cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
NASA Earth science budget and plans criticized

A new report by the U.S. National Research Council of the National Academy of Sciences sharply criticizes NASA's budget and commitment to the Earth sciences, and states that “today the nation's Earth observation program is at risk.” The report, issued on 27 April, states that “recent changes in federal support for Earth observation programs are alarming. At NASA, the vitality of Earth science and application programs has been placed at substantial risk by a rapidly shrinking budget that no longer supports already-approved missions and programs of high scientific and societal relevance.”
Maximum Entropy Relaxation for Graphical Model Selection Given Inconsistent Statistics

We develop a novel approach to approximate a specified collection of marginal distributions on subsets of variables by a globally consistent distribution on the entire collection of variables. In general, the specified marginal distributions may be inconsistent on overlapping subsets of variables. Our method is based on maximizing entropy over an exponential family of graphical models, subject to divergence constraints on small subsets of variables that enforce closeness to the specified marginals. The resulting optimization problem is convex, and can be solved efficiently using a primal-dual interior-point algorithm. Moreover, this framework leads naturally to a solution that is a sparse graphical model.
PBX 9502 Products Equation of State

On a etabli une equation d'etat (EOS) de Jones-Wilkins-Lee (JWL) pour les produits de detonation du PBX 9502 sur la base d'une EOS standard en abaissant la pression de Chapman-Jouguet (CJ). On a trouve qu'il existe une composante lente de la vitesse de reaction et que le comportement hydrodynamique global, represente par l'EOS standard, refletait un tel effet. En reduisant la pression CJ, on a elimine la contribution de la reaction lente dans l'EOS standard et la nouvelle EOS devrait desormais mieux representer les produits de detonation. En liaison avec un modele de combustion reactif, qui inclut une composante lente, l'EOS des produits donne de meilleures performances que l'EOS standard.
NOCHI: Network-on-Chip with Hybrid Interconnect

As processor core counts increase, networks-on-chip (NoCs) are becoming an increasingly popular interconnection fabric due to their ability to supply high bandwidth. However, NoCs need to deliver this high bandwidth at low latencies, while keeping within a tight power envelope. In this paper, we present a novel NoC with hybrid interconnect that leverages multiple types of interconnects - specically, conventional full-swing short-range wires for the datapath, in conjunction with low-swing, multi-drop wires with long range, ultra-low-latency communication for the flow control signals. We show how this proposed system can be used to overcome key limitations of express virtual channels (EVC), a recently proposed flow control technique that allows packets to bypass intermediate routers to simultaneously improve energy-delay-throughput. Our preliminary results show up to a 8.8% reduction in power and up to a 44% improvement in latency under heavy load compared to the original EVC design that only uses the conventional full-swing interconnects.
Analyzing visitors' discourse, attitudes, perceptions, and knowledge acquisition in an art museum tour after using a 3D virtual environment

The main purpose of this mixed methods research was to explore and analyze visitors’ overall experience while they attended a museum exhibition, and examine how this experience was affected by previously using a virtual 3dimensional representation of the museum itself. The research measured knowledge acquisition in a virtual museum, and compared this knowledge acquired between a virtual museum versus a real one, employing a series of questionnaires, unobtrusive observations, surveys, personal and group interviews related to the exhibition and the artist. A group of twenty-seven undergraduate students in their first semester at the College of Architecture and Design of the Autonomous University of the State of Mexico participated in the research, and were divided in two groups, one of which used a 3D virtual representation previous to the museum visit. Results show that participants who experienced the virtual museum concurred that using it was a positive experience that prepared them to go to the real museum because they knew already what they were going to find. Most of the participants who experienced the virtual museum exhibited an increased activity during their museum visit, either agreeing, being more participative, concurring and showing acceptance, asking questions, or even giving their opinion and analysis, disagreeing with the guide and showing passive rejection. Also participants from this group showed an increase on their correct answers to the knowledge acquisition questionnaires, going from 27% answers responded correctly in the pre-test, to 67% of correct answers after the virtual museum usage. The research attempted to show that experiencing a virtual museum can be similar to the experience in physical museum visits, not only engaging participants to go to the museum, but sometimes even offering a more functional way to deliver content. Results of this research evidence that using a virtual museum creates a positive impact in users before, during, and after the museum visit, and that it can be a good alternative, not only for educational, but for promotional and recreational and purposes.
Determinants of factor VIII recovery in cryoprecipitate.

Many aspects of the production of cryoprecipitate were studied to determine which methods resulted in the greatest recovery of Factor VIII. The following recommendations resulted: 1) blood should be mixed with anticoagulant throughout phlebotomy; 2) blood should be centrifuged within a few hours of collection; 3) larger satellite bags should be used to contain the usual volume of plasma, for example, 200 ml of plasma should be frozen in a 600-ml capacity bag; 4) plasma should be centrifuged as soon as thawing is complete; 5) cryoprecipitate should be refrozen on dry ice; 6) cryoprecipitate should be stored at or below –30 C; and 7) prolonged storage of frozen plasma or cryoprecipitate should be avoided. Variations in Factor VIII content from one bag of cryoprecipitate to another, under uniform production conditions, depends largely on two donor-specific attributes which tend to remain constant from time to time, namely, the donor's plasma Factor VIII level and the cryoprecipitability of his Factor VIII.
Metab2MeSH: annotating compounds with medical subject headings

Summary: Progress in high-throughput genomic technologies has led to the development of a variety of resources that link genes to functional information contained in the biomedical literature. However, tools attempting to link small molecules to normal and diseased physiology and published data relevant to biologists and clinical investigators, are still lacking. With metabolomics rapidly emerging as a new omics field, the task of annotating small molecule metabolites becomes highly relevant. Our tool Metab2MeSH uses a statistical approach to reliably and automatically annotate compounds with concepts defined in Medical Subject Headings, and the National Library of Medicine's controlled vocabulary for biomedical concepts. These annotations provide links from compounds to biomedical literature and complement existing resources such as PubChem and the Human Metabolome Database. Availability: http://metab2mesh.ncibi.org Contact: ude.hcimu@svonraka Supplementary information: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Runaway Children and Their Families: A Treatment Typology

RESEARCH on runaway children in America has, to date, offered limited help to practitioners who work with such young people and their families. A typology that will facilitate the organization of factual data is needed. Using a broad historical perspective, this article analyzes the development of the problem and recent dramatic increases in the number of runaways. A typology is presented that classifies runaways according to the level of alienation between child and family and the degree to which the child has internalized running as a response to stressful situations. Treatment suggestions appropriate to each category are discussed.
Treatment of Torulopsis glabrata Vaginitis: Retrospective Review of Boric Acid Therapy

The charts of all patients who were seen at a vaginitis clinic between January 1989 and December 1994 were retrospectively reviewed; 80 patients whose vaginal cultures yielded Torulopsis glabrata were identified. Sixty of these patients experienced 75 symptomatic episodes of vaginitis attributed to T. glabrata, and these patients are the subject of this review. Of the 60 symptomatic patients, 40 had uncomplicated T. glabrata infection, and 20 had mixed infection, most commonly in association with bacterial vaginosis. Evaluation of treatment of T. glabrata vaginitis with vaginal boric acid (600 mg/d for 14 days) revealed clinical improvement or cure in 21 (81%) of 26 episodes and mycological eradication in 20 (77%) of 26 episodes. One-third of the patients received maintenance therapy with boric acid. The clinical response and mycological eradication rates associated with therapy with topical and systemic azoles were <50%. The rate of therapeutic response to boric acid administered to patients with mixed T. glabrata infection remained high. In conclusion, in this series of patients with T. glabrata vaginitis, for whom repeated courses of antimycotic therapy with azoles had previously failed, boric acid emerged as a promising modality of therapy.
Centuries of Childhood/ Centuries of Parenting: Philippe Ariès and the Modernization of Privileged Infancy:

In Centuries of Childhood Philippe Aries studied the evolution of par ental investment among the materially and socially privileged families of France from the sixteenth to the nineteenth century. His general hypothesis, interpreted in the vocabulary of modern research, was that both the financial and emotional costs of elite childrear ing were rising during this period Once greater emotional involvement led to high investments in infant survival, infant mortality declined, survivorship rose, and privi leged families were forced to adopt fertility control in order to avoid the production of too many very costly children. In this article Aries' verbal "model" is tested using quantitative data from both French and other European elite groups.
Multiprocessing linear algebra algorithms on the CRAY X-MP-2: Experiences with small granularity

This paper gives a brief overview of the CRAY X-MP-2 general-purpose multiprocessor system and discusses how it can be used effectively to solve problems that have small granularity. An implementation is described for linear algebra algorithms that solve systems of linear equations when the matrix is general and when the matrix is symmetric and positive definite.
Parametrically dissociating speech and nonspeech perception in the brain using fMRI.

Candidate brain regions constituting a neural network for preattentive phonetic perception were identified with fMRI and multivariate multiple regression of imaging data. Stimuli contrasted along speech/nonspeech, acoustic, or phonetic complexity (three levels each) and natural/synthetic dimensions. Seven distributed brain regions' activity correlated with speech and speech complexity dimensions, including five left-sided foci [posterior superior temporal gyrus (STG), angular gyrus, ventral occipitotemporal cortex, inferior/posterior supramarginal gyrus, and middle frontal gyrus (MFG)] and two right-sided foci (posterior STG and anterior insula). Only the left MFG discriminated natural and synthetic speech. The data also supported a parallel rather than serial model of auditory speech and nonspeech perception.
"INALIENABLE" ARCHIVES: KOREAN ROYAL ARCHIVES AS FRENCH PROPERTY UNDER INTERNATIONAL LAW

In June 2011, France returned to South Korea nearly 300 volumes of Korean royal archives from the Joseon Dynasty. French forces had seized them in an 1866 military campaign, and the volumes had resided in the Bibliotheque nationale de France (BnF) ever since. The return is not a legally permanent restitution, but rather a five-year renewable loan. The compromise followed years of unsuccessful negotiations and a noteworthy decision of a French administrative tribunal that found that the seized Korean archives constituted inalienable French property. The legal debate over the Korean manuscripts illustrates the unique complexities of treating archives as a form of cultural property in armed conflict. In the end, the imperfect compromise satisfies neither side: The BnF is deprived of custody of items that have formed part of its collections for more than 140 years while technically, and perhaps uselessly, retaining formal legal title; South Korea, meanwhile, has physical custody of the archives while suffering the indignity of being denied ownership over its own national heritage.
Fatty acid oxidation: systems analysis and applications

Fatty acids (FAs) are essential components of cellular structure and energy-generating routes in living organisms. They exist in a variety of chemical configurations and functionalities and are catabolized by different oxidative routes, according to their structure. α- and ω-Oxidation are minor routes that occur only in eukaryotes, while β-oxidation is the major degradation route in eukaroytes and prokaryotes. These pathways have been characterized and engineered from different perspectives for industrial and biomedical applications. The severity of FA oxidation disorders in humans initially guided the study of FA metabolism at a molecular-level. On the other hand, recent advances in metabolic engineering and systems biology have powered the study of FA biosynthetic and catabolic routes in microorganisms at a systems-level. Several studies have proposed these pathways as platforms for the production of fuels and chemicals from biorenewable sources. The lower complexity of microbial systems has allowed a more comprehensive study of FA metabolism and has opened opportunities for a wider range of applications. Still, there is a need for techniques that facilitate the translation of high-throughput data from microorganisms to more complex eukaryotic systems in order to aid the development of diagnostic and treatment strategies for FA oxidation disorders. In addition, further systems biology analyses on human systems could also provide valuable insights on oxidation disorders. This article presents a comparison of the three main FA oxidative routes, systems biology analyses that have been used to study FA metabolism, and engineering efforts performed on microbial systems.
More load flow fractals

The existence of fractal domains of attraction of solutions of the load flow equations using the Newton-Raphson iteration is investigated as a function of load level. Using constant impedance loads, the size of the fractal region is seen to be essentially independent of load level. The three-machine system used by J.S. Thorp and S.A. Naqavi (1989) when they first demonstrated these fractals is modified to produce a system with fractal domains and large regions of initial conditions where the Newton load flow oscillates. By adding a strong tie between the two machines in the three machine example, a system has been produced which has an unstable limit cycle (on a torus) for the reduced order dynamical system and a large area of eventually periodic initial conditions (with period two) in the Newton load flow. It is not clear whether these phenomena are related, but the example demonstrates the potentially complicated behavior that can be expected from the Newton load flow when the initial condition is not near a solution. >
Childhood Sexual Abuse and Adolescent Pregnancy: A Meta-analytic Update

Objective Recent increases in adolescent pregnancies have sparked a renewed impetus to identify risk factors, such as childhood sexual abuse (CSA), associated with adolescent pregnancy. Given mixed evidence regarding the strength of the relationship between CSA and adolescent pregnancy (Blinn-Pike, Berger, Dixon, Kuschel, & Kaplan, 2002), our objective was to provide an estimate of the effect size of this relationship using updated literature and meta-analytic techniques. Methods Meta-analyses of 21 studies were conducted using a random effects model of binary outcomes to determine aggregate effect-size estimates controlling for study heterogeneity. Results CSA significantly increased the odds of experiencing an adolescent pregnancy by 2.21-fold (95% CI: 1.94–2.51). A supplemental analysis suggested that 4.5 out of 10 pregnant adolescents may have a prior history of CSA. Conclusions CSA places females at increased risk for subsequent adolescent pregnancy. Addressing conditions associated with CSA might impact the overall adolescent pregnancy rate.
Mass Spectrometric Analysis of Agonist Effects on Posttranslational Modifications of the β-2 Adrenoceptor in Mammalian Cells†

Posttranslational modifications (PTMs) of the beta-2 adrenoceptor (B2AR) play a fundamental role in receptor regulation by agonists. We have examined the effects of several agonists on net levels of B2AR palmitoylation and phosphorylation using epitope tagging in stably transfected human embryonal kidney (HEK) 293 cells, immunoaffinity purification, and mass spectrometry combined with the method of stable isotope labeling by amino acids in cell culture (SILAC). Palmitoylation of Cys341 was confirmed and did not change detectably after 30 min exposure of cells to saturating concentrations of dopamine, epinephrine, or isoproterenol. However, all of these agonists produced a marked increase in net phosphorylation. Phosphorylation of the third cytoplasmic loop was increased to a similar degree by all three agonists, whereas differences between agonists were observed in net phosphorylation of the carboxyl-terminal cytoplasmic domain (isoproterenol approximately epinephrine >> dopamine). Interestingly, agonist-induced phosphorylation of the carboxyl-terminal cytoplasmic domain was observed exclusively in a proximal portion (between residues 339-369). None of the agonists produced detectable phosphorylation in a distal portion of the cytoplasmic tail, which contains all sites of agonist-induced phosphorylation identified previously by in vitro reconstitution. These results provide insight to agonist-dependent regulation of the B2AR in intact cells, suggest the existence of significant differences in regulatory phosphorylation events occurring between in vitro and in vivo conditions, and outline a general analytical approach to investigate regulated PTM of receptors in mammalian cells.
Tracking of body mass index in children in relation to overweight in adulthood

Body mass index (BMI; in kg/m2) values at or above the 75th percentile are associated with increased morbidity and mortality in adulthood, and there are significant correlations between BMI values in childhood and in adulthood. The present study addresses the predictive value of childhood BMI for overweight at 35 +/- 5 y, defined as BMI >28 for men and BMI >26 for women. Analyses of data from 555 white children showed that overweight at age 35 y could be predicted from BMI at younger ages. The prediction is excellent at age 18 y, good at age 13 y, but only moderate at ages <13 y. For 18-y-olds with BMIs above the 60th percentile, the probability of overweight at age 35 y is 34% for men and 37% for women. A clinically applicable method is provided to assign an overweight child to a group with a known probability of high BMI values in adulthood.
A New Approach for Designing Robust Controllers for the Servomechanism Problem

In this paper, we provide an alternative method for solving the more general servomechanism problem. The new approach based on designing a simple structure of a dynamic output feedback controller to achieve asymptotic tracking, disturbance rejection and pole assignment in linear time-invariant multivariable control systems. In addition, the resulting dynamic compensator is robust in the sense that asymptotic regulation take place for some or all disturbances and reference signals independent of any nondestabilizing perturbations in the system parameters. The main results of this paper are illustrated by an example.
Appendix C—A Selected list of papers relating to ground-water hydrology

In the following list brief statements have been added to certain references to call attention to special phases of ground-water problems which are not apparent from the titles. Abstracts of most of these papers have been or will be published in the Annotated Bibliography of Economic Geology.
A Review of: “All the Presidents' Movies, executive producers, Bill Knoedelseder, Burt Kearns, Brett Hudson, and Irv Letofsky”

“Do you know I can get any movie I want?” the newly inaugurated President Carter asked his communications aide, Gerald Rafshoon?. And then he proceeded to do so. He began with All the Presidents' M...
Vitamin D deficiency among children with epilepsy in South Queensland.

This study evaluated prevalence and risk factors for vitamin D deficiency among children with epilepsy on long-term antiepileptic drugs treated in South Queensland, Australia. Children with epilepsy seen in a tertiary neurology clinic were contacted requesting bone health blood tests during winter of 2011. Vitamin D deficiency was defined as 25-hydroxy vitamin D levels 2 antiepileptic drugs or with underlying genetic etiologies were more likely to have vitamin D deficiency. High proportion of children on long-term antiepileptic drugs in Queensland risk vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency despite living in the subtropics. Vitamin D monitoring and supplementation is important in the management of children on long-term antiepileptic drugs requiring tertiary care in Queensland.
Trends in Use of Percutaneous Versus Open Surgical Drainage of Abdominal Abscesses

Abstract Purpose To compare recent trends in the use of percutaneous and surgical approaches to treating abdominal abscesses in a large population. Methods The nationwide Medicare Physician/Supplier Procedure Summary Master Files for 2001 through 2013 were searched. Current Procedural Terminology-4 codes were selected for the four types of abdominal abscesses that had distinct codes for both open surgical and percutaneous drainage—appendiceal, peritoneal, subphrenic, and liver. Medicare specialty codes were used to determine if the procedures were performed by radiologists or other nonradiologist physicians. Trends in use of the two approaches were compared. Results In 2001, a total of 14,068 abdominal abscesses were drained percutaneously. This volume increased progressively every year thereafter, reaching 28,486 in 2013 (+102%). Open surgical drainage volume was 8,146 in 2001, decreasing progressively to 6,397 in 2013 (–21%). In 2001, 63% of all abdominal abscesses had been drained percutaneously; by 2013, this figure had risen to 82%. In 2001, radiologists had performed 90% of all percutaneous abdominal abscess drainages; this percentage share increased to 97% in 2013. Of all abdominal abscesses treated in 2013 in Medicare patients, 79% were treated by radiologists. Conclusions Use of percutaneous drainage of abdominal abscesses has steadily increased, whereas use of open surgical drainage has declined. The vast majority of these abscesses are now treated percutaneously. Radiologists are a strong majority of those performing the procedures. Although this database does not provide information on outcomes, percutaneous drainage is another good example of radiology-related value.
Comedic Critique: The Pop Cultural Divorce Lawyer

This essay discusses pop cultural divorce lawyers, focusing in particular on the lawyer Arnie Becker in L.A. Law (NBC, 1986-94) and on divorce lawyers in such Hollywood films as War of the Roses (1996), Liar Liar (1997), and Intolerable Cruelty (2003). The portrayals are largely comedic, but the comedy has a sharp bite. Pop cultural divorce lawyers emerge as manipulative, conniving, materialistic, self-interested, lusty, and narcissistic. The prototypical portrayal, the culture industry assumes in an unreflective, unsystematic way, will resonate with viewers and, in particular, their attitudes about divorce lawyers. Commercial success, after all, is always the industry’s first goal.
HIV Risks, Testing, and Treatment in the Former Soviet Union: Challenges and Future Directions in Research and Methodology.

Background. The dissolution of the USSR resulted in independence for constituent republics but left them battling an unstable economic environment and healthcare. Increases in injection drug use, prostitution, and migration were all widespread responses to this transition and have contributed to the emergence of an HIV epidemic in the countries of former Soviet Union. Researchers have begun to identify the risks of HIV infection as well as the barriers to HIV testing and treatment in the former Soviet Union. Significant methodological challenges have arisen and need to be addressed. The objective of this review is to determine common threads in HIV research in the former Soviet Union and provide useful recommendations for future research studies. Methods. In this systematic review of the literature, Pubmed was searched for English-language studies using the key search terms “HIV”, “AIDS”, “human immunodeficiency virus”, “acquired immune deficiency syndrome”, “Central Asia”, “Kazakhstan”, “Kyrgyzstan”, “Uzbekistan”, “Tajikistan”, “Turkmenistan”, “Russia”, “Ukraine”, “Armenia”, “Azerbaijan”, and “Georgia”. Studies were evaluated against eligibility criteria for inclusion. Results. Thirty-nine studies were identified across the two main topic areas of HIV risk and barriers to testing and treatment, themes subsequently referred to as “risk” and “barriers”. Study design was predominantly cross-sectional. The most frequently used sampling methods were peer-to-peer and non-probabilistic sampling. The most frequently reported risks were condom misuse, risky intercourse, and unsafe practices among injection drug users. Common barriers to testing included that testing was inconvenient, and that results would not remain confidential. Frequent barriers to treatment were based on a distrust in the treatment system. Conclusion. The findings of this review reveal methodological limitations that span the existing studies. Small sample size, cross-sectional design, and non-probabilistic sampling methods were frequently reported limitations. Future work is needed to examine barriers to testing and treatment as well as longitudinal studies on HIV risk over time in most-at-risk populations.
Feedback Regulation and Time Hierarchy of Oxidative Phosphorylation in Cardiac Mitochondria

To determine how oxidative ATP synthesis is regulated in the heart, the responses of cardiac mitochondria oxidizing pyruvate to alterations in [ATP], [ADP], and inorganic phosphate ([Pi]) were characterized over a range of steady-state levels of extramitochondrial [ATP], [ADP], and [Pi]. Evolution of the steady states of the measured variables with the flux of respiration shows that: (1) a higher phosphorylation potential is achieved by mitochondria at higher [Pi] for a given flux of respiration; (2) the time hierarchy of oxidative phosphorylation is given by phosphorylation subsystem, electron transport chain, and substrate dehydrogenation subsystems listed in increasing order of their response times; (3) the matrix ATP hydrolysis mass action ratio [ADP] × [Pi]/[ATP] provides feedback to the substrate dehydrogenation flux over the entire range of respiratory flux examined in this study; and finally, (4) contrary to previous models of regulation of oxidative phosphorylation, [Pi] does not modulate the activity of complex III.
Towards a Functional Definition of Sustainable Development in the Practice of Engineering

Sustainable development has become an increasingly common topic of both day-day conversations and in discussions about professional responsibility. In recent years, most of the professional engineering societies have moved to incorporate language about environmental responsibility, including sustainable development, into their codes of ethics. The ASME Code, for example, states that “Engineers shall consider environmental impact and sustainable development in the performance of their professional duties” (2).Despite this increased focus on sustainable development, it remains a nebulous concept at both a theoretical and practical level. Few engineers would deny that they have a responsibility to the environment. Ask those same engineers what this responsibility means in practice and you are likely to get a variety of answers; most of which will probably be on the vague side. Of course, variation and generality are not always negative features of a professional ethic. Nevertheless, it is important to get more precise about what sustainable development looks like in practice.In this paper, I will analyze ASME’s prescription that mechanical engineers consider their impact on the environment. I will examine how this prescription fits into the ASME Code as a whole. I will then survey several definitions of sustainable development; exploring challenges along the way. From here, I will begin developing a functional definition of sustainable development. In doing so, I will attempt to balance the demands of the principle of conservatism when spelling out professional obligations with those of moral leadership. The goal is to provide a useful and rigorous definition of sustainable development for practicing engineers. If am successful in this, this definition will lead to an operational understanding of sustainable development.Copyright © 2014 by ASME
Voting Outcomes in the 1984 Democratic Party Primaries and Caucuses

Scholarly inquiry concerning influences on electoral outcomes in the presidential nomination process, though extensive, has been conducted almost exclusively with data collected at the individual level of analysis. The Michigan model of normal vote analysis suggests that long-term influences measured at the aggregate level, such as the sociodemographic, economic, and ideological characteristics of the states, are also important in determining electoral outcomes. We present an aggregate-level analysis of state characteristics that affected the Hart, Jackson, and Mondale vote proportions in the 1984 Democratic caucuses and primaries. Our primary election models explain between 65% and 83% of the variance in candidate vote shares, with sociodemographic and economic factors as the leading indicators. In the caucuses, we find that campaign spending and sociodemographic influences are dominant in models that explain between 38% and 81% of the variance. We conclude with a brief discussion of what our findings mean for future Democratic candidates.
Titania Condensation by a Bio-Inspired Synthetic Block Copolymer

Silicatein α, an enzyme found at the center of silica spicules in marine sponges, is known to play a role in silica condensation from seawater. It has also been shown to catalyze the formation of silica from various silica precursors such as tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS). Inspired by the finding that the serine-26 and histidine-165 amino acids in the enzyme are required for silica formation from TEOS, we synthesized poly(hydroxylated isoprene-b-2-vinylpyridine) block copolymers to mimic these amino acid residues. Here, we present the results of our investigation utilizing this biomimetic polymer to condense titania from titanium iso-propoxide (TiP). Our silicatein α mimic is shown to condense titania at neutral pH and room temperature and is compared to material produced by standard sol–gel methods. Heats of crystallization are observed to be 72% lower for the titania made from the mimic polymer, and indistinct X-ray diffraction peaks, even after heating well above the crystallization temperature, sugge...
Particle Swarm Optimization for Resource Allocation in UAV Cooperative Control

Multiple Unmanned Aerospace Vehicle (UAV) resource allocation is one of the core steps to effectively exploit the capabilities of cooperative control of UAV teams. Although many multi -UAV resource allocation models can be found in the literature, relatively little has been said regarding soft weapon systems such as de coys and jammers, designed make the threat ineffective. In this paper, we formulate the resource allocation problem as an optimal assignment problem and present a new algorithm that is based on the principles of Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO). PSO follo ws a collaborative population based search, which models the social behavior of bird flocks and fish schools. PSO combines local search methods with global search, attempting to balance exploration and exploitation. We discuss the adaptation and implementa tion of the PSO search strategy to the resource allocation problem in the cooperative control of multiple UAVs. Simulation results indicate that the PSO based algorithm is a feasible approach for resource allocation problems in multiple UAV teams.
Bimodal Dynamic Imaging System for Embedded Inclusion Characterization

This paper presents a novel bimodal dynamic imaging (BDI) system for estimating the mechanical and spectral properties of an embedded inclusion. The BDI system consists of a near infrared laser diode as a source, a tactile imaging sensor (TIS) as a detector, and a mechanical scanning platform for dynamic positioning. The tactile imaging sensor includes a flexible and transparent sensing probe, a light module, and a camera. By combining the tactile, spectral, and dynamic position information, the BDI system can measure size, depth, elastic modulus, and absorption coefficient of an embedded inclusion. We validated the measurement method by a bimodal tissue phantom with an embedded inclusion of known mechanical and spectral properties. The mechanical properties measured with the BDI method was compared with the TIS measurements. The BDI method improved the size, depth, and elastic modulus estimation errors by 6.43%, 21.83%, and 22.01%, compared with the TIS method. We showed that the BDI method can be extended to determine chromophore concentrations using the lasers of multiple wavelengths.
Appendix 5: The Testimony of Doña Luisa Saenz de Viniegra de Torrijos, Vida del General José María de Torrijos y Uriarte (2v, Madrid: Manuel Minuesa, 1860)

Like so many widows of celebrated men in the nineteenth century Mme. Torrijos spent the rest of her life promoting her husband’s reputation after his death at Malaga. Nearly thirty years later she published in two volumes the biography, parts of which are translated here. Conscious that the changed political climate had prepared her audience to regard him as a martyr, she nevertheless strove to corroborate her narrative with reputable reports from survivors of the revolution who had known him in his last years. Her narrative is the most ready source for identifying many of the principal players in Kemble’s Journal, and in the excerpts below we find versions of the two major battles in which the revolution failed to take hold.
Research on Virtual Environment of Substation Training Simulator

A virtual environment is helpful for substation training simulator. The architecture of this virtual environment was studied. A new method was applied to organize the devices’ models into a hierarchy tree according to their electric relationship. A Level of Detail algorithm based on objects’ features was used to accelerate the virtual environment rendering. The effects of dielectric breakdown were simulated by particle system using a statistical model. A virtual environment is successfully realized for substation training simulator.
The kinetics of specific glucocorticoid binding in rat thymus cytosol: evidence for the existence of multiple binding states.

The 27,000 x g supernatant prepared from rat thymocytes contains a steroid-binding protein that binds glucocorticoids in a specific, high-affinity manner. In this study the kinetics of binding of dexamethasone has been examined in order to provide an explanation for the very slow rate at which the binding equilibrium is achieved. The secondorder rate constant of association of 6 x 105 M-1 min-1 is much lower than that expected for a diffusion-limited process. Kinetic evidence is presented in support of the proposal that the apparent slow rate of binding is due to the initial rapid formation of a weak binding complex (dissociation constant = 1.75 x 10-7 M) followed by the production of a stronger complex. The first-order rate constant of formation for the second binding state is calculated to be 0.137 min-1, and the measured rate constant of dissociation is 4.6 x 10-3 min-1. On extended incubation a third, very tight binding state is produced.
Sodium-potassium dependent inorganic 35S-sulfate incorporation into cornea.

T, .ranscorneal potentials have been reported by several laboratories and have been related to an active transfer of sodium ions across the cornea. Both epithelial and endothelial cells have been implicated as sites of a metabolic pump. The active transport of ions across the cornea is involved in the maintenance of hydration, thickness, and transparency." The effect of these ions may be indirect and may involve the presence of sulfated-proteinpolysaccharides which behave as polyanions. When the corneal stroma are denuded of epithelial and endothelial cells, their in vitro incorporation of inorganic sulfate and of amino acids is less than normal; therefore, the stroma show some dependency upon these cells. It is unlikely, however, that the epithelial and endothelial cells synthesize the stromal macromolecules. It is more likely that these cells exert an indirect control over the stromal cells, which are the primary sites of biosynthesis of the
Anaerobic Bacteria in Suppurative Infections of the Male Genitourinary System

Cultures were done to determine the prevalence of anaerobic bacteria in 18 male patients with suppurative infections of the genitourinary tract. The types of infections studied were scrotal abscess, prostatic abscess, scrotal gangrene and perinephric abscess. Anaerobic bacteria were recovered in 16 of the 18 specimens examined. These 16 specimens yielded a total of 48 anaerobic strains and 19 aerobic or facultative strains. The dominant organism isolated was Bacteroides fragilis, which was found in 11 patients. It would appear that most suppurative infections of the male genitourinary tract involve anaerobic bacteria. These observations have important implications regarding recommendations for cultures and selection of antimicrobials.
Efficacy of preoperative biliary drainage in malignant obstructive jaundice: a meta-analysis and systematic review

In patients requiring surgical resection for malignant biliary jaundice, it is unclear if preoperative biliary drainage (PBD) would improve mortality and morbidity by restoration of biliary flow prior to operation. This is a meta-analysis to pool the evidence and assess the utility of PBD in patients with malignant obstructive jaundice. The primary outcome is comparing mortality outcomes in patients with malignant obstructive jaundice undergoing direct surgery (DS) versus PBD. The secondary outcomes include major adverse events and length of hospital stay in both the groups. Studies using PBD in patients with malignant obstructive jaundice were included in this study. For the data collection and extraction, articles were searched in MEDLINE, PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials & Database of Systematic Reviews, etc. Pooled proportions were calculated using both Mantel-Haenszel method (fixed effects model) and DerSimonian-Laird method (random effects model). Initial search identified 2230 reference articles, of which 204 were selected and reviewed. Twenty-six studies (N = 3532) for PBD in malignant obstructive jaundice which met the inclusion criteria were included in this analysis. The odds ratio for mortality in PBD group versus DS group was 0.96 (95 % CI = 0.71 to 1.29). Pooled number of major adverse effects was lower in the PBD group at 10.40 (95 % CI = 9.96 to 10.83) compared to 15.56 (95 % CI = 15.06 to 16.05) in the DS group. Subgroup analysis comparing internal PBD to DS group showed lower odds for major adverse events (odds ratio, 0.48 with 95 % CI = 0.32 to 0.74). In patients with malignant biliary jaundice requiring surgery, PBD group had significantly less major adverse effects than DS group. Length of hospital stay and mortality rate were comparable in both the groups.
Bioarchitecture: bioinspired art and architecture—a perspective

Art and architecture can be an obvious choice to pair with science though historically this has not always been the case. This paper is an attempt to interact across disciplines, define a new genre, bioarchitecture, and present opportunities for further research, collaboration and professional cooperation. Biomimetics, or the copying of living nature, is a field that is highly interdisciplinary, involving the understanding of biological functions, structures and principles of various objects found in nature by scientists. Biomimetics can lead to biologically inspired design, adaptation or derivation from living nature. As applied to engineering, bioinspiration is a more appropriate term, involving interpretation, rather than direct copying. Art involves the creation of discrete visual objects intended by their creators to be appreciated by others. Architecture is a design practice that makes a theoretical argument and contributes to the discourse of the discipline. Bioarchitecture is a blending of art/architecture and biomimetics/bioinspiration, and incorporates a bioinspired design from the outset in all parts of the work at all scales. Herein, we examine various attempts to date of art and architecture to incorporate bioinspired design into their practice, and provide an outlook and provocation to encourage collaboration among scientists and designers, with the aim of achieving bioarchitecture.This article is part of the themed issue 'Bioinspired hierarchically structured surfaces for green science'.
Preliminary Observations on the Results of Combined 125Iodine Seed Implantation and External Irradiation for Carcinoma of the Prostate

AbstractFifty-seven patients with localized carcinoma of the prostate were treated with pelvic lymphadenectomy and a reduced 125iodine implant dosage, supplemented by a moderate dose of external beam radiotherapy to the whole pelvis delivered 4 to 6 weeks later. The incidence of pelvic nodal metastases was 28 per cent and the operative morbidity was 15 per cent. Late radiation sequelae developed in 18 patients, including 15 patients with radiation proctitis (29 per cent), among whom 2 (4.6 per cent) suffered rectal ulceration and required diverting colostomy. Followup has been 2 years or longer (median 33 months) in 26 patients, of whom 22 (85 per cent) are free of disease. Three patients are living with osseous metastases or local disease and there has been 1 death of prostatic carcinoma, for an absolute 2-year survival rate of 95 per cent. Of the 7 patients with poorly differentiated tumor and of the 8 patients with positive pelvic lymph nodes 5 and 6, respectively, remain free of disease after a minimu...
Observation of negative differential resistance in Al0.2Ga0.8As/Al0.4Ga0.6As/GaAs double barrier resonant tunnelling structure

Negative differential resistance has been observed in the current/voltage characteristics of a double barrier resonant tunnelling structure with Al0.2Ga0.8As emitters, Al0.4Ga0.6As barriers and GaAs quantum well for the first time. The NDR becomes clear at low temperatures below 77 K, and the current/voltage characteristic is asymmetric. Our results demonstrate that high-quality abrupt GaAs-AlxGa1−xAs-AlyGa1−yAs heterojunctions can be of use in resonant tunnelling structures.
Changing Views of the Relationship between Femininity and Reproduction

There are substantial differences in the lifestyles of women today as compared with a generation ago. Fewer women are viewing marriage and motherhood as the central goals of their entire lives. Many are marrying later and having fewer or no children. In light of these changes, it seems appropriate to reexamine some concepts about femininity and feminine identity, as well as their relationship to reproduction.
Tactile stimuli affect long-range correlations of stride interval and stride length differently during walking

Sensory feedback below the sole of the foot using sub-threshold mechanical noise significantly reduced postural sway in patients with diabetes and stroke. However, the effects of tactile parameters on walking are still elusive. Specifically, the effects of such parameters on human gait variability need to be studied because of possible rehabilitation outcomes in terms of bringing improvement in temporal and spatial gait parameters. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether different frequency and amplitude combinations of vibro-tactile stimulation of feet would affect stride-to-stride variability in healthy young adults. Ten healthy subjects walked on a treadmill at self-selected pace while wearing customized insoles fitted with tactors that vibrated at selected frequencies and amplitudes. The results show that the frequency manipulations of tactile stimulation altered the long-range correlations (LRCs) in stride length while amplitude manipulations affected the LRCs in stride interval without having any effect on the amount of gait variability. Our findings suggest that independent neural mechanisms may be responsible for coordinating LRCs of gait parameters in the spatial and temporal domains.
Recent progress in the research of the impact of glucagon-like peptide-1 on islet β-cells

Glucagon-like poptide-1 (GLP-1) is an incretin secreted by the enteroendocrine L cells of the gut. Upon the activation of GLP-1 receptor, adenylyl cyclase is activated and cAMP is generated, leading to the activation of protein kinase A and Epac signal pathway. GLP-1 could also activate calcium/calmodulin pathway as well as mitogen-activated protein kinases and phosphatidyl inositol-3 kinase pathway. GLP-1 not only stimulates the phase 1 and phase 2 insulin secretion, but also increases insulin synthesis. GLP-1 also stimulates proliferation and differentiation of islet β-cells, and protects β-cell from apoptosis and modulates endoplasmic reticulum stress response leading to promotion of β-cell adaptation and survival.
Adverbs in performatives: Speaking of truth and falsity

AbstractI herein present a new case for the truth-evaluability of performative utterances. My argument is based on the observation that their main verb is commonly modified by a descriptive adverb that renders the entire utterance true or false. Thus: “I wholeheartedly promise to attend the banquet”, “I seriously warn you that that bull is dangerous”, or “I strenuously object, Your Honor”. The crux of my argument has to do with the validity of the following inference: I examine another form of argument, that features a performative utterance joined to a truth-evaluable proposition, put forward by Walter Sinnott-Armstrong. Although sympathetic to his ultimate conclusion, I nevertheless show that this particular form of inference can be decisively answered with an Austinian-friendly defense.Finally, I consider two possible Austinian strategies for answering my own argument. One is to construe promises and the like as distinct types of utterance-force, in the manner of Michael Dummett. The other is to decomp...