cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Scheduling spatially distributed jobs with degradation: Application to pothole repair

Abstract This paper considers scheduling spatially distributed jobs with degradation. A mixed integer programming (MIP) model is developed for the linear degradation case in which no new jobs arrive. Properties of the model are analyzed, following which three heuristics are developed, enhanced greedy, chronological decomposition and simulated annealing. Numerical tests are conducted to: (i) establish limits of the exact MIP solution, (ii) identify the best heuristic based on an analysis of performance on small problem instances for which exact solutions are known, (iii) solve large problem instances and obtain lower bounds to establish solution quality, and (iv) study the effect of three key model parameters. Findings from our computational experiments indicate that: (i) exact solutions are limited to instances with less than 14 jobs; (ii) the enhanced greedy heuristic followed by the application of the simulated annealing heuristic yields high quality solutions for large problem instances in reasonable computation time; and (iii) the factors “degradation rate” and “work hours” have a significant effect on the objective function. To demonstrate applicability of the model, a case study is presented based on a pothole repair scenario from Buffalo, New York, USA. Findings from the case study indicate that scheduling spatially dispersed jobs with degradation such as potholes requires: (i) careful consideration of the number of servers assigned, degradation rate and depot location; (ii) appropriate modeling of continuously arriving jobs; and (iii) appropriate incorporation of equity consideration.
Hybrid photonic/phononic crystals for vertically-integrated optomechanics

Thin dielectric membranes patterned with a sub-wavelength period structure can be designed to exhibit remarkable properties, including reflectivity in excess of 99.9%. When fabricated from silicon nitride, they can become superb mechanical resonators as well. In this work, we embed such photonic crystal reflectors in the bandgap of a phononic crystal, to attain ultrahigh mechanical quality factors. These hybrid devices can be incorporated into optical cavities and lasers, and offer unique new opportunities for optomechanical sensing and active-cavity optomechanics.
Six distinct NFκB signaling codons convey discrete information to distinguish stimuli and enable appropriate macrophage responses.

Macrophages initiate inflammatory responses via the transcription factor NFκB. The temporal pattern of NFκB activity determines which genes are expressed and thus, the type of response that ensues. Here, we examined how information about the stimulus is encoded in the dynamics of NFκB activity. We generated an mVenus-RelA reporter mouse line to enable high-throughput live-cell analysis of primary macrophages responding to host- and pathogen-derived stimuli. An information-theoretic workflow identified six dynamical features-termed signaling codons-that convey stimulus information to the nucleus. In particular, oscillatory trajectories were a hallmark of responses to cytokine but not pathogen-derived stimuli. Single-cell imaging and RNA sequencing of macrophages from a mouse model of Sjogren's syndrome revealed inappropriate responses to stimuli, suggestive of confusion of two NFκB signaling codons. Thus, the dynamics of NFκB signaling classify immune threats through six signaling codons, and signal confusion based on defective codon deployment may underlie the etiology of some inflammatory diseases.
The importance of the electron mean free path for superconducting radio-frequency cavities

Impurity-doping of niobium is an exciting new technology in the field of superconducting radio-frequency accelerators, producing cavities with record-high quality factor Q0 and Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer surface resistance that decreases with increasing radio-frequency field. Recent theoretical work has offered a promising explanation for this so-called “anti-Q-slope,” but the link between the decreasing surface resistance and the shortened electron mean free path of doped cavities has remained elusive. In this work, we investigate this link, finding that the magnitude of this decrease varies directly with the mean free path: shorter mean free paths correspond to stronger anti-Q-slopes. We draw a theoretical connection between the mean free path and the overheating of the quasiparticles, which leads to the reduction of the anti-Q-slope towards the normal Q-slope of long-mean-free-path cavities. We also investigate the sensitivity of the residual resistance to trapped magnetic flux, a property that is great...
Deconstructing “Force and Fraud”: An Empirical Assessment of the Generality of Crime

Gottfredson and Hirschi (A General Theory of Crime, Stanford University Press, Stanford, CA, 1990) have proposed a general theory of crime to explain a set of behaviors they refer to as “acts of force and fraud.” Central to their theory is the claim that force and fraud are both manifestations of the individual's unrestrained pursuit of short-term gratification. At the same time, research from numerous disciplines suggests that the correlates of violence differ somewhat from those of property crime. The present study therefore uses data from the National Youth Survey to explore whether force and fraud can legitimately be viewed as manifestations of a single underlying construct among American adolescents. Overall, findings from confirmatory factor analyses suggest that they cannot. Rather, they suggest that multi-factor models of force and fraud improve significantly upon the fit of single-factor models and that force and fraud may therefore reflect overlapping, but empirically distinct, constructs.
Accuracy of ThinPrep Imaging System in detecting low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions.

Abstract Context.—The ThinPrep Imaging System (Imager) for cervical cytology is used in many US laboratories, but the ability of the system to identify classic changes of low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (LSIL) has not been independently reported. Objective.—To evaluate the accuracy of this system in detecting classic LSIL cells. Design.—A total of 114 imaged ThinPrep LSIL cases from April to June 2005 were reviewed to determine whether the most diagnostically relevant cells were present in the 22 fields selected by Imager. Those LSIL specimens from January to June 2005 that were initially screened by the Imager and classified as “negative” in the 22 fields were also reviewed. The average number of classic koilocytes per slide was compared among cases that had koilocytes within 22 fields with cases upgraded during full review. Results.—Twelve (10.5%) of 114 LSIL cases from April to June 2005 did not show diagnostic LSIL cells within the initial 22 fields. Full manual rescreening was performed on ...
Media Exposure to Campaigns Public Anticipation and Involvement in Elections

Mass media exposure to election campaigns was hypothesized as influencing beliefs about the closeness of the election race. and these beliefs were predicted as influencing the degree of involvement in the election. Persons perceiving a close race were expected to have greater political involvement than persons perceiving a one-sided contest. It was further hypothesized that the influence of media exposure on competition beliefs. and the influence of these beliefs on election involvement. would have the most impact on those persons who generally have lower rates of involvement in elections, such as the less educated. However, it was found that for both the 1968 and the 1972 presidential elections. there were no relationships between levels of media exposure and beliefs on the closeness of the election race. Also. whether expecting a close or a one-sided election had no relationship lo showing interest in the campaigns. attempting to influence the vote of others. or having voted or not. All of these finding...
Ties That Bind: Economic and Political Dilemmas of Urban Utility Networks, 1800–1990 . By Charles David Jacobson. Pittsburgh: University of Pittsburgh Press. 2000. Pp. xi, 282. $34.95.

As more and more historians take the linguistic turn and abandon facts and figures for fashion and fiction, it is more than a little refreshing to encounter the work of someone such as Charles Jacobson. In Ties That Bind, Jacobson explores the history of the economic and political dilemmas surrounding urban public utilities, particularly water, electricity, and cable television. Unlike many historians, Jacobson has actually taken the time to learn, master, and ultimately integrate into his text the relevant economic literature.
Maternal adiposity negatively influences infant brain white matter development.

Objective To study potential effects of maternal body composition on central nervous system (CNS) development of newborn infants. Methods Diffusion tensor imaging was used to evaluate brain white matter development in 2-week-old, full-term, appropriate for gestational age infants from uncomplicated pregnancies of normal-weight (BMI < 25 at conception) mothers or mothers with obesity (BMI ≥ 30 at conception) who were otherwise healthy. Tract-based spatial statistics analyses were used for voxel-wise group comparison of fractional anisotropy (FA), a sensitive measure of white matter integrity. DNA methylation analyses of umbilical cord tissue focused on genes known to be important in CNS development were also performed. Results Newborns from women with obesity had significantly lower FA values in multiple white matter regions than those born of normal-weight mothers. Global and regional FA values negatively correlated (P < 0.05) with maternal fat mass percentage. Linear regression analysis followed by gene ontology (GO) enrichment showed that methylation status of 68 CpG sites representing 57 genes with GO terms related to CNS development was significantly associated with maternal adiposity status. Conclusions These results suggest a negative association between maternal adiposity and white matter development in offspring.
Laboratory-based Dengue Surveillance in Taiwan, 2005: A Molecular Epidemiologic Study

We present the results of laboratory-based dengue surveillance in Taiwan for 2005. A phylogenetic study showed that multiple dengue epidemics were caused by three different imported dengue virus (DENV) strains. A strain of DENV-3 (genotype I) imported from the Philippines first appeared in the southern part of Kaohsiung City and later spread to Kaohsiung County from August to December, which resulted in 77 cases of dengue. Another strain of DENV-3 (genotype II) imported from Vietnam first appeared in the central part of Kaohsiung City and later spread to Kaohsiung County from September to December, which resulted in 35 cases of dengue. A strain of DENV-2 (American/ Asian genotype) imported from Vietnam first appeared in Tainan City and later spread to Kaohsiung City/County from October to December, which resulted in 60 cases of dengue. This study provides molecular epidemiologic evidence that most dengue in Taiwan is caused by imported strains of the virus.
Yali's Question: Sugar, Culture, and History

Yali's Question: Sugar, Culture, and History. Frederick Errington and Deborah Gewertz. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2004. 319 pp.
Detour transitions in internal bremsstrahlung

The contribution of so-called detour transitions to the internal bremsstrahlung accom- panying nuclear beta decay is calculated. These are transitions in which the nucleus rather than the electrons radiates the photon. It is shown that such contributions will in general be impor- tant for forbidden beta decays. For the unique first-forbidden case, the photon spectrum, angular correlation and polarization are calculated explicitly.
Semiconductor devices inspired by and integrated with biology

Biology relies on classes of materials that are soft and elastic, in structures that have complex curvilinear geometries. By contrast, all known high performance electronic/optoelectronic systems are built on the rigid, brittle planar surfaces of semiconductor wafers. Technologies that bridge this gap in form and mechanics create new opportunities in devices that adopt biologically inspired designs or require intimate integration with the human body. This paper reviews concepts for building electronics that combine hard and soft materials in ways that can exploit established semiconductors such as silicon, gallium arsenide, gallium nitride in systems that have the mechanical properties of a rubber band. Due to the central role of mechanics and physical motions in these systems, they can be considered also as a type of MEMS technology. Application examples include (1) bio-integrated systems capable of monitoring and delivering various forms of therapy, and (2) bio-inspired, ‘eyeball’ cameras for wide field-of-view imaging.
Coronary Artery Spasm Following Coronary Artery Surgery

Coronary artery spasm during the early postoperative period following cardiopulmonary bypass for coronary artery surgery can be an unrecognized cause of sudden, severe cardiopulmonary collapse. The literature regarding perioperative coronary artery spasm is reviewed, and methods of prevention, diagnosis, and treatment are suggested. Preoperative angina at rest appears to be an important identifying factor in patients who experience postoperative coronary spasm. Anatomically, the presence of a relatively normal, dominant right coronary may also indicate increased risk for early post-coronary bypass spasm. Acute hypotension is often the first sign of coronary artery spasm, and conventional treatment methods may only worsen the vasospastic reaction. Peripheral intravenous nitroglycerin infusion has often been unsuccessful treatment while intragraft or intracoronary nitroglycerin injection or administration of calcium channel-blocking drugs, or both, has proven to be effective in reversing the coronary artery spasm and ventricular dysfunction. Reluctance to use vasodilating agents must be overcome, even in the face of hypotension, when evidence of spasm is present.
Identifying and Dissolving the Non-Identity Problem

Philosophers concerned with procreative ethics have long been puzzled by Parfit’s Non-Identity Problem (NIP). Various solutions have been proposed, but I argue that we have not solved the problem on its own narrow person-affecting terms, i.e., in terms of the identified individuals affected by procreative decisions and acts, especially future children. Thus, the core problem remains unsolved. This is a nagging concern for all who hold the common intuition that actions that harm no one are permissible. I argue against Harmon’s and Woodward’s direct, narrow person-affecting solutions, and in favor of a new solution to the NIP. My solution, or, rather, dissolution, is based on the argument that merely possible people, i.e., hypothetical people who could possibly, but will not actually, exist, are morally irrelevant. I show that the NIP only arises when we concern ourselves with merely possible people. Once we are careful to restrict our concerns to only those that do or will exist, the NIP is dissolved.
Malleus and Incus: Correlates of Size

Objectives:Wide ranges of dimensions of the malleus and incus have been reported for various human populations. Unaddressed are concordance of malleus and incus sizes, bilateral symmetry, whether ossicle size correlates with otitis media, and whether second-branchial arch derivatives have more variability than first-arch derivatives. We sought to quantitatively describe the malleus and incus in a population not heretofore reported, with the following hypotheses in mind: 1) an ear's malleus and incus sizes are concordant; 2) a cranium's malleus and incus sizes have bilateral symmetry; 3) the sizes of the malleus and incus are unrelated to the mastoid-size indicator of childhood otitis media; and 4) second-branchial arch derivatives have more variability than do first-arch derivatives.Methods:We performed a postmortem material analysis of 41 adult crania without clinical otitis.Results:The sizes of clinically normal mallei (eg, 21.2 to 30.7 mg) and incudes (eg, 24.4 to 37.4 mg) were varied. Concordance of m...
Observation of magnetic flux ropes in the Venus ionosphere

MAGNETIC field measurements made by the Pioneer Venus Orbiter spacecraft reveal a very low average field strength within the dayside ionosphere of Venus, typically only a few nanoteslas, in contrast to fields of several tens of nanoteslas just outside the ionosphere1. Thus, at least in the range of solar zenith angles (65–90°) initially probed by the orbiter, the compressed interplanetary magnetic field of the shocked solar wind plasma (the magnetosheath) is effectively shielded from the ionosphere by currents flowing on the ionopause, the boundary between the ionosphere and the magnetosheath. In addition, the magnetic field pressure just outside the ionopause approximately balances the ionosphereic thermal plasma pressure2,3. However, within this generally low-field region the spacecraft occasionally passes through regions of very large field strength which can sometimes exceed that observed external to the ionosphere. These intense, short-lived enhancements are described here and interpreted to be due to the passage of the spacecraft through ‘flux ropes’, bundles of twisted magnetic field lines surrounded by ionospheric plasma.
Stability augmentation for a free flying ducted fan

A control system design for the Marine Corp's AROD (Airborne Remote Operated Device) vehicle is described. The AROD vehicle consists of a single gasoline engine and propeller enclosed in a circular airfoil shroud, with the engine throttle and four control vanes (located just aft of the shroud) providing the necessary control authority. Linear quadratic regulator (LQR) and classical controller synthesis techniques were evaluated, with LQR producing a superior design for the coupled dynamics attitude controller because of the relatively slow response of the quarter-scale model airplane servos used to drive the control vanes. The controller design methodology is explained, and a combination of time responses and singular value analyses are used to evaluate the performance of the control system. Preliminary flight test data confirm the validity of the control system design.
Double-strand break repair-independent role for BRCA2 in blocking stalled replication fork degradation by MRE11

Breast cancer suppressor BRCA2 is critical for maintenance of genomic integrity and resistance to agents that damage DNA or collapse replication forks, presumably through homology-directed repair of double-strand breaks (HDR). Using single-molecule DNA fiber analysis, we show here that nascent replication tracts created before fork stalling with hydroxyurea are degraded in the absence of BRCA2 but are stable in wild-type cells. BRCA2 mutational analysis reveals that a conserved C-terminal site involved in stabilizing RAD51 filaments, but not in loading RAD51 onto DNA, is essential for this fork protection but dispensable for HDR. RAD51 filament disruption in wild-type cells phenocopies BRCA2 deficiency. BRCA2 prevents chromosomal aberrations on replication stalling, which are alleviated by inhibition of MRE11, the nuclease responsible for this form of fork instability. Thus, BRCA2 prevents rather than repairs nucleolytic lesions at stalled replication forks to maintain genomic integrity and hence likely suppresses tumorigenesis through this replication-specific function.
Spatial and Temporal Relationships between Actin-Filament Nucleation, Capping, and Disassembly

Summary Background The leading actin network in motile cells is composed of two compartments, the lamellipod and the lamellum. Construction of the lamellipod requires a set of conserved proteins that form a biochemical cycle. The timing of this cycle and the roles of its components in determining actin network architecture in vivo, however, are not well understood. Results We performed fluorescent speckle microscopy on spreading Drosophila S2 cells by using labeled derivatives of actin, the Arp2/3 complex, capping protein, and tropomyosin. We find that capping protein and the Arp2/3 complex both incorporate at the cell edge but that capping protein dissociates after covering less than half the width of the lamellipod, whereas the Arp2/3 complex dissociates after crossing two thirds of the lamellipod. The lamellipodial actin network itself persists long after the loss of the Arp2/3 complex. Depletion of capping protein by RNAi results in the displacement of the Arp2/3 complex and disappearance of the lamellipod. In contrast, depletion of cofilin, slingshot, twinfilin, and tropomyosin, all factors that control the stability of actin filaments, dramatically expanded the lamellipod at the expense of the lamellum. Conclusions The Arp2/3 complex is incorporated into the lamellipodial network at the cell edge but debranches well before the lamellipodial network itself is disassembled. Capping protein is required for the formation of a lamellipodial network but dissociates from the network precisely when filament disassembly is first detected. Cofilin, twinfilin, and tropomyosin appear to play no role in lamellipodial network assembly but function to limit its size.
Decision making in pediatric spinal deformity.

OBJECTIVE: To review the concepts involved in the decision-making process for management of pediatric patients with spinal deformity. METHODS: The literature was reviewed in reference to pediatric deformity evaluation and management. RESULTS: Pediatric spinal deformity includes a broad range of disorders with differing causes, natural histories, and treatments. Appropriate categorization of pediatric deformities is an important first step in the clinical decision-making process. An understanding of both nonoperative and operative treatment modalities and their indications is requisite to providing treatment for pediatric patients with spinal deformity. The primary nonoperative treatment modalities include bracing and casting, and the primary operative treatments include nonfusion instrumentation and fusion with or without instrumentation. In this article, we provide a review of pediatric spinal deformity classification and an overview of general treatment principles. CONCLUSION: The decision-making process in pediatric deformity begins with appropriate diagnosis and classification of the deformity. Treatment decisions, both nonoperative and operative, are often predicated on the basis of the age of the patient and the natural history of the disorder.
Traumatic Brain Injury Patient-Reported Outcome Measure: Identification of Health-Related Quality-of-Life Issues Relevant to Individuals With Traumatic Brain Injury

This 2-part qualitative study explored health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in individuals with traumatic brain injury (TBI). A community-based participatory action research design was used, which emphasizes collaboration between researchers and individuals with disabilities to ensure that results are relevant for individuals with TBI. In study 1, community members (N=20) with TBI served as "experts" during 1-on-1 semistructured interviews, reviewing current HRQOL items and identifying HRQOL issues commonly experienced by individuals with TBI. Each participant identified at least 31 issues, with most generating more than 90 responses, highlighting the multifaceted nature of HRQOL in TBI. Study 2 consisted of 7 patient/consumer groups (33 individuals with TBI), 4 caregiver groups (17 caregivers), and 2 provider groups (15 providers). Qualitative analysis of patient focus groups indicated that 48% of focus group comments were related to emotional issues; 23%, to social functioning; 14%, to physical functioning; 11%, to cognition; and 7%, to personality changes (caregiver and provider focus group analysis indicated identical patterns of findings). In addition, both studies evaluated the applicability in TBI of generic items developed by the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System and the Neurology Quality of Life Measurement initiative. Findings suggest that although there is some overlap between current generic measures of HRQOL and concepts reported by individuals with TBI, these generic measures do not capture the full complexity of HRQOL in TBI. TBI-targeted item banks are needed to ensure sensitive assessment of HRQOL in TBI.
3D percolation theory-based exposure-path prevention for optimal power-coverage tradeoff in clustered wireless camera sensor networks

With fast advances in camera sensor devices and wide applications of wireless camera sensor networks (WCSNs), optimizing the tradeoff between power consumption and coverage rate of WCSNs attracts a great deal of research attention. In contrast to 2D WCSNs, 3D WCSNs capture more accurate and comprehensive information for surveillant applications. The percolation theory has been proved to be powerful and effective in characterizing the exposure path prevention using 2D WCSNs. While percolation theory can be potentially extended into 3D WCSNs to improve the power and coverage performances, there are still many new challenges remaining unsolved. On the other hand, the clustering algorithm is widely cited as an efficient power saving and interference mitigation technique for WCSNs. However, how to integrate the clustering technique with 3D percolation theory in WCSNs is still an open problem. To overcome the aforementioned challenges, in this paper we propose the 3D percolation theory-based exposure-path prevention scheme for optimizing the tradeoff between power consumption and coverage rate over clustered WCSNs. First, we apply and extend the bond-percolation theory to derive the optimal density of camera sensors deployed in 3D WCSNs subject to the minimum exposure-path prevention probability constraint. Then, we apply the mutual entropy to analyze the dependency among 3D neighboring camera sensors, justifying the bond-percolation theory in 3D WCSNs. Finally, we apply the new low energy adaptive clustering hierarchy (LEACH) architecture into our 3D WCSNs for power saving and interference mitigation. The conducted extensive simulations show that our proposed schemes outperform the other existing schemes in optimizing the tradeoff between power consumption and coverage rate over 3D WCSNs.
Morphogenesis and Biomechanics of Engineered Skin Cultured Under Uniaxial Strain

Background: Split-thickness autograft is the standard wound treatment for full-thickness burns. In large burns, sparse availability of uninjured skin prevents rapid closure of the wound, resulting in increased scar tissue formation or mortality. Tissue-engineered skin (ES) offers promise when autografts are not available. The Problem: ES, constructed from a polymeric scaffold and skin cells, has been shown to reduce donor site area required to permanently close wounds, mortality, and morbidity from scarring but cannot restore all skin functions. Current generations of ES are orders of magnitude weaker than normal human skin, leading to difficulty in surgical application, greater susceptibility to mechanical damage during fabrication and application, and less elasticity and strength once engrafted. Basic/Clinical Science Advances: Previous studies to improve ES biomechanics focus on altering the scaffolding material, which resulted in modest improvements but often inhibited proper skin development. As the ...
Alkaline Phosphatase: Keeping the Peace at the Gut Epithelial Surface

Vertebrate intestinal surfaces are in constant contact with a vast consortium of commensal bacteria. To preserve mutually beneficial host-microbial relationships, gut epithelia have evolved strategies to limit the proinflammatory potential of resident gut microbes. In this issue of Cell Host & Microbe, Bates and colleagues report that intestinal alkaline phosphatase, whose expression is induced during establishment of the microbiota, dephosphorylates lipopolysaccharide and promotes mucosal tolerance to commensal bacteria in zebrafish.
Experimental testing in programming languages, stylistic considerations and design techniques

In the early stages of the development of high-level languages, radically differing alternatives were often promulgated. Each language had a dedicated corps of adherents who advocated the primacy of their facility. Turbulent debates among the protagonists were a common affair at conferences and in the trade journals. Now as the field matures, the vehement discussions have subsided and there is a widespread recognition of the usefulness of a variety of languages. Even the proponents of a single universal language have softened their tone and have accepted the multiple language condition.
Solvent effects on jet evolution during electrospinning of semi-dilute polystyrene solutions

Abstract Linear polystyrene with a weight average molecular weight of 393,400 g/mol was used with various solvents including tetrahydrofuran (THF), chloroform, carbon disulfide (CS2), 1-methyl-2-pyrrolidinone (NMP), and N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) to produce solutions, corresponding to a Berry number of about 9. The jet breakdown behavior of each of these solutions was studied with a high speed camera (2000 frames/s). The structure of the electrospun polymer was examined with a scanning electron microscope. The results indicate that jet breakdown with THF and chloroform entailed significant extensional flow, followed by the onset of instabilities, leading to the formation of numerous secondary jets under steady-state conditions. By comparison, the solution jets with DMF and NMP exhibit extensive whipping and splaying to produce a cloud of jets. In this case, few secondary jets were observed under steady-state conditions. A highly refined structure was observed in the electrospun polymer for NMP and DMF, in accordance with the extensive instabilities observed during jet breakdown. Limited jet instability observed with CS2 solution suggests the significant effect of solvent evaporation. Typical primary jet velocities were measured to be on the order of 2–5 m/s.
An interlaboratory study of a standard glass for acceptance testing of low-activity waste glass

An interlaboratory study was conducted to determine the precision with which the composition and chemical durability of a borosilicate glass could be measured and to generate a data base of expected values for that glass. The study was conducted with a low-activity reference material (LRM) glass that was developed for use as a standard material for acceptance testing of immobilized low-activity waste (ILAW) products, including those to be made with Hanford tank wastes. The study provided nine independent measurements of the LRM glass composition and eight independent sets of triplicate product consistency tests (PCTs) at 40°C and 90°C. Statistical analysis of these data indicates that LRM glass is suitable for use as a composition and test standard. The results from this study can be used to evaluate the accuracy of composition analyses and PCTs conducted with LRM glass at other laboratories in conjunction with acceptance tests conducted with ILAW products.
Developmental pattern of the expression of malonyl-CoA decarboxylase gene and the production of unique lipids in the goose uropygial glands

Abstract The abundant fatty acid synthase in the uropygial gland of goose generates multimethyl-branched fatty acids as the major product because of the unique presence of the cytoplasmic malonyl-CoA 3 decarboxylase which assures that only methylmalonyl-CoA is available to the synthase. If this conclusion is valid, the developmental pattern of expression of the gene for this tissue-specific decarboxylase should correlate with the appearance of other lipogenic enzymes and the production of the unique lipids. To test this possibility the levels of the decarboxylase, acetyl-CoA carboxylase, and fatty acid synthase in the gland of the embryonic and neonatal goose were measured by immunodiffusion and immunoblot assays for the proteins as well as the enzyme assays for the catalytic activities. Malonyl-CoA decarboxylase appeared several days before hatching as did the other two lipogenic enzymes and reached half-maximal levels by hatching. The levels of expression of the malonyl-CoA decarboxylase gene and cytoplasmic actin gene, which is not expected to be developmentally regulated, were measured by dot-blot analysis using cloned cDNA for the two proteins. The decarboxylase transcripts appeared 4 days prior to hatching and reached maximal levels by hatching, whereas the levels of cytoplasmic actin gene transcripts showed very little change. The appearance of oil droplets in the glands was clearly seen soon after hatching. These results show that malonyl-CoA decarboxylase gene expression is developmentally regulated in a manner consistent with its proposed role in the synthesis of the unique lipids of the uropygial gland.
A Social Marketing Template for Solving the Musicians’ Dilemma Through Nonprofit Healthcare Networks

The Musicians’ Dilemma—the lack of affordable healthcare for the uninsured or underinsured musical entrepreneur—is actually a common problem plaguing not only 33% of musicians, but approximately 19% of the American population as a whole. The current research uses social marketing principles to conceptualize a template for designing a marketing program that meets the healthcare needs of the target market. Health Alliance for Austin Musicians (HAAM) is a nonprofit organization that links healthcare providers, local businesses, and community donors in a network providing basic preventive health services to this essential segment of the community. HAAM's business model is analyzed and cast on the social marketing framework so that it can be adapted for use by other music cities. Although the template could also be applied to serve other uninsured populations, it is critical that research be undertaken to understand the specific characteristics and needs of each target market and used to adapt the model to tho...
Pulsed current limitations of high power electrochemical energy storage devices

Recently manufacturers of electrochemical energy storage devices have produced cells that are more power dense then previously available. The types of cells include lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), electric-double-layer capacitors (EDLCs), and lithium-ion capacitors (LICs) among others. As a result of the higher power density, the ability to use these devices as the prime power source of compact pulsed power systems is increased. A few pulsed power sources have already been developed which draw their prime power from electrochemical energy storage devices, and the number of systems as well as their capabilities will only increase as the energy storage technologies continue to advance. Though manufacturers often list peak pulsed current capability on the cell datasheet, sometimes the value listed can be limited by the hardware used to test the cells and not always the cells themselves. In order to experimentally validate the pulsed current limitations of some of the newest electrochemical cells, a low impedance test stand, capable of extracting high pulsed current from individual cells has been developed. The impedance of the stand, roughly equal to or less than 1 milli-Ohm, is such that in most cases, the impedance of the cell dominates the discharge current. A description of the test stand and the current limitations of many of the cells tested thus far will be presented.
A 15-Year Climatology of Northern Hemisphere 500 mb Closed Cyclone and Anticyclone Centers

Abstract A 15-year (1963–77) Northern Hemisphere 2 × 5 degree latitude-longitude gridded dataset of 500 mb geopotential heights has been used to construct a climatology of 500 mb closed circulation centers. These centers, defined by at least one closed 30 m contour around a central minimum or maximum geopotential height value, were identified objectively between 24° and 82°N from the twice-daily analysis grids. Tracks for all closed circulation centers were computed to establish genesis and lysis distributions, and to examine the monthly, seasonal and interannual variability characteristics of the closed circulation center distributions for specified regions. The occurrence of closed cyclone centers is maximized north of and within the main belt of westerlies extending from northeast Asia to the Gulf of Alaska near 50°N, and extending from eastern Canada and the extreme northeast United States to southeast of Greenland and west of the United Kingdom. Their occurrence is also maximized south of the main be...
Human chorionic gonadotropin or human recombinant follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH)-induced ovulation and subsequent fertilization and early embryo development in hypophysectomized FSH-primed mice.

Adult hypophysectomized FSH-primed mice were used to study ovulation, fertilization, and preimplantation embryo development. Twelve days after hypophysectomy, animals were injected sc with oFSH (4 micrograms/day) twice a day for 3 days. This resulted in large preovulatory follicles that did not secrete estrogen. Concurrent with the last FSH injection, either hCG (5 IU) or human recombinant FSH (10 IU) was injected sc to induce ovulation. Animals were mated or not and killed 1-4 days later. The ovulation rate was similar for both the hCG-induced group (FH) and the FSH-induced group (FF), 97% and 90%, respectively. About 45% of the FH mice mated successfully with 56% of the eggs fertilized compared to only 25% of the FF mice with 45% of the eggs fertilized. However, only 5% of ovulated eggs developed to four-cell stages in vivo by day 3 for the FH animals and none in the FF group. To determine the reasons for the in vivo retarded embryo development, embryos at the one- or two-cell stage were collected on da...
Preparing Students for Nonacademic Careers.

If the discipline of political science is to succeed in reclaiming the mission of conveying sound intelligence to the policy process, as both Charles Merriam and Harold Lasswell envisioned, and providing training which prepares students for nonacademic careers, major curriculum reforms will be needed. A policy science track with an emphasis upon applied policy analysis research skills and nonacademic career orientation which supplements traditional concentrations within the discipline could achieve these goals. Lines of resistance and obstacles to the installation of such a program are formidable and will not easily be surmounted. Unless departments are willing to undertake such reforms, however, the discipline will find that political scientists will be performing a narrowing number of tasks for an increasingly circumscribed scholarly community.
Hard Living, Perceived Entitlement to a Great Marriage, and Marital Dissolution

Using the two waves of the National Survey of Families and Households (NSFH), we examine the effects on marital dissolution of couple's gender attitudes, perceived unfairness, marital disagreements, and relationship alternatives, exploring whether these dimensions of marriage influence marital dissolution, net of serious forms of hardship commonly noted in divorce research. With event history methods, we find that husbands', but not wives', perceived disagreements and alternatives are associated with higher odds of marital dissolution, though couples' marital happiness strongly mediates the effects of husbands' dissatisfaction. Wives' traditional attitudes are associated with lower odds and husbands' with higher odds of marital dissolution. We find no significant effects of unfairness perceptions on divorce. A nonviolent relationship is associated with lower odds of marital dissolution, but accumulated assets and debt and husbands' drug or alcohol abuse are not associated significantly with marital dissolution. Our analysis contributes to divorce research by demonstrating the importance of gender attitudes and low physical conflict and by showing that instances of perceived dissatisfaction might not matter for couples as much as marital happiness as an influence on divorce. Language: en
Optimal Taxation: Merging Micro and Macro Approaches

EFFICIENT PROVISION OF social insurance and efficient redistributionofresourcesamongindividualsaresomeofthemostimportantandchallenging questions in macroeconomics and public finance. A seminal contribution of Mirrlees (1971) is the starting point for the modern approach to answering these questions. A trade-off between efficiency and insurance or equity is inherent to this approach and is a key determinant of the optimal policy. In this paper, we argue that the large body of research that follows Mirrlees approach has been developing in two quite separate directions—referred to in this paper as the micro and macro approaches. We argue that merging the two directions
Phosphoinositide-Mediated Adaptor Recruitment Controls Toll-like Receptor Signaling

Toll-like receptors (TLRs) play a critical role in the immune system as sensors of microbial infection. Signaling downstream from TLRs is initiated by the recruitment of adaptor proteins, including MyD88 and TIRAP. These adaptors play essential roles in TLR signaling, but the mechanism of their function is currently unknown. Here we demonstrate that TIRAP and MyD88 have distinct functions and describe a mechanism of recruitment of TIRAP and MyD88 to TLR4. We find that TIRAP contains a phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2) binding domain, which mediates TIRAP recruitment to the plasma membrane. TIRAP then functions to facilitate MyD88 delivery to activated TLR4 to initiate signal transduction. These results establish that phosphoinositide-mediated adaptor recruitment initiates a specific signal-transduction pathway.
Black attitudes in prison: A sociological analysis

Abstract This study examined attitudes of black inmates at two institutions located in different sections of the United States. The attitudinal dimensions considered were black radicalism, race cohesiveness, class consciousness, the soul orientation, and allegiance to the inmate code. It was determined that despite the regional location of the institutions, there was considerable similarity regarding the relationship of the attitude sets to various pre-prison experiences and background factors, violence in prison, and type of offense. With respect to socialization effects, the nature of the institutional environment appeared to have a major impact upon the inmate's attitudinal orientation. The implications of the findings for the “Importation vs. Functional Adaptation” debate concerning the origins of inmate attitudes and behaviors are discussed.
High-Throughput Single Copy DNA Amplification and Cell Analysis in Engineered Nanoliter Droplets

A high-throughput single copy genetic amplification (SCGA) process is developed that utilizes a microfabricated droplet generator (µDG) to rapidly encapsulate individual DNA molecules or cells together with primer functionalized microbeads in uniform PCR mix droplets. The nanoliter volume droplets uniquely enable quantitative high-yield amplification of DNA targets suitable for long-range sequencing and genetic analysis. A hybrid glass−polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) microdevice assembly is used to integrate a micropump into the µDG that provides uniform droplet size, controlled generation frequency, and effective bead incorporation. After bulk PCR amplification, the droplets are lysed and the beads are recovered and rapidly analyzed via flow cytometry. DNA targets ranging in size from 380 to 1139 bp at single molecule concentrations are quantitatively amplified using SCGA. Long-range sequencing results from beads each carrying ∼100 amol of a 624 bp product demonstrate that these amplicons are competent for a...
Glycogen-membrane complexes in denervated human skeletal muscle

We describe an unusual intracellular complex of glycogen with smooth, cisternal, cytoplasmic membranes (glycogen—membrane complexes, GMC) in denervated human skeletal muscle. Glycogen particles were always intimately associated with these structures, although the staining intensity varied markedly with different fixation conditions. This may account for previous investigations of similar structures in which an association with glycogen was not recognized. Electron micrographs of tannic acid-enhanced specimens, and of freeze-fracture replicas, showed similarities between the GMCs and the terminal cisternae of the sarcoplasmic reticulum: (i) GMCs resembled the terminal cisternae of the sarcoplasmic reticulum in the size and asymmetric distribution of intramembranous particles seen in freeze-fracture replicas; (ii) tannic acid-enhanced thin sections of GMCs showed intense staining of the cisternal contents and irregular staining of the cytoplasmic leaflet, similar to the appearance of the sarcoplasmic reticulum terminal cisternae; and (iii) triad-like junctions were seen between the glycogen—membrane complexes and elements of the transverse tubule system.
Vortical field amplification and particle acceleration at rippled shocks

Abstract Supernova Remnant (SNR) shocks are believed to accelerate charged particles and to generate strong turbulence in the post-shock flow. From high-energy observations in the past decade, a magnetic field at SNR shocks largely exceeding the shock-compressed interstellar field has been inferred. We outline how such a field amplification results from a small-scale dynamo process downstream of the shock, providing an explicit expression for the turbulence back-reaction to the fluid whirling. The spatial scale of the X-ray rims and the short time-variability can be obtained by using reasonable parameters for the interstellar turbulence. We show qualitatively that such a vortical field saturation might be faster than the acceleration time of the synchrotron emitting energetic electrons.
Properties of highly crystalline NiO and Ni nanoparticles prepared by high-temperature oxidation and reduction

We describe here the use of high-temperature oxidation and reduction to produce highly crystalline nanoparticles of Ni and NiO. Starting with an amorphous Ni powder, we demonstrate that oxidation at $900\text{ }\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}\text{C}$ produces faceted NiO nanocrystals with sizes ranging from 20 to 60 nm. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy measurements indicate near-perfect atomic order, truncated by (200) surfaces. Magnetization measurements reveal that the N\'eel temperature of these NiO nanoparticles is 480 K, substantially reduced by finite-size effects from the bulk value of 523 K. The magnetization of these faceted NiO nanoparticles does not saturate in fields as large as 14 T while a loop offset is observed which increases from 1000 Oe at 300 K to its maximum value of 3500 Oe at 50 K. We have used high-temperature reduction to transform the faceted NiO nanoparticles into highly ordered Ni nanoparticles, with a Curie temperature of 720 K and blocking temperatures in excess of 350 K. Subsequent efforts to reoxidize these Ni nanoparticles into the core-shell morphology found that the Ni nanoparticles are much more resistant to oxidation than the original Ni powder, perhaps due to the relative crystalline perfection of the former. At $800\text{ }\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}\text{C}$, an unusual surface roughening and subsequent instability was observed, where 50-nm-diameter NiO rods grow from the Ni surfaces. We have demonstrated that high-temperature oxidation and reduction in Ni and NiO are both reversible to some extent and are highly effective for creating the highly crystalline nanomaterials required for applications such as exchange-bias devices.
Determination of urinary methylhistamine excretion in male and female rats by gas chromatography with electron-capture detection

Abstract A gas-liquid chromatographic method for the determination of methylhistamine in urine is described. Methylhistamine is reacted with 2,6-dinitro-4-trifluoromethylbenzene sulfonic acid and the derivative thus formed is quantitated with electron-capture detection. The twenty-four hour urinary excretion of methylhistamine in the male rat is about five-fold greater than that in the female rat. Amino-guanadine, a diamine oxidase inhibitor, causes a four-to five-fold increase in methylhistamine excretion in both male and female rats. Treatment with pargyline, a monoamine oxidase inhibitor, causes only a small increase in methylhistamine excretion in male and female rats thereby suggesting that oxidative deamination of methylhistamine is a relatively minor pathway.