cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Selection of Critical Design Parameters for MMOD Protection in Interplanetary Missions

Abstract This paper presents a methodology for the selection of critical design-parameters for the design of Micro Meteoroid and Orbital Debris (MMOD) spacecraft protection based on a modified implementation of the concept of the Probability of No Impact (PNI). The PNI methodology, based on Poisson's discrete statistics, has been widely used to determine critical particle sizes for the design of protection systems. However, it does not provide guidelines for the selection of the design impact speed, especially when the impact speed has a very wide statistical distribution like that encountered in interplanetary missions. The modifications to the PNI methodology presented here allows for the selection of both, a design particle size and impact speed, based on the same discrete probability theory. This methodology is applied to determine critical design parameters for the Solar Probe Plus (SPP) spacecraft; a mission currently under study funded by the NASA's Office of Space Science – Sun-Earth Connection theme. Results are presented for the Solar Array in the SPP spacecraft in the form of design particle size and impact speed for various PNI levels.
Extrapolation when very little is known about the source

Prompted by the inadequacies of the now traditional characterization of chance and uncertainty through the Kolmogorov axioms for probability and the relative frequency interpretation of probability, we propose and examine a nonstatistical approach to extrapolation. The basic problem is the association of a real number y to a sequence of real numbers x in such a manner that the pair (x, y) conforms with a set of data sequences D = (xi, yi), {iti} = 1, M, our prior knowledge of the data source, and our objectives. Our aim is to so define the activity of extrapolation that we can derive extrapolations with only minimal assumptions about the data source. While we are free to define the human activity of extrapolation to suit ourselves, the data source functions independently of our wishful or metaphysical thinking. The basic principle we adhere to is that the extrapolation of x is a function of only those yi for which x is similar to or close to xi; extrapolate the output of a system by examination of the outputs of similar systems. This vague sentiment is clarified and formalized through ten axioms and leads to an optimal extrapolation function π*(x; D). The performance of π* is then studied, both for very large and very small sample sizes (M), when the sequences (x, y), (xi, yi) are, in fact, independent and identically distributed random vectors.
Retinal image mosaicing using the radial distortion correction model

Fundus camera imaging can be used to examine the retina to detect disorders. Similar to looking through a small keyhole into a large room, imaging the fundus with an ophthalmologic camera allows only a limited view at a time. Thus, the generation of a retinal montage using multiple images has the potential to increase diagnostic accuracy by providing larger field of view. A method of mosaicing multiple retinal images using the radial distortion correction (RADIC) model is proposed in this paper. Our method determines the inter-image connectivity by detecting feature correspondences. The connectivity information is converted to a tree structure that describes the spatial relationships between the reference and target images for pairwise registration. The montage is generated by cascading pairwise registration scheme starting from the anchor image downward through the connectivity tree hierarchy. The RADIC model corrects the radial distortion that is due to the spherical-to-planar projection during retinal imaging. Therefore, after radial distortion correction, individual images can be properly mapped onto a montage space by a linear geometric transformation, e.g. affine transform. Compared to the most existing montaging methods, our method is unique in that only a single registration per image is required because of the distortion correction property of RADIC model. As a final step, distance-weighted intensity blending is employed to correct the inter-image differences in illumination encountered when forming the montage. Visual inspection of the experimental results using three mosaicing cases shows our method can produce satisfactory montages.
Alterations of NAD and adenylyl dinucleotide metabolism in Chediak-Higashi syndrome fibroblasts.

Chediak-Higashi syndrome (CHS) cells have been previously observed to exhibit several of the same characteristics as those of xeroderma pigmentosum (XP) and xeroderma pigmentosum variants. Cultured CHS fibroblasts have been examined for altered responses in both depletion of NAD and elevation of diadenosine-5′,5‴-tetraphosphate (Ap4A) following DNA damage since both responses have been reported as altered in XP cells and since Ap4A has been reported as absent from the platelets of CHS patients. Lowering of NAD following UV irradiation occurred in CHS cells in a manner similar to that of control and XP variant cells, but different from that of XP cells. CHS fibroblasts were not found to be deficient in Ap4A and exhibit basal levels very similar to those of control fibroblasts. No change in Ap4A pools were observed which correlated with cell growth, in contrast to previously published reports. Furthermore, while Ap4A levels are not elevated in XP cells, we observe an elevation of Ap4A pools in CHS cells which mimics the elevations observed in control and XP variant cells. We conclude that: (1) CHS cells more closely resemble control or XP variant cells than XP cells with regard to NAD lowering and Ap4A elevation following UV irradiation; (2) the photosensitivity exhibited by CHS cells is not due to general defects in the synthesis of poly(ADP-ribose) from NAD or in Ap4A metabolism; and (3) alteration of Ap4A pool size in CHS fibroblasts is inappropriate as a biochemical marker for CHS.
Management of children with urinary tract infections The Stanford experience

Abstract Two hundred seventy-eight female children with urinary tract infections have been evaluated at Stanford division of urology. All children were followed up for a period of not less than twelve months. Age of onset of infection, clinical presentation, and nature of infecting organisms were observed. The group consisted of 144 children without ureteral reflux and 134 children with ureteral reflux. Sixty-one of the female children with ureteral reflux had ureteral reimplantation, while 73 received medical treatment alone. A study of infection rates in each of the three groups of children indicated a similar infection rate, although those children with reflux experienced a higher incidence of clinical pyelonephritis. Correction of ureteral reflux did not alter the infection rate; however, infections after surgical correction were generally of a type usually associated with children without reflux. Twenty-nine children had urethral dilatation, and the infection rate prior to and following urethral dilatation indicated a similar rate of infection pre- and posturethral dilatation. One hundred nonrefluxing kidneys were observed radiologically: 97 were normal and 3 showed clubbing and scarring. Of 110 refluxing renal units observed, 62 were clubbed and scarred and 48 were normal. Following surgical correction of reflux, renal clubbing and scarring were not observed in previously normal renal units. Of those renal units found to be abnormal at time of surgery, 66 per cent showed progression of clubbing and scarring after surgical correction of reflex. It was observed that the greater the degree of reflex present, the higher the incidence of renal damage. This study suggests that children who experience recurrent urinary tract infections who do not have ureteral reflux are seldom at renal risk; similar children who do have ureteral reflux are at risk unless the infections are controlled or the reflux either disappears or is corrected surgically.
Is firm-sponsored education viable?

Abstract This paper challenges the commonly-held human capital assumption that profit-maximizing firms cannot invest in their employees' general training. We argue that general training is provided to equilibrate a hostage-type relationship that exists when firms and workers share investments in specific training, and that the firm's investment in general training is not necessarily subject to poaching hazards. We then test the viability hypothesis empirically, using data from a longitudinal survey of natural and social scientists and engineers. Our results suggest that (1) firm investments in general training programs are not necessarily paid for by foregone earnings, and (2) turnover rates do not rise as a function of firm-sponsored general training. These results are discussed in terms of the current policy debate over corporate education expenditures.
Control of multivariable non-linear systems by the sliding mode method

Sliding mode control is a technique that has been successfully used for SISO nonlinear systems in controllable canonical form and for some particular multivariable system structures. It is the purpose of this paper to generalize the sliding mode approach to a larger class of multivariable systems and to illustrate the relationship between I/O linearization and the sliding mode approach when the error dynamics on the sliding surfaces are chosen to be linear and time-invariant. The developed technique is applied to a multivariable non-linear example.
Acclimation and adaptation to irradiance in symbiotic dinoflagellates. II. Response of chlorophyll–protein complexes to different photon-flux densities

The response of chlorophyll–protein complexes to super- and sub-saturating photon-flux densities, PFD (250 μmol quanta m−2 s−1 and 40 μmol quanta m−2 s−1, respectively) were analyzed for Symbiodinium microadriaticum Freudenthal, the symbiont of the Caribbean jellyfish Cassiopeia xamachana; S. kawagutii Trench and Blank, the symbiont of the Indo-Pacific scleractinian Montipora verrucosa; and S. pilosum Trench and Blank, the symbiont of the Carribbean zoanthid Zoanthus sociatus. The results indicate that each species exhibits a quantitatively distinct chlorophyll (chl) a distribution among its chl–protein complexes when cultured under standardized high and low light conditions. In response to sub-saturating PFD, the three species differentially increased the cellular concentrations of most of the chl–protein complexes. Increases in P700 (reaction center of Photosystem I) under sub-saturating PFD correlate with an increase in the cellular concentrations of the Photosystem I-enriched complexes. Similarly, increases in photosynthetic unit (PSU) size correlate with an increase in the cellular concentrations of the water-soluble peridinin–chl-a–protein (PCP) complexes and the membrane-bound chl a–chl c2–peridinin–protein (acpPC) complexes, which together represent the light-harvesting components of this group. In S. microadriaticum, acclimation to sub-saturating PFD uniquely includes the preferential enrichment of the dimeric form of PCP. Under super-saturating PFD, an enrichment in photo-protective xanthophylls was detected in acpPC from S. microadriaticum and S. pilosum, but not from S. kawagutii. Each species demonstrated a characteristic photo-acclimatory response which correlates with its distribution as endosymbiont in nature, supporting the concept that different species of symbiotic dinoflagellates are adapted (sensu Bjorkman 1981) to different photic environments. The study was conducted between May 1992 and November 1994.
Inhibitory neuropeptides and intrinsic inhibitory innervation of descending human colon.

The effects of aging on inhibitory neuropeptide concentrations and intrinsic inhibitory innervation of circular muscle were investigated using normal descending colon obtained at surgery. Immunoreactive vasoactive intestinal peptide, peptide histidine-methionine, met5-enkephalin, neuropeptide Y, and somatostatin were extracted from specimens of muscularis externa (patient ages: 19–84 years) and measured by radioimmunoassay. Intracellular electrical activity was recorded from strips of circular muscle (patients ages: 49–84 years) using glass microelectrodes; inhibitory junction potentials were evoked by electrical field stimulation. There were no significant differences (t tests:P>0.05) between neuropeptide concentrations in patients 0.05). The decline in amplitude in women (r=−0.68,P=0.03,N=9) preceded the decline in men (r=−0.62,P=0.10,N=7). Age-related decline in inhibitory junction potentials could be related to decreased: density of inhibitory nerves, release of inhibitory neurotransmitter, density of binding sites for inhibitory neurotransmitter on smooth muscle, or a combination thereof. Alternatively, this decline might represent a change in interaction of inhibitory neurotransmitter with the smooth muscle membrane, such as a change in coupling of binding site with the potassium channel, decreased number of potassium channels, or altered permeability of the potassium channel.
Very long-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiency: The effects of accidental fat loading in a patient detected through newborn screening

Very long-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiency (VLCADD) is an autosomal recessive disorder of fatty acid oxidation. The majority of patients with VLCADD can be detected through newborn screening (NBS) with elevated levels of the tetradecanoyl carnitine species. An 11-month-old infant, diagnosed with late-onset VLCADD (genotype: T848C/G1322A) through newborn screening at birth, was admitted with emesis, severe lethargy, limpness in extremities, loss of muscle tone and an elevated CK level. He was mistakenly given Ketocal formula (about 8 g/kg per day long-chain fat—over six times his usual intake) instead of his usual Monogen formula for 2.5 days before being admitted. Once admitted, he was started on Monogen and IV (10% dextrose) fluids. He was discharged home after four days in the hospital without any sequelae of this accidental fat loading event. The report highlights several important points about this particular case and more generally about patients with VLCADD detected through NBS: (1) the amount of time in which patients might become severely symptomatic and the nature of these symptoms after fat loading; (2) the time frame for complete recovery after beginning of treatment; (3) the importance of alerting home-care companies and families about formula delivery errors and their repercussions.
Interfacing Apple and IBM computers for the analysis of clinical biofeedback

This paper demonstrates a method of transferring research data from a remote clinic to a large university mainframe for data manipulation and statistical analysis. Data collected by an Apple //e computer were transferred to an IBM 3031 mainframe by sending data files to an IBM PC by telephone modem or by direct hardwire connection to the PC. The IMB PC performed data-formatting routines and then uploaded the files to the mainframe for storage. Advantages and disadvantages of sending data over telephone lines via a modem are discussed.
Coalition Building to Build Collections

A collection development project to assess the African American materials in a medium-sized academic library is described. Techniques are presented for examining a library collection from an interdisciplinary point of view. Results of the assessment were used in such a way that the project took on a life of its own and is now an ongoing process to develop this part of the collection. This article presents a view of a continuing strategy of collaboration to develop a collection by incorporating efforts from various elements of the university community, as well as the larger community. Elements influencing the process inlcude: individual and gruop initiatives, the particular library environment, and funding support. The role of the librarian as a generalist, adding a broad perspective to the process, emerges.
Presentation of the Mineralogical Society of America Dana Medal for 2009 to Ronald E. Cohen

The Dana Medal recognizes outstanding scientific contributions in the mineralogical sciences by an individual in the midst of his or her career. There are interesting parallels between James D. Dana and this year’s recipient. Both attended Ivy League schools and then went to work for the Navy, where both learned theoretical physics, and both were fired by an intense ambition to advance the science of mineralogy. Ronald E. Cohen is being honored today for …
Priorities for Intermediate‐Level Language Instruction

IN 1972, DISICK CALLED THE INTERMEDIate level "A perplexing disarray of aptitudes, interests, and competencies ..." (p. 417). Twenty years later, this description is still valid. Although students have evolved and their preparation has changed, they still come to intermediate university courses from many different backgrounds: more and more students place into this level directly after high school; others continue from the first-year university courses; still others come from nontraditional back-
A COMPARISON OF STOCHASTIC AND DETERMINISTIC TRAFFIC ASSIGNMENT OVER CONGESTED NETWORKS

Abstract The similarity between link flows obtained from deterministic and stochastic equilibrium traffic assignment models is investigated at different levels of congestion. A probit-based stochastic assignment is used (over a congested network) where the conditions for equilibrium are those given by Daganzo and Sheffi (1977). Stochastic equilibrium flows are generated using an iterative procedure with predetermined step sizes, and the resulting assignment is validated on the basis of the equilibrium criteria. The procedure is intended to assist in the choice of the most appropriate assignment algorithm for a given level of congestion.
Stable homotopy theories and stabilization

Stable homotopy theories, i.e. pointed theories for which the suspension is an equivalence, are shown to form a reflective sub-2-category. Thus the stabilization T → StabT is characterized by a universal property. This permits a perspicuous proof of the existence of the coherent symmetric smash product in the standard stable homotopy theory. It is to be noted that spectra appear only in the proofs, not the statements of theorems.
Reliability Study of Plastic Encapsulated Copper Lead Frame/Epoxy Die Attach Packaging System

This paper presents the evaluation methods used to appraise the reliability of plastic/copper lead frame packaging systems. A discussion of the copper/epoxy system, suspected failure mechanisms, tests designed to explore these mechanisms, and data developed during this study are presented. The data presented indicates the copper/epoxy system can meet or exceed the reliability of the Alloy 42 system.
COMPREHENSIVE 3D FIBER TRACKING AS A NEW VISUALIZATION SYSTEM IN BRAIN STUDIES

Comprehensive spatial visualization of fiber tracts from all perspectives is a highly desirable outcome in brain studies. To achieve this aim, this study establishes the foundation for a new 3D visual interface that integrates Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) to Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI). The need for such an interface is critical for understanding brain dynamics, and for providing accurate diagnosis of key brain dysfunctions, in terms of neuronal connectivity in the human brain. Two research fronts were explored: (1) the development of new image processing techniques resulting in comprehensive visualization mechanisms that accurately establish relational positioning of neuronal fiber tracts and key landmarks in semi-transparent 3D brain images, and (2) the design of key algorithms that do not tax the computational requirements of 3D rendering and feature extraction using 2D MRI and DTI frames, remaining within practical time constraints. The system was evaluated using data from thirty patients and volunteers with the Brain Institute at Miami Children's Hospital. The highly integrated and fully embedded fiber-tracking software system provides an optimal research environment for innovative visualization mechanisms of white matter fiber tracts. This 3D visualization system reached the implementation level that makes it ready for deployment at other clinical sites.
Eukaryotic regulatory RNAs: an answer to the ‘genome complexity’ conundrum

A large portion of the eukaryotic genome is transcribed as noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs). While once thought of primarily as "junk," recent studies indicate that a large number of these RNAs play central roles in regulating gene expression at multiple levels. The increasing diversity of ncRNAs identified in the eukaryotic genome suggests a critical nexus between the regulatory potential of ncRNAs and the complexity of genome organization. We provide an overview of recent advances in the identification and function of eukaryotic ncRNAs and the roles played by these RNAs in chromatin organization, gene expression, and disease etiology.
PEGylated human plasma fibronectin is proteolytically stable, supports cell adhesion, cell migration, focal adhesion assembly, and fibronectin fibrillogenesis

Delayed wound healing in many chronic wounds has been linked to the degradation of fibronectin (FN) by abnormally high protease levels. We sought to develop a proteolytically stable and functionally active form of FN. For this purpose, we conjugated 3.35 kDa polyethylene glycol diacrylate (PEGDA) to human plasma fibronectin (HPFN). Conjugation of PEGDA to HPFN or HPFN PEGylation was characterized by an increase of approximately 16 kDa in the average molecular weight of PEGylated HPFN compared to native HPFN in SDS-PAGE gels. PEGylated HPFN was more resistant to a chymotrypsin or neutrophil elastase digestion than native HPFN: after 30 min incubation with a chymotrypsin, 56 and 90% of native and PEGylated HPFN respectively remained intact. PEGylated HPFN and native HPFN supported NIH 3T3 mouse fibroblast adhesion and spreading, migration and focal adhesion formation in a similar manner. Fluorescence microscopy showed that both native and PEGylated HPFN in the culture media were assembled into extracellular matrix (ECM) fibrils. Interestingly, when coated on surfaces, native but not PEGylated HPFN was assembled into the ECM of fibroblasts. The proteolytically stable PEGylated HPFN developed herein could be used to replenish FN levels in the chronic wound bed and promote tissue repair. V C 2013 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 29: 493‐504, 2013
The band structure of several zinc-blende semiconductors from a self-consistent pseudopotential approach

Abstract Using a nearly self-consistent pseudopotential, band structures are calculated for seven III-V compounds. The core-valence interaction is treated in the empty-core approximation using a Pauling-Slater scaling procedure. All adjustable constants have been eliminated from the theory. The results are extremely encouraging.
High-strength conductors for supermagnets

With the introduction of powerful magnets such as the National Magnet Laboratory's 225-kG device that recently went into continuous operation, it has become necessary to consider the structural problems that arise because of the high stresses?and high temperatures?involved in generating these high fields. Primarily, a magnet material must be provided that possesses strength as well as porosity. Various combinations of ETP copper, steel, beryllium-copper, and zirconium-copper have proved effective. Also, it is pointed out that stresses can be reduced by proper arrangement of the coils, and that there is an advantage to using high-strength materials in stress-limited magnets despite their increased resistivity.
Evaluation of a process for improved quality and microbial safety of broiler litter

Abstract A process was evaluated which enhances the crude protein level of broiler litter, promotes preservation, and serves to ensure the elimination of potential bacterial pathogens. Two-kg lots of litter, composed of broiler chicken excreta and pine wood shavings, were inoculated with cultures of Escherichia coli and Salmonella spp. The litter was acidified with sulfuric acid to pH 1·5, then the pH was raised to 5·0 with anhydrous ammonia. The treatment increased the level of crude protein from 27·4 to 36·6%, decreased moisture from 21·9 to 17·4%, and decreased, slightly, the fiber content of the litter. The treatment reduced viable counts of E. coli and Salmonella from 3·0 × 10 5 / g to less than 1 100 g litter . With 450-kg lots of litter inoculated with cultures of E. coli the acid/ammonia process reduced the viable count of the organism from 6·0 × 10 6 / g to less than 1 100 g . The destruction of enteric bacteria was more effective with 450-kg lots of litter because the litter temperature achieved by the reaction of acid and ammonia reached 88°C in the 450-kg lots but only 75°C in the 2-kg lots. The acid/ammonia process increased the crude protein content of litter by 34% and reduced the viable count of E. coli and Salmonella by more than 6 log cycles.
Do Hedge Fund Managers Display Skill

This study uses monthly data on 115 hedge funds for the seven-year period 1994–2000 to examine performance after accounting for target market indices and illiquidity effects. We find that the excess return on hedge funds is so small relative to the survivorship bias that it can be considered trivial, a finding suggesting no manager skill. Results also indicate that higher moments of returns do not appear to have a significant impact on the performance measure with excess returns. Incentive fees have significant positive effects on excess returns using the simple CAPM, but not on excess returns adjusted for illiquidity effects using the Dimson model. In addition, incentive fees appear to motivate hedge fund managers to reduce the systematic risk. Management fees, fund size, fund age, and leverage are important factors in explaining excess returns, but not in determining contemporaneous or lagged market betas.
Fracture mechanical analysis of self-fatigue in surface compression strengthened glass plates

This paper presents a fracture mechanical analysis of the static fatigue and spontaneous fragmentation of surface compression-strengthened glass plates in the absence of applied load. It is suggested that if an initial surface crack which is sufficiently deep to penetrate into the tensile zone within the plate interior is introduced into the plate, then static fatigue, and eventually spontaneous fracture may follow. The crack problem for glass plates under various internal stress fields is solved and the stress intensity factor is obtained as a function of the crack depth. Using the fracture toughness and the slow crack growth characterization of the material, the conditions for no crack propagation, crack propagation leading to crack arrest, and that leading to catastrophic failure are established and discussed. The general results obtained are illustrated by means of a numerical example based on a 2 mm thick surface compression-strengthened glass plate exposed to water at 25° C.
Hot and Cool Executive Function in Childhood and Adolescence: Development and Plasticity

Executive function (EF), which refers to the more deliberate, top-down neurocognitive processes involved in self-regulation, develops most rapidly during the preschool years, together with the growth of neural networks involving prefrontal cortex but continues to develop well into adulthood. Both EF and the neural systems supporting EF vary as a function of motivational significance, and this article discusses the distinction between the top-down processes that operate in motivationally and emotionally significant situations (“hot EF”) and the top-down processes that operate is more affectively neutral contexts (“cool EF”). Emerging evidence indicates that both hot and cool EF are surprisingly malleable, with implications for intervention and prevention.
Hybrid Gardens: Travel and the Nationalization of Taste in Ann Radcliffe’s Continental Landscapes

This essay interprets Ann Radcliffe’s revision of her continental settings as a response to the experience of European travel during the Revolutionary Wars of the 1790s. In Radcliffe’s earlier novels, particularly The Mysteries of Udolpho (1794), imaginary South European settings serve as a stage for fictional resolutions of British class conflicts. Following Radcliffe’s only journey to the Continent, described in A Journey Made in the Summer of 1794 (1795), the setting of The Italian (1797) becomes more geographically specific, and the novel, while stereotyping Italy as its title suggests, includes cross‐cultural representation involving British travelers and Italians. In the conclusion of the novel, Radcliffe superimposes an English garden onto an Italian landscape. I argue that Radcliffe’s evolving treatment of landscapes in travel writing and fiction reflects the tension between nationalist and cosmopolitan attitudes toward the Continent that translated into competing standards of taste. These standar...
Stabilization of (90)y-labeled DOTA-biomolecule conjugates using gentisic acid and ascorbic acid

Radiolytic degradation of radiolabeled compounds is a major challenge for the development of new therapeutic radiopharmaceuticals. The goal of this study is to explore the factors influencing the solution stability of a (90)Y-labeled DOTA-peptide conjugate (RP697), including the amount of total activity, the activity concentration, the stabilizer concentration, and the storage temperature. In general, the rate of radiolytic decomposition of RP697 is much slower at the lower activity concentration ( 10 mCi/mL). RP697 remains relatively stable at the 20 mCi level and room temperature while it decomposes rapidly at the 100 mCi level under the same storage conditions. Radical scavengers, such as gentisic acid (GA) and ascorbic acid (AA), were used in combination with the low temperature (-78 degrees C) to prevent the radiolytic decomposition of RP697. It was found that RP697 remains stable for at least 2 half-lives of (90)Y when GA or AA (10 mg for 20 mCi of (90)Y) is used as a stabilizer when the radiopharmaceutical composition is stored at -78 degrees C. The stabilizer (GA and AA) can be added into the formulation either before or after radiolabeling. The post-labeling approach is particularly useful when the use of a large amount of the stabilizer interferes with the radiolabeling. The radiopharmaceutical composition developed in this study can also apply to other (90)Y-labeled DOTA-biomolecule conjugates. The amount of the stabilizer used in the radiopharmaceutical composition and storage temperature should be adjusted according to the sensitivity of the radiolabeled DOTA-biomolecule conjugate toward radiolytic decomposition.
Aerosol interactions with African/Atlantic climate dynamics

Mechanistic relationships exist between variability of dust in the oceanic Saharan air layer (OSAL) and transient changes in the dynamics of Western Africa and the tropical Atlantic Ocean. This study provides evidence of possible interactions between dust in the OSAL region and African easterly jet–African easterly wave (AEJ–AEW) system in the climatology of boreal summer, when easterly wave activity peaks. Synoptic-scale changes in instability and precipitation in the African/Atlantic intertropical convergence zone are correlated with enhanced aerosol optical depth (AOD) in the OSAL region in response to anomalous 3D overturning circulations and upstream/downstream thermal anomalies at above and below the mean-AEJ level. Upstream and downstream anomalies are referred to the daily thermal/dynamical changes over the West African monsoon region and the Eastern Atlantic Ocean, respectively. Our hypothesis is that AOD in the OSAL is positively correlated with the downstream AEWs and negatively correlated with the upstream waves from climatological perspective. The similarity between the 3D pattern of thermal/dynamical anomalies correlated with dust outbreaks and those of AEWs provides a mechanism for dust radiative heating in the atmosphere to reinforce AEW activity. We proposed that the interactions of OSAL dust with regional climate mainly occur through coupling of dust with the AEWs.
Early postnatal B cell ontogeny and antibody repertoire maturation in the opossum, Monodelphis domestica.

Marsupials are a lineage of mammals noted for giving birth to highly altricial young, which complete much of their “fetal” development externally attached to a teat. Postnatal B cell ontogeny and diversity was investigated in a model marsupial species, the gray short-tailed opossum, Monodelphis domestica. The results support the initiation of B cell development late in gestation and progressing into the first two weeks of postnatal life. Transcription of CD79a and CD79b was detected in embryonic tissue prior to birth, while immunoglobulin heavy chain locus transcription was not detected until the first postnatal 24 hours. Transcription of the Ig light chains was not detected until postnatal day 7 at the earliest. The predicted timing of the earliest appearance of mature B cells and completion of gene rearrangements is consistent with previous analyses on the timing of endogenous antibody responses in newborn marsupials. The diversity of early B cell IgH chains is limited, as has been seen in fetal humans and mice, but lacks bias in the gene segments used to encode the variable domains. Newborn light chain diversity is, from the start, comparable to that of the adult, consistent with an earlier hypothesis that light chains contribute extensively to antibody diversity in this species.
Effects of resistance exercise training on resting and post-exercise forearm blood flow and wave reflection in overweight and obese women.

The vascular responses to acute resistance exercise and resistance exercise training (RET) in overweight women are unclear. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the vasodilatory and wave reflection responses to acute resistance exercise before and after RET. In all, 24 overweight/obese (28.5±0.6 kg m−2) women (44±1 years of age) volunteered for this study. Forearm blood flow (FBF), vasodilatory capacity in response to reactive hyperemia (peak FBF) and wave reflection (radial tonometry) were measured, before and 15 min after five sets of leg press at 10-repetition maximum (RM). Measures of pulse wave reflection included the augmentation index (AIx) and the time of the reflected wave (Tr). Measurements were collected at baseline, after a 4-week control period (before RET) and after 12 weeks of whole-body RET using three sets of five exercises at 50–60% of 1-RM. There were no differences in vascular measurements at baseline or before RET for any variable. Resting FBF (66.7%) and peak FBF (51.6%) increased significantly (P<0.05) after RET compared with before RET. Post-exercise FBF (48.9%) and peak FBF (41.1%) also increased significantly (P<0.05) after RET compared with before RET. Post-exercise AIx decreased significantly (P<0.05), whereas Tr increased significantly (P<0.05) compared with rest at all time points. However, AIx and Tr were unaltered by RET. The 12-week whole-body RET increased the resting and post-exercise FBF as well as vasodilatory capacity without changing wave reflection in premenopausal overweight women. RET may be an important non-pharmacological therapy for reducing cardiovascular risk in overweight and obese premenopausal women.
Relationships between cell density, glutathione and proliferation of A549 human lung adenocarcinoma cells treated with acrolein.

Acrolein is a highly electrophilic α,β-unsaturated aldehyde to which humans are exposed in various situations. Acrolein reacts rapidly with and depletes cellular glutathione (GSH), and is toxic to various types of cells. In the current study, the ability of acrolein to alter proliferation of A549 cells was found to be dependent on cell density as well as total cell number. Thus, `doses' must be expressed per cell rather than as a concentration, and all related studies need to be performed by plating a constant number of cells. A549 cells were plated at various densities and treated with acrolein after 48 h. Acrolein doses up to 47 fmol/cell at the time of treatment did not cause cell lethality. However, growth of A549 cells (as shown by thymidine incorporation, alamarBlue and total protein) was inhibited at acrolein levels >34 fmol/cell in 6-well plates seeded at 5000 cells/cm2 48 h prior to treatment. Cellular GSH levels were decreased 34% by 2 h at acrolein levels of 6.7 fmol/cell and by 65% at 47 fmol/cell. Recovery of GSH was rapid at 6.7–47 fmol/cell acrolein, returning to control levels or above by 12 h post-treatment. These data show a strong correlation between cellular GSH and proliferation. The apparent conflict with a previous study of Ramu et al., suggesting that sublethal concentrations (up to 10 μM) of acrolein inhibited the proliferation of A549 cells without a decline in total cellular GSH, arose because, while the acrolein concentration was the same in cells used for proliferation and GSH assays, GSH measurements were done in cells plated at a higher density, resulting in a much lower acrolein dose per cell. Interestingly, very low dose levels of acrolein with cells seeded at low densities stimulated cell growth despite an initial decline in GSH content. Preliminary studies with the stress genes hsp70 and gadd153 suggest that acrolein at 35 fmol/cell does not stimulate formation of their mRNA beyond the level stimulated by a 2 h incubation in serum-free medium but may actually delay or decrease the induced expression. The mechanism(s) of the inhibitory and mitogenic effects of acrolein remains to be determined, but could be due to changes in gene expression induced by this electrophile, perhaps mediated by changes in GSH.
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS IN THE MURCHISON METEORITE

Impressive supporting evidence for the concept of the chemical evolution of life has appeared in the discovery of biologically important compounds in extraterrestrial samples. The approaches pursued to detect extraterrestrial organic compounds include the study of interstellar space by radioastronomy, the evaluation of the Apollo lunar samples, and the analysis of meteorites, both ancient and recent. It has been found that the clouds of gas in the interstellar medium contain a wide variety of molecules, most of which are organic in nature. The carbonaceous chondrites contain polymeric organic matter. Amino acids have been detected in the Murchison meteorite.
Computation of sharp-fin-induced shock wave/turbulent boundary-layer interactions

Solutions of the Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes equations are presented and are compared with a family of experimental results for the three-dimensional interaction of a sharp-fin-induced shock wave with a turbulent boundary layer. The solutions predict most of the essential features of the flow fields for various shock-wave strengths. However, some features of the measured flow fields, such as secondary separation and size of the largest separated zones were not accurately computed. The computed flow fields, aided by particle tracing techniques, display a prominent vortical structure which can be correlated with the observed surface phenomena.
What Makes a Visualization Memorable

An ongoing debate in the Visualization community concerns the role that visualization types play in data understanding. In human cognition, understanding and memorability are intertwined. As a first step towards being able to ask questions about impact and effectiveness, here we ask: 'What makes a visualization memorable?' We ran the largest scale visualization study to date using 2,070 single-panel visualizations, categorized with visualization type (e.g., bar chart, line graph, etc.), collected from news media sites, government reports, scientific journals, and infographic sources. Each visualization was annotated with additional attributes, including ratings for data-ink ratios and visual densities. Using Amazon's Mechanical Turk, we collected memorability scores for hundreds of these visualizations, and discovered that observers are consistent in which visualizations they find memorable and forgettable. We find intuitive results (e.g., attributes like color and the inclusion of a human recognizable object enhance memorability) and less intuitive results (e.g., common graphs are less memorable than unique visualization types). Altogether our findings suggest that quantifying memorability is a general metric of the utility of information, an essential step towards determining how to design effective visualizations.
Bromodeoxyuridine effects on the RNA sequence complexity and phenotype in a neuroblastoma clone.

The effects on morphology, activities of cholinergic enzymes, and RNA sequence complexity were measured in a subclone of the cholinergic mouse neuroblastoma line NS20 after treatment of the cells with 5-bromo-2′-deoxyuridine or with other conditions which have been reported to cause ‘differentiation’ in neuroblastoma cells. Treatment with bromodeoxyuridine caused a flattening of the cells so that they resembled fibroblasts, a marked increase in the activity of choline acetyltransferase, and little change in cholinesterase activity. In medium without 5-bromo-2′-deoxyuridine but with a low content (0.1%) of serum, cells attained a more neuronal morphology, although choline acetyltransferase activity was unaffected and cholinesterase activity was decreased. Treatment with dibutyryl-cyclic-3’: 5′-AMP affected neither the cellular morphology nor the activities of the cholinergic enzymes. When neuroblastoma RNA preparations were hybridized to single-copy mouse DNA, there were no measurable differences in total RNA sequence complexities between control and 5-bromo-2′-deoxyuridine-treated cells. For whole cell and nuclear RNAs, the reaction kinetics demonstrated the presence of single abundance classes of RNA which hybridized with approximately 6% of the total single-copy DNA. Poly(A)-containing mRNAs of 5-bromo-2′-deoxyuridine-treated and control cells both hybridized to approximately 2.1% of the single-copy DNA, with kinetics which were consistent with the presence of two major RNA abundance classes. The single-copy DNA sequences expressed in the nuclear RNA of 5-bromo-2′-deoxyuridine-treated cells were partially purified and then re-reacted with RNAs from treated and control cells. Approximately one-third of the nuclear RNA sequences expressed in 5-bromo-2′-deoxyuridine-treated cells were absent from, or at a much lower concentration in, control cells. Since the RNA complexities of control and 5-bromo-2′-deoxyuridine-treated cells were equivalent, the changes produced by 5-bromo-2′-deoxyuridine must have involved the activation of transcription of some sequences in the genome and repression of a similar number of sequences.
The follicle stimulating hormone—inhibin feedback loop in male primates

This paper reviews our current knowledge of the role of testicular inhibin in the regulation of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) secretion in the rhesus monkey. Species differences between monkey and rat are described, and evidence for and against the hypothesis that control of FSH secretion in the human male is similar to that for the monkey is presented.
Estimation of body fat in Caucasian and African-American girls: total-body electrical conductivity methodology versus a four-component model.

BACKGROUND: Obesity has been increasing dramatically in recent years among children, particularly African-American girls. Total-body electrical conductivity (TOBEC) is a simple way to measure body fat with minimal risk. OBJECTIVE: This study compared the agreement between the percentage of fat mass (%FM) predicted using two TOBEC equations with %FM measured by a four-component model in 73 Caucasian and 41 African-American girls. DESIGN AND MEASUREMENTS: %FM predicted using the TOBEC equations was compared with %FM from the four-component model based on measurements of body density, body water and bone mineral content. RESULTS: Analyses by linear regression analysis and by the Bland and Altman methods comparison procedure showed that the equation using the square root of the TOBEC zero-order Fourier coefficient and the subject's height yielded more accurate and more reproducible %FM, regardless of race, than the TOBEC linear equation, which was based on the zero-, first- and second-order Fourier coefficients. The Bland and Altman comparison further revealed that the accuracy and limits of agreement of the TOBEC linear equation were related to body fatness among the Caucasian girls. The relationship, however, disappeared when prepubescent girls and a girl with low %FM were excluded from the analysis. CONCLUSIONS: The TOBEC square root equation with adjustment for body geometry and length is recommended for use in adolescent girls, as it yielded better agreement with the criterion method. However, further validation of the TOBEC instrumentation for estimating body fat in prepubescent children and children with low body fat is warranted.
Context-specific short-term adaptation of the phase of the vestibulo-ocular reflex.

The phase of the angular vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) is subject to adaptive control. We had previously found that adapting the phase of the VOR also produced changes in drift on eccentric gaze-holding, implying a change in the time constant of the velocity-to-position neural integrator. Here we attempted to dissociate changes in gaze-holding drift from changes in the phase of the VOR. In normal human subjects, for 2 h, we alternated 5 min of VOR phase adaptation (sinusoids, 0.2 Hz) with 5 min of making saccades in the light with the head stationary. Afterwards, changes in VOR phase were the same (32% of requested) as those obtained with 1 h of phase adaptation alone, but changes in drift following saccades were much smaller than those found after phase adaptation alone (0.8°/s compared with 5°/s). When measuring drift after VOR steps, however, the changes were closer to those found after phase adaptation alone (3.8°/s). To test the relationship between gaze-holding drift after VOR steps and adaptive changes in VOR phase, we alternated sinusoidal VOR phase adaptation with normal VOR steps in the light. In this paradigm, the adaptive change in VOR phase was about the same as with phase-adaptation alone (35%), but there was now little drift after saccades (1.9°/s) or after VOR steps (0.7°/s). We conclude that the state of the velocity-to-position neural integrator can be altered selectively and rapidly depending upon the task required. Such context-specific adaptation is advantageous, because it allows adjustment of the phase of the VOR without degrading the ability to hold eccentric fixation.
Secretion from normal and supersensitive avian salt glands.

The sensitivity of the chronically denervated salt gland of the domestic goose to hypertonic, oral salt loading was investigated. In conscious geese the chronically denervated salt gland was supersensitive to an oral salt load. d-Aldosterone did not appear to stimulate either the normal or denervated glands above control experiments. However, aldosterone did have a tendency to cause prolongation of secretion time.
Applying System Dynamics for Nuclear Power Plant Design

This study analyzed a system dynamics model for outsourcing engineering services in a large and complex project organizational structure that is typically associated with nuclear power plants. A literature review indicated that most of the reviewed papers implied the project engineering resources were totally insourced or the authors were silent regarding any resources that were outsourced. Comprehensive sensitivity analysis of various model parameters was performed. Results of running the SD model indicate that the quality and productivity of the outsourced resources and the initial number of assigned experienced engineers significantly impacted the amount and timing of engineering work completion. An analysis was also performed on the project outcomes by varying the number of initial and changed engineering tasks. The results indicate the decision to insource/outsource engineering work on nuclear power plant projects may have significant cost and time impacts which should be considered by decision makers.Copyright © 2014 by ASME