cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Credible Currency: A Constitutional Perspective

By contrast to private banks, public monetary authorities – central banks and currency boards – have limited credibility in making redemption or fixed-exchange-rate commitments. Their sovereign immunity obviates legal penalties for devaluing, and their monopoly status weakens reputational penalties. The softness of central bank promises invites speculative attack and currency crises. Privatization and decentralization of exchange-rate commitments provides a more credible currency by making redemption commitments legally enforceable and reputable. This contrast sheds light on (1) the breakdown of the classical gold standard and (2) the costs and benefits of dollarization.
Ultrasimple extremely broadband transient-grating frequency-resolved-optical-gating device

We demonstrate an ultrasimple, compact, extremely broad band, alignment-free, and single-shot Transient-Grating Frequency-Resolved-Optical-Gating device that can measure (amplified) UV, visible, and IR pulses without change of optics.
Natural Resource Management on the Other Side of the World: The Nagorno Karabakh Republic

Natural resource management on the other side of the world: the Nagorno Karabakh Republic DOI:10.2458/azu_rangelands_v29i1_sharrow
H(2)O(2)-forming NADH oxidase with diaphorase (cytochrome) activity from Archaeoglobus fulgidus.

An enzyme exhibiting NADH oxidase (diaphorase) activity was isolated from the hyperthermophilic sulfate-reducing anaerobe Archaeoglobus fulgidus . N-terminal sequence of the protein indicates that it is coded for by open reading frame AF0395 in the A. fulgidus genome. The gene AF0395 was cloned and its product was purified from Escherichia coli . Like the native NADH oxidase (NoxA2), the recombinant NoxA2 (rNoxA2) has an apparent molecular mass of 47 kDa, requires flavin adenine dinucleotide for activity, has NADH-specific activity, and is thermostable. Hydrogen peroxide is the product of bivalent oxygen reduction by rNoxA2 with NADH. The rNoxA2 is an oxidase with diaphorase activity in the presence of electron acceptors such as tetrazolium and cytochrome c . During purification NoxA2 remains associated with the enzyme responsible for d-lactate oxidation, thed-lactate dehydrogenase (Dld), and the genes encoding NoxA2 and Dld are in the same transcription unit. Together these results suggest that NADH oxidase may be involved in electron transfer reactions resulting in sulfate respiration.
Designing, Monitoring, and Analyzing Group Sequential Clinical Trials Using the RCTdesign Package for R

The use of group sequential methodology has become widespread in the conduct of clinic trials. As each clinical trial presents unique scientific, statistical, and logistical constraints, it is important to carefully evaluate candidate group sequential designs to ensure desirable operating characteristics. At the implementation stage of a clinical trial design it is also essential to account for deviations from original design specifications in order to control operating characteristics such as type I and II error rates. These changes might include the number and/or timing of analyses as well as deviations from the originally assumed variability of outcome measures. Due to the computational complexity involved in evaluating, monitoring, and analyzing a group sequential procedure, specialized software is required. In this manuscript we demonstrate how the RCTdesign package (http://www.rctdesign.org) in R can be used to select, implement, and analyze a group sequential stopping rule. Throughout, we illustrate trial design and monitoring in the context of a group sequential survival trial of an experimental monoclonal antibody in patients with relapsed chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL).
Marker development for the genetic study of natural variation in Arabidopsis thaliana

Summary: We report AtPRIMER, an application that automates the discovery of new polymorphic markers between ecotypes of Arabidopsis thaliana. On specifying two ecotypes and the genomic region of interest, the script retrieves all corresponding single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and generates CAPS and/or dCAPS PCR primer sequences. We show that AtPRIMER accurately found specific polymorphic markers for our linkage mapping project. AtPRIMER will therefore be useful for efficient marker development with high density and specificity. Availability: This PERL/CGI program is available for non-commercial users at http://www.AtPRIMER.tsl.ac.uk. The web-based version is available for public use at the same URL. Contact: adnane.nemri@tsl.ac.uk
Kinetics of the Anatase‐Rutile Transformation

Transformation of three commercial anatase powders resulted in sigmoid curves of transformation vs. time, which were interpreted in terms of a nucleation-growth process. Analysis of these curves by several rate laws led to activation energies for nucleation of 109, 136, and 148 kcal/mole and for growth of 100, 115, and 190 kcal/mole, respectively. The rate of transformation and activation energy are governed by the nature and amount of impurities which determine the defect structure of the TiO2, i.e. the concentration of oxygen vacancies or interstitials. It is suggested that, in general, oxygen vacancies accelerate and the interstitials inhibit the transformation. CuO additions and hydrogen atmospheres accelerated the transformation by the introduction of oxygen vacancies and/or by reduction to a second TinO2n−1 Magneli phase which could act as a nucleating agent. The transformation is retarded in vacuum; this retardation is attributed to the introduction of titanium interstitials.
Comparison between hybrid feedforward-feedback, feedforward, and feedback structures for active noise control of fMRI noise

The performance of FIR feedforward, IIR feedforward, FIR feedback, hybrid FIR feedforward - FIR feedback, and hybrid IIR feedforward - FIR feedback structures for active noise control (ANC) are compared for an fMRI noise application. The filtered-input normalized least squares (FxNLMS) algorithm is used to update the coefficients of the adaptive filters in all these structures. Realistic primary and secondary paths of an fMRI bore are used by estimating them on a half cylindrical acrylic bore of 0.76m (D) × 1.52m (L). Detailed results of the performance of the ANC system are presented in the paper for each of these structures. We find that the IIR feedforward structure produces most of the performance improvement in the hybrid IIR feedforward - FIR feedback structure and adding the feedback structure becomes almost redundant in the case of fMRI noise.
Evaluating trends in biofilm density using the UMCCA model

Abstract We present a series of modeling cases that illustrate the trends described by the unique features of the unified multiple-component cellular automaton (UMCCA) model for a heterogeneous, two-dimensional biofilm. The outputs of the UMCCA model show five general trends. (1) The concentration profiles for the two soluble microbial products are opposite the profile for original substrate. (2) The top of the biofilm is dominated by active biomass and EPS, while the bottom is dominated by residual inert biomass. Within the top layers, active biomass has a much higher concentration than EPS. (3) The top of all biofilm is quite “fluffy,” while the bottom is dense. (4) The peak of the composite density does not correspond to the peak of active biomass. (5) All biomass types show considerable local heterogeneity. The series of cases also indicate what conditions lead to particular characteristics observed in some biofilms. Biofilm clusters are promoted by substrate limitation, a high detachment rate, or strong consolidation. A high biofilm density is associated with an old biofilm, which is favored by a low substrate concentration, a high detachment rate, and strong consolidation. Old biofilms also can develop low-density pockets near the substratum, a possible cause of sloughing. Local heterogeneity is generally related to the same factors that cause a high density. We also solved the UMCCA model for conditions similar to the experiments of Bishop et al. (Water Sci. Technol. 31(1) (1995) 143), who measured the total biomass density in layers from the substratum. The model outputs captured all the major trends in the experimental data: the overall thickness and density of biofilms increase with time, and the total biomass density is 5–10 times greater near the substratum than near the top of the biofilm. Furthermore, the model indicates that the residual inert biomass becomes denser toward the substratum, a trend observed experimentally; the UMCCA model suggests that this trend is due to the combined effects of consolidation and inert biomass having a larger maximum density.
Measurements of entrainment and mixing in turbulent jets

An experimental investigation of entrainment and mixing in the self-similar far field of an axisymmetric free turbulent jet in water is presented. Length and time scales for the flame length fluctuations of reacting jets are shown to be approximately equal to the local characteristic large scale length and time of the flow. It is also shown that instantaneous radial profiles of concentration across the jet do not resemble the mean concentration profile, indicating that the mean profile is a poor representation of the mixed fluid states within the jet. These instantaneous profiles also show that unmixed ambient fluid is transported throughout the entire extent of the jet, and that the mixed fluid composition within the jet can be fairly uniform in regions extending across a large part of the local jet diameter. Lastly, the amount of unmixed ambient fluid on the jet centerline is found to vary roughly periodically with a period approximately equal to the local characteristic large scale time of the flow. These results suggest that large scale transport mechanisms, displaying a characteristic organization, play an important role in entrainment and mixing in the far filed of turbulent jets.
A Neural Network-Based Approach to Modeling the Allocation of Behaviors in Concurrent Schedule, Variable Interval Learning

In this paper we present a neural network-based model of the acquisition of choice behaviors. We employ a multi-layer perceptron, trained using backpropagation with a modified desired-output vector, to model behavior in concurrent-schedule, variable-interval, reinforcing learning situations. We show that our model can be used to describe and predict steady state behavior and learning patterns at the molar level.
Predictors of Police Contact Among Midwestern Homeless and Runaway Youth

Research has substantiated that homeless and runaway youth are at high risk for offending and deviant behavior. Although gender, abuse, and deviant peers have been implicated in arrests among homeless youth, we know less about whether these precursors operate similarly for police harassment as well as for postrunaway arrest. In a study of 361 Midwestern homeless and runaway youth, several differences were noted between the predictors of arrest and police harassment. First, path-analytic techniques demonstrated that having deviant friends promoted harassment but not arrest. Second, substance use was the impetus for police harassment, whereas age at first runaway was consequential for arrest. Third, physically abused youth encountered more harassment, yet minor delinquent behavior increased the risk of arrest.
Bioelectric studies with subnanosecond pulsed electric fields

Nanosecond electrical pulses have been successfully used to treat melanoma tumors by using needle arrays as pulse delivery systems. Reducing the pulse duration of intense electric field pulses from nanoseconds into the subnanosecond range, and using a prolate-spheroidal reflector as part of a picosecond Impulse Radiating Antenna (IRA), allows us to focus the electromagnetic waves into biological tissue with reasonable spatial resolution. In order to achieve a spatial resolution on the order of one centimeter, pulses with duration on the order of 100 picoseconds are required. Based on the nanosecond pulse generator, a pulse generator was developed which allows us to generate 150 picosecond-long pulses. The voltage amplitude (in an improved version) reaches values of up to 120kV. Modeling results indicate that with this pulse generator as part of an IRA, electric fields on the order of 100 kV/cm can be generated in tissue close to the body surface. In order to explore the biological effects of these ultrashort, high electric fields, a coaxial exposure chamber has been designed which is integrated into the pulse delivery system in such a way that an almost uniform electric field (based on modeling using MAGIC) can be expected. The chamber is placed in a water bath, which allows us to vary the ambient temperature from room temperature (20 C) to a physiologically relevant range (37 C to 41 C). Experiments where platelets were exposed to 150 picosecond long pulses with an electric field of 150 kV/cm indicate a pulse number dependent uptake of calcium. The experiments were performed at a temperature of 37 C. A possible synergistic effect was observed when melanoma cells were pulsed at elevated temperatures.
Universal Healthcare and Access for Undocumented Immigrants

Nothing can rouse fury in even the most apathetic voter or stir the vitriol of American political discourse like the healthcare debate. From the run-up to the 2008 Presidential Election—when then-Senator Barack Obama made the creation of a revamped healthcare system the crux of his platform—through the present, the President’s Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (“PPACA”) has been under siege. Obstreperous members of Congress on both sides of the debate levied traditional lines of criticism, concerning themselves with the law’s perceived socialist leaning 1 or the associated financial burden. 2 Still other critics believe the healthcare plan will grant undocumented immigrants unmerited access to the benefits of a public healthcare system. Collectively, the narrative surrounding the healthcare debate has been so overly contentious and hostile as to obviate any remaining comity within the political discourse surrounding the problem. 3 But, behind all this white noise and livid rhetoric there still remains the central issue: without an adequate proposal that addresses the undocumented immigrant ‘problem,’ President Obama’s healthcare plan is incomplete.
A Power Delivery and Decoupling Network Minimizing Ohmic Loss and Supply Voltage Variation in Silicon Nanoscale Technologies

di/dt and IR events may cause large supply voltage variations and ohmic losses due to system parasitics. Today, decoupling capacitance is used to minimize the supply voltage variation, and parallelism in the power delivery path is used to reduce ohmic loss. Future integrated circuits, however, will exhibit large enough currents and current transients to mandate additional safeguards. A novel, distributed power delivery and decoupling network is introduced that reduces the supply voltage variation magnitude by more than 66% or the future ohmic loss by more than 27% (compared to today's power delivery and decoupling networks) using conventional processing and packaging techniques
An experimental assessment of minimum mapping unit size

Land-cover (LC) maps derived from remotely sensed data are often presented using a minimum mapping unit (MMU) to characterize a particular landscape theme of interest. The choice of an MMU that is appropriate for the projected use of a classification is an important consideration. The objective of this experiment was to determine the effect of MMU on a LC classification of the Neuse River Basin (NRB) in North Carolina. The results of this work indicate that MMU size had a significant effect on accuracy estimates only when the MMU was changed by relatively large amounts. Typically, an MMU is selected as close as possible to the original data resolution so as to reduce the loss of specificity introduced in the resampling process. Since only large MMU changes resulted in significant differences in the accuracy estimates, an analyst may have the flexibility to select from a range of MMUs that are appropriate for a given application.
Microwave dielectric measurements of ceramic composites at high temperatures

Summary form only given. The authors describe ongoing efforts at broadband, high-temperature characterization of materials at the University of Utah. For narrowband measurements at S and X bands, the cavity perturbation method is used, and the rectangular cavity designs and high-temperature measurement techniques using a fused silica sample holder and a modern network analyzer are explained. Experimental results of zirconia and alumina have been obtained for temperatures up to 1200 degrees C. Broadband measurements at high temperatures were obtained using the open-ended coaxial line technique. For these measurements, a novel probe using metallized, low-thermal expansion ceramics was designed and constructed. A simple and accurate analytical procedure to calculate the complex permittivity of the sample from the measurement of the probe admittance has been developed. Experimental results have been obtained for some ceramic samples for temperatures up to 1200 degrees C. >
Vector symbol decoding with erasures, errors and symbol list decisions

It is shown that vector symbol decoding (VSD) for a random code, list decisions, and a mix of errors and erasures can perform better than a maximum distance code over a wide range.
Farnesol biosynthesis in Candida albicans : cellular response to sterol inhibition by zaragozic acid B

The dimorphic fungus Candida albicans produces farnesol as a quorum-sensing molecule that regulates cellular morphology. The biosynthetic origin of farnesol has been resolved by treating these cells with zaragozic acid B, a potent inhibitor of squalene synthase in the sterol biosynthetic pathway. Treatment with zaragozic acid B leads to an eightfold increase in the amount of farnesol produced by C. albicans . Furthermore, C. albicans cell extracts contain enzymatic activity to convert [ 3 H]farnesyl pyrophosphate to [ 3 H]farnesol. Many common antifungal antibiotics (e.g., zaragozic acids, azoles, and allylamines) target steps in sterol biosynthesis. We suggest that the fungicidal activity of zaragozic acid derives in large part from the accumulation of farnesol that accompanies the inhibition of sterol biosynthesis.
Running max/min calculation using a pruned ordered list

We present a novel algorithm for calculating the running maximum or minimum value of a 1-D sequence over a sliding data window. The new algorithm stores a pruned ordered list of data elements that have the potential to become maxima or minima across the data window at some future time instant. This algorithm has a number of advantages over competing algorithms, including balanced computational requirements for a variety of signals and the potential for reduced processing and storage requirements for long data windows. We show through both analysis and simulation that for an L-element running window, the new algorithm uses approximately three comparisons and 2logL+1 memory locations per output sample on average for i.i.d. signals, independent of the signal distribution.
Screening for CKD in Children: A Global Controversy

This review addresses the relevance of urinary screening for chronic kidney disease (CKD) in children. Ambiguity about screening children exists because of the uncertainty as to whether early detection of renal disorders in childhood will lead to effective interventions and reduction in the number of individuals who subsequently progress to ESRD. A related concern is whether the adoption of urinary screening programs is cost effective. The most common method that is used for screening children for CKD involves the measurement of spot samples of urine for hematuria and or proteinuria. Although mass screening is now well established in Japan, Taiwan, and Korea, there appears to be movement away from mass screening to detect CKD in children and adolescents in North America and Europe. In December 2007, the American Academy of Pediatrics published their latest recommendations, in which no urinalyses were recommended at any age during childhood. The second issue addressed in this review is the reporting of estimated glomerular filtration rates (GFR) in children by clinical laboratories.
Divisions in the Civil Rights Community

Associate Justice Thurgood Marshall was the first African American to sit on the U.S. Supreme Court. He helped produce and was also a product of the 20th-century civil rights movement. President George Bush nominated Clarence Thomas to succeed him, a man who had made his professional career in a rapid succession of civil rights appointments in the same Republican administrations that were attempting to reconstruct the policies that Marshall and his successors in national civil rights organizations had created and interpreted.That Bush nominated Thomas, whose policy positions were so opposed to civil rights law as it had been legislated and implemented, did not prevent these organizations from being riven by disagreement over Thomas's fitness. When Anita Hill's allegations of sexual harassment became public, these organizations' opinions of the Thomas nomination became even more problematic.The nomination of Clarence Thomas to the Supreme Court offers an opportunity to observe the influence and effectiveness of the civil rights lobby on an important policy question.
Thoracic Actinomycosis in Childhood

A 14-year-old boy presenting with a chest wall mass, pulmonary infiltrate, and scoliosis was found to have thoracic actinomycosis with distal vertebral involve ment. Review of the medical literature for the past 25 years revealed only 23 other pediatric cases of thoracic actinomycosis. Clinical, standard radiological, and microbiological findings can be nonspecific. The diagnosis is dependent on a high index of suspicion. A long course of penicillin is the treatment of choice. Body computed tomography is a useful diagnostic aid and is helpful also in evaluating response to therapy.
Effect of Cathode Pore Volume on PEM Fuel Cell Cold Start

Effect of Cathode Pore Volume on PEM Fuel Cell Cold Start Ashis Nandy, Fangming Jiang, Shanhai Ge,* Chao-Yang Wang,* and Ken S. Chen Electrochemical Engine Center and Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, USA Nanoscale and Reactive Processes Department, Engineering Sciences Center, Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87185-0836, USA
Defining the Savant Syndrome

Current uses of the term (idiot) savant are reviewed. In contrast to the original use of the term, which emphasized certain kinds of exceptional skill and general mental deficit, recent usage has expanded to include a variety of disabling conditions and levels of exceptionality. It is suggested that the implications of any particular study depend upon a careful documentation of the level of skill present and the nature of the accompanying deficit. A conceptual approach is outlined which compares working definitions of “savant” with those of “learning disability.”
Multiple Roles of G Proteins in Coupling of Receptors to Ionic Channels and Other Effectors

The central role of G proteins in coupling receptors to effector systems can be best illustrated by the contents of Table 1, which lists receptors that exert their actions by interacting with a G protein, according to the general schemes shown in Fig. 1. Like receptors, which are increasing in number rapidly, effectors affected by the activated forms of G proteins are also increasing, most notably through the discovery in 1986–1987 that ionic channels form part of the family of molecules regulated by G proteins. Using cell-free systems such as provided by excision of membrane patches from cells and incorporation of plasma membrane vesicles into lipid bilayers, it was shown that ionic channels are indeed regulated by activated G proteins. Some of these channels had long before been predicted to be under the control of G-protein-coupled receptors by means other than soluble second messengers. The mechanism by which G proteins regulate some of these channels is at the very least “membrane delimited” and independent of any phosphorylation event or of changes in cytoplasmic levels of second messengers such as cAMP, Ca2+, or IP3, and is very likely due to direct interaction of the G protein α-subunit and the channel proper (for review, see Brown and Birnbaumer 1988). Our group was prominent in providing some of the initial as well as subsequent supporting data for these conclusions (Brown and Birnbaumer 1988; Yatani et al. 1987a,b,c, 1988a,b,c; Codina et al. 1987a,b, 1988; Imoto et al. 1988; Kirsch et al. 1988). Another research group has claimed that ionic channels, specifically the heart muscarinic K+ channel, now referred to as Gi-gated K+ channel (see below), may be regulated by receptors, not via a specific G protein α-subunit, but via the βγ-subunits of G proteins (Logothetis et al. 1987).
Milk Production Functions Incorporating Variables for Cow Characteristics and Environment

This study provides estimates of the milk production function as it relates to feed inputs, cow characteristics and environmental variables. It is based on two physical experiments with 72 Holstein cows. The regression equation used included estimation of 27 coefficients for the variables: weekly hay consumption, weekly grain consumption, stage of lactation, cow ability, index of inbreeding, body weight, age of cow, index of cow maturity and environmental temperature. Various physical and economic relationships estimated for the function include isoquants, isoclines, marginal quantities and profit maximizing levels of various variables. Confidence limits estimated for isoquants, isoclines and optimizing feed inputs suggest greater certainty in grain recommendations than for hay recommendations. The study, while not considered final in respect to coefficients for numerous variables, suggests that with further research, many aspects of dairy cattle breeding, nutrition and management can be incorporated into a single estimated production function. A CLASSIC study in interdisciplinary cooperation between biological and economic scientists was made by Jensen and collaborators.' The Jensen study was successful in (a) getting acceptance of economic concepts among a broader group of biological scientists and (b) quantifying certain common concepts. However, given these large accomplishments, the early study had limitations in that it dealt with various types or kinds of feeds aggregated into a single input category and more nearly traced out a "stomach limit" line rather than a set of input-output relationships. In the process of quantification, we have completed a milk production function study which allows prediction of milk output from specific feed categories, numerous cow characteristics, and environmental variables. The study reports on two long-term experiments which we designed for the purpose and were conducted over the years 1953-54 and 195659. Initially, the experiment was set up to estimate the milk production function as it relates to inputs of hay and concentrates. Some attempt was made to control variables reflecting cow characteristics and envi* Journal paper J-4682 of the Iowa Agricultural and Home Economics Experiment Station, Project 1135.
Pragmatic Functions in Late Talkers: A 1-Year Follow-Up Study

This study analyzed spontaneous language samples of three-year-olds with a history of expressive language delay (late talkers) and age-matched controls using Dore’s Conversational Acts analysis (1978) and Mean Length of Utterance (MLU; Brown, 1973). Differences were observed between groups in utterances classified as organizational device and miscellaneous. No differences were noted between groups in other pragmatic functions and the number of pragmatic functions that were used. Late talkers showed lower MLUs as compared to age-matched peers. Pragmatic language, in addition to morphosyntax, should be monitored in children with a history of early expressive language delay.
Inhibition of experimental neoplasms by 4-aminopyrazolo (3, 4-d) pyrimidine.

SummaryIt has been demonstrated that 4-aminopyrazolo(3,4-d)pyrimidine (an isomer of adenine), and the 1-methyl derivative of this compound both significantly inhibit the growth of Adenocarcinoma 75...
Light Effects on Fruiting of Physarum Gyrosum

The effects of light on reproduction in the slime molds have not been studied extensively. Many earlier workers, having noted that Myxomycetes occur in the vegetative stage (plasmodium) in shaded or dark places, and in the fruiting stage in exposed positions, suggested that light influenced reproduction. Other factors of possible importance in affecting fruiting are metabolic products of contaminating organisms, moisture, pH, and exhaustion of nutrients. Light has been shown by Gray (2, 3) to be required for reproduction by those Myxomycetes which have pigmented plasmodia. However, some plasmodia fruit in the absence of light and some slime molds with white plasmodia require exposure to light for fruiting (5, 7). A plasmodial culture of Physarum gyrosum Rost., supplied by Dr. Allison, was used in this investigation. This slime mold was described by Hagelstein (4) as having colorless or yellowish plasmodia. The plasmodium develops well in oatmeal-filter paper culture and will form sporangia under certain conditions.
Effects of propionate infusion and dietary energy on dry matter intake in sheep.

Four nonlactating, nonpregnant, mature ewes equipped with multiple venous and arterial catheters were used to evaluate the influence of propionate as a satiety signal in ruminants. Our experiment was a 4 x 4 Latin square with portal infusion (physiological saline [Sa] or sodium propionate [Pr]) and DE intake (Lo, 63% of maintenance requirement, or Hi, 200% of maintenance requirement) as factors. One 240-min infusion of Pr (1 mmol/min) or Sa into the portal vein began at approximately 0800 on d 8 of each 8-d period. Feed intake was measured and hepatic blood was sampled every 30 min during infusion. Intake of DM and digestible energy (DEI) during infusion were not affected by infusion or diet and were most rapid at 30 min postfeeding. Average 30-min DMI and DEI were 539 g and 1,484 kcal, respectively, at 240 min. Cumulative DMI and DEI were unaffected by infusion but tended to be greater with Lo. After 30 min, animals tended to consume Lo at a greater rate than Hi, suggesting that satiety was delayed. Insulin concentration was increased (P less than .02) when animals consumed Hi (36.1 mU/liter) vs Lo (16.8 mU/liter) and was elevated (P less than .01) at 30 and 60 min postfeeding when animals were infused with Pr. Plasma acetate tended to be reduced with Pr infusion. Plasma Pr tended to increase with Pr infusion, especially when sheep were fed Lo. Satiety, DMI, and DEI were not affected by Pr infusion in this study.
A Uniform Approach for Synthesizing Property-Enforcing Supervisors for Partially-Observed Discrete-Event Systems

The problem under consideration in this paper is that of enforcement by supervisory control of a given property on a partially-observed discrete-event system. We present a general methodology that is applicable to a large class of properties previously studied (individually) in the literature. These properties include, but are not restricted to, safety, diagnosability, opacity, detectability, anonymity and attractability. When the given system does not satisfy the considered property, the objective is to synthesize a supervisor that restricts the system's behavior and provably enforces the given property; moreover, it is required that this supervisor be maximally permissive. We consider the general case where the system's events are partitioned into observable and unobservable events, and controllable and uncontrollable events, and we do not make any assumptions about these two partitions; in particular, we do not assume that all controllable events are observable. Our uniform approach first maps the considered property to a suitably-defined information state for the partially-observed system and then develops a supervisor synthesis methodology based on a finite bipartite transition system that embeds all reachable information states and all admissible supervisory control strategies. This transition system is called the All Enforcement Structure (or AES). We present an algorithm for the construction of the AES and discuss its properties. Then we use the AES to develop a synthesis algorithm that constructs a supervisor that is provably property enforcing and maximally permissive. We illustrate the application of our uniform approach to the enforcement of the above-mentioned properties.
Scientific and Regulatory Considerations in Solid Oral Modified Release Drug Product Development

This review presents scientific and regulatory considerations for the development of solid oral modified release (MR) drug products. It includes a rationale for patient-focused development based on Quality-by-Design (QbD) principles. Product and process understanding of MR products includes identification and risk-based evaluation of critical material attributes (CMAs), critical process parameters (CPPs), and their impact on critical quality attributes (CQAs) that affect the clinical performance. The use of various biopharmaceutics tools that link the CQAs to a predictable and reproducible clinical performance for patient benefit is emphasized. Product and process understanding lead to a more comprehensive control strategy that can maintain product quality through the shelf life and the lifecycle of the drug product. The overall goal is to develop MR products that consistently meet the clinical objectives while mitigating the risks to patients by reducing the probability and increasing the detectability of CQA failures.
Sensor Applications in RFID Technology

Radio frequency identification (RFID) technology is rapidly evolving. It has the potential to become a key element of ubiquitous sensing and ubiquitous computing solutions. The paper offers a brief overview of research directions, most promising applications, and technical challenges in this field
In-Situ Measurements to Establish the Bio-optical Model

To develop ocean color model for Case 2 waters; it is required to develop an appropriate bio-optical model in order to link the water constituent concentrations to the inherent optical properties (IOPs) and to link the IOPs to the subsurface irradiance reflectance R(0−) recorded by remote sensors. As part of this bio-optical modeling efforts, biweekly field campaigns were carried out in the Hudson/Raritan Estuary of New York-New Jersey during the course of the project (1998–2001) to obtain in-situ measurements of subsurface irradiance reflectance R(0−), together with in situ samples, that were later analyzed in the laboratory for their inherent optical properties and bio-optical modeling. The results of the field campaign with emphasis on August 1999 are presented in this chapter.
Gang subcultures and prison gangs of female youth

Inmate violence, disruptions and problems recently have been attributed to the rise of prison gangs. While some research has investigated this phenomenon, studies of female inmates, especially the juvenile population, have been largely ignored. This study examines the role of female gangs and subcultures by giving detailed, firsthand accounts from thirty-four young incarcerated women. The models used for the analysis include both the importation and deprivatiuon views of prison subculture development. Results include interpretations of the nature and extent of prison gangs, gang recruitment, prison gang problems and friendship patterns based on gang alliances. Findings support both subculture models depending upon the contextual question.
The Phospholipase A2 (PLA2) and Phospholipid Hydroperoxide Glutathione Peroxidase Activities of Peroxiredoxin 6 (Prdx6) Are Required for Repair of Peroxidized Lung Cell Membranes

Lipid peroxidation associated with peroxidative stress gradually resolves over several hours in wild type (WT) mouse lungs and isolated pulmonary endothelial cells (FRBM 87:356, 2015). However, resolution is greatly delayed in lungs or cells that are null for peroxiredoxin 6 (Prdx6). Prdx6 expresses 3 distinct enzymatic activities: phospholipase A 2 (PLA 2 ), GSH peroxidase (GPx), and lysophosphatidylcholine acyltransferase (LPCAT). All 3 activities contribute to the repair of peroxidized cell membranes. For the present study, we evaluated a mouse in which the H26 amino acid residue of Prdx6 was mutated (H26A). H26A-Prdx6 does not bind to phospholipids and, therefore, it lacks both PLA 2 activity and the ability to reduce phospholipid hydroperoxides (PLOOH GPx activity), but retains both LPCAT and peroxidase with H 2 O 2 substrate activities. Lungs were perfused with tert -butyl hydroperoxide (tBOOH, 15-25mM) for 1 h followed by 2 h perfusion with tBOOH–free solution. Lungs were assayed at intervals for lipid peroxidation by the ferrous xylenol orange and TBARS reactions. Lipid peroxidation in WT lungs increased approximately 3-fold after 2 h of lung perfusion with tBOOH but then returned to control values during during the subsequent 2 h of peroxide-free perfusion. However, lungs from H26A-Prdx6 mice showed no significant change in lipid peroxidation during the 2 h post-tBOOH period. These results indicate that the reduction (PLOOH GPx activity) or hydrolysis (PLA 2 activity) of phospholipid hydroperoxides by Prdx6 is required for reversal of lung lipid peroxidation. Further, the scavenging of low mol wt peroxides (eg, tBOOH) does not play a role in cell membrane repair.
Zero Sum Games in Pollution Control: The Games We Create versus the Games We Discover

We don't often think about pollution as a zero-sum game, but ecosystems repeatedly demonstrate that they have limited tolerances for pollution, such as when nutrient pollution transforms a lake through eutrophication. At the planetary scale, the Planetary Boundaries project has also identified several pollution-driven problems as having threshold, suggesting that zero-sum pollution games exist at this scale, as well. This essay, part of the Environmental Law Collaborative's ongoing work, compares the zero-sum pollution games that we discover with the regulatory zero-sum pollution games that we event, such as Clean Water Act TMDLs and the Clean Air Act's cap-and-trade program for acid rain. It then considers climate change's role as a zero-sum game, as well as its ability to affect other zero-sum pollution games.
Regional Institutions in an Era of Globalization and Crisis: Asia in Comparative Context

Although new and strengthened regional institutions have emerged in most regions of the global economy, institutional variation has persisted. The key dimensions of institutional variation considered here are decision rules; commitment devices, such as legalization and enfranchisement; and membership rules, which influence the success of both deepening and widening regional institutions. On these dimensions, Asian regional institutions share a common institutional design: consensus decision rules; limited delegation of authority from national governments; refusal to enfranchise non-state actors; and adoption of convoy membership rules. In addition, economics and security are not linked institutionally. Comparisons to Europe and Latin America offer explanations for the distinctiveness of Asian regional institutions. Regional characteristics - greater heterogeneity; strategic rivalries; and openness to external influence - have reinforced the existing institutional model. Dynamics of regional politics and economic integration have also contributed: peace building and economic collaboration are not linked, and demands for liberalization have been largely satisfied by unilateral measures and global commitments. Neither sovereignty costs nor the effectiveness of existing Asian institutions is a convincing explanation for Asia’s distinctiveness. The likeliest route to a new model of Asian regional institutions is a calculation that the agenda of deeper integration - creating an Asian common market - is essential to economic growth (and political survival) and that deeper integration in turn requires new regional institutions.
Neuro‐Nano Interfaces: Utilizing Nano‐Coatings and Nanoparticles to Enable Next‐Generation Electrophysiological Recording, Neural Stimulation, and Biochemical Modulation

Neural interfaces provide a window into the workings of the nervous system-enabling both biosignal recording and modulation. Traditionally, neural interfaces have been restricted to implanted electrodes to record or modulate electrical activity of the nervous system. Although these electrode systems are both mechanically and operationally robust, they have limited utility due to the resultant macroscale damage from invasive implantation. For this reason, novel nanomaterials are being investigated to enable new strategies to chronically interact with the nervous system at both the cellular and network level. In this feature article, the use of nanomaterials to improve current electrophysiological interfaces, as well as enable new nano-interfaces to modulate neural activity via alternative mechanisms, such as remote transduction of electromagnetic fields are explored. Specifically, this article will review the current use of nanoparticle coatings to enhance electrode function, then an analysis of the cutting-edge, targeted nanoparticle technologies being utilized to interface with both the electrophysiological and biochemical behavior of the nervous system will be provided. Furthermore, an emerging, specialized-use case for neural interfaces will be presented: the modulation of the blood-brain barrier.
Neutralizing Negative Pretrial Publicity: A Multi-Part Strategy

Cable news, the internet, twenty-four hour news cycles, social media websites including Facebook and Twitter, newspapers, expert and not-so-expert television commentators, interviews of and media releases by participants and observers -- some of whom may have agendas which extend beyond the case at hand -- have significantly increased the amount of information, speculation, and theories made available to the public, and thus potential jurors, about pending cases. This is all the more true with high profile cases. Consultants and lawyers have long intuitively known what psychological research shows -- pretrial publicity can have significant impact on jury verdicts. The law makes an incorrect assumption that potential jurors can compartmentalize the influence of outside information and set it aside. On this assumption, the law has, through statute and/or judicial opinions, constructed a standard for acceptance/dismissal for cause of a juror based on a juror’s self-assessment of whether he/she can set aside facts, views, and opinions and decide the case solely on the basis of the evidenced admitted at trial. This article explores the issue of pretrial publicity (PTP) and juror bias, briefly discusses the psychological literature on the realities of bias and decision-making, and offers a multi-part suggestion for addressing PTP prior to trial, during voir dire and during the trial.
Growth of Thin Films of the Defect Perovskite LaCuO3-δ by Pulsed Laser Deposition

Oriented thin films of the defect perovskite LaCuO[sub 3[minus][delta]] (LCO) have been grown on (100) SrTiO[sub 3] substrates by pulsed laser deposition. The orthorhombic, oxygen-deficient La[sub 2]Cu[sub 2]O[sub 5] ([delta] = 0.5) phase, which is the end-member of the perovskite series, is formed at a growth temperature of 700[degrees]C under 200 mTorr background O[sub 2] pressure. With additional oxygen uptake during cooldown, the orthorhombic phase can be easily converted to the monoclinic modification ([delta] [approx lt] 0.4). The more highly oxygenated tetragonal phase ([delta] [approx lt] 0.2) is, however, not obtained for background O[sub 2] pressures up to 760 Torr. Partial conversion to the tetragonal phase has been achieved by postannealing the films at 600-650[degrees]C under high oxygen pressure (450 bar). From resistivity measurements, a distinct insulator-metal transition is observed in going from the orthorhombic to the monoclinic structure, with postannealed films containing the mixed tetragonal and monoclinic phases showing the lowest resistivity. However, no evidence of superconductivity has been detected in any of the films down to 5 K.
Malignant neoplasms of the scalp. Etiology, resection, and reconstruction.

Malignant scalp neoplasms initially spread by radial extension with deep invasion occurring relatively late in the course of disease. Basal cell carcinomas have the highest incidence followed by squamous cell carcinomas and melanomas. Surgical excision provides the best chance of cure in the majority of cases. Tumor histology influences decisions about margins of resection and regional lymph node dissection. Primary closure usually can be obtained for scalp defects measuring up to 3 cm in diameter. Larger defects can be reconstructed with sldn grafts, local flaps, musculocutaneous flaps, free flaps, or transposition flaps following tissue expansion.
Grass-Shrub Competition in Arid Lands: An Overlooked Driver in Grassland–Shrubland State Transition?

Traditional models of state transition in arid lands emphasize changes in disturbance regimes and abiotic feedbacks that promote the degradation of grassland into shrubland, whereas biotic interactions like competition and facilitation are often overlooked. Here, we conducted an experiment to determine whether shrubs have a positive, neutral, or negative effect on grasses and if these interactions may play a role in grassland–shrubland state transition. Prosopis glandulosa shrub neighbors within 5 m of Bouteloua eriopoda grass patches were left intact (controls) or killed with foliar herbicide, and metrics of grass performance were evaluated over 5 years. We saw no evidence of shrub facilitation of grasses. Instead, grass ANPP responded positively to shrub removal in all years, but more so in years with above-average rainfall. Grass allocation to vegetative reproduction and grass patch size also increased when shrub neighbors were removed. These results demonstrate that biotic interference by shrubs upon grasses reinforce and magnify grazing- and drought-induced abiotic feedbacks during grassland–shrubland transitions. Shrub effects on grass should therefore be considered a key process in desert grassland state transitions.
AMPK activation regulates P-body dynamics in mouse sensory neurons in vitro and in vivo.

Abstract Increased mRNA translation in sensory neurons following peripheral nerve injury contributes to the induction and maintenance of chronic neuropathic pain. Metformin, a common anti-diabetic drug and an activator of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), inhibits cap-dependent mRNA translation and reverses mechanical hypersensitivity caused by a neuropathic injury in both mice and rats. P-bodies are RNA granules that comprise sites for metabolizing mRNA through the process of de-capping followed by RNA decay. These RNA granules may also sequester mRNAs for storage. We have previously demonstrated that induction of cap-dependent translation in cultured trigeminal ganglion (TG) neurons decreases P-body formation and AMPK activators increase P-body formation. Here we examined the impact of AMPK activation on protein synthesis and P-body formation in vitro and in vivo on mouse dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons. We demonstrate that AMPK activators inhibit nascent protein synthesis and increase P-body formation in DRG neurons. We also demonstrate that mice with a spared-nerve injury (SNI) show decreased P-bodies in the DRG, consistent with increased mRNA translation resulting from injury. Metformin treatment normalizes this effect in SNI mice and increases P-body formation in sham animals. These findings indicate that P-bodies are dynamically regulated by nerve injury in vivo and this effect can be regulated via AMPK activation.
Informal And Formal Home Care For Older Adults With Disabilities Increased, 2004-16.

Rates of informal home care use among older adults with disabilities increased from 2004 to 2016, such that in 2016 almost three-quarters of these adults received informal home care. Informal care ...