cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Nepalese Army: From counterinsurgency to peacekeeping?

Can peacekeeping participation help reform military institutions in democratizing states? Drawing on evidence from Nepal – one of the world's largest troop contributors to UN peacekeeping operations – this essay illustrates that participation in peace missions can sometimes undermine security sector reform and deteriorate civil–military relations. Furthermore, this analysis shows that peacekeeping participation will not necessarily reorient troops away from their conventional internal roles (such as counterinsurgency) or improve civilian control over the armed forces. Hence, civilians can lose control over soldiers just as frequently when they are deployed overseas as when they are at home.
Physics with high PT leptons at CDF: W asymmetry, high mass Drell-Yan and limits on quark-lepton compositeness

We describe two measurements using 110±7 pb−1 of data collected by the CDF detector during 1992–1995. The first is a new measurement of the charge asymmetry in the lepton rapidity range 0 < |yl| < 2.5 using W → μν, eν events. The asymmetry data constrain the ratio of d and u quark momentum distributions in the proton over the x range of 0.006 to 0.34 at Q2 ≈ Mw2. Although the data in the central rapidity region (|yl| < 1.1) are by modern parametrizations of parton distributions, there are differences in the high rapidity regions. The second is a measurement of the dilepton mass spectrum in pp → l+l− + X using dielectrons (ee) and dimuons (μμ). The dilepton data are consistent with standard model predictions. The mass spectrum, being a probe for new physics, is examiend for new interactions of quarks and leptons from a common composite structure. Assuming a contact interaction with the conventional coupling g024π = 1, limits on chiral quark-electron and quark-muon compositeness scales in the range of 2.5 to 4.2 TeV are obtained.
Centrosomes Enhance the Fidelity of Cytokinesis in Vertebrates and Are Required for Cell Cycle Progression

When centrosomes are destroyed during prophase by laser microsurgery, vertebrate somatic cells form bipolar acentrosomal mitotic spindles (Khodjakov, A., R.W. Cole, B.R. Oakley, and C.L. Rieder. 2000. Curr. Biol. 10:59-67), but the fate of these cells is unknown. Here, we show that, although these cells lack the radial arrays of astral microtubules normally associated with each spindle pole, they undergo a normal anaphase and usually produce two acentrosomal daughter cells. Relative to controls, however, these cells exhibit a significantly higher (30-50%) failure rate in cytokinesis. This failure correlates with the inability of the spindle to properly reposition itself as the cell changes shape. Also, we destroyed just one centrosome during metaphase and followed the fate of the resultant acentrosomal and centrosomal daughter cells. Within 72 h, 100% of the centrosome-containing cells had either entered DNA synthesis or divided. By contrast, during this period, none of the acentrosomal cells had entered S phase. These data reveal that the primary role of the centrosome in somatic cells is not to form the spindle but instead to ensure cytokinesis and subsequent cell cycle progression.
Fishery management as a governance network: Examples from the Gulf of Maine and the potential for communication network analysis research in fisheries

It has been suggested that the fisheries management process with multiple, informed stakeholders and socio-economic, political, and scientific complexity can be considered a governance network. This exploratory study applied communication network analysis (CNA) measures and methods to assess two cases of US federal fishery management in the Northwest Atlantic—Atlantic herring and sea scallop. Through questionnaires and interviews, CNA maps were constructed and quantitative measures of network structure and function (density, weighted average path length) and centrality measures for individual network members (degree, betweenness) were derived using InFlow software. The results show that fishery governance networks are horizontally and vertically integrated across levels of government and public–private–nonprofit sectors. The findings validated existing understanding of fisheries management as a contested, competitive management context among stakeholders, and provided new insights about the effectiveness of information sharing across the network and the critical role of bridgers connecting disparate subgroups. Fisheries management can be conceptualized and analyzed as governance networks, and the paper discusses additional research questions, refinements needed for application of the research methods, and ramifications for managers (e.g., can resource managers manage networks).
BRST quantization of superstring field theory

Abstract We write the gauge fixed action which arises in the quantization of Witten's string field theory in a linear gauge, in a form which applies to both the superstring and the bosonic string. The corresponding BRST transformation is nilpotent only on-shell. We construct also an off-shell nilpotent BRST transformation which formally leaves invariant the quantum effective action. This BRST transformation has a geometrical interpretation which could allow to describe the gauge anomalies of the superstring field theory as the nontrivial cohomology of the BRST charge via the Wess-Zumino consistency condition.
Do Heavy-Weight Students Have more Difficulty Paying for College?

Twenty-five years ago, the under representation of the obese at high-prestige colleges was demonstrated. This article looks at the problem of who pays for the higher education of heavy-weight adolescents. Three studies (total N = 833) demonstrate that heavy-weight college students rely more on jobs, savings, or financial aid than do normal-weight students, who rely primarily on family support. This effect appears in two different universities and is more reliable for women than for men. The effect remains even when parents' educational level, parents' income, race, family size, and number of children attending college are factored out. Several possible explanations for this effect, including parents' attitudes toward their children, are discussed.
Inescapable shock, neurotransmitters, and addiction to trauma: Toward a psychobiology of post traumatic stress ☆

Chronic post traumatic stress has been described as a "physioneurosis" (Kardiner 1941), that is, a mental disorder with both psychological and physiological components. The behavioral sequelae of inescapable shock in animals and of massive psychic trauma in people show a striking parallel. Inescapable shock in animals leads to both transient catecholamine depletion and subsequent stress-induced analgesia. We postulate that the numbing and catatenoid reactions following trauma in humans correspond to the central nervous system (CNS) catecholamine depletion that follows inescapable shock in animals. We further explore the evidence for a human equivalent of "stress-induced analgesia" in animals, which is known to be mediated by endogenous opioids. Although reexposure to trauma may produce a paradoxical sense of calm and control due to endogenous opioid release, a cessation of traumtic stimulation will be followed by symptoms of opioid withdrawal and physiological hyperreactivity mediated by CNS noradrenergic hypersensitivity. This hyperreactivity can, in turn, be temporarily modified by reexposure to trauma. This factor could account for voluntary reexposure to trauma in many traumatized individuals and would provide a complementary formulation to the conventional psychodynamic concept of attempted mastery of the psychosocial meaning of the trauma.
Radiative corrections to neutrino indices of refraction

Quantum loop corrections to coherent forward neutrino scattering and , l=e,\ensuremath{\mu},\ensuremath{\tau} are examined in the standard SU(2${)}_{L}$\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}U(1) model. For a neutral unpolarized medium with particle densities ${N}_{e}$=${N}_{p}$,${N}_{n}$ we find ${\mathit{p}}_{\mathit{v}}$(${\mathit{n}}_{\mathit{v}\mathit{e}}$-${\mathit{n}}_{{\mathit{v}}_{\mathit{e}}}$-${\mathit{n}}_{{\mathit{v}}_{\mathrm{\ensuremath{\mu}}}}$) =-\ensuremath{\surd}2\ifmmode\bar\else\textasciimacron\fi{}${\mathit{G}}_{\mathrm{\ensuremath{\mu}}}$${\mathit{N}}_{\mathit{e}}$[1+O(\ensuremath{\alpha}${\mathit{m}}_{\mathrm{\ensuremath{\mu}}}^{2}$/${\mathit{m}}_{\mathit{w}}^{2}$)] and and .sp.5 ${p}_{\ensuremath{\nu}}$( )= ${G}_{\ensuremath{\mu}}$ / \ensuremath{\surd}2 3\ensuremath{\alpha} / 2\ensuremath{\pi} ${\mathrm{sin}}^{2}$${\mathrm{theta}}_{\mathrm{W}}$ ${\mathrm{m}}_{\mathrm{\ensuremath{\tau}}}$${\mathrm{}}^{2}$ / ${\mathrm{m}}_{\mathrm{W}}$${\mathrm{}}^{2}$ [(${\mathit{N}}_{\mathit{p}}$+${\mathit{N}}_{\mathit{n}}$)ln(${\mathit{m}}_{\mathrm{\ensuremath{\tau}}}^{2}$/${\mathit{m}}_{\mathit{w}}^{2}$)+(${\mathit{N}}_{\mathit{p}}$${+}^{2}$${/}_{3}$${\mathit{N}}_{\mathit{n}}$)]. Implications of our results for neutrino matter oscillations and elastic scattering are briefly discussed.
Starvation in the midst of plenty: making sense of ceramide-induced autophagy by analysing nutrient transporter expression

Ceramide induces differentiation, proliferative arrest, senescence and death in mammalian cells. The mechanism by which ceramide produces these outcomes has proved difficult to define. Building on observations that ceramide stimulates autophagy, we have identified a novel mechanism of action for this sphingolipid: ceramide starves cells to death subsequent to profound nutrient transporter down-regulation. In yeast, ceramide generated in response to heat stress adaptively slows cell growth by down-regulating nutrient permeases. In mammalian cells, a lethal dose of ceramide triggers a bioenergetic crisis by so severely limiting cellular access to extracellular nutrients that autophagy is insufficient to meet the metabolic demands of the cell. In keeping with this bioenergetic explanation for ceramide toxicity, methyl pyruvate, a membrane-permeable nutrient, protects cells from ceramide-induced starvation. Also consistent with this model, we have found that the metabolic state of the cell determines its sensitivity to ceramide. Thus the increased sensitivity of cancer cells to ceramide may relate to their inflexible biosynthetic metabolic programme. These studies highlight the value of assessing nutrient transporter expression in autophagic cells and the important role that culture conditions play in determining the cellular response to ceramide.
Peroxisome proliferators enhance cyclooxygenase-2 expression in epithelial cells.

The formation of prostaglandins requires the catalytic activity of cyclooxygenase (COX) which converts arachidonic acid to the prostaglandin endoperoxide PGH2, from which all other prostaglandins are formed. COX-2 is the highly inducible isozyme of COX which is responsible for much of the prostaglandin production in inflammation and is a key factor in colon carcinogenesis. Because COX-2 activity can be rate-limiting in prostaglandin formation, COX-2 expression must be regulated tightly. Numerous factors, including mitogens, tumor promoters, and cytokines have been found to stimulate the transcription of COX-2. We show that fatty acids, prostaglandins, and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, compounds that are substrates, products, and inhibitors, respectively, of COX enzymatic activity, also increase its expression. These compounds are members of a heterogeneous group of compounds known as peroxisome proliferators, and the prototypical peroxisome proliferator, WY-14,643, also enhanced COX-2 expression. We demonstrate that these compounds increase COX-2 transcription, and we identify a region of the COX-2 promoter containing a peroxisome proliferator response element that is responsible for the enhancement of COX-2 expression seen with these compounds.
Lower rim alkylammonium-substituted calix[4[arenes as “proton-switchable” extractants for chromate and dichromate anions

Abstract The compound 5,11,17,23-tetra-tert-butyl-25,27-bis(2-aminoethoxy)-26,28-dihydroxycalix[4]arene ( 2 ) has been synthesized by the borane reduction of 5,11,17,23-tetra-tert-butyl-25,27-bis(2-dicyanomethoxy)-26,28-dihydroxycalix[4]arene ( 1 ). The protonated alkylammonium form of 2 is an effective extractant for transferring the anions CrO 4 2− and Cr 2 O 7 2− from an aqueous into a chloroform layer. The monoanions Cl − , CH 3 CO 2 − and NO 3 − , and dianions SO 4 2− MoO 4 2− and WO 4 2− have little effect on the extraction of CrO 4 2− and CrO 7 2− . Deportonation of the dialkylammonium cation results in reversal with CrO 4 2− and Cr 2 O 7 2− migrating back into the aqueous layer.
Foreword - ADP: The Key Direction for Future Research in Intelligent Control and Understanding Brain Intelligence

This forward to the special issue on adaptive dynamic programming (ADP) and reinforcement learning in feedback control is written by Paul Werbos, the founder of ADP.
A relationship customer typology

Abstract Focusing on retail clothing salesperson-customer relationships, we develop a relationship customer typology based on specific consumer characteristics related to the maintenance of these relationships. We then profile the different relationship customer types in terms of demographics and also important retail consequences–satisfaction, loyalty, purchases, word of mouth, and relationship benefits valued. Implications and recommendations for retailers are discussed.
EFFECTS OF UNIOCULAR AND BINOCULAR EXCITATION OF THE PERIPHERAL RETINA WITH TEST FIELDS OF VARIOUS SHAPES ON BINOCULAR SUMMATION.

Square test fields subtending a visual angle of 1° on a side were presented at 28 positions in the field of vision on a circle with a radius of 10° around fixation. Visual thresholds for the right eye, the left eye, and for both eyes were determined on two observers. In the lateral periphery the binocular thresholds are lower than the monocular thresholds (binocular summation); near the vertical meridian above and below fixation, however, binocular sensitivity is not greater than monocular sensitivity. When, instead of squares, rectangular test fields of 12°×2° and 14°×4° are presented in horizontal or vertical position, it is found that on the median line no binocular summation occurs when the test fields are presented vertically, but summation prevails when the test fields are presented horizontally. It appears that the amount of overlap of a test field into the lateral periphery and the conveying of impulses from both retinas to the same cerebral hemisphere is important for binocular summation.
Swamp plots for dynamic aperture studies of PEP-II lattices

With a newly developed algorithm using resonance basis Lie generators and their evaluation with action-angle Poisson bracket maps (nPB tracking), we have been able to perform fast tracking for dynamic aperture studies of PEP-II lattices as well as incorporate lattice nonlinearities in beam-beam studies. We have been able to better understand the relationship between dynamic apertures and the tune shift and resonance coefficients in the generators of the one-turn maps. To obtain swamp plots (dynamic aperture vs. working point) of the PEP-II lattices, we first compute a one-turn resonance basis map for a nominal working point and then perform nPB tracking by switching the working point while holding fixed all other terms in the map. Results have been spot-checked by comparing with element-by-element tracking.
Dexter as a phd advisor

Dexter and I work in very different areas in Computer Science, so I cannot attest to his successes in Computer Science as I am sure others so eloquently will. However, I was Dexter's first PhD graduate, and I can certainly attest to his skills as a PhD advisor. Dexter actually arrived at Cornell after I started my PhD program. He had a buzz of electricity about him and that quality above all others initially attracted my interest. At that time Dexter was already an accomplished theoretician. I know that he has considerably burnished that already formidable reputation in the intervening decades. My story is a different one though, and it winds through the area of graphical user interfaces.
A learning strategy based on dual learning functions

The objective of this study is to synthesise a learning model that is capable of successful and effective operation in hard-to-model environments. We present a structurally simple and functionally flexible model. The model follows the learning patterns experienced by humans. The novelty of the adaptive model lies in the knowledge base, the dual learning strategy and flexible reasoning. The knowledge base is allowed to grow for as long as the agent lives. Learning is brought about by the interaction between two qualitatively different activities, leaving long-term and short-term marks on the behaviour of the agent. The agent reaches conclusions by using approximate reasoning. The focus of the model - the agent - starts life with a blank knowledge base; it learns as it lives. Classifiers are used to represent individual experiences. We demonstrate the functioning of the model through a case study.
New Directions in Public Engagement: Ethnografilm and the Journal of Video Ethnography

This essay introduces a new journal and film festival, designed to legitimate academic filmmaking through the process of peer review. The Journal of Video Ethnography is the first peer-reviewed journal of academic movies. The Ethnografilm Festival, held each April in Paris, is a nonfiction film festival that focuses on bringing academic filmmakers together with documentary filmmakers.
A goodness-of-fit test of logistic regression models for case-control data with measurement error

We study goodness-of-fit tests for logistic regression models for case-control data when some covariates are measured with error. We first study the applicability of traditional test methods for this problem, simply ignoring measurement error, and show that in some scenarios they are effective despite the inconsistency of the parameter estimators. We then develop a test procedure based on work of Zhang (2001) that can simultaneously test the validity of logistic regression and correct the bias in parameter estimators for case-control data with nondifferential classical additive normal measurement error. Instead of using the information matrix considered by Zhang (2001), our test statistic uses preselected functions to reduce dimensionality. Simulation studies and an application illustrate its usefulness. Copyright 2011, Oxford University Press.
MANGANESE CYCLE IN IMPOUNDMENT WATER

Manganese entering impounded water will undergo a cyclic transformation. Oxidation precipitates manganese from top waters. At the bottom of the lake, biological activity will render manganese soluble by both intracellular as well as extracellular activity. The study was made to demonstrate that biological reduction and transformation, organometallic complexation, together with the presence of carbon dioxide and the lowering of pH all have some effect on the solubility of manganese. Dissolved manganese may be brought back to top waters during the lake overturn and therefore deteriorates the water quality.
Light-scattering studies of polymer solution dynamics

Laser light scattering has been used to study the static and dynamic properties of polymers in solution. Interpretation of the intermediate scattering function S(K, t) from the center-of-mass diffusion to internal motions for both polymer coils and semiflexible chains is discussed. Crossover behavior of dynamic properties in dilute and semidilute solution regimes for polymers of finite molecular weight, instead of limiting scaling law exponents, is emphasized. The complimentary nature of modern scattering techniques, as well as the use of specific probes, including anomalous scattering with synchrotron radiation, are likely to play an increasingly important role in investigating more complex interacting polymeric species, such as block copolymers, polyelectrolytes, and ionomers. Measurements of time correlation function and methods of data analysis have been developed to determine the molecular weight distribution of synthetic polymers in dilute solution. In addition to center-of-mass diffusion studies in dilute solution from the good solvent region to the collapsed state, determinations of both cooperative and self-diffusion coefficients in semi-dilute solutions are within reach. Further quantitative analysis of S(K, t) awaits better theoretical models in the intermediate K range in semidilute solutions.
Thermal Boundary Resistance Measurements for Phase-Change Memory Devices

Thermal interfaces play a key role in determining the programming energy of phase-change memory (PCM) devices. This letter reports the picosecond thermoreflectance measurements of thermal boundary resistance (TBR) at TiN/GST and Al/TiN interfaces, as well as the intrinsic thermal conductivity measurements of fcc GST between 30°C and 325°C. The TiN/GST TBR decreases with temperature from ~26 to ~18 m2·K/GW, and the Al/TiN ranges from ~7 to 2.4 m2·K/GW. A TBR of 10 m2·K/GW is equivalent in thermal resistance to ~192 nm of TiN. The fcc GST conductivity increases with temperature between ~0.44 and 0.59 W/m/K. A detailed understanding of TBR is essential for optimizing the PCM technology.
Falling film flow of a viscoelastic fluid along a wall

In this paper, we study the heat transfer in the fully developed flow of a viscoelastic fluid, a slag layer, down a vertical wall. A new constitutive relation for the stress tensor of this fluid is proposed, where the viscosity depends on the volume fraction, temperature, and shear rate. For the heat flux vector, we assume the Fourier's law of conduction with a constant thermal conductivity. The model is also capable of exhibiting normal stress effects. The governing equations are non-dimensionalized and numerically solved to study the effects of various dimensionless parameters on the velocity, temperature, and volume fraction. The effect of the exponent in the Reynolds viscosity model is also discussed. The different cases of shear-thinning and shear-thickening, cooling and heating, are compared and discussed. The results indicate that the viscous dissipation and radiation (at the free surface) cause the temperature to be higher inside the flow domain. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Search and Progressive Image Retrieval from Distributed Image/Video Databases: The SPIRE Project

In this paper, we describe the architecture and initial implementation of a content-based retrieval mechanism from heterogeneous image archives. In particular, we propose an architecture to produce local representation of the images stored in heterogeneous archives and a progressive framework that reorganizes the images into a hierarchical representation based on a multiresolution decomposition and an abstraction pyramid. Search operations can rely on this representation and be performed in a hierarchical fashion, thus significantly reducing the total amount of data that need to be processed. Dramatic speedup has been achieved for many search operations, such as template matching, texture feature extraction, and histogram extraction.
Modulation of Cell Cycle Progression in the Spermatocyte Cell Line [GC-2spd(ts) Cell-Line] by Cigarette Smoke Condensate (CSC) via Arylhydrocarbon Receptor-Nuclear Factor Erythroid 2-Related Factor 2 (Ahr-Nrf2) Pathway

Prior studies in our laboratory have demonstrated that cigarette smoke condensate (CSC) activates arylhydrocarbon receptor (Ahr) leading to upregulation of several antioxidant enzymes in murine spermatocytes. In this study, we show that exposure of the spermatocyte cell line GC-2spd(ts) to CSC induces an increase in Cyp1a1, demonstrating AHR activation, and simultaneous expression and nuclear translocation of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (NRF2), where it is believed to modulate Ahr expression by a feedback mechanism. Pharmacological inhibition by the AHR-antagonist CH223191 and interference by Ahr- and Nrf2-small interfering RNA followed by quantitative real-time PCR implicate the Ahr-Nrf2 pathway in the modulation of DNA damage and growth suppression genes such as Gadd45a and P21 and oxidative stress-related genes Cyp1a1, Nrf2, and Ahrr. Flow cytometry accompanied with cell proliferation assay indicate the CSC induces accumulation of spermatocytes at the S-G2/M phase of the cell cycle. Thus, the data obtained suggest that CSC contains several AHR-agonists that are capable of altering the growth pattern of spermatocytes in vitro through the Ahr-Nrf2 signaling mechanism.
A utilitarian approach for power control in wireless CDMA Systems

In this paper the problem of power control is approached by a utilitarian methodology. We characterize the utility possibility set of a wireless CDMA network with utilities equal to pure Shannon capacities. This formally shows the inadequacy of such utility functions and proves the need for transmission penalties. We derive a necessary condition for Pareto optimality in case of arbitrary utility functions. We use this result to calculate suitable pricing mechanisms and propose a centralized gradient-based power control algorithm for such a network and present some simulation results.
Spatial Breakdown Point of Variogram Estimators

In the context of robust statistics, the breakdown point of an estimator is an important feature of reliability. It measures the highest fraction of contamination in the data that an estimator can support before being destroyed. In geostatistics, variogram estimators are based on measurements taken at various spatial locations. The classical notion of breakdown point needs to be extended to a spatial one, depending on the construction of most unfavorable configurations of perturbation. Explicit upper and lower bounds are available for the spatial breakdown point in the regular unidimensional case. The difficulties arising in the multidimensional case are presented on an easy example in IR2, as well as some simulations on irregular grids. In order to study the global effects of perturbations on variogram estimators, further simulations are carried out on data located on a regular or irregular bidimensional grid. Results show that if variogram estimation is performed with a 50% classical breakdown point scale estimator, the number of initial data likely to be contaminated before destruction of the estimator is roughly 30% on average. Theoretical results confirm the previous statement on data in IRd, d ≥ 1.
Single and Multiple Period Decision Models for Analysis of Quality and Quantity of Validation

This paper investigates a single period model for the analysis of the impact of the quality of the validation effort. The single period model uses a Bayesian approach to find that validation is a critical point process. That model is then extended to allow for the uncertainty of the validation process to determine the quality of the underlying model. Some monotonicity results are developed for the model and investigated in light of the process being a critical point process. The model indicates that, consistent with comments from real world settings, the impact of the quality of the validation effort can be substantial. The paper also presents two multiperiod models of the impact of the quantity of the validation effort. In practice, the development of an expert system may follow a recurring multiperiod life cycle, where a prototype is built, the system is validated to determine how well it performs, and based on that performance, is either funded or not funded. The first multiple period model assumes that validation and funding occurs at each point in the PVF budget cycle. The model employs Bayesian revision of probabilities to update the prior probability of obtaining a model with an appropriate level of success. It is found that the critical point for multiperiod problems is different than that for single period problems. This model forms the basis of the second model. The second multiple period model extends the first by assuming that the quantity of validation can be varied. The more validation, the more likely that flaws in the model will be found. Thus, the more validation, the better the understanding of the level of performance of the model.
On optimal signal reconstruction over switching networks

In this paper we consider signal reconstruction over networks where the communication channel can be modeled as an input switching system (e.g., wireless communication). In particular, we formulate the design problem as a prototypical model matching problem where the various mappings involved belong to a class of input switching systems. The design interest is placed on minimizing the worst case performance of this model matching system over all possible switchings with either l1induced norm or H2 norm as the performance criterion. This minimization is performed over all stable receivers Q in the class of input switching systems. For the particular set-up at hand and in the case of matched switching, two convergent sequences to the optimal solution from above and below respectively are formulated in terms of linear programs and quadratic programs respectively for the l1-induced and H2 norm optimizations. An approximate solution with any given precision is possible by finite truncation. Also, it is shown that the optimal receiver Q need not depend on the switching sequence in the cases of partially matched switching and unmatched switching, and that it can be obtained as a linear time-invariant (LTI) solution to an associated l1 induced or H2 norm optimization.
A new approach to toxin neutralization in Staphylococcus aureus therapy

Staphylococcus aureus is a significant human pathogen responsible for a range of diseases including pneumonia, sepsis, skin, and soft tissue infections. An important component of its success as a human pathogen is the production of a large array of virulence factors including several toxins. In this issue of EMBO Reports , Reyes‐Robles and colleagues [1] identify a glycine‐rich motif shared by bicomponent leukocidins. When this motif is deleted, the altered toxin exerts dominant‐negative effects that neutralize leukocidin function and thus represents a potentially novel avenue for S. aureus therapy.
SPECT-CT characterization of oral activity seen on radioiodine scintigraphy

310 Objectives Focal oral activity is commonly seen on radioiodine thyroid cancer scintigraphy and may cause diagnostic dilemma. In this study, SPECT-CT is used to characterize and determine the etiology of focal oral activity seen on planar imaging. Methods 216 patients (pts) 115F: 101M, mean age 47.3, age range 10 ± 90 post-total thyroidectomy underwent diagnostic (37 MBq) 131-I scintigraphy with planar whole body imaging, static views and SPECT-CT of the neck & chest. Planar whole body and static images were inspected for the presence of oral activity above the salivary gland background. This activity was further evaluated on SPECT-CT. Results Planar images demonstrated oral uptake in 123 pts; bilateral uptake in 104 pts, right-sided in 11 pts and left-sided in 8 pts. 12 pts were excluded because SPECT-CT did not fully include the oral cavity. SPECT-CT demonstrated focal uptake localizing to high-attenuation dental material on the CT in 95/111 (86%) pts as follows: 48 maxillary, 27 mandibular and 20 in both. There were a total of 323 foci of radioiodine uptake localizing to high-attenuation dental materials with a mean of 2.9±2.4 foci per pt, range 1-12. In the remaining 16 pts, the SPECT-CT revealed diffuse salivary secretions without associated dental uptake. All cases of oral activity on planar imaging were interpreted as benign etiology on SPECT-CT. Many pts also had high-attenuation dental material without corresponding focal radioiodine uptake on SPECT-CT. Conclusions Focal oral activity is commonly seen on diagnostic radioiodine scans. On SPECT-CT focal uptake localizes to high-attenuation dental material, or in a minority of cases to pooling of salivary secretions in the oral cavity. We postulate that an affinity between negatively charged Iodide ions and positively charged metal ions (eg. Ag+, Hg+) within the dental materials is at the basis of persistent focal radioiodine uptake in the mouth. This represents a new mechanism underlying benign focal radioiodine activity not previously described in the medical literature
REPdenovo: Inferring De Novo Repeat Motifs from Short Sequence Reads

Repeat elements are important components of eukaryotic genomes. One limitation in our understanding of repeat elements is that most analyses rely on reference genomes that are incomplete and often contain missing data in highly repetitive regions that are difficult to assemble. To overcome this problem we develop a new method, REPdenovo, which assembles repeat sequences directly from raw shotgun sequencing data. REPdenovo can construct various types of repeats that are highly repetitive and have low sequence divergence within copies. We show that REPdenovo is substantially better than existing methods both in terms of the number and the completeness of the repeat sequences that it recovers. The key advantage of REPdenovo is that it can reconstruct long repeats from sequence reads. We apply the method to human data and discover a number of potentially new repeats sequences that have been missed by previous repeat annotations. Many of these sequences are incorporated into various parasite genomes, possibly because the filtering process for host DNA involved in the sequencing of the parasite genomes failed to exclude the host derived repeat sequences. REPdenovo is a new powerful computational tool for annotating genomes and for addressing questions regarding the evolution of repeat families. The software tool, REPdenovo, is available for download at https://github.com/Reedwarbler/REPdenovo.
Hemingway’s Hills like White Elephants

(1991). Hemingway’s Hills like White Elephants. The Explicator: Vol. 49, No. 4, pp. 238-240.
The Source and Prevention and Control Countermeasure on Atmosphere Granule in Jinan City

The granule became principal pollution of air pollution in Jinan City,main source includes that the dust blown by wind、fuliginous and sand blown by wind,the three kinds of dust account 34% and 30%dust blown by wind、25% and 19% of fuliginous、18% and 22% of sand blown by wind in the quantity of TSP and PM10.this paper clarified source analysis method and produced the control countermeasure
Design and implementation of an off-axis aspheric mirror structured reflectance difference spectrometer for in-situ vacuum application

Rotating-compensator based reflectance difference spectroscopy(RC-RDS)is a versatile tool,which allows an RD spectrum at one time within several seconds and offers a sub-monolayer resolution for surface optical characterization.Thereby it is suitable for in-situ application.But there are many problems for the RC-RDS based in-situ measurement in the vacuum environment,i.e.,the restrictions on the working space,the measuring distance from the front of the optical head to the sample,the beam size on the sample,the spectrum range,and the optical transparency of the total system.A new design for the optical head to overcome these problems is proposed,where an off-axis parabolic mirror is adopted for adjusting the beam in a compact and effective way.For the new optical head,a working distance of more than 50cm,a focused beam size on the sample of less than 6.5mm in diameter,and a spectral range of280-825nm are achieved.An experiment for monitoring the RD spectra of a Cu(110)sample in ultrahigh vacuum environment was performed during an annealing process.And the evolution of the RD signal was perfectly recorded in a set of 512spectra.The results with a measurement precision of 3×10-4indicate the good performance of the new design for the vacuum application.
A study on the real-time settlement payment pattern of health insurance

This paper analyzed the three key problems that must be solved,and put forward alternative solutions of real-time settlement of health insurance when patients sought medical services across provinces. It aimed at the current indefinable payment pattern of health insurance settled in real-time and conducted some sound exploration in realizing real-time settlement of health insurance across provinces. The implementation of this plan is of great significance to improve cooperated healthcare levels.
Endemic tickborne infectious diseases in Louisiana and the Gulf South

Most emerging infectious diseases today, such as West Nile virus and sudden acute respiratory distress syndrome (SARS), arise from zoonotic reservoirs and many are transmitted by arthropod vectors. Ticks are among the most competent and versatile arthropod vectors of infectious diseases because ticks of all ages and both sexes remain infectious for generations without having to reacquire infections from reservoir hosts. Today, ticks transmit the most common arthropod-borne infectious disease in the United States (US), Lyme disease (LD); and the most lethal arthropod-borne infectious disease in the US, Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF). Both LD and RMSF are endemic in Louisiana and the Gulf South. Ticks have also become frequent vectors of emerging zoonotic diseases in the Gulf South, including southern tick-associated rash illness (STARI), transmitted by the lone star tick, and Maculatum disease, transmitted by the Gulf Coast tick. Recent environmental changes and human lifestyle choices now place humans and ticks together outdoors in the Gulf South for longer periods in welcoming ecosystems for breeding, blood-feeding, and infectious disease transmission. An increasing incidence of emerging and re-emerging, endemic infectious diseases transmitted by existing and unanticipated tick vectors may be expected.
An Example of Intramolecular Electron‐Transfer Assistance in a Bimolecular Redox Reaction: Peroxydisulfate Oxidation of (μ‐1,2‐Bis(4‐pyridyl)ethane)pentaammineruthenium(III) Pentacyanoferrate(II) via Its Electronic Isomer.

On the basis of kinetic informations and reactivity pattern for the peroxydisulfate oxidations of mono- and binuclear complexes of the ligand with pentacyanoferrate(II) and pentaammineruthenium(II), strong evidence is provided that the oxidation of the Ru(III)/Fe(II) complex (Ia) to Ru(III)/Fe(III) complex (Ib) does not proceed by direct oxidation of the Fe(II) center in (Ia).
Treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease: defining endpoints that are important to patients

Patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) seek treatment to obtain relief of their symptoms. Symptoms are important to patients because they interfere with activities of daily living and impair quality of life. Clinical trials in GERD have traditionally focused on the healing of erosive esophagitis, and symptom endpoints have been relegated to a secondary role. In primary care, however, patients typically are treated empirically without definition of the presence or absence of esophagitis. Patient-centered endpoints such as complete symptom resolution, patient satisfaction, and improvement in quality of life therefore provide more meaningful results in the broad population of patients with GERD, provided they are coupled with objective data on mucosal healing. This article reviews the importance of patient-centered endpoints in the assessment of the treatment of GERD and concludes that complete resolution of symptoms is the most rigorous endpoint in clinical trials and provides a meaningful endpoint for therapy in clinical practice.
NAFTA and Transnational Contention: A Decade of Alliance and Conflict over Neoliberalism

As the previous chapters in this book make clear, North American contention over trade and globalization is now part of the world historical stage. Tensions between regionalization and globalization arose from the early struggles against the Canada-United States Free Trade Agreement (CUSFTA) and onward to present-day concerns about the evolution of the so-called ‘Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America’ (SPP). In this chapter, we focus on the profusion of conflict at a continental level, though not without acknowledging an implicit understanding that much of what propels regionalization is a response to globalization. Forces of contraction and expansion affect the ambitions of social movements as well as states and corporations. In this chapter, we suggest that contention over international trade in North America has indeed taken a transnational form and has done so within a dynamic ‘alliance and conflict system’ (ACS).
rCBF Following an Experimental Missile Wound to the Brain

The purpose of this experiment was to study the effect of a missile wound to the brain (MWB) on global and regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF).
Two Approaches to Model Uncertainty Quantification: a Case Study

The evaluation of the performance of high-level radioactive waste repositories implies the use of simulation models for predicting the system evolution. The complexity of the system together with the large spatial and temporal scales imposed by the normative regulations are such to introduce broad uncertainties in the analysis. In this paper we address the problem of quantifying the uncertainty associated to the model representation of groundwater flow and contaminant transport in unsaturated, fractured tuff. Two approaches to the problem of aggregating the results coming from multiple models are here considered. The first one focusses on the plausibility of the various models, i.e. on their likelihood to provide a correct representation of the real system. The second one concentrates on the accuracy of the predictions of the models, which are considered as devices providing information helpful for the estimation of the quantity of interest.
100 MHz Bclock period jitter case study for a cabled server platform

This paper studies the period jitter of CPU Bclock on a multi-board cabled server platform. The channel output signal is computed with linear superposition method to reduce run time compared to the step response SPICE transient simulation. The average clock period as well as the standard deviation of ten thousand unit intervals (UIs) were calculated. Output Pj at the clock buffer or chip receiver (Rx) pin is directly extracted at the channel output for different cable and clock scenarios.
Chapter 18 – Nanotechnology in Photoprotection

Commercial sunscreens based on nanoparticles containing TiO2 and ZnO are widely accepted to offer effective UV coverage and a more cosmetically elegant formulation. New organic filters are also being combined into modern sunscreens based on photostabilizing technologies to expand the options for broad-spectrum sunscreen coverage. The nanosized filters offer advantages, yet the same qualities have also drawn concern. There is a theoretical risk that percutaneous penetration of nanomaterials through the skin may generate toxicity, damage the upper layers of the skin and potentially have systemic absorption. These issues can hamper the regulatory approval of these ingredients by cosmetic and drug agencies around the world. This book chapter will explore all of these topics to better understand this promising technology as it relates to photoprotection and sunscreen products.
Enzymatic hydrolysis by transition-metal-dependent nucleophilic aromatic substitution.

5-nitroanthranilic acid aminohydrolase catalyzes the first step in biodegradation of a nitroaromatic compound via a nucleophilic aromatic substitution mechanism with an unusual substrate-assisted metal loading step. Nitroaromatic compounds are typically toxic and resistant to degradation. Bradyrhizobium species strain JS329 metabolizes 5-nitroanthranilic acid (5NAA), which is a molecule secreted by Streptomyces scabies, the plant pathogen responsible for potato scab. The first biodegradation enzyme is 5NAA-aminohydrolase (5NAA-A), a metalloprotease family member that converts 5NAA to 5-nitrosalicylic acid. We characterized 5NAA-A biochemically and obtained snapshots of its mechanism. 5NAA-A, an octamer that can use several divalent transition metals for catalysis in vitro, employs a nucleophilic aromatic substitution mechanism. Unexpectedly, the metal in 5NAA-A is labile but is readily loaded in the presence of substrate. 5NAA-A is specific for 5NAA and cannot hydrolyze other tested derivatives, which are likewise poor inhibitors. The 5NAA-A structure and mechanism expand our understanding of the chemical ecology of an agriculturally important plant and pathogen, and will inform bioremediation and biocatalytic approaches to mitigate the environmental and ecological impact of nitroanilines and other challenging substrates.
Exposure to the Chinese famine of 1959–61 in early life and current health conditions: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract Background Many middle-aged Chinese people have experienced the Great Leap Forward Famine of 1959–61, which could have profound long-term health consequences for exposed birth cohorts. We undertook a systematic review and meta-analysis to summarise reported famine effects on long-term health. Methods We searched PubMed, Embase, Chinese Wanfang Data, and Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure databases up to December, 2015, for health outcomes related to the Chinese famine, with the keywords "China", "famine", "undernutrition", "Chinese famine", "Great Leap Forward", and "Great famine", and the MESH terms "starvation" or "malnutrition" combined with "China" or "Chinese". We compared outcomes in famine births and unexposed controls. We used fixed-effects models and random-effects models to combine reports of adult overweight, obesity, type 2 diabetes, hyperglycaemia, hypertension, metabolic syndrome, and schizophrenia. We assessed heterogeneity across reports. We did subgroup analyses by reported famine severity, provincial mortality during famine, and sex. Findings Of 3976 records identified, 36 reports met our inclusion criteria and 21 could be used for pooled meta-analysis. The number of analysed events ranged from 1029 for hyperglycemia to 9248 for hypertension. As reported by others, type 2 diabetes, hyperglycaemia, hypertension, metabolic syndrome, and schizophrenia were more common among adults born in the famine years than among controls born after the famine. By contrast, there were no increases in type 2 diabetes (odds ratio 0·96, 95% CI 0·73–1·28), hyperglycaemia (0·99, 0·72–1·36), hypertension (0·93, 0·82–1·04), or metabolic syndrome (1·11, 1·00–1·22) comparing adults born in the famine years with controls born either after or before the famine combined. For schizophrenia, the effect estimates (odds ratio 1·60, 95% CI 1·50–1·70, combining controls) were similar in the two scenarios. Interpretation Uncontrolled age differences between famine and post-famine births could explain most effects commonly attributed to the famine. Further studies with better controls for age, famine severity, and sex are needed to obtain reliable estimates of long-term famine effects in China. Funding None.
Magnetic Microfluidic Separation for Estimating the Magnetic Contents of Magnetotactic Bacteria

In Chap. 4, I described the use of magnetic ratcheting system. Nonetheless, the platform does not allow continuous enrichment of MTB over-producers in a long-term sterile condition. In this chapter, I detail the development of a magnetic microfluidic system that can overcome the limitations of magnetic ratcheting system.
Informed consent in optometric institutions

BACKGROUND Modern bioethics has been traced to the interaction of advanced medical technology and the patient's rights movement. A fundamental principle of bioethics is the autonomy which allows patients to exercise personal judgment in their health decisions. The process used to exercise this choice is informed consent and its documentation is the consent form. METHODS A survey was undertaken of the schools and colleges of optometry in order to learn more about patient autonomy in teaching institutions. RESULTS Some institutions feel uncomfortable with the process of informed consent and use of the consent form. Research areas were most compliant. Contact lens and ocular disease clinics were compliant. CONCLUSIONS Review of consent forms had little value in evaluating the ethics process and education taking place in clinics.