cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Mal de debarquement.

Objectives To better define mal de debarquement ("sickness of disembarkment") syndrome, to understand the etiology or mechanism of this disorder, and to seek better prevention and treatment options for this disorder. Design Patient survey of clinical features. Setting Participants were recruited via advertisement in the newsletter of the Vestibular Disorders Association, Portland, Ore. Patients Twenty-seven individuals with mal de debarquement syndrome were identified. To be included in the study, patients must have experienced at least 1 month of rocking or swaying following a cruise or airplane trip of at least 4 hours in duration. Intervention A questionnaire was administered. Main Outcome Measure Clinical features of mal de debarquement syndrome. Results Nearly all respondents were middle-aged women (26 of 27; mean age, 49.3 years). The duration of symptoms ranged from 6 months to 10 years (mean, 3.5 years; SD, 2.5 years). The symptoms were constant in 23 (85%) patients. Neither meclizine hydrochloride nor transdermal scopolamine was helpful. Benzodiazepines were of the most benefit. Balance rehabilitation physical therapy was undertaken by 15 patients, who on average reported a small benefit. Conclusions More than double the number of previously reported cases of mal de debarquement syndrome were identified by this study. The syndrome usually occurs in middle-aged women following an ocean cruise. Symptoms are often refractory to vestibular suppressants as well as physical therapy.
Incomplete Simultaneous Discrete Response Model with Multiple Equilibria

A bivariate simultaneous discrete response model which is a stochastic representation of equilibria in a two-person discrete game is studied. The presence of multiple equilibria in the underlying discrete game maps into a region for the exogenous variables where the model predicts a nonunique outcome. This is an example of an incomplete econometric structure. Economists using this model have made simplifying assumptions to avoid multiplicity. I make a distinction between incoherent models and incomplete models, and then analyse the model in the presence of multiple equilibria, showing that the model contains enough information to identify the parameters of interest and to obtain a well defined semiparametric estimator. I also show that the latter is consistent and root-n normal. Moreover, by exploiting the presence of multiplicity, one is able to obtain a more efficient estimator than the existing methods.
Cell-free synthesis of enzymatically active vaccinia virus thymidine kinase.

Abstract Mouse L cells that lacked thymidine kinase (L tk − cells) were infected with wild-type vaccinia virus or with a mutant that was deficient in the viral thymidine kinase. Cytoplasmic messenger RNA preparations were isolated 2 hr after infection and translated in a messenger RNA-dependent reticulocyte lysate. Both messenger RNA preparations directed the efficient synthesis of early vaccinia virus polypeptides. Furthermore, translation of the messenger RNA from cells infected with wild-type virus resulted in a substantial increase in the thymidine kinase activity of the lysate which was prevented by inhibitors of cell-free protein synthesis. Translation of the messenger RNA from cells infected with the viral tk − mutant, or from uninfected L tk − cells, did not increase the thymidine kinase activity of the extract. The enzyme synthesized in vitro was compared with that isolated from vaccinia virus-infected cells. The two enzymes were indistinguishable with respect to their rates of thermal inactivation, their sedimentation coefficients in glycerol gradients, and their relative electrophoretic mobilities in nondenaturing polyacrylamide gels. We conclude that active viral thymidine kinase can be synthesized de novo in a cell-free system directed by early messenger RNA from vaccinia virus-infected cells.
Dissolved free amino acids in interstitial waters of Georgia salt marsh soils

The patterns of concentration of dissolved free amino acids (DFAA) are different and more variable in pore water of soils from a Georgia salt marsh than in most surface waters. Elevated concentrations of DFAA (up to 8850 nmoles liter−1) and high relative levels of alanine and glutamic acid suggest that bacteria may produce these amino acids. In addition to the common protein amino acids, an unidentified compound was present and was the dominant free amino acid in some sections. This compound appeared to be specific to pore waters as it was not observed in surface waters or in hydrolysates of sediments, bacteria or plants from the marsk.
Identity processes: Integrating social psychological and developmental approaches

In this article, the Kerpelman, Pittnan, and Lamke (1997) microprocess perspective on identity development is discussed. Comments focus on the role of individual differences and cultural and historical contexts in the model, and questions are raised about the ways in which the model conceptualizes and handles developmental shifts in identity.
A holistic profile for information filtering systems

The quality of information filtering systems is limited by the quality of the underlying user profile. Most conventional profiles consist of a set of words describing user interests, and while such profiles may be sufficient for casual users, a broader profile is required before filtering systems prove to be useful in a corporate environment. Existing profiles are often unstructured, and consequently overlook factors that are significant to the decision maker. This paper proposes a holistic profile that addresses this inadequacy by providing a structure to the profile that assimilates not only user interests, but also concerns associated with the user's profession, with any projects with which the user is currently involved, with the type of industry in which the user is employed, and with the type of client served by the user. The holistic profile enables the decision maker to remain current, informing him or her of opportunities for developing both professional skills and awareness by incorporating features that alert the professional to information that impacts the performance of his or her duties. Ongoing projects benefit greatly if management or team members are alerted to developments that might influence the successful completion of the project. In order to provide the best client services the user must be aware of external factors that could harm or benefit the client. In addition, the inclusion of organizational factors allows the information filtering system to serve as an environmental scanning tool for collecting information from the environment to assist in developing strategies to respond to that environment. The holistic profile also features domain-specific templates to provide guidance during profile generation, an expansion mechanism to assist in selecting the most appropriate keywords, and a passive learning mechanism to insure that the holistic profile accurately reflects the user's dynamic information needs. A prototype "holistic profile filtering system" demonstrates the increased effectiveness of the information filtering process. Because the resulting profile embraces the areas of professional development, project management, client services, and environmental scanning, it makes information filtering a more versatile tool with increased usefulness in a corporate environment.
A new efficient incremental evaluator for attribute grammars allowing conditional semantic equations

The evaluator presented performs a depth-first search of the (static) reverse dependency graph associated with a parse tree, interleaved with the execution of semantic rules. The full compound dependency graph is not constructed. Instead, it is implicitly represented by the semantic tree and the dependency graph of the productions. The semantic rules are precompiled as programs written in intermediate code and called semantic modules. Evaluation is a call-by-need evaluation and it is optimal in the number of attribute instances evaluated. >
Learning humanoid reaching tasks in dynamic environments

A central challenging problem in humanoid robotics is to plan and execute dynamic tasks in dynamic environments. Given that the environment is known, sampling-based online motion planners are best suited for handling changing environments. However, without learning strategies, each task still has to be planned from scratch, preventing these algorithms from getting closer to realtime performance. This paper proposes a novel learning-based motion planning algorithm for addressing this issue. Our algorithm, called the attractor guided planner (AGP), extends existing motion planners in two simple but important ways. First, it extracts significant attractor points from successful paths in order to reuse them as guiding landmarks during the planning of new similar tasks. Second, it relies on a task comparison metric for deciding when previous solutions should be reused for guiding the planning of new tasks. The task comparison metric takes into account the task specification and as well environment features which are relevant to the query. Several experiments are presented with different humanoid reaching examples in the presence of randomly moving obstacles. Our results show that the AGP greatly improves both the planning time and solution quality, when comparing to traditional sampling-based motion planners.
Antioxidant capacity and phytochemical content of herbs and spices in dry, fresh and blended herb paste form

We determined whether nine common herbs (basil, chili, cilantro, dill, garlic, ginger, lemongrass, oregano, and parsley) and one herb mixture (Italian Herbs) retain the antioxidant capacity (AC) and content of phenolics and characteristic marker compounds during processing to dry and paste forms. Oregano exhibited the highest AC among the herbs tested in dry and fresh forms. Compared with fresh herbs, the AC in dry form was decreased in garlic, chili, dill, oregano and parsley and paste form of oregano and basil. With the exception of dried garlic and lemongrass in fresh and paste form, all herbs in dry, paste, and fresh form contained significant AC. The AC was correlated significantly to the total phenolic content in both dry and fresh form. However, there was no significant correlation between the AC and the concentration of chemical marker compounds. In summary, processed herbs contribute significant amounts of AC to the diet.
A structural basis for reversible photoswitching of absorbance spectra in red fluorescent protein rsTagRFP.

Abstract rsTagRFP is the first monomeric red fluorescent protein (FP) with reversibly photoswitchable absorbance spectra. The switching is realized by irradiation of rsTagRFP with blue (440 nm) and yellow (567 nm) light, turning the protein fluorescence ON and OFF, respectively. It is perhaps the most useful probe in this color class that has yet been reported. Because of the photoswitchable absorbance, rsTagRFP can be used as an acceptor in photochromic Forster resonance energy transfer. Yellow FPs, YPet and mVenus, are demonstrated to be excellent photochromic Forster resonance energy transfer donors for the rsTagRFP acceptor in its fusion constructs. Analysis of X-ray structures has shown that photoswitching of rsTagRFP is accompanied by cis – trans isomerization and protonation/deprotonation of the chromophore, with the deprotonated cis - and protonated trans -isomers corresponding to its ON and OFF states, respectively. Unlike in other photoswitchable FPs, both conformers of rsTagRFP chromophore are essentially coplanar. Two other peculiarities of the rsTagRFP chromophore are an essentially hydrophobic environment of its p -hydroxyphenyl site and the absence of direct hydrogen bonding between this moiety and the protein scaffold. The influence of the immediate environment on rsTagRFP chromophore was probed by site-directed mutagenesis. Residues Glu145 and His197 were found to participate in protonation/deprotonation of the chromophore accompanying the photoswitching of rsTagRFP fluorescence, whereas residues Met160 and Leu174 were shown to spatially restrict chromophore isomerization, favoring its radiative decay.
Human Telomerase and Its Regulation

The telomere is a special functional complex at the end of linear eukaryotic chromosomes, consisting of tandem repeat DNA sequences and associated proteins. It is essential for maintaining the integrity and stability of linear eukaryotic genomes. Telomere length regulation and maintenance contribute to normal human cellular aging and human diseases. The synthesis of telomeres is mainly achieved by the cellular reverse transcriptase telomerase, an RNA-dependent DNA polymerase that adds telomeric DNA to telomeres. Expression of telomerase is usually required for cell immortalization and long-term tumor growth. In humans, telomerase activity is tightly regulated during development and oncogenesis. The modulation of telomerase activity may therefore have important implications in antiaging and anticancer therapy. This review describes the currently known components of the telomerase complex and attempts to provide an update on the molecular mechanisms of human telomerase regulation.
Efficiency of FNS leg cycle ergometry

The efficiency of electrically induced leg cycle ergometry performed by spinal-cord-injured (SCI) subjects was compared to voluntary leg cycle ergometry performed by able-bodied (AB) subjects at power output (PO) levels of 6-42 W. Twenty SCI (nine quadriplegics and 11 paraplegics) and twenty AB subjects exercised on a leg cycle ergometer. SCI subjects received functional neuromuscular stimulation (FNS) of paralyzed leg musculature, while AB subjects pedaled voluntarily. Subjects performed a discontinuous, progressive intensity exercise test with 6-W (for SCI) or 12-W (for AB) PO increments between stages. Each exercise bout was 5 min in duration and was followed by a 5-min rest period. Steady-rate oxygen uptake (VO/sub 2/) and respiratory exchange ratio (RER) values were determined by open-circuit spirometry during the final minute of each stage. Gross, net, work, and data efficiencies were calculated for each PO. These efficiencies ranged from 2 to 14% for FNS cycling by SCI subjects and from 4 to 34% during voluntary cycling by AB subjects. At most POs, efficiencies for FNS cycling were significantly lower (by approximately one-half) than those for voluntary cycling. Despite the apparent energy-wastefulness or inefficiency of FNS leg cycle ergometry, the relatively high metabolic rates elicited by the exercise may be advantageous to SCI individuals seeking aerobic (cardiopulmonary) training effects. >
Extraction of reflectivity from microwave blackbody target with free-space measurements

We report on the characterization of blackbody target reflections as part of the recent progress on the development of brightness temperature standards for microwave remote sensing at the National Institute of Standards and Technology. The very low reflections from the blackbody targets used in airborne or satellite remote-sensing systems present challenges on how to extract reflection coefficients from the measurements. A full calibration technique was developed for this study by use of a flat aluminum plate used as a known standard in combination with measurements of the empty anechoic chamber. The theoretical basis and measurement procedures are presented. Calibration results validate the method by showing its independence from measurement hardware and conditions. A comparison between the theoretical prediction of reflection coefficients of a free-standing dielectric slab with well documented physical parameters and the de-embedded reflection coefficients from experiments confirms good calibration accuracy. The specific blackbody target used in this study shows well matched properties with a power reflectivity below −40 dB over the entire measurement band (18 GHz to 26 GHz).
A neglected deflationist approach to the liar

(1) is the simple liar; (2) is the strengthened liar; and (3) is the truth-teller. That these sentences engender paradox is familiar enough – so much so that no review is required. What do these familiar paradoxes teach us about our (English) language? To this question there are many different answers. The answer at issue in this paper is a common one; it is, perhaps, the most common initial response to the given paradoxes.1 The response in question is one according to which none of (1), (2), or (3) are meaningful; each of the given sentences, according to the going response, is meaningless – they ‘say nothing’, ‘express no proposition’, or so on. The trouble with the given response, and perhaps the reason that it tends to be only an initial response, is that it appears to be ad hoc, in addition to being implausible. The implausibility of the response arises from the fact that nobody has trouble reasoning about (1), (2), or (3); indeed, it is such effortless reasoning that leads one to recognize that the sentences are, alas (allegedly) meaningless. But this is puzzling; for one would think that such apparently successful reasoning is possible only if the given sentences are meaningful. For this reason the appearance of ad hocery is difficult to avoid; the only way of avoiding it is to provide independent reason for thinking that (1), (2), and (3) are meaningless; but this task, as is familiar, has not been an easy one.
Detachment of the Dynamic-Stall Vortex Above a Moving Surface

Dynamic stall occurs on helicopter blades and pitching airfoils when the dynamic-stall vortex, which forms as a result of an unsteady boundary-layer eruption near the leading edge, detaches from the surface and convects into the wake of the airfoil. The dynamic-stall vortex is modeled as a thick-core vortex above an infinite plane surface. Numerical solutions of the unsteady Navier-Stokes equations are obtained to determine the nature of the unsteady separation and vortex detachment processes and the influence of a moving wall. Whereas the unsteady separation process evolves very differently within two Reynolds number regimes, the detachment process is observed to be very similar over the range of Reynolds numbers considered. A moving wall has a significant influence on both processes
Prevalence of Acute Pulmonary Embolism in Central and Subsegmental Pulmonary Arteries and Relation to Probability Interpretation of Ventilation/Perfusion Lung Scans

Purpose The purpose of this investigation is to determine the prevalence of acute pulmonary embolism (PE) limited to subsegmental pulmonary arteries. Background Contrast-enhanced helical (spiral) and electron-beam CT, in the hands of experienced radiologists who are skillful with this modality, are sensitive for the detection of acute PE in central pulmonary arteries, but have a low sensitivity for the detection of PE limited to subsegmental pulmonary arteries. The potential for CT to diagnose PE, therefore, is partially dependent on the prevalence of PE limited to subsegmental pulmonary arteries. Methods Data are from the Prospective Investigation of Pulmonary Embolism Diagnosis (PIOPED). The largest pulmonary arteries that showed PE, as interpreted by the PIOPED angiographic readers, were identified in 375 patients in PIOPED with angiographically diagnosed PE. Results Among all patients with PE, 6% (95% confidence interval [CI], 4 to 9%) had PE limited to subsegmental branches of the pulmonary artery. Patients with high-probability ventilation/perfusion ( V ˙ / Q ˙ ) scans had PE limited to subsegmental branches in only 1% (95% CI, 0 to 4%). Among patients with low-probability V ˙ / Q ˙ lung scans, 17% (95% CI, 8 to 29%) had PE limited to the subsegmental branches. Patients with low-probability V ˙ / Q ˙ scans and no prior cardiopulmonary disease had PE limited to the subsegmental pulmonary arteries in 30% (95% CI, 13 to 53%), whereas patients with low-probability V ˙ / Q ˙ scans who had prior cardiopulmonary disease had PE limited to subsegmental pulmonary arteries in 8% (95% CI, 2 to 22%) (p Conclusion Based on data from all patients with PE in PIOPED, the prevalence of PE limited to subsegmental pulmonary arteries is low, 6%. PE limited to subsegmental pulmonary arteries was most prevalent among patients with low-probability V ˙ / Q ˙ scans, particularly if they had no prior cardiopulmonary disease.
Queerly Phrased: Language, Gender, and Sexuality

Queerly Phrased: Language, Gender, and Sexuality. Anna Livia and Kira Hall. eds. New York: Oxford University Press, 1997.460 pp.
The pleiotropic effects and therapeutic potential of the hydroxy-methyl-glutaryl-CoA reductase inhibitors in malignancies: A comprehensive review

The hydroxy-methyl-glutaryl-CoA reductase inhibitors (statins) are used extensively in the treatment of hyperlipidemia. They have also demonstrated a benefit in a variety of other disease processes via actions known as pleiotropic effects. Our paper serves as a focused review of pre-clinical investigations and published clinical data regarding the pleiotropic effects of statins in malignancies and emphasizes the importance of randomized, placebo-controlled trials to further elucidate this interesting phenomenon.
Printed RF tags and sensors: The confluence of printing and semiconductors

Printed electronics is considered a promising technology for low-cost electronics due to its low cost per unit area, typically offered at the expense of degraded performance. Using a combination of synthetic nanoparticles, organic semiconductors, and novel printing techniques, we demonstrate a range of printed electronic devices including transistors, passive components, and a range of chemical sensors. Based on the performance of these, we postulate promising topologies for printed RF tags and sensors that exploit the advantage of printed electronics, and discuss the remaining technological challenges that remain to be addressed to enable printed electronics to be successfully deployed into a wide range of ubiquitous sensing, authentication, and monitoring applications.
Active preference learning for personalized calendar scheduling assistance

We present PLIANT, a learning system that supports adaptive assistance in an open calendaring system. PLIANT learns user preferences from the feedback that naturally occurs during interactive scheduling. It contributes a novel application of active learning in a domain where the choice of candidate schedules to present to the user must balance usefulness to the learning module with immediate benefit to the user. Our experimental results provide evidence of PLIANT's ability to learn user preferences under various conditions and reveal the tradeoffs made by the different active learning selection strategies.
Quasi-codivisible covers

In this paper quasi-codivisible covers are defined and investigated relative to a torsion theory (T, F) on Mod R . It is shown that if (T, F) is cohereditary, then a right R -module M has a quasi-codivisible cover whenever it has a codivisible cover. Moreover, it is shown that if (T, F) is cohereditary, then the universal existence of quasi-codivisible covers implies that the ring R / T ( R ) must be right perfect. The converse holds when (T, F) is pseudo-hereditary.
Self-consistent Particle Distribution of a Bunched Beam in RF Field

Abstract An analytical solution for the self-consistent particle equilibrium distribution in an RF field with transverse focusing is found. The solution is attained in the approximation of a high brightness beam. The distribution function in phase space is determined as a stationary function of the energy integral. Equipartitioning of the beam distribution between degrees of freedom follows directly from the choice of the stationary distribution function. Analytical expressions for r – z equilibrium beam profile and maximum beam current in RF field are obtained.
Continuous Low-Temperature Discharge Treatment of Wool Yarn A Process for Making Wool Yarn Oil Repellent and Shrink Resistant

A continuous discharge process has been developed to make wool yarn shrink resistant and oil repellent. A commer cially available fluorocarbon monomer was adsorbed on wool yarn and permanently grafted to the yarn by exposure to a low temperature discharge. Yarn was obtained with less than one percent fluorocarbon add-on after extensive extrac tion with a solvent in which the monomer and homopolymer are soluble. Yarn with high levels of oil repellency and fabrics with area shrinkage between 5% and 10% was obtained. The effect of process variables such as discharge power and concentration of adsorbed fluorocarbon were studied.X-ray photoetectron spectroscopy was used to detect the fluorocarbon graft on the yarn and to estimate the change in the concentration of the fluorocarbon graft on the yarn after solvent extraction and laundry tests.
On the Bowen Ratio and Surface Temperature at Sea

Gradients of temperature and humidity above water surfaces are analyzed in order to determine the dependence of the long-term average Bowen ratio ..beta.. (the ratio of sensible to latent heat flux) on surface temperature. The least-squares fit that results from investigation of six such bodies of data, and which is supported by recent direct measurements of the fluxes by eddy correlation techniques, can be expressed as ..beta.. = 0.63 ..gamma../s - 0.15, where ..gamma.. is the ratio of the specific heat of air at constant pressure to the latent heat of vaporization of water and s is the slope of the saturated specific humidity curve at the surface temperature. This expression forms the basis of a model which can be used to determine the average surface temperature from routine observations of air temperature and humidity at sea.
Pre-Visit Prioritization for complex patients with diabetes: Randomized trial design and implementation within an integrated health care system.

Abstract Background/aims Despite robust evidence to guide clinical care, most patients with diabetes do not meet all goals of risk factor control. Improved patient–provider communication during time-limited primary care visits may represent one strategy for improving diabetes care. Methods We designed a controlled, cluster-randomized, multi-site intervention (Pre-Visit Prioritization for Complex Patients with Diabetes) that enables patients with poorly controlled type 2 diabetes to identify their top priorities prior to a scheduled visit and sends these priorities to the primary care physician progress note in the electronic medical record. In this paper, we describe strategies to address challenges to implementing our health IT-based intervention study within a large health care system. Results This study is being conducted in 30 primary care practices within a large integrated care delivery system in Northern California. Over a 12-week period (3/1/2015–6/6/2015), 146 primary care physicians consented to enroll in the study (90.1%) and approved contact with 2496 of their patients (97.6%). Implementation challenges included: (1) navigating research vs. quality improvement requirements; (2) addressing informed consent considerations; and (3) introducing a new clinical tool into a highly time-constrained workflow. Strategies for successfully initiating this study included engagement with institutional leaders, Institutional Review Board members, and clinical stakeholders at multiple stages both before and after notice of Federal funding; flexibility by the research team in study design; and strong support from institutional leadership for “self-learning health system” research. Conclusions By paying careful attention to identifying and collaborating with a wide range of key clinical stakeholders, we have shown that researchers embedded within a learning care system can successfully apply rigorous clinical trial methods to test new care innovations.
Subclinical Posttraumatic Seizures Detected by Continuous Video-EEG Monitoring

Investigators at Mattel Children's Hospital, UCLA, and University of Colorado, used continuous video-EEG monitoring (cEEG) to study the incidence and risk factors for subclinical early posttraumatic seizures (EPTS) in 87 consecutive, unselected (mild – severe), acute traumatic brain injury (TBI) patients requiring admission to the PICU.
Glancing Blows, Crossing Boundaries: From Local to Global in the Company of Afghan Women

Photography has complicated Afghan visual culture considerably since its introduction in Kabul at the turn of the twentieth century, destabilizing normative convictions about who can be seen and by whom. In effect, Afghan women became visible, extricated from socially mandated invisibility by means of the camera. Transgressive images in some contexts and compelling icons in others, widely disseminated portraits entailed power and risk in the cracks between people, classes, cultures, and nations. This essay tracks the agency of images and image-making in these interstitial spaces, thereby exploring the aesthetics of social change. It begins with Queen Soraya, who willingly colluded in crafting a public persona for herself as she traveled through Europe on Afghanistan’s diplomatic mission of 1926; the argument ends with Vida Samadzai, who chose to participate in the Miss Earth competition of 2003. Both women deployed their own visibility for political purpose, behaving against the grain of normative behaviors in their own country but capitalizing on the consumption of female beauty abroad. In the intervening decades, the boundaries between nations were increasingly perforated by peripatetic images, blurring differences between previously discrete visualities. This study thus maps the helix by which the local and the global interact generatively over time.
Effect of soaking temperature on commingled rice properties

Abstract Parboiling involves soaking, steaming, and drying, and soaking is important in achieving desired parboiled rice properties. This study investigated the effects of soaking temperature and commingling on rice properties prior to steaming. Rough rice of four cultivars (Taggart, CL151, XL753, and CL XL745) and their combinations at 1:1 wt ratio were soaked at 65, 70 or 75 °C for 3 h, and dried. Both soaking temperature and difference in onset gelatinization temperature (To) of individual cultivars in commingled rice affected milling and physicochemical properties. The head brown rice yield was greater when the soaking temperature was below but close to the To for individual rice cultivars, but became difficult to predict for commingled rice. Commingled rice consisting of high To rice cultivars required higher soaking temperatures to reduce chalkiness during soaking. The color attributes of commingled rice was predominately affected by the cultivar that exhibited the most change. The gelatinization properties were governed by the low-To cultivar, whereas the pasting properties were more influenced by the high-To cultivar for the commingled rice. Therefore, using commingled rice with a wide range of gelatinization temperature as a feedstock may lead to inconsistent quality of parboiled rice.
Injectable biomaterials for cell, gene and protein therapy

The use of biomaterials has evolved into a sophisticated and precise science. The National Institutes of Health Consensus of 1982 defines a biomaterial as ‘any substance (other than a drug) or comb...
Development situation and countermeasures on Guangdong fruit industry in the first half of 2013

From the production, prices, foreign trade in the first half of 2013,development status and the main problems of Guangdong fruit industry were analysed, then countermeasures including exploration of fruit standardized production, optimizing product structure, strengthening the leading enterprises, resisting various risks,expanding the industrial function were proposed.
Optimal design in monitoring project of tunnel hollow constructing

In order to solve the problems of inaccuracy in construction monitoring based on the idea of opti-mal triangle disposal,an optimation in the construction monitoring project of one tunnel hollow was de-signed. Analysis of the test result indicates that after the optimation,on one hand,the test lines can bedisposed in a more rational way,and the increase measurement validity and veracity were increased to gaintremendous economic benefit;on the other hand,the accuracy of anti-analysis calculation was improved inorder to make the basic mechanic parameters more accurate and reasonable. This optimal method can beapplied to other tunnel hollows as well.
Subcutaneous inguinal vasectomy in conjunction with abdominal prostatectomy.

The procedure described obviates the complications of scrotal surgery (vasitis hematoma abscess formation etc.) and allows prophylactic bilateral vasectomy to be incidental to prostatectomy. 93 successful performances were carried out from 1965-1967. Usually a suprapubic transverse incision was used. The vasectomy was carried out after exposure of the rectus fascia and prior to prostatic enucleation to avoid retrograde infection. The fibrous sheath of the vas was incised. Then the vas was delivered from its envelope clamped and cut with a Bovie knife or a scalpel. The 2 ends were ligated (chromic catgut) or fulgurated. Postoperative urinary antiseptics were administered to 89 of the men. No postoperative epididymitis occurred. Advantages of the operation include: 1) performance of vasectomy through same incision as prostatectomy 2) avoidance of manipulation of scrotum and 3) saving of operative time.
Living and Leaving: A Social History of Regional Depopulation in Thirteenth-Century Mesa Verde

In this book, Dr Glowacki takes on one of the “great mysteries” of Southwestern archaeology — the rapid and for all intents and purposes complete migration of the ancestral Pueblo people out of the...
Comment on: "Probing the Properties of Polynuclear Superhalogens without Halogen Ligand via ab Initio Calculations: A Case Study on Double-Bridged [Mg2 (CN)5 ](-1) Anions" by Li et al.

On the basis of discrepancies between their Outer Valence Green's Function (OVGF) and coupled-cluster singles and doubles plus approximate triples, or CCSD(T), calculations of the vertical detachment energies (VDEs) of six Mg2(CN)5− isomers, Li et al asserted that the former method is not suitable for this kind of superhalide. Results from this work demonstrate that this claim is false because of a failure to account for Koopmans defects that are corrected by properly interpreted OVGF calculations.
May I Recruit through Your Agency? Considerations for Researchers of Spousal Caregivers

Few resources within social science literature provide helpful information related to participant recruitment for research on spousal caregivers of individuals with dementia. Independent researcher...
Dollars to Discriminate: The (Un)Intended Consequences of School Vouchers.

Some private, religious schools that accept vouchers have been accused of discriminating against certain populations of students through their admissions processes. Discriminating against disfavored groups (e.g., racial minorities, LGBT students, students with disabilities, religious minorities) in voucher programs raises both legal and policy concerns that have not been extensively examined in recent research. Employing legal research methods, this article examines state voucher statutes and discusses the potential for voucher programs to discriminate against marginalized groups. We argue that each state has an obligation to ensure that any benefit it creates must be available to all students on a nondiscriminatory basis—including the benefit of a publicly funded voucher for attendance at a private school. As this review of existing voucher statutes will demonstrate, legislators appear to have neglected to construct policies that safeguard student access and ensure that public funds do not support discri...
Electrophysiology of GABA receptors in the vertebrate central nervous system

The role of gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA) in synaptic transmission in the central nervous system (CNS) is more firmly established than for any other transmitter. In addition, virtually every neurone receives a strong GABAergic input. It has long been known that the ionic mechanism involved in the inhibitory action of GABA involves an increase in membrane conductance to chloride ions. This action is blocked by a number of relatively selective antagonists, such as bicuculline. A number of recent studies have provided new insight into the action of GABA. First, the introduction of two new biophysical techniques, fluctuation analysis (Barker, et al., 1982) and single-channel recording (Hamill, et al., 1983) have considerably advanced our understanding of the properties of GABA-activated chloride channels. Secondly, GABA may have actions which do not involve chloride ions and are resistant to the action of known GABA antagonists.
A Signaling Theory Investigation of How to Overcome Negative Country-of-Origin Effects

Signaling theory, which finds its roots in information economics and relies on the idea of information asymmetry (Spence, 1973), may provide some guidance with respect to possible ways firms may ameliorate the effects of negative country stereotypes. The concept of information asymmetry simply suggests that one party in an exchange (e.g., manufacturers) possesses information about the product that the other party (e.g., consumers) does not have (Rao et al., 1999; Kirmani and Rao, 2000). In the case of products associated with Developing Countries (DCs), the consumer and marketer may possess not only asymmetrical information, but information that is strongly contradictory.
RNF8- and Ube2S-Dependent Ubiquitin Lysine 11-Linkage Modification in Response to DNA Damage

Ubiquitin modification of proteins plays pivotal roles in the cellular response to DNA damage. Given the complexity of ubiquitin conjugation due to the formation of poly-conjugates of different linkages, functional roles of linkage-specific ubiquitin modification at DNA damage sites are largely unclear. We identify that Lys11-linkage ubiquitin modification occurs at DNA damage sites in an ATM-dependent manner, and ubiquitin-modifying enzymes, including Ube2S E2-conjugating enzyme and RNF8 E3 ligase, are responsible for the assembly of Lys11-linkage conjugates on damaged chromatin, including histone H2A/H2AX. We show that RNF8- and Ube2S-dependent Lys11-linkage ubiquitin conjugation plays an important role in regulating DNA damage-induced transcriptional silencing, distinct from the role of Lys63-linkage ubiquitin in the recruitment of DNA damage repair proteins 53BP1 and BRCA1. Thus, our study highlights the importance of linkage-specific ubiquitination at DNA damage sites, and it reveals that Lys11-linkage ubiquitin modification plays a crucial role in the DNA damage response.
Re-shaping King Lear: Space, Place, Costume, and Genre

Performance studies must enjoy parity of esteem with critical studies because they remind us of the plurality of “readings” that are generated by a Shakespearean text. Shakespeare seems to have apprehended this when, in Othello, he used a nonce-word, “denotement”, which applies to Othello’s reading of his wife in his mind’s eye. I examine other sequences in which we watch a character “reading” on-stage or imagined action, in Hamlet, Titus Andronicus, Cymbeline, Richard II, and Troilus and Cressida. In Hamlet this involves re-reading as well as generic displacement, which, I argue, is a way of rendering inwardness. As I test case, I analyse a production of King Lear by Shakespeare’s Globe, on a fairground stage, in which the king reshaped himself, became a folkloric figure, like a figure in Nashe’s Summer’s Last Will and Testament. The play itself was thus, indecorously, reshaped as “The Tale of King Lear”. “Dramatic truth”, therefore, in no way depends upon theatrical “realism”.
Impacting Student Success: Intervention Effectiveness and Policy Development at Small Colleges

This chapter puts forth a model of student-success–focused policy development at small colleges that elucidates the role of the institutional research (IR) professional, highlighting how the breadth of roles and responsibilities that IR professionals serve at these institutions intersect with traditional training and background.
Ionic Strength-Mediated Phase Transitions of Surface-Adsorbed DNA on Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes

Single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) oligonucleotides have unique, and in some cases, sequence-specific molecular interactions with the surface of carbon nanotubes that remain the subject of fundamental study. In this work, we observe and analyze a generic, ionic strength mediated phase transition exhibited by over 25 distinct oligonucleotides adsorbed to single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) in colloidal suspension. The phase transition occurs as monovalent salts are used to modify the ionic strength from 500 mM to 1 mM, causing a reversible reduction in the fluorescence quantum yield by as much as 90 percent. The phase transition is only observable by fluorescence quenching within a window of pH and in the presence of dissolved O2, but occurs independently of this optical quenching. The negatively charged phosphate backbone increases (decreases) the DNA surface coverage on an areal basis at high (low) ionic strength, and is well described by a two state equilibrium model. The resulting quantitative model is ab...
Far Field Radiation of a Point Source on the Free Surface of Semi-Infinite Anisotropic Solids

A common approach to study the acoustic field in an isotropic elastic half-space has been to use the equations of linear, isotropic elasticity together with Fourier or Hankel transforms [1,2]. The result is a definiteintegral representation of the field at an arbitrary point in the half-space owing to a prescribed stress applied to the free surface. The complicated integral can be evaluated asymptotically to give the far field radiation. Furthermore, the theoretical expressions for the directivity patterns from a variety of acoustic sources, radiating into an isotropic elastic half-space have been presented by several authors [1–4]. A similar theoretical analysis applied to an anisotropic solid medium fails because the potential theory method is not applicable to the anisotropic problem.
Evaluating Geologic Sources of Arsenic in Well Water in Virginia (USA)

We investigated if geologic factors are linked to elevated arsenic (As) concentrations above 5 μg/L in well water in the state of Virginia, USA. Using geologic unit data mapped within GIS and two datasets of measured As concentrations in well water (one from public wells, the other from private wells), we evaluated occurrences of elevated As (above 5 μg/L) based on geologic unit. We also constructed a logistic regression model to examine statistical relationships between elevated As and geologic units. Two geologic units, including Triassic-aged sedimentary rocks and Triassic-Jurassic intrusives of the Culpeper Basin in north-central Virginia, had higher occurrences of elevated As in well water than other geologic units in Virginia. Model results support these patterns, showing a higher probability for As occurrence above 5 μg/L in well water in these two units. Due to the lack of observations (<5%) having elevated As concentrations in our data set, our model cannot be used to predict As concentrations in other parts of the state. However, our results are useful for identifying areas of Virginia, defined by underlying geology, that are more likely to have elevated As concentrations in well water. Due to the ease of obtaining publicly available data and the accessibility of GIS, this study approach can be applied to other areas with existing datasets of As concentrations in well water and accessible data on geology.
Fractality and Complex Dimensions

In this chapter we discuss some more philosophical aspects of our theory of complex dimensions. In Section 12.1, we propose a new definition of fractality, involving the notion of complex dimension.
RNA-Seq reveals novel genes and pathways involved in bovine mammary involution during the dry period and under environmental heat stress

The bovine dry period is a dynamic non-lactating phase where the mammary gland undergoes extensive cellular turnover. Utilizing RNA sequencing, we characterized novel genes and pathways involved in this process and determined the impact of dry period heat stress. Mammary tissue was collected before and during the dry period (−3, 3, 7, 14, and 25 days relative to dry-off [day 0]) from heat-stressed (HT, n = 6) or cooled (CL, n = 6) late-gestation Holstein cows. We identified 3,315 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between late lactation and early involution, and 880 DEGs later in the involution process. DEGs, pathways, and upstream regulators during early involution support the downregulation of functions such as anabolism and milk component synthesis, and upregulation of cell death, cytoskeleton degradation, and immune response. The impact of environmental heat stress was less significant, yet genes, pathways, and upstream regulators involved in processes such as ductal branching morphogenesis, cell death, immune function, and protection against tissue stress were identified. Our research advances understanding of the mammary gland transcriptome during the dry period, and under heat stress insult. Individual genes, pathways, and upstream regulators highlighted in this study point towards potential targets for dry period manipulation and mitigation of the negative consequences of heat stress on mammary function.
Calculating the Effects of Autism Risk Gene Variants on Dysfunction of Biological Processes Identifies Clinically-Useful Information

Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are neurodevelopmental conditions that are influenced by genetic factors and encompass a wide-range and severity of symptoms. The details of how genetic variation contributes to variable symptomatology are unclear, creating a major challenge for translating vast amounts of data into clinically-useful information. To determine if variation in ASD risk genes correlates with symptomatology differences among individuals with ASD, thus informing treatment, we developed an approach to calculate the likelihood of genetic dysfunction in Gene Ontology-defined biological processes that have significant overrepresentation of known risk genes. Using whole-exome sequence data from 2,381 individuals with ASD included in the Simons Simplex Collection, we identified likely damaging variants and conducted a clustering analysis to define subgroups based on scores reflecting genetic dysfunction in each process of interest to ASD etiology. Dysfunction in cognition-related genes distinguished a distinct subset of individuals with increased social deficits, lower IQs, and reduced adaptive behaviors when compared to individuals with no evidence of cognition-related gene dysfunction. In particular, a stop-gain variant in the pharmacogene encoding cycloxygenase-2 was associated with having an IQ<70 (i.e. intellectual disability), a key comorbidity in ASD. We expect that screening genes involved in cognition for deleterious variants in ASD cases may be useful for identifying clinically-informative factors that should be prioritized for functional follow-up. This has implications in designing more comprehensive genetic testing panels and may help provide the basis for more informed treatment in ASD.