cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Shock-metamorphic effects in the Luna-16 soil sample from Mare Fecunditatis

The results of intensive studies indicate that shock-metamorphic effects, characteristic of meteorite impact and virtually identical to those observed in Apollo samples, are common in fragments of the Luna-16 soil sample from Mare Fecunditatis. Two types of shock effects are present: (1) deformation and partial melting features in rock and mineral fragments (1-2 percent of fragments); and (2) heterogeneous glasses and glassy breccias produced by shock melting (70-80 percent of fragments). Shock effects were observed in pyroxene (deformation twin lamellae, multiple planar shock lamellae, extreme mosaicism, partial isotropization); in plagioclase (planar shock lamellae, complete isotropization to form maskelynite); and in basalt fragments (plagioclase isotropization, selective partial melting). The glasses exhibit several characteristics of shock melting, especially: (1) diversity in chemical composition; (2) association with shock mineral fragments and Ni-Fe spherules; and (3) heterogeneous schlieren and incipient fusion of mineral inclusions. Two types of source rocks are present in the Luna-16 sample; basaltic (85-90 percent) and feldspathic (10-15 percent). The basaltic rocks are predominant and generally occur as unshocked fragments, indicating that they form the bedrock underlying Mare Fecunditatis.
Inhibition of amino acid and sugar transport by showdomycin.

Abstract Showdomycin inhibits the uptake of sugars and amino acids in Escherichia coli B cells. The data show that inhibition of transport by the alkylating action of showdomycin is a primary explanation for its inhibitory effects on growth of E. coli . The inhibitory effects are reversed completely by preincubation with cysteine or common nucleosides excepting guanosine, deoxyguanosine and pseudouridine. Uridine produces a two- to three-fold increase of 2-deoxyglucose and α-methyl- d -glucoside transport into E. coli cells. Analysis of products accumulated from 2-deoxyglucose shows a greater increase of free sugar than the sugar phosphate.
The roles of cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterases (PDEs) in steroidogenesis

The second messenger, cAMP, is one of the most important regulatory signals for control of steroidogenesis. This review focuses on current knowledge about regulation of cyclic nucleotides by phosphodiesterases (PDEs) in steroidogenic tissues. The first PDE known to directly regulate steroidogenesis was PDE2, the cGMP-stimulated PDE. PDE2 mediates ANP/cGMP-induced decreases in aldosterone production. Recently, the PDE8 family has been shown to control steroidogenesis in two tissues. Specifically, PDE8A regulates testosterone production by itself and in concert with additional IBMX-sensitive PDEs. PDE8B modulates basal corticosterone synthesis via acute and chronic mechanisms. In addition to cAMP-dependent pathways, cGMP signaling also can promote steroidogenesis, and PDE5 modulates this process. Finally, PDE mutations may lead to several human diseases characterized by abnormal steroid levels.
Factors influencing species diversity in saline waters of Death Valley, USA

Salinity is a major factor influencing the distributions and abundances of aquatic macroinvertebrates of saline waters in Death Valley, California, USA. A general pattern of declining numbers of species with increasing salinity is seen in Death Valley waters. Some species are restricted to low salinities, others are found only in highly saline pools, and still others are widely distributed over a broad range of salinities.
The 1,3-dipolar cycloadditions of 2,2-difluoromethylenecyclopropane with diazoalkanes and the deazetation of the pyrazoline adducts

Abstract 2,2-Difluoromethylenecyclopropane was found to be a reactive dipolarophile in its reactions with three diazoalkanes. The thermal deazetations of the resultant pyrazoline adducts, while feasible, were not able to be carried out efficiently.
Long-term outcomes after transmyocardial revascularization.

Background Two independent reports documented substantially higher operative mortality associated with transmyocardial revascularization (TMR) when used in isolation than that reported in the premarket clinical trials. To clarify the state of the art, this article assesses temporal trends in the use of TMR, short-term and long-term outcomes, and outcomes stratified by procedure type (TMR only and TMR + coronary artery bypass graft [CABG]) and by the 2 specific TMR devices. Methods The study population included all patients undergoing TMR in isolation or in combination with CABG at 435 cardiothoracic hospitals in the United States participating in the Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) Adult Cardiac Surgery Database (ACSD) from January 2000 through November 2006 (n = 15,386). Analysis of long-term outcomes was accomplished through linkage to Medicare claims data. Short-term and long-term (7 years) adverse outcomes were assessed and compared between the 2 TMR device types. Results The use of TMR in conjunction with CABG surgery is increasing. This study showed modest differences in short-term morbidity and mortality between the 2 devices. In combination with CABG, after risk adjustment, patients treated with the holmium:YAG laser (experienced a higher rate of operative mortality (3.5% vs 2.5%; adjusted hazard ratio 1.39, 95% confidence level 1.03 to 1.87) but no difference in the composite short-term rate of major morbidity or mortality, compared with the Heart Laser CO2 transmyocardial revascularization system (PLC Medical Systems, Inc, Milford, MA). However, there were no clinically meaningful differences in long-term results. Conclusions Modest differences in short-term morbidity and mortality between the 2 devices suggest the usefulness of further research.
Simulations of a near-infrared precision radial velocity spectrograph for finding planets around M dwarfs

We describe the development of a software simulator to support development of the Habitable Zone Planet Finder Spectrograph (HPF), currently being designed to search for planets around M dwarf stars. HPF is a near infrared R 50,000 cross-dispersed radial velocity spectrograph using a HAWAII-2 RG (H2RG) NIR array, is cooled to 200K, is fiber-fed, and operates in the Y and J bands. This instrument is funded and is in the design phase, and will be commissioned on the 10m Hobby-Eberly Telescope in 2015. Our simulations process high-resolution stellar spectra through models of the instrument, detector, and a simple extraction pipeline. Our objective is to create a a fully functional simulation of the entire HPF system, which can be used to guide spectrograph design and to aid in observation planning. We describe the fundamental design of these simulations and the tests we have performed, which verify that the simulator code is stable with inclusion of simple detector effects, and is ready for expansion to account for more complex factors such as order curvature.
Immunochemistry of sheep anterior lens capsule.

Abstract Antibodies were produced in rabbits against a fraction of sheep anterior lens capsule obtained by reduction and alkylation in 8 M urea (ALC-RA-U) and against the isolated collagen component (ALC-C). Although the amino acid and carbohydrate composition of ALC-RA-U resembles that of whole anterior lens capsule, anti-ALC-RA-U failed to cross-react with the collagen component while it produced two precipitin lines with ALC-RA-U. Conversely, anti-ALC-C failed to cross-react with ALC-RA-U. Fractions from a collagenase digest of anterior lens capsule reacted independently with both antisera suggesting that each contained a mixture of antigens. The immunodiffusion reactions further suggested that antibodies in anti-ALC-RA-U are directed against determinants located on polypeptides unlike collagen, while antibodies in anti-ALC-C are directed against determinants located on the collagen molecule. Cross-reaction was demonstrated between sheep ALC-RA-U and reduced and alkylated material from lens capsule. Descemet's membrane and glomerular basement membrane of homologous or heterologous species. Similar cross-reaction was demonstrated with sheep ALC-C and collagens obtained from basement membranes of other species. The data suggest that in anterior lens capsule there are at least three antigenic components; one is collagen-like, and the others non-collagen-like glycoproteins.
Crystals with vitamin K potency.

THE evidence for the existence of anti-haemorrhagic vitamin (K) required by the chick for preservation of normal blood clotting time has been reviewed in a former paper1.
Physical Model for the Decay and Preservation of Marine Organic Carbon

Degradation of marine organic carbon provides a major source of atmospheric carbon dioxide, whereas preservation in sediments results in accumulation of oxygen. These processes involve the slow decay of chemically recalcitrant compounds and physical protection. To assess the importance of physical protection, we constructed a reaction-diffusion model in which organic matter differs only in its accessibility to microbial degradation but not its intrinsic reactivity. The model predicts that organic matter decays logarithmically with time t and that decay rates decrease approximately as 0.2 x t(-1) until burial. Analyses of sediment-core data are consistent with these predictions.
POLYMERIC SURFACTANTS BASED ON OLEIC ACID III. Copolymerization of Sodium Acrylamidostearate and Oleic Acid in a Lamellar Liquid Crystal

ABSTRACT Copolymerization of sodium acrylamidostearate (NaAAS) and oleic acid was performed in the lamellar liquid crystal (LLC) formed by NaAAS, oleic acid and water, in the absence of N.N’-methylenebisacrylamide (MBAA) and in the presence of MBAA, respectively. In the absence of MBAA, after the polymerization the lamellar structure remained, and the disorder of the lamellar liquid crystal was, to some extent, enhanced. Surface tension, small-angle X-ray diffraction, viscosity, and fluorescence methods were used to study the properties of the linear copolymer. The linear polymeric surfactant behaves like
Hedgehog Activates Fused through Phosphorylation to Elicit a Full Spectrum of Pathway Responses

Summary In flies and mammals, extracellular Hedgehog (Hh) molecules alter cell fates and proliferation by regulating the levels and activities of Ci/Gli family transcription factors. How Hh-induced activation of transmembrane Smoothened (Smo) proteins reverses Ci/Gli inhibition by Suppressor of Fused (SuFu) and kinesin family protein (Cos2/Kif7) binding partners is a major unanswered question. Here we show that the Fused (Fu) protein kinase is activated by Smo and Cos2 via Fu- and CK1-dependent phosphorylation. Activated Fu can recapitulate a full Hh response, stabilizing full-length Ci via Cos2 phosphorylation and activating full-length Ci by antagonizing Su(fu) and by other mechanisms. We propose that Smo/Cos2 interactions stimulate Fu autoactivation by concentrating Fu at the membrane. Autoactivation primes Fu for additional CK1-dependent phosphorylation, which further enhances kinase activity. In this model, Smo acts like many transmembrane receptors associated with cytoplasmic kinases, such that pathway activation is mediated by kinase oligomerization and trans -phosphorylation.
The three-dimensional flow field generated by a feeding calanoid copepod measured using digital holography.

Digital in-line holography is used for measuring the three-dimensional (3-D) trajectory of a free-swimming freshwater copepod Diaptomus minutus , and simultaneously the instantaneous 3-D velocity field around this copepod. The optical setup consists of a collimated He-Ne laser illuminating a sample volume seeded with particles and containing several feeding copepods. A time series of holograms is recorded at 15 Hz using a lensless 2Kx2K digital camera. Inclined mirrors on the walls of the sample volume enable simultaneous recording of two perpendicular views on the same frame. Numerical reconstruction and matching of views determine the 3-D trajectories of a copepod and the tracer particles to within pixel accuracy (7.4 μm). The velocity field and trajectories of particles entrained by the copepod have a recirculating pattern in the copepod's frame of reference. This pattern is caused by the copepod sinking at a rate that is lower than its terminal sinking speed, due to the propulsive force generated by its feeding current. Consequently, the copepod sees the same fluid, requiring it to hop periodically to scan different fluid for food. Using Stokeslets to model the velocity field induced by a point force, the measured velocity distributions enable us to estimate the excess weight of the copepod (7.2×10-9 N), its excess density (6.7 kg m-3) and the propulsive force generated by its feeding appendages (1.8×10-8 N).
A communications engineer looks at conical scanning

The conical-scanning (con-scan) technique for automatic antenna control generates a double-side-band suppressed carrier (DSSC) signal, which must retain its absolute side-band-carrier phase and amplitude relationship for proper antenna operation. Definite passbands must be allowed in order to permit frequencies in the neighborhood of the nutation, or periodic movement, rate to pass through the system, unmodified by circuit characteristics. Signal-strength variations can cause serious deterioration of the tracking capabilities of the con-scan antenna, and total loss of track is not uncommon.
Towards a sensitive search for variation of the fine-structure constant using radio-frequency E1 transitions in atomic dysprosium

It has been proposed that the radio-frequency electric-dipole $(E1)$ transition between two nearly degenerate opposite-parity states in atomic dysprosium should be highly sensitive to possible temporal variation of the fine-structure constant $(\ensuremath{\alpha})$ [V. A. Dzuba, V. V. Flambaum, and J. K. Webb, Phys. Rev. A 59, 230 (1999)]. We analyze here an experimental realization of the proposed search in progress in our laboratory, which involves monitoring the $E1$ transition frequency over a period of time using direct frequency counting techniques. We estimate that a statistical sensitivity of $|\stackrel{\ifmmode \dot{}\else \.{}\fi{}}{\ensuremath{\alpha}}/\ensuremath{\alpha}|\ensuremath{\sim}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}18}/\mathrm{yr}$ may be achieved and discuss possible systematic effects that may limit such a measurement.
Frameless Representation and Manipulation of Image Data

Most image sensors mimic film, integrating light during an exposure interval and then reading the "latent" image as a complete frame. In contrast, frameless image capture attempts to construct a continuous waveform for each sensel describing how the Ev (exposure value required at each pixel) changes over time. This allows great flexibility in computationally extracting frames after exposure. An overview of how this could be accomplished was presented at EI2014, with an emphasis on frameless sensor technology. In contrast, the current work centers on deriving frameless data from sequences of conventionally captured frames.
A comparison of contributing factors between alcohol related single vehicle motorcycle and car crashes.

INTRODUCTION: Alcohol related crashes have accounted for approximately 35% of fatal crashes per year since 1994 nationwide, with approximately 30% involving impairment over the legal blood alcohol content limit of 0.08%. Educational campaigns and law enforcement efforts are two components of multi-faceted programs aimed toward reducing impaired driving. It is crucial that further research be conducted to guide the implementation of enforcement and educational programs. METHOD: This research attempts to provide such guidance by examining differences in alcohol-involved crashes involving motorcycles and passenger cars. Prior safety research has shown that motorcyclists follow a significantly different culture than the average passenger car operator. These cultural differences may be reflected by differences in the contributing factors affecting crashes and the severity of the resulting injuries sustained by the driver or motorcyclist. This research is focused on single-vehicle crashes only, in order to isolate modal effects from the contribution of additional vehicles. The crash data provided for this study are from the Ohio Department of Public Safety from 2009 through 2012. RESULTS: The injury severity data are analysed through the development of two mixed logit models, one for motorcyclists and one for passenger car drivers. The models quantify the effects of various factors, including horizontal curves, speeds, seatbelt use, and helmet use, which indicate that the required motor skills and balance needed for proper motorcycle operation compounded with a lack of mechanical protection make motorcyclists more prone to severe injuries, particularly on curves and in collisions with roadside objects. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: The findings of this study have been incorporated into combined motorcycle and sober driving educational safety campaigns. The results have shown to be favorable in supporting national campaign messages with local justification and backing. Language: en
Sexual Risk Reduction Interventions for Patients Attending Sexually Transmitted Disease Clinics in the United States: A Meta-Analytic Review, 1986 to Early 2009

Sexually transmitted disease (STD) patients are more likely to experience a future STD including human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The aim of this study was to examine the efficacy of behavioral interventions to reduce sexual risk behavior and incident STDs among patients attending STD clinics in the United States. A meta-analysis of 32 studies with 48 separate interventions targeting STD patients (N = 67,538) was conducted. Independent raters coded study, sample, and intervention characteristics. Effect sizes, using both fixed- and random-effects models, were calculated. Potential moderators of intervention efficacy were assessed. Relative to controls, intervention participants increased their condom use and had fewer incident STDs, including HIV, across assessment intervals (d (+)s ranging from 0.05 to 0.64). Several sample (e.g., age and ethnicity) and intervention features (e.g., targeting intervention to a specific group) moderated the efficacy of the intervention. Behavioral interventions targeted to STD clinic patients reduce sexual risk behavior and prevent HIV/STDs. Widespread use of behavioral interventions in STD clinics should be a public health priority.
Prediction of optimum salinity and solubilization ratio for microemulsion phase behavior with live crude at reservoir pressure

Abstract Reservoir pressure and solution gas can significantly alter the microemulsion phase behavior and the design of a surfactant-polymer flood. This paper shows how to predict changes in optimum salinity and solubilization ratio from dead oil at atmospheric pressure to live crude at reservoir pressure. Our method requires obtaining only a few glass pipette measurements of microemulsion phase behavior at atmospheric pressure and reservoir temperature. The key finding is that at reservoir pressure the optimum solubilization ratio and the logarithm of optimal salinity behave linearly with equivalent alkane carbon number (EACN). These trends are predicted from the experimental data at atmospheric pressure based on density calculations of pure components using the Peng–Robinson equation-of-state (PREOS). We show that predictions of the optimum conditions for live oils are in good agreement with the few experimental measurements that are available in the literature. We also present new measurements at atmospheric pressure to verify the established trends.
EFFECTS OF HEALTH DISORDERS AND POOR NUTRITIONAL STATUS ON GUSTATORY FUNCTION

Gustatory function is not static within an individual. Taste sensitivity and preferences are modified by numerous, well-documented external factors (e. g. smoking) as well as less widely recognized physiologic or internal idiosyncratic attributes such as salivary composition and genetic make-up. In addition, no single gustatory attribute adequately characterizes an individual's taste world. Measures of threshold sensitivity, suprathreshold sensitivity and preference may vary independently necessitating the assessment of each to derive a reliable assessment of an individual's gustatory status. Measures of taste preference, however, appear to hold the greatest predictive power for dietary behavior. Gustatory disorders may be manifest in the following forms: hypergeusia, hypogeusia, dysgeusia, ageusia, food aversions and food cravings. Each of these disorders is defined and, to the extent that information is available, the prevalence, etiology and clinical significance of each is discussed. Following this, a general scheme is presented along with numerous examples for evaluating the potential impact health or nutritional disorders may have on gustatory function. Finally, implications of health and nutritional disorders for applied sensory research are briefly considered.
Coastal protection from tsunamis and cyclones provided by mangrove wetlands – a review

Coastal human settlements are becoming increasingly vulnerable to natural disasters such as tsunamis and cyclones. Recent events, including the Indian Ocean Tsunami in 2004 and Typhoon Haiyan in 2013, have brought the issue of coastal protection to the forefront in many countries across the globe. We conducted a review of recent research regarding the extent of coastal protection provided by mangroves that includes observational studies, numerical modeling, and laboratory experiments. We described our findings in a unique outline based on the methodology and event type and concluded that observational studies have not provided conclusive results on the extent of coastal protection provided by mangroves from extreme natural disasters. However, results from several recent numerical and physical models support the mitigating capabilities of mangroves for cyclone storm surges and small tsunamis. Studies on the economic valuation of mangroves have estimated coastal protection to be a major portion of their tot...
Fringe Field Effects on Bending Magnets, Derived for TRANSPORT/TURTLE

A realistic magnetic dipole has complex eects on a charged particle near the entrance and exit of the magnet, even with a constant and uniform magnetic eld deep within the interior of the magnet. To satisfy Maxwell’s equations, the eld lines near either end of a realistic magnet are signicantly more complicated, yielding non-trivial forces. The eects of this fringe eld are calculated to rst order, applying both the paraxial and thin lens approximations. We nd that, in addition to zeroth order eects, the position of a particle directly impacts the forces in the horizontal and vertical directions.
Generic Limits of Dryopetalon, Rollinsia, Sibara, and Thelypodiopsis (Brassicaceae), and a Synopsis of Dryopetalon

ABSTRACT The genus Rollinsia Al-Shehbaz is reduced to synonymy of Dryopetalon A. Gray (Brassicaceae), and the characters distinguishing the latter from Sibara Greene and Thelypodiopsis Rydberg are discussed. An expanded description of Dryopetalon (southern United States and northern Mexico) and a key, synonymies, and distributions of its eight species are presented. The new combinations D. breedlovei (Rollins) Al-Shehbaz, D. byei (Rollins) Al-Shehbaz, D. paysonii (Rollins) Al-Shehbaz, and D. viereckii (O. E. Schulz) Al-Shehbaz are proposed. Dryopetalon purpureum Rollins is reduced to synonymy of D. palmeri (S. Watson) O. E. Schulz, and D. crenatum var. racemosum Rollins and D. runcinatum var. laxiflorum Rollins are reduced to synonymy of their respective species. Arabis endlichii O. E. Schulz is lectotypified.
DEMOCRATIC IDEALS AND MEDIA REALITIES: A PUZZLING FREE PRESS PARADOX

Freedom of speech, press, assembly, and petition have long been celebrated as crucial to democratic government. (I will often refer to these rights collectively as ‘freedom of expression’ or as ‘freedom of speech’.) United States Supreme Court decisions have, quite rightly, justified strong protection of these freedoms because of their crucial role in the functioning of American democracy. (Of course, there are other justifications as well, but I will not discuss them in this paper.)
Dynamic critical-path task mapping and scheduling for collaborative in-network processing in multi-hop wireless sensor networks

Although task mapping and scheduling in wired networks of processors has been extensively studied, their application to WSNs remains largely unexplored. Existing algorithms cannot be directly implemented in WSNs due to limited resource availability and shared communication medium. In this work, an application-independent task mapping and scheduling solution in multi-hop WSNs is presented that provides realtime guarantees. Using a novel multi-hop channel model and a communication scheduling algorithm, computation tasks and associated communication events are scheduled simultaneously with a dynamic critical-path scheduling algorithm. Dynamic voltage scaling (DVS) mechanism is implemented to further optimize energy consumption. According to the simulation results, the proposed solution outperforms existing mechanisms in terms of guaranteeing application deadlines with minimum energy consumption.
Ultrasonic experiments illustrate Doppler and differential time-of-arrival measurement techniques

Two laboratory experiments based on 40 kHz ultrasonic signal measurements are described. The experiments illustrate techniques that are commonly applied to industrial applications. However, the lack of readily available hardware has limited their demonstration in the educational setting. The first experiment illustrates the Doppler effect as used in velocity measurement systems. The velocity of a moving ultrasonic source is computed from the frequency shift measured at the receiver. The second experiment illustrates differential time-of-flight measurements as used in navigational systems. The motion of a transmitter is computed from the differences in time-of-arrival at fixed receivers. The basic experiments are suitable for undergraduate labs. The signal analysis aspects of the experiments are appropriate for graduate-level digital signal processing courses. >
Damming the Child of the Ocean: The Three Gorges Project

The Three Gorges Dam in China, when complete, will be the largest dam in the world. International criticism regarding the economic and environmental viability of the project has also made it one of the world's most controversial development projects. Critics cite human rights violations, ecological disaster, cultural erosion, and economic and financial risks as some of the problems with the project. Yet, despite international and domestic criticism, the Chinese government has pledged its determination to complete the project, claiming increased energy production capacity, improved navigational capabilities and greatly needed flood control as impetus. Although many of the traditional funding mechanisms for international development have refrained from providing financial support for the project, foreign direct investment has continued to flow in. This raises questions regarding the influence of private capital verses that of traditional funding mechanisms in controversial development schemes such as the Th...
Science to practice: can sonoelastography enable reliable differentiation between benign and metastatic cervical lymph nodes?

Imaging diagnosis of cervical lymph node metastases may he difficult because of overlap in size and morphologic features between benign and metastatic nodes. Sonoelastography is a noninvasive technique that may improve detection of lymph node metastases, thereby guiding biopsy and facilitating follow-up. For sonoelastography to be accepted into clinical practice, however, the techniques and diagnostic criteria need to be further refined.
Land for the People—A Vital Need Every where: In Latin America and the Caribbean, It's Now ‘a Prey to Hastening Ills,’ and Decay

. Some of the author s land tenure and land use studies of the 1930s analyzed the basic dilemma of modern rural society, in which the traditional institution of private property in land (which, more than competing systems, helps to bring about the efficient use of the land), at the same time also frustrates innovation and enterprise and creates unstable social conditions. A resurvey of the situation in the same areas half a century later shows that the same fundamental problem still confronts us. Traditional agriculture should be made more productive, but land concentration in the hands of elite groups or large corporations spell bleak prospects for the small plot farmer and landless laborer. Case studies of selected Latin American countries show the political implications of how land scarcity is induced by a tiny upper crust, often supported in power by the military. Agribusiness emphasizes export crops rather than food crops for domestic consumption. The rich get richer. Many are absentee owners, living abroad. Wages are low, food prices are high. Peasants clannor unsuccessfully for land on which to grow some of their own food to help make ends meet. The Green Revolution, with its emphasis on expensive inputs, has failed to solve the problems of the small farmer. It is concluded that small farmers should be, and are being, encouraged because they are extremely efficient when their total yields are measured against input, and that only wider access to decent land or to decent jobs will give the dispossessed a chance to work their way out of extreme poverty and undernutrition.
Preparing faculty for a global experience

Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) has long embraced a project-based curriculum that now extends around the globe. WPI is committed to providing students and faculty with a safe and healthy experience off-campus making sure educators have the skills to help students succeed educationally as well as cope with safety, social, and behavioral issues. The Global Perspective Program, philosophy with regard to risk management, health and safety issues in study abroad are discussed and a model for training is described as faculty is equipped to handle unconventional roles beyond the classroom. Some of the areas addressed include advice and supports for helping students and faculty leaders acquire the cultural, communications, team-building and problem-solving abilities needed for a successful experience abroad
FORMATION OF KETENE (H2CCO) IN INTERSTELLAR ANALOGOUS METHANE (CH4)-CARBON MONOXIDE (CO) ICES: A COMBINED FTIR AND REFLECTRON TIME-OF-FLIGHT MASS SPECTROSCOPIC STUDY

The formation of ketene (H2CCO) in methane-carbon monoxide (CH4-CO) ices was investigated upon its exposure to ionizing radiation in the form of energetic electrons at 5.5 K. The radiation-induced nonthermal equilibrium processing of these ices was monitored online and in situ via infrared spectroscopy complimented with post-irradiation temperature programmed desorption studies exploiting highly sensitive reflectron time-of-flight mass spectrometry (ReTOF) coupled with single photon fragment-free photo ionization (PI) at 10.49 eV. The detection of ketene in irradiated (isotopically labeled) methane-carbon monoxide ices was confirmed via the ν2 infrared absorption band and substantiated during the warm-up phase based on sublimation profiles obtained from the ReTOF-PI spectra of the corresponding isotopic masses. The experiments conducted with the mixed isotopic ices of 12CD4-13CO provide clear evidence of the formation of at least two ketene isotopomers (D2 12C13CO and D2 13C13CO), allowing for the derivation of two competing formation pathways. We have also proposed underlying reaction mechanisms to the formation of ketene based on kinetic fitting of the temporal evolution of the ketene isotopomers.
A general theory of linear time-invariant adaptive feedforward systems with harmonic regressors

Establishes necessary and sufficient conditions for an adaptive system with a harmonic regressor (i.e., a regressor comprised exclusively of sinusoidal signals) to admit an exact linear time-invariant (LTI) representation. These conditions are important because a large number of adaptive systems used in practice have sinusoidal regressors, and the stability and performance of such systems having LTI representations can be completely analyzed by well-known methods. The theory is extended to applications where the LTI conditions do not hold, in which case the harmonic adaptive system can be written as the parallel connection of a purely LTI subsystem and a linear time-varying (LTV) subsystem. An explicit upper bound is established on the induced two-norm of the LTV block, which allows systematic treatment using emerging robust control methods applicable to LTI systems with norm-bounded LTV perturbations.
Late-Glacial and Early Holocene Vegetation and Climate Change near Owens Lake, Eastern California

Pollen and algae from Owens Lake in eastern California provide evidence for a series of climatic oscillations late in the last glaciation. Juniper woodland, which dominated the Owens Valley from 16,200 to 15,500 cal yr B.P., suggests much wetter conditions than today. Although still wetter and cooler than today, the area then became fairly warm and dry, with woodland being replaced by shrubs (mainly sagebrush) from 15,500 to 13,100 cal yr B.P. Next, Chenopodiaceae (shadscale) increased, woody species declined, and lake levels fell—all evidence for a brief (ca. 100–200 yr) drought about 13,000 cal yr B.P. The climate continued to oscillate between wet and dry from 13,000 to 11,000 cal yr B.P. After 11,000 cal yr B.P., low lake levels and the increased dominance of desert shrubs indicate the beginning of warm, dry Holocene conditions. The region's climate was unstable during the Younger Dryas but uncertainities in dating prevent identification of the Younger Dryas interval in the Owens Lake record. Comparison of the Owens Lake record with studies in the Sierra Nevada and Great Basin suggest that the climate was generally wetter between 13,000 and 11,000 cal yr B.P., with warmer summers, although no consistent pattern of climate change emerges.
Analysis of Path Length Sensitivity in Coherent Beam Combining by Spatial Filtering

The sensitivity to path length changes is analyzed in coherent beam combining architectures based on Fourier plane spatial filtering. Unlike superposition architectures based on 3-dB couplers and Dammann gratings, the supermodes of a two-laser spatially filtered cavity exhibit two distinctly different types of behavior depending on the path length error. When the error is small, the two modes present different cavity loss values and can be differentiated by gain. However, cavities containing path length errors greater than a critical value produce modes with identical losses and different resonant frequencies. Cavities with more than two elements exhibit similar behavior. Alternative filtering techniques are also discussed and compared. It is found that complementary filtering, where absorption spots are placed in the nulls of the intensity pattern in the Fourier plane, results in reduced power loss while preserving the same degree of modal discrimination.
Possible involvement of both endoplasmic reticulum– and mitochondria-dependent pathways in MoMuLV-ts1–induced apoptosis in astrocytes

The Moloney murine leukemia virus (MoMuLV)-ts1 retrovirus, a naturally occurring mutant of MoMuLV-TB, causes a neuroimmunodegenerative syndrome in mice. The authors show here that ts1 triggers apoptosis in immortalized astrocytes, C1 cells, and primary cultured astrocytes, and that this apoptosis is caused by endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress resulting from accumulation of the viral envelope preprotein gPr80env. In ts1-infected C1 cells, an unfolded protein response was identified by activation of the ER-resident transmembrane protein kinase PERK, an event that leads to hyperphosphorylation of eIF2α, up-regulation of GRP78, increased amounts of GADD153/CHOP, and cleavage of procaspase-12. Up-regulation of GRP78 and cleavage of procaspase-12 were also detected in primary cultured astrocytes infected with ts1. In ts1-infected C1 cells, ER stress was followed by mitochondrial stress, detected as mitochondrial transmembrane potential dissipation, cleavage of procaspase-9, and induction of activated caspase-3....
Repression of Phenazine Antibiotic Production in Pseudomonas aureofaciens Strain 30-84 by RpeA

Pseudomonas aureofaciens strain 30-84 is a biological control bacterium that utilizes a two-component GacS/GacA regulatory system interconnected with the PhzR/PhzI quorum sensing system to positively regulate biosynthesis of phenazine antibiotics that contribute to its association with plant hosts. To date, no negative regulators of phenazine production have been identified, nor has the role of repression been studied. Here we describe a novel repressor of secondary metabolism in P. aureofaciens strain 30-84, RpeA, whose deduced amino acid sequence is similar to those of a group of putative two-component regulatory systems of unknown function found in several animal and plant-pathogenic bacteria. In minimal medium where phenazine production is very low, inactivation of the rpeA gene enhanced phenazine biosynthetic gene expression and increased phenazine production but did not increase quorum sensing signal accumulation. Furthermore, RpeA functioned to block phenazine biosynthetic gene transcription in minimal medium even when quorum-sensing signals were at a level that was sufficient for induction of phenazine gene expression in rich medium. Additionally, in the absence of rpeA, the quorum sensor PhzR was not required for phenazine production. Although repression plays a critical role in phenazine regulation, the rpeA mutation could not bypass the requirement for a functional GacS/GacA system, demonstrating that activation is required even in the absence of the RpeA repressor. This study reinforces that multiple signals, including nutrition and population density, are integrated to control the appropriate expression of phenazine antibiotics.
Psychology and Animal Welfare

We believe that zoos with scientific credibility can be trusted to do the right thing on behalf of the animals. To keep management on the empirical side, evidence-based managers, scientific staff, and outside collaborators should be at the table when important decisions are made. In his iconic book Man and Animal in the Zoo, Hediger revealed the extent that the field of psychology had influenced his thinking about wildlife in the zoo. Hediger recognized that the principle challenge for the captive animal is its relationship to humankind, and he made this a specialized topic within the interdisciplinary field of zoo biology. Psychological science, broadly applied, may have more potential to advance zoo standards and practices than any other scientific discipline. The fundamental preference of quality over quantity is a principle first articulated by Hediger, based on early field studies of birds. Research on laboratory colonies of nonhuman primates has addressed space as an independent variable, confirming that quality of space is more important than quantity. As zoos began to build more naturalistic exhibits they began to provide for species-appropriate social organization. To enable a naturalistic social network, all credible zoos today design exhibits for larger groups. Social composition in captivity should always be based on our knowledge of social organization in nature. Personality can no longer be ignored as a factor in zoo management. Clearly, the foundation of superior design is behavior, and wellness/welfare issues loom large as design priorities. To establish the connection between design and welfare, we should gather evidence through post-occupancy evaluations of new exhibits.
Biomedical applications of nisin

Nisin is a bacteriocin produced by a group of Gram-positive bacteria that belongs to Lactococcus and Streptococcus species. Nisin is classified as a Type A (I) lantibiotic that is synthesized from mRNA and the translated peptide contains several unusual amino acids due to post-translational modifications. Over the past few decades, nisin has been used widely as a food biopreservative. Since then, many natural and genetically modified variants of nisin have been identified and studied for their unique antimicrobial properties. Nisin is FDA approved and generally regarded as a safe peptide with recognized potential for clinical use. Over the past two decades the application of nisin has been extended to biomedical fields. Studies have reported that nisin can prevent the growth of drug-resistant bacterial strains, such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Enterococci and Clostridium difficile. Nisin has now been shown to have antimicrobial activity against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative disease-associated pathogens. Nisin has been reported to have anti-biofilm properties and can work synergistically in combination with conventional therapeutic drugs. In addition, like host-defence peptides, nisin may activate the adaptive immune response and have an immunomodulatory role. Increasing evidence indicates that nisin can influence the growth of tumours and exhibit selective cytotoxicity towards cancer cells. Collectively, the application of nisin has advanced beyond its role as a food biopreservative. Thus, this review will describe and compare studies on nisin and provide insight into its future biomedical applications.
A CHALLENGING CASE OF SEVERE INFANTILE CHOLESTASIS IN ALPHA-1 ANTITRYPSIN DEFICIENCY

Jaundice in the newborn period can be physiologic and is often due to benign causes. Jaundice due to conjugated hyperbilirubinemia extending beyond the second week of life may be an early sign of several cholestatic or metabolic liver diseases, and it requires logical and timely analysis so that specific treatments can be initiated. Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency is the most common genetic cause of pediatric liver disease and transplantation, and it must be considered when evaluating cholestatic infants. Here, we present an unusual case of alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency with severe infantile cholestasis and rapid decompensation in the first 4 months of life, where in-depth but timely diagnosis was crucial for the appropriate intervention to take place.
The visual scalability of integrated and multiple view visualizations for large, high resolution displays

Geospatial intelligence analysts, epidemiologists, sociologists, and biologists are all faced with trying to understand massive datasets that require integrating spatial and multidimensional data. Information visualizations are often used to aid these scientists, but designing the visualizations is challenging. One aspect of the visualization design space is a choice of when to use a single complex integrated view and when to use multiple simple views. Because of the many tradeoffs involved with this decision it is not always clear which design to use. Additionally, as the cost of display technologies continues to decrease, large, high resolution displays are gradually becoming a more viable option for single users. These large displays offer new opportunities for scaling up visualization to very large datasets. Visualizations that are visually scalable are able to effectively display large datasets in terms of both graphical scalability (the number of pixels required) and perceptual scalability (the effectiveness of a visualization, measured in terms of user performance, as the amount of data being visualized is scaled-up). The purpose of this research was to compare information visualization designs for integrating spatial and multidimensional data in terms of their visual scalability for large, high resolution displays. Toward that goal a hierarchical design space was articulated and a series of user experiments were performed. A baseline was established by comparing user performance with opposing visualizations on a desktop monitor. Then, visualizations were compared as more information was added using the additional pixels available with a large, high resolution display. Results showed that integrated views were more visually scalable than multiple view visualizations. The visualizations tested were even scalable beyond the limits of visual acuity. User performance on certain tasks improved due to the additional information that was visualized even on a display with enough pixels to require physical navigation to visually distinguish all elements. The reasons for the benefits of integrated views on large, high resolution displays include a reduction in navigation due to spatial grouping and visual aggregation resulting in the emergence of patterns. These findings can help with the design of information visualizations for large, high resolution displays.
Amphotericin B: a commentary on its role as an antifungal agent and as a comparative agent in clinical trials.

Since the discovery of amphotericin B and its subsequent introduction to the pharmaceutical market in the 1950s, treatment with this agent has been the standard to which all therapy for systemic fungal infection has been compared [1]. The subsequent introduction of clotrimazole, miconazole, and ketoconazole demonstrated the potential of the azole agents to supplant amphotericin B in at least a few of the diseases in which its use is indicated [2]. The potential importance of flucytosine was diminished by the relatively rapid development of resistance to the agent and by its toxicities. Fluconazole has been the only serious competitor to amphotericin B; because of its oral absorption, availability as a parenteral agent, CNS penetration, and relative lack of toxicity, it is being seriously considered as a potential agent of choice for selected cases of cryptococcal meningitis, disseminated candidiasis, and certain forms of coccidioidomycosis [2]. The subsequent introduction of itraconazole has provided an agent with excellent potential in the treatment of several of the endemic mycoses [3]. The availability of these products with their newly approved clinical indications has led many physicians to ask where amphotericin B now stands as the gold standard antifungal agent. This paper will examine the current state of the art in antifungal therapy and give recommendations with regard to the conduct of future clinical trials using this group of agents; it specifically addresses the role of amphotericin B as a comparative agent in these trials.
The FTY720 story.

The chemical 2-amino-2[2-(4-octylphenyl)ethyl]-1,3,propane diol is one of a class of small-molecule immunosuppressive agents. Better known as FTY720, this compound was chemically synthesized in an effort to minimize the toxic in vivo properties of a structurally related and highly potent immunosuppressive agent, myriocin. FTY720's mechanism of action, although not fully characterized, appears to be unique among immunosuppressants. Whereas the most well known biochemical characteristic of myriocin is its ability to inhibit serine palmitoyl transferase, the enzyme that initiates the biosynthetic pathway that leads to sphingosine, FTY720 is ineffective in this regard. In vivo, FTY720 induces a significant reduction in the number of circulating lymphocytes. It is thought to act by altering lymphocyte trafficking/homing patterns through modulation of cell surface adhesion receptors and ligands in a manner that has yet to be elucidated. Although much research has yet to be done to unravel the nature of the mechanism of action of FTY720, its efficacy has been sufficiently proven in numerous animal models, especially when administered in combination with cyclosporine. The agent is now progressing through human clinical trials, with the results of phase 1 clinical trials showing safety and tolerability in adult recipients of renal transplants. It is hoped that FTY720 will eventually prove to be an efficacious new weapon in the immunosuppressive armamentarium.
Improve Designing of the Quick-connect Seal for the Regulating Valve

Analysing the cause of quick-connect seal abated,and bring forward improving method,design and produce the new seal by self,reduce the seal frame and manufacture technics,reduce the cost of manufacturing,improve the seal use life,it's worth to generalize.