cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Perspectives on Virtual Veneration

A reconnaissance of the potential for memorializing people through online avatars was carried out by participant observation, running ancestor veneration avatars AVAs based on deceased members of the author's own family. First, the AVA concept is introduced in the context of the changing social status of religion in postmodern society. Then the range of possibilities is sketched through four avatars, exploring how: 1 a priest character in World of Warcraft can represent an actual deceased priest; 2 an ambivalent character in EverQuest II can represent an abstract issue about the value of religion; 3 an historically accurate gameworld like Pirates of the Burning Sea can be a good environment for commemorating a person whose life is largely unknown but took place during its historical period; and 4 a fantasy world like Lord of the Rings Online can represent a person who in life had a direct connection to that fantasy. Memorialization of one person in multiple environments illustrates that avatar-like manifestations may be created in 1 solo-player games like Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion , 2 multiplayer games like Star Wars: The Old Republic , 3 a nongame virtual world like Second Life , and 4 a variety of other online environments where one is represented by something like an avatar, including Wikipedia.
Physical Constants of the Milk as Influencing the Centrifugal Separation of Cream at Various Temperatures

Summary The effective centrifugal force tending to separate the fat from the skimmilk in a cream separator, operated at constant speed and rate of flow of milk, increases markedly as the temperature of the milk is increased up to 35° to 45°C. (95° to 113°F.), above this temperature the increase is much less pronounced. This increase in effective force is due to the increase in the difference in density between the fat and the plasma, and to the decrease in viscosity of the plasma.
A 45-Year Obsession and Passionate Pursuit of Optimal Nutrition Support: Puppies, Pediatrics, Surgery, Geriatrics, Home TPN, A.S.P.E.N., Et Cetera

A candid account of the many innovations, fundamental developments and discoveries in the evolution and successful clinical application of parenteral nutrition; and its subsequent stimulus to providing optimal nutrition support, to the founding of A.S.P.E.N., and to inducing changes in the way medicine is practiced today.
Determining the contributions of divisive and subtractive feedback in the Hodgkin-Huxley model

The Hodgkin-Huxley (HH) model is the basis for numerous neural models. There are two negative feedback processes in the HH model that regulate rhythmic spiking. The first is an outward current with an activation variable n that has an opposite influence to the excitatory inward current and therefore provides subtractive negative feedback. The other is the inactivation of an inward current with an inactivation variable h that reduces the amount of positive feedback and therefore provides divisive feedback. Rhythmic spiking can be obtained with either negative feedback process, so we ask what is gained by having two feedback processes. We also ask how the different negative feedback processes contribute to spiking. We show that having two negative feedback processes makes the HH model more robust to changes in applied currents and conductance densities than models that possess only one negative feedback variable. We also show that the contributions made by the subtractive and divisive feedback variables are not static, but depend on time scales and conductance values. In particular, they contribute differently to the dynamics in Type I versus Type II neurons.
Individual autonomy, cooperative empowerment, and planning for long-term care decision making.

Abstract Advance planning by the elederly for long-term care decisions promises to enhance personal responsibility and autonomy while improving their quality of life. Such planning becomes an extension of the concepts of client empowerment and self-care and is based on the ethical principles of individual autonomy and freedom of choice. These have clear implications for the content and process of advance planning, including the activities of “effective deliberation” and “moral reflection.” A sense of self-respect and the provision of care-provider support and social resources become key ingredients in this process, leading to the development of the concept of “cooperative empowerment.” Broader risk assessment methodologies are proposed to encourage the planning process, which can be given direction by the development of a personal planning guide and workshops. Attention must be drawn particularly to the importance of human values at the core of personal decisions and life plans.
Chloroquine resistance produced in vitro in an African strain of human malaria

After condinous cultivation in the presence of chloroquine, an African strain of the malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparu, acquired resistance to the drug. The resistance was stable and comparable in vitro to that occurring naturally in a strain from Southeast Asia. This suggests that chloroquine resistance, absent until now in Africa, might arise in the future.
Liberalism and the Challenge of Neo-orthodoxy

HE shifting meanings of the terms neo-orthodoxy and liberalism in current theological discussions make it profitable to define the two words at the outset. Neo-orthodoxy, descriptively defined, defends the Reformation theses of the sovereignty of God, justification by faith, and the Bible as the Word of God. Somewhat unlike orthodoxy, neo-orthodoxy treats selectively the principles of the Reformation. Altogether unlike orthodoxy, neo-orthodoxy is aware of the results of the historical approach to the Bible. By reason of its emphasis upon the Sovereignty of God, neo-orthodoxy is known as neo-supernaturalism. Because of its acceptance of justification by faith and considerations such as the doctrine of original sin which support this classical Protestant view, neoorthodoxy is described as realistic if not pessimistic in its anthropology. Moreover, it is accused, on the whole unjustly, of failure to support the concern for social progress. Since neo-orthodoxy regards the Bible as the Word of God, it is forced characteristically to relate its intellectual principles to the Bible in some way. In the variety of writings which can be labelled as neo-orthodox, serious diversity of outlook often appears. For in one wing may be found a rejection of natural theology and apologetics, with an insistence upon the complete impossibility of man's finding in the data about himself anything relevant to God's Word. Barth, of course, is the outstanding representative of this outlook. In the other wing are those who insist that in man's own observations appear correspondences to the comprehensions of revelation; thus the cogency of revelation is sometimes asserted in terms which are informed by a nonrevelational viewpoint. Perhaps Brunner could be characterized as belonging here. Nevertheless, certain unities of statement run throughout neo-orthodoxy. Despite the varying selectivity from the Protestant tradition, beyond a certain framework the movement cannot go and remain Calvinistic. The limits of liberalism, again descriptively defined,are far more broad. Etymologically, it includes the conclusions of the "free" man. Beyond that, its unities can be characterized only in terms of an attitude, a method, and, perhaps most important of all, a criterion of truth. Its attitude appears in the willingness of liberals without prejudices, if possible, to seek the truth wherever it may be found. Its method is largely that of empiricism with the employment of those hypotheses which make intelligible the discoveries of empirical studies. Its criterion of truth is that of rationality either in a narrow or a large sense of the word.
A new O3-type layered oxide cathode with high energy/power density for rechargeable Na batteries

A new O3–Na0.78Li0.18Ni0.25Mn0.583Ow is prepared as the cathode material for Na-ion batteries, delivering exceptionally high energy density and superior rate performance. The single-slope voltage profile and ex situ synchrotron X-ray diffraction data demonstrate that no phase transformation happens through a wide range of sodium concentrations (up to 0.8 Na removed). Ni2+/Ni4+ is suggested to be the main redox center. Further optimization could be realized by tuning the combination and the ratio of transition metals.
Auxin Synthesis in Crown Gall Tumor Tissue: A Comparison of Three Putative Precursors

Axenic crown gall tumor callus (from Vinca rosea L.) which is known to synthesize its own auxin is able to convert exogenous "C-indole or tryptamine to indoleacetic acid [5.4 and 10 x lO""" /(mol X h"i X (g fr wt)"^ respectively], but little or no ^H-tryptophan is converted [less than 6.4 x 1O'» /miol x h'' x (g fr wt)'M.
Simultaneous input and state smoothing for linear discrete-time stochastic systems with unknown inputs

This paper considers the problem of simultaneously estimating the states and unknown inputs of linear discrete-time systems in the presence of additive Gaussian noise based on observations from the entire time interval. A fixed-interval input and state smoothing algorithm is proposed for this problem and the input and state estimates are shown to be unbiased and to achieve minimum mean squared error and maximum likelihood. A numerical example is included to demonstrate the performance of the smoother.
Person-to-person communication in an applied research/service delivery setting

Data from a national survey (n = 1666) of researchers, practitioners, and policymakers in the field of rural mental health services were used to conduct a sociometric analysis of person-to-person communication in tData from a national survey (n = 1666) of researchers, practitioners, and policymakers in the field of rural mental health services were used to conduct a sociometric analysis of person-to-person communication in tData from a national survey (n = 1666) of researchers, practitioners, and policymakers in the field of rural mental health services were used to conduct a sociometric analysis of person-to-person communication in the field. This article describes the structure of the person-to-person communication network in terms of its connectedness, centrality, homogeneity, and differentiation. Despite the diversity of survey respondents, and apparently meager interorganizational communication, communication in the field is similar, in many respects, to that observed in “invisible colleges.” While the probability of two randomly chosen individuals being in contact is low (0.0008), over 70% were connected indirectly. The person-to-person communication network is also highly centralized and exhibits higher than expected communication among respondents in the same professional role, type of work organization, and geographical region. It does not appear to be highly differentiated with respect to topic, since the majority of information providers are contacted with respect to a number of topi While the probability of two randomly chosen individuals being in contact is low (0.0008), over 70% were connected indirectly. The person-to-person communication network is also highly centralized and exhibits While the probability of two randomly chosen individuals being in contact is low (0.0008), over 70% were connected indirectly. The person-to-person communication network is also highly centralized and exhibits higher than expected communication among respondents in the same professional role, type of work organization, and geographical region. It does not appear to be highly differentiated with respect to topic, since the majority of information providers are contacted with respect to a number of topics.
Integration of high-performance computing into a VCL cloud

High-Performance Computing (HPC) services can range from those on peta-flop supercomputers down to smaller computational clusters used for HPC application development, pilot runs and staging. What they all have in common is that traditionally HPC facilities tend to be isolated from the more general scientific computing services. Advent of the cloud computing has started changing that. In this paper we discuss a very successful production-level architecture and policy framework for supporting HPC services within a more general cloud computing infrastructure called VCL. This integrated environment has been operating at NC State since fall 2004. It typically delivers over 14 million HPC CPU hours per year to NC State faculty and students. Our experience is that integration of HPC and non-HPC services in a cloud can substantially reduce the cost of both services.
Arbitrarily slow decay of correlations in quasiperiodic systems

For diffusive motion in random media it is widely believed that the velocity autocorrelation function c(t) exhibits power law decay as time t ..-->.. infinity. We demonstrate that the decay of c(t) in quasiperiodic media can be arbitrarily slow within the class of integrable functions. For example, in d = 1 with a potential V(x) = cos x + cos kx, there is a dense set of irrational k's such that the decay of c(k, t) is slower than 1/t/sup (1+epsilon/)/ for any epsilon > 0. The irrationals producing such a slow decay of c(k, t) are very well approximated by rationals.
RNA Substrate Specificity and Structure-guided Mutational Analysis of Bacteriophage T4 RNA Ligase 2

Here we report that bacteriophage T4 RNA ligase 2 (Rnl2) is an efficient catalyst of RNA ligation at a 3'-OH/5'-PO(4) nick in a double-stranded RNA or an RNA.DNA hybrid. The critical role of the template strand in approximating the reactive 3'-OH and 5'-PO(4) termini is underscored by the drastic reductions in the RNA-sealing activity of Rnl2 when the duplex substrates contain gaps or flaps instead of nicks. RNA nick joining requires ATP and a divalent cation cofactor (either Mg or Mn). Neither dATP, GTP, CTP, nor UTP can substitute for ATP. We identify by alanine scanning seven functionally important amino acids (Tyr-5, Arg-33, Lys-54, Gln-106, Asp-135, Arg-155, and Ser-170) within the N-terminal nucleotidyl-transferase domain of Rnl2 and impute specific roles for these residues based on the crystal structure of the AMP-bound enzyme. Mutational analysis of 14 conserved residues in the C-terminal domain of Rnl2 identifies 3 amino acids (Arg-266, Asp-292, and Glu-296) as essential for ligase activity. Our findings consolidate the evolutionary connections between bacteriophage Rnl2 and the RNA-editing ligases of kinetoplastid protozoa.
Consensus algorithms over fading channels

Consensus algorithms permit the computation of global statistics via local communications and without centralized control. We extend previous results by taking into account fading and unidirectional links in ring and random 2-D topologies. We study conditions for convergence and present simulation results to verify the analytical results in this paper. We compare the performance of consensus algorithms with a tree-based (centralized) approach. Additionally, we implement a slotted ALOHA protocol and compare its performance to that under the initial assumption of perfect scheduling.
The identification of gene expression profiles associated with progression of human diabetic neuropathy

Diabetic neuropathy is a common complication of diabetes. While multiple pathways are implicated in the pathophysiology of diabetic neuropathy, there are no specific treatments and no means to predict diabetic neuropathy onset or progression. Here, we identify gene expression signatures related to diabetic neuropathy and develop computational classification models of diabetic neuropathy progression. Microarray experiments were performed on 50 samples of human sural nerves collected during a 52-week clinical trial. A series of bioinformatics analyses identified differentially expressed genes and their networks and biological pathways potentially responsible for the progression of diabetic neuropathy. We identified 532 differentially expressed genes between patient samples with progressing or non-progressing diabetic neuropathy, and found these were functionally enriched in pathways involving inflammatory responses and lipid metabolism. A literature-derived co-citation network of the differentially expressed genes revealed gene subnetworks centred on apolipoprotein E, jun, leptin, serpin peptidase inhibitor E type 1 and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma. The differentially expressed genes were used to classify a test set of patients with regard to diabetic neuropathy progression. Ridge regression models containing 14 differentially expressed genes correctly classified the progression status of 92% of patients (P < 0.001). To our knowledge, this is the first study to identify transcriptional changes associated with diabetic neuropathy progression in human sural nerve biopsies and describe their potential utility in classifying diabetic neuropathy. Our results identifying the unique gene signature of patients with progressive diabetic neuropathy will facilitate the development of new mechanism-based diagnostics and therapies.
Aerodynamics and Exposure Variability

Abstract Laboratory measurements of exposure using a mannequin and a point source of tracer gas suggest that locating a contaminant source within a separated boundary layer results in greater exposure variability than when the source is outside such a region. An increase in the variance of from one to two orders of magnitude was observed when the source was positioned downstream of the mannequin. The results provide information for estimating the relative exposure variability between processes under different aerodynamic conditions.
Unpredictable and uncontrollable stress impairs neuronal plasticity in the rat hippocampus

Abstract Almost by definition, learning and the effect of stress on learning represent modifications of existing neuronal circuitry. Under some circumstances, this modification can be measured electrophysiologically. One such measure of plasticity is long-term potentiation (LTP), a long-lasting increase in synaptic efficacy following brief exposure to tetanic stimulation. In 1987, Foy et al. reported that hippocampal LTP was impaired by exposure to inescapable shock. We have recent evidence that the impairment in LTP can be prevented by allowing the animal to learn to escape the shock (Shors et al., 1989), indicating that the stress effect is to some extent mediated by “psychological” variables. Regardless of LTP's putative role in learning and memory processes, such a stress-induced decrease in neuronal plasticity is likely to have profound effects on the behaving organism.
(Pro)Insulin processing: a historical perspective.

Insulin, the major secreted product of the β-cells of the islets of Langerhans, is initially synthesized as a precursor (preproinsulin), from which the mature hormone is excised by a series of proteolytic cleavages. This review provides a personal narrative of some of the key research projects leading to the identification of the central processing enzymes as proprotein convertase 1, proprotein convertase 2, and carboxypeptidase E. It also discusses the central roles of the intragranular environment and chaperone-like proteins in modulating processing activity.
Imperial Inheritances: Lapses, Love and Laws in the Colonial Machine

This essay examines eighteenth- and nineteenth-century inheritance laws in India in order to analyse the intersections between state power, heteronormative reproductivity and colonial structures of race. In particular, I focus on the case of Troup et al. v. East India Company, which involves the estate of Begum Sumroo, one of the wealthiest women in colonial India. I explore the ways in which the normativization of western notions of inheritance, allied with reproductive heterosexuality, worked to undergird the racialized expansion of Empire. I argue that, by law, inheritance and gain came to be reinforced as heteronormative (in its definition, procreative) and patriarchal virtues under colonial rule. Begum Sumroo's place within this legal scheme poses serious challenges to the logic of colonial inheritance. I use the Begum's case to expose the mechanisms through which, in order for colonial rule to take effect, sexual normativity was heightened to secure the goals of territorial expansion, thus yoking th...
A remote device for de-encapsulating reactor-irradiated samples

Abstract A remotely operated motorized apparatus is described which facilitates the recovery of Ci levels of radioactive samples, such as 18F, 24Na, etc. without excessive personnel hand or whole-body dose, from sealed quartz ampoules which have been irradiated in a reactor in standard polythylene or aluminum containers. The device is operated in a small hot cell located in a walk-in hood and is used in the routine preparation of reactor-produced radioisotopes for nuclear medicine.
THE EXPERIMENTAL DISCLOSURE OF LATENT NEOPLASTIC CHANGES IN TARRED SKIN.

A carcinogenic tar applied to rabbit skin renders many more epidermal cells neoplastic than ever declare themselves by forming tumors. They may be present in large numbers and persist for a considerable time after brief tarring, yet give rise to no growths unless encouraged. The stimulus of wound healing will suffice to make some of them multiply and form tumors. No evidence has been obtained, in experiments specifically directed to the point, that the cells which tar renders neoplastic respond in this way because they are possessed of peculiarities not shared by the rest of the normal epithelium. The fact that non-specific stimulation (as e.g. wound healing) may act as the deciding influence in tumor formation brings out the need for a sharp distinction between the forces which induce neoplastic change and those which determine, or prevent, its realization in terms of a tumor. The distinction is vital to the appraisal of the many carcinogenic substances worked with nowadays. The ability of tumor cells to lie latent for long periods and respond to non-carcinogenic stimulation by multiplying into growths provides an explanation of those clinical instances in which cancer appears rapidly after acute injury to tissue that had seemed normal.
The Effect of an 11.5-hr/Day Exposure Schedule on the Distribution and Toxicity of Inhaled Carbon Tetrachloride in the Rat

Abstract This study evaluated the differences in toxicity and tissue distribution for 16 groups of male rats repeatedly exposed to 100 ppm of 14 CCl 4 vapors for 8 or 11.5 hr/day for periods of 1 to 10 days. Serum sorbitol dehydrogenase (SDH) was also evaluated for its sensitivity at detecting CCl 4 -induced hepatotoxicity. Following 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 11, and 14 days, one group of rats from each exposure schedule was sacrificed and 14 C activity in seven tissues and serum SDH levels were measured. To compare the effects of CCl 4 on the liver and kidney following repeated exposure to the two schedules, one group of rats was exposed for 8 hr/day for 10 of 12 consecutive days and another for 11.5 hr/day for 7 of 12 consecutive days so that each group received essentially the same dose (8000 ppm-hr) of CCl 4 . The 11.5-hr/day exposure schedule, compared to rats exposed 8-hr/day, produced minor changes in the distribution and concentration of 14 C (CCl 4 equivalents) in various tissues. Following 1 and 2 weeks of exposure to either schedule, the fat, liver, lungs, and adrenals had the highest concentration of CCl 4 equivalents. There were no significant differences in CCl 4 -induced hepatotoxicity or nephrotoxicity between rats exposed to the two schedules following either 1 or 2 weeks of exposure as measured by histopathology. In contrast, rats exposed 11.5 hr/day had significantly higher SDH levels than those exposed to the 8-hr/day schedule; thus suggesting that the 11.5-hr schedule did produce a measurably greater degree of hepatotoxicity, although it was too subtle to detect pathologically. Rats exposed for a fourth and fifth day during the second week of the 11.5-hr schedule had a significantly greater concentration of 14 C activity in the fat than rats exposed to the 8-hr/day schedule as well as severe fatty infiltration of the liver and higher serum SDH activity. This study demonstrated that SDH is a very useful assay for detecting subtle changes in liver injury as compared to histopathology. It was also shown that even at relatively low vapor concentrations, modest changes in dosage regimen, like those involving unusual (e.g., 10- or 12-hr/day) work schedules, can have a measurable effect on the distribution of the chemical and the degree of toxicity. These results support published recommendations which suggest that for persons working long shifts, occupational exposure limits for systemic toxicants with half-lives between 4 and 200 hr be reduced so that these persons will have the same margin of safety from any adverse effects.
Formation of gradients of proteins on surfaces with microfluidic networks

The capability of microfluidic networks to pattern substrates with proteins is extended to create density gradients of proteins on surfaces. The networks are micromachined in Si, and the substrates are hydrophobic poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) elastomers. The gradients result from the progressive depletion of proteins in the fluids due to their adsorption onto the PDMS substrate as the solution travels along the microchannel. Forming gradients of rhodamine-tagged antigens on PDMS and binding the antigens with fluorescein-tagged antibodies from solution enable us to study the binding behavior of these partners on a surface: Detection of the fluorescence associated with either partner suggests that recognition of the surface-immobilized antigens by an antibody from solution is more effective for a low density of antigens on the surface.
Mid arm circumference and mid arm circumference head circumference ratio for assessing longitudinal growth in hospitalized preterm infants

In order to study the usefulness of upper mid-arm circumference (MAC) and mid-arm circumference:head circumference ratio (MAC:HC) measurements in assessing longitudinal growth in hospitalized preterm infants, we prospectively measured weights, lengths, occipitofrontal head circumferences (OFC), MACs, MAC:HCs, weight/length for age, nutritional intakes, and serum transthyretin and albumin levels in 50 preterm, low-birth-weight, appropriate for gestational age newborn infants during their first 4 postnatal weeks and at hospital discharge. At some time during hospitalization, weight measurements were abnormal (greater than or equal to 2SD from the gestational age mean) in 48% of the infants as compared with 24% with abnormal MAC measurements (p = 0.002). Abnormal MAC:HCs occurred in 25% of the infants as compared with 68% with abnormal weight/length for age values (p less than 0.001). During weeks 2-4, when nutritional intakes were adequate and serum transthyretin and albumin levels were normal, mean weight ...
Cerebral hyperemia and impaired cerebral autoregulation associated with diabetic ketoacidosis in critically ill children.

Objective:Cerebral edema associated with diabetic ketoacidosis is an uncommon but severe complication of insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus with unclear pathophysiology. We sought to determine whether cerebral edema in patients with diabetic ketoacidosis was related to changes in cerebral blood flo
THREE HOLES BOUND TO A DOUBLE ACCEPTOR: Be+ IN GERMANIUM

A double acceptor binding three holes has been observed for the first time with photoconductive far-infrared spectroscopy in beryllium-doped germanium single crystals. This new center, Be(+), has a hole binding energy of about 5 meV and is only present when free holes are generated by ionization of either neutral shallow acceptors or neutral Be double acceptors. The Be(+) center thermally ionizes above 4 K. It disappears at a uniaxial stress higher than about a billion dyn/sq cm parallel to (111) as a result of the lifting of the valence-band degeneracy.
Self-peroxidation of Metmyoglobin Results in Formation of an Oxygen-reactive Tryptophan-centered Radical

In the reaction between hydrogen peroxide and metmyoglobin, the heme iron is oxidized to its ferryl-oxo form and the globin to protein radicals, at least one of which reacts with dioxygen to form a peroxyl radical. To identify the residue(s) that forms the oxygen-reactive radical, we utilized electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopy and the spin traps 2-methyl-2-nitrosopropane and 3,5-dibromo-4-nitrosobenzenesulfonic acid (DBNBS). Metmyoglobin radical adducts had spectra typical of immobilized nitroxides that provided little structural information, but subsequent nonspecific protease treatment resulted in the detection of isotropic three-line spectra, indicative of a radical adduct centered on a tertiary carbon with no bonds to nitrogen or hydrogen. Similar isotropic three-line ESR spectra were obtained by spin trapping the oxidation product of tryptophan reacting with catalytic metmyoglobin and hydrogen peroxide. High resolution ESR spectra of DBNBS/trp and of the protease-treated DBNBS/metMb were simulated using superhyperfine coupling to a nitrogen and three non-equivalent hydrogens, consistent with a radical adduct formed at C-3 of the indole ring. Oxidation of tryptophan by catalytic metMb and hydrogen peroxide resulted in spin trap-inhibitable oxygen consumption, consistent with formation of a peroxyl radical. The above results support self-peroxidation of a tryptophan residue in the reaction between metMb and hydrogen peroxide.
Leading Teams: Setting the Stage for Great Performances

The article presents a review of the book “Leading Teams: Setting the Stage for Great Performances,” by J. Richard Hackman.
Physical Principles of Row Covers and Grow Tubes with Application to Small Fruit Crops

Abstract Protected cultivation has been used to modify the microclimate to advance maturity, increase yields, and expand areas of production for many horticultural crops. Ancillary benefits of protected cultivation can include reduced numbers of pests and lower disease pressure. This discussion will limit the term “protected cultivation” to row covers, low tunnels, and individual plant shelters (“grow tubes”), addressing their applications in the production of small fruit. The foremost biological response of crops grown under protected cultivation is an increase in growth rate, induced primarily by elevated soil and air temperatures within the shelter and around the plant. The protected environment often has lower vapor pressure deficits between crop and atmosphere, resulting in less plant stress. Although many reports detail the biological responses of crops grown under protected cultivation, few include measurements of environmental variables within plant shelters. Understanding the physical principles ...
Bicarbonate and chloride secretion in Calu-3 human airway epithelial cells.

Serous cells are the predominant site of cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator expression in the airways, and they make a significant contribution to the volume, composition, and consistency of the submucosal gland secretions. We have employed the human airway serous cell line Calu-3 as a model system to investigate the mechanisms of serous cell anion secretion. Forskolin-stimulated Calu-3 cells secrete HCO−3 by a Cl −-independent, serosal Na+-dependent, serosal bumetanide-insensitive, and serosal 4,4′-dinitrostilben-2,2′-disulfonic acid (DNDS)–sensitive, electrogenic mechanism as judged by transepithelial currents, isotopic fluxes, and the results of ion substitution, pharmacology, and pH studies. Similar studies revealed that stimulation of Calu-3 cells with 1-ethyl-2-benzimidazolinone (1-EBIO), an activator of basolateral membrane Ca2+-activated K+ channels, reduced HCO−3 secretion and caused the secretion of Cl − by a bumetanide-sensitive, electrogenic mechanism. Nystatin permeabilization of Calu-3 monolayers demonstrated 1-EBIO activated a charybdotoxin- and clotrimazole- inhibited basolateral membrane K+ current. Patch-clamp studies confirmed the presence of an intermediate conductance inwardly rectified K+ channel with this pharmacological profile. We propose that hyperpolarization of the basolateral membrane voltage elicits a switch from HCO−3 secretion to Cl − secretion because the uptake of HCO−3 across the basolateral membrane is mediated by a 4,4 ′-dinitrostilben-2,2′-disulfonic acid (DNDS)–sensitive Na+:HCO−3 cotransporter. Since the stoichiometry reported for Na +:HCO−3 cotransport is 1:2 or 1:3, hyperpolarization of the basolateral membrane potential by 1-EBIO would inhibit HCO−3 entry and favor the secretion of Cl −. Therefore, differential regulation of the basolateral membrane K+ conductance by secretory agonists could provide a means of stimulating HCO−3 and Cl − secretion. In this context, cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator could serve as both a HCO−3 and a Cl − channel, mediating the apical membrane exit of either anion depending on basolateral membrane anion entry mechanisms and the driving forces that prevail. If these results with Calu-3 cells accurately reflect the transport properties of native submucosal gland serous cells, then HCO−3 secretion in the human airways warrants greater attention.
More on climbing fiber signals and their consequence(s)

The persistence of many contrasting notions of climbing fiber function after years of investigation testifies that the issue of climbing fiber contributions to cerebellar transactions is still unresolved. The proposed capabilities of the climbing fibers cover an impressive spectrum. For many researchers, the climbing fibers signal errors in motor performance, either in the conventional manner of frequency modulation or as a single announcement of an “unexpected event”. More controversial is the effect of these signals on the simple spike modulation of Purkinje cells. In some hands, they lead to a long-term depression of the strength of parallel fiber synapses, while, in other hands, they lead to a short-lasting enhancement of the responsiveness of Purkinje cells to mossy fiber inputs or contribute to the often-seen reciprocal relation between complex and simple spike modulation. For still other investigators, the climbing fibers serve internal timing functions through their capacity for synchronous and rhythmic firing. The above viewpoints are presented in the spirit of trying to reach some consensus about climbing fiber function. Each point of view is introduced by summarizing first the key observations made by the respective proponents; then the issues of short-lasting enhancement, reciprocity between complex and simple spikes, and synchrony and rhythmicity are addressed in the context of the visual climbing fiber system of the vestibulocerebellum.
Near-Data Processing: Insights from a MICRO-46 Workshop

The cost of data movement in big-data systems motivates careful examination of near-data processing (NDP) frameworks. The concept of NDP was actively researched in the 1990s, but gained little commercial traction. After a decade-long dormancy, interest in this topic has spiked. A workshop on NDP was organized at MICRO-46 and was well attended. Given the interest, the organizers and keynote speakers have attempted to capture the key insights from the workshop into an article that can be widely disseminated. This article describes the many reasons why NDP is compelling today and identifies key upcoming challenges in realizing the potential of NDP.
Metaphysics and Classification: Update and Overview

The differences between classes and individuals are profound and the fact that biological species are individuals rather than classes provides the basis for organizing knowledge on a causal basis. The class of species is a natural kind and there are laws of nature for this and other classes of natural kinds such as the organism and the molecule. Particular species, like other individuals, function in historical narratives by virtue of laws of nature applying to them. The notion that species can evolve by changing their members is a category mistake. Darwin believed that there is no “essential” difference between species and subspecies in the sense that there is only a quantitative difference between them. The concept of biological species is defined on the basis of a qualitative difference. The rank of taxa can be used to distinguish between important natural kinds. Without such kinds language would become purely referential, and have no “sense” as Frege had put it.
Patch clamp and perfusion techniques for studying ion channels expressed in Xenopus oocytes.

The protocol presented here is designed to study the activation of the large conductance, voltage- and Ca2+-activated K+ (BK) channels. The protocol may also be used to study the structure-function relationship for other ion channels and neurotransmitter receptors1. BK channels are widely expressed in different tissues and have been implicated in many physiological functions, including regulation of smooth muscle contraction, frequency tuning of inner hair cells and regulation of neurotransmitter release2-6. BK channels are activated by membrane depolarization and by intracellular Ca2+ and Mg2+ 6-9. Therefore, the protocol is designed to control both the membrane voltage and the intracellular solution. In this protocol, messenger RNA of BK channels is injected into Xenopus laevis oocytes (stage V-VI) followed by 2-5 days of incubation at 18°C10-13. Membrane patches that contain single or multiple BK channels are excised with the inside-out configuration using patch clamp techniques10-13. The intracellular side of the patch is perfused with desired solutions during recording so that the channel activation under different conditions can be examined. To summarize, the mRNA of BK channels is injected into Xenopus laevis oocytes to express channel proteins on the oocyte membrane; patch clamp techniques are used to record currents flowing through the channels under controlled voltage and intracellular solutions.
High-volume ovarian cancer care: survival impact and disparities in access for advanced-stage disease.

Abstract Objective To characterize the impact of hospital and physician ovarian cancer case volume on survival for advanced-stage disease and investigate socio-demographic variables associated with access to high-volume providers. Methods Consecutive patients with stage IIIC/IV epithelial ovarian cancer (1/1/96–12/31/06) were identified from the California Cancer Registry. Disease-specific survival analysis was performed using Cox-proportional hazards model. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to evaluate for differences in access to high-volume hospitals (HVH) (≥20cases/year), high-volume physicians (HVP) (≥10cases/year), and cross-tabulations of high- or low-volume hospital (LVH) and physician (LVP) according to socio-demographic variables. Results A total of 11,865 patients were identified. The median ovarian cancer-specific survival for all patients was 28.2months, and on multivariate analysis the HVH/HVP provider combination (HR=1.00) was associated with superior ovarian cancer-specific survival compared to LVH/LVP (HR=1.31, 95%CI=1.16–1.49). Overall, 2119 patients (17.9%) were cared for at HVHs, and 1791 patients (15.1%) were treated by HVPs. Only 4.3% of patients received care from HVH/HVP, while 53.1% of patients were treated by LVH/LVP. Both race and socio-demographic characteristics were independently associated with an increased likelihood of being cared for by the LVH/LVP combination and included: Hispanic race (OR=1.72, 95%CI=1.22–2.42), Asian/Pacific Islander race (OR=1.57, 95%CI=1.07–2.32), Medicaid insurance (OR=2.51, 95%CI=1.46–4.30), and low socioeconomic status (OR=2.84, 95%CI=1.90–4.23). Conclusions Among patients with advanced-stage ovarian cancer, the provider combination of HVH/HVP is an independent predictor of improved disease-specific survival. Access to high-volume ovarian cancer providers is limited, and barriers are more pronounced for patients with low socioeconomic status, Medicaid insurance, and racial minorities.
Analysis and Monte Carlo simulation of cargo handling

Analysis of cyclic-linked cargo-handling systems is presented and solved by Monte Carlo techniques for several typical instances.
Rethinking Proxemic Zones for M icrospatial Analysis

Spatial distinctions by individuals seated in different arrangements are expanded using modified proxemic zones from previous research. The results are contrasted and compared with an overlay of Edward Hall's original proxemic zones on the same sets of data. It is suggested that the modified proxemic zones exhibit a greater degree of fidelity with the data and help to illuminate additional spatial distinctions made by people but that both sets of zones are important in spatial analysis and design. Research was conducted with scale-model environments (1“= 1'0”).
A Vision-based System For Orientation of Parts Supplied in Bulk

In some industrial applications it is not economical or possible to orient parts with standard devices such as vibratory feeders, because of their tendency to tangle, or to adhere, or be damaged by such a process. We have developed a vacuum technique for acquiring a relatively small, and therefore manageable number of such parts in a clump that can be separated by pneumatic and gravity techniques. Once separated, the parts can be individually acquired by a robot guided by vision algorithms that compute the location and orientation of each part in a field of separated but randomly-oriented parts. We describe the basic concepts and algorithms, and their implementation in a low-cost integrated robot-camera-computer system that is fast enough to be feasible for typical applications. A case study of one such application is used to illustrate the method.
Effects of polychlorinated biphenyls, hexachlorocyclohexanes, and mercury on human neutrophil apoptosis, actin cytoskelton, and oxidative state.

Abstract Apoptosis, or programmed cell death, has been proposed as a biomarker for environmental contaminant effects. In this work, we test the hypothesis that in vitro assays of apoptosis are sensitive indicators of immunological effects of polychlorinated biphenyls, hexachlorocyclohexanes, and mercury on human neutrophils. Apoptosis, necrosis, and viability as well as the related indicators F-actin levels, and active thiol state were measured in purified human neutrophils after treatment with contaminants. Effective concentrations observed were 0.3 μM (60 μg/L) mercury, 750 μg/L Aroclor 1254, and 50 μM (14,500 μg/L) hexachlorocylcohexanes. Concentrations of contaminants that induced apoptosis also decreased cellular F-actin levels. Active thiols were altered by mercury, but not organochlorines. Comparison of these data with levels of contaminants reported to be threats to human health indicate neutrophil apoptosis is a sensitive indicator of mercury toxicity.
Prognostic significance of occult tumor cells in the apheresis products of patients with advanced breast cancer receiving high-dose chemotherapy and autologous hematopoietic progenitor cell support

Abstract We prospectively evaluated the prognostic significance of occult tumor cells (OTCs) contaminating the peripheral blood progenitor cell apheresis products of patients with advanced breast cancer receiving high-dose chemotherapy. Immunocytochemistry of peripheral blood progenitor cells was performed in 242 patients with high-risk primary breast cancer (HRPBC) and in 111 patients with metastatic breast cancer (MBC). OTCs were detected in 6.6% of HRPBC patients and in 16.2% of MBC patients (P = .005). In HRPBC, OTCs correlated with worse prognostic scores and larger tumor sizes, but not with axillary nodal status, hormone receptors, or HER2. In the MBC group, OTCs correlated with bone marrow involvement and with disease status at transplantation. The number of apheresis procedures was not associated with the risk of contamination. In HRPBC patients, at a median follow-up of 7 years (range, 1.5–11 years), the presence of OTCs correlated with worse event-free survival (P = .007) and overall survival (P = .002). In the MBC group, OTCs correlated with worse event-free survival (P = .04), but not overall survival (P = .2). In multivariate analyses, the presence of OTCs had an independent adverse effect on outcome in HRPBC, but not MBC. Our observations imply a direct role of OTCs in posttransplantation relapse in HRPBC.
Mutual information, strong equivalence, and signal sample path properties for Gaussian processes

Let (St) and (Nt), t in [0, T] be stochastic processes with almost all paths in ℒ2[0, T], jointly Gaussian. Relations are obtained between the average mutual information of (St) and (St + Nt), strong equivalence of the measures induced by (St + Nt) and (Nt), and the almost sure sample path properties of (St).
Registration of prostate brachytherapy seeds with prostate anatomy for improved patient dosimetry

Brachytherapy of prostate cancer involves permanent implantation of radioactive seeds in the prostate gland under transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) and fluoroscopic guidance with the goal to treat the entire gland to a prescribed tumoricidal dose. The seed coordinates are calculated prior to the procedure. However, due to uncertainties associated with the seed insertion process and changes in the anatomy, it is difficult to faithfully reproduce the planned dose distribution. The procedure can be improved substantially by identifying the underdosed regions via real-time dosimetry before the completion of implantation. The physician can then insert additional seeds to achieve clinically needed dose distribution. One possible method of performing such dosimetry is to fuse TRUS (which images the prostate gland very well but not the metallic seeds) and fluoroscopy (which images metallic seeds well but not soft tissue) data. We have developed a technique to register the 3D seed positions reconstructed from multiple fluoroscopic images with the prostate TRUS images. The technique utilizes a set of fiducials that are detectable by both imaging modalities. The method was tested using a prostate mimicking phantom. The results demonstrate that the method is sufficiently accurate and practical for clinical use.
How to Spend and Invest Retirement Savings

The question of post-retirement optimal consumption and investment of retirement savings is addressed. This problem has received considerably less attention than that of how to invest for retirement. With the increase in life span and an increase in private pension funds, a retiree has considerable flexibility in both how to consume and how to continue to invest their retirement funds. Our interest is in developing a platform that allows a wide variety of behavioural aspects to be modeled and also enables explicit constraints to be imposed. To enable the flexibility we seek it is necessary to model the problem as a large-scale nonlinearly constrained optimization problem, which is solved using a sequential quadratic programming algorithm. Fortunately, modern optimization methods are now sufficiently powerful as to enable solving such problems. A key point is that, though the problems are large, they have a rich structure.
Low-Temperature Fluorescence Spectra and Crystal Field Splittings of Rare-Earth Activated SrS Phosphors

As a continuation of an earlier work, SrS phosphors, singly activated with rare‐earth ions have been excited with uv irradiation, at 77°K. The resultant visible fluorescent emissions have been measured and correlated with crystal field splittings of energy levels. Energy level diagrams are presented with possible term assignments. Where possible, comments are made about the symmetry of the activator sites.