cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effective fusion of distorted multi-sensor data

A framework for the detection of bandlimited signals by intelligently fusing the multi-nonlinear sensor data is developed. Though most sensors used are assumed to be linear, none of them individually or in series give the truly linear relationship and errors are inevitable as a result of the assumption of linearity. A new approach, which takes the actual nonlinear characteristics of sensors into account is advocated. Though the fusion of redundant Information can reduce overall uncertainty and thus serves to increase the accuracy of the process measurements, identifying the faulty readings and fusing only the reliable data are very difficult and challenging. The main idea of the multi-sensor fusion scheme proposed in this paper is to pick only the reliable data for the fusion and disregard the rest. This is done by assigning a "confident measure" to all available sensor data and picking the ones that lead the list of confidence measures. The result is then used to solve the sensor scheduling problem. The proposed theoretical framework is supported by illustrative examples and simulation data.
Microstructural stability, defect structures and deformation mechanisms in a Ag3Sn/Cu3Sn alloy

Ag3Sn and Cu3Sn are important intermetallic compounds formed in lead-free solders and dental amalgams. In this paper, we present a study on the microstructural stability in a Ag1.5Cu1.5Sn alloy using a combination of scanning and transmission electron microscopy experiments. The as-cast microstructure comprises the D0a phases θ-Ag3Sn and e1-Cu3Sn, plus a small amount of η-Cu6Sn5. There is topotaxial precipitation of Ag3Sn within the Cu3Sn phase, which coarsens with heat treatment at 450 °C. For extended low-temperature aging (1000 h at 100 °C), there is also precipitation of Cu3Sn within the Ag3Sn phase. All the heat-treatments result in the formation of secondary defects in the near-surface region. These defects are dislocations in the Ag3Sn and {011}-type twins in the Cu3Sn. The same defect types are observed in these phases for as-cast samples deformed in compression suggesting that different deformation mechanisms are operating in these isostructural phases.
Voluntary Failure Theory Correctly Viewed

The “voluntary failure,” or interdependence, theory of the nonprofit sector was originally formulated to explain a striking paradox in contemporary analyses of the nonprofit sector in the American setting. That paradox consisted of a gross neglect of the nonprofit sector in most assessments of American social welfare policy up through the latter 1970s despite the fact that nonprofit organizations were delivering the lion’s share of government-funded social welfare services; and a corresponding gross neglect of the role of government in the revenue base of nonprofit organizations despite the fact that government had become the major source of nonprofit revenue for a considerable range of the sector’s organizations by the same time. The explanation for this paradox, I argued, was less a lack of research than a weakness of theory. Both the contemporary theory of the welfare state and the prevailing theories of the nonprofit sector were at fault, moreover—the former because of its neglect of the indirect way in which welfare services (and domestic government services generally) were delivered in the American setting, and the latter because of its failure to acknowledge the significant and inherent shortcomings of voluntary organizations in coping on their own with major social problems.
From Social Pacts to Productivity Boards

Market solutions can be a way for small deregulated states like the Baltics to grow, but they are not a viable path for the EMU area as a whole or for the larger countries like France, Germany or Italy. As most of the challenges have to be addressed at the national level only, an interaction of flexible institutions (as the social pacts were) in coordination with developing European institutions (like a European unemployment scheme) can offer a more stable environment for growth.
Remotely Controlled Microscale 3D Self‐Assembly Using Microwave Energy

A novel, remotely controlled assembly process is developed to create microscale, self-assembled 3D structures using remote-controlled microwave energy. A nanometer thick chromium (Cr) film absorbs electromagnetic microwaves and generates heat energy, which induces reflow of polymeric hinges. This leads to self-assembly of microscale 3D cubic structures. Since this assembly process does not require direct contact with a heat source or chemicals, microscale actuations can be achieved in a remote location without physical contact, resulting in the powerful capability to manipulate the 3D assembly process in situations where the heat sources and the environment around the microstructures are not controllable and accessible. Multiple folding configurations of the microstructures can also be achieved simultaneously with a single microwave energy source by forming different Cr thicknesses adjacent to the polymer hinges. Thus, remote-controlled self-assembly using microwave energy might be applied for the development of 3D microscale-sensors, -microbots, and -metamaterials.
Low-Rank Embedded Ensemble Semantic Dictionary for Zero-Shot Learning

Zero-shot learning for visual recognition has received much interest in the most recent years. However, the semantic gap across visual features and their underlying semantics is still the biggest obstacle in zero-shot learning. To fight off this hurdle, we propose an effective Low-rank Embedded Semantic Dictionary learning (LESD) through ensemble strategy. Specifically, we formulate a novel framework to jointly seek a low-rank embedding and semantic dictionary to link visual features with their semantic representations, which manages to capture shared features across different observed classes. Moreover, ensemble strategy is adopted to learn multiple semantic dictionaries to constitute the latent basis for the unseen classes. Consequently, our model could extract a variety of visual characteristics within objects, which can be well generalized to unknown categories. Extensive experiments on several zero-shot benchmarks verify that the proposed model can outperform the state-of-the-art approaches.
Race and Police Brutality: The Importance of Media Framing

This article explores how the framing of a violent confrontation between a White police officer and an African American woman affects people’s perceptions of the incident. First, we conduct a content analysis of every news article published about the encounter over a three-month period. We use the content analysis to identify the major frames employed by the news media when reporting the event. We find that the news media relied on three frames: police brutality, law and order, and race. We embed these frames into an original experiment to determine how the alternative frames affect citizens’ attitudes and perceptions of the incident. Exposure to the law and order frame and the police brutality frame significantly influences support for the White police officer and African American woman. Finally, alterations in the framing of the confrontation influence people’s beliefs about the problem of racism in law enforcement.
The relationship among microsomal enzyme induction, liver weight and histological change in rat toxicology studies

The purpose of this study was to determine what histological changes, if any, accompany liver enlargement and microsomal enzyme induction in rats administered high doses of therapeutic agents in preclinical toxicology studies. This was accomplished by evaluating a database derived from a series of 11 induction studies in rats with 10 novel compounds comprising five therapeutic classes. Results from serum enzyme chemistry analyses, gross organ weight changes, and histological analyses of the liver sections were evaluated and compared with the magnitude and extent of hepatic cytochrome P450 induction. All compounds were administrated via oral intubation once a day for the duration of the study using multiple doses, each proportionally based on body weight. During the course of these studies, serum clinical chemistry data and clinical observations were recorded. After necropsy, histopathology observations were made, and hepatic microsomes were assayed for cytochrome P450 content and associated drug-metabolizing enzymes. In some cases, cyanide-insensitive beta-oxidation of palmitoyl CoA was also assayed. Liver weight increases of 20% or greater were associated with histological evidence of hypertrophy, but neither the severity of hypertrophy nor the magnitude of liver weight increase correlated with the magnitude of drug-metabolizing enzyme elevations. Hypertrophy alone was not associated with serum enzyme increases. While there was a correlation between the incidence of increased liver weights and microsomal enzyme induction, the magnitudes of these increases were not related. Decreased serum triglycerides were often associated with elevated beta-oxidation attributed to hepatic peroxisome proliferation. It was concluded that, while slight ALT elevations occasionally were observed, hepatic microsomal enzyme induction was generally not accompanied by substantial morphological changes or elevated serum enzyme levels considered indicative of liver injury.
Optical coherence tomography indices of structural retinal pathology in schizophrenia.

Background Prior optical coherence tomography (OCT) studies of schizophrenia have identified thinning of retinal layers. However, findings have varied across reports, and most studies have had serious methodological limitations. To address unresolved issues, we determined whether: (1) retinal thinning in schizophrenia occurs independently of comorbid medical conditions that affect the retina; (2) thinning is independent of antipsychotic medication dose; (3) optic nerve parameters are abnormal in schizophrenia; and (4) OCT indices are related to visual and cognitive impairments common in schizophrenia. Methods A total of 32 people with schizophrenia and 32 matched controls participated. Spectral domain OCT generated data on retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL), macula, and ganglion cell-inner plexiform layer (GCL-IPL) thickness, in addition to cup volume and the cup-to-disc ratio at the optic nerve head. Subjects with schizophrenia also completed measures of symptoms, visual processing, and IQ. Results The groups did not differ on RNFL, macula, or GCL-IPL thickness. However, thinning of these layers was related to the presence of diabetes or hypertension across the sample as a whole. The schizophrenia group demonstrated enlarged cup volume and an enlarged cup-to-disc ratio in both eyes, which were unrelated to medical comorbidity, but were related to increased cognitive symptoms. Conclusions Past reports of retinal thinning may be artifacts of medical comorbidity that is over-represented in schizophrenia, or other confounds. However, optic nerve head abnormalities may hold promise as biomarkers of central nervous system abnormality, including cognitive decline, in schizophrenia.
Adjuncts to Common Bile Duct Exploration

Various adjuncts to common bile duct exploration exist, including biliary drains, stents, papillary balloon dilation, and sphincterotomy. These adjuncts will be reviewed in detail, with a discussion of techniques, outcomes, and potential complications. A proper understanding and utilization of these adjuncts will help increase the chance of success in difficult or unusual cases of choledocholithiasis.
Deconstructive fluorination of cyclic amines by carbon-carbon cleavage

Deconstructive functionalizations involving scission of carbon-carbon double bonds are well established. In contrast, unstrained C(sp3)–C(sp3) bond cleavage and functionalization have less precedent. Here we report the use of deconstructive fluorination to access mono- and difluorinated amine derivatives by C(sp3)–C(sp3) bond cleavage in saturated nitrogen heterocycles such as piperidines and pyrrolidines. Silver-mediated ring-opening fluorination using Selectfluor highlights a strategy for cyclic amine functionalization and late-stage skeletal diversification, establishing cyclic amines as synthons for amino alkyl radicals and providing synthetic routes to valuable building blocks.
Comparative genotyping of Campylobacter coli using multilocus sequence typing and pulsed field gel electrophoresis

A total of 100 Campylobacter coli isolates from swine reared in conventional and antimi- crobial free (ABF) farms were genotyped using multilocus sequence typing (MLST) and pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) to evaluate their discriminatory power, throughput and index of association to determine the genotypic similarity and clonal structure of the isolates. MLST had a higher discriminatory power of 0.936 than 0.889 for PFGE and higher throughput. Isolates were clustered into 26 groups by MLST compared to 11 by PFGE. Out of the 65 sequence types (ST) observed in the whole population, 50 STs here have reported for the first time. Majority of the STs were found specific to either the farm (n=38) or the slaughter (n=22). We observed ST-1413 associated only with isolates from the ABF system exhibiting the CIP ERY NAL TET resistance pattern. The high genetic diversity and the weak clonal structure of the C. coli population among swine as observed by using these two methods was further highlighted by the index of associa- tion (IA value) of 0.293.
The EU’s common foreign and security policy in Germany and the UK: co–operation, co–optation and competition

In writing The EU’s Common Foreign and Security Policy in Germany and the UK: Co-Operation, Co-Optation and Competition, Nicholas Wright accomplishes three purposes. The first two purposes, as stat...
HDCluster: An Accurate Clustering Using Brain-Inspired High-Dimensional Computing

Internet of things has increased the rate of data generation. Clustering is one of the most important tasks in this domain to find the latent correlation between data. However, performing today’s clustering tasks is often inefficient due to the data movement cost between cores and memory. We propose HDCluster, a brain-inspired unsupervised learning algorithm which clusters input data in a high-dimensional space by fully mapping and processing in memory. Instead of clustering input data in either fixed-point or floating-point representation, HDCluster maps data to vectors with dimension in thousands, called hypervectors, to cluster them. Our evaluation shows that HDCluster provides better clustering quality for the tasks that involve a large amount of data while providing a potential for accelerating in a memory-centric architecture.
Comparisons: Cycles and Empires in Agrarian Worlds

The back story to historical change is summed up by Bruce Campbell (2016: 22) as “climate, ecosystems, microbes, humans, biology, society.” One could also list them as climate, ecological factors, disease, demography, and secular economic change. Human-caused but longue duree matters such as soil erosion, deforestation, desertification, watercourse management, irrigation works, medical science, developing technology, and entrenched moral systems affect all these, nowhere more than in East Asia, where they came over time to be as much as part of the environment as mountains and rivers.
Use of Toxicity Tests with Fish in Water Pollution Control

The recent growth of interest in water pollution control programs has fostered the development of applied fish toxicology. One of the functions of applied fish toxicologists is to make the best possible decisions concerning the effects of pollution on fish based on existing data. A second function is to help make available the additional data most needed for the protection of important species of fish. A third function is to evaluate the usefulness of specific toxicity tests and ways of using them to fulfill needs that have been identified and to suggest improvements in existing tests or new tests that should be developed. The acute mortality test provides data that are useful in some situations, but the chronic test which studies effects of a toxic agent on survival, growth, and reproduction is probably the most useful toxicity test for estimating long-term safe concentrations. Other important adverse effects that should be studied include avoidance, flavor impairment, and the accumulation of toxic residues.
The addition of a lipid-rich dietary supplement eliminates seizure-like activity and paralysis in the drosophila bang sensitive mutants

Abstract Objective To investigate the effect that a diet supplemented with KetoCal 4:1, a commercially available dietary formula consisting of a 4:1 ratio of fats to carbohydrates plus proteins, had on the seizure-like activity (SLA) and paralysis normally exhibited by the Drosophila Bang-sensitive (BS) paralytic mutants following mechanical shock. Methods Given that dietary changes are known to reduce seizures in humans and animal models, three BS mutants, easily-shocked (eas), bang-senseless (parabss), and technical knockout (tko), were fed a standard cornmeal/yeast/sugar diet supplemented with 10% KetoCal 4:1 (KetoCal-sup diet). Newly eclosed BS flies were fed this diet for 3–7 days and the effect this had on SLA, paralysis, locomotor activity, triglyceride levels, and glucose levels was examined. Results All three genotypes displayed significant reductions in SLA and BS sensitivity following mechanical shock. After only 3 days on the diet, 95% of tko flies no longer exhibited SLA or paralysis, and near complete suppression of the BS phenotype was seen by day 7. In the case of eas, there was a 78% reduction of SLA after 3 days on the diet and SLA was completely suppressed by day 7. The parabss flies showed a similar but less robust reduction of SLA on the diet as there was only a 68% reduction of SLA and paralysis following 7 days on the diet. The diet did not suppress activity globally as tko flies had increased basal locomotor activity on the diet while the parabss and eas flies showed no significant change in basal activity. The KetoCal-sup diet did not significantly alter the triglyceride levels or the total glucose levels in the BS mutants. In addition, the SLA and BS suppression was maintained even when the BS mutants were transitioned back to a standard fly diet. Conclusions The SLA and paralysis associated with the Drosophila BS phenotype can be effectively suppressed by transient exposure to a KetoCal-sup diet. This suppression was not dependent upon long term maintenance of the diet and it was not associated with alterations in total glucose or triglyceride levels in these flies.
Pediatric Obesity: Endocrinologic and Genetic Etiologies and Management

The prevalence of pediatric obesity has increased significantly over the past couple of generations. While monogenic obesity, syndromic obesity, and endocrinopathies associated with obesity have been increasingly recognized, they do not account for the increase in prevalence. We describe these rare conditions and the dysregulation of neuropathways in obesity and review successes and failures in treatments in both syndromic and nonsyndromic obesity. The best-described form of syndromic obesity is Prader–Willi Syndrome (PWS). While recent pharmacotherapies (specifically beloranib) demonstrated improvements in weight in PWS, the unfortunate adverse effect of deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism necessitated the halting of its further development. Additional treatments are in development which target the signaling of ghrelin and other hypothalamic targets known to be dysregulated in PWS. For nonsyndromic obesity, lifestyle modifications remain the mainstay of treatment. However, recent large-scale interventions have had disappointing results. Bariatric surgery in children holds some promise, though complications and reoperations are common. Pharmacotherapies have been developed that treat rare monogenic forms of obesity, including MC4R agonists, which hold promise for these uncommon explanations for early childhood weight gain. There is evidence that methylation patterns in key genes in the neuroregulation of appetite are altered in individuals with obesity. Interestingly, this altered methylation is evident in sperm, which may have an impact on the heritability of gene expression across generations. Pediatric obesity is complex and multifactorial. Efforts in rare monogenic and syndromic obesity may give rise to potential treatment opportunities in circumstances where lifestyle interventions are unsuccessful.
Muscle loss contributes to higher morbidity and mortality in COPD: An analysis of national trends

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE COPD is the third most common cause of death worldwide and fourth most common in the United States. In hospitalized patients with COPD, mortality, morbidity and healthcare resource utilization are high. Skeletal muscle loss is frequent in patients with COPD. However, the impact of muscle loss on adverse outcomes has not been systematically evaluated. We tested the hypothesis that patients hospitalized for COPD exacerbation with, compared to those without, a secondary diagnosis of muscle loss phenotype (all ICD-9 codes associated with muscle loss including cachexia) will have higher mortality and cost of care. METHODS The NIS database of hospitalized patients in 2011 (1 January-31 December) in the United States was used. The impact of a muscle loss phenotype on in-hospital mortality, LOS and cost of care for each of the 174 808 hospitalizations for COPD exacerbations was analysed. RESULTS Of the subjects admitted for a COPD exacerbation, 12 977 (7.4%) had a secondary diagnosis of muscle loss phenotype. A diagnosis of muscle loss phenotype was associated with significantly higher in-hospital mortality (14.6% vs 5.7%, P < 0.001), LOS (13.3 + 17.1 vs 5.7 + 7.6, P < 0.001) and median hospital charge per patient ($13 947 vs $6610, P < 0.001). Multivariate regression analysis showed that muscle loss phenotype increased mortality by 111% (95% CI: 2.0-2.2, P < 0.001), LOS by 68.4% (P < 0.001) and the direct cost of care by 83.7% (P < 0.001) compared to those without muscle loss. CONCLUSION In-hospital mortality, LOS and healthcare costs are higher in patients with COPD exacerbations and a muscle loss phenotype.
The 1940 Tokyo Games: The Missing Olympics: Japan, the Asian Olympics and the Olympic Movement

By representing their experience of modernity as different from the West in their respective Olympic Games, Asian nations reveal much about the ambitions and anxieties of being an Asian host in the continuing western Olympic hegemony. This original work explores the encounter between ‘the East and the West’ by analyzing the deliberate self-presentational cultural diplomacy historically required of Asian Olympic hosts. Exploring the relationship between Modern Asia and the Olympic Games, it focuses on the forgotten history of the 1940 Tokyo Olympics to reveal the complex and fascinating encounter between Japan and the world in the 1930s. The book is the first full account of this encounter and draws substantially on Japanese sources hitherto unknown in the English-speaking world. It argues that this encounter sets the scene and the tone for later Asian involvement in the Olympic Movement. It includes chapters on: Imperial Commemoration and Diplomacy the Japanese Fascist Olympics the Event, Japanese Style the Spectre of 1940 in Later Asian Olympics. This work fills a gap in the literature, and provides an original addition to the history of Japanese culture, Asian cultures and the Olympic Movement. This book is a special issue of The International Journal of the History of Sport.
The impact of synthetic method on the catalytic application of intermetallic nanoparticles

Intermetallic alloy nanocrystals have emerged as a promising next generation of nanocatalyst, largely due to their promise of surface tunability. Atomic control of the geometric and electronic structure of the nanoparticle surface offers a precise command of the catalytic surface, with the potential for creating homogeneous active sites that extend over the entire nanoparticle. Realizing this promise, however, has been limited by synthetic difficulties, imparted by differences in parent metal crystal structure, reduction potential, and atomic size. Further, little attention has been paid to the impact of synthetic method on catalytic application. In this review, we seek to connect the two, organizing the current synthesis methods and catalytic scope of intermetallic nanoparticles and suggesting areas where more work is needed. Such analysis should help to guide future intermetallic nanoparticle development, with the ultimate goal of generating precisely controlled nanocatalysts tailored to catalysis.
The vulnerability of nursing home residents to the Covid-19 pandemic

Residents in nursing homes and other long-term care facilities comprise a large percentage of the deaths from Covid 19. Is this inevitable or are there problems with NHs and their care that increas...
Spin Exchange Rates in Proton-Hydrogen Collisions

The spin temperature of neutral hydrogen, which determines the optical depth and brightness of the 21 cm line, is determined by the competition between radiative and collisional processes. Here we examine the role of proton-hydrogen collisions in setting the spin temperature. We use recent fully quantum mechanical calculations of the relevant cross sections, which allow us to present accurate results over the entire physically relevant temperature range 1-10,000 K. For kinetic temperatures T_K>100 K, the proton-hydrogen rate coefficient exceeds that for hydrogen-hydrogen collisions by about a factor of two. However, at low temperatures (T_K < 5 K) H-p collisions become several thousand times more efficient than H-H and even more important than H-e^- collisions.
Conflicting Advice between Spiritual Leaders, Friends and Family, and Mental Health Providers: Impacts on Mental Health Treatment-Seeking Behaviors

This study aimed to examine the effects of advice from religious/spiritual leaders and friends/family of a religious/spiritual person with mental health struggles on treatment-seeking. A survey was administered to adult patients of a university-affiliated psychiatric clinic in the Midwest. Participants whose friends/family members' advice conflicted with their psychiatrist's advice were six times more likely to delay seeking mental health treatment (OR: 6.09, 95% CI: 1.37, 27.01). Conflict between religious/spiritual leader's advice and psychiatrist's advice had a significant effect on delay in seeking mental health treatment (OR: 11.73, 95% CI: 2.21, 62.14), with an average delay of just over two years.
Optimal Design and Operation of River Basin Storage under Hydroclimatic Uncertainty

AbstractAs populations and economies expand in regions with changing climates, demand for water can quickly grow beyond what natural supply can sustain. This paper proposes to mitigate shortages, s...
Bacteroidetocins Target the Essential Outer Membrane Protein BamA of Bacteroidales Symbionts and Pathogens.

Bacteroidetocins are a family of antibacterial peptide toxins that are produced by and target members of the phylum Bacteroidetes. To date, 19 bacteroidetocins have been identified, and four have been tested and shown to kill diverse Bacteroidales species (M. J. Coyne, N. Bechon, L. M. Matano, V. L. McEneany, et al., Nat Commun 10:3460, 2019, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-019-11494-1). Here, we identify the target and likely mechanism of action of the bacteroidetocins. We selected seven spontaneous mutants of four different genera, all resistant to bacteroidetocin A (Bd-A) and found that all contained mutations in a single gene, bamA. Construction of three of these bamA mutants in the wild-type (WT) strains confirmed they confer resistance to Bd-A as well as to other bacteroidetocins. We identified an aspartate residue of BamA at the beginning of exterior loop 3 (eL3) that, when altered, renders strains resistant to Bd-A. Analysis of a panel of diverse Bacteroidales strains showed a correlation between the presence of this aspartate residue and Bd-A sensitivity. Fluorescence microscopy and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis of Bd-A-treated cells showed cellular morphological changes consistent with a BamA defect. Transcriptomic analysis of Bd-A-treated cells revealed gene expression changes indicative of cell envelope stress. Studies in mice revealed that bacteroidetocin-resistant mutants are outcompeted by their WT strain in vivo. Analyses of longitudinal human gut isolates showed that bamA mutations leading to bacteroidetocin resistance do not become fixed in the human gut, even in bacteroidetocin-producing strains and nonproducing coresident strains. Together, these data lend further support to the applicability of the bacteroidetocins as therapeutic peptides in the treatment of maladies involving Bacteroidales species. IMPORTANCE The bacteroidetocins are a newly discovered class of bacteriocins specific to Bacteroidetes with a spectrum of targets extending from symbiotic gut Bacteroides, Parabacteroides, and Prevotella species to pathogenic oral and vaginal Prevotella species. We previously showed that one such bacteroidetocin, Bd-A, is active at nanomolar concentrations, is water soluble, and is bactericidal, all desirable features in a therapeutic antibacterial peptide. Here, we identify the target of several of the bacteroidetocins as the essential outer membrane protein BamA. Although mutations in bamA can be selected in bacteria grown in vitro, we show both in a mouse model and in human gut ecosystems that bamA mutants leading to Bd-A resistance are fitness attenuated and are not selected. These features further support the potential usefulness of the bacteroidetocins as therapeutics for maladies associated with pathogenic Prevotella species, such as recurrent bacterial vaginosis, for which there are few effective treatments.
The Utilization of Purines and Their Ribosyl Derivatives for the Formation of Adenosine Triphosphate and Guanosine Triphosphate in the Rabbit Reticulocyte

Abstract The rabbit reticulocyte is capable of utilizing purines and their ribosyl derivatives for nucleoside triphosphate formation. Adenine, adenosine, hypoxanthine, and inosine are used extensively for the synthesis of adenosine triphosphate. Xanthine, guanine, and guanosine are utilized primarily for the synthesis of guanosine triphosphate. The inhibitor 6-diazo-5-oxo-l-norleucine inhibits the utilization of xanthine for guanosine triphosphate formation in rabbit erythrocytes, but does not affect its utilization for the synthesis of adenosine triphosphate. Similarly, the inhibitor interferes with the utilization of xanthine for guanosine triphosphate formation in human erythrocytes, without affecting its utilization for the synthesis of inosine monophosphate.
Real-Time Integration of Geospatial Raster and Point Data Streams

Sensor and network technology advances are increasingly placing an immense amount of real-time geospatial data streams at the scientist's disposal. The effective integration and assimilation of such datasets, however, is still a challenging goal. In this paper, we describe a computational framework that simplifies the design, execution, and visualization of processing workflows involving the integration of satellite raster and ground point data streams. The framework is enabled for interoperability by adhering to open sensor data standards, and demonstrated with the evaluation of key environmental inputs needed for the estimation of reference evapotranspiration over California.
Weierstrass Pairs and Minimum Distance of Goppa Codes

We prove that elements of the Weierstrass gap set of a pair of points may be used to define a geometric Goppa code which has minimum distance greater than the usual lower bound. We determine the Weierstrass gap set of a pair of any two Weierstrass points on a Hermitian curve and use this to increase the lower bound on the minimum distance of particular codes defined using a linear combination of the two points.
Trends, Victims, and Injuries in Injurious Patient Assaults on Adult, Geriatric, and Child/Adolescent Psychiatric Units in US Hospitals, 2007–2013

While rates of other nurse-sensitive adverse outcomes have declined in recent years, little is known about trends in rates of assault by psychiatric inpatients. The primary purpose of this study was to examine recent trends in injurious assault rates against patients and staff on adult, geriatric, and child/adolescent psychiatric units, using data from a nationwide sample of hospitals. A secondary aim was to assess the frequency with which patients and various types of hospital staff were reported as the most severely injured victim. National Database of Nursing Quality Indicators® data from 2007 to 2013 were extracted. The sample comprised 345 hospitals (324 general, 5 pediatric, 16 psychiatric), 438 adult, 75 geriatric, and 105 child/adolescent units, each with assault rate data from at least three of the seven study years. All but four states in the United States were represented. Spearman's rank coefficients were used to test for time trends. In 16.3 million patient days, nearly three-quarters of the 14,877 injurious assaults by patients involved injury only to hospital staff, whereas one-fifth resulted in injury only to patients. A registered nurse was named most frequently as the most severely injured victim (32.1% of assaults), and nursing staff of all types accounted for 64.9% of the most severely injured. Assault rates did not change significantly over time. Unlike several other nursing-sensitive adverse outcomes that have been the focus of policymakers, assault rates have not declined in recent years and remain a problem in need of more focused attention.
Repeal the Safe Harbors

The "safe harbors" excuse derivatives from much of the normal operation of the Bankruptcy Code. This exception to the normal rules is justified by fears that involvement of derivatives in the bankruptcy process will increase systemic risk. But as I and others have argued, the safe harbors themselves are likely to increase systemic risk by encouraging a "run on the bank." As Congress considers a variety of responses to the financial crisis, I argue that it is time to repeal the safe harbors. I do not advocate pulling out sections of the Bankruptcy Code and leaving the Code otherwise the same. Derivative contracts are somewhat unique. The volatility, interconnectedness and sheer magnitude of the sums of money involved make financial firms unique. As part of the repeal that I suggest, the Code would have to adapt to these realities. But the safe harbors should be repealed.
The Life Expectancy of People with Intellectual Disabilities in Germany

Background This study presents age group-specific mortality rates and the average life expectancy of people with intellectual disabilities in Germany. Method For two samples from Westphalia-Lippe and Baden-Wuerttemberg, person-related data for the years 2007–2009 were analysed. Age group-specific mortality rates were estimated by exponential regression analyses. Results The average life expectancy of men with intellectual disabilities was 70.9 years in Westphalia-Lippe and 65.3 years in the Baden-Wuerttemberg sample. Women with intellectual disabilities reached a life expectancy of 72.8 years in the Westphalian sample and 69.9 years in Baden-Wuerttemberg. The mortality tables, the crude mortality rates and the standardized mortality rates according to the WHO standard population are reported. Conclusion Comparing the results with other international studies, the trend of increasing life expectancies of people with intellectual disabilities is confirmed. People with intellectual disabilities still have a lower average life expectancy than the general population, partly due to subgroups with low life expectancies.
FcR γ chain deletion results in pleiotrophic effector cell defects

The gamma subunit of immunoglobulin Fc receptors is an essential component of the high-affinity receptor for IgG (Fc gamma RIII) and is associated with the high-affinity receptor for IgG (Fc gamma RI) and the T cell receptor-CD3 complex. It is required for both receptor assembly and signal transduction. Targeted disruption of this subunit results in immunocompromised mice. Activated macrophages from gamma chain-deficient mice unexpectedly lack the ability to phagocytose antibody-coated particles, despite normal binding. Defects in NK cell-mediated antibody-dependent cytotoxicity and mast cell-mediated allergic responses are evident in these animals, establishing the indispensable role of FcRs in these responses. However, loss of gamma chain does not appear to perturb T cell development, since both thymic and peripheral T cell populations appear normal. These mice thus represent an important tool for evaluating the role of these receptors in humoral and cellular immune responses.
Enhanced treatment of livestock wastewater I. Solid-liquid separation—estimation of vibratory screen performances on swine wastewater☆

Abstract The vibrating screen separator is examined for solid-liquid separation of livestock wastewater. A general procedure for performance analysis and estimation of this type of sludge de-watering apparatus is developed using methods of dimensional analysis. The method is developed around separation experiments on swine wastewater.
Connexin 43-mediated modulation of polarized cell movement and the directional migration of cardiac neural crest cells

Connexin 43 knockout (Cx43α1KO) mice have conotruncal heart defects that are associated with a reduction in the abundance of cardiac neural crest cells (CNCs) targeted to the heart. In this study, we show CNCs can respond to changing fibronectin matrix density by adjusting their migratory behavior, with directionality increasing and speed decreasing with increasing fibronectin density. However, compared with wild-type CNCs, Cx43α1KO CNCs show reduced directionality and speed, while CNCs overexpressing Cx43α1 from the CMV43 transgenic mice show increased directionality and speed. Altered integrin signaling was indicated by changes in the distribution of vinculin containing focal contacts, and altered temporal response of Cx43α1KO and CMV43 CNCs to β1 integrin function blocking antibody treatment. High resolution motion analysis showed Cx43α1KO CNCs have increased cell protrusive activity accompanied by the loss of polarized cell movement. They exhibited an unusual polygonal arrangement of actin stress fibers that indicated a profound change in cytoskeletal organization. Semaphorin 3A, a chemorepellent known to inhibit integrin activation, was found to inhibit CNC motility, but in the Cx43α1KO and CMV43 CNCs, cell processes failed to retract with semaphorin 3A treatment. Immunohistochemical and biochemical analyses suggested close interactions between Cx43α1, vinculin and other actin-binding proteins. However, dye coupling analysis showed no correlation between gap junction communication level and fibronectin plating density. Overall, these findings indicate Cx43α1 may have a novel function in mediating crosstalk with cell signaling pathways that regulate polarized cell movement essential for the directional migration of CNCs.
SENSATION, INTENTIONALITY, AND ANIMAL CONSCIOUSNESS: MALEBRANCHE'S THEORY OF THE MIND

In general, seventeenth-century philosophers seem to have assumed that intentionality is an essential characteristic of our mental life. Malebranche is perhaps the only philosopher in the period who stands out clearly against the prevailing orthodoxy; he is committed to the thesis that there is a large class of mental items - sensations - which have no representational content. In this paper I argue that due attention to this fact makes it possible to mount at least a partial defence of his notorious doctrine of ‘the rainbow-coloured soul’; Malebranche's doctrine is a striking anticipation of modern adverbial theories of sensation. I then argue that failure to appreciate the non-intentional character of sensations for Malebranche vitiates one recent attempt to explain why he accepted the Cartesian doctrine of the beastmachine; in contrast to the Radners, I suggest that Malebranche has the philosophical resources to offer an interesting theory of animal consciousness, and that his failure to develop such a theory rests largely on his acceptance of certain theological arguments. The paper ends by speculating about how Malebranche's theological commitments may have encouraged him to adopt the philosophically important thesis that intentionality is not the mark of the mental.
NEUROSECRETORY CELL PROTEIN METABOLISM IN THE LAND SNAIL,OTALA LACTEA

—Protein synthesis in an identified molluscan neurosecretory cell of the land snail, Otala lactea was examined using three different types of polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Cells taken from active snails synthesized specific low molecular weight proteins while those from aestivated snails did not. Most of the newly synthesized low molecular weight proteins in the active snails were lost from the cell body when the preparations was chased for 19 h in label-free enriched medium in the presence of anisomycin, an inhibitor of protein synthesis. If colchicine, a blocker of axonal transport, was included in the chase medium, the proteins present following a pulse were largely replaced by smaller molecular weight species. The results suggest that specific low molecular weight proteins are converted to smaller species and then transported from the cell body.
Mitochondrial Redox Dysfunction and Environmental Exposures.

Abstract Significance: Mitochondria are structurally and biochemically diverse, even within a single type of cell. Protein complexes localized to the inner mitochondrial membrane synthesize ATP by coupling electron transport and oxidative phosphorylation. The organelles produce reactive oxygen species (ROS) from mitochondrial oxygen and ROS can, in turn, alter the function and expression of proteins used for aerobic respiration by post-translational and transcriptional regulation. Recent Advances: New interest is emerging not only into the roles of mitochondria in disease development and progression but also as a target for environmental toxicants. Critical Issues: Dysregulation of respiration has been linked to cell death and is a major contributor to acute neuronal trauma, peripheral diseases, as well as chronic neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease. Future Directions: Here, we discuss the mechanisms underlying the sensitivity of the mitochondrial respiratory co...
Role of Enzyme Induction in Embryonic Development

Measurement of tryptophan pyrrolase activity in embryos of Rana pipiens did not reveal significant amounts of constitutive enzyme. All attempts to induce enzyme formation in embryos by culture in tryptophan solution or in ovarian eggs by injection of tryptophan into the mature female were negative.
An Agent Based Framework to Automatically Generate 3D CAD Models of Customer Specified Products

To survive in today’s volatile market, companies are striving to deliver greater quality, more customization, faster response, more innovative designs and lower prices. The new shift in the current market has introduced the concept of mass customization. One of the aspects of mass customization is to provide customers with products that are manufactured to their needs and requirements. To provide such a support requires better integration of customer with different stages of design and manufacturing. Expansion of the Internet provides an opportunity for such an integration, which will need to link design and manufacturing of the company with the customer. In current approaches, customer usually specifies the options and gets the price or simple pictures of the object. In this paper a system is presented, where customer options and size parameters are gathered using the Internet and is used to automatically generate 3D CAD model of the product and then display the 3D model to the customer for feedback. Development of a framework to generate 3D models from user input will require maintaining explicit correspondence among various types of product information from a module perspective. The Internet based system presented in this paper uses templates to automatically generate 3D CAD models of components, assemble them into products and then export VRML files that are displayed to the customer.Copyright © 2003 by ASME
Switched-capacitor circuits bilinearly equivalent to floating inductor or f.d.n.r.

A design technique is given for finding switched-capacitor equivalents of a lossless floating inductor or a floating ideal f.d.n.r. It is based on the bilinear s-to-z transformation. The resulting circuit needs only one operational amplifier with grounded input and output ports and five capacitors.
Ang Lee's America, in living colour

AbstractTo examine the question of whether there is any distinctively ‘Chinese’ cinematic colour palette (so often stereotyped as non-naturalistic and arbitrary, sometimes with very limited saturation, at other times exotically bold), this article examines Ang Lee's use of colour in his so-called ‘American trilogy’ of films: The Ice Storm (1997), Ride with the Devil (1999) and Brokeback Mountain (2005). The conclusion drawn here is that no meaningful generalizations based on national origins can be drawn about either these films or Ang's Taiwan-based films, but that a detailed examination of his use of colour, film by film and scene by scene, is a rewarding exercise that reveals his careful attention to the role of colour, contributing specifically to the artistic quality of his work.
Exchange times in the Pacific Equatorial Current system

Abstract Tritium data from the GEOSECS eastern and western track stations sampled in the thermocline of the North Equatorial Counter Current (NECC) showed high values, which are indicative of the contribution of the North Equatorial Current (NEC) to the equatorial region. A tritium front at 6°N is evidence of the penetration of northern latitude water into the NECC. The results of a two-☐ model show no net flux between NEC and NECC and a lower bound estimate of five years for an exchange time scale between the NEC and NECC in the thermocline; this is consistent with a horizontal diffusivity of 5 × 10 7 cm 2 /s.
Pharmacodynamic aspects of peptide administration biological response modifiers

Cytokines, growth factors and other recombinant proteins have been one of the most rapidly growing areas of pharmaceuticals. Further, the development of these bio-engineered drugs is occurring at an astonishing pace with rapid preclinical and clinical development and licensing by regulatory agencies. In addition, the availability of the gene sequences and rational drug design technologies have resulted in a rapid development of engineered genes, proteins and peptidomimetics. In contrast to traditional pharmacophores, which are developed based on the identification of the maximum tolerated dose (MTD), most recombinant proteins have abnormal biodistributions, and pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic attributes. Within this chapter, representative cytokines including interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha), IFN-gamma and interleukin-2 are used to discuss the pharmacodynamic aspects of protein/peptide administration that are important in the development of these drugs. This includes the conceptual need for chronic immunoaugmentation for optimal therapeutic activity; the need to consider the pharmacokinetics of administration to optimize drug delivery and the nonlinear dose response relationship, which can result in a bell shaped dose response. Furthermore, these therapeutics have maximal potential in an adjuvant protocol and their development in combination with high-dose chemotherapy and stem cell rescue is discussed. The strategies for combination chemotherapy and immunotherapy, while holding great promise, require close attention to the pharmacodynamics of protein administration in order to impact on failure free and overall survival.
THE IDENTIFIABILITY OF THE MIXED PROPORTIONAL HAZARDS MODEL WITH TIME-VARYING COEFFICIENTS

This paper establishes conditions for the nonparametric identifiability of the mixed proportional hazards model with time-varying coefficients. Unlike the mixed proportional hazards model, a regressor with two distinct values is not sufficient to identify this model. An unbounded regressor, however, is sufficient for identification.