cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The effect of Europa and Enceladus analog seawater composition on isotopic measurements of volatile CO2

Abstract Science goals for icy ocean worlds missions include characterizing the chemical composition of the surface and interior using remote sensing and in situ techniques. The next class of flight mass spectrometers for these missions will obtain compositional identifications and isotope ratio measurements of volatiles evolved from the ice surface (exosphere) and plumes. These mass spectra will be combined with data from other flight instruments to infer the composition of the interior from volatiles. To ensure accurate interpretation of these measurements, it is critical to verify whether the fundamental assumption that volatiles observed in icy ocean world exospheres or plumes will be a direct reflection of the sub-ice ocean. The present study evaluates whether isotopologues from an initial CO2 gas fractionate by interacting with seawater (brine) of varying salt composition and concentration. δ13CCO2 are affected by the pH of the brine and subsequent speciation of {CO2}, where {CO2} represents the combination of CO2, H2CO3, HCO3-, and CO32-. {CO2} for low pH brines hypothesized for Europa will preferentially speciate as CO2. Analyzed δ13CCO2 for low pH brines are within error of the original δ13CCO2, demonstrating that volatile CO2 in a low pH system will be a direct reflection of the original CO2. However, Europa’s radiative environment and rapid depressurization due to plume ejection may impose fractionation effects. In contrast, high pH systems relevant to Enceladus or a more alkaline Europa are expected to form all carbonate species, while favoring speciation as HCO3-. High pH brines in these experiments include both an original CO2 gas and an isotopically distinct HCO3- (from NaHCO3 salt). These alkaline experiments demonstrate that δ13CCO2 values are highly variable, and depend on the concentration of the dominant carbonate species, (Na)HCO3-. Mass balance estimates indicate that measured δ13CCO2 is a thermodynamically predictable mixture of both carbon sources, suggesting that measurements of δ13C at Enceladus would directly reflect of the sources of CO2 and carbonate buffering in the ocean. δ18O measurements for CO2 interacting with KCl and MgCl2 follow established models for δ18O-ionic strength. CO2 interacting with MgSO4, Na2SO4, and NaCl demonstrate an offset from established δ18O-ionic strength models depending on the concentration of initial CO2. These results suggest that current predictive models for δ18O in brines need to be resolved for changing concentrations of CO2.
Visual memorability in the absence of semantic content.

Abstract What determines how well people remember images? Most past research has explored properties of the people doing the remembering — such as their age, emotional state, or individual capacity. However, recent work has also characterized memorability — the likelihood of an image being remembered across observers. But what makes some images more memorable than others? Part of the answer must surely involve the meanings of the images, but here we ask whether this is the entire story: is there also purely visual memorability, driven not by semantic content but by perceptual features per se? We isolated visual memorability in an especially direct manner — by eliminating semantic content while retaining many visual properties. We did so by transforming a set of natural scene images using phase scrambling, and then testing memorability for both intact and scrambled images in independent samples. Across several experiments, observers saw sequences of images and responded anytime they saw a repeated image. We found reliable purely visual memorability at the temporal scales of both short-term memory (2–15 s) and longer-term memory (several minutes), and this could not be explained by the extent to which people could generate semantic labels for some scrambled images. Collectively, these results suggest that the memorability of images is a function not only of what they mean, but also of how they look in the first place.
Consumer Search and Automobile Dealer Colocation

Retailers colocate with rivals to take advantage of economies of agglomeration even though colocation implies greater competition. Using data on all new car transactions registered in Ohio from 200...
Codebook Critique: Teaching Measurement and Operationalization Using Publicly Accessible Data

Educating 21st century citizens requires lessons in data literacy, allowing learners to better understand and use the large amounts of information available to them. We must encourage our students to go beyond taking data as given, asking them to think critically about where it came from—Who collected it? For what purpose? What did they include/exclude? These questions dovetail with commonly taught topics in research methods courses, such as conceptualization, measurement, and operationalization, that may not be covered in substantive courses. This article describes a course module (of two to four 50-minute sessions) called “Codebook Critique,” where students are asked to review and critically evaluate the codebook from a publicly-accessible dataset. While originally used in an upper-division International Relations course, the exercise is flexible in that the assignment can be split into its component parts as appropriate for course-level and applied in various subfields.
Reimagining Religious Imagination, in Theory and in Practice

Jack Miles, Religion as We Know It: An Origin Story (New York: W.W. Norton & Co., 2020). T.M. Luhrmann, How God Becomes Real: Kindling the Presence of Invisible Others (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2020). David Morgan, Images at Work: The Material Culture of Enchantment (New York: Oxford University Press, 2018). Jennifer Anna Gosetti-Ferencei, The Life of Imagination: Revealing and Making the World (New York: Columbia University Press, 2018). Jeffrey J. Kripal, The Flip: Epiphanies of Mind and the Future of Knowledge (New York: Bellevue Literary Press, 2019). Jeffrey J. Kripal, Secret Body: Erotic and Esoteric Currents in the History of Religions (University of Chicago Press, 2017). Mary-Jane Rubenstein, Pantheologies: Gods, Worlds, Monsters (New York: Columbia University Press, 2018).
Calciphylaxis in Uraemic and Non- Uraemic Settings: Clinical Risk Factors and Histopathologic Findings.

BACKGROUND Calciphylaxis is a life-threatening cutaneous ulcerative/necrotic disease characterised by vascular calcification/occlusion. It occurs most commonly in end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) (uraemic calciphylaxis; UC) but can also occur in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and normal kidney function (non- uraemic calciphylaxis; NUC). Large series of NUC are limited in the literature. OBJECTIVE To compare the clinicopathologic features of UC and NUC. METHODS We retrospectively compared the clinicopathological features of 35 patients with NUC from 2010-2020 with 53 patients with UC as controls. Cases were classified as NUC in the absence of all of the following: ESKD, a significant CKD defined as serum creatinine >3 mg/dl or creatinine clearance <15 ml/min, acute kidney injury requiring kidney replacement therapy, or kidney transplantation. RESULTS NUC represented 40% of the total cases and showed more female predominance (p-value= 0.005) and a higher median body mass index (p-value = 0.06). Elevated parathyroid hormone was present in 44% of patients with NUC. Most tested patients were positive for lupus anticoagulants (56%). NUC biopsies showed a higher rate of extravascular calcium deposits (73% vs 47%, P-value = 0.03). Dermal reactive vascular proliferation was the most common dermal change (32%). CONCLUSIONS NUC is more common than previously reported and shows higher predilection for obese postmenopausal females. Undiagnosed hyperparathyroidism shows a possible association with NUC. Lupus anticoagulants were positive in most patients. NUC biopsies are more likely to display extravascular calcium deposition than UC biopsies.
Expanding the optogenetics toolkit

Many microbial opsin genes encode proteins that, upon absorption of a photon, move ions across the cell membrane. The resulting ion flow can activate, inhibit, or modulate cells depending on the type, direction, and quantity of the ion being conducted (1). For optogenetic experiments, expressing these proteins has been useful for providing activity patterns to targeted cells (1, 2). On page 647 of this issue, Govorunova et al. (3) report a potent new opsin from the microbe Guillardia theta that can inhibit target cells. The discovery of this channelrhodopsin punctuates the long search for a naturally occurring, light-activated ion channel with utility for inhibition in optogenetic studies.
Shareholder Wealth Effects of Corporate Governance Deficiencies on Nasdaq

This study provides evidence on the shareholder wealth effects of corporate governance deficiency notices issued by Nasdaq between 2004 and 2011. We document significant abnormal returns in response to Nasdaq corporate governance deficiency notices for the full sample, for audit committee deficiencies, and for deficiencies related to review and certification. However, we find no adverse response to noncompliance with the director independence requirement. Compared to prior cross-sectional studies, this study provides a more powerful test of how the market assesses changes in corporate governance. Our evidence on audit committee deficiencies suggests that market participants view Nasdaq listing requirements as minimum corporate governance standards and with declines in governance negatively impacting expectations of future cash flows or risk. In contrast, the market’s lack of response to noncompliance with the independent directors requirement raises the question as to value of this requirement.
Fibrinogen and Fibrin

Fibrinogen is a large, complex, fibrous glycoprotein with three pairs of polypeptide chains linked together by 29 disulfide bonds. It is 45 nm in length, with globular domains at each end and in the middle connected by alpha-helical coiled-coil rods. Both strongly and weakly bound calcium ions are important for maintenance of fibrinogen's structure and functions. The fibrinopeptides, which are in the central region, are cleaved by thrombin to convert soluble fibrinogen to insoluble fibrin polymer, via intermolecular interactions of the "knobs" exposed by fibrinopeptide removal with "holes" always exposed at the ends of the molecules. Fibrin monomers polymerize via these specific and tightly controlled binding interactions to make half-staggered oligomers that lengthen into protofibrils. The protofibrils aggregate laterally to make fibers, which then branch to yield a three-dimensional network-the fibrin clot-essential for hemostasis. X-ray crystallographic structures of portions of fibrinogen have provided some details on how these interactions occur. Finally, the transglutaminase, Factor XIIIa, covalently binds specific glutamine residues in one fibrin molecule to lysine residues in another via isopeptide bonds, stabilizing the clot against mechanical, chemical, and proteolytic insults. The gene regulation of fibrinogen synthesis and its assembly into multichain complexes proceed via a series of well-defined steps. Alternate splicing of two of the chains yields common variant molecular isoforms. The mechanical properties of clots, which can be quite variable, are essential to fibrin's functions in hemostasis and wound healing. The fibrinolytic system, with the zymogen plasminogen binding to fibrin together with tissue-type plasminogen activator to promote activation to the active enzyme plasmin, results in digestion of fibrin at specific lysine residues. Fibrin(ogen) also specifically binds a variety of other proteins, including fibronectin, albumin, thrombospondin, von Willebrand factor, fibulin, fibroblast growth factor-2, vascular endothelial growth factor, and interleukin-1. Studies of naturally occurring dysfibrinogenemias and variant molecules have increased our understanding of fibrinogen's functions. Fibrinogen binds to activated alphaIIbbeta3 integrin on the platelet surface, forming bridges responsible for platelet aggregation in hemostasis, and also has important adhesive and inflammatory functions through specific interactions with other cells. Fibrinogen-like domains originated early in evolution, and it is likely that their specific and tightly controlled intermolecular interactions are involved in other aspects of cellular function and developmental biology.
Linguistic Features of Police Culture and the Coercive Impact of Police Officer Swearing in Police-Citizen Street Interactions

Not infrequently, police officers will use taboo language – swearing, cursing, and similar kinds of obscene and insulting language – the course of their encounters with criminal suspects. This linguistic practice is characteristic of the norms, values, and behaviors of police culture, which is preoccupied with issues of control, dominance, and the performance of masculinity. Because of its congruence with other aspects of the occupational culture of patrol policing, swearing has specific delineated roles within that culture in its illocutionary force and predictable effects on criminal suspects in its perlocutionary impacts. Swearing – particularly by those in authority – is a powerful signal of role-transgression, and as such, signals the possibility of other forms of role-transgression as well, including the potential police use of physical force against the suspect. This meta-pragmatic analysis suggests that police swearing should be contextually relevant in determining such legal questions as whether the suspect voluntarily consented to a search or validly waived her right not to answer police questions. American caselaw currently gives inadequate attention to this problem.
Evaluation of donor factors contributing to plateletpheresis yields among apheresis platelet donors.

Background The University of California, Irvine Blood Donor Center operates a plateletpheresis donor program utilizing the Amicus Cell Separator. Plateletpheresis donors may donate one or more apheresis platelet (PLT) units per collection event. This study seeks to characterize UC Irvine's donor pool by identifying biometric and demographic attributes predictive of double product (DP) collections. Study Design and Methods Biometric, demographic and procedural data from 1,786 apheresis donors were collected and entered into Excel spreadsheets. Of the 1,786 successful plateletpheresis procedures performed from January 2009 to April 2012, 1,442 of the donations were performed using double-needle (DN) kits. Only data from DN-kit collections were used for statistical analyses. The Classification And Regression Tree (CART) algorithm was used to help identify variables predictive of donating multiple PLT units in a single collection event. Results Donors weighing 75.7 kg or greater appear to be twice as likely to donate DPs as those weighing less than 75.7 kg. For donors weighing less than 75.7 kg, females appear to be twice as likely to donate DPs as males. Donors exhibiting platelet counts of 216.5 K/mcL or greater appear to be twice as likely to donate DPs as those with platelet counts fewer than 216.5 K/mcL. Conclusion Weight, sex, and PLT count were identified as the most predictive donor attributes that separate UCI donors into DP donors and non-DP donors. Greater weights, greater PLT counts, and female sex confer to greater PLT yields per given amount of time. J. Clin. Apheresis 29:139–147, 2014. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Techniques for efficient routing and load balancing in content-addressable networks

As a distributed hash table (DHT), a content addressable network (CAN) provides efficient routing and object location in a decentralized manner while offering fault tolerance and dynamic peer operations. However, as opposed to other DHTs that use a flat ID space, CAN uses a multi-dimensional logical space. DHTs usually require O(logN) routing information per peer and provide routing in O(logN) hops, where N is the number of peers in the system. In CAN, on the other hand, each peer keeps only constant amount of routing information and the routing takes O(dN/sup 1/d/) hops, where d is the dimensionality of the logical space. Hence the routing performance of CAN is worse than other DHTs especially when d is small. In this paper, we describe and evaluate several schemes for efficient routing in CAN by keeping additional routing information at the peers. Furthermore, due to the underlying multidimensional ID space, CAN is used by applications that require content-based mapping of data objects onto the ID space. Since uniform hashing is not used, such mappings introduce skewed object distributions among the peers. Thus we also describe load balancing schemes for CAN and investigate their efficiency.
Modified Distal Wedge Excision for Access and Treatment of an Infrabony Pocket in a Dog

A six-year-old male neutered Dachshund dog presented with generalized moderate gingivitis and calculus formation. A comprehensive oral examination performed under general anesthesia revealed infrabony pockets and horizontal bone loss associated with the left mandibular first and second molar teeth. The left mandibular second molar tooth was extracted, while the left mandibular first molar tooth was treated by staged periodontal therapy, including a modified distal wedge excision for open root planning and bone augmentation. Preoperative probing depths of 9-mm associated with the distal root of the left mandibular first molar tooth were reduced to 2-mm following treatment. The patient continued to maintain normal periodontal probing depths, with no gingival recession at 3, 6, 16, and 33-months following periodontal treatment.
New paleomagnetic, rock magnetic, and petrographic results from the Valle Group, Baja California, Mexico: Exploring the causes of anomalously shallow paleomagnetic inclinations

[1] A detailed paleomagnetic, rock magnetic, and sedimentologic study was conducted on Cenomanian-age strata of the Valle Group at El Campito, Baja California, to examine the burial compaction effects on the paleomagnetic inclination of marine sedimentary rocks. Alternating field and thermal demagnetization isolated a characteristic remanence at 16 of 18 sites with a mean of Dec = 342.6°, Inc = 19.1°, and α95 = 3.4°. The inclination is 38.7° shallower than that predicted by the reference paleopole for North America. Laboratory experiments indicate that compaction could account for only 7.5° of the inclination shallowing. Fold tests at different scales yield both positive and negative results, making a tight constraint on the remanence's age impossible. A primary postdepositional remanence is supported by bedding-parallel foliations in the anisotropy of anhysteretic remanence fabric. Although primary anomalously shallow inclinations could indicate significant southerly, then northerly, paleolatitudinal offset, a more likely scenario is a late Cenozoic low-temperature remagnetization, which is suggested by alteration along the edges of some detrital silicate grains and a bimodal magnetic grain size distribution revealed by isothermal remanence data. The synthesis of the data indicates that the Vizcaino terrane was contiguous with the Cordillera margin during remagnetization and underwent a subsequent 13.5 ± 5.4° clockwise rotation. We tentatively interpret that the remagnetization resulted from burial and/or Miocene volcanism, which caused an acquisition of thermochemical remanent magnetization (TCRM). This study reveals a complicated remanence that resists easy interpretation and suggests caution in studies of similar rocks.
Integrated Model for Denosumab and Ibandronate Pharmacodynamics in Postmenopausal Women

This study aims to characterize the pharmacodynamic properties of denosumab, a RANK ligand inhibitor, and ibandronate, a bisphosphonate, using an integrated bone homeostasis model in postmenopausal women. Mean temporal profiles of denosumab, serum and urine N-telopeptide (sNTX, uNTX), lumbar spine bone mineral density (BMD) following denosumab administration, and urine C-telopeptide (uCTX) and lumbar spine BMD upon ibandronate administration were extracted from the literature. A mechanistic model was developed that integrates denosumab pharmacokinetics with binding to RANK ligand and ibandronate inhibition of osteoclast precursor differentiation to active osteoclasts (AOC). Biomarker concentrations were linked to the AOC pool. The BMD was characterized by a turnover model with stimulation of bone formation and degradation by AOB (active osteoblasts) and AOC pools. The estimated basal sNTX, uNTX and uCTX concentrations were 7.24 nm, 14.4 nmol/mmolCr and 31µg/mmolCr. The BMD degradation rate was 0.00161 day(-1) with stimulation constants associated with AOB and AOC of 1214 and 790 pm(-1) . The plasma ibandronate concentration producing 50% of maximum inhibition of osteoclast differentiation was 522 ng/l. The integrated model, which incorporates multiple pathways of therapeutic intervention, quantitatively describes changes in clinical biomarkers of bone turnover and BMD after denosumab and ibandronate exposures in postmenopausal women.
Association between bariatric surgery and pregnancy outcomes.

Sir,We read an article written by Parker et al. [1] with interest. The authors performed a population-based retrospective cohort study and assessed adverse pregnancy outcomes in patients that had a...
On the formation of protostellar disks

An analysis is presented of the hydrodynamic aspects of the growth of protostellar disks from the accretion of a rotating gas cloud. Streamline equations for the flow onto the disk are derived, including the special case where the disk is very thin. For the radial structure of the disk, detailed equations of conservation of mass, momentum, angular momentum, and energy are given. Exact solutions are found for the case of no internal viscosity. For the more general case where there is viscous stress, hypotheses are formulated with the objective of discovering the main qualitative characteristics of a turbulent system and to estimate the magnitude of the turbulent stress. Solutions are also found for boundary conditions, and the large and small viscosity limits. The relation of energy balance to disk thermal structure is detailed. Finally, trends in the collapse of the dust cloud are discussed in the light of the solutions given.
Application investigation on parallel gap of composite insulators for 110 kV transmission line in high intensity lightning area

The parallel gap lightning protection device is beneficial to the existing lightning protection measures for overhead transmission line and has broad application prospects. The application investigation on parallel gap lightning protection device of composite insulators for the 110 kV overhead transmission line used in high intensity lightning area is present in this article. A variety of parallel gap lightning protection device are designed. The functions of its guiding lightning discharge, transferring power-frequency arc, uniforming power-frequency electric field and protection of insulators and fittings are verified by tests. The lightning performance calculation after the installation of parallel gap device is carried out. Through optimization of the electrical parameters and dimensions of the gap, the samples are developed and used in five 110 kV transmission lines. The operation situation of the 110 kV line parallel gap lightning protection of composite insulator is introduced. The results show that the designs of the parallel gap for 110 kV transmission line composite insulators meet the requirements. The parallel gap is in good on-site operation condition.
Specification and verification of web services transactions

Research in transactions planning has recognized the evolvement of Web Services as an industry standard to implement transactional business processes. Web transactions are formed by integrating services in an ad-hoc manner. Distributed transaction protocols may be used to ensure data integrity. However, these protocols require some level of coordinated transaction management. Moreover, individual services must be transaction-aware in order to support necessary compensation operations. These assumptions are unrealistic in the case of the Web. We propose a data modeling and contracting framework for Web services that facilitates the verification of data integrity properties in ad-hoc transactions. The proposed framework enables services' integrator to plan their transactions while ensuring data integrity conditions.
Renin Angiotensin System Gene Polymorphisms and Cerebral Blood Flow Regulation The MOBILIZE Boston Study

Background and Purpose— Our objective was to investigate the associations between polymorphisms in representative genes of the renin angiotensin system with measures of cerebral blood flow regulation in older adults. Methods— Participants in this analysis were white subjects (n=335) in the MOBILIZE Boston study (Maintenance of Balance, Independent Living, Intellect, and Zest in the Elderly of Boston), an observational study of community-dwelling elders who underwent transcranial Doppler while sitting and standing and during hypercapnea and hypocapnea. Autoregulation phenotype was the change in cerebrovascular resistance from sit to stand. Vasoreactivity phenotype was the slope of the change in cerebrovascular conductance versus change in end-tidal CO2. A total of 33 tagged single nucleotide polymorphisms were selected in the angiotensinogen gene, the angiotensin converting enzyme gene, and the angiotensin receptor gene. Regression analyses adjusted for age, gender, body mass index, mean arterial blood pre...
In situ production of ceramic reinforcement in metallic parts by thermal degradation of organometallics

The ability to enhance the physical and mechanical properties of metallic components by particulate ceramic reinforcement is well documented. Several methods have been used to incorporate the ceramic particles in the metallic matrix. These methods can be classified into three groups based on the physical state of the metallic phase during processing: (1) liquid phase methods, (2) solid state methods and (3) semi-solid state methods. Liquid phase methods have generated considerable interest because they offer the most economical route for the production of near-net-shape components. In order to realize the full benefits of the ceramic reinforcement, it is imperative that the interfacial bond strength between the ceramic and the metal be maximized. This interfacial bond strength depends to a large extent on the ability of the molten metal to wet the ceramic. It is often difficult to achieve good wetting between molten metals and ceramics because of the large surface tension commonly associated with metals. Several techniques have been used to improve metal/ceramic wetting characteristics. These methods include application of coatings on the ceramic, alloying the metal with reactive elements such as Li, Mg, Ca, Ti or Zr and heat treating the ceramic. A variety of new technologies are alsomore » emerging for the in situ production of the reinforcing phase. The in situ production of the ceramic could potentially enhance the wetting characteristics and may probide improved control of the size and level of reinforcement. In this contribution, the feasibility of producing ceramic reinforcements in situ by thermal degradation of a suitable organometallic in a liquid metal bath has been explored.« less
An asynchronous integration and event detection algorithm for simulating multi-agent hybrid systems

A simulation algorithm is presented for multi-agent hybrid systems---systems consisting of many sets of nonsmooth differential equations---such as systems involving multiple rigid bodies, vehicles, or airplanes. The differential equations are partitioned into coupled subsystems, called "agents"; and the conditions which trigger the discontinuities in the derivatives, called "events", may depend on the global state vector. Such systems normally require significant computational resources to simulate because a global time step is used to ensure the discontinuity is properly handled. When the number of systems is large, forcing all system to be simulated at the same rate creates a computational bottleneck, dramatically decreasing efficiency. By using a control systems approach for selecting integration step sizes, we avoid using a global time step. Each subsystem can be simulated asynchronously when the state is away from the event. As the state approaches the event, the simulation is able to synchronize each of the local time clocks in such a way that the discontinuities are properly handled without the need for "roll back". The algorithm's operation and utility is demonstrated on an example problem inspired by autonomous highway vehicles. Using a combination of stochastic modelling and numerical experiments we show that the algorithm requires significantly less computation time when compared with traditional simulation techniques for such problems, and scales more favorably with problem size.
Nonpoint Agricultural Pollution: Pesticide Contamination of Groundwater Supplies

freshwater reserves, but only 20% of all water consumption and 50% of drinking water use (Dermer et al., U.S. Water Resources Council). However, groundwater contamination is rapidly becoming a serious and ubiquitous environmental concern (Pye). While groundwater contamination may result from mineralization or other natural processes, it is usually attributed to waste disposal practices and industrial and agricultural activities. Management of groundwater aquifers to satisfy standards for drinking water is a formidable task. It is difficult to monitor the move-
Inversion of Descriptor Systems

A modified form of the Luenberger shuffle algorithm and the Silverman structure algorithm are combined to form a descriptor system structure algorithm. This algorithm is used to extend known results on inversion of state-space systems to the case of descriptor systems.
The Sky’s no Limit Turf and the Air Force and the Air National Guard

This article challenges some perceptions arising from the long-standing debate concerning the sharing of turf by organizations. It shows that the structure of an organization as well as its need to complete tasks affects the likelihood of it sharing turf. It also shows that organizations are motivated by more than the desire to expand budgets, power, or autonomy. Finally, organizations may make choices that help them complete a task in the short run, but in the long run undermine their ability to survive. These points are illustrated through a case study involving the Air National Guard and the Air Force.
Fructose-Fed Rhesus Monkeys: A Nonhuman Primate Model of Insulin Resistance, Metabolic Syndrome, and Type 2 Diabetes

The incidence of insulin resistance has increased dramatically over the past several years, and we and others have proposed that this increase may at least in part be attributable to increased dietary fructose consumption. However, a major limitation to the study of diet-induced insulin resistance is the lack of relevant animal models. Numerous studies, mostly in rodents, have demonstrated that diets high in fructose induce insulin resistance; however, important metabolic differences exist between rodents and primates. Thus, the results of metabolic studies performed in primates are substantively more translatable to human physiology, underscoring the importance of establishing nonhuman primate models of common metabolic conditions. In this report, we demonstrate that a high-fructose diet in rhesus monkeys produces insulin resistance and many features of the metabolic syndrome, including central obesity, dyslipidemia, and inflammation within a short period of time; moreover, a subset of monkeys developed type 2 diabetes. Given the rapidity with which the metabolic changes occur, and the ability to control for many factors that cannot be controlled for in humans, fructose feeding in rhesus monkeys represents a practical and efficient model system in which to investigate the pathogenesis, prevention, and treatment of diet-induced insulin resistance and its related comorbidities.
Effect of Surface Modification by Chelating Agents on Fischer–Tropsch Performance of Co/SiO2 Catalysts

The silica support of a Co-based catalyst for Fischer–Tropsch (FT) synthesis was modified by the chelating agents (CAs) nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA) and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA). After the modification, characterization of the fresh and spent catalysts shows reduced crystallite sizes, a better-dispersed Co3O4 phase on the calcined samples, and increased metal dispersions for the reduced samples. The CA-modified catalysts display higher CO conversions, product yields, reaction rates, and rate constants. The improved FT performance of CA-modified catalysts is attributed to the formation of stable complexes with Co. The superior performance of the EDTA-modified catalyst in comparison to the NTA-modified catalyst is due to the higher affinity of the former for complex formation with Co ions.
Contaminant Source Location Identification in River Networks Using Water Quality Monitoring Systems for Exposure Analysis

Improving real-time monitoring technologies introduces new tasks to the data analyst such as rapid identification of contamination source locations based on the data collected from monitoring stations. In theory, this problem is an ill posed problem which has non-unique solutions due to the irreversible nature of contaminant transformation and transport processes. In this study, we propose a methodology that utilizes a classification routine which associates the observations on a contaminant spill with one or more of the candidate spill locations in the river network. This approach consists of a training step followed by a sequential elimination of the candidate spill locations which lead to the identification of potential spill locations. In this process the training of the monitoring system may require a significant simulation time. However, this is performed only once. The statistical elimination for the ranking of the candidate locations is a rapid process. The proposed methodology is applied to the Altamaha river system in the State of Georgia, USA. The results show that the proposed approach may be effectively used for the preliminary planning of the contaminant source investigation studies in complex river systems.
Conservation agreements as a tool to generate direct incentives for biodiversity conservation

Abstract Many environmental issues can be attributed to misaligned distribution of the costs and benefits of conservation. For instance, biodiversity represents value for the global community, but biodiversity protection imposes various costs on local communities that depend on forests, marine areas, and other habitats of conservation importance in developing countries. Correcting this misalignment requires presenting these local communities with appropriate incentives. Conservation agreements—negotiated transactions in which conservation investors finance direct social benefits in return for conservation actions by communities—are one tool for doing so. This direct incentive approach departs from Integrated Conservation and Development (ICDP) approaches by explicitly linking benefits to verified conservation performance by resource owners/users, thus requiring effective performance monitoring protocols. In doing so, conservation agreements parallel the logic of easements and related mechanisms used in de...
Products of conjugacy classes of two by two matrices

Abstract We compute the covering number and the extended covering number for the group PSL 2 ( F ) with a field F . Similar numbers are defined for any group, and they are computed for the groups GL 2 ( F ), PGL 2 ( F ), and SL 2 ( F ).
Fast dynamic reranking in large graphs

In this paper we consider the problem of re-ranking search results by incorporating user feedback. We present a graph theoretic measure for discriminating irrelevant results from relevant results using a few labeled examples provided by the user. The key intuition is that nodes relatively closer (in graph topology) to the relevant nodes than the irrelevant nodes are more likely to be relevant. We present a simple sampling algorithm to evaluate this measure at specific nodes of interest, and an efficient branch and bound algorithm to compute the top k nodes from the entire graph under this measure. On quantifiable prediction tasks the introduced measure outperforms other diffusion-based proximity measures which take only the positive relevance feedback into account. On the Entity-Relation graph built from the authors and papers of the entire DBLP citation corpus (1.4 million nodes and 2.2 million edges) our branch and bound algorithm takes about 1.5 seconds to retrieve the top 10 nodes w.r.t. this measure with 10 labeled nodes.
Low-frequency noise in AlSb/InAs HEMTs

Measurements of the low-frequency noise in several types of AlSb/InAs HEMTs are reported. The slope of the noise level with frequency is close to ideal 1/f for some types, while others have significant generation-recombination components. The Hooge parameter, /spl alpha//sub H/, for all the devices is in the range between 10/sup -3/ and 10/sup -2/ based on floating-gate measurements at low drain voltage.
Exome sequencing identifies a novel SMCHD1 mutation in facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy 2.

Abstract FSHD2 is a rare form of facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD) characterized by the absence of a contraction in the D4Z4 macrosatellite repeat region on chromosome 4q35 that is the hallmark of FSHD1. However, hypomethylation of this region is common to both subtypes. Recently, mutations in SMCHD1 combined with a permissive 4q35 allele were reported to cause FSHD2. We identified a novel p.Lys275del SMCHD1 mutation in a family affected with FSHD2 using whole-exome sequencing and linkage analysis. This mutation alters a highly conserved amino acid in the ATPase domain of SMCHD1. Subject III-11 is a male who developed asymmetrical muscle weakness characteristic of FSHD at 13years. Physical examination revealed marked bilateral atrophy at biceps brachii, bilateral scapular winging, some asymmetrical weakness at tibialis anterior and peroneal muscles, and mild lower facial weakness. Biopsy of biceps brachii in subject II-5, the father of III-11, demonstrated lobulated fibers and dystrophic changes. Endomysial and perivascular inflammation was found, which has been reported in FSHD1 but not FSHD2. Given the previous report of SMCHD1 mutations in FSHD2 and the clinical presentations consistent with the FSHD phenotype, we conclude that the SMCHD1 mutation is the likely cause of the disease in this family.
Acute Improvement in Oxygenation as a Predictor for Successful, Early Treatment of Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension of the Newborn (PPHN) Using Inhaled Nitric Oxide (I-NO)

Acute Improvement in Oxygenation as a Predictor for Successful, Early Treatment of Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension of the Newborn (PPHN) Using Inhaled Nitric Oxide (I-NO)
Low‐order models, initialization, and the slow manifold

A nine equation low-order model of the shallow water equations is used as a testbed to compare several initialization strategies and to find points satisfying conditions of “slowness.” Several methods are explored to initialize the low order model: (1) Lorenz's method of successively zeroing tendencies; (2) minimization of the sum of the squares of the tendencies; (3) use of a balance condition. We find that the balance condition produces the smoothest solution on a consistent basis. In addition, Lorenz initialization, the Newton-Kantorovich Theorem, and the Nested Interval Property are used to compute points devoid of gravity waves to order N for low values of the forcing (F1 ≤ 0.1). Several of these points are calculated.
Intravascular lymphomatosis presenting as adult respiratory distress syndrome

An unusual case of intravascular lymphomatosis caused by small noncleaved, non-Burkitt's lymphoma, which presented with adult respiratory distress syndrome, is described. Extensive invasion of the small- and medium-size blood vessels of the lung, liver, spleen, kidneys, heart, esophagus, stomach, small and large intestines, bladder, and brain-but not the bone marrow or peripheral blood-is documented. The possible mechanism and the unusual features of this case are discussed in comparison with previously reported cases. The pertinent literature is reviewed. The problem of diagnosing this pathological entity is emphasized.
Affinity-driven selection of tripeptide inhibitors of ribonucleotide reductase.

Abstract Tripeptide libraries of the type Fmoc(W/F)XF were screened for binding to the large subunit of mouse ribonucleotide reductase (mRR), using a new, affinity chromatography method. A high-affinity tripeptide, FmocWFF, was found that inhibited mRR activity with a Ki equal to that of AcFTLDADF, the heptapeptide corresponding to the C-terminus of the small subunit of mRR.
Performance Indicator Maps: A Visual Tool for Understanding, Managing, and Continuously Improving Your Business Metrics

Organizations are complex systems that require managers and employees alike to understand the interdependencies between their performance accomplishments and those of others, as well as the specific means and actions that affect them. Performance indicator maps (PIMs) are graphical representations that illustrate the relationships among organizational performance indicators. When properly designed, performance indicator maps can increase the effectiveness of feedback generated by dashboards, trigger tangible improvement actions today, and allow us to get the results we want tomorrow.
A new initial bias deletion rule

A new initial bias deletion rule is described. Theoretical motivation for the rule is given, and some directions on further research are provided.
Transforming Art History Research with Database Analytics: Visualizing Art Markets

AbstractTraditional art-historical research has been undertaken with an eye towards individual scholarly contributions presented through conventional scholarly papers. This essay argues for the inclusion of database design, as well as data visualization techniques, as core elements in art-historical research and presentation practices. These strategies support geospatial, quantitative, and statistical analyses, yielding new insights into art historical research questions. Expanding upon two illustrative case studies undertaken as part of the graduate art history program at Duke University, the article outlines a collaborative and iterative research and design process, with implications for libraries, visual resource centers, and scholarly publishing.
Expanding the scope for social information use

Our understanding of how, why, and the circumstances under which animals use social information has been facilitated by three principal areas of research, social learning, public information use and social eavesdropping. With few exceptions, these related concepts have remained remarkably distinct within the literature, with little discussion or integration among them. Are these distinctions warranted? We tackle the issue by exploring similarities and differences between the concepts with respect to how animals gather and use social information, the type of information gathered, how information is packaged, and the relative payoffs to individuals involved. We contend that none of the currently dominant paradigms, social learning, public information use, or social eavesdropping, provide a unifying theme for studying social information use. Instead, we favour the central characteristic of the three concepts, social information use, as the overarching umbrella, and advocate a broader conceptual framework for understanding more comprehensively how animals behave with their social environments. Our intention is not to revolutionize the fields of social learning, public information use or social eavesdropping, but rather to stimulate discussion among researchers investigating the abilities of animals to extract information from the social environment.
Ion Plasma Wave Wakefield Accelerators

The possibility of using space-charge waves on an ion beam or column as a wakefield accelerator is discussed. The primary advantages of using ion plasma waves over electron plasma waves are that the kinetic energy and fall-time requirements on the driving beam are reduced. One disadvantage in using a lower plasma frequency is that a larger current is required to achieve the same accelerating gradient. The basic aspects of wakefield accelerators are reviewed and this concept is analyzed in this context. Particle-in-cell simulations show that wakefields utilizing ion waves, although more complicated than plasma wakefields, can produce acceleration.
The Turn the Tables Technique (T(3)): A Program Activity to Provide Group Facilitators Insight into Teen Sexual Behaviors and Beliefs.

The Turn the Tables Technique (T3) is an activity designed to provide group facilitators who lead HIV/STI prevention and sexual health promotion programs with detailed and current information on teenagers’ sexual behaviors and beliefs. This information can be used throughout a program to tailor content. Included is a detailed lesson plan of T3, a description of the purpose of T3, how it was implemented, the context in which it was used, how T3 addressed common challenges in HIV prevention with teenagers, and future implications for its use.
Role of hydroxyapatite crystal shape in nanoscale mechanical behavior of model tropocollagen–hydroxyapatite hard biomaterials

Abstract Shape of mineral (e.g. hydroxyapatite (HAP) or aragonite) crystals can be a strong determinant of the nanoscale strength of hard biological materials such as bone, dentin, and nacre. This work presents an understanding of the effect of HAP shape variation on nanoscale strength of model TC-HAP biomaterials. For this purpose, 3-dimensional molecular dynamics analyses of direction dependent tensile deformation in two structurally distinct TC-HAP cells with HAP crystals in needle shaped configuration and plate shaped configuration are performed. Analyses point out that the peak interfacial strength for failure is the highest for supercells with plate shaped HAP crystals. In addition, the plate shaped HAP crystals result in the localization of peak stress over a larger length scale indicating higher fracture strength. Peak strength during transverse loading is always found to be lower than that during the longitudinal loading. However, interfacial strength shows a reverse trend. Overall, analyses point out that HAP crystal shape along with the optimal direction of applied loading with respect to the TC-HAP orientation strongly influence biomaterial strength at the nanoscale.
Unraveling the mysteries of gender differences in intentions to leave the organization

The anticipated labor shortages of the 1990's will intensify organizational needs to retain their existing employees. Women represent an increasingly important segment of the labor force and their turnover rates are thought to exceed men's. Earlier studies of turnover and its psychological antecedent, the behavioral intention to leave, suggest that work-related factors may contribute to women's relatively higher turnover rates. The current paper reports the results of a study of the intentions of male and female executives, managers and professionals to leave their organizations. The results support the pattern of findings in earlier studies that gender differences disappear when job satisfaction is controlled in the analysis. Further analysis highlights the importance of two components of job satisfaction — meaningful work and opportunities for promotion. The authors conclude that organizations might improve their retention rates of female managers through job enrichment and by enhancing their advancement opportunities.