cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Sensitivity Analysis for Test Resource Allocation

To predict the response of a system with unknown parameters, a common route is to quantify the parameters using test data and propagate the results through a computational model of the system. Activities in this process may include model calibration and/or model validation. Data uncertainty has a significant effect on model calibration and model validation, and therefore affects the response prediction. Data uncertainty includes the uncertainty regarding the amount of data and numerical values of data. Although its effect can be qualitatively observed by trying different data sets and visually comparing the response predictions, a quantitative methodology assessing the contributions of these two types of data uncertainty to the uncertainty in the response prediction is necessary in order to solve test resource allocation problems. In this paper, a novel computational technique based on pseudo-random numbers is proposed to efficiently quantify the uncertainty in the data value of each type of test. Then the method of auxiliary variable based on the probability integral transform theorem is applied to build a deterministic function so that variance-based global sensitivity analysis can be conducted. The resultant global sensitivity indices quantify the contribution of data value uncertainty of each type of test to the uncertainty in the response prediction. Thus a methodology for robust test resource allocation is proposed, i.e., quantifying the number of each type of tests so that the response predictions using different data set are consistent.
Applied Ecology and Natural Resource Management

The science of ecology and the practice of resource management are critical to our understanding of the Earth's ecosystems and our efforts to conserve them. This book attempts to bridge the gap between ecology and natural resource management and in particular, focuses on the discipline of plant ecology as a foundation for vegetation and wildlife management. It describes how concepts and approaches used by ecologists to study communities and ecosystems can be applied to their management. Guy R. McPherson and Stephen DeStefano emphasise the importance of thoughtfully designed and carefully conducted scientific studies to both the advancement of ecological knowledge and the application of techniques for the management of plant and animal populations. The book is aimed at natural resource managers, as well as graduate and advanced undergraduate students, who are familiar with fundamental ecological principles and who want to use ecological knowledge as a basis for the management of ecosystems.
Bond rating: a nonconservative application of neural networks

The authors apply neural networks to a generalization problem of predicting the ratings of corporate bonds, where conventional mathematical modeling techniques have yielded poor results and it is difficult to build rule-based artificial-intelligence systems. The results indicate that neural nets are a useful approach to generalization problems in such nonconservative domains, performing much better than mathematical modeling techniques like regression. >
Two Versions of the Capability Approach and Their Respective Implications for Democratic Education

As instances in which the capability approach to well-being and justice is applied to education continue to increase in both quantity and sophistication, it is imperative that we get clear on an essential difference that appears between two main versions of that approach: That version demonstrated in the work of Amartya Sen and that demonstrated in the work of Martha Nussbaum. Sen’s 1979 lecture “Equality of What?” laid some important groundwork for the capability approach and introduced some of its key terms and concepts; he has continued to develop that groundwork in the thirty-plus years since. 1 Nussbaum has done her own extraordinary work in more thoroughly extending the approach from its original grounding in economics to more generally political and philosophical contexts. Sen and Nussbaum, of course, have also worked collaboratively on the development of the capability approach, and in many important ways their thinking about the approach itself and its possibilities in various contexts overlaps. 2 But there remains a key component of the approach on which they explicitly disagree: The formation (or not) of a specific list of capabilities. Nussbaum has been one of the strongest proponents of such a list while Sen has remained decidedly cool to the idea of a prescribed and fixed list of capabilities. In this essay, I aim to flesh out this key difference between Sen and Nussbaum and to give particular attention to the implications that their different approaches to capabilities lists have for education. Drawing on the original work of both thinkers as well as the work of scholars influenced by them, I attempt to make some initial determinations regarding which thinker’s version of the capability approach is more appropriate to a specifically democratic education concerned with things like empowerment, agency, and the cultivation of skills required for participation in political deliberations and processes. To begin, however, a brief overview of the capability approach is necessary. THE CAPABILITY APPROACH One of the key characteristics of the capability approach is how it measures human well-being relative to other, more traditional measures. Sen’s own words are a useful starting point: The capability approach to a person’s advantage is concerned with evaluating it in terms of his or her actual ability to achieve various valuable functionings as a part of living. The corresponding approach to social advantage — for aggregative appraisal as well as for the choice of institutions and policy — takes the set of individual capabilities as constituting an indispensable and central part of the relevant informational base of such evaluation.3 From the perspective of the capability approach, traditional measures of well-being such as preference satisfaction, income, and even Rawlsian primary goods — the broadest and most promising of these three traditional measures — are insufficient
Duloxetine hepatotoxicity: a case-series from the drug-induced liver injury network

Aliment Pharmacol Ther 2010; 32: 1174–1183 Summary Background Case reports suggest that duloxetine hepatotoxicity may arise, but risk factors, presenting features and clinical course are not well-described. Aim To describe the presenting features and outcomes of seven well-characterized patients with suspected duloxetine hepatotoxicity. Methods Patients enrolled in the Drug-Induced Liver Injury Network Prospective Study underwent an extensive laboratory and clinical evaluation to exclude competing aetiologies of liver injury as well as a standardized assessment for causality and disease severity. Results Between 1/2006 and 9/2009, six of the seven cases of DILI attributed to duloxetine were assessed as definite or very likely. Median patient age was 49 years, six (86%) were women and the median latency from drug initiation to DILI onset was 50 days. Six patients developed jaundice and the median peak alanine aminotransferase in the five patients with acute hepatocellular injury was 1633 IU/L. Ascites developed in one patient and acute renal dysfunction in two others (29%). All patients recovered without liver transplantation even though three had pre-existing chronic liver disease. Liver histology in four cases demonstrated varying patterns of liver injury. Conclusions Duloxetine hepatotoxicity developed within 2 months of drug intake and led to clinically significant liver injury. A spectrum of laboratory, histological and extra-hepatic features were noted at presentation.
Heavy-Quark Diffusion and Hadronization in Quark-Gluon Plasma

We calculate diffusion and hadronization of heavy quarks in high-energy heavy-ion collisions, implementing the notion of a strongly coupled quark-gluon plasma in both micro- and macroscopic components. The diffusion process is simulated using relativistic Fokker-Planck dynamics for elastic scattering in a hydrodynamic background. The heavy-quark transport coefficients in the medium are obtained from nonperturbative $T$-matrix interactions which build up resonant correlations close to the transition temperature. The latter also form the basis for hadronization of heavy quarks into heavy-flavor mesons via recombination with light quarks from the medium. The pertinent resonance recombination satisfies energy conservation and provides an equilibrium mapping between quark and meson distributions. The recombination probability is derived from the resonant heavy-quark scattering rate. Recombination is found to dominate at low transverse momentum (${p}_{T}$) and to yield to fragmentation at high ${p}_{T}$. Our approach emphasizes the role of resonance correlations in the diffusion and hadronization processes. Calculations of the nuclear modification factor and elliptic flow of $D$ and $B$ mesons and their decay electrons in Au-Au collisions at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider indicate the importance of a realistic medium flow in a quantitative interpretation of heavy-flavor data.
A fast Monte Carlo algorithm for source localization on graphs

Epidemic models on networks have long been studied by biologists and social sciences to determine the steady state levels of an infection on a network. Recently, however, several authors have begun considering the more difficult problem of estimating the source of an infection given information about its behavior some time after the initial infection. In this paper, we describe a technique to estimate the source of an infection on a general graph based on observations from a small set of observers during a fixed time window at some unknown time after the initial infection. We describe an alternate representation for the susceptible-infected (SI) infection model based on geodesic distances on a randomly-weighted version of the graph; this representation allows us to exploit fast algorithms to compute geodesic distances to estimate the marginal distributions for each observer and compute a pseudo-likelihood function that is maximized to find the source.
Excimer Lasbr Induced Crystallization of thin Amorphous Si Films on SiO2: Implications of Crystallized Microstructures for Phase Transformation Mechanisms

Using planar view transmission electron microscope (TEM) and transient reflectance (TR) analyses, we have investigated the excimer laser crystallization of amorphous silicon (a-Si) films on SiO2. Emphasis was placed on characterizing the microstructures of the single-shot irradiated materials, as a function of the energy density of the laser pulse and the temperature of the substrate. The dependence of the grain size and melt duration as a function of energy density revealed two major crystallization regimes. In the low energy density regime, the average grain size first increases gradually with increases in the laser energy density. In the high energy density regime, on the other hand, a very fine grained microstructure, which is relatively insensitive to variations in the laser energy density, is obtained. In addition, we have discovered that at the transition between these two regimes an extremely small experimental window exists, within which an exceedingly large grain-sized polycrystalline film is obtained. We suggest a liquid phase growth model for this phenomenon, which is based on the regrowth of crystals from the residual solid islands at the oxide interface.
Microcomputer-aided eating for the severely handicapped

Computer control of manipulators and machine tools is a highly developed technology; however, where space, cost, and power are limited, there is a continuing demand for simple but effective digital control systems capable of modest accuracy. We have developed a versatile system which permits severely handicapped individuals to eat independently, using a microcomputer-controlled manipulator. We did not select the method of trajectory computing using coordinate transformations because of the computational load, and resulting reduced sampling rate, imposed on the computer. We instead used a "learning phase" to establish the point-to-point coordinates of the motion, regardless of the coordinate system in which the manipulator resides.The system described here permits quadriplegics to direct the movements of a four-degree-of-freedom manipulator. A compact microcomputer, designed around the Intel 8080, controls the system.
Flowering, Pod Set and Reproductive Success in Soya Bean

Much of the variation in yield of soya bean [Glycine max (L.) Merrill] and other grain crops is associated with changes in the number of pods and seeds per unit area. Photosynthesis and seed characteristics are the primary determinants of pod and seed number, but recent research suggests that the temporal distribution of flower production may also play an important role. Soya bean has a long flowering period (up to 40 days or more), but most of the flowers are produced in a much shorter time. The length of the period varies among cultivars, growth habits (indeterminate and determinate) and environments. The reproductive success of flowers produced early in the period is usually greater than those produced later. Little is known, however, of the regulation of the temporal distribution of flower production or its potential role in determining pod and seed number at maturity. Research is needed to determine first, if the temporal distribution can be manipulated to increase pod and seed set and secondly, if such increases would result in higher yields.
Dimensional effects of Debye-Waller factors in layered crystals

Abstract It has been found by He atom scattering and LEED, that the mean square vibrational amplitude 〈u2c〉 normal to the basal planes of graphite does not saturate at low temperatures to the zero point energy value predicted by Debye theory, but decreases substantially below that value as T approaches zero. This result has been interpreted as being due to the strong anisotropy and reduced dimensionality of graphite, and has been observed, so far, only for surface atoms. Using X-rays, we have observed similar effects for bulk atoms of graphite and 1T-TaS2. The (00 18) reflection for graphite, and the (00 16) for TaS2, have been monitored as functions of T between 300 and 5K. While the Debye model works well in both cases above 100K, 〈u2c〉 saturates to a value 10.2% lower than that predicted by the model in the case of graphite, and 23.8% in the case of TaS2.
Effects of short-term warming on low and high latitude forest ant communities

Climatic change is expected to have differential effects on ecological communities in different geographic areas. However, few studies have experimentally demonstrated the effects of warming on communities simultaneously at different locales. We manipulated air temperature with in situ passive warming and cooling chambers and quantified effects of temperature on ant abundance, diversity, and foraging activities (predation, scavenging, seed dispersal, nectivory, granivory) in two deciduous forests at 35° and 43° N latitude in the eastern U.S. In the southern site, the most abundant species, Crematogaster lineolata, increased while species evenness, most ant foraging activities, and abundance of several other ant species declined with increasing temperature. In the northern site, species evenness was highest at intermediate temperatures, but no other metrics of diversity or foraging activity changed with temperature. Regardless of temperature, ant abundance and foraging activities at the northern site were several orders of magnitude lower than those in the southern site.
Pathophysiology of venous thrombosis

Using Virchow's triad as framework, it is clear that alterations in any of its components (blood composition, the vessel wall, and blood flow) can influence the propensity for the development of venous thromboembolism. Each can also influence the others in ways that enhance or reduce thrombotic propensity. While past work has concentrated on blood components that influence thrombogenicity, their influences generally are manifest only after the thrombotic process has begun, and it is initiation of thrombosis on the vessel wall that is the least well understood. This brief review attempts to link risk factors such as stasis and cancer to the mechanisms that initiate thrombosis.
Multicultural education and global education: A possible merger

(1984). Multicultural education and global education: A possible merger. Theory Into Practice: Vol. 23, Multicultural Education, pp. 151-154.
Polymer brushes––surface immobilized polymers

The synthesis of tethered block copolymer brushes via the use of controlled/living free radical polymerization techniques presents many significant advantages over traditional free radical polymerization techniques. In our group, we have found that the most versatile controlled/living free radical polymerization techniques are atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) and reversible addition fragmentation transfer (RAFT) polymerization. Both diblock and ABA type triblock copolymer brushes have been synthesized using either ATRP or RAFT. Of particular interest with block copolymer brushes, are their ability to reversibly rearrange upon treatment with selective solvents. This rearrangement of block copolymer brushes can result in the formation of unusual surface morphologies that have been attributed to the formation of either pinned micelles or folded structures. We have demonstrated that other external stimuli besides block-selective solvents can be used to induce brush reorganization, namely temperature and treatment with supercritical CO2. � 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Conjoint retention of maps and related discourse

Abstract Two experiments used fifth-grade students to test the hypothesis that conjointly presented verbal/spatial information facilitates retrieval from either stimulus format. In Experiment 1, subjects wrote either a geographical description or sensible narrative about a simple reference map. As predicted by conjoint retention, the narrative writers remembered significantly more of the map than their geographic counterparts. In Experiment 2, subjects either wrote or drew a rendition of the map or of a normed geographic description of its content. Subjects then listened to a short story about events occurring in the map space while they studied their rendition. Regardless of whether they wrote or drew, learners who viewed the map itself recalled significantly more discourse events, and event recall was dependent on whether the subject reported remembering associated geographic features and was able to produce the features on the test. These results support the notion of conjoint retention which assumes that related verbal/spatial arrays are stored in a fashion which allows separate use of both formats during retrieval.
On the Relative Efficiency of Coalescence and Riming

Abstract Riming growth rates for graupel and frozen raindrops are compared with those of unfrozen drops growing by coalescence. The results indicate that graupel can have a considerable advantage over unfrozen raindrops in regions where the cloud droplets are large (e.g., 20 μm diameter). In this case, the graupel growth rates win also be enhanced by reductions in the graupel bulk densities, at least down to values as low as 0.2 g cm−3 or less. When encountering smaller cloud droplets, however, the apparent advantage of the graupel particles fades, and at times may even be reversed.
Geographic distribution of reproductive endocrinology and infertility (REI) fellowships in the United States

In the United States, subspecialty training in reproductive endocrinology and infertility (REI) begins after the completion of a 4-year residency in obstetrics and gynecology (OBGYN). Most applicants enter the National Residency Matching Program (NRMP) to obtain a fellowship position.
The acquisition and utilization of information in new product alliances: A strength-of-ties perspective

Abstract In this article, the authors examine the acquisition and utilization of information in new product alliances. Drawing from research in social network theory with a focus on the strength-of-ties literature, the authors suggest that horizontal alliances have lower levels of relational embeddedness and higher levels of knowledge redundancy than vertical alliances. The authors then suggest that though embeddedness enhances both the acquisition and utilization of information in alliances, redundancy diminishes information acquisition but enhances information utilization. The authors test these ideas using a sample of 106 U.S. firms that recently have participated in new product alliances. Although the results are broadly supportive of the predictions, they are also surprising because they question key underlying assumptions of the strength-of-ties literature. For example, closely tied individual actors are typically assumed to share both high levels of embeddedness and high levels of redundancy, but t...
Optimal size of gold nanoparticles for surface-enhanced raman spectroscopy under different conditions

Gold nanoparticles have been used as effective surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) substrates for decades. However, the origin of the enhancement and the effect of the size of nanoparticles still need clarification. Here, gold nanoparticles with different sizes from17 to 80nm were synthesized and characterized, and their SERS enhancement toward both 4-aminothiophenol and 4-nitrothiophenol was examined. For the same number of nanoparticles, the enhancement factor generated from the gold nanoparticles increases as the size of nanoparticles increases. Interestingly, when the concentration of gold or the total surface area of gold nanoparticles was kept the same, the optimal size of gold nanoparticles was found out to be around 50nm when the enhancement factor reached a maximum. The same size effect was observed for both 4-aminothiophenol and 4-nitrothiophenol, which suggests that the conclusions drawn in this study might also be applicable to other adsorbates during SERS measurements.
Penile vibratory stimulation in spinal cord injured men: Optimized vibration parameters and prognostic factors

Abstract Objective: To study the efficacy of penile vibratory stimulation (PVS) with optimized vibration parameters in spinal cord injured (SCI) men and to examine prognostic factors for success. Design: Case series. Setting: University hospital outpatient clinic. Patients: Thirty-four consecutive SCI men seeking fertility treatment. Intervention: PVS with optimized vibration parameters to induce reflex ejaculation. Main Outcome Measures: Ejaculatory response; semen analysis. Results: Antegrade ejaculation was seen in 65% of patients. High rates were seen in lesions above T10 (81%) and in presence of hip flexion and bulbocavernosus reflexes (77%). Of men with lesions above T10, those with a penile prosthesis had lower ejaculation rates (40% vs 90%). Average total sperm counts were 968 million, with 26% motility. Conclusions: High rates of ejaculation are seen with optimized vibration parameters, especially in men with lesions above T10 and intact lower spinal reflexes. A penile prosthesis may impair success with PVS.
Potential cost savings of oral versus intravenous etoposide in the treatment of small cell lung cancer.

An economic analysis was conducted on a randomised multicentre study comparing the use of intravenous (IV) etoposide versus oral etoposide treatment regimens in patients with small cell lung cancer. 41 patients received cisplatin 100 mg/m2 intravenously (IV) on study day 1 and etoposide 120 mg/m2 IV on study days 1, 2, and 3 (IV regimen); and 42 patients received cisplatin 100 mg/m2 IV and etoposide 120 mg/m2 IV on study day 1 and 240 mg/m2 orally (equivalent to 120 mg/m2 IV) on study days 2 and 3 (oral regimen). The results of the study from which these data were extracted showed equal efficacy between groups. Based on a retrospective review of resource use in the clinical trial, patient healthcare costs were examined in the following areas: antineoplastic drugs, IV fluids, supplies used for chemotherapy administration, and chemotherapy administration procedure fees. The total cost per course of therapy was $US2002 for the IV regimen and $US1653 for the oral regimen. This represented a 17% savings for patients receiving the oral regimen.
A Density Functional Theory Study of the Structure and Energetics of Zincate Complexes

We have conducted a density functional theory (DFT) investigation of zincate species. The accuracy of the DFT/B3LYP method and the adequacy of the atomic basis sets employed were established through investigation of the ionization potentials of Zn, the geometry and bond energy of ZnO, and the geometries and energies of selected Zn−OH and Zn−H2O complexes. Our investigation revealed that the [Zn(OH)]+, Zn(OH)2, and [Zn(OH)3]- zincate complexes are stable in the gas phase. However, we found that dissociated [Zn(OH)3]- + OH- is more stable than [Zn(OH)4]2- in the gas phase and that the gas-phase geometry of [Zn(OH)4]2- differs significantly from that gleaned from experimental studies of aqueous KOH/zincate solutions. We also investigated zincate complexes involving molecular water and K+ cations in order to better understand the influence of condensed phase effects in aqueous KOH solutions on the stability and geometry of the zincate complexes. We found that water does not significantly influence complex bin...
Thermal inertia associated with ultrapulse technology in phacoemulsification

Purpose To determine whether very short pulses of ultrasound (5 to 6 milliseconds) have less heat propagation in biological tissue (thermal inertia) than traditional pulses (50 milliseconds). Setting Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Utah Health Sciences Center, Salt Lake City, Utah. Methods Thermal testing was done in balanced salt solution (BSS) and in eye-bank eyes. In the same fresh human eye-bank eye, net temperature increase after 20 seconds of ultrasound (50 milliseconds on and 50 milliseconds off) was compared with the increase after 6 milliseconds on and 12 milliseconds off with the same phacoemulsification unit. The same experiment and setting was run in BSS and the eye-bank ratios compared with the BSS ratios. Twenty runs were done at each power setting in BSS and 22 in the eye-bank eye. Results There was 10.9% less heat generated with 6-millisecond pulses of ultrasound in limbal tissue than in BSS compared with 50-millisecond pulses of ultrasound (P = .0002). Conclusion Very short pulses of ultrasound (5 to 6 milliseconds) propagated less thermal energy in limbal tissue than in BSS compared with 50-millisecond ultrasound pulses.
Police Organizational Structures During the 1990s: An Application of Contingency Theory

Organizational structures within police agencies have been of center-stage interest to the advocates of reform and professionalization since the inception of modern American policing in the early 2...
Perturbation of the SVD in the presence of small singular values

Abstract This paper gives SVD perturbation bounds and expansions that are of use when an m × n , m ⩾ n matrix A has small singular values. The first part of the paper gives subspace bounds that are closely related to those of Wedin but are stated so as to isolate the effect of any small singular values to the left singular subspace. In the second part first and second order approximations are given for perturbed singular values. The subspace bounds are used to show that all approximations retain accuracy when applied to small singular values. The paper concludes by deriving a subspace bound for multiplicative perturbations and using that bound to give a simple approximation to a singular value perturbed by a multiplicative perturbation.
Self-serving bias in the attribution of responsibility: Cognitive versus motivational explanations

Abstract The purpose of this study is to compare the cognitive and motivational explanations of differences in the responsibility assigned to the victim of a crime. It has generally been found that the victim of a crime is assigned more responsibility for that crime by similar others if its consequences are severe. The motivational explanation for this finding is that subjects are threatened by the idea that a serious crime can happen by chance. The cognitive explanation is that serious crimes are rarer and subjects attribute more of the responsibility for rarer events to those who experience them. This study tested these two explanations by independently varying the severity and the likelihood of a crime and examining attributions of responsibility to its victim. The results of the study support the cognitive explanation. Similar others were found to attribute more responsibility for a crime to the victim when that crime was presented as rare, irrespective of whether its consequences were mild or severe. In addition, when likelihood was controlled experimentally no effect of severity upon attributions of responsibility was found. These results suggest that, within the context of attributions of responsibility to victims, patterns of attribution consistent with those predicted by theories suggesting motivational influences upon attribution may actually represent the operation of cognitive processes.
Preventing biofilms of clinically relevant organisms using bacteriophage

Biofilms might result in healthcare-associated infections and substantially impact healthcare delivery. Bacteriophage (phage) has been used to treat infectious diseases in humans and there is interest in phage to control biofilms. Phages propagate in their bacterial host and many phages produce depolymerases that hydrolyze biofilm extracellular polymers. Drawbacks of phage to consider include narrow host range, bacterial resistance to phage and phage-encoded virulence genes that can incorporate into the host bacterial genome. The immune system might inactivate phage, and impure phage preparations could contain endotoxin. Phage mixtures or engineered phages could provide effective strategies to overcome these obstacles. Lytic bacteriophages could become a new class of anti-biofilm agents.
Us public and private regulation of LNG transport

Abstract The authors examine the propositions that the private banking sector is capable of assuring that liquefied natural gas (LNG) projects are economically viable and that the insurance sector is capable of rating the relative risks of LNG projects to assure their operations are as safe as possible. If the markets could assure these outcomes, government regulation of LNG projects could be reduced. Reviews of public and private regulation of safety and economic viability suggest that the private sector cannot serve these functions adequately. Unless private financial and insurance enterprises are induced by government regulations to smooth their own operating cycles, private self-regulation of major new developments is unlikely to be effective. In the case of LNG, the red tape of governmental bureaucracy may have prevented the large-scale development of costly, potentially hazardous, white elephants, but for all the wrong reasons.
Cis‐ and trans‐dichloroethene

Broers, Ketelaar and van Velden (Rec. trav. chim. 69, 1122 (1950)) have reported values for the melting points and heats of fusion of cis- and trans-dichloroethene. They compare their best values with those reported by Timmermans (Bull. soc. chim. Belg. 27, 337 (1913)), and Chavanne (Ibid. 26, 287 (1912)).
Suppression of viral replication by guanidine: a comparison of human adenoviruses and enteroviruses.

Abstract A comparison was made between the relative sensitivities of laboratory strain human adenoviruses and enteroviruses, and recently isolated human enteroviruses, to the presence of guanidine hydrochloride in cell culture media. The concentration of guanidine hydrochloride used was 100 μg per ml. Representatives of all six human Adenovirus subgenera were unaffected in their replication at this concentration of guanidine. The different human Enterovirus types examined varied in their sensitivity, with suppression ranging from 10 units for laboratory strains, and from 2 to 7 log 10 units for recently isolated viruses. The findings suggest a novel role for antiviral drugs; serving as an adjunct in facilitating selective isolation of specific virus groups which may be present as part of mixed viral populations.
Evidence for Amino Acid Roles in the Chemistry of ATP Hydrolysis in Escherichia coli Rho

Many proteins that hydrolyze ATP or GTP have comparable amino acid residues for which specific roles have been proposed in a mechanism for the chemistry of hydrolysis. These roles include polarization by a glutamate residue of a water molecule for the attack on the γ-phosphoryl group of the nucleotide, stabilization of the transition state by an arginine finger, discrimination between bound nucleoside triphosphate and diphosphate by a γ sensor residue, and coordination by an aspartate of the Mg(2+) that accompanies the substrate nucleotide. We mutated four candidate residues for these roles in the Escherichia coli transcription termination factor Rho, E211, R366, R212, and D265, and characterized the resulting proteins for oligomerization state, ligand binding, RNA-dependent ATP hydrolysis, and, in rapid mix/chemical quench experiments, achievement of the chemistry step of hydrolysis. All four mutant proteins behaved as expected for Rhos lacking the proposed mechanistic roles. The results provide firm biochemical evidence in support of the proposed model for hydrolysis chemistry.
An evaluation of a human stem cell line to identify risk of developmental neurotoxicity with antiepileptic drugs.

Abstract Determination of the impact of a drug on human brain development relies instead on surrogate animal studies. Here we have exploited the human stem cell line, TERA2.cl.SP12 to differentiate into neurons and addressed their value as an in vitro model to evaluate the risk of developmental neurotoxicity with antiepileptic drugs (AEDs). The effects of four AEDs were investigated on cell viability, cell cycle and neural differentiation. Exposure to either phenobarbital (10–1000 μM), valproic acid (10–1000 μM), lamotrigine (1–100 μM) or carbamazepine (1–100 μM) for 3 days reduced viability in non-differentiating cells only at the highest concentrations tested. Viability was also reduced with lower concentrations of all AEDs in cells undergoing neural differentiation. Valproic acid and carbamazepine increased DNA fragmentation and reduced cell cycle progression. 3 days exposure at the start of neural differentiation to phenobarbital, valproic acid or lamotrigine also significantly reduced the proportion of stem cells that subsequently differentiated into neurons at 15 days in vitro. The two control agents tested, ciprofloxacin and perfluorooctanoic acid had no impact on neurogenesis in vitro. These new data show that modelling neurogenesis in vitro using a human stem cell line may be a powerful method to predict risks of developmental neurotoxicity in vivo with psychotropic drugs.
Electrostatic collection of tribocharged lunar dust simulants

Abstract Levitation and consecutive deposition of naturally charged particles on lunar surface were troublesome in previous NASA explorations. Protecting sensitive surfaces from dust deposition in the limiting condition of the lunar atmosphere is imperative for future space exploration. This study reports experimental investigation of the collection efficiency of an electrostatic lunar dust collector (ELDC). A dual-functional remotely controlled particle charger/dropper was designed for tribocharging 20 μm lunar dust simulants, and a system of Faraday cup connected to an electrometer working in the nC range was used to measure the particle charges. Tribochargeability of two lunar dust simulants was studied, and the process was found to be the most effective with the JSC-1A samples. Aluminum was verified to be a more effective plate material than stainless steel. For the tested range of electrostatic field strength (0.66–2.6 kV/m), the mass-based and charge-based collection efficiencies were in the range of 0.25–1% and 0.45–1.45% for the low vacuum (10 −1 Torr), and 8–35% and 12–54% for the high vacuum (10 −5 Torr) conditions. The linear relationship between the applied voltage and ELDC collection efficiency predicted by the theoretical model was confirmed, and the collection pattern of the collected particles over the collection plate was consistent with the previously computed charge distribution on the collection plate. Aside from validating the predictability of the theoretical model, this study offers a novel method of particle charging inside a vacuum chamber with a variety of applications for studying chargeability of particles at different temperatures and pressures.
An interactive knowledge-based system for forecasting new product reliability

Abstract During the development phases of a new product, special attention is usually directed to the allocation of reliability improvement programs. This paper will present an interactive knowledge-based decision support system (DSS) for optimizing this allocation process. The DSS utilizes an extension to the modified exponential reliability growth mode, which was developed to quantify and monitor reliability during the product development phases. This paper addresses the reliability of complex electronic systems. It determines the rate of growth, and the level of initial reliability required in order to meet the expected market requirement.
Dopamine receptors in the rat brain: quantitative autoradiographic localization using [3H]sulpiride

In vitro labeling of tissue sections with [3H]sulpiride has been utilized in the present study to autoradiographically localize D2-dopamine receptors in the rat brain. Preliminary biochemical studies, using slide-mounted tissue sections, were performed to define the optimal labeling conditions for this binding. Autoradiograms were generated by apposition of the labeled tissue sections to tritium-sensitive film. Specific binding sites for [3H]sulpiride were localized to the caudate-putamen, nucleus accumbens, olfactory tubercle, glomerular layer of the olfactory bulb, pituitary, laminae I and III of the entorhinal cortex, substantia nigra, lateral mammillary nucleus and the stratum-lacunosum moleculare of the hippocampus. The high selectivity of [3H]sulpiride for the D2-dopamine receptor indicates that it is a valuable tool for the autoradiographic localization and quantitation of neuroleptic receptors.
A Frazzled/DCC-Dependent Transcriptional Switch Regulates Midline Axon Guidance

Precise wiring of the nervous system depends on coordinating the action of conserved families of proteins that direct axons to their appropriate targets. Slit-roundabout repulsion and netrin–deleted in colorectal cancer (DCC) (frazzled) attraction must be tightly regulated to control midline axon guidance in vertebrates and invertebrates, but the mechanism mediating this regulation is poorly defined. Here, we show that the Fra receptor has two genetically separable functions in regulating midline guidance in Drosophila. First, Fra mediates canonical chemoattraction in response to netrin, and, second, it functions independently of netrin to activate commissureless transcription, allowing attraction to be coupled to the down-regulation of repulsion in precrossing commissural axons.
ZINC-TOLERANT ECOTYPES IN MELILOTUS ALBA (LEGUMINOSAE)

Melilotus alba (Leguminosae) populations from mine sites in southwestern Wisconsin were shown to be ecotypically adapted to high levels of zinc in the soil. In greenhouse experiments using high-zinc soil and high levels of zinc in sand culture, seedlings from mine populations grew better and suffered less mortality than did seedlings from roadside populations. ECOTYPIC DIFFERENTIATION in response to edaphic factors has been described in many plant species. High soil concentrations of heavy metals have been shown to be a con
Does balloon catheter sinuplasty have a role in the surgical management of pediatric sinus disease

BACKGROUND The surgical management of chronic recurrent sinusitis (CRS) recalcitrant to medical therapy in the pediatric population has traditionally consisted of adenoidectomy and functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS), depending on age and imaging findings. Adenoidectomy relieves nasopharyngeal airway obstruction as well as potentially eradicates a bacterial reservoir. FESS, as in adults, promotes paranasal sinus ventilation and drainage. Pediatric FESS most commonly consists of uncinectomy, maxillary antrostomy, and/or ethmoidectomy due to the relative underdevelopment of the sphenoid and especially the frontal sinuses in preadolescent children. FESS is generally considered to be safe, with major complications such as cerebrospinal fluid leak, meningitis, or orbital violation occurring in <1% of cases. Initial concerns that FESS in the pediatric population may lead to retardation of facial growth have proven to be unsubstantiated. Balloon catheter sinuplasty (BCS) was first introduced as a therapeutic modality of CRS in adults in 2006. In BCS a guidewire, passed into the target maxillary, sphenoid, or frontal sinus under endoscopic visualization with either fluoroscopic or fiberoptic light confirmation, is used to position a deflated oblong balloon across the natural sinus ostium. This balloon is subsequently inflated to a maximum diameter of 5 to 7 mm, dilating the natural ostium. In contrast to FESS, BCS does not involve tissue removal and theoretically is mucosal sparing. Purported limitations of BCS include the inability to address alternative predisposing anatomical abnormalities (the uncinate process, for example, is not removed in maxillary procedures) or to treat concurrent ethmoid sinus disease. The efficacy of BCS in adults with frontal, sphenoid and maxillary sinus disease is reported to be on par with FESS, suggesting a potential role for BCS in the treatment armamentarium of pediatric rhinosinusitis as well.
A Prototype Integrated Monitoring System for Pavement and Traffic Based on an Embedded Sensing Network

In the past half-century, the monitoring systems for traffic or infrastructure have been developed a lot. Because of the interdependency between traffic and infrastructure, significant advantages can be expected if the monitoring system for traffic can be integrated with that for infrastructure. In October 2011, a wireless sensing network (WSN) was installed on Virginia State Route 114. Since then, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Blacksburg, VA, USA) has been developing an integrated monitoring system of pavements and traffic. This paper presents the achievement of this study: a prototype system that can monitor pavement conditions and collect traffic information simultaneously using the same embedded sensing network. In the sensing network, the sensors are ranged in longitudinal and transverse groups, and the compositions, characteristics, and functionalities of the two arrangements are introduced. The two monitoring patterns of the system, i.e., continuous monitoring and periodic testing, are explained, and the data processing methods in the two patterns are illustrated. The whole system is presented combining hardware and software, and a flowchart is used to clarify its component and function modules. This system has the potential to achieve comprehensive monitoring functions for both traffic and infrastructure based on the embedded sensing network. This system is still under study, and needs to be consummated with various loading and environmental conditions taken into consideration. Once finished, this system will be valuable for the Intelligent Transportation System in the future.
Bayesian pitman closeness

The present article brings in the notion of Posterior Pitman Closeness (PPC) in contrast to the usual Pitman Closeness (PC) criterion. Unlike the PC criterion, the PPC criterion does not suffer from lack of transitivity. Also, a posterior median is usually a posterior Pitman closest estimator of the parameter of interest. Examples are provided to illustrate these ideas. Also, some multivariate analogs of these results are presented.
Regulatory and spatial aspects of inositol trisphosphate-mediated calcium signals.

Hormones that act to release Ca2+ from intracellular stores initiate a signaling cascade that culminates in the production of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (InsP3). The Ca2+ response mediated by InsP3 is not a sustained increase in the cytosolic Ca2+ concentration, but rather a series of periodic spikes that manifest as waves in larger cells. In vitro studies have determined that the key positive feedback parameter driving spikes and waves is a highly localized direct Ca2+-activation of InsP3-gated Ca2+ channels. Advances in fluorescent Ca2+ imaging have facilitated the resolution of individual positive feedback units. These studies have revealed that there are several modes of channel coupling underlying global Ca2+ signals; single channel openings or Ca2+ “blips”, synchronized clusters of channels or Ca2+ “puffs”, and cell wide calcium waves. It appears that the channel clusters that produce Ca2+ puffs are synchronized by the highly localized positive feedback that was predicted by the in vitro studies of channel regulation. Localization of InsP3-induced Ca2+ signals has been shown to be important for activation of several cellular processes including uni-directional salt flow and mitochondrial activation.
Intercellular communication and the control of growth: XII. Alteration of junctional permeability by simian virus 40. Roles of the large and small T antigens.

We studied the action of temperature-sensitive mutant simian virus 40—a transformation-inducing DNA virus—on the junctional permeability to mono-, di- and triglutamate in rat embryo-, pancreas islet (epithelia)-, and 10T1/2 cell cultures. Junctional permeability was reduced (reversibly) in the transformed state. To dissect the genetics of this alteration, we used two kinds of mutant virus DNA. One kind had a temperature-sensitive mutation on theA gene, rendering the largeT antigen (the gene product) thermolabile (T+ ⇆T−). The other had a deletion on theF gene, in addition, abolishing (permanently) the expression of the littlet antigen (t−). The junctional alteration occurred in the conditionT+t+, but not in the conditionsT−t+,T+t− orT−t−. Both antigens, thus, are necessary for this junctional alteration—a genetic requirement identical to that for decontrol of growth (but distinct from that of the cytoskeletal alteration).