salivary Steroid Analyses to Assess Ovarian Cycles in an Indian Rhinoceros at the National Zoological Park

Saliva samples were collected from a female Indian rhinoceros (Rhinoceros unicornis) housed at the National Zoological Park, and ether-extracted for analyses of androgen, estrogen, and progestin metabolites to assess ovarian cycles. Analyses of both salivary androgens and estrogens were found to reliably monitor follicular activity. Although the temporal patterns of the two steroids were significantly correlated (r ¼ 0.62; Po0.05), they differed slightly. Salivary androgens increased earlier during the follicular phase, although both peaked at the same time in association with behavioral estrus. Based on salivary androgen profiles, the mean duration of the follicular phase was 11.4 days (ranged ¼ 7–15 days; n ¼ 17 cycles). Estrous cycle length, as measured by the time between consecutive androgen peaks, was 47.473.4 days (range ¼ 37–86 days). Salivary progestin measurements were effective for monitoring luteal function. The mean duration of the luteal phase was 15.571.5 days (range ¼ 10–23 days). In sum, assays were identified for measuring salivary steroids to assess ovarian function in Indian rhinoceroses. However, not all of the assay systems tested were effective, perhaps because of interfering matrix effects. Mate introductions in the Indian rhinoceros often require careful monitoring, and a technique for monitoring hormones in saliva could be an alternative to urine or fecal analyses for identifying estrus and timing breeding in this species. Such a technique would be particularly useful for situations in which it is difficult to collect uncontaminated urine and feces. Zoo Biol 23:501–512, 2004. � c 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Search in the labor market and the real business cycle

Abstract Existing models of the business cycle have been incapable of explaining many of the stylized facts that characterize the US labor market. The standard real business cycle model is modified by introducing two-sided search in the labor market as an economic mechanism that propagates technology shocks. This new analytical environment can explain many phenomena of the business cycle that the standard model either has resolved in an unsatisfactory manner or has not been able to address at all.
Surjective linear maps preserving local spectra

Let B(X) be the algebra of all bounded linear operators on an infinite dimensional complex Banach space X. We characterize linear surjective and continuous maps on B(X) preserving different local spectral quantities at a nonzero fixed vector.
Acetolactate synthase of Pseudomomas aeruginos. 1. Purification and allosteric properties

Abstract Acetolactate synthase (acetolactate pyruvate-lyase (carboxylating), EC 4.1.3.18, formely also known as acetohydroxy acid sythetase) from Pseudomonas aeruginosa was purified approx. 380-fold to homogeneity. Feedback inhibition by all three branched-chain amino acids was observed and was potentiated at low temperatures. Plots of percent inhibition vs inhibitor concentration were sigmoid for all three ligands. At subsaturating levels, inhibition by combinations of branched-chain amino acids appears to be cumulative.
Optimal heliostat aiming strategy for uniform distribution of heat flux on the receiver of a solar power tower plant

Abstract Temperature distribution on the receiver surface of a solar power tower plant is of great importance. High temperature gradients may lead to local hot spots and consequently failure of the receiver. The temperature distribution can be controlled by defining several aiming points on the receiver surface and adjusting the heliostats accordingly. In this paper, a new optimization algorithm which works based on the principles of genetic algorithm is developed to find the optimal flux distribution on the receiver surface. The objective is to minimize the standard deviation of the flux density distribution by changing the aiming points of individual heliostats. Flux distribution of each heliostat is found by using the HFLCAL model [1] , which is validated against experimental data. The results show that after employing the new algorithm the maximum flux density is reduced by an order of magnitude. The effects of number of aiming points and size of the aiming surface on the flux density distribution are investigated in detail.
Small videos, Hu Ge impact: Parody videos in post-socialist China

ABSTRACTThis article focuses on the video works by Hu Ge, a young man who became famous overnight for his Yige mantou yinfa de xue'an/Murders Brought about By a Wheat Bun, a parody video of Chen Kaige's film Wuji/The Promise (2005). Starting as a text poacher who appropriated others' works, to a figure whose name became a brand, the trajectory of Hu Ge crystallizes the tension over the issue of authorship in today's cultural production and circulation. I argue that the building-up, as well as the dispersion of the ‘Hu Ge’ brand, is concomitant with the circulation of capital. As Hu's works often juxtapose revolutionary relics with Hollywood blockbusters, this ideological ambiguity captures the flexible subjectivities of an unsettled historical moment in post-socialist China, which also resonates with the aesthetics of small screens in an age of mobility.
Acute Mountain Sickness, Hypoxia, Hypobaria and Exercise Duration each Affect Heart Rate.

In this study, we quantified the changes in post-exercise resting heart rate (HRrst) associated with acute mountain sickness (AMS), and compared the effects of hypobaric hypoxia (HH) and normobaric hypoxia (NH) on HRrst. We also examined the modulating roles of exercise duration and exposure time on HRrst. Each subject participated in 2 of 6 conditions: normobaric normoxia (NN), NH, or HH (4 400 m altitude equivalent) combined with either 10 or 60 min of moderate cycling at the beginning of an 8-h exposure. AMS was associated with a 2 bpm higher HRrst than when not sick, after taking into account the ambient environment, exercise duration, and SpO2. In addition, HRrst was elevated in both NH and HH compared to NN with HRrst being 50% higher in HH than in NH. Participating in long duration exercise led to elevated resting HRs (0.8–1.4 bpm higher) compared with short exercise, while short exercise caused a progressive increase in HRrst over the exposure period in both NH and HH (0.77–1.2 bpm/h of exposure). This data suggests that AMS, NH, HH, exercise duration, time of exposure, and SpO2 have independent effects on HRrst. It further suggests that hypobaria exerts its own effect on HRrst in hypoxia. Thus NH and HH may not be interchangeable environments.
TRANSMISSION AND SIGNIFICANCE OF B CHROMOSOMES IN ANTHURIUM WAROCQUEANUM

Somatic and meiotic chromosomes of one plant of Anthurium warocqueanum J. Moore and its selfed offspring were analyzed. The parent showed 2n = 30 + 3B in both somatic cells and pollen mother cells. The B chromosomes divided normally in somatic cells, but meiotic associations of Bs varied. Three configurations of three B chromosomes were observed at metaphase I of parent meiosis: one trivalent, one bivalent and one univalent, or three univalents. The number of B chromosomes in offspring ranged from 0 to 6, indicating their transmission from both male and female gametes. Offspring with two B chromosomes appeared in greatest frequency. It was hypothesized that both male and female gametes of the 3 B parent frequently contained one B chromosome through the normal distribution of the bivalent Bs at meiosis and the elimination of the univalent B chromosome due to lagging. Examination of pollen mother cells of offspring also revealed irregular behavior of B chromosomes. With a high number of B chromosomes, normal A chromosome bivalent formation seemed to be reduced. No phenotypic effects of B chromosomes were observed.
Boundary Harnack principle for second order elliptic equations with unbounded drift

We prove the boundary Harnack principle for ratios of solutions u/v of non-divergence second order elliptic equations Lu = a ij D ij u + b i D i u = 0 in a bounded domain Ω ⊂ $ {\mathbb R} $ n . We assume that b i ∈ L n (Ω) and Ω is a twisted Holder domain of order α ∈ (1/2, 1]. Based on this result, we derive the Holder regularity of u/v for uniform domains. Bibliography: 27 titles.
SERUM PROTEINS BEFORE AND AFTER OPERATIONS FOR HYPERTHYROIDISM

A review of the literature on the serum proteins in hyperthyroidism makes it evident that the information concerning the subject is not only incomplete but confused. It was our inability to find convincing data which led to the present review of the literature and the investigation, the results of which we are reporting. In much of the literature, the term total protein is used without clarification as to whether the plasma, serum or total blood protein is being reported. Rowe (1) found no change in the serum protein in two thyrotoxic patients, Hanson and McQuarrie (2) found no significant change in rabbits after thyroid feeding; Ling and Chang (3) and later, Lang (4), reported similar findings when dogs were used as the experimental animals. On the other hand, many investigators have reported a fall in the protein values in the thyrotoxic patient (5 to 18). Deusch (6) believed that the decrease in the serum protein paralleled the severity of the disease and the weight loss. Improvement following surgical...
Affective disorder: The new imperium

Eugen Bleuler formulated schizophrenia as a disjunctive category based on universal, dimensional phenomena that were regarded as pathognomonic of the disorder. In consequence, schizophrenia came to dominate diagnostic practice in American psychiatry. This report suggests that affective disorder has been formulated in a similar way, and with a similar result. The nature of disjunctive categories is examined and their replacement by conjunctive categories for schizophrenia and affective disorder is anticipated.
Microprogrammed control unit (MCU) programming reference manual

The MCU (Microprogrammed Control Unit) is a high-speed, executive, input-output (I/O) processor and interrupt handler for the NRL Signal Processing Element (SPE), a part of the All Applications Digital Computer (AADC). It is the job of the MCU to supervise all SPE elements and to direct and initiate all data transfers between these elements. Referring to Fig. 1, one can see that the MCU directs the SPAU (Signal Processing Arithmetic Unit) and the CC's (Channel Controllers) via the Z bus, and communicates with up to 8 buffer memories over its two channels to the SCU (Storage Control Unit). To better understand the importance of the MCU, one needs to briefly examine the functions of the other SPE elements.
Optical-optical double resonance spectroscopy of the Na2 21Πg state

Abstract The Na 2 2 1 Π g state has been observed from v = 0 to v = 43 (80% of the well depth) by using optical-optical double resonance spectroscopy. The Dunham coefficients and the Rydberg-Klein-Rees (RKR) potential energy curve are presented in this paper.
Transforming growth factor-β1 induces apoptosis in CD34+CD38−/low cells that express Bcl-2 at a low level

Abstract Objective Transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) strongly inhibits the proliferation and differentiation of primitive CD34+CD38− hematopoietic cells. In contrast, Flt3 ligand (FL) is a positive effector of CD34+CD38−/low cell proliferation. Because apoptosis plays a critical role in hematopoietic development, TGF-β1 and FL were analyzed as possible modulators of apoptosis. Specifically, this report examined expression of apoptotic promoters Bax and Bad and apoptotic inhibitors Bcl-2 and Bcl-x (all members of the Bcl-2 protein family). Protein levels were determined in fresh and cultured CD34+CD38+ cells and CD34+CD38−/low cells with and without treatment with TGF-β1 and FL. Materials and Methods Cells fractions were purified by sorting CD34+-enriched mononuclear cells from mobilized peripheral blood. Expression of Bcl-2, Bcl-x, Bax, and Bad and the extent of apoptosis were determined by flow cytometric analysis of freshly isolated cells and cells cultured with TGF-β1 and FL effectors. Results TGF-β1 reduced CD34+CD38+ cell expansion and arrested cell division. Inhibition of growth was not accompanied by an increase in apoptosis. In CD34+CD38−/low cells, serum TGF-β1 and added TGF-β1 inhibited cell growth and significantly increased apoptotic cell death. Freshly isolated CD34+CD38+ and CD34+CD38−/low cells expressed Bcl-2 at similar low levels. However, after 3 days, Bcl-2 expression was markedly higher in cultured CD34+CD38+ cells. TGF-β1 significantly increased Bax expression in both fractions after 3 days cultivation (p = 0.0034) . Thus, addition of TGFβ-1 further reduced the already low Bcl-2:Bax ratio in CD34+CD38−/low cells. Conclusions Compared to CD34+CD38+ cells, CD34+CD38−/low cells were slow to up-regulate expression of Bcl-2 during ex vivo culture. TGF-β1 up-regulated Bax expression by both CD34+CD38+ and CD34+CD38−/low cells and promoted apoptosis in the latter fraction. This suggests that the preferential induction of apoptosis in primitive cells by TGF-β1 may be due to its further reduction of the Bcl-2:Bax ratio.
Post-Eruption Arcades and Interplanetary Coronal Mass Ejections

We compare the temporal and spatial properties of posteruption arcades (PEAs) associated with coronal mass ejections (CMEs) at the Sun that end up as magnetic cloud (MC) and non-MC events in the solar wind. We investigate the length, width, area, tilt angle, and formation time of the PEAs associated with 22 MC and 29 non-MC events and we find no difference between the two populations. According to current ideas on the relation between flares and CMEs, the PEA is formed together with the CME flux-rope structure by magnetic reconnection. Our results indicate that at the Sun flux ropes form during CMEs in association with both MC and non-MC events; however, for non-MC events the flux-rope structure is not observed in the interplanetary space because of the geometry of the observation, i.e. the location of the spacecraft when the structure passes through it.
Cambios en el paisaje y prioridades de conservación: una perspectiva herpetofaunística mexicana a escalas local y regional

Few studies have demonstrated historical human impact on biodiversity at local and regional scales, largely due to lack of baseline information and long term monitoring for most taxa. In 1958 and 1959 researchers from the Museum of Vertebrate Zoology (MVZ) visited the Mexican state of Aguascalientes and increased its documented amphibian andreptile fauna from 21 to 30 species. Using MVZ collections, field notes, and landscape photographs taken during that expedition, we resurveyed those same localities in 2004 to document herpetofaunal changes coincident with greatly increased human activities. Despite its small area, Aguascalientes encompasses several biogeographic regions and the threat of local extinction at species' distributional limits has broader implications for regional biotas. New discoveries raise to 71 the number of species known for that state, but our comparisons suggest a gloomy future for amphibians and reptiles in Aguascalientes. Paradoxically, human impact is managed primarily at state and municipal levels, often devoid of locally relevant context. Our findings illustrate the conservation value of intensive small-scale studies, focused on the natural history of particular species and localities, as complements to large-scale biodiversity assessments on country wide and continental scales.
Efficient program tracing

A program trace lists the addresses of instructions executed and data referenced during a program's execution. Earlier approaches to collecting program traces, including abstract execution and optimal control tracing, are reviewed. Two tracing systems based on these techniques are presented. Results collected when using the later systems on several programs show significant reductions in the cost of collecting traces. Reduction in trace file sizes are also significant. >
How to Combine Expert (and Novice) Advice when Actions Impact the Environment

The so-called "experts algorithms" constitute a methodology for choosing actions repeatedly, when the rewards depend both on the choice of action and on the unknown current state of the environment. An experts algorithm has access to a set of strategies ("experts"), each of which may recommend which action to choose. The algorithm learns how to combine the recommendations of individual experts so that, in the long run, for any fixed sequence of states of the environment, it does as well as the best expert would have done relative to the same sequence. This methodology may not be suitable for situations where the evolution of states of the environment depends on past chosen actions, as is usually the case, for example, in a repeated non-zero-sum game. A new experts algorithm is presented and analyzed in the context of repeated games. It is shown that asymptotically, under certain conditions, it performs as well as the best available expert. This algorithm is quite different from previously proposed experts algorithms. It represents a shift from the paradigms of regret minimization and myopic optimization to consideration of the long-term effect of a player's actions on the opponent's actions or the environment. The importance of this shift is demonstrated by the fact that this algorithm is capable of inducing cooperation in the repeated Prisoner's Dilemma game, whereas previous experts algorithms converge to the suboptimal non-cooperative play.
A time-scale decomposition approach to adaptive explicit congestion notification (ECN) marking

Fair resource allocation in high-speed networks, such as the Internet, can be viewed as a constrained optimization program. Kelly et al. (2000) have shown that an unconstrained penalty function formulation of this problem can be used to design congestion controllers that are stable. In this paper, we examine the question of providing feedback from the network such that the congestion controllers derived from the penalty function formulation lead to the solution of the original unconstrained problem. This can be viewed as the decentralized design of explicit congestion notification (ECN) marking rates at each node in the Internet to ensure global loss-free operation of a fluid model of the network. We then look at the stability of such a scheme using a time-scale decomposition of the system. This results in two separate systems which are stable individually, and we show that under certain assumptions the entire system is semi-globally stable and converges fast to the equilibrium point exponentially.
Hotelling's Single Sample T

A specialized vector used to interpret rejected multivariate single sample hypotheses, introduced in any earlier article by the writer, is shown here to be equivalent to the vector that would be obtained if discriminant analysis techniques were to be applied to a single sample problem.
Putting the Team in Sport Psychology Consulting: Five Sport Psychology Consultants Collaborating Service for Athletes at the USOC

Most conference presentations and professional articles on the application of sport psychology focus on an individual consultants’ work with athletes and teams. Rarely do we hear how a group of consultants under the same roof collaborates in working with athletes and teams. The U.S. Olympic Committee offers a unique opportunity for collaboration between five sport psychologists, three in Colorado Springs and two in Chula Vista. Although each sport psychologist is the designated contact for the Olympic sports under his or her “sportfolio,” we often work together with a particular team or collaborate on projects for the USOC. In addition, when a crisis situation arises, we generate options as a group and provide peer consultation as needed. This article will present the general collaborative model used for USOC Sport Psychology and then provide several examples of how the USOC Sport Psychologists have worked as a consulting team.
Draft Genome Sequence and Description of Janthinobacterium sp. Strain CG3, a Psychrotolerant Antarctic Supraglacial Stream Bacterium

ABSTRACT Here we present the draft genome sequence of Janthinobacterium sp. strain CG3, a psychrotolerant non-violacein-producing bacterium that was isolated from the Cotton Glacier supraglacial stream. The genome sequence of this organism will provide insight as to the mechanisms necessary for bacteria to survive in UV-stressed icy environments.
Vitamin D-Binding Protein Levels in Female Patients with Primary Hyperparathyroidism

Objective: To determine whether low levels of vitamin D-binding protein (DBP) are related to 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) deficiency in female patients with primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT). Methods: Twenty-five female patients with PHPT (serum calcium level >10.2 mg/dL and intact parathyroid hormone (iPTH) level >66 pg/mL) and 25 healthy age- and body mass index-matched female control subjects were enrolled. Serum calcium and iPTH levels were determined by commercial laboratories. Levels of 25(OH)D and 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D (1,25[OH] 2 D) were determined by radioimmunoassay, and DBP level was determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results: Serum iPTH and calcium levels were higher in PHPT patients than control subjects (P<.001). Levels of 25(OH)D, albumin, and DBP were lower in the serum of PHPT patients than control subjects (P<.01). There were no significant differences in 1,25(OH) 2 D and free 25(OH) D levels between PHPT patients and control subjects. DBP level was inversely correlated with calcium (r = −0.47; P<.01) and iPTH (r = −0.31; P<.05) levels. The 25(OH)D level correlated positively with both DBP (r = 0.28; P<.05) and albumin (r = 0.44; P<.05) levels. Conclusion: Both serum 25(OH)D and DBP levels were lower in female patients with PHPT compared with control subjects. We suggest that a low DBP level contributes to the low 25(OH)D level observed in female PHPT patients. The etiology of the decrease in DBP and its relationship to calcium, 25(OH)D, and PTH levels require further investigation. (Endocr Pract. 2013;19:xxx-xxx)
Estimation of Dispersion and Characteristic Mixing Times in Plum Island Sound Estuary

Abstract Salinity distributions, dye release studies, and parameter estimation techniques are used to determine the longitudinal (or tidal) dispersion coefficient in the Plum Island Sound estuary in north-eastern Massachusetts, U.S.A. A one-dimensional, intertidal, advection–dispersion model is used to test the validity of the steady-state assumption employed to estimate tidal dispersion from salinity. It is found that salinity distributions in the upper Parker River can take months to relax to steady state under low freshwater discharge conditions, so that dispersion cannot be reliably estimated using the steady-state assumption. To overcome this problem, dye release studies and parameter estimation techniques are used to determine the functionality of the dispersion coefficient that produces the best fit between the observed salinity profiles, dye plumes and model output under transient conditions for the period between 28 April 1992 and 12 April 1995. The estimated dispersion coefficient is found to be a hyperbolic function of distance from the head of the estuary and varies from an average of 3·6 m 2 s −1 in the upper Parker River (0–5·2 km) to an average of 670 m 2 s −1 in Plum Island Sound (14·3–24 km). The advection–dispersion model is also used to investigate three characteristic mixing-time scales involving average age, average residence time and average transit time (also called turnover or flushing time) for freshwater and saltwater sources in defined subsections of the estuary. It is found that these time scales can vary from a few hours to 3 months depending on location and freshwater discharge. Transport in the upper Parker River can be either advection or dispersion dominated depending on discharge, while Plum Island Sound is always dominated by dispersive terms. Tidal channel morphometry leads to a very dynamic system in the upper Parker River that significantly impacts ecological processes in the region. We discuss the relevance and appropriate application of the three characteristic mixing-time scales to ecological processes.
Dual-Band Miniature Coupled Double Loop GPS Antenna Loaded With Lumped Capacitors and Inductive Pins

A miniature coupled double loop (CDL) antenna for dual-band GPS application is presented. The antenna layout employs lumped capacitors and inductive pins over a moderately high permittivity Rogers TMM10i (er = 9.8) substrate to concurrently achieve the goals of size miniaturization, high radiation efficiency, and proper spacing of L2 and L1 band resonance frequencies. For performance verification, an antenna prototype has been fabricated over a 500 mil thick substrate with an overall L2 band size of λ0/8.8×λ0/8.8×λ0/19.4. The antenna operates with > 50% less area as compared to a conventional L2 band patch realized over the same substrate. The measured broadside RHCP realized gains are 4.9 and 3.1 dB over a 24"×24" ground plane with 26 and 35 MHz 3 dB realized gain bandwidths at the L2 and L1 bands, respectively. The antenna operates with 82% L2 and 72% L1 band measured radiation efficiencies.
Robust and failure tolerant control of lateral vehicle motion using stochastic robustness

This paper applies stochastic robustness analysis and design (SRAD) to robust, failure tolerant lateral control of a two degree-of-freedom, four-wheel steering (4WS) vehicle. The analysis component of SRAD uses statistical descriptions of uncertainty to determine the probability of not meeting control system design objectives. In the design component, control laws that minimize a stochastic cost function composed of these probabilities are found by genetic search. Specifications for the 4WS vehicle include stability/performance robustness requirements under uncertain load and road conditions, and tolerance to front or rear steering loss. The importance of minimizing performance/robustness trade-offs through careful description of parameter uncertainties and design objectives is stressed, and improving robustness through structured compensation is demonstrated.
Synthesis of the entire framework of tartrolon B utilizing a silicon-tethered ring-closing metathesis strategy.

A tandem ring-closing metathesis (RCM) of silaketal-tethered dienynes gives rise to bicyclic siloxanes, which upon removal of the silicon tether afford dienediol skeletons with a stereodefined E,Z-...
Engineering Documents into XML File Formats

XML has become the preferred language for representing information in documents. The goal of this research work is to allow a user to convert any document on Windowsreg into a standard and open document format in XML (the Extensible Markup Language). One benefit of this research is that a user can save costs by moving documents to the open document format. This saves the user from having to purchase a proprietary tool to do the same task. A second benefit is that the open document format will maintain the portability that other proprietary formats cannot offer. A third benefit is that the user would only need one environment to manage all documents. This single environment would give the user abilities such as cut, paste, search, etc. for all documents
Non-pinched, minimum energy distillation designs

Non-pinched, minimum energy solutions are important class of distillation designs that offer the potential advantage of a better trade-off between capital investment and operating costs. In this paper, two important tasks associated with non-pinched distillation designs are studied. Thus the novel contributions of this work to the literature are
Adrenomedullin 2 activates extracellular-signal-regulated kinase in endothelial cells via a protein kinase C α-independent pathway

Adrenomedullin 2 plays diverse physiological roles such as regulating cardiovascular functions and blood pressure. It was reported that adrenomedullin 2 can activate protein kinase C in murine ventricular myocytes to augment cardiomyocyte contractile function. Using a protein kinase Cα knockout mouse model, we show here that adrenomedullin 2 activates extracellular-signal-regulated kinase in a protein kinase Cα-independent mechanism in endothelial cells.
Low-Frequency Interlayer Raman Modes to Probe Interface of Twisted Bilayer MoS2

van der Waals homo- and heterostructures assembled by stamping monolayers together present optoelectronic properties suitable for diverse applications. Understanding the details of the interlayer stacking and resulting coupling is crucial for tuning these properties. We investigated the low-frequency interlayer shear and breathing Raman modes (<50 cm–1) in twisted bilayer MoS2 by Raman spectroscopy and first-principles modeling. Twisting significantly alters the interlayer stacking and coupling, leading to notable frequency and intensity changes of low-frequency modes. The frequency variation can be up to 8 cm–1 and the intensity can vary by a factor of ∼5 for twisting angles near 0° and 60°, where the stacking is a mixture of high-symmetry stacking patterns and is thus sensitive to twisting. For twisting angles between 20° and 40°, the interlayer coupling is nearly constant because the stacking results in mismatched lattices over the entire sample. It follows that the Raman signature is relatively unifor...
Can Primary Emotions Be Primary Motives

Several conclusions, emerging from our study of human emotion so far, are part of my defense for offering the far from obvious theory that primary emotions and primary motives are identical as constitutive strivings in persons. It will be well to set out briefly some of these conclusions as background for further discussion.
History and Life Cycle of Toxoplasma gondii

Abstract Toxoplasma gondii has a complex life cycle with multiple forms. Intermediate hosts such as humans are infected by sporozoites in oocysts or bradyzoites in pseudocysts whereas the sexual stages occur in the intestine of the definitive host, feline species. The parasite is unusual in that it does not need to pass through sexual stages or its definitive host for transmission to other species. This chapter summarizes the history of the discovery of the parasite, identification of the definitive host and transmission stages of the parasite, as well as other important discoveries in the basic biology and life cycle of T. gondii. This chapter also provides photomicrographs of the life cycle stages of this organism.
Relevance and Significance of Extraterrestrial Abiological Hydrocarbon Chemistry.

Astrophysical observations show similarity of observed abiological “organics”—i.e., hydrocarbons, their derivatives, and ions (carbocations and carbanions)—with studied terrestrial chemistry. Their formation pathways, their related extraterrestrial hydrocarbon chemistry originating from carbon and other elements after the Big Bang, their parent hydrocarbon and derivative (methane and methanol, respectively), and transportation of derived building blocks of life by meteorites or comets to planet Earth are discussed in this Perspective. Their subsequent evolution on Earth under favorable “Goldilocks” conditions led to more complex molecules and biological systems, and eventually to humans. The relevance and significance of extraterrestrial hydrocarbon chemistry to the limits of science in relation to the physical aspects of evolution on our planet Earth are also discussed.
In-Situ Surface Cleaning of Ge(111) and Si(100) for Epitaxial Growth of Ge at 300°C Using Remote Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition

We have demonstrated low temperature (300° C) Ge epitaxy on Ge(111) and on Si(100) substrates. Critical to this epitaxy has been the use of wet chemistry to produce controlled, thin oxides on the substrates prior to loading into the reactor and an in-situ 300 ° C hydrogen plasma treatment to remove those oxides from the semiconductor surfaces. Reflection high energy electron diffraction shows the plasma treatments to be effective in producing clean, well-ordered surfaces. This represents a new approach for in-situ cleaning of Ge(111) and Si(100) surfaces.
Glandular trichomes of Solanum neocardenasii confer resistance to green peach aphid (Homoptera: Aphididae)

Botanical seed of a newly described wild potato species, Solanum neocardenasii Hawkes & Hjerting, was collected in central Bolivia. Foliage of S. neocardenasii bears type A and type B glandular trichomes that entrap aphids in a manner similar to that of the highly aphid-resistant species, S. berthaultii Hawkes. Initiation of probing by the green peach aphid, Myzus persicae (Sulzer), on S. neocardenasii was delayed compared with that on S. tuberosum . Feeding rates on the two species were comparable once probing was initiated. Reduced aphid survivorship on S. neocardenasii compared with a susceptible S. tuberosum cultivar was associated with presence of extremely large droplets of adhesive type B exudate. Trichome exudate of S. neocardenasii darkened and hardened on aphid tarsi, labia, and antennae in a manner visually similar to S. berthaultii exudate. These findings indicate that S. neocardenasii is an additional source of trichome-based resistance to green peach aphid and may be of value to potato breeding programs attempting to expand the genetic base of host plant resistance to insects.
Privacy Protections for Secondary Users of Communications-Capturing Technologies

Consumer products increasingly record the content of user communications without regard to whether the recorded individual is the primary user — the purchaser of the product — or the secondary user — an individual who uses the product but is not the purchaser. The distinction between primary and secondary users proves significant when considering the enforceability of the product’s privacy policy, which purports to establish user consent to the collection of communications content but is only agreed to by the primary user, and protections available under federal and state statutes, many of which prohibit the recording of communications content without consent, and may thus benefit secondary users. This Note analyzes several privacy policies accompanying communications-capturing technologies as well as state eavesdropping laws and the Electronic Communications Privacy Act to demonstrate that the current consumer privacy regime does not adequately protect secondary users of communications-capturing technologies.In designing protections for secondary users, this Note argues against requiring companies to provide front-end protection through notice of their privacy policies. Instead, this Note proposes a framework for incentivizing communications-capturing technology producers to distinguish between primary and secondary user data use on the back end.
The Effect of Defects in Glass-Reinforced Plastic (GRP)

A rational basis for developing acceptance standards for glass-reinforced plastic structures hulls is presented. Using existing models and a fracture mechanics analysis, the effects of key defects are quantified. Cracks in the edges of penetrations are shown to be potentially critical defects. Additionally, an equivalency between key defects is demonstrated. This equivalency allows correct proportioning of efforts to control and correct defects
Group metaphor map making: Application to integrated arts-based focus groups:

Arts-based research methods offer social scientists a rich collection of techniques for engaging participants often excluded from more traditional forms of research. The methods, which include tech...
Social Psychology and the Body

Social psychology is intimately about the bodies of individuals. The body is the mediator between the thinking, meaning-making mind and the sensory experience of interaction. While the material body has historically been absent from most micro sociological theorizing, modern society’s focus on the body and on body/self projects has reignited interest in the body within social psychology. To take the body seriously in social psychology means both to recognize and theorize the body as social and to recognize and theorize the social self as shaped by the body and biology. This chapter begins by examining the body and embodiment in classical theory and then traces its development through pragmatism, early social psychology and phenomenology, and ends by examining its maturation in twenty-first-century social psychological research and theorizing.
Remission of subcutaneous panniculitis-like T-cell lymphoma in a pregnant woman after treatment with oral corticosteroids as monotherapy

Subcutaneous panniculitis-like T-cell lymphoma (SPTCL) is a rare form of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma characterized by neoplastic α/β T cells infiltrating subcutaneous tissues in a lobular pattern. Few data support the optimal treatment regimen for patients, given the rarity of this condition, and even fewer data describe treatment when diagnosed during pregnancy. We describe a case of SPTCL in a pregnant patient who achieved clinical remission after treatment with corticosteroid monotherapy. Our case suggests that corticosteroids should be considered as first-line treatment in pregnant patients with SPTCL.
The Other Victims of the Opioid Epidemic

Jerry is not innocent, nor does he claim to be. His vilification, however, is the result of an all-or-nothing approach to pain management under which the pendulum has swung from one unsustainable end of the spectrum to the other in the past two decades.
Surface Modification with the STM and the AFM

The Tunneling and Force Microscopes are superb instruments for imaging atomic and molecular structures. From the beginning it has been clear that they can be used to modify surfaces in various ways. In this article we review the conventional methods and compare these with potential for surface modification with the STM and AFM. We reach the conclusion that the new instruments can be used for microfabrication of structures on solid substrates with a resolution that is improved by “a factor of ten beyond the present capabilities.”
Using Microservices and Software Product Line Engineering to Support Reuse of Evolving Multi-tenant SaaS

In order to achieve economies of scale, a Software as a Service (SaaS) should be configurable, multi-tenant efficient, and scalable. But building SaaS with these characteristics comes at a price of having more complex services. Some works in the literature integrate software product line engineering and service-oriented architecture to tackle the complexity of building multi-tenant SaaS. Most of these works focused on centralized approaches that rely on middleware or platforms, but they do not investigate the use of decentralized architectural style. Microservices architecture is an architectural style that relies on small, decentralized, and autonomous services that work together. Thus, this paper investigates the integrated use of microservices architecture and software produt line techniques to develop multi-tenant SaaS. We conducted an empirical study that analyzes the behavior of software reuse during the evolution of a multi-tenant SaaS. This empirical study showed an average software reuse of 62% of lines of code among tenants. We also provide lessons we learned during the the re-engineering and maintenance of such multi-tenant SaaS.
Feasibility of Martian Agricultural Systems

Abstract The feasibility of agriculture on Mars will determine, to a large extent, the potential humans have to establish a presence on Mars for an extended period of time. There are a number of factors that must be addressed in doing so. Theoretical predictions are presented within, with a focus on nutrient flux.
Deciphering the protein-DNA code of bacterial winged helix-turn-helix transcription factors

Sequence-specific binding by transcription factors (TFs) plays a significant role in the selection and regulation of target genes. At the protein:DNA interface, amino acid side-chains construct a diverse physicochemical network of specific and non-specific interactions, and seemingly subtle changes in amino acid identity at certain positions may dramatically impact TF:DNA binding. Variation of these specificity-determining residues (SDRs) is a major mechanism of functional divergence between TFs with strong structural or sequence homology. In this study, we employed a combination of high-throughput specificity profiling by SELEX and Spec-seq, structural modeling, and evolutionary analysis to probe the binding preferences of winged helix-turn-helix TFs belonging to the OmpR sub-family in Escherichia coli. We found that E. coli OmpR paralogs recognize tandem, variably spaced repeats composed of “GT-A” or “GCT”-containing half-sites. Some divergent sequence preferences observed within the “GT-A” mode correlate with amino acid similarity; conversely, “GCT”-based motifs were observed for a subset of paralogs with low sequence homology. Direct specificity profiling of a subset of OmpR homologues (CpxR, RstA, and OmpR) as well as predicted “SDR-swap” variants revealed that individual SDRs may impact sequence preferences locally through direct contact with DNA bases or distally via the DNA backbone. Overall, our work provides evidence for a common structural “code” for sequence-specific wHTH-DNA interactions, and demonstrates that surprisingly modest residue changes can enable recognition of highly divergent sequence motifs. Further examination of SDR predictions will likely reveal additional mechanisms controlling the evolutionary divergence of this important class of transcriptional regulators.
The Bertrand-Borel Debate and the Origins of the Neyman-Pearson Theory

The views of the mathematicians Bertrand and Borel on hypothesis testing and the usefulness of probability models are reviewed as background to the Neyman-Pearson theory. There is a discussion of Neyman’s claim that these views had an influence on his work with Pearson, and of Pearson’s denial of this claim.
Fizykalistyczny panpsychizm (przeł. Jacek Jarocki)

Rougly speaking, panpsychism is the view, that everything is mind or have consciousness. Although the view has a long and venerable tradition, and becomes more and more popular in the contemporary debate, it still has many opponents. The aim of this article is to prove that panpsychism is the best metaphysical account of the nature of the ultimate stuff of reality. At the same time, it is a kind of physicalism, according to which experience (experientiality) is the fundamental stuff of all concrete objects. Galen Strawson, „Physicalist Panpsychism”, in: The Blackwell Companion to Consciousness . Second Edition , ed. Susan Schneider i Max Velmans (Oxford: Wiley Blackwell, 2017), 374–390. Information about Translator: Jacek Jarocki, MA—PhD student, Department of the History of Modern and Contemporary Philosophy, Faculty of Philosophy at the John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin; address for correspondence: Al. Raclawickie 14, PL 20–950 Lublin; e‑mail: jacekjarocki@kul.pl
Treatment resistance in urothelial carcinoma: an evolutionary perspective

The emergence of treatment-resistant clones is a critical barrier to cure in patients with urothelial carcinoma. Setting the stage for the evolution of resistance, urothelial carcinoma is characterized by extensive mutational heterogeneity, which is detectable even in patients with early stage disease. Chemotherapy and immunotherapy both act as selective pressures that shape the evolutionary trajectory of urothelial carcinoma throughout the course of the disease. A detailed understanding of the dynamics of evolutionary drivers is required for the rational development of curative therapies. Herein, we describe the molecular basis of the clonal evolution of urothelial carcinomas and the use of genomic approaches to predict treatment responses. We discuss various mechanisms of resistance to chemotherapy with a focus on the mutagenic effects of the DNA dC->dU-editing enzymes APOBEC3 family of proteins. We also review the evolutionary mechanisms underlying resistance to immunotherapy, such as the loss of clonal tumour neoantigens. By dissecting treatment resistance through an evolutionary lens, the field will advance towards true precision medicine for urothelial carcinoma.
Arsenate resistant mutants of Escherichia coli and phosphate transport.

Abstract Arsenate is a substrate for an inorganic phosphate transport system in E . coli U7. Mutants selected for growth in the presence of high concentrations of arsenate lose the capacity to transport arsenate at all concentrations. Most arsenate resistant mutants retain the ability to grow on orthophosphate. Phosphate transport in these mutants is completely abolished in the presence of cyanide, but in the wild type partial activity remains under the same conditions. Strains completely dependent on organic phosphate have also been found. Phosphate transport in the wild type U7 must be mediated by at least two separable systems, one specific for phosphate and the other active for both phosphate and arsenate.