cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Advertising, search costs, and social welfare

Abstract Analysis of the welfare effect of advertising depends critically upon the effect of advertising on market prices. In many circumstances, advertising that leads to higher (lower) market prices is overproduced (underproduced) from society’s perspective. This paper demonstrates that these predictions may not hold when consumer search costs are important. A model is developed to show how advertising affects equilibrium prices, search costs, and social welfare in monopoly and imperfectly competitive markets. When informative advertising leads to a sufficient reduction in consumer search costs, both consumer and producer welfare may increase even though market prices rise. This conclusion has important implications for policy analysts, because it demonstrates that one cannot test the welfare effect of advertising by determining the impact of advertising on market prices alone. One must investigate the impact of advertising on both market prices and search costs to fully understand the welfare effect of advertising.
Norepinephrine metabolism in the central nervous system of man: studies using 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylethylene glycol levels in cerebrospinal fluid.

—Levels of 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylethylene glycol (MHPG), a major metabolite of norepinephrine, were measured in human CSF by gas-liquid chromatography. MHPG concentrations were similar in both ventricular and lumbar CSF samples; about 30 per cent of the MHPG from either source occurred as the sulphate conjugate. There was relatively little entry of intravenously infused [14C]MHPG into lumbar spinal fluid. Both α-methylparatyrosine, an inhibitor of tyrosine hydroxylase, and fusaric acid, an inhibitor of dopamine-β-hydroxylase, significantly diminished MHPG values. On the other hand, doses of l-DOPA or probenecid, sufficient to substantially elevate CSF levels of the dopamine metabolite, homovanillic acid, failed to alter the spinal fluid content of MHPG. CSF concentrations of MHPG in patients with Parkinson's disease or the other central nervous system disorders studied did not differ significantly from control levels. The results suggest that MHPG values in CSF may provide an index to norepinephrine metabolism in the central nervous system of man.
Transient structure current generated by the activation of a squib device

Experimental measurements of the currents in pyro-activation circuits show that a structure current is generated during the pyro-activation process. This current is a transient current and is an intense source of electromagnetic interference. Analysis has indicated that the noise voltage induced on candidate victim circuits is sufficient to cause circuit upset and/or latchup. A survey of flight anomaly records has also correlated the occurrence of anomalies with the pyro-activation process. Detailed analyses, taking the spacecraft cabling configuration and circuit sensitivities into account, have shown that the structure current induced noise voltage could definitely be the cause of the anomalies. The threat of the structure current due to pyro-activation can be alleviated by isolating the pyro-activation circuit from ground and by proper arrangement of the cables in sensitive circuits. >
DNA Synthesis and Gene Expression in Bacillus subtilis Infected with Wild-Type and Hypermodification-Defective Bacteriophage SP10

A hypermodified base (Y-Thy) replaces 20% of the thymine (Thy) in mature DNA of Bacillus subtilis phage SP10. Two noncomplementing hypermodification-defective (hmd) mutants are described. At 30 degrees C, hmd phage carried out a normal program, but at temperatures of >/=37 degrees C, the infection process was nonproductive. When cells were infected at 37 degrees C with hmd phage, DNA synthesis started at its usual time (12 min), proceeded at about half the normal rate for 6 to 8 min, and then stopped or declined manyfold. All, or nearly all, of the DNA made under hmd conditions consisted of fully hypermodified parental DNA strands H-bonded to unhypermodified nascent strands. The reduced levels of DNA synthesis observed under hmd conditions were accompanied by weak expression of late genes. A sucrose gradient analysis of SP10 hmd(+) replicating DNA intermediates was made. Two intermediates, called VG and F, were identified. VF consisted of condensed DNA complexed to protein; VF also contained negatively supercoiled domains covalently joined to relaxed regions. F was composed of linear concatenates from which mature DNA was cleaved. None of those intermediates was evident in cells infected at 37 degrees C with hmd phage. Shiftup experiments were performed wherein cells infected with hmd phage at 30 degrees C were shifted to 37 degrees C at a time when replication was well under way. DNA synthesis stopped or declined manyfold 10 min after shiftup. The hmd DNA made after shiftup was conserved as a form sedimentationally equivalent to the F intermediate, but little mature DNA was evident. It is proposed that Y-Thy is required for replication and DNA maturation because certain key proteins involved with these processes interact preferentially with hypermodified DNA.
Aeromechanical stability analysis of a hybrid heavy lift multirotor vehicle in hover

Hybrid heavy lift airship (HHLA) is a proposed candidate vehicle aimed at providing heavy lift capability at low cost. This vehicle consists of a buoyant envelope attached to a supporting structure to which four rotor systems are attached. Nonlinear equations of motion capable of modeling the dynamics of this coupled multirotor/support-frame vehicle system have been developed. Using these equations, an aeromechanical stability analysis was performed in order to identify potential instabilities for this type of vehicle. The coupling between various blade, supporting structure, and rigid body modes is identified. Furthermore, the effects of changes in buoyancy ratio (buoyant lift/total weight) on the dynamic characteristics of the vehicle were studied.
Genetic Variation in Social Aggressiveness and Competition Effects Between Sire Families in Small Flocks of Chickens

Abstract EVIDENCE has been accumulated by Guhl, Craig and Mueller (1960) and by Komai, Craig and Wearden (1959) indicating that social aggressiveness within strains of chickens is heritable. Significant associations between social rank and production traits have been reported by Guhl (1953) and Tindell and Craig (1959) within strains, while social “competition effects” between strains were also reported by the latter authors. The current investigation was set up to yield information on the hypothesis advanced by Tindell and Craig (1959) that competition effects might also be present between families within strains. In addition, variation in social aggressiveness was analyzed to furnish further evidence as to the heritable nature of this characteristic. Pullets were obtained from eight sire families of the Cornell randombred control population of White Leghorns (see King, Carson and Doolittle, 1959) to conduct the study. All chicks were hatched, wingbanded and dubbed February 12, 1958. They were raised in …
Attachment of Meandering Reentrant Wave Fronts to Anatomic Obstacles in the Atrium: Role of the Obstacle Size

Abstract Acetylcholine chloride (ACh) induces nonstationary meandering reentrant wave fronts in the atrium. We hypothesized that an anatomic obstacle of a suitable size prevents meandering by causing attachment of the reentrant wave front tip to the obstacle. Eight isolated canine right atrial tissues (area, 3.8×3.2 cm) were mounted in a tissue bath and superfused with Tyrode’s solution containing 10 to 15 μmol/L ACh. Holes with 2- to 10-mm diameters were sequentially created in the center of the tissue with biopsy punches. Reentry was induced by a premature stimulus after eight regular stimuli at 400-ms cycle length. The endocardial activation maps and the motion of the induced reentry were visualized dynamically before and after each test lesion using 509 bipolar electrodes. In the absence of a lesion (n=8), the induced single reentrant wave front, in the form of a spiral wave, meandered irregularly from one site to another before terminating at the tissue border. Holes with 2- to 4-mm diameters (n=6) had no effect on meandering. However, when the hole diameters were increased to 6 mm (n=8), 8 mm (n=8), and 10 mm (n=6), the tip of the spiral wave attached to the holes, and reentry became stationary. Transition from meandering to an attached state converted the irregular and polymorphic electrogram to a periodic and monomorphic activity with longer cycle lengths (101±11 versus 131±9 ms for no hole versus 10-mm hole, respectively; P <.001). Regression analysis showed a significant positive linear correlation between the cycle length of the reentry and the hole diameter ( r =.89, P <.01) and between the cycle length of the reentry and the excitable gap ( r =.89, P <.05). We conclude that a critically sized anatomic obstacle converts a nonstationary meandering reentrant wave front to a stationary one. This transition converts an irregular “fibrillation-like” activity into regular monomorphic activity.
Merging Biological Self-Assembly with Synthetic Chemical Tailoring: The Potential for 3-D Genetically Engineered Micro/Nano-Devices (3-D GEMS)

Appreciable global efforts are underway to develop processes for fabricating three-dimensional (3-D) nanostructured assemblies for advanced devices. Widespread commercialization of such devices will require: (i) precise 3-D fabrication of chemically tailored structures on a fine scale and (ii) mass production of such structures on a large scale. These often-conflicting demands can be addressed with a revolutionary new paradigm that couples biological self-assembly with synthetic chemistry: Bioclastic and Shape-preserving Inorganic Conversion (BaSIC). Nature provides numerous examples of microorganisms that assemble biominerals into intricate 3-D structures. Among the most spectacular of these microorganisms are diatoms (unicellular algae). Each of the tens of thousands of diatom species assembles silica nanoparticles into a microshell with a distinct 3-D shape and pattern of fine (nanoscale) features. The repeated doubling associated with biological reproduction enables enormous numbers of such 3-D microshells to be generated (e.g., only 40 reproduction cycles can yield >1 trillion 3-D replicas!). Such genetic precision and massive parallelism are highly attractive for device manufacturing. However, the natural chemistries assembled by diatoms (and other microorganisms) are rather limited. With BaSIC processes, biogenic assemblies can be converted into a wide variety of new functional chemistries, while preserving the 3-D morphologies. Ongoing advances in genetic engineering promise to yield microorganisms tailored to assemble nanoparticle structures with device-specific shapes. Large-scale culturing of such genetically tailored microorganisms, coupled with shape-preserving chemical conversion (via BaSIC processes), would then provide low-cost 3-D Genetically Engineered Micro/nano-devices (3-D GEMs).
Time-domain AC characterization of silicon carbide (SiC) nanoelectromechanical switches toward high-speed operations

We report an experimental study on AC measurements of contact-mode switches based on silicon carbide (SiC) nanoelectromechanical systems (NEMS). We describe the development of circuits and measurement techniques for recording long cycles of AC switching characteristics of SiC NEMS featured by ultrasmall device movable volumes (at ~1μm3 level) and contact areas (only ~0.01-0.1μm2), and challenging contact resistances (can be from ~10KΩ to ~100MΩ). We perform time-domain AC characterization of SiC NEMS switches with operating speeds up to 1kHz and high on/off current ratios of ~106. For multiple devices, we have recorded the complete time evolution of AC switching data traces of >106 cycles at 1kHz, without failure in ambient air. Beyond these long cycles the devices are still alive, which demands even higher-speed, accelerated AC measurements for long-lifetime recording.
Serotonin receptor knockouts: A moody subject

The neurotransmitter serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine; 5-HT) is believed to play a significant role in determining one’s emotional state. Indeed, serotonergic synapses are sites of action for a number of mood-altering drugs, including the now-legendary antidepressant Prozac (fluoxetine) (1). As a result, there has been tremendous interest in identifying molecular components of the serotonergic system, including cell surface receptors and transporters, and understanding whether and how these proteins contribute to the regulation of mood and emotion. This quest is driven, in part, by the possibility that behavioral disorders, such as depression or anxiety, may be linked to deficits in one or more components of this signaling system. Such information could, in turn, focus attention on specific targets for the development of novel drugs with which to treat psychiatric disorders. In the case of serotonin, this is a particularly challenging goal because the system is quite complex, consisting of at least 14 distinct receptor subtypes (2). Nevertheless, pharmacological and physiological studies have highlighted a subset of 5-HT receptor subtypes worthy of more immediate genetic analysis. One of these, the 5-HT1A receptor, is the focus of two studies by Ramboz et al. (3) and Heisler et al. (4) in recent issues of the Proceedings. These groups used gene “knockout” methods to generate mouse lines lacking 5-HT1A receptors so that they could assess the effects of receptor ablation on behavior, using models of anxiety and depression.
Ultrasound measurement of brachial flow-mediated vasodilator response

Brachial artery flow-mediated vasodilation is increasingly used as a measure of endothelial function. High resolution ultrasound provides a noninvasive method to observe this flow-mediated vasodilation by monitoring the diameter of the artery over time following a transient flow stimulus. Since hundreds of ultrasound images are required to continuously monitor brachial diameter for the 2-3 min during which the vasodilator response occurs, an automated diameter estimation is desirable. However, vascular ultrasound images suffer from structural noise caused by the constructive and destructive interference of the backscattered signals, and the true boundaries of interest that define the diameter are frequently obscured by the multiple-layer structure of the vessel wall. These problems make automated diameter estimation strategies based on the detection of the vessel wall boundary difficult. The authors obtain a robust automated measurement of the vasodilator response by automatically locating the artery using a variable window method, which gives both the lumen center and width. The vessel wall boundary is detected by a global constraint deformable model, which is insensitive to the structural noise in the boundary area. The ambiguity between the desired boundary and other undesired boundaries is resolved by a spatiotemporal strategy. The authors' method provides excellent reproducibility both for interreader and intrareader analyzes of percent change in diameter, and has been successfully used in analyzing over 4000 brachial flow-mediated vasodilation scans from several medical centers in the United States.
Reconceptualizing Professional Communities for Preservice Urban Teachers

This paper explores how a preservice teacher defined, experienced, and transacted with multiple professional communities in becoming a social justice-minded urban English teacher. It extends research on urban teachers and professional communities by arguing that professional community in relation to urban teachers must be informed by sociopolitical understandings of community. The paper undertakes such retheorizing of professional community by drawing upon and combining Wenger’s (Communities of practice: learning, meaning, and identity, Cambridge University Press, New York, 1998) work on communities of practice and Collins’ (Am Sociol Rev 75:7–30, 2010) conceptualization of community as sociopolitical terrain. Applying this reconceptualized notion of professional community, the paper describes and analyzes how the preservice teacher became increasingly adept at critically analyzing and engaging, creating and transforming, his professional communities to achieve greater justice in urban education.
The Brain–Liver Connection Between BDNF and Glucose Control

Growing knowledge of the control of glucose metabolism permits the testing of alternative treatments to insulin to maintain euglycemia. Diminishing glucagon action on the liver (1) and increasing leptin (2) are prime examples of promising peptide hormone treatments that could be useful in glucose regulation. A report from Morton and colleagues (3) in this issue provides data that a systems biology model could integrate these two points of view of glucose regulation. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and its cognate receptor TrkB are involved in the regulation of energy balance and glucose homeostasis via its effects in the central nervous system. Perturbed BDNF signaling in the brain triggers hyperphagia and obesity in mice, suggesting that BDNF acts as an anorexigenic signaling molecule (4–6). However, the cellular mechanisms underlying the anorexigenic effects of BDNF have not been clearly defined. As a neurotrophic factor, BDNF promotes survival, induces differentiation of neurons in the developing and adult central nervous system (7), and forms appropriate synaptic connections at central synapses (8). Thus, the obesity phenotype observed in BDNF- and TrkB-mutant animals can be, in part, due to neurodevelopmental anomalies (6,9 …
The tactics of foreign policy agenda-setting: Issue choice and the president’s weekly radio address

The American president’s foreign policy agenda represents a complex mix of policy preferences driven both by necessity and choice. It would seem that, given the ability of other actors to substanti...
Gene expression profiling of Arabidopsis thaliana in compatible plant‐aphid interactions

Phloem feeding involves unique biological interactions between the herbivore and its host plant. The economic importance of aphids, whiteflies, and other phloem-feeding insects as pests has prompted research to isolate sources of resistance to piercing-sucking insects in crops. However, little information exists about the molecular nature of plant sensitivity to phloem feeding. Recent discoveries involving elicitation by plant pathogens and chewing insects and limited studies on phloem feeders suggest that aphids are capable of inducing responses in plants broadly similar to those associated with pathogen infection and wounding. Our past work showed that compatible aphid feeding on leaves of Arabidopsis thaliana induces localized changes in levels of transcripts of genes that are also associated with infection, mechanical damage, chewing herbivory, or resource allocation shifts. We used microarray and macroarray gene expression analyses of infested plants to better define the response profile of A. thaliana to M. persicae feeding. The results suggest that genes involved in oxidative stress, calcium-dependent signaling, pathogenesis-related responses, and signaling are key components of this profile in plants infested for 72 or 96 h. The use of plant resistance to aphids in crops will benefit from a better understanding of induced responses. The establishment of links between insect elicitation, plant signaling associated with phloem feeding, and proximal resistance mechanisms is critical to further research progress in this area. Arch. Insect Biochem. Physiol. 51:182-203, 2002. Published 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc. †
Methods for improving image quality in whole body PET scanning

Whole body PET (positron emission tomography) imaging is performed by acquiring data at multiple axial positions. From this data set, coronal and sagittal cross sectional images are formed by reorienting the transaxial tomographic images. Due to the short acquisition time at each axial position the noise levels in the final images are relatively high. The aim of the present work is to optimize some of the scanning parameters for whole body PET imaging to achieve the best possible image quality. It is noted that the detection efficiency of the PET system can be improved by using more coincidence plane combinations in addition to the conventional direct and cross planes. The effect of acquiring an additional set of coincidence planes with a plane separation of +or-2 was studied and showed a reduction in noise and improved uniformity without a significant loss in resolution. The effect of different sampling schemes was also studied. Using a continuous sampling scheme by moving the bed in sets of 3.38 mm results in better image uniformity together with a reduction in noise in comparison with images acquired using the standard interleaved sampling mode. >
High-LET radiation induces inflammation and persistent changes in markers of hippocampal neurogenesis.

Abstract Rola, R., Sarkissian, V., Obenaus, A., Nelson, G. A., Otsuka, S., Limoli, C. L. and Fike, J. R. High-LET Radiation Induces Inflammation and Persistent Changes in Markers of Hippocampal Neurogenesis. Radiat. Res. 164, 556–560 (2005). Exposure to heavy-ion radiation is considered a potential health risk in long-term space travel. It may result in the loss of critical cellular components in complex systems like the central nervous system (CNS), which could lead to performance decrements that ultimately could compromise mission goals and long-term quality of life. Specific hippocampal-dependent cognitive impairment occurs after whole-body 56Fe-particle irradiation, and while the pathogenesis of this effect is not yet clear, it may involve damage to neural precursor cells in the hippocampal dentate gyrus. We irradiated mice with 1–3 Gy of 12C or 56Fe ions and 9 months later quantified proliferating cells and immature neurons in the dentate subgranular zone (SGZ). Our results showed that reductions in ...
Contributions of the embedded-atom method to materials science and engineering

Many-body potentials were introduced in the early 1980s and have become a workhorse for the simulation of materials, especially metallic systems. The physical motivations for the main classes of the various many-body potentials are summarized, and the advantages of this approach are discussed. Some current examples related to grain growth, stress generation in thin films, shock loading, and nanowire deformation are presented to illustrate the continuing value of these approaches. Finally, some of the approaches that have been introduced in subsequent years are briefly described.
Golgi: Interactive Online Brain Mapping

Golgi (http://www.usegolgi.com) is a prototype interactive brain map of the rat brain that helps researchers intuitively interact with neuroanatomy, connectomics, and cellular and chemical architecture. The flood of "-omic" data urges new ways to help researchers connect discrete findings to the larger context of the nervous system. Here we explore Golgi's underlying reasoning and techniques and how our design decisions balance the constraints of building both a scientifically useful and usable tool. We demonstrate how Golgi can enhance connectomic literature searches with a case study investigating a thalamocortical circuit involving the Nucleus Accumbens and we explore Golgi's potential and future directions for growth in systems neuroscience and connectomics.
CASE STUDY: Use of dried distillers grains, soybean hulls, or both to background beef calves fed bahiagrass hay

ABSTRACT Two experiments were conducted to evaluate dried distillers grains (DDG), soybean hulls (SBH), and a slow-release urea (SRU) product as supplements to background beef steer calves. In both experiments, 56 Angus steers were individually supplemented for 42 d and provided ad libitum access to bahiagrass (Paspalum notatum) hay. On d 0, 14, 28, and 42, BW were recorded and blood samples were collected. In Exp. 1, steers (BW = 236 ± 26 kg) were randomly allotted to 1 of 4 supplement treatments: 1) DDG (1.19 kg/d), 2) DDG+SRU (1.19 kg/d of DDG + 45.5 g/d of SRU), 3) SBH (2.63 kg/d), or 4) SBH+SRU (2.63 kg/d of SBH + 45.5 g/d of SRU). Final BW did not differ (P ≥ 0.74); however, 42-d BW gain was greater (P = 0.05) and estimated mean total DMI was greater (P
Simultaneous Determination of Sample Thickness, Tilt, and Electron Mean Free Path Using Tomographic Tilt Images Based on Beer-Lambert Law

Cryo-electron tomography (cryo-ET) is an emerging technique that can elucidate the architecture of macromolecular complexes and cellular ultrastructure in a near-native state. Some important sample parameters, such as thickness and tilt, are needed for 3-D reconstruction. However, these parameters can currently only be determined using trial 3-D reconstructions. Accurate electron mean free path plays a significant role in modeling image formation process essential for simulation of electron microscopy images and model-based iterative 3-D reconstruction methods; however, their values are voltage and sample dependent and have only been experimentally measured for a limited number of sample conditions. Here, we report a computational method, tomoThickness, based on the Beer-Lambert law, to simultaneously determine the sample thickness, tilt and electron inelastic mean free path by solving an overdetermined nonlinear least square optimization problem utilizing the strong constraints of tilt relationships. The method has been extensively tested with both stained and cryo datasets. The fitted electron mean free paths are consistent with reported experimental measurements. The accurate thickness estimation eliminates the need for a generous assignment of Z-dimension size of the tomogram. Interestingly, we have also found that nearly all samples are a few degrees tilted relative to the electron beam. Compensation of the intrinsic sample tilt can result in horizontal structure and reduced Z-dimension of tomograms. Our fast, pre-reconstruction method can thus provide important sample parameters that can help improve performance of tomographic reconstruction of a wide range of samples.
Chemical inactivation of swine vesicular disease virus.

SUMMARY The effects of diverse chemical formulations and disinfectants at known concentrations were observed for their virucidal activity against the Hong Kong strain of swine vesicular disease virus. During an exposure period of up to 30 min at 25°C, only 5 of the 13 compounds tested completely inactivated the virus. Of these five, only sodium hydroxide, sodium hypochlorite and formaldehyde inactivated the virus in less than 2 min under the test conditions.
Growth of Legionella pneumophila in Acanthamoeba castellanii enhances invasion.

Legionella pneumophila is considered to be a facultative intracellular parasite. Therefore, the ability of these bacteria to enter, i.e., invade, eukaryotic cells is expected to be a key pathogenic determinant. We compared the invasive ability of bacteria grown under standard laboratory conditions with that of bacteria grown in Acanthamoeba castellanii, one of the protozoan species that serves as a natural host for L. pneumophila in the environment. Amoeba-grown L. pneumophila cells were found to be at least 100-fold more invasive for epithelial cells and 10-fold more invasive for macrophages and A. castellanii than were L. pneumophila cells grown on agar. Comparison of agar- and amoeba-grown L. pneumophila cells by light and electron microscopy demonstrated dramatic differences in the morphology and structure of the bacteria. Analyses of protein expression in the two strains of bacteria suggest that these phenotypic differences may be due to the expression of new proteins in amoeba-grown L. pneumophila cells. In addition, the amoeba-grown bacteria were found to enter macrophages via coiling phagocytosis at a higher frequency than agar-grown bacteria did. Replication of L. pneumophila in protozoans present in domestic water supplies may be necessary to produce bacteria that are competent to enter mammalian cells and produce human disease.
Iodide-Induced Organothiol Desorption and Photochemical Reaction, Gold Nanoparticle (AuNP) Fusion, and SERS Signal Reduction in Organothiol-Containing AuNP Aggregates

Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) have been used extensively as surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopic (SERS) substrates for their large SERS enhancements and widely believed chemical stability. Presented is the finding that iodide can rapidly reduce the SERS intensity of the ligands, including organothiols adsorbed on plasmonic AuNPs through both iodide-induced ligand desorption and AuNP fusion. The organothiols trapped inside the fused AuNPs have negligible SERS activities. Multiple photochemical processes were involved when organothiol-containing AuNP aggregates were treated with KI under photoillumination. The photocatalytically produced I3– reacts with both organothiol and AuNPs. Chloride and bromide also induce partial organothiol displacement and the fusion of the as-synthesized AuNPs, but neither of the two halides has detectable effects on the morphology and Raman signals of the organothiol-containing AuNP aggregates. The insight provided in this work should be important for the understanding of interfaci...
Pink Bollworm (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) Egg Hatch, Larval Success, and Pupal and Adult Survival on Okra- and Normal-leaf Cotton

Previous observations that okra-leaf cotton, Gossypium hirsutum L., sustained less seed damage caused by pink bollworm (PBW), Pectinophora gossypiella (Saunders), than normal-leaf cotton prompted a search for the cause of the reduced damage. In one series of experiments, bolls of ‘Stoneville 7A’ okra-leaf and ‘Stoneville 7A’ normal-leaf cotton were infested artificially with PBW eggs or first instars and boll temperatures were monitored. Egg mortality was not significantly different, but number of PBW entrance holes was reduced ca. 13% in bolls of okra-leaf cotton. Boll temperatures generally were slightly higher in okra-leaf cotton but differences were not great enough to explain the difference in number of entrance holes or insects per boll. In a second series of experiments, fourth instars were placed either in boxes of soil under plant canopies and collected later, or in containers placed in canopies where they were allowed to tunnel out of the containers, fall to the soil, and emerge as adults. In the soil boxes, no significant differences were found in temperature, relative humidity or in insect survival under the normal- and okra-leaf canopies. In the larval emergence experiment, soil temperature was significantly higher under the okra-leaf canopy than under the normal-leaf canopy but larval emergence from bolls and moth emergence from pupae were not significantly different.
Reactive oxygen species (ROS) and cancer: Role of antioxidative nutraceuticals

Extensive research over the past half a century indicates that reactive oxygen species (ROS) play an important role in cancer. Although low levels of ROS can be beneficial, excessive accumulation can promote cancer. One characteristic of cancer cells that distinguishes them from normal cells is their ability to produce increased numbers of ROS and their increased dependence on an antioxidant defense system. ROS are produced as a byproduct intracellularly by mitochondria and other cellular elements and exogenously by pollutants, tobacco, smoke, drugs, xenobiotics, and radiation. ROS modulate various cell signaling pathways, which are primarily mediated through the transcription factors NF-κB and STAT3, hypoxia-inducible factor-1α, kinases, growth factors, cytokines and other proteins, and enzymes; these pathways have been linked to cellular transformation, inflammation, tumor survival, proliferation, invasion, angiogenesis, and metastasis of cancer. ROS are also associated with epigenetic changes in genes, which is helpful in diagnosing diseases. This review considers the role of ROS in the various stages of cancer development. Finally, we provide evidence that nutraceuticals derived from Mother Nature are highly effective in eliminating cancer cells.
A BDDC Preconditioner for Problems Posed in H(div) with Deluxe Scaling

The purpose of this paper is to introduce a BDDC method for vector field problems discretized with the lowest order Raviart-Thomas finite elements. Our method is based on a new type of weighted average, a deluxe scaling, developed to deal with more than one variable coefficient. Numerical experiments show that the deluxe scaling is robust and more powerful than traditional methods.
Optimization Preparation Technology of Genistein Micelles by Orthogonal Design and Central Composite Design-response Surface Methodology

Objective:To optimize preparation technology of genistein-loaded MePEG-PLGA namo-micelle with modified spontaneous emulsification solvent diffusion method.Method:Firstly,orthogonal design was used to preliminary screen prescription,and determine main influence factors.Then optimized prescription by central composite design(CCD) and response surface methodology(RSM).Main influence factors included concentration of genistein micelles in organic phase,concentration of MePEG-PLGA in organic phase and the ratio of water phase to organic phase,evaluation parameters included entrapment efficiency,drug loading and average diameter.Data were simulated using multi-linear regression and second-order polynomial equation.The better technology condition was predicted by response surface method.Result:According to the optimal formulation,the entrapment efficiency,the drug loading and the average diameter of the prepared namo-micelle were 84.43%,2.63%,63.7 nm,respectively.Conclusion:Combined of orthogonal design with CCD and RSM was a convenient and feasible method to optimize preparation technology of genistein-loaded MePEG-PLGA namo-micelle and model developed in this study are proved to be predictable.
Nuclear Tracer Studies of the Cerebral Circulation

A safe and noninvasive means of investigating the cerebral circulation in a way that illumines its dynamics has long been sought; it would give more information than the brain scan at less hazard than arteriography or pneumoencephalography. The rate of washout of a diffusible tracer provided the first approach; today it appears that studies of the rate of accumulation of nondiffusible 99m Tc-pertechnetate may hold the answer.
Internal heterotrophy following the switch from macrophytes to algae in Lake Apopka, Florida

Measurements of photosynthesis and community respiration in Lake Apopka, Florida, U.S.A. indicate that this lake may be heterotrophic, and that the source of extra organic carbon is internal rather than external to the lake. This large and shallow lake (area 124 km2, mean depth 1.7 m) was dominated by macrophytes until hurricane-associated winds disrupted the plants in 1947, and the lake switched to a turbid, algal state. A layer of flocculent, organic sediments covers the lakebed to an average depth of 45 cm and winds regularly resuspend the upper portion into the water column. We used the diel oxygen curve method to estimate production and respiration and also reanalyzed the results of five past studies of production in the lake. The production measurements did not support the hypothesis that the flocculent layer represented excess algal production since 1947. Community respiration exceeded gross production on 60 out of 76 days sampled with statistically significant negative net production found in two of the three studies using the light and dark bottle oxygen method. External supplies of organic carbon are relatively small and are balanced by losses through the outlet. If the lake is heterotrophic, the excess respiration is most likely supported by the remains of macrophytes deposited in the sediments prior to the switch to an algal state. Similar sediment oxidation probably occurs in other shallow lakes that switch from the macrophyte to the algal state.
Microbiome and mental health in the modern environment

A revolution in the understanding of the pathophysiology of mental illness combined with new knowledge about host/microbiome interactions and psychoneuroimmunology has opened an entirely new field of study, the “psychobiotics”. The modern microbiome is quite changed compared to our ancestral one due to diet, antibiotic exposure, and other environmental factors, and these differences may well impact our brain health. The sheer complexity and scope of how diet, probiotics, prebiotics, and intertwined environmental variables could influence mental health are profound obstacles to an organized and useful study of the microbiome and psychiatric disease. However, the potential for positive anti-inflammatory effects and symptom amelioration with perhaps few side effects makes the goal of clarifying the role of the microbiota in mental health a vital one.
Numbers as Structures and as Positions in Structures

Knowing such an elementary truth as 2 + 2 = 4 is essentially a matter of knowing the numbers 2 and 4.
Metrics millennium: Social impact investment and the measurement of value

“It is not enough just to incentivise social investments. We need a robust way of measuring their value…” Thus spoke Prime Minister Cameron at the start of the G8 Social Impact Investment Forum in July, 2013. In this article I investigate the elite narratives and practices of measuring social value in the rapidly expanding arena of social impact investment. Assumptions about the neutrality and transparency of metrics, translated through popular terms such as “best practices” and “evidence-based policy,” give legitimacy to new forms of governance, such as are manifested in contemporary instruments of social finance now emerging in Europe. Many of these terms and practices are derived from influential philanthropic actors such as the US-based Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation; they are further disseminated globally by celebrity humanitarians like Bono, who connects policy-makers, financiers, and philanthropists in a rapidly widening network of social impact investment stakeholders. These now global webs of belief about efficiency and modern forms of measurement in philanthropic practices are mobilized by political elites in Europe, who draw on the scientific rationalities of expertise to nudge governments toward market-oriented solutions to contemporary social problems.
Economic Freedom and Racial Differences in Entrepreneurship: Evidence from US States

We investigate the relationship between economic freedom and black versus white entrepreneurship rates. An extensive literature examines why black entrepreneurship rates lag behind white, focusing ...
Is Background Music Effective On Retail Websites

ABSTRACTWeb designers often advise online retailers against incorporating background music on websites. However, the effect of music in brick-and-mortar retail settings has generally been found to be favorable. The research on the effects of music has been mixed. Our study aims to examine whether congruent music on the website homepage influences online consumers. Using the responses of 290 visitors to two different commercial websites, we test the influence of background music on consumers’ arousal and pleasure perceptions. The results indicate congruent background music on a website's homepage will generate positive affective responses of arousal and pleasure within users, and will enhance users’ perceived usefulness and perceived enjoyment as well. The findings reveal the effects of respondent’ affective responses to the music differed by gender. Website music produces significant affective and cognitive responses in high web skill/low web challenge users and explains more of website enjoyment.
Ethanol production by the hyperthermophilic archaeon Pyrococcus furiosus by expression of bacterial bifunctional alcohol dehydrogenases.

Summary Ethanol is an important target for the renewable production of liquid transportation fuels. It can be produced biologically from pyruvate, via pyruvate decarboxylase, or from acetyl-CoA, by alcohol dehydrogenase E (AdhE). Thermophilic bacteria utilize AdhE, which is a bifunctional enzyme that contains both acetaldehyde dehydrogenase and alcohol dehydrogenase activities. Many of these organisms also contain a separate alcohol dehydrogenase (AdhA) that generates ethanol from acetaldehyde, although the role of AdhA in ethanol production is typically not clear. As acetyl-CoA is a key central metabolite that can be generated from a wide range of substrates, AdhE can serve as a single gene fuel module to produce ethanol through primary metabolic pathways. The focus here is on the hyperthermophilic archaeon Pyrococcus furiosus, which grows by fermenting sugar to acetate, CO2 and H2. Previously, by the heterologous expression of adhA from a thermophilic bacterium, P. furiosus was shown to produce ethanol by a novel mechanism from acetate, mediated by AdhA and the native enzyme aldehyde oxidoreductase (AOR). In this study, the AOR gene was deleted from P. furiosus to evaluate ethanol production directly from acetyl-CoA by heterologous expression of the adhE gene from eight thermophilic bacteria. Only AdhEs from two Thermoanaerobacter strains showed significant activity in cell-free extracts of recombinant P. furiosus and supported ethanol production in vivo. In the AOR deletion background, the highest amount of ethanol (estimated 61% theoretical yield) was produced when adhE and adhA from Thermoanaerobacter were co-expressed.
Imaging of the oesophagus: beyond cancer

Non-malignant oesophageal diseases are critical to recognize, but can be easily overlooked or misdiagnosed radiologically. In this paper, we cover the salient clinical features and imaging findings of non-malignant pathology of the oesophagus. We organize the many non-malignant diseases of the oesophagus into two major categories: luminal disorders and wall disorders. Luminal disorders include dilatation/narrowing (e.g. achalasia, scleroderma, and stricture) and foreign body impaction. Wall disorders include wall thickening (e.g. oesophagitis, benign neoplasms, oesophageal varices, and intramural hematoma), wall thinning/outpouching (e.g. epiphrenic diverticulum, Zenker diverticulum, and Killian-Jamieson diverticulum), wall rupture (e.g. iatrogenic perforation, Boerhaave Syndrome, and Mallory-Weiss Syndrome), and fistula formation (e.g. pericardioesophageal fistula, tracheoesophageal fistula, and aortoesophageal fistula). It is the role of the radiologist to recognize the classic imaging patterns of these non-malignant oesophageal diseases to facilitate the delivery of appropriate and prompt medical treatment. • Nonmalignant oesophageal disease can be categorised by the imaging appearance of wall and lumen. • Scleroderma and achalasia both cause lumen dilatation via different pathophysiologic pathways. • Oesophageal wall thickening can be inflammatory, neoplastic, traumatic, or vascular in aetiology.
Imaging three-dimensional innervation zone distribution in muscles from M-wave recordings.

OBJECTIVE To localize neuromuscular junctions in skeletal muscles in vivo which is of great importance in understanding, diagnosing and managing of neuromuscular disorders. APPROACH A three-dimensional global innervation zone imaging technique was developed to characterize the global distribution of innervation zones, as an indication of the location and features of neuromuscular junctions, using electrically evoked high-density surface electromyogram recordings. MAIN RESULTS The performance of the technique was evaluated in the biceps brachii of six intact human subjects. The geometric centers of the distributions of the reconstructed innervation zones were determined with a mean distance of 9.4 ± 1.4 cm from the reference plane, situated at the medial epicondyle of the humerus. A mean depth was calculated as 1.5 ± 0.3 cm from the geometric centers to the closed points over the skin. The results are consistent with those reported in previous histology studies. It was also found that the volumes and distributions of the reconstructed innervation zones changed as the stimulation intensities increased until the supramaximal muscle response was achieved. SIGNIFICANCE Results have demonstrated the high performance of the proposed imaging technique in noninvasively imaging global distributions of the innervation zones in the three-dimensional muscle space in vivo, and the feasibility of its clinical applications, such as guiding botulinum toxin injections in spasticity management, or in early diagnosis of neurodegenerative progression of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
Evaluation of operating parameters and fuel composition on knock in large bore two-stroke pipeline engines

Abstract Legacy integral compressor engines are crucial to the operation of the North American natural gas pipeline network. Many of these engines are uncontrolled utilizing mechanical scavenging or light turbocharging. The engines typically operate between ∼10 and 20 g/bhp-hr of NOx with a minimal knock margin. While suitable for typical pipeline gases, high ethane shale gas can erode the knock margin with the added risk of performance degradation and engine damage. Phase one of the project investigated the impact of variable fuel quality and determined which engine parameters (ignition timing, air manifold temperature, and trapped equivalence ratio) were most effective in preventing and controlling knock. Phase two of the project evaluated the ability of an accelerometer and a NOx emissions sensor to detect engine knock as well as the development of knock prediction models. Testing confirmed elevated fuel ethane could induce continuous engine knock but ignition timing was the most effective method to mitigate engine knock, followed by trapped equivalence ratio. Air manifold temperature did not significantly affect knock onset. When properly tuned, a typical off the shelf accelerometer knock detection system could detect and protect against the onset of knock. Persistent knock lead to a steady increase in NOx production, but NOx values alone were inadequate to detect and protect against knock. The knock prediction models accurately predicted the onset of knock based on ignition timing, trapped equivalence ratio, and fuel composition, suggesting a fundamental relationship between operating parameters and engine knock.
Teach presentations anywhere: Strategies for success in teaching online presentations

Great presenters are made, not born—but where they are made is the subject of this workshop. Due to the interactive nature of presentations, many students and instructors alike believe that presentations must be taught in a face to face classroom environment. That belief is challenged in this workshop as the facilitator, who has taught presentations online for well over a decade, shares best practices, sample activities, assignments, and rubrics, as she walks participants through how to design their own online presentation course for to target specific audiences.