cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Forage Potential of Dwarf Napiergrass and a Pearl Millet ✕ Napiergrass Hybrid

Napiergrass [Pennisetum purpureum (L.) Schum.] and pearl millet [Pennisetum americanum (L.) Leeke; syn. Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br.] x napiergrass (PMN) hybrids have potential to fill a forage production void during fall months in the southeastern USA. In a 2-yr study, 'Mott' dwarf napiergrass, a PMN hybrid, and pearl millet were harvested five, four, and three times per year. Objectives were to evaluate forage mass production and distribution, persistence, and forage nutritive value of these Pennisetum spp. Season total forage mass was less for pearl millet (13.2 Mg ha -1 ) than for napiergrass (17.5 Mg ha -1 ) and the PMN hybrid (18.9 Mg ha -1 ). Forage mass differences were the result of napiergrass producing 4.0 Mg ha -2 and the PMN hybrid 5.4 Mg ha -2 during the fall months. Pearl millet produced no herbage during this time. Leaf percent of fall regrowth was greater for napiergrass (90%) than for the PMN hybrid (56%) when averaged over years. Generally, forage nutritive value was similar among species in this study; however, napiergrass had higher crude protein (CP) (136 g kg -1 ) than pearl millet (127 g kg -1 ) or the PMN hybrid (123 g kg -1 ). Napiergrass was the only species to perennate in this study. There were no differences for number of napiergrass tillers in early spring among harvest management treatments. All Pennisetum spp. produced large amounts of forage through late summer; however, napiergrass and the PMN hybrid continued to grow and produce forage until frost and have the potential to fill the fall forage deficit in the southeast USA.
Effects of environmental complexity and locomotor activity on brain weight in the rat.

Abstract Rats were raised from weaning until 105 days of age in isolation, in isolation plus activity, or in a complex environment with training (ECT). ECT rats had significantly greater brain weights than isolated controls. Brain weights of the activity control group were intermediate between ECT and isolated animals and did not differ significantly from either. It was concluded that while ECT effects might not be attributable to activity alone, it is a relevant factor.
Clinical determinants of dementia related to stroke.

Among 251 patients examined 3 months after the onset of acute ischemic stroke, we diagnosed dementia in 66(26.3%) by using modified DSM-III-R criteria based on neuropsychological, neurological, functional, and psychiatric examinations. We uses a logistic regression model to derive odds rations(ORs) for clinical factors independently related to dementia in this cross-sectional sample. Dementia was significantly associated with age, education, and race. A history of prior stroke (OR= 2.7) and diabetes mellitus (OR=2.6) was also independently related to dementia, but hypertension and cardiac disease were not. Stroke fearures associated with dementia included lacunar infarction compared with all other subtypes combined (OR=2.7) was also independently related to dementia, but hypertension and cardiac disease were not. Stroke features associated with dementia included lacunar infarction compared with all other subtypes combined (OR= 2.7) and hemisphetic laterality in relarion to brainstem or cerebellar location. There was a predominance of dementia in patients with left-sided lesions(Or-4.7), an effect not explained by aphasis. Dementia was especially common with infarctions in the left posterior cerebral and anterior cerebral artery territories. A major dominant hemispheral syndrome (reflecting size and laterality) was also independently associated with dementia (OR=3.9). We suggest that dementia after ischemic stroke is a result of multiple independent factors, including both small subcrtical and large cortical infarcts especially involving the left medial frontal and temporal regions, with additional contributions by demographic and vascular risk factors.
Childrens' identification of their own /s/ misarticulations☆

Six /s/ misarticulating children, two normal-articulating children, and four adults identified a variety of /s/ productions as normal and defective. The /s/ samples were embedded in short segments of speech spliced from the sentence repetitions of the same eight children. Results indicate that each misarticulator could identify at least some of his or her own productions as defective. Although no statistically significant differences appeared between groups, the two lateralizing subjects exhibited poorer identification scores on defective /s/ items than did the other groups, possibly indicating somewhat poorer auditory monitoring abilities. Included is a discussion of procedural considerations important to research of this type.
Field gradient analysis of a conical helix (for EM levitation melting)

The excitation coil used in electromagnetic-levitation melting consists of a few turns of copper tubing wound over a length of a few centimeters. The behavior of the field and the Lorentz force on a conducting specimen in it are studied for a typical coil. The equations for the field and field gradient for this excitation coil are obtained by modeling it as a helix wound over the surface of a cone. Results for the field and the Lorentz force on a conducting specimen due to current flowing in a right circular helix are presented. These results are compared with the results for an equivalent stack of coaxial loops for a typical laboratory coil. It is shown that the helix model is more realistic than the 'stack of coaxial loops' model. In the limit of vanishing pitch of the coil, the helix and the stack models are shown to be equivalent. >
Novel Drug Delivery and Its Therapeutic Application.

Abstract This well-written review text covers the Proceedings of the Third International Conference on Drug Absorption held in Edinburgh, Scotland, in September 1988. The 63 contributors to this volume are well-qualified individuals from pharmaceutical industry and academia. The book consists of 32 chapters; the first four present an introduction to various aspects of drug delivery. Chapter 5 deals with the absorption of peptides and peptide analogues, while chapters 6-10 review drug absorption in the gastrointestinal tract. Pharmacokinetic aspects of novel drug delivery systems are discussed in the next three chapters, followed by ocular, nasal, buccal, sublingual, bronchial, oral, rectal, and transdermal delivery (chapters 14–20). Chapter 21 deals with parenteral microsphere delivery systems and the following chapter with adverse effects of some of the novel delivery systems. Following chapters discuss physiological delivery of therapeutic proteins, drug transport, colloidal particles, non-ionic surfactant vesicles, liposomal delivery, microencapsulation, selfregulating insulin delivery systems, and also triggered, pulsed, and programmed drug delivery. The final two chapters of the book discuss drug regulatory aspects and future trends in this expanding and interesting field. Most chapters are adequately referenced with a few 1987 papers included; however, some do lack in quantity if not quality of cited references.
The Effect of B $^{3+}$ and Ca $^{2+}$ Co-Doping on Factors Which Affect the Energy Resolution of Gd $_{{3}}$ Ga $_{{3}}$ Al $_{{2}}$ O $_{{12}}$ : Ce

This paper investigates the effects of boron and calcium co-doping on the measured energy resolution of Gd3Ga3Al2O12:Ce (GGAG: Ce). For this study, three samples of GAGG were grown using the Czochralski method. The first sample was doped with Ce3+ and was used as a reference for comparison. The next two samples were additionally doped with either B3+ or Ca2+. The boron co-doped sample was found to have an overall improved performance when compared to the reference sample. The light output of the GGAG:Ce,B was measured to be 10% greater than the reference sample. In addition, the sample was found to have less charge trapping and a more linear relative light yield response. These factors led to an observed improvement in energy resolution from 9% in the reference sample to 7.8% in the B 3+ co-doped sample. Co-doping with Ca2+ led to an overall reduction in charge trapping; however, the sample suffered a 30% reduction in light output, and it was found to have a less linear relative light yield than the reference sample. Its energy resolution was measured to be 10.1%. The relationship between the measured energy resolution and the other measured properties in these samples is discussed.
Phase structure of the Schwinger model on the lattice with Wilson fermions in the Hartree-Fock approximation.

The phase diagram of the Schwinger model on the lattice with one and two degenerate flavors of Wilson fermions is investigated in the Hartree-Fock approximation. In the case of a single flavor (not directly amenable to numerical simulation), the calculation indicates the existence of the parity-violating phase at both weak and intermediate-to-strong couplings. In the broken phase, the Hartree-Fock vacuum sustains a nonzero electric field. With two flavors, parity is not broken at weak coupling. However, both parity and flavor become spontaneously broken at the Hartree-Fock level as the coupling becomes strong. \textcopyright{} 1996 The American Physical Society.
Final state interactions and the charge dependence of (π, πN) reactions from nuclei

Abstract The theory of pion quasi-elastic scattering leading to nucleon emission from nuclei at pion energies near the (3, 3) resonance energy is investigated. The importance of final state interactions between the outgoing nucleon and the residual nucleus is studied with particular emphasis on the relative cross sections for the reactions A ( π + , πN ) and A ( π − , πN ) and also for the reactions A ( π − , π − n ) and A ( π − , π − p ) which produce mirror nuclei in the final state. A reasonably consistent description of the available data is obtained only if compound nucleus effects are included in the final state interaction. Using an isospin basis the remarkable deviations from the simple plane wave impulse approximation theory observed in several experiments are seen to arise from the complete coherence assumptions inherent in the plane wave approach. Predictions from the present approach are made for target nuclei with nonzero neutron excess for both (π, πN ) and (π, π′) processes.
Some thoughts about the brain/mind/language interface

An historical survey of the approaches to the neural basis of language and the modularity question is summarized. Evidence from aphasia, event-related potentials (ERPs), Specific Language Impairments (SLIs) in children, asymmetry of abilities as shown by linguistic ‘savants’, sign language, separation of conceptual and linguistic knowledge, other disorders such as prosopagnosia and visual agnosia is presented to support the view that human language ability is autonomous and independent of other cognitive abilities with which it interacts in use.
An Analytical Approach to Functional Design

Functional design is a process in engineering design that dominates the key features of the result to be developed. Designing good functions that both satisfies the requirements and leads to better results is a challenge due to uncertainties on the consequences of the selected functions, and the lack of analysis methods for identifying the properties of function structures. Therefore, extensive experiences are usually required for functional design. This research argues that the physical relationships among the resulting components of a design are the consequences of functional dependencies developed during the functional design process. Therefore based on the understanding of functions and functional dependencies, a reasoning procedure can be developed to predict the performance properties of the design so that the effectiveness of the functional design can be evaluated at an early design stage. This paper proposes a dependency-based function modeling and analysis method that can be applied to represent and assess functions and function structures at the functional design stage. Designers can predict the properties of the functions they designed without having to have similar design experiences. An application software is also developed to implement the method and demonstrate its effectiveness.© 2002 ASME
On the scalar structure of nonequidiffusive premixed flames in counterflow

An experimental and computational study has been conducted for the structure and response to aerodynamic straining of adiabatic, planar, counterflow twin premixed methane/air, propane/air and hydrogen/air flames. The temperature and major species concentration profiles were experimentally determined as functions of the applied strain rate by using spontaneous Raman scattering. In addition, the experimental situations were computationally simulated with detailed reaction mechanisms and transport properties. The computed results were found to be in close quantitative agreement with the experimental data. Results on the lean, stoichiometric and rich methane/air and propane/air flames demonstrate that, except for properties related to the slow CO oxidation downstream of the active heat release region, the flame structure in the direction normal to the flame surface is mostly not sensitive to variations in the strain rate, spanning from very low values to the state of near-extinction. For the ultralean hydrogen/air and near lean-flammability limit methane/air flames, the sensitivity is noticeable but still small as compared to the extent of the strain rate variation. Implications of the present understanding on the modeling of turbulent flames through the concept of laminar flamelets are discussed.
Optimization of the dietary level of histidine in relation to the serum concentrations of zinc and copper in the weanling rat

Abstract The levels of dietary histidine for maximal rates of growth and food intake and their relationships with zinc and copper status were evaluated in weanling male rats fed diets containing graded levels of histidine at 0.0, 0.05, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4 and 0.6%. The maximal rate of growth, as calculated by a mathematical model, was reached at 0.40% of dietary histidine and food intake was normalized at 0.30% of histidine. The serum levels of zinc were increased, while copper levels were decreased, with increasing dietary histidine. A strong inverse relationship between serum zinc and copper was observed between 0.00 and 0.40% of dietary histidine. The ratio of zinc to copper increased linearly with increasing levels of dietary histidine, plateauing at 0.40%. The results suggest that the status of zinc and copper, as affected by dietary histidine and the interaction between the two minerals, may be an important determinant of the rate of growth and food intake and may serve as a useful index in assessing the adequacy of dietary histidine.
Instrumentation and Measurement of Ultraviolet, Visible, and Infrared Radiation

Modern radiometry provides the means to determine output parameters of lasers and other high-intensity light sources. Accurate measurement of ultraviolet, visible, and infrared radiation energy (or power), wavelength, pulse duration, and spectral irradiance are of interest to the U.S. Army Environmental Hygiene Agency. This information is needed in the evaluation of ocular hazards to personnel who may be exposed to laser beams or their specular or diffuse reflections or to high-intensity searchlights. In this paper thermal detectors and vacuum and semiconductor photo-diodes will be discussed in connection with the measurement of pulsed laser outputs. The measurement of CW laser or searchlight outputs can be performed with calorimeters, thermopiles, photodiodes, photomultipliers, and spectroradiometers. The applications, advantages, and disadvantages of these devices will be discussed, and typical instrumentation will be described.
Differences in bonding for Hf and Ta in metal-rich chalconides and pnictides

Abstract On the basis of the Brewer-Engel correlation, an explanation of the metallic bonding of Ta and Hf in the Ta 2 P, Ta 2 S, and Hf 2 S structures is suggested. The coordination polyhedra about the Ta and Hf atoms in the above phases are compared and contrasted with those found in other Group IVB and VB metal-rich chalconide and pnictide structures.
The impact of decoupled payments on U.S. cropland values

An extensive literature has shown that various farm programs may influence the value of farmland, but other studies have not examined the cropland price effects of direct, or decoupled, payments separate from countercyclical payments. This study uses nationally representative confidential field-level panel data with farmer-reported per-acre land values. We analyze the impact of decoupled and other farm program payments on farmland values. Using a fixed effects model and controlling for various factors that influence farmland values, we find that an additional dollar of decoupled payments has a large and statistically significant impact on farmland values of about $18 per acre. These results are comparable with similar studies undertaken in Europe.
Influence of Pigments in Starter and Finisher/Withdrawal Diets on Broiler Skin and Shank Pigmentation

Abstract Chicks that had been reared to 3 weeks of age on diets containing either 0, 50, or 100% corn as the cereal were distributed across three finisher/withdrawal diets varying in pigment level and type. A corn-soy basal diet was compared with a diet with 6% added corn gluten meal and also with a third diet with 3% corn gluten meal plus Hi Glo 2 , a commercial mix of predominantly red carotenoid pigments. When slaughtered at 52 days of age, there were no differences in breast skin or shank skin pigmentation due to level of corn xanthophyll in starter diets. This suggests that pigment levels in starter diets are of little significance for skin pigmentation broilers at slaughter age. Breast and shank skin pigmentation was significantly improved by the addition of 6% corn gluten and by a combination of 3% gluten plus the red pigment source. There was little difference between the two treatments with gluten, indicating that the red pigment source can be used as a partial substitute for xanthophyll to obtain desirable broiler skin color.
Tracing river gravels: Insights into dispersion from a long-term field experiment

Abstract Sediment dispersion is a fundamental component of the sediment transfer process in gravel-bed rivers. Modeling this process requires an understanding of the collective movement of mixed-size clasts. This study explores the temporal evolution of gravel dispersion to underscore the importance of field observation in informing modeling efforts. Magnetically tagged gravels deployed in Carnation Creek have been monitored repeatedly over 17 years. Four metrics used to describe the extent of dispersion document that the overall shape in the spatial distribution of grain location changes over time. The general trends mask the complexity of the dispersion process, expressed by channel sections where tracers are concentrated regardless of grain size. The distribution of total grain displacement responsible for dispersion evolves as tracers become well mixed. Results demonstrate that observations from the field are crucial to the understanding and modeling of sediment dispersion because they provide key insights into the dispersion process that must be known a priori for mathematical modeling and similar observations cannot be collected using laboratory flumes.
Entertainment–Retail Centres in Hong Kong and Los Angeles: Trends and Lessons

Abstract This paper examines the evolution and recent trends in the design of Entertainment Retail Centres (ERCs) in Los Angeles and Hong Kong. Most of the literature on spaces of consumption and leisure deals with economic reasons for the development of these spaces, and with the social, cultural, and political implications of the phenomenon. There are limitations to this approach that this study addresses. First, there has been a lack of attention to processes of globalization in the analysis of these spaces. Furthermore, a largely US-centred approach has left out an understanding of the significance of the ERC phenomenon in other societies. Secondly, the literature lacks a sufficient appreciation of the particularities of urban planning and design associated with ERCs. A body of work addresses the issues of the organization of space within the mall, and its architectonics. However, these studies are by definition limited to the complex, and not oriented towards the urban setting. This paper seeks to ad...
Partially parallel MR image reconstruction using sensitivity encoding

A new algorithm is presented for efficiently solving image reconstruction problems that arise in partially parallel magnetic resonance imaging. This algorithm minimizes an objective function of the form φ(Bu) + 1/2||FpSu - f||2, where φ is the regularization term which may be nonsmooth. In image reconstruction, the φ term corresponds to total variation smoothing and/or L1 regularization term. The least square term 1/2||FpSu - f||2 is the fidelity term. In our application, f represents undersampled data from a partially parallel imaging (PPI) system. The proposed algorithm is a generalization of the Bregman operator splitting algorithm with variable stepsize (BOSVS) in which the previous Barzilai-Borwein (BB) step is replaced by a cyclic BB (CBB) step, and an L1 term Ψ is added to the energy function. Experimental results on clinical partially parallel imaging data are given.
Evaluation of lightweight wheelchairs using ANSI/RESNA testing standards

Lightweight wheelchairs are characterized by their low cost and limited range of adjustment. Our study evaluated three different folding lightweight wheelchair models using the American National Standards Institute/Rehabilitation Engineering Society of North America (ANSI/RESNA) standards to see whether quality had improved since the previous data were reported. On the basis of reports of increasing breakdown rates in the community, we hypothesized that the quality of these wheelchairs had declined. Seven of the nine wheelchairs tested failed to pass the multidrum test durability requirements. An average of 194,502 +/- 172,668 equivalent cycles was completed, which is similar to the previous test results and far below the 400,000 minimum required to pass the ANSI/RESNA requirements. This was also significantly worse than the test results for aluminum ultralight folding wheelchairs. Overall, our results uncovered some disturbing issues with these wheelchairs and suggest that manufacturers should put more effort into this category to improve quality. To improve the durability of lightweight wheelchairs, we suggested that stronger regulations be developed that require wheelchairs to be tested by independent and certified test laboratories. We also proposed a wheelchair rating system based on the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration vehicle crash ratings to assist clinicians and end users when comparing the durability of different wheelchairs.
Novel bright small molecular white OLEDs

Bright [indium tin oxide (ITO)]/[N,N'-diphenyl-N,N'-bis(1- naphthyl-phenyl)-1,1'-biphenyl-4,4'-diamine(NPB)]/[2 wt.% perylene-doped 4,4'-bis(9-carbazolyl) biphenyl (CBP)]/[2-(4- biphenylyl)-5-(4-tert-butylphenyl)-1,3,4-oxadiazole (Bu- PBD)]/[2 wt.% 4-(dicyano-methylene)-2-methyl-6-(p-dimethyl aminostyryl)-4H-pyran (DCM1)-doped tris-(8-hydroxy quinoline) Al(Alq3)]/CsF/Al OLEDS are described. The electroluminescence (EL) spectra consist of blue and green bands at 453, 487, and 524 nm due to perylene and a red band at 600 nm due to DCM1, i.e., the emission zones are completely separated by the Bu-PBD. As the thickness of the NPB and perylene: CBP layers increases and that of the DCM1:alq3 layer decreases the intensity of the perylene emission increases strongly relative to the DCM1 emission. For 350 A thick NPB, 350 A thick perylene: CBP, 100 A Bu- PBD, and 150 A DCM1:Alq3, the onset voltage is 6.5 V, the brightness reaches 3750 Cd/m2 at 20 V, the efficiency is 2.4 Cd/A at 19V, and the (x,y) CIE coordinates are well within the white region. However, as the bias is increased the intensity of the perylene emission increases relative to the DCM1 emission, so (x,y) evolves from (0.42, 0.35) at 14V to (0.29, 0.32) at 21V. Both the layer thickness- and bias-dependence are believed to result from changes in the recombination zone and in the field-and cathode-mirror- induced quenching of the DCM1 singlet excitons.
Appearance of Scandal

Daedalus Spring 2004 After the screaming and the poisonous accusations, after the broken vase and rib, after the gonorrhea, waking up to 1⁄2nd Anthony gone was not the hardest thing. It was not the hardest thing to sleep on the fluffy clown rug between the girls’ beds, or to come to school to pick up Stephanie the day a rash bloomed across her chest. It was not even so hard to forward Anthony’s mail and to review the bar association’s list of divorce lawyers, so many of whom Anthony had gone to law school with, and mocked. The hardest thing was sitting in church, where the scalding sense of failure shot from Beth’s hairline to the soles of her feet. Surrounded by intact families with husbands who looked proud of their wives–Anthony had not looked proud, ever–Beth read the ads for funeral homes and cpas on the back of the bulletin, leafed through the hymnal, distracted herself in every way she could think of until the hour was over and she could race to the parking lot, always one of the 1⁄2rst to gun it out. “You don’t know how hard it is,” she said to Father Marino. “If it weren’t for the kids, I wouldn’t come back here.” “Then thank goodness for the kids,” he said. The easiest thing after Anthony left was Beth’s talks with Father Marino. Every week he made room for her in a schedule 1⁄2lled with Social Justice Committee meetings and intramural soccer and the daily hospital visits–needs more legitimate than her small loneliness and sorrow. Every week he opened his of1⁄2ce door and produced his cracked-tooth grin, and she saw the sort of boy he must have been, round headed and cocky, sure of the world’s affection. He had long ago captured the affections of everybody at Holy Name. After cranky Father Mestin had retired and nervous Father Torbeiner had been whisked away with so little explanation –people still murmured about him–parishioners recognized their good fortune in Father Marino. He had a friendly habit of snapping off his Roman collar in mid-conversation. “Enough of this. Let’s talk.” People con1⁄2ded in him– guilty teenagers and angry mothers and the whole Men’s Club, which took Fiction by Erin McGraw
Dense sphere packings from optimized correlation functions.

Elementary smooth functions beyond contact are employed to construct pair correlation functions that mimic jammed disordered sphere packings. Using the g2-invariant optimization method of Torquato and Stillinger J. Phys. Chem. B 106, 8354 2002, parameters in these functions are optimized under necessary realizability conditions to maximize the packing fraction and average number of contacts per sphere Z .A pair correlation function that incorporates the salient features of a disordered packing and that is smooth beyond contact is shown to permit a of 0.6850: this value represents a 45% reduction in the difference between the maximum for congruent hard spheres in three dimensions, /18 0.7405 and 0.64, the approximate fraction associated with maximally random jammed packings in three dimensions. We show that, surprisingly, the continued addition of elementary functions consisting of smooth sinusoids decaying as r �4 permits packing fractions approaching /18. A translational order metric is used to discriminate between degrees of order in the packings presented. We find that to achieve higher packing fractions, the degree of order must increase, which is consistent with the results of a previous study Torquato et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 84, 2064 2000.
Preparation of the sea water reference material for trace metals, NASS-1

Abstract The preparation of a sea water reference material, NASS-1, is described. The sea water is an open ocean sample, salinity 35.07‰, gathered at the 1300 metre level in the North Atlantic, south-east of Bermuda. It is acidified to pH 1.6 with nitric acid and bottled in 2 1 polyethylene bottles. Reliable values are available for 11 trace metals (As, Cd, Cr, Co, Cu, Fe, Pb, Mn, Mo, Ni and Zn). The results of a long-term sea water storage experiment are also described.
A solution to the multiple aspect coverage problem

We introduce a novel task that arises in underwater search and inspection. In this task, an underwater vehicle must re-acquire and identify clusters of discrete objects. The challenge is to generate an efficient path for the vehicle given a probabilistic description of potential target locations. We propose an algorithm that generates an efficient path and show that the algorithm is superior to standard approaches.
Dietary Iron and Colorectal Cancer Risk: A Review of Human Population Studies

Iron is an essential micronutrient that is involved in many redox processes and serves as an integral component in various physiological functions. However, excess iron can cause tissue damage through its pro-oxidative effects, potentiating the development of many diseases such as cancer through the generation of reactive oxidative species. The two major forms of iron in the diet are heme and nonheme iron, both of which are found in several different foods. In addition to natural food sources, intake of nonheme iron may also come from fortified foods or in supplement form. This review summarizes the results of human population studies that have examined the role of dietary iron (heme and nonheme), heme iron alone, and iron from supplements in colorectal carcinogenesis.
Mice with chronically increased circulating ghrelin develop age-related glucose intolerance

Ghrelin is a gut peptide that stimulates food intake and increases body fat mass when administered centrally or peripherally. In this study, ghrelin was overexpressed in neurons using the neuron-specific enolase (NSE) promoter sequences and mouse ghrelin cDNA (NSE-Ghr). Ghrelin expression in NSE-Ghr brain tissues was increased compared with wild-type mice. Ghrelin expression was also increased to a much smaller extent in liver of these mice, but mRNA levels in stomach or duodenum did not differ from wild-type mice. Body weight and composition was analyzed in two lines of NSE-Ghr mice, one line with increased circulating bioactive ghrelin (L43) and one line without (L73). No increases in body weight, food intake, or fat mass were found. Energy expenditure was measured in L43 mice and did not differ from wild-type controls, whereas locomotor activity was increased in NSE-Ghr mice. Young NSE-Ghr mice had normal glucose tolerance; however, L43 NSE-Ghr mice, but not L73 mice, developed glucose intolerance at 32 wk of age. Despite the impaired glucose tolerance in L43 mice, insulin levels did not differ from those of wild-type mice. These findings suggest a role for ghrelin in age-associated impairments of glucose homeostasis.
Stochastic sampling of the RNA structural alignment space

A novel method is presented for predicting the common secondary structures and alignment of two homologous RNA sequences by sampling the ‘structural alignment’ space, i.e. the joint space of their alignments and common secondary structures. The structural alignment space is sampled according to a pseudo-Boltzmann distribution based on a pseudo-free energy change that combines base pairing probabilities from a thermodynamic model and alignment probabilities from a hidden Markov model. By virtue of the implicit comparative analysis between the two sequences, the method offers an improvement over single sequence sampling of the Boltzmann ensemble. A cluster analysis shows that the samples obtained from joint sampling of the structural alignment space cluster more closely than samples generated by the single sequence method. On average, the representative (centroid) structure and alignment of the most populated cluster in the sample of structures and alignments generated by joint sampling are more accurate than single sequence sampling and alignment based on sequence alone, respectively. The ‘best’ centroid structure that is closest to the known structure among all the centroids is, on average, more accurate than structure predictions of other methods. Additionally, cluster analysis identifies, on average, a few clusters, whose centroids can be presented as alternative candidates. The source code for the proposed method can be downloaded at http:// rna.urmc.rochester.edu.
Sum Rate Analysis of a Reduced Feedback OFDMA Downlink System Employing Joint Scheduling and Diversity

We consider joint scheduling and diversity to enhance the benefits of multiuser diversity in an orthogonal frequency-division multiple access (OFDMA) downlink system. The OFDMA spectrum is assumed to consist of NRB resource blocks and the reduced feedback scheme consists of each user feeding back channel quality information (CQI) for only the best-NFB resource blocks. Assuming largest normalized CQI scheduling and a general value for NFB, we develop a unified framework to analyze the sum rate of the system for both the quantized and nonquantized CQI feed- back schemes. Based on this framework, we provide closed-form expressions for the sum rate for three different multiantenna transmitter schemes; transmit antenna selection (TAS), orthogonal space time block codes (OSTBC) and cyclic delay diversity (CDD). Furthermore, we approximate the sum rate expression and determine the feedback ratio (NFB/NRB) required to achieve a sum rate comparable to the sum rate obtained by a full feedback scheme.
A double-blind randomized controlled trial of continuous intravenous Ketorolac vs placebo for adjuvant pain control after renal surgery

Objective To evaluate the efficacy and safety of a novel, continuous intravenous infusion of ketorolac, a powerful nonopioid analgesic, for postoperative pain control.
Development and evaluation of a data‐adaptive alerting algorithm for univariate temporal biosurveillance data

This paper discusses further advances in making robust predictions with the Holt-Winters forecasts for a variety of syndromic time series behaviors and introduces a control-chart detection approach based on these forecasts. Using three collections of time series data, we compare biosurveillance alerting methods with quantified measures of forecast agreement, signal sensitivity, and time-to-detect. The study presents practical rules for initialization and parameterization of biosurveillance time series. Several outbreak scenarios are used for detection comparison. We derive an alerting algorithm from forecasts using Holt-Winters-generalized smoothing for prospective application to daily syndromic time series. The derived algorithm is compared with simple control-chart adaptations and to more computationally intensive regression modeling methods. The comparisons are conducted on background data from both authentic and simulated data streams. Both types of background data include time series that vary widely by both mean value and cyclic or seasonal behavior. Plausible, simulated signals are added to the background data for detection performance testing at signal strengths calculated to be neither too easy nor too hard to separate the compared methods. Results show that both the sensitivity and the timeliness of the Holt-Winters-based algorithm proved to be comparable or superior to that of the more traditional prediction methods used for syndromic surveillance.
The mouse genome: Experimental examination of gene predictions and transcriptional start sites

The completion of the mouse and other mammalian genome sequences will provide necessary, but not sufficient, knowledge for an understanding of much of mouse biology at the molecular level. As a requisite next step in this process, the genes in mouse and their structure must be elucidated. In particular, knowledge of the transcriptional start site of these genes will be necessary for further study of their regulatory regions. To assess the current state of mouse genome annotation to support this activity, we identified several hundred gene predictions in mouse with varying levels of supporting evidence and tested them using RACE-PCR. Modifications were made to the procedure allowing pooling of RNA samples, resulting in a scaleable procedure. The results illustrate potential errors or omissions in the current 5' end annotations in 58% of the genes detected. In testing experimentally unsupported gene predictions, we were able to identify 58 that are not usually annotated as genes but produced spliced transcripts (approximately 25% success rate). In addition, in many genes we were able to detect novel exons not predicted by any gene prediction algorithms. In 19.8% of the genes detected in this study, multiple transcript species were observed. These data show an urgent need to provide direct experimental validation of gene annotations. Moreover, these results show that direct validation using RACE-PCR can be an important component of genome-wide validation. This approach can be a useful tool in the ongoing efforts to increase the quality of gene annotations, especially transcriptional start sites, in complex genomes.
Flavobacterium johnsoniae Chitinase ChiA Is Required for Chitin Utilization and Is Secreted by the Type IX Secretion System

Flavobacterium johnsoniae, a member of phylum Bacteriodetes, is a gliding bacterium that digests insoluble chitin and many other polysaccharides. A novel protein secretion system, the type IX secretion system (T9SS), is required for gliding motility and for chitin utilization. Five potential chitinases were identified by genome analysis. Fjoh_4555 (ChiA), a 168.9-kDa protein with two glycoside hydrolase family 18 (GH18) domains, was targeted for analysis. Disruption of chiA by insertional mutagenesis resulted in cells that failed to digest chitin, and complementation with wild-type chiA on a plasmid restored chitin utilization. Antiserum raised against recombinant ChiA was used to detect the protein and to characterize its secretion by F. johnsoniae. ChiA was secreted in soluble form by wild-type cells but remained cell associated in strains carrying mutations in any of the T9SS genes, gldK, gldL, gldM, gldNO, sprA, sprE, and sprT. Western blot and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) analyses suggested that ChiA was proteolytically processed into two GH18 domain-containing proteins. Proteins secreted by T9SSs typically have conserved carboxy-terminal domains (CTDs) belonging to the TIGRFAM families TIGR04131 and TIGR04183. ChiA does not exhibit strong similarity to these sequences and instead has a novel CTD. Deletion of this CTD resulted in accumulation of ChiA inside cells. Fusion of the ChiA CTD to recombinant mCherry resulted in secretion of mCherry into the medium. The results indicate that ChiA is a soluble extracellular chitinase required for chitin utilization and that it relies on a novel CTD for secretion by the F. johnsoniae T9SS.
Nutrigenomics and cancer therapy.

As an increasingly prevalent disease and a leading cause of death, cancer is a major threat to human health. Although cancer research has provided us with a better understanding of cancer biology, we still face numerous challenges in cancer treatment and prevention. Current therapies are largely limited to surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy, which remain unsatisfactory. In particular, there are many problems in chemotherapy, such as low response rate, poor specificity, drug resistance, and severe side effects. Thus, we still have much to do in order to improve the current situation. It is our priority to identify and develop alternative treatment options that can increase efficacy, reduce side effects, and improve quality of life for cancer patients. In this context, nutrigenomics is emerging as a field that holds great promise for this endeavor because of its capability to modulate cancer metabolism and tumorigenesis through nutritional intervention. Cancer metabolism has gained unprecedented attention due to its involvement in every stage of cancer development. Cancer cells are characterized by an altered metabolism to sustain their rapid growth. One well-recognized alteration is the reprogramming of cellular energy production, known as the Warburg effect: unlike normal cells that primarily utilize oxidative phosphorylation, cancer cells predominantly produce energy by a high rate of glycolysis followed by lactic acid fermentation, and thus require a large supply of glucose [1] . Recent studies have revealed that changes in gene expression, such as phosphofructokinase 1 [2] and pyruvate kinase type M2 [3] , are implicated in this altered pathway. Cancer cells also exhibit an increased production of certain metabolites that serve as building blocks to meet proliferation requirements. In particular, lipid synthesis is enhanced in cancer cells by the upregulation of fatty acid-metabolizing enzymes, such as fatty acid synthase [4] , stearoyl-CoA desaturase-1 [5] , and delta-6 desaturase [6] . Furthermore, the production of factors that support the tumor microenvironment is augmented in cancer cells. For example, one well-known metabolic biomarker of cancer is the overexpression of cyclooxygenase-2, which is responsible for converting omega-6 arachidonic acid into tumor-promoting eicosanoids [7] . It is clear that nutrient metabolism is critical for cancer biology, and thus modulation of the metabolic pathways would have profound effects on cancer development. Certain nutrients have been shown to be capable of modulating gene expression related to cancer hallmarks, such as inflammation, angiogenesis, and proliferation, through multiple mechanisms. For example, polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) can influence gene expression
Vegetable Protein Diets for Turkeys

Abstract THE nutritive requirements of growing turkeys usually parallel and exceed those of growing chickens. Hammond and Titus (1943) have found it possible to obtain rapid growth in chickens by feeding diets containing no animal protein. Hunter, Marble, and Knandel (1935) found that soybean meal or corn gluten meal could be substituted for a part of the fish meal, meat scrap, and dried skimmilk ordinarily included in turkey starting and growing diets. Funk and Kempster (1940) found cottonseed meal and corn gluten meal equal in value in turkey starting and growing diets, and soybean meal to be superior to either corn gluten meal or cottonseed meal. Their starting and growing mashes contained 10 percent of meat scrap and 5 percent of dried skimmilk, hence did not provide a critical test of the value of the vegetable protein supplements. The high protein requirement of turkeys together with the shortage of animal prortein . . .
CRMA: an access scheme for high-speed LANs and MANs

Cyclic-reservation multiple access is presented for networks based on slotted unidirectional bus structure, both folded and dual-bus configurations. The cyclic-reservation access provides both throughput efficiency and flexibility in capacity allocation, which can be used to achieve any set of fairness conditions. The reservation-cancellation backpressure minimizes the worst-case access delay. CRMA provides the capability of reserving consecutive slots for transmitting a packet, thus facilitating reassembly, and is well suited to supercomputer-networking applications such as visualization, high-resolution graphics, and image-retrieval systems. The recovery from transmission errors is simple owing to the centralized-global-queue approach. These properties make CRMA suitable for both LANs and MANs in the gigabit-per-second, as well as the 100-Mb/s speed range. >
Theory and practice in the design of physician payment incentives.

Combining the economic literature on principal-agent relationships with examples of marketplace innovations allows analysis of the evolution of methods for paying physicians. Agency theory and the economic principles of performance-based compensation are applied in the context of imperfect information, risk aversion, multiple interrelated tasks, and team production efficiencies. Fee-for-service and capitation are flawed methods of motivating physicians to achieve specific goals. Payment innovations that blend elements of fee-for-service, capitation, and case rates can preserve the advantages and attenuate the disadvantages of each. These innovations include capitation with fee-for-service carve-outs, department budgets with individual fee-for-service or “contact” capitation, and case rates for defined episodes of illness. The context within which payment incentives are embedded, includes such nonprice mechanisms as screening and monitoring and such organizational relationships as employment and ownership. The analysis has implications for health services research and public policy with respect to physician payment incentives.
Optical characterization of temperature- and composition-dependent microstructure in asphalt binders

We introduce noncontact optical microscopy and optical scattering to characterize asphalt binder microstructure at temperatures ranging from 15°C to 85°C for two compositionally different asphalt binders. We benchmark optical measurements against rheometric measurements of the magnitude of the temperature-dependent bulk complex shear modulus |G*(T)|. The main findings are: (1) Elongated (∼5 × 1 μm), striped microstructures (known from AFM studies as 'bees' because they resemble bumble-bees) are resolved optically, found to reside primarily at the surface and do not reappear immediately after a single heating-cooling cycle. (2) Smaller (∼1 μm(2) ) microstructures with no observable internal structure (hereafter dubbed 'ants'), are found to reside primarily in the bulk, to persist after multiple thermal cycles and to scatter light strongly. Optical scattering from 'ants' decreases to zero with heating from 15°C to 65°C, but recovers completely upon cooling back to 15°C, albeit with distinct hysteresis. (3) Rheometric measurements of |G*(T)| reveal hysteresis that closely resembles that observed by optical scatter, suggesting that thermally driven changes in microstructure volume fraction cause corresponding changes in |G*(T)|.
Radiolabeled Antibodies: Introduction and Metal Conjugation Techniques

The use of radiolabeled antibodies in the detection and treatment of cancer has been in practice since the early 1980’s. Radioimmunoimaging is an in vivo diagnostic technique where a radiolabeled antibody is taken up or bound to an antigen in a target tissue. This allows for non-invasive imaging of the antigen containing tissue, using a gamma camera or a positron emission tomograph (PET) scanner, for subsequent therapy or resection of the tissue if necessary. Radioimmunotherapy is the delivery of a therapeutic quantity of a radioisotope to the same antigen containing tissue to ablate or reduce a primary or metastatic carcinoma. This chapter will cover the basic principles of antibodies, subsequent conjugation with bifunctional chelates and radiolabeling for the purpose of radioimmunoimaging or radioimmunotherapy.
Exploring and Estimating the Revenues and Profits of Participants in Stolen Data Markets

ABSTRACTResearchers have begun to explore the problem of mass data breaches, where consumer information is acquired by cybercriminals and sold in open markets on-line. Although studies document the social processes of the market and relationships between buyers and sellers, few have considered the revenues earned from market transactions. This study explored these issues using a sample of threads from 10 Russian language and 3 English language Web forums used to sell stolen data. Estimates were generated on the total number of transactions completed by participants along with the advertised prices for the two most common forms of personal information sold. The findings demonstrated that buyers may earn a range of revenues from the sale of stolen data, although this figure was smaller than the potential profits earned from fraudulent use and identity crimes by data buyers. The implications of this study for cybercrime research and policy are explored in detail.