cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Beneficial Bacteria Identified for the Control of Botrytis cinerea in Petunia Greenhouse Production

Botrytis cinerea infects most major greenhouse crops worldwide. With its increasing resistance to conventional fungicides and the movement of the greenhouse industry toward more sustainable production practices, alternative methods of control are needed. The objective of this study was to evaluate a collection of 60 bacterial strains through both a dual-culture assay and greenhouse trials to identify strains with biocontrol activity against B. cinerea. For the dual-culture assay, each bacterial strain was streaked on potato dextrose agar medium with B. cinerea. The B. cinerea growth reduction and the zone of inhibition were measured. Thirty-five strains reduced the growth of B. cinerea. All strains were also tested in an initial greenhouse trial in which Petunia × hybrida 'Carpet Red Bright' was sprayed and drenched with the bacteria biweekly for 6 weeks. All open flowers were tagged, and plants were inoculated with B. cinerea (1 × 104 conidia per 1 ml). Disease severity indices calculated from the daily flower gray mold severity ratings of all tagged flowers were used to identify the seven top-performing strains. These seven strains were then evaluated in a greenhouse validation trial. The methods were similar to those of the initial greenhouse trials except that replicate numbers were increased. Three strains (Pseudomonas protegens AP54, Pseudomonas chlororaphis 14B11, and Pseudomonas fluorescens 89F1) were selected for the ability to reduce B. cinerea infection in a greenhouse production setting. These strains can be used in future studies to develop additional biocontrol products for the management of B. cinerea in floriculture crops.
Continuous Exposure to Low Doses of Ultrafine Black Carbon Reduces the Vitality of Immortalized Lung-Derived Cells and Activates Senescence.

Combustion-derived nanomaterials are noxious ultrafine (<100 nm) aerosol by-products of human activity. They pose threats to pulmonary health due to their small size, allowing them to penetrate alveoli causing detrimental responses downstream. Information regarding the cellular activity that connects nanocarbon particle exposure to poor pulmonary health remains lacking. We hypothesized that low-dose and long-term administrations of carbonaceous nanoparticles contribute to lung irritation by adversely affecting respiratory cells that function as the first line of defense. Responses to ultrafine black carbon (UBC), a key component of airborne pollutants, by human lung A549, murine lung LA4 epithelial cells, human peripheral-blood monocytes THP1, and murine macrophages RAW264.7 were investigated. The cells were first plated on day zero and were fed fresh UBC suspended in culture media on days one, four, and seven. The exposure regimen included three different concentrations of UBC. On day ten, all cells were harvested, washed, and assayed. The impact on cellular viability revealed that UBC was only moderately cytotoxic, while metabolic activity was significantly diminished in a dose-dependent manner. Additionally, beta-galactosidase proportionally increased with UBC concentration compared to untreated cells, indicating that cellular senescence was promoted across all cell types. The implemented regimen caused minimal toxicity yet demonstrated different cellular modifications across the cell lines of both species, inducing changes to enzyme vitality and cellular fitness. The data suggested that compounding nanosized black carbon exposure could negatively impair overall pulmonary health by distinctively modifying intracellular behavior.
Extending the life of the Cosmic Origins Spectrograph (COS) with new lifetime positions

Since its installation on the Hubble Space Telescope in 2009, the Cosmic Origins Spectrograph (COS) has obtained thousands of spectra in the ultraviolet. Most of these observations have used the far ultraviolet (FUV) channel. The microchannel plates in the FUV detector are subject to gain sag, resulting in a loss of sensitivity as a function of time, so the spectra are regularly repositioned to mitigate this effect. The original operations concept allowed space for spectra to be placed at five separate Lifetime Positions (LPs) on the detector, and the last of these will become operational in October 2021. Recent investigations into extending the operations of COS beyond 2025 have led to the realization that the instrument is capable of supporting additional LPs if operational changes are adopted. As a result, we have begun planning for taking data at LP6, which will use an area on the detector originally thought to be unavailable, beginning in 2022. Exploratory work for this effort began in late 2020, and additional characterization and calibration will continue over the next year. Here we discuss our plans for operating COS at LP6 and beyond.
The Upstream Pass-Through Rate, Bargaining Power and the Magnitude of the Raising Rivals’ Costs (RRC) Effect

The raising rivals’ costs theory predicts that a vertical merger will create an incentive for the vertically integrated firm to increase input prices to downstream rivals. A simple formula exists to estimate the magnitude of this input price increase. This formula has played a central role in the regulatory evaluation of a number of important recent vertical mergers and is likely to continue to play an important role in the regulatory evaluation of future vertical mergers. The formula requires an estimate of the upstream pass-through rate. Calculation of the upstream pass-through rate is complicated by the fact that prices in many upstream markets are determined by bilateral negotiations, where bargaining power is split between both sides of the market. Thus the manner in which the division of bargaining power affects the upstream pass-through rate must be taken into account. This paper shows that the existing formula for estimating the upstream pass-through rate has some deficiencies and suggests two new formulas for estimating it—depending on the timing of the upstream and downstream pricing decisions.
Evolutionary trajectory and origin of SARS-CoV-2

Traditionally alignment-based phylogenetics faces challenges to uncover the evolutionary trajectory of SARS-CoV-2. This study develops a novel alignment-free system and reveals the evolutionary trajectory of SARS-CoV-2 from more than one million of genome sequences. This new system contains Fr\'echet distance(Fr) and artificial recurrent neural network. Fr computes the dissimilarity between variant and reference genome, which is decomposed into 84 features (4 single nucleotides, 16 dinucleotides and 64 codons). Recurrent neural network predicts and forecasts time-series Fr trajectory, inferring SARS-CoV-2 evolutionary trajectory and origin. Generally SARS-CoV-2 genome mutates rapidly via deletion during COVID-19 pandemic. Among single nucleotides, C mutates fast but T changes slowly. C-prefix dinucleotide (e.g. CG and CT) also loses dramatically during evolution. Similarly, the virus genome also deletes several codons prefixed by C (e.g. CCT) but gains several T and A prefix codons (e.g. TTA and ATT) during its evolution. Interestingly, codon CCT and CT centrally control the entire SARS-CoV-2 genome, and their evolutionary trajectories fit COVID-19 cases spike. Therefore C-prefix feature trajectory marks SARS-CoV-2 evolution. This study further identifies total 34 SARS-Co-2 variants, which can be classified into 3 groups, slight mutation group, middle level deletion, and high deletion. The slight deletion group and the high deletion group have low infection capacity. The middle deletion group gradually deletes their genome with a certain rhythm trajectory, corresponding to the pandemic peaks, which causes most of the global COVID-19 cases. Mink is the origin of SARS-Co-2, and the origin path follows this order: mink, cat, tiger, mouse, bat and pangolin. Together, this mink-origin SARS-Co-2 evolves with C-driven rhythm deletions to infect humans.
A generalized normal scores test that increases the power of a test of significance for a coefficient in a linear model

A generalization of the normal scores two-sample test is proposed. The empirical significance level of this test closely approximates the nominal level of significance and it is often more powerful...
Liberalización Económica y Multilatinas

Las multinacionales de Latinoamerica, o Multilatinas, recientemente han aparecido en la escena de las grandes empresas multinacionales del mundo. En este ensayo se describe este fenomeno y se conjetura que la aparicion de las Multilatinas es una consecuencia del proceso de liberalizacion economica de los anos ochenta y noventa. La reduccion de la proteccion que las empresas latinoamericanas tenian durante el periodo de substitucion de importaciones y el aumento de la competencia extranjera que acompano la liberalizacion economica ha forzado a las empresas latinoamericanas a mejorar sus niveles de competitividad. Esta mejora les ha permitido sobrepasar las dificultades de la internacionalizacion y convertirse en Multilatinas.
Transmissible spongiform encephalopathies, amyloidoses and yeast prions: common threads?

Mammalian transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (prion) and amyloid diseases seem to involve the self-propagation of abnormal fibrillar or sub-fibrillar protein aggregates. Similar processes explain protein-mediated inheritance by yeast prions. Indeed, yeast prions are more surely mediated solely by aberrant protein aggregates than are their mammalian namesakes. Tantalizing parallels make yeast prions attractive models of mammalian protein-folding diseases.
Influence of thermomechanical treatment and environmental history on creep, swelling and embrittlement of AISI 316 at 400/degree/C and 130 DPA

A comprehensive creep experiment on AISI 316 stainless steel involving irradiation at /approximately/400/degree/C to 130 dpa has been completed. The influence of material and environmental variables on creep and swelling of this steel at /approximately/400/degree/C is shown to have many similarities with the behavior exhibited in an earlier experiment conducted at /approximately/550/degree/C, but significant differences are also apparent. These arise because the 400/degree/C experiment was clearly conducted in a regime dominated by the kinetics of point defect recombination whereas the 550/degree/C experiment was conducted in the sink-dominated regime. At 400/degree/C it is also found that a severe embrittlement arises concurrent with /approximately/10% swelling, requiring careful handling of test specimens and structural assemblies at room temperature. 19 refs., 19 figs.
On the clustering of climate models in ensemble seasonal forecasting

[1] Multi-model ensemble seasonal forecasting system has expanded in recent years, with a dozen coupled climate models around the world being used to produce hindcasts or real-time forecasts. However, many models are sharing similar atmospheric or oceanic components which may result in similar forecasts. This raises questions of whether the ensemble is over-confident if we treat each model equally, or whether we can obtain an effective subset of models that can retain predictability and skill as well. In this study, we use a hierarchical clustering method based on inverse trigonometric cosine function of the anomaly correlation of pairwise model hindcasts to measure the similarities among twelve American and European seasonal forecast models. Though similarities are found between models sharing the same atmospheric component, different versions of models from the same center sometimes produce quite different temperature forecasts, which indicate that detailed physics packages such as radiation and land surface schemes need to be analyzed in interpreting the clustering result. Uncertainties in clustering for different forecast lead times also make reducing redundant models more complicated. Predictability analysis shows that multi-model ensemble is not necessarily better than a single model, while the cluster ensemble shows consistent improvement against individual models. The eight model-based cluster ensemble forecast shows comparable performance to the total twelve model ensemble in terms of probabilistic forecast skill for accuracy and discrimination. This study also manifests that models developed in U.S. and Europe are more independent from each other, suggesting the necessity of international collaboration in enhancing multi-model ensemble seasonal forecasting.
Expanding the teaching styles used in computer science education

By expanding the teaching styles used in computer science classrooms, we can expand the audience of students that enjoy and excel in technology. Rather than focusing on major curriculum changes or new programs specifically for non-traditional students, we propose that relatively simple expansions in teaching style can have significant results. In particular, we advocate incorporating teaching techniques reminiscent of kindergarten: games, toys, stories, and play. These techniques promote an active learning environment, level the playing field for non-technical students, provide motivation beyond grades, and make class time fun. By presenting these activities, we want to acknowledge the work of others, provide a coherent categorization of such activities, and encourage their use throughout the curriculum rather than as infrequent special experiences. We have been successful previously presenting this material interactively, demonstrating activities rather than simply talking about them and leaving time at the end for others to share their own techniques.
High-order neural networks and kernel methods for peptide-MHC binding prediction.

Motivation Effective computational methods for peptide-protein binding prediction can greatly help clinical peptide vaccine search and design. However, previous computational methods fail to capture key nonlinear high-order dependencies between different amino acid positions. As a result, they often produce low-quality rankings of strong binding peptides. To solve this problem, we propose nonlinear high-order machine learning methods including high-order neural networks (HONNs) with possible deep extensions and high-order kernel support vector machines to predict major histocompatibility complex-peptide binding. Results The proposed high-order methods improve quality of binding predictions over other prediction methods. With the proposed methods, a significant gain of up to 25-40% is observed on the benchmark and reference peptide datasets and tasks. In addition, for the first time, our experiments show that pre-training with high-order semi-restricted Boltzmann machines significantly improves the performance of feed-forward HONNs. Moreover, our experiments show that the proposed shallow HONN outperform the popular pre-trained deep neural network on most tasks, which demonstrates the effectiveness of modelling high-order feature interactions for predicting major histocompatibility complex-peptide binding. Availability and implementation There is no associated distributable software. Contact renqiang@nec-labs.com or mark.gerstein@yale.edu Supplementary information Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
A factor graph model for software bug finding

Automatic tools for finding software errors require knowledge of the rules a program must obey, or "specifications," before they can identify bugs. We present a method that combines factor graphs and static program analysis to automatically infer specifications directly from programs. We illustrate the approach on inferring functions in C programs that allocate and release resources, and evaluate the approach on three codebases: SDL, OpenSSH, and the OS kernel for Mac OS X (XNU). The inferred specifications are highly accurate and with them we have discovered numerous bugs.
Private Ordering and Family Law

Until recently in American family law (and the family law of most countries), private arrangements to alter the legal rules surrounding family status were rarely enforced. There was, of course, “private ordering” of a basic sort: e.g., one chose whether to marry or not, and whom to marry, but once one married, the legally enforceable rules of marriage, the ability to exit through divorce or annulment, the financial obligations upon divorce, and so on, were all set by the state, which might also limit the power of the parties to distribute their own property upon death, as with a spouse’s “statutory share.” Similarly with parenthood: one could choose whether to have (and whether to adopt) children, but once one was a parent, one’s obligations and rights were set by the state, which would also determine the limited circumstances and set terms under which one could surrender parental rights to a child. Much has changed in recent decades, with American states increasingly allowing different types of private ordering in a range of different family law areas. One can speak of premarital agreements, marital agreements, separation agreements, open adoption agreements, co-parenting agreements, agreements on the disposition of frozen embryos, and agreements to arbitrate disputes arising out of any of the above agreements.This article offers an overview of the changes and limits to private ordering in American family law, while considering the extent to which these changes have been a positive development.
The Georges' Wilson Reexamined: An Essay on Psychobiography*†

Psychobiography interprets a life-course in terms of a consciously thought-out interpretation of the subject's personality. There are criteria for judging the relative merit of differing lines of interpretation. The Georges' Woodrow Wilson and Colonel House, rightly recognized as a psychobiographical classic, proceeds from Harold Lasswell's formula for “political man” as one who seeks power to overcome a low self-estimate. The formula is in some respects questionable. The Georges' generally effective application of it falls short of full success. An alternative interpretation, based on the view that Wilson's life exemplified the neurotic search for glory as described by Karen Horney, is explored. The two different lines of interpretation are compared with respect to what Alexander George has called the “self-defeating pattern” in Wilson's career as a leader.
HOW TO ENDURE

The terms ‘endurance’ and ‘perdurance’ are commonly thought to denote distinct ways for an object to persist, but it is surprisingly hard to say what these are. The common approach, defining them in terms of temporal parts, is mistaken, because it does not lead to two coherent philosophical alternatives: endurance so understood becomes conceptually incoherent, while perdurance becomes not just true but a conceptual truth. Instead, we propose a different way to articulate the distinction, in terms of identity rather than temporal parts: an object endures if its identity is determined at every moment at which it exists. We make precise what it means for the identity of an object to be determined at a moment. We also discuss what role the endurance/perdurance distinction, so understood, should play in the debates about time, material objects and personal identity.
Hepatic injury during ketoconazole therapy in patients with onychomycosis: A controlled cohort study

To evaluate the incidence, severity, and course of ketoconazole-associated hepatic injury, 211 patients with onychomycosis were randomized by a ratio of 2:1 to receive either ketoconazole (137 patients) or griseofulvin (74 patients). All of them were seronegative for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and anti-hepatitis C virus (HCV) and had no biochemical abnormality before therapy. The two groups were comparable in age, sex, and pretherapy liver biochemical tests. Liver biochemical tests were followed up biweekly for 3 months, and then at monthly intervals during the remaining course of therapy. No biochemical abnormality or hepatic injury was found in patients during griseofulvin treatment. Of the patients treated with ketoconazole, 24 (17.5%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 11.1% to 23.9%) showed asymptomatic transaminase elevation. Ketoconazole was discontinued immediately after overt hepatitis developed in another 4 patients (2.9%; 95% CI, 0.1% to 5.7%) who did not succumb to hepatic decompensation. The abnormal biochemical changes in patients with overt hepatitis returned to normal after discontinuing ketoconazole. Elderly patients were more prone to develop overt hepatitis. In patients with asymptomatic liver injury, the abnormal biochemical changes gradually returned to normal despite continuing ketoconazole therapy. The results of this cohort study suggest that ketoconazole-induced overt hepatitis is more common than previously believed and that transient subclinical injury is much more common than overt hepatitis. Therapy with ketoconazole may be continued with caution in the absence of symptoms and/or hyperbilirubinemia, but should be discontinued if overt hepatitis occurs.
The adhesive scarf joint in pure bending

Abstract The stress distribution in a scarf joint subjected to pure bending, and with arbitrary angle of scarf, is analyzed as a two dimensional elasticity problem in plane stress. Both the adherend and the adhesive are assumed to be elastic and isotropic. The two adherends may have differing moduli of elasticity. Numerical results are given.
Heterotrimeric G-protein Gq/11 Localized on Pancreatic Zymogen Granules Is Involved in Calcium-regulated Amylase Secretion

The heterotrimeric G-protein Gq/11 was identified on pancreatic acinar zymogen granules and its function in calcium-regulated exocytosis was examined. Western blotting showed alphaq/11, but not alphas or alphao, to be localized to the zymogen granule membrane along with G-protein beta-subunit; all three alpha subunits were present in a plasma membrane fraction and the alphaq/11 signal was 30-fold more enriched in the plasma membrane as compared with granule membrane. Neither CCK receptors nor alpha subunits of the sodium pump, both plasma membrane markers were present on granule membranes. Immunohistochemistry of pancreatic lobules showed that alphaq/11 localized to the zymogen granule-rich apical region of acinar cells together with a much stronger signal at the basolateral plasma membrane. When the substance-P-related peptide GPAnt-2a, an antagonist of Gq/11, was introduced into streptolysin-O permeabilized acini to bypass the plasma membrane, the amylase release induced by 10 microM free calcium was potentiated in a concentration-dependent manner. By contrast, another substance-P-related peptide, GPAnt-1, an antagonist of Go and Gi, showed no effect on calcium-induced amylase release from permeabilized acini. GPAnt-2a peptide also exerted an inhibitory effect on the total GTPase activity of the purified zymogen granules and a larger inhibitory effect on the GTPase activity of the Gq/11 protein immunopurified from zymogen granules. GPAnt-1, however, did not inhibit GTPase activity of either zymogen granules or immunopurified Gq/11. These results suggest that GPAnt-2a peptide augmented calcium-induced amylase release from permeabilized acini by inhibiting GTPase activity of the Gq/11 protein on zymogen granules. We conclude that Gq/11 protein on zymogen granules plays a tonic inhibitory role in calcium-regulated amylase secretion from pancreatic acini.
Investigating a Reaction of N-Methyltriazolinedione

This undergraduate laboratory experiment challenges students to use their combined knowledge of organic reaction mechanisms and spectroscopic analysis to determine the product of a reaction that has several possible outcomes. The result is that students gain the “real-life” experience, commonly encountered by most research chemists, of characterizing and identifying an unknown organic substance.
Molecular cloning of mouse acid β-galactosidase cDNA: Sequence, expression of catalytic activity and comparison with the human enzyme*

Abstract A full-length cDNA coding for mouse lysosomal acid β-galatosidase has been isolated on the basis of homology with the human gene. Catalytic activity toward 4-methylumbelliferyl β-D-galactoside in the COS-1 cell expression system provided positive proof for its authenticity. The sequence analysis showed that the degree of similarity between the human and mouse enzymes was approximately 70% in the nucleotide sequence and nearly 80% in the amino acid sequence. The deduced primary amino acid sequences of the enzymes from the two species indicated that, of the seven possible N-glycosylation sites in the human enzyme, five are conserved in the mouse enzyme. Three additional possible N-glycosylation sites, not present in the human enzyme, are found in the primary amino acid sequence of the mouse enzyme. All seven cysteine residues in the mouse enzyme are conserved in the human enzyme. Although the nucleotide sequence could be aligned to 60% identity with the E. coli β-galactosidase, similarity in the amino acid sequence was minimal.
Lymphoepithelial cysts of the pancreas: endosonography-guided fine needle aspiration.

Lymphoepithelial cyst (LEC) of the pancreas is a rare lesion. Here, we report three cases that we encountered during 2007 in our institution, which were evaluated by endosonography (EUS) and fine needle aspiration (FNA). All three patients were male with ages ranging from 47 to 77 years. Each patient had a single, cystic mass of the body/tail of the pancreas that was found incidentally on CT scan. The size of the masses ranged from 3 to 6.5 cm radiologically. For each patient, EUS showed a well-circumscribed, lobulated mass with smooth contours; the remainder of the pancreas appeared normal without ductal dilation. FNA of all three masses demonstrated predominantly anucleated squamous cells, amorphous keratinous debris, and lymphocytes. Cholesterol crystals were present in one case. One patient underwent surgical resection and the diagnosis of LEC was confirmed histologically. In conclusion, pancreatic LECs are extremely rare, benign cystic lesions. FNA study may help to render a correct diagnosis and reduce unnecessary surgery. Diagn. Cytopathol. 2008;36:662–665. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
The use of white cells as a source of diagnostic material for lipid storage diseases.

Abstract Assay of glucocerebrosidase, sphingomyelinase and arylsulfatase A in leucocytes has been diagnostically correlated with Gaucher's disease, Niemann-Pick disease and metachromatic leucodystrophy, respectively.
Comparative Effectiveness of Therapies for Graves' Hyperthyroidism: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis

Context: Several treatment options are available for Graves' disease (GD), including antithyroid drugs (ATDs), radioactive iodine (RAI), and thyroidectomy. Objective: The primary outcome was to determine the relapse rates of various treatment options. The secondary outcome was to present data regarding adverse effects of ATDs. Data Sources: We searched multiple databases through March 2012. Study Selection: Eligible studies were randomized clinical trials and comparative cohort studies in adults that included 2 or more treatment options for GD. Data Extraction: Two reviewers independently selected studies, appraised study quality, extracted outcome data, and determined adverse effect profiles. Data Synthesis: We found 8 studies with 1402 patients from 5 continents. Mean follow-up duration in months was: ATDs, 57; RAI, 64; and surgery, 59. Studies were at moderate to high risk of bias. Network meta-analysis suggested higher relapse rates with ATDs (52.7%; 352 of 667) than RAI (15%, 46 of 304) (odds ratio =...
Immunohistochemical evidence for coexistence of methionine-enkephalin and tyrosine hydroxylase in neurons of the locus coeruleus complex projecting to the spinal cord of the cat

Abstract Previous studies have revealed the presence of pontospinal neurons with either methionine-enkephalin-or tyrosine hydroxylase-like immunoreactivity in the dorsolateral pontine tegmentum of the cat. Using a combined fast blue retrograde transport technique and simultaneous immunofluorescence histochemistry, the present study was designed to reveal the coexistence of enkephalin and tyrosine hydroxylase in cat coerulospinal neurons and to determine if and to what extent the coerulospinal pathway is heterogeneous. Fast blue-labelled neurons with tyrosine hydroxylase- and enkephalin-like immunoreactivities were found in the nucleus locus coeruleus, nucleus subcoeruleus, Kolliker-Fuse nucleus, and the medial and lateral parabrachial nuclei. Approximately 87% of tyrosine hydroxylase-like immunoreactive neurons had enkephalin-like immunoreactivity, whereas about 76% of the enkephalin-like immunoreactive neurons had tyrosine hydroxylase-like immunoreactivity. About 71% of all coerulospinal neurons exhibited both tyrosine hydroxylase- and enkephalin-like immunoreactivities. These findings indicate that coerulospinal activity may lead to spinal cord effects reflecting both norepinephrine and enkephalin activity in most cases but do not rule out each transmitter's isolated functions.
On Aleksandrov-Fenchel Inequalities for k-Convex Domains

In this lecture notes, we will discuss the classical Aleksandrov-Fenchel inequalities for quermassintegrals on convex domains and pose the problem of how to extend the inequalities to non-convex domains. We will survey some recent progress on the problem, then report some of our joint work [9] in which we generalize the k-th stage of the inequalities to a class of (k + 1)-convex domains. Our proof, following the earlier work of Castillion [8] for k = 1 case of the inequalities, uses the method of optimal transport.
The architecture of replica: A special-purpose computer system for active multi-sensory perception of 3-dimentional objects

REPLICA is a special-purpose computer architecture to support active multi-sensory perception of 3-D objects. The system is partitionable, reconfigurable, and highly parallel. In this paper, we present the design of a set of interconnection networks which form the core of the REPLICA architecture. This set of interconnection networks consists of a capability-enhanced cross-bar switch and multiple fast shift-register rings. The capability-enhanced cross-bar switch supports rapid set-up of partitions, point-to-point communication and broadcasting communication between the controller and processors in a partition. The multiple rings support high bandwidth communications among the processors and also provide the partitionability and reconfigurability required by the system. The cost of these interconnection networks can also be kept low. The communication delay in the ring network is analyzed by deriving an upper bound on the maximum communication delay in a partition. A set of performance attributes for evaluating the performance of reconfigurable, partitionable, and highly parallel computer systems is proposed. Based on this set of attributes, the design of the REPLICA architecture is evaluated and compared with the other reconfigurable, partitionable, and highly parallel computer architectures in the literature.
Water distribution systems as living ecosystems: Impact on taste and odor

Six waters from different U.S. cities with known diverse taste and odor (TO) evaluations were selected for additional microbial characterization. All waters were subjected to microbial and cultural analyses, and four of the waters were further analyzed by cloning and sequencing of community 16S rRNA. The purpose of the study was to evaluate water distribution systems as living ecosystems, and the impact of these ecosystems on TO. All waters had total bacterial counts of at least 10(3) per ml. The water with lowest TO ranking had 10(6) total counts per ml. Community DNA sequence analysis identified diverse bacterial communities representing five different phyla and over forty genera. Included in this diversity were heterotrophic and autotrophic species that were both aerobic or anaerobic. Additionally, waters with the lowest TO evaluations contained significant sulfide concentrations, as well as bacteria associated with both the oxidation and reduction of inorganic sulfur compounds. Low redox conditions could have resulted in the reduced sulfur compounds and concomitant TO related problems, and an increase in redox could help alleviate these problems. Overall, data show that water distribution systems contain living ecosystems that evolve based on specific environments within particular distribution systems that impact water TO.
Understanding the Balance between Ionic and Dispersion Interactions in Aqueous Micellar Media

We have studied the interaction of selected rhodamine alkyl esters with cationic, anionic, and neutral micelles to elucidate the balance between ionic and dispersion forces operative in these systems using steady-state and time-resolved optical spectroscopies. The strongest intermolecular interactions with the cationic probes are seen in anionic SDS micelles, where ionic and dispersion interactions are expected to both operate as attractive forces. Weaker interactions are seen between the probes and cationic CTAB micelles, owing to the repulsive ionic interactions counteracting dispersion interactions. Interactions of the probes with the neutral Thesit micelle are intermediate between results for SDS and CTAB, and we observe the general trend that as the rhodamine aliphatic ester chain is lengthened, the interaction of the chromophore with the micelle is stabilized to a greater extent.
Mechanisms of formation of nanostructures with atomic force microscopy

The scanning probe microscopy-based (SPM) lithography techniques have presented significant challenges in fabricating nanostructures. Using this technique with assistance of pulse current, direct deposition or oxidation can be introduced on material surfaces. In present research, we use an atomic force microscope (AFM) to write a solid (gold) feature onto a substrate (silicon) in ambient environment. During the contact-sliding, the material on the gold (Au) tip transferred onto the surface of the single crystalline silicon (Si). This transfer takes place atomically as shown on a smoothly worn Au tip. This process is almost as simple as writing a line with a pencil. Dispersion of thermal energy inducted through friction is discussed in this presentation.
Use of an in vivo model to determine the effects of interleukin‐1 on cells at different stages in the osteoclast lineage

In vitro model systems have been used extensively to study factors that affect osteoclast formation and to identify osteoclast precursors. However, in vitro systems do not examine the entire process of osteoclast differentiation simultaneously and lack accessory cells normally present in vivo. Additionally, the role that metabolism of the factor may play on its osteotropic activity in vivo is not addressed by these culture systems. Therefore, we have developed an in vivo model that permits us to examine simultaneously the effects of osteotropic factors on three distinct stages of osteoclast differentiation: (1) multipotent osteoclast precursors, the granulocyte-macrophage colony-forming unit (CFU-GM); (2) more differentiated marrow mononuclear osteoclast precursors; and (3) mature osteoclasts already present on bone surfaces. In the current study, we used interleukin-1 (IL-1) as a prototypic osteotropic factor to test the utility of this system to delineate the cellular mechanisms responsible for enhanced osteoclast activity stimulated by this cytokine. IL-1 induced hypercalcemia and enhanced the growth and differentiation of CFU-GM, increased the number of more committed mononuclear osteoclast precursors, and stimulated mature osteoclasts to resorb bone. These data demonstrate that this simple in vivo model permits the easy delineation of the stages of osteoclast development, in which osteotropic factors act to enhance bone turnover, and may be useful in understanding the mechanism of action of antiresorptive agents.
Flattened optical multicarrier generation of 12.5 GHz spaced 256 channels based on sinusoidal amplitude and phase hybrid modulation

A novel flattened optical multicarrier generation scheme that is based on a sinusoidal amplitude-phase hybrid modulation technique is proposed. The performance of this proposed scheme is confirmed analytically and experimentally, and its support of up to 256 channels is demonstrated.
Answering to “Muslim” language, country, and religion in Zahia Rahmani's “Musulman” roman

Synopsis In the very title of her recent publication “Musulman” roman, Algerian-born writer Zahia Rahmani calls attention to the complexity of Muslim identity. Placing “Muslim” in quotation marks–and in the masculine form–and juxtaposing it to the generic classification of novel are movements that establish a distance between the female narrative voice and the labels applied to her. The autobiographical text draws from various crucial moments from her past to point to the reasons why the writer is compelled to address her linguistic, national, and especially religious belongings in the present. While international current events and political tensions are only evoked in metaphorical terms, it is nonetheless clear that the post 9/11 global climate, and specifically the treatment of Arab prisoners during the war in Iraq, have prompted this work. Defining herself in the light of recent historical developments, Rahmani answers to the name “Muslim,” but with an informed hesitancy. Her innovative prose draws from sources as diverse as the Koran, oral tales from her native Berber tongue, and children's books in French to present a composite image of an idiosyncratic heritage that cannot be fully encapsulated in the assignation “Musulman.”
Relational selves as self-affirmational resources

Abstract Three studies examined the self-affirmational role of relational selves, or aspects of the self in relation to significant others. The overriding hypothesis was that individuals who view relational self-aspects as core to their identity are particularly likely to use them as self-affirmational resources in the face of threat. Supporting this, threat was especially likely to lead individuals for whom relationships are highly self-defining to spontaneously refer to relational self-aspects in a subsequent, self-relevant task. Moreover, spontaneous and induced relational self-affirmations in response to threat were especially esteem-repairing for such individuals. Together, these findings carve out a much-needed role for relational self-aspects in the self-affirmation literature, and dovetail with mounting appreciation of the far-ranging impact of significant others on the self-system.
Matrix elasticity, cytoskeletal forces and physics of the nucleus: how deeply do cells ‘feel’ outside and in?

Cellular organization within a multicellular organism requires that a cell assess its relative location, taking in multiple cues from its microenvironment. Given that the extracellular matrix (ECM) consists of the most abundant proteins in animals and contributes both structure and elasticity to tissues, ECM probably provides key physical cues to cells. In vivo, in the vicinity of many tissue cell types, fibrous characteristics of the ECM are less discernible than the measurably distinct elasticity that characterizes different tissue microenvironments. As a cell engages matrix and actively probes, it senses the local elastic resistance of the ECM and nearby cells via their deformation, and — similar to the proverbial princess who feels a pea placed many mattresses below — the cell seems to possess feedback and recognition mechanisms that establish how far it can feel. Recent experimental findings and computational modeling of cell and matrix mechanics lend insight into the subcellular range of sensitivity. Continuity of deformation from the matrix into the cell and further into the cytoskeleton-caged and -linked nucleus also supports the existence of mechanisms that direct processes such as gene expression in the differentiation of stem cells. Ultimately, cells feel the difference between stiff or soft and thick or thin surroundings, regardless of whether or not they are of royal descent.
Bilateral lingual anesthesia following surgically assisted rapid palatal expansion: report of a case.

togenic tumor of the gingiva. J Periodontol 64:1250, 1993 15. Carr RF, Carlton DM, Marks RB: Squamous odontogenic tumor: Report of a case. J Oral Surg 39:297, 1981 16. Doyle JL, Grodiesh JE, Dolinsky HB: Squamous odontogenic tumor: Report of three cases. J Oral Surg 35:994, 1977 17. McNeil J, Price HM, Stoker NG: Squamous odontogenic tumor: Report of a case with long-term history. J Oral Surg 38:446, 1980 18. Leventon GS, Happonen RP, Newland JR: Squamous odontogenic tumor: Report of two cases and review of the literature. Am J Surg Pathol 5:671, 1981 19. Swan RH, McDaniel RK: Squamous odontogenic proliferation with probable origin from the rests of Malassez (early squamous odontogenic tumor?). J Periodontol 54:493, 1983 20. Tatemoto Y, Okada Y, Mori M: Squamous odontogenic tumor: Immunohistochemical identification of keratins. Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol 67:63, 1989 21. Yaacoob HB: Squamous odontogenic tumor. J Hihon Univ Sch Dent 32:187, 1990 22. Simon JH, Jensen JL: Squamous odontogenic tumor-like proliferations in periapical cysts. J Endod 11:446, 1985 23. Unal T, Gomel M, Gunel O: Squamous odontogenic tumor-like islands in a radicular cyst: Report of a case. J Oral Maxillofac Surg 45:346, 1987 24. Hodgkinson DJ, Woods JE, Dahlin DC, et al: Keratocysts of the jaws. Cancer 41:803, 1978 25. Schwartz-Arad D, Lustmann J, Ulmansky M: Squamous odontogenic tumor. Review of the literature and case report. Int J Oral Maxillofac Surg 19:327, 1990 26. Batsakis JG, Cleary KR: Squamous odontogenic tumor. Ann Otol Rhinol Laryngol 102:823, 1993 27. Haghighat K, Kalmar JR, Mariotti AJ: Squamous odontogenic tumor: Diagnosis and management. J Periodontol 73:653, 2003
Temperature‐Dependent Kinetic Correlates of the Activation of the Glucocorticoid‐Receptor Complex

The effects of temperature on the kinetics of activation were studied in [3H]triamcinolone acetonide[( 3H]TA)-labeled cytosol preparations from mouse whole brain. After removal of unbound [3H]TA and molybdate (which prevents activation) from the unactivated steroid-receptor complex by gel exclusion chromatography, activation was initiated by incubation at 6-30 degrees C for 0.75-24 min and then rapidly quenched at -5 degrees C with Na2MoO4 (20 mM final concentration). The loss of the 9.2S (unactivated) form of the [3H]TA-receptor complex and the concomitant formation of the 3.8S (activated) form increased dramatically with increases in the activation temperature. These hydrodynamic changes were correlated directly with rapid time- and temperature-dependent increases in the binding of [3H]TA-labeled cytosol to DNA-cellulose (DNA-C). Further analyses of these data revealed a greater than 50-fold increase in the apparent first-order rate constant for the increased binding to DNA-C as the activation temperature was increased from 6 degrees C to 30 degrees C. An Arrhenius plot of these temperature-dependent kinetic constants revealed an energy of activation of 116 kJ. These data support a proposed model for activation of the glucocorticoid-receptor complex that includes the splitting of a 297 kDa, unactivated species into a 92 kDa, activated species.
Sliding Scale Insulin Use: Myth or Insanity?

Inpatient hyperglycemia in people with or without diabetes is associated with an increased risk of complications and mortality, a longer hospital stay, a higher admission rate to the intensive care unit, and higher hospitalization costs. Despite increasing evidence that supports intensive glycemic control in hospitalized patients, blood glucose control continues to be challenging, and sliding scale insulin coverage, a practice associated with limited therapeutic success, continues to be the most frequent insulin regimen in hospitalized patients. Sliding scale insulin has been in use for more than 80 years without much evidence to support its use as the standard of care. Several studies have revealed evidence of poor glycemic control and deleterious effects in sliding scale insulin use. To understand its wide use and acceptance, we reviewed the origin, advantages, and disadvantages of sliding scale insulin in the inpatient setting.
In situ replication techniques: II. Quantitative methodologies for replicate materials.

Abstract Because replicate materials have requirements different from those of recording or impression materials, quantitative methodologies were sought using commercial impression materials. Two satisfactory objective techniques resulted, a laser-scattering and a capillary flow test. Using high-resolution gratings to stimulate tooth detail (less than 1 micron), the reproduction quality of 36 two-stage replicas was determined in diffraction, reflection, and in an unblazed state. Using precision bore glass tubes (0.25, 0.5, 1, and 2 mm diameters) to simulate the high-energy surface of enamel, the flow characteristics of nine elastomers (the first stage replicates) and four epoxies (the second stage replicates) were determined at isobaric conditions. Because the laser spot size was relatively large (0.6 mm) and the pressure differential was small (25 mm Hg), both the global resolution and the low shear rate characteristics could be measured. Of the commercial materials tested, Reprosil Light had the best combination of fluidity and resolution, regardless of which positive material was used. Although Permagum Low, Silene Wash, and Xantopren Blue scored high in one of the two tests, none of these materials could compare to Reprosil Light within the context described herein.
The Israeli bombing of Osiraq reconsidered: Successful counterproliferation?

(2004). The Israeli bombing of Osiraq reconsidered: Successful counterproliferation? The Nonproliferation Review: Vol. 11, No. 3, pp. 70-85.
The oxidation state of manganese in marine sediments and ferromanganese nodules

Marine sediments and ferromanganese nodules from the Pacific Ocean have been analyzed for the OMn ratio of solid manganese. We tested six chemical methods and concluded that the iodometric and oxalate methods were equivalent and were the best choice in terms of accuracy and precision on natural samples. We choose the iodometric method for most of our analyses because the oxalate procedure is a method of differences. The ferromanganese nodules that we analyzed were all from MANOP site H and had MnFe ratios that ranged from 5.6 to 70. These nodules were invariably highly oxidized with OMn values ranging from 1.90 to 2.00. Our most precise analyses suggest that less than 1% of the total manganese is present as Mn(II). We also analyzed red clay and hemipelagic sediments from the eastern tropical Pacific (Baja borderland and MANOP site H) and carbonate ooze samples from the equatorial Pacific. These sediments are also highly oxidized (OMn= 1.90 to 2.00) except when Mn(II) appears in the interstitial water. As dissolved Mn(II) increases the value of the OMn ratio in the solid phase decreases. The OMn ratio decreases to values as low as 1.40. This decrease appears to be due to a decrease in oxidized manganese by reduction, however, an increase in reduced manganese in the solid sediments by adsorption or MnCO3 formation can not be ruled out in all cases.
THE RESPONSE OF THE I131-TREATED THYROID GLAND TO THYROTROPIC HORMONE

THE administration of I131 impairs the production of hormone by the thyroid gland. This effect is employed in the treatment of patients with hyperthyroidism (1–4) and in reducing the secretion of thyroid hormone in patients with incapacitating heart disease (5, 6). Histologic examination of thyroid tissue from patients who received I131 therapeutically reveals tissue destruction, fibrosis, cellular hypertrophy, and alteration in the chromatin pattern of the nuclei (7–10). Similar changes have been seen in the rat thyroid after large doses of I131 (11). Among the functional derangements demonstrable in the irradiated rat thyroid are impaired responsiveness to iodide deficiency, and to antithyroid drugs, and diminished avidity for I131 (11). Apart from histologic changes and therapeutic response, the effects of I131 upon the human thyroid gland have not been thoroughly studied. Kurland, Freedberg and Fishman (12) observed an increase in I131 retention and turnover by the I131-irradiated thyroid gland of eut...