cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Structured lipids: Lipase-catalyzed interesterification of tricaproin and trilinolein

Structured lipids were synthesized by interesterification of trilinolein and tricaproin with sn-1,3-specific (IM 60) and nonspecific (SP 435) lipases. The interesterification reaction was performed by incubating a 1:2 mole ratio of trilinolein and tricaproin in 3 mL hexane at 45°C for the IM 60 lipase from Rhizomucor miehei, and at 55°C for the SP 435 lipase from Candida antarctica. Reaction products were analyzed by reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography with an evaporative light-scattering detector. The fatty acids at the sn-2 position were identified after pancreatic lipase hydrolysis and analysis with a gas chromatograph. IM 60 lipase produced 53,5 mol% dicaproyllinolein (total carbon number = C33) and 22.2% monocaproyldilinolein (C45). SP 435 lipase produced 41% C33 and 18% C45. When caproic acid was used in place of tricaproin as the acyl donor, the IM 60 lipase produced 62.9% C33. The effects of variation in mole ratio, temperature, added water, solvent polarity, and time course on the interesterification reaction were also investigated. In the absence of organic solvent, IM 60 lipase produced 52.3% C33.
Modeling land surface phenology in a mixed temperate forest using MODIS measurements of leaf area index and land surface temperature

The development of satellite-derived vegetation indices and metrics has enabled researchers to monitor land surface phenology (LSP). While the use of satellite data to monitor LSP is prevalent, there has been minimal effort to model LSP in temperate climates using satellite observations of the land surface. Satellite-derived LSP models are beneficial for studying past and future changes in phenology and related ecosystem processes (e.g., water, energy, and carbon fluxes). The purpose of this study was to model LSP during the spring in a mixed temperate forest using satellite-derived measurements of leaf area index (LAI) and land surface temperature (LST). As part of the model validation process, the use of LST as a proxy for air temperature to model LSP was also investigated. The results indicate that LST derived from the MODIS Terra sensor at 10:30 a.m. (local solar time) can be used to develop a LSP model that predicts the full profile of LAI from winter dormancy to maturity and the date when LAI reaches half of the annual maximum (LAI50%) with relatively low error. In addition, the modeled LAI values closely tracked in situ observations of the phenological development of the dominant deciduous tree species located in the study area where the model was developed. A comparison of LST and daily maximum air temperature at two levels above the ground surface revealed distinct differences and nonlinearities in the relationship between these two variables. However, accumulated growing degree-days calculated from each of these variables were similar because the largest differences between LST and daily maximum air temperature occurred prior to the beginning of heat accumulation. Consequently, the model predictions of LAI50% derived from the use of LST and daily maximum air temperature were similar. When the developed model was applied in two other mixed forests, the errors were larger due to substantial interannual variability in the relationship between LAI and heat accumulation and systematic differences in this relationship between sites. Although the model cannot be successfully applied in these other mixed forests, the ability of the model to capture a consistent relationship between satellite estimates of LAI and LST in the study area where it was developed demonstrates that satellite observations of the land surface can be used in certain locations to create LSP phenology models. When validated, the models can be used to examine past and future changes in phenology and related ecosystem processes.
Mechanism for high-temperature superconductivity.

An explanation of the mechanism for high-temperature superconductivity is given, based upon a strong-coupling analysis of the extended Hubbard model previously introduced by one of us. The basic carriers are oxygen-hole quasiparticles in p\ensuremath{\sigma} orbitals, whose spin is strongly correlated with that of adjacent copper holes. These quasiparticles interact through the enhanced superexchange of the associated spins on the Cu sites, and an enhanced zero-point motion of the surrounding Cu holes. These are nonretarded attractive interactions whose strength increases as the oxygen-copper Coulomb repulsion increases and can be strong enough, for realistic parameters, to overcome the direct oxygen-oxygen Coulomb repulsion. The superconducting transition temperature that results is proportional to the Fermi energy of the oxygen holes.
Study of a bland dentifrice for persons with radiation-induced mucositis and vesiculo-erosive disease

Acceptance of a bland formulation of a sodium monofluorophosphate dentifrice was tested in a double-blind cross-over study. Persons with lesions of the mucous membrane induced by radiation or vesiculo-erosive disease often find commercial dentifrices irritating to the tissues, yet maintenance of their oral hygiene practices is important. A bland monofluorophosphate dentifrice was formulated for use by these persons and tested in a double-blind cross-over study.
Novel microwave projection imaging for determination of internal structure

A novel microwave imaging technique based on the generalised weighted backprojection operator is introduced and tested using experimental data. Images of the internal structure of penetrable objects using this technique are compared and contrasted with images found from the classical back-projection method. It is demonstrated that the new method provides high-quality images of both discrete and continuous internal structure without the distortions characteristic of traditional methods.
Spirituality, social support, and worry about health: Relationships in a sample of HIV+ women

This survey study examined the relationships between spirituality, social support, and worry about health through interviews of 53 ethnically diverse HIV+ women. The women reported coping with their disease primarily through spirituality and gave personal definitions of spirituality. Results indicate that both spirituality and social support have inverse relationships with worry about one's health, but the relationship between social support and worry disappears when controlling for spirituality and ethnicity. The results have implications for practice with HIV+ women.
Attenuation of Ca2+-activated ATPase and shortening velocity in hypertrophied fast twitch skeletal muscle from aged Japanese quail

Abstract The effect of aging on the in vitro contractile properties of the patagialis (PAT) muscle of 35 young adult (YA; 8 weeks of age) and 35 aged adult (AA, 110 weeks of age) Coturnix quails was examined after 0–30 days of stretch-overload. Overload was achieved by placing a weight equivalent to 12% of the birds' body weight on one wing. The contralateral wing served as the intra-animal control. Overload increased the weight of the PAT by 45.1±2.1% in YA, and 24.1±2.6% in AA. Twitch contraction time increased with loading from 43.2±1.2 to 67.3±2.2 ms in YA birds and 57.2±1.7 to 77.4±1.9 ms in AA birds. Unloaded shortening velocity (Vo) decreased by 40.1±2.2 and 38.8±3.2% in YA and aged birds, respectively. The decrease in fast myosin expression was greater in overloaded muscles of YA (20%) as compared to AA birds (12%). However, this was accompanied by a greater decrease in total muscle ATPase activity in aged birds (61%) compared to YA birds (40%). Myosin isozyme Ca 2+ -ATPase activity was 26% lower in FM1 but not other fast myosins in YA birds, but it was ∼30% lower in all fast myosins in PAT muscles of aged birds. These data show that the reduction of Vo and the increase in twitch duration with aging may be due in part to reductions in ATPase activity in all myosin isoforms, as compared to myosin isoforms isolated from YA birds.
The effects of cigarette smoking on the ballistocardiograms of high school youths.

Abstract 1. 1. No abnormal resting ballistocardiograms were found in a consecutive series of 100 healthy high school lads. 2. 2. Smoking a standard brand cigarette produced no real abnormalities of the ballistocardiogram in this age group whereas this is a common phenomenon in older subjects. 3. 3. A significant increase in respiratory variation of the I-J waves (Grade 1) occurred in only two subjects; lesser increase in this variation was noted in three others. 4. 4. The most frequent response to smoking was an increase in pulse rate, with minimal evidence of change in stroke volume, judging from the amplitude of the systolic waves. 5. 5. The significance of these observations is discussed.
Observations on the fine structure of the pars intermedia in the lizard Anolis carolinensis.

The fine structure of the pars intermedia in Anolis carolinensis has been examined, and correlations between variations in its cellulai morphology and changes in skin color have been established in this animal. Two types of secretory cells are present in the pars intermedia of Anolis, and are designated as “light” and “dark” cells on the basis of their relative electron opacities. Light cells are by far the predominant form. Granules in the light cells are basophilic, whereas those in the dark cells are acidophilic. Secretory granules in light cells originate in Golgi saccules as dense masses and later enlarge to become much less opaque. In some secretory cells of either category an acidophilic, electron-opaque material appears to accumulate within the rough endoplasmic reticulum and to reach a high degree of compaction without becoming bounded by a smooth membrane and without apparent association with the Golgi apparatus. In addition to secretory cells, the pars intermedia contains agranular stellate cells that send long cytoplasmic processes between the secretory cells for considerable distances. In animals conditioned to maintain dark brown coloration, the light secretory cells show evidence of increased secretion, but the dark cells show no appreciable response. In animals maintained for long periods in a green state, the light cells give indication of less secretory activity; however, some differences were noted between responses in the partes intermediae of animals kept green by confinement in darkness and those of animals made green by confinement on an illuminated light background.
Preliminary Evidence for Sensitive Periods in the Effect of Childhood Sexual Abuse on Regional Brain Development

Volumetric MRI scans from 26 women with repeated episodes of childhood sexual abuse and 17 healthy female comparison subjects (ages 18-22 years) were analyzed for sensitive period effects on hippocampal and amygdala volume, frontal cortex gray matter volume and corpus callosum area. Hippocampal volume was reduced in association with childhood sexual abuse at ages 3-5 years and ages 11-13 years. Corpus callosum was reduced with childhood sexual abuse at ages 9-10 years, and frontal cortex was attenuated in subjects with childhood sexual abuse at ages 14-16 years. Brain regions have unique windows of vulnerability to the effects of traumatic stress.
Computing information value from RDF graph properties

Information value has been implicitly utilized and mostly non-subjectively computed in information retrieval (IR) systems. We explicitly define and compute the value of an information piece as a function of two parameters, the first is the potential semantic impact the target information can subjectively have on its recipient's world-knowledge, and the second parameter is trust in the information source. We model these two parameters as properties of RDF graphs. Two graphs are constructed, a target graph representing the semantics of the target body of information and a context graph representing the context of the consumer of that information. We compute information value subjectively as a function of both potential change to the context graph (impact) and the overlap between the two graphs (trust). Graph change is computed as a graph edit distance measuring the dissimilarity between the context graph before and after the learning of the target graph. A particular application of this subjective information valuation is in the construction of a personalized ranking component in Web search engines. Based on our method, we construct a Web re-ranking system that personalizes the information experience for the information-consumer.
Human embryonic cytochrome p450s: Phenoxazone ethers as probes for expression of functional isoforms during organogenesis

Human embryonic tissues were investigated during the period of organogenesis with a combination of substrate probes, selective inhibitors and immunoprobes in terms of their capacity to express functional P450 isoforms. A series of phenoxazone ethers utilized as substrate probes revealed that human embryonic hepatic, pulmonary, renal, adrenal and cardiac tissues each contained a complement of functional P450 isoforms when analyzed between days 50 and 60 of gestation. Preparations of each of these tissues contained isoforms capable of catalyzing O-demethylation, O-deethylation, O-depentylation and O-debenzylation of the respective phenoxazone ethers. Investigations with chemical inhibitors and inhibitory antibodies as well as comparisons with vector-expressed, human P450 isoforms suggested that isoforms of P450 subfamilies 1A, 2B, 2C or 3A were not major contributors to any of the observed reactions. The P450-dependent reactions studied exhibited several unexpected and unusual characteristics including a preference for NADH over NADPH as the initial electron donor. Results were consistent with the concept that conceptal-specific P450 isoforms participate in the human embryonic O-dealkylation/debenzylation probe reactions investigated.
Nuclear Overhauser effects and the conformation of gramicidin S.

Summary Nuclear Overhauser effects have been observed between NH and C α H protons in gramicidin S in dimethyl sulfoxide-d 6 . By use of the correlation time (τ c ) and a published relationship between τ c and maximal nuclear Overhauser effect, the observed changes in intensity have been used to derive internuclear distances, which are compared with those predicted from a calculated low energy structure.
Degradation by hydrazine of bovine plasma albumin and lysozyme.

The effect of hydrazine and hydrazine hydrate on bovine plasma albumin and lysozyme at 5° and 20 °C has been studied by viscosity, sedimentation, and molecular weight measurements. The appearance o...
Long-term medical treatment for Parkinson’s disease

The authors of this paper view Parkinson’s disease (PD) as a clinically defined progressive syndrome of resting limb tremor, bradykinesia, muscle rigidity, and a shuffling unsteady gait that responds well to dopaminergic medications. Parkinson’s disease is a not a single entity, but rather a syndrome with diverse causes, with both genetic and environmental risk factors [1••]. The clinician’s concern is to rule out other entities, especially those having another specific treatment, and to give PD patients the best short- and long-term benefit, with the least possible unwanted side effects.
Conductive Nanostructured Materials for Supported Metal Catalysts

The work we are presenting involves the development of new conductive nanostructured materials based on polypyrrole nanowires that can be used as supporting material for metal catalysts. With this new approach we seek a high surface area metal catalyst that can be easily incorporated into the fuel cell assembly and lead to a higher ORR catalytic activity by enhancing both electronic conductivity and charge transport properties.
Adsorption Kinetics of Catalase to Thin Films of Carbon Nanotubes

The adsorption conditions used to immobilize catalase onto thin films of carbon nanotubes were investigated to elucidate the conditions that produced films with maximum amounts of active catalase. The adsorption kinetics were monitored by spectroscopic ellipsometry, and the immobilized catalase films were then assayed for catalytic activity. The development of a volumetric optical model used to interpret the ellipsometric data is discussed. According to the results herein discussed, not only the adsorbed amount but also the initial adsorption rates determine the final catalytic activity of the adsorbed layer. The results described in this paper have direct implications on the rational design and analytical performance of enzymatic biosensors.
Cell-based therapy for RDEB: how does it work?

No effective or specific treatment is currently available for recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa (RDEB), a severe heritable blistering disorder caused by mutations in the type VII collagen gene (COL7A1). Recent studies have suggested that delivery of allogeneic fibroblasts to the skin of patients with RDEB may be beneficial in improving skin adhesion and increasing type VII collagen deposition at the dermal–epidermal junction. In this issue, Nagy et al. explore mechanisms of fibroblast therapy in a patient with RDEB displaying reduced type VII collagen protein expression at the dermal–epidermal junction. The results suggest that allogeneic fibroblast injection elicits expression of cytokines, including heparin binding–EGF-like growth factor (HB-EGF), that upregulate the expression of a patient-specific COL7A1 allele. Thus, fibroblast therapy may provide a novel way to improve skin therapy in a select subgroup of patients with this currently intractable disease.
Acute hyperphagia on a high-fat diet: Relation to circulating triglycerides and orexigenic peptide.

Animals and humans are known to overeat on highly palatable and energy dense high-fat foods. To investigate mechanisms that mediate this hyperphagia, an acute “preload-to-test meal” paradigm was used (based on Warwick, 2000), in which normal weight adult Sprague-Dawley rats were given a small high-fat (HF) or low-fat (LF) preload and then, after an intermeal interval (IMI), were allowed to freely consume a subsequent test meal for 30 min. Several experiments were performed to determine the robustness of the acute HF-induced hyperphagia and mechanisms that may underlie this phenomenon. In all tests, a HF preload of only 10–15 kcal, compared to an equicaloric LF preload, significantly stimulated food intake by 40–50% (4–6 kcal) in subsequent test meal. This effect occurred with HF and LF preloads that were liquid or solid, equal in energy density and palatability, ingested or injected, and followed after a 60- or 120-min IMI by a test meal with variable fat content. This robust hyperphagia after HF preload was invariably associated with a 2- to 3-fold increase in circulating levels of triglycerides, with no change in leptin or insulin. It was accompanied by increased expression of galanin in the paraventricular nucleus and orexin in the perifornical hypothalamus, peptides known to stimulate intake on a fat-rich diet. Repeated administration of HF compared to an equicaloric LF preload significantly increased 24-h food intake. These results define an acute paradigm for studying hyperphagia on HF diet under controlled conditions and suggest mechanisms that possibly mediate this phenomenon. Supported by MH43422.
On the status of final consonant clusters in english syllables

Linguistic and behavioral evidence suggests that the syllable is composed of two major constituents, an onset and a rime. The onset is the initial consonant or consonant cluster. The rime is the remainder of the syllable, excepting any inflectional endings or appendices. The internal structure of the rime was studied in four experiments. When an obstruent followed the vowel, subjects most readily divided the rime between the vowel and the obstruent. Thus, final consonant clusters beginning with obstruents formed cohesive units. Postvocalic liquids were grouped with the vowel rather than the final consonant. Postvocalic nasals were intermediate. These results are consistent with linguistic notions of a sonority hierarchy, by which classes of consonants differ in their affinity with vowels.
Tactile feedback of object slip improves performance in a grasp and hold task

Electronically controlled prosthetic devices offer more functionality than traditional prostheses, but the lack of haptic feedback makes everyday tasks difficult to perform. This research effort explores the effectiveness of vibratory tactile feedback of slip information for improving performance in object manipulation, specifically for grasping and lifting objects without slipping. A user interacts with a virtual environment via a SensAble Phantom. Force feedback simulates contact with objects, and tactile feedback alerts the user when an object is slipping from grasp. Analysis of the results showed that tactile feedback considerably improved performance when visual feedback was not provided. When participants were not able to see the virtual object slipping, they were able to rely on the vibrating feedback and were alerted about the object slipping. With this information, they were able to recover the virtual object from slips much more frequently than with force feedback alone. These results can be applied to advancements in prosthetic hands, which may include improving dexterity and performance of everyday tasks like drinking a glass of water.
Evaluation of Diffusive Transport and Cellular Uptake of Nutrients in Tissue Engineered Constructs Using a Hybrid Discrete Mathematical Model

Tissue engineering systems for orthopedic tissues, such as articular cartilage, are often based on the use of biomaterial scaffolds that are seeded with cells and supplied with nutrients or growth factors. In such systems, relationships between the functional outcomes of the engineered tissue construct and aspects of the initial system design are not well known, suggesting the use of mathematical models as an additional tool for optimal system design. This study develops a reaction-diffusion model that quantitatively describes the competing effects of nutrient diffusion and the cellular uptake of nutrients in a closed bioreactor system consisting of a cell-seeded scaffold adjacent to a nutrient-rich bath. An off-lattice hybrid discrete modeling framework is employed in which the diffusion equation incorporates a loss term that accounts for absorption due to nutrient uptake by cells that are modeled individually. Numerical solutions are developed based on a discontinuous Galerkin finite element method with high order quadrature to accurately resolve fine-scale cellular effects. The resulting model is applied to demonstrate that the ability of cells to absorb nutrients over time is highly dependent on both the normal distance to the nutrient bath, as well as the nutrient uptake rate for individual cells.
Combining competing units in higher education: An analysis of voting patterns

Two competing units in teacher education were combined into a single unit at the University of North Dakota. In the first year of the new unit, the Center for Teaching and Learning, several decisive activities have taken place. Among those activities is the formation of three standing committees and the major decision making body, the constituency council. The voting patterns for the committees and the constituency council were investigated, with a major interest in any factionalization in the voting patterns. Generally, the effectiveness of voting blocks was rather limited, indicating a reasonably satisfactory integration of the two competing units.
A monoclonal mouse antiallotype antibody reacts with certain human and other vertebrate immunoglobulins: genetic and phylogenetic findings.

A new mouse monoclonal antibody, 18.1, recognizes an allotypic determinant on mouse IgG1 of the “a” allotype. We found that this alloantibody reacts with immunoglobulins of evolutionary distant vertebrate species including man, and with only certain isotypes or allotypes in some of these species. Most mammalian sera are reactive, except those from lagomorphs, marsupials, and monotremes. Avian and reptilian sera are also positive, while the amphibian and fish sera tested were negative. In human sera, 18.1 detects an isotypic marker on IgG2 and an allotypic marker on IgG3. This reactivity parallels the distribution of the Gm non-g determinant. These findings are discussed in relation to the phylogeny of IgG and its subclasses.
Effect of antibodies on growth and structure of Trichophyton mentagrophytes.

Growth of Trichophyton mentagrophytes from infected skin and hair was completely inhibited on a test medium containing antibody γ-globulin produced in rabbits to autoclaved mycelium. When microconidia from cultures maintained on Sabouraud's glucose agar (SGA) were used as inoculum, growth was only inhibited after incubation of the microconidia with antibody γ-glubulin at 37°C. At subinhibitory concentrations of antibody γ-globulin, structural changes were produced in cultures initiated by both types of inoculum. These structural changes consisted of a decrease in sporulation, a complete loss or distortion of macroconidia, and an increase in the width of hyphae.On test medium containing antibody γ-globulin to an extracellular keratinase, similar structural changes and retardation of growth initiated by both clinical specimens and microconidia were observed.Guinea-pig serum complement was not fungicidal for microconidia incubated with antibody γ-globulin at 37°C. On the contrary, the growth initiated by pre...
Direct thermal strain measurements in electronic packages

The fractional fringe moire interferometry full field deformation monitoring technique, which has been successfully implemented for accurate measurement of thermally induced strains in electronic packages, is discussed. Its applicability to thermal stress analysis of microelectronic devices is considered. Illustrative examples of measured thermal strain distributions in devices subjected to steady-state as well as transient thermal loading histories are also discussed. Such distributions are arrived at accurately and realistically. The technique possesses an excellent potential for addressing several reliability problems in microelectronics and becoming a basic strain analysis tool in that arena. >
Neighborly interactions of metabolically-activated astrocytes in vivo.

Metabolic responses of brain cells to a stimulus are governed, in part, by their enzymatic specialization and interrelationships with neighboring cells, and local shifts in functional metabolism during brain activation are likely to be influenced by the neurotransmitter system, subcellular compartmentation, and anatomical structure. Selected examples of functional activation illustrate the complexity of metabolic interactions in working brain and of interpretation of changes in brain lactate levels. The major focus of this article is the disproportionately higher metabolism of glucose compared to oxygen in normoxic brain, a phenomenon that occurs during activation in humans and animals. The glucose utilized in excess of oxygen is not fully explained by accumulation of glucose, lactate, or glycogen in brain or by lactate efflux from brain to blood. Thus, any lactate derived from the excess glucose could not have been stoichiometrically exported to and metabolized by neighboring neurons because oxygen consumption would have otherwise increased and matched that of glucose. Metabolic labeling of tricarboxylic acid cycle-derived amino acids increased during brief sensory stimulation, reflecting a rise in oxidative metabolism. Brain glycogen is mainly in astrocytes, and its level falls throughout the stimulus and early post-activation interval. Glycogenolysis cannot be accounted for by lactate accumulation or oxidation; there must be rapid product clearance. Glycogen restoration is slow and diversion of glucose from oxidative pathways for its re-synthesis could reduce the global O(2)/glucose uptake ratio; astrocytes could downshift this ratio for up to an hour after 5 min stimulus. Morphological studies of astrocytes reveal a paucity of cytoplasm and organelles in the fine processes that surround synapses and form gap junction connections with neighboring astrocytes. Specialized regions of astrocytes, e.g. their endfeet and thin peripheral lamellae, are likely to have compartmentalized metabolic activities. Anatomical constraints imposed upon the fine processes might require preferential utilization of glycolysis to satisfy their energy demands, but rapid lactate clearance would then be essential, since its accumulation would inhibit glycolysis. Gap junctional connections between neighboring astrocytes provide a mechanism for rapid metabolite spreading via the astrocytic syncytium and elimination of by-products. Local structure-function relationships need to be incorporated into experimental models of neuron-astrocyte and astrocyte-astrocyte interactions in working brain.
Prevalence of and Risk Factors for Violent Disciplinary Practices at Home in Viet Nam

Data on parenting practices and the use of violence in child rearing remain scarce worldwide, hindering prevention efforts. This study examines disciplinary methods used on children at home in Viet Nam. It is based on data collected from 2010 to 2011 through the fourth round of the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS4)-a household survey program supported by the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) that focuses on women and children in low- and middle-income countries. Respondents in the survey were asked 11 questions relating to disciplinary measures used in the preceding month on one randomly selected child (2-14 years old) in each household. A final question about attitudes probed adults' views on the need for physical punishment in child rearing. Univariate and multivariate analyses were conducted to estimate the prevalence of violent and nonviolent forms of discipline, and to identify risk factors associated with violent punishment. Results showed that three in four children in Viet Nam are disciplined through violent means. The exposure of Vietnamese children to violent forms of discipline was significantly associated with varied characteristics of both children and their caregivers. Moreover, the use of violent disciplinary practices on children was strongly associated with positive attitudes toward corporal punishment. Risk factors for violent child discipline identified in this study can inform future interventions to promote positive practices and to protect Vietnamese children against violence in the home.
Chromosomal mosaicism in mouse two-cell embryos after paternal exposure to acrylamide

Chromosomal mosaicism in human preimplantation embryos is a common cause of spontaneous abortions, however, our knowledge of its etiology is limited. We used multicolor fluorescence in situ hybridization painting to investigate whether paternally transmitted chromosomal aberrations result in mosaicism in mouse two-cell embryos. Paternal exposure to acrylamide, an important industrial chemical also found in tobacco smoke and generated during the cooking process of starchy foods, produced significant increases in chromosomally defective two-cell embryos, however, the effects were transient primarily affecting the postmeiotic stages of spermatogenesis. Comparisons with our previous study of zygotes demonstrated similar frequencies of chromosomally abnormal zygotes and two-cell embryos suggesting that there was no apparent selection against numerical or structural chromosomal aberrations. However, the majority of affected two-cell embryos were mosaics showing different chromosomal abnormalities in the two blastomeric metaphases. Analyses of chromosomal aberrations in zygotes and two-cell embryos showed a tendency for loss of acentric fragments during the first mitotic division of embryogenesis, whereas both dicentrics and translocations apparently underwent proper segregation. These results suggest that embryonic development can proceed up to the end of the second cell cycle of development in the presence of abnormal paternal chromosomes and that even dicentrics can persist through cell division. The high incidence of chromosomally mosaic two-cell embryos suggests that the first mitotic division of embryogenesis is prone to missegregation errors and that paternally transmitted chromosomal abnormalities increase the risk of missegregation leading to embryonic mosaicism.
Multiple Non-Redundant Spectral Clustering Views

Many clustering algorithms only find one clustering solution. However, data can often be grouped and interpreted in many different ways. This is particularly true in the high-dimensional setting where different subspaces reveal different possible groupings of the data. Instead of committing to one clustering solution, here we introduce a novel method that can provide several non-redundant clustering solutions to the user. Our approach simultaneously learns non-redundant subspaces that provide multiple views and finds a clustering solution in each view. We achieve this by augmenting a spectral clustering objective function to incorporate dimensionality reduction and multiple views and to penalize for redundancy between the views.
Optimal wind bidding strategy considering imbalance cost and allowed imbalance band

Wind energy has been widely investigated as a promising environmental friendly and economic energy resource these years worldwide. However, high volatility and non-dispatchability make it difficult to control comparing to the traditional energy. Imbalance penalty is one of the major methods to regulate wind farm owners and enhance the benefits of renewables bid into the electricity market, so as to minimize the supply-demand mismatch and local network congestions. In this paper, we consider the optimal wind bidding strategy problem with the existence of imbalance penalty and allowed imbalance band on behalf of a wind farm owner. We provide the analytical solutions of the optimization problem for Normal and Rayleigh distributed wind power. Based on the problem and solutions, we also investigate in the related issues that can help both wind taking and supplying parties to cooperate and help build a reliable energy trading market.
Some Quotes as Queries Pertaining to Bourdieu's Own Scholastic Point of View

Divided into two mutually enabling parts, the Outline of a Theory of Practice is first of all an interdisciplinary operation. It is thus a metaphor in the sense that there is a passage from one genre to the other: from ethnology to sociology. Things are, however, not that simple. It is difficult to situate the book. Does it depend on the interdisciplinary confrontations Bourdieu earlier urged, confrontations that going beyond the stage of simple exchanges of "data," sought a reciprocal and explicit expression of the assumptions peculiar to each discipline? These confrontations are supposed to provide a mutual epistemological elucidation; they labor to bring their implicit foundations to light-the ambition and the myth of knowledge. But perhaps what is at stake is different and has to do rather with the otherness introduced by the move through which a discipline turns toward the darkness that surrounds and precedes it-not in order to eliminate it, but because it is inexpungeable and determining? In that case theory would involve an effort on the part of a science to think through its relation to this exteriority and not be satisfied with correcting its rules of production or determining the limits of its validity. Is this the path that Bourdieu's discourse takes? In any event, practices shape the opaque reality out of which a theoretical question can arise beyond the frontiers of any discipline.
Role of TRPM2 Channel in Mediating H2O2-Induced Ca2+ Entry and Endothelial Hyperpermeability

Oxidative stress through the production of oxygen metabolites such as hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) increases vascular endothelial permeability. H2O2 stimulates ADP-ribose formation, which in turn opens...
An efficient scoring algorithm for Gaussian mixture model based speaker identification

This article presents a novel algorithm for reducing the computational complexity of identifying a speaker within a Gaussian mixture speaker model framework. For applications in which the entire observation sequence is known, we illustrate that rapid pruning of unlikely speaker model candidates can be achieved by reordering the time-sequence of observation vectors used to update the accumulated probability of each speaker model. The overall approach is integrated into a beam-search strategy and shown to reduce the time to identify a speaker by a factor of 140 over the standard full-search method, and by a factor of six over the standard beam-search method when identifying speakers from the 138 speaker YOHO corpus.
Sphingosine 1-Phosphate: A Regulator of Arterial Lesions

Sphingosine-1 phosphate (S1P) is a bioactive sphingolipid that is critical in the development of blood vessels, and in the adult regulates vascular functions including vascular tone, endothelial integrity, and angiogenesis. Further, S1P may regulate arterial lesions in disease and after injury by controlling leukocyte recruitment and smooth muscle cell functions.
High temperature CW operation of interband cascade lasers at λ˜4.0 μm

The mid-infrared spectral band encompasses a variety of important applications, including chemical sensing, free-space optical communication, and IR countermeasures. Currently, however, most of the wavelength range between 3 and 4 μm is not accessible with semiconductor sources operating in continuous mode at room temperature. We believe that the most promising structure for bridging this gap is the interband cascade laser (ICL).
Measurability and degrees of strong compactness

We prove, relative to suitable hypotheses, that it is consistent for there to be unboundedly many measurable cardinals each of which possesses a large degree of strong compactness, and that it is consistent to assume that the least measurable is partially strongly compact and that the second measurable is strongly compact. These results partially answer questions of Magidor on the relationship of strong compactness to measurability.
The Madagascar Hissing Cockroach: A New Model for Learning Insect Anatomy

Teaching and learning animal anatomy has a long history in the biology classroom. As in many fields of biology, decades of experience teaching anatomy have led to the unofficial selection of model species. However, in some cases the model may not be the best choice for our students. Our struggle to find an appropriate model for teaching and learning insect anatomy has resulted in experiments with a variety of species. In our experience, none of the available models seems as useful as the Madagascar hissing cockroach. In this article, we advocate the use of this species in laboratory studies of insect anatomy.
Decision-based neural networks with signal/image classification applications

Supervised learning networks based on a decision-based formulation are explored. More specifically, a decision-based neural network (DBNN) is proposed, which combines the perceptron-like learning rule and hierarchical nonlinear network structure. The decision-based mutual training can be applied to both static and temporal pattern recognition problems. For static pattern recognition, two hierarchical structures are proposed: hidden-node and subcluster structures. The relationships between DBNN's and other models (linear perceptron, piecewise-linear perceptron, LVQ, and PNN) are discussed. As to temporal DBNN's, model-based discriminant functions may be chosen to compensate possible temporal variations, such as waveform warping and alignments. Typical examples include DTW distance, prediction error, or likelihood functions. For classification applications, DBNN's are very effective in computation time and performance. This is confirmed by simulations conducted for several applications, including texture classification, OCR, and ECG analysis. >
Multiechelon Procurement and Distribution Policies for Traded Commodities

We consider a firm that procures and distributes a commodity from spot and forward markets under randomly fluctuating prices; the commodity is distributed downstream to a set of nonhomogeneous retailers to satisfy random demand. We formulate a model that allows one to compute approximate, but near optimal, procurement and distribution policies for this system, and we explore the value of the commodity's market in providing managers with (a) additional flexibility in procurement and (b) information on price dynamics generated through the trading of futures contracts. Our results indicate that the presence of the commodity market and the information that it conveys may lead to significant reductions in inventory-related costs; however, to obtain these benefits, both the spot procurement flexibility and the term structure of prices generated by the commodity market must be incorporated in the formulation of the operating policy. Managerial insights on the procurement strategy as a function of variability in prices and demand are also discussed. This paper was accepted by John Birge, focused issue editor.
Progress in American ophthalmology from 1850 to 2000, as seen through the eyes of Frederick H. Verhoeff.

If anyone deserves to be honored as the most influential American ophthalmologist of the 20th century, Frederick H. Verhoeff, MD (1874-1968) certainly does. This man enjoyed a very long career as a professor of ophthalmic research at Harvard University (Cambridge, Mass) and the chief of ophthalmic research at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary (Boston). 1-8 He made important contributions to a wide range of ophthalmic topics, from pathology and physiology to surgical techniques. The American ophthalmic pathology society is named in his honor, for it was largely his work that established the subspecialty of ophthalmic pathology. Independent, aggressive, and full of energy, he continually challenged his colleagues to be honest, even skeptical, observers if this would promote the scientific basis of patient care. He set very high standards for himself and expected the same of others. He published hundreds of journal articles over a 67-year period, the last at age 92 years on his perceptions of his own retinal venous occlusion.
Evaluation of check valve monitoring methods

Abstract Check valves are used extensively in nuclear plant safety systems and balance-of-plant (BOP) systems. Their failures have resulted in significant maintenance efforts and, on occasion, have resulted in water hammer, overpressurization of low-pressure systems and damage to flow system components. Consequently, in recent years check valves have received considerable attention by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and the nuclear power industry. Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) is carrying out a comprehensive two phase aging assessment of check valves in support of the Nuclear Plant Aging Research (NPAR) program. As part of the second phase, ORNL is evaluating several developmental and/or commercially available check valve diagnostic monitoring methods; in particular, those based on measurements of acoustic emission, ultrasonics, and magnetic flux. These three methods were found to provide different (and complementary) diagnostic information. The combination of acoustic emission with either ultrasonic or magnetic flux monitoring yields a monitoring system that succeeds in providing sensitivity to detect all major check valve operating conditions. The three check valve monitoring methods described in this paper are still under development and are presently being tested as part of a program directed by the Nuclear Industry Check Valve Group (NIC) in conjunction with the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI). Phase 1 of this program (water testing) is being carried out at the Utah Water Research Laboratory located on the Utah State University campus.
Policy Options To Expand Medicare’s Low-Income Provisions To Improve Access And Affordability

For fifty years Medicare has enhanced the health and financial security of seniors. Yet in 2014 an estimated 40 percent of low-income beneficiaries spent 20 percent or more of their incomes on out-of-pocket expenditures for premiums and medical care, while one-third were underinsured based on their out-of-pocket spending for medical care alone. These high burdens reflect Medicare’s limited benefits and restrictive income eligibility levels for supplemental Medicaid coverage. We examined the impacts of illustrative policies designed to improve beneficiaries’ financial protection and access to care by reducing Medicare premiums and cost sharing for covered benefits on a sliding scale for all beneficiaries with incomes up to 200 percent of the federal poverty level. We estimate that these policies could improve the affordability of health care for eleven million people. Designed to be aligned with the Affordable Care Act’s subsidy approach for the population younger than age sixty-five, these policies also h...
Multi-Robot Inverse Reinforcement Learning Under Occlusion with State Transition Estimation

Multi-robot inverse reinforcement learning (mIRL) is broadly useful for learning, from passive observations, the behaviors of multiple robots executing fixed trajectories and interacting with each other. In this paper, we relax a crucial assumption in IRL to make it better suited for wider robotic applications: we allow the transition functions of other robots to be stochastic and do not assume that the transition error probabilities are known to the learner. Challenged by occlusion where large portions of others' state spaces are fully hidden, we present a new approach that maps stochastic transitions to distributions over features.
Emotion recognition deficits as predictors of transition in individuals at clinical high risk for schizophrenia: a neurodevelopmental perspective.

Background. Schizophrenia is characterized by profound and disabling deficits in the ability to recognize emotion in facial expression and tone of voice. Although these deficits are well documented in established schizophrenia using recently validated tasks, their predictive utility in at-risk populations has not been formally evaluated. Method. The Penn Emotion Recognition and Discrimination tasks, and recently developed measures of auditory emotion recognition, were administered to 49 clinical high-risk subjects prospectively followed for 2 years for schizophrenia outcome, and 31 healthy controls, and a developmental cohort of 43 individuals aged 7–26 years. Deficit in emotion recognition in at-risk subjects was compared with deficit in established schizophrenia, and with normal neurocognitive growth curves from childhood to early adulthood. Results. Deficits in emotion recognition significantly distinguished at-risk patients who transitioned to schizophrenia. By contrast, more general neurocognitive measures, such as attention vigilance or processing speed, were non-predictive. The best classification model for schizophrenia onset included both face emotion processing and negative symptoms, with accuracy of 96%, and area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve of 0.99. In a parallel developmental study, emotion recognition abilities were found to reach maturity prior to traditional age of risk for schizophrenia, suggesting they may serve as objective markers of early developmental insult. Conclusions. Profound deficits in emotion recognition exist in at-risk patients prior to schizophrenia onset. They may serve as an index of early developmental insult, and represent an effective target for early identification and remediation. Future studies investigating emotion recognition deficits at both mechanistic and predictive levels are strongly encouraged.