cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Novel hybrid solar nanophotonic distillation membrane with photovoltaic module for co-production of electricity and water

Abstract Solar energy utilization and desalination are both critical needs for large portions of the world facing energy and water challenges. Direct contact membrane distillation is an attractive thermally driven desalination technique that can easily be integrated with solar energy. Here we propose and experimentally demonstrate for the first time a hybrid direct contact membrane desalination plus photovoltaic device. The system utilizes partially transparent photovoltaic cells to produce electricity and pass thermal energy to the nanoparticle doped membrane to produce thermal energy at the membrane surface. A custom lab-scale direct contact membrane distillation setup characterizes the membranes fabricated off-sun and on-sun. The doped membrane exhibited a 15–32% increase in desalination performance (compared to an undoped membrane) when exposed to solar irradiance while simultaneously producing an average of 0.36 W of electrical power (at a module area of 225 cm2 and solar irradiance values of ∼ 600 W/m2). Water production costs demonstrate a reduction of roughly 5% when the photovoltaic system is integrated directly into the desalination unit.
Direct and Indirect Associations between Family Residential Mobility, Parent Functioning, and Adolescent Behavioral Health.

Residential mobility and caregiver social support are two key factors influencing adolescents’ and their caregivers’ health status. However, few studies have examined whether these factors vary across developmental periods. The present study therefore adopted a life course perspective to investigate the longitudinal effects of residential mobility and caregiver social support on a range of individual health outcomes (i.e., caregiver depression, adolescent internalizing problems, and adolescent externalizing problems) among families exposed to disadvantaged social and economic conditions. Data were obtained from the Longitudinal Studies in Child Abuse and Neglect, and 425 children and their caregivers who completed the age 12, 14, 16, and 18 interviews were included in this study. Structural equation modeling was conducted to test the measurement and structural models. The results showed that greater residential mobility was significantly associated with higher levels of caregiver depression, which in turn led to more adolescent internalizing and externalizing problems. Alternatively, higher levels of caregiver social support mitigated the levels of caregiver depression, which in turn resulted in fewer adolescent internalizing and externalizing problems. Highly mobile children and their caregivers were found to be vulnerable to several negative health outcomes and in high need of mental and behavioral health support and services. These findings inform important policy and practice implications on social support for mobile caregivers to address their children’s behavioral problems.
Hydrogen sulfide mediates the cardioprotective effects of gene therapy with PKG-Iα

Cyclic GMP-dependent protein kinase (PKG) is a serine-threonine kinase that mediates the cardioprotective effect of ischemic and pharmacologic preconditioning. Since hydrogen sulfide (H2S) has been implicated in mediating the cardioprotective effects of the cGMP modulators tadalafil and cinaciguat, we tested the hypothesis that myocardial gene therapy with PKG exerts cardioprotection against ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury through a mechanism involving H2S. Adult rat cardiomyocytes were infected with adenoviral vector encoding PKGIα or inactive mutant PKGIαK390A (K390A) for 24 h. Necrosis and apoptosis (n = 6/group) were determined after 90 min of simulated ischemia and 1 or 18 h of reoxygenation, respectively. To study the effect of PKGIα in vivo, mice received intramyocardial injections of adenoviral PKGIα or K390A. Four days later, the hearts were subjected to 30 min of ischemia followed by reperfusion for 24 h. The inhibitor of H2S-producing enzyme, cystathionine-γ-lyase (CSE), dl-propargylglycine (PAG, 50 mg/kg, ip) was given 30 min before ischemia. PKGIα overexpression induced CSE expression, whereas cystathionine-β-synthase (CBS) and 3-mercaptopyruvate sulfurtransferase expression was not changed. PKGIα overexpression increased H2S in the heart and cardiomyocytes in relation to control and PKGIαK390A. Moreover, PAG abolished protection with PKGIα in vitro by increasing necrosis (35.2 ± 1.7%, P < 0.05) and apoptosis (23.5 ± 1.8 %, P < 0.05) as compared to PKGIα-overexpressing cells (necrosis: 17.2 ± 0.9% and apoptosis: 13.2 ± 0.8%). In vivo, PKGIα overexpression reduced infarct size and preserved left ventricular fractional shortening as compared with K390A (P < 0.05) and PAG abolished the cardioprotective effect of PKGIα. The protective effect of myocardial gene therapy with PKGIα against I/R injury is mediated through a mechanism involving H2S signaling.
Production of Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha by B-Cell Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia Cells: A Possible Regulatory Role of TNF in the Progression of the Disease

Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF) is a cytokine that displays a pleomorphic array of effects on different cell populations. Evidence is presented that TNF may be constitutively produced by B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL) and hairy cell leukemia (HCL) cells and that it may play a relevant role in these diseases. These conclusions are based on the presence of circulating levels of TNF in the serum of 20 of the 24 patients tested (83.3%), while undetectable values were found in normal sera. The suggestion that the increased serum levels were due to the leukemic cell population is strengthened by the evidence that purified B-CLL and HCL cells may constitutively release variable degrees of TNF. These levels markedly increase after incubation with interferon gamma or phytohemagglutinin (PHA) plus phorbol myristate acetate (PMA). The cellular release of TNF by primary B-CLL cells was significantly (P less than .001) higher in B-CLL stage O-I patients compared with stage II-III patients. The demonstration that, in B-cell chronic lymphoproliferative disorders, the pathologic cells may release TNF was further confirmed by the presence of the mRNA for this cytokine in primary and/or in pre-activated cells. Recombinant TNF was capable of inducing a proliferative signal only in a minority of cases (4/24); in most cases it was ineffective, and, in a few, it reduced the degree of proliferation. Furthermore, in costimulatory experiments with interleukin-2 and PHA plus PMA, TNF was ineffective. On the other hand, when primary B-CLL cells were incubated in the presence of an anti-TNF antibody, in 8 of 12 independent experiments a 2- to 15-fold increase in thymidine uptake was documented. Taken together, these results suggest that TNF may play a regulatory role in the progression of the neoplastic clone in B-cell chronic lymphoproliferative disorders and may be implicated in some of the side effects associated with these diseases.
Productivity of the Antarctic Waters ‐ A Reappraisal

The study of Antarctic marine phytoplankton has a long history that dates back nearly a century and a half, when J. D. Hooker, the famed botanist-surgeon of the EREBUS and TERROR Expedition (1839-43) reported the ubiquitous presence of diatoms during the Antarctic summer. Hooker sent some of the samples collected between Cape Horn and the Ross Sea to C. G. Ehrenberg, who published the first paper on Antarctic diatoms in 1844.
Bioreporters and Biosensors for Environmental Analysis

The study of microbial ecology is necessary for a full understanding of the natural world. Microorganisms affect every aspect of life, from global nutrient cycling to organismal physiology to specific commensal relationships that fill diverse niches. The investigation of microbial ecology is made more difficult by the extremely small size of the organisms, as well as by the multiplicity of species that characterize a microbial community. In fact, most of the microorganisms have not yet been described, so that any examination of a natural community will, of necessity, involve only a minority of species. Yet even these limited investigations can yield important information. It is thus useful to be able to examine individual species as they establish in a community, and as they interact with other members of that community. To accomplish this task, both bioreporters and biosensors have been developed. These tools have already increased our knowledge of normal physiological processes, and will undoubtedly contribute much more in the future.
Candida krusei infectious arthritis: A rare complication of neutropenia

Abstract Candida krusei infections are increasing in neutropenic patients. This is the first report of a case of C. krusei arthritis in a neutropenic leukemic patient. The organism colonized the patient's respiratory tract and most likely seeded the right knee by hematogenous spread. Knee swelling and tenderness were minimal. Joint fluid Gram stain and fungal smears did not show the organism despite positive results on cultures. With therapy, the joint fluid converted from neutrophilic predominance to lymphocytic predominance. Despite sterilization of knee fluid, clinical relapse occurred after therapy with 256 mg of systemic amphotericin B; the infection was cured after a total dose of 456 mg.
Diet-induced obesity alters anabolic signalling in mice at the onset of skeletal muscle regeneration.

Aim Obesity is classified as a metabolic disorder that is associated with delayed muscle regeneration following damage. For optimal skeletal muscle regeneration, inflammation along with extracellular matrix remodelling and muscle growth must be tightly regulated. Moreover, the regenerative process is dependent on the activation of myogenic regulatory factors (MRFs) for myoblast proliferation and differentiation. The purpose of this study was to determine how obesity alters inflammatory and protein synthetic signalling and MRF expression at the onset of muscle regeneration in mice. Methods Forty-eight male C57BL/6J mice (3 weeks old) were randomly assigned to either a high-fat diet (HFD, 60% fat) or a lean diet (10% fat) for 12 weeks. At 15 weeks, bupivacaine was injected into the tibialis anterior (TA) of the injured group (n = 5–8/group) and PBS was injected into the control (n = 5–6). The TA was excised 3 or 28 days after injection. Results We demonstrated impaired muscle regeneration in obese mice. The obese mice had reduced IL-6, MyoD and IGF-1 mRNA abundance compared to the lean mice (P < 0.05). Three days following muscle damage, TNF-α mRNA and protein levels of P-STAT3 and P-Akt were 14-fold, fourfold and fivefold greater in the lean mice respectively. However, there were no differences observed in the obese injured group compared to the uninjured group. Moreover, p70S6K1 was threefold greater in lean injured mice compared to uninjured but was reduced by 28% in the obese injured mice. Conclusion Obese mice have impaired inflammatory and protein synthetic signalling that may negatively influence muscle regeneration.
Thrusting on the Tibetan Plateau within the Last 5 Ma

The Lunpola basin, in the middle of the Tibetan plateau, contains about 4 km of non-marine sediments deposited since early Cenozoic times. This remarkable structure, localized in the Bangong-Nujiang suture zone has much to teach us about how the plateau has developed. In this short note we emphasize the strong evidence of young compression in the basin.
Service and Design as Mechanisms to Impassion the Study of Engineering, from K-12 to Higher Education

Service and design provide mechanisms to introduce students to successive stages of engineering education. These activities positively influence outreach to K-12 students, recruiting of women and underrepresented minorities to engineering, retention of undergraduate engineering students, and encouragement and funding for graduate education. Furthermore, service and design provide continuity and motivation across engineering education. These offer experiential learning opportunities in practical problem solving, while simultaneously promoting personal development of communication skills and team leadership. Strategies are discussed for implementing service and design components in engineering education at all levels, from K-12 to graduate education. For K-12 outreach, a mentoring program called DREAM is highlighted. Opportunities for outreach and externally reviewed proposal writing and presentations are discussed in the context of undergraduate design. These can be implemented through both traditional course work and alternative design projects. Finally, the impact of all of the above activities on graduate education, particularly graduate funding, is discussed.
A Rare Case of Posterior Mediastinal Seminoma Mimicking Primary Lung Neoplasm

We report an atypical case of posterior mediastinal seminoma. Mediastinal seminomasare a rare form of tumor usually located in the anterior mediastinum. Our casepresented as a diagnostic challenge because of the difficulty of differentiating the primarymediastinal mass from a primary lung neoplasm. Our case highlights the fact thatseminomas may occur in the posterior mediastinum and the importance of consideringa broad differential diagnosis, especially in cases of poorly differentiated carcinoma ofthe mediastinum.
Artemin and Its Emerging Role in Pathogenesis of Systemic Tumors Besides Pancreatic Cancers

TO THE EDITOR: The recent article by Demir et al. (2012) in your esteemed journal provided for highly stimulating and interesting reading. Interestingly, over the past few years artemin has been identified as a significant player in the enhancement of oncogenicity of various other tumors besides pancreatic cancers. For instance, artemin enhances transcription of bcl2 – leading to it's up regulation and thereby augments tumor growth in human non-small cell lung carcinomas (Tang et al., 2010). Similarly, in estrogen receptor negative breast carcinomas, artemin shows synergization with TWIST1 and thereby accentuates the metastatic potential of the primary breast tumor (Banerjee et al., 2011). As a result, a poor clinical outcome is associated with this combination of artemin and TWIST1. Attenuated artemin expression is seen as a result of tamoxifen administration (Kang et al., 2010). Interestingly, the sensitivity to tamoxifen of tamoxifen resistant mammary tissue is accentuated following antibody mediated inhibition of artemin. Increased expression of artemin is also seen in esophageal carcinomas. Interestingly transfection with a mir-223 vector decreases expression of artemin and thereby suppresses tumor growth in esophageal carcinomas (Li et al., 2011). Similarly, artemin augments the expression of AKT1 and thereby accentuates the invasive potential of endometrial carcinomas (Pandey et al., 2010). The invasive potential of endometrial cancer tissue is significantly abrogated following antibody mediated inhibition of artemin. The above examples clearly illustrate the significant enhancement of oncogenicity secondary to artemin in tumors ranging from lung carcinomas to endometrial carcinomas. There is a clear and urgent need to identify inhibitors of artemin function in order to improve the prognosis in these tumors.
NUMERICAL ALGORITHMS FOR SOLUTIONS OF LARGE EIGENVALUE PROBLEMS IN PIEZOELECTRIC RESONATORS

Two algorithms for eigenvalue problems in piezoelectric finite element analyses are introduced. The first algorithm involves the use of Lanczos method with a new matrix storage scheme, while the second algorithm uses a Rayleigh quotient iteration scheme. In both solution methods, schemes are implemented to reduce storage requirements and solution time. Both solution methods also seek to preserve the sparsity structure of the stiffness matrix to realize major savings in memory. In the Lanczos method with the new storage scheme, the bandwidth of the stiffness matrix is optimized by mixing the electrical degree of freedom with the mechanical degrees of freedom. The unique structural pattern of the consistent mass matrix is exploited to reduce storage requirements. These major reductions in memory requirements for both the stiffness and mass matrices also provided large savings in computational time. In the Rayleigh quotient iteration method, an algorithm for generating good initial eigenpairs is employed to improve its overall convergence rate, and its convergence stability in the regions of closely spaced eigenvalues and repeated eigenvalues. The initial eigenvectors are obtained by interpolation from a coarse mesh. In order for this multi-mesh iterative method to be effective, an eigenvector of interest in the fine mesh must resemble an eigenvector in the coarse mesh. Hence, the method is effective for finding the set of eigenpairs in the low-frequency range, while the Lanczos method with a mixed electromechanical matrix can be used for any frequency range. Results of example problems are presented to show the savings in solution time and storage requirements of the proposed algorithms when compared with the existing algorithms in the literature.
Simple Method for the Isolation of Riboflavin from Whey

Abstract A convenient, facile method for the isolation of riboflavin from whey is described. Whey is passed over a column of the neutral resin Amberlite XAD-2, on which riboflavin is adsorbed. Recoveries of the riboflavin with acetone as the eluant were satisfactory. The method is also convenient for removing riboflavin when it interferes in the analysis of other constituents.
Use of Objective-Based Undergraduate Research Project Experience as a Graduate Student Recruitment Tool

This paper describes experience in using hands-on undergraduate research exposure as a tool to identify and recruit potentially successful graduate students. Undergraduate students with an interest in graduate education work toward a well-defined goal under the guidance of the faculty member, typically supporting a senior graduate student on his/her thesis research. The quality of the undergraduate research is maintained by requiring that the results of the research be presented at a major technical conference. It is found that a large percentage of such undergraduate students ultimately enroll and succeed in graduate school.
New Results On State-Space And Input-Output Identification Of Non-Gaussian Processes Using Cumulants

Closed form expressions and recursive equations relating the parameters of an ARMA model (which may be non-minimum phase, non-causal or may even contain all-pass factors) with the cumulants of its output, in response to excitation by a non-Gaussian i.i.d. process are derived. Based on these relationships, system identification and order determination algorithms are developed. The output noise may be colored Gaussian or i.i.d. non-Gaussian. When a state-space representation is adopted, the stochastic realization problem reduces to the balanced realization of an appropriate Hankel matrix formed by cumulant statistics. Using a Kronecker product formulation, an exact expression is presented for identifying state-space quantities when output cumulants are provided, or for computing output cumulants when the state-space triple is known. If a transfer function approach is employed, cumulant based recursions are proposed to reduce the AR parameter estimation problem to the solution of a system of linear equations. Closed form expressions and alternative formulations are given to cover the case of non-causal processes.
Autonomous head-mounted electrophysiology systems for freely behaving primates

Recent technological advances have led to new light-weight battery-operated systems for electrophysiology. Such systems are head mounted, run for days without experimenter intervention, and can record and stimulate from single or multiple electrodes implanted in a freely behaving primate. Here we discuss existing systems, studies that use them, and how they can augment traditional, physically restrained, 'in-rig' electrophysiology. With existing technical capabilities, these systems can acquire multiple signal classes, such as spikes, local field potential, and electromyography signals, and can stimulate based on real-time processing of recorded signals. Moving forward, this class of technologies, along with advances in neural signal processing and behavioral monitoring, have the potential to dramatically expand the scope and scale of electrophysiological studies.
Detailed Chemical Kinetic Simulation of Natural Gas HCCI Combustion: Gas Composition Effects and Investigation of Control Strategies

This paper uses the HCT (hydrodynamics, chemistry and transport) chemical kinetics code to analyze natural gas combustion in an HCCI engine. The HCT code has been modified to better represent the conditions existing inside an engine, including a wall heat transfer correlation. Combustion control and low power output per displacement remain as two of the biggest challenges to obtaining satisfactory performance out of an HCCI engine, and these challenges are addressed in this paper. The paper considers the effect of natural gas composition on HCCI combustion, and then explores three control strategies for HCCI engines: DME (dimethyl ether) addition, intake heating and hot EGR addition. The results show that HCCI combustion is sensitive to natural gas composition, and an active control may be required to compensate for possible changes in composition. Each control strategy has been evaluated for its influence on the performance of an HCCI engine.
Vasodilators, Blood Pressure-Lowering Medications, and Age-Related Macular Degeneration: The Beaver Dam Eye Study

Objective To examine the association of vasodilator and antihypertensive medication use with the incidence of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Design Longitudinal population-based study. Participants Persons 43 to 86 years of age living in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin, from 1988 through 1990. Methods Examinations were performed every 5 years over a 20-year period. There were 9676 total person-visits over the course of the study. Status of AMD was determined from grading retinal photographs. Main Outcome Measures Incidence of AMD. Results The 5-year incidence of early AMD over the 20-year period was 8.4%; for late AMD, it was 1.4%; for pure geographic atrophy (GA), it was 0.6%; for exudative AMD, it was 0.9%; and for progression of AMD, it was 24.9%. While adjusting for age, gender, and other factors, using a vasodilator (hazard ratio [HR], 1.72; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.25–2.38), particularly oral nitroglycerin (HR, 1.81; 95% CI, 1.14–2.90), was associated with an increased risk of early AMD. Using an oral β-blocker was associated with an increased hazard of incident exudative AMD (HR, 1.71; 95% CI, 1.04–2.82), but not pure GA (HR, 0.51; 95% CI, 0.20–1.29) or progression of AMD (HR, 0.92; 95% CI, 0.67–1.28) over the 20-year period. Conclusions Use of vasodilators is associated with a 72% increase in the hazard of incidence of early AMD, and use of oral β-blockers is associated with a 71% increase in the hazard of incident exudative AMD. If these findings are replicated, it may have implications for care of older adults because vasodilators and oral β-blockers are drugs that are used commonly by older persons.
SCATTERING FROM FRACTAL SUPERLATTICES WITH VARIABLE LACUNARITY

Reflection and transmission properties of polyadic fractal superlattices are formulated, solved analytically, and characterized for variations in fractal dimension, lacunarity, number of gaps, stage of growth, and angle of incidence. We systematically study the effect of the lacunarity or homogeneity of gaps on the scattering characteristics of these superlattices. The salient features of this scattering are captured by families of reflection data that denote twist plots. We find evidence that fractal dimension, lacunarity and stage of growth, can be distinguished in these plots. The analytic solution described here is a doubly recursive technique that efficiently provides the reflection and transmission coefficients of a large class of Cantor superlattices. This may provide a significant computational advantage over traditional methods as the number of interfaces becomes large.
Intraspecific variation in the rainbow trout mitochondrial DNA genome.

Abstract Four complete mitochondrial DNA genomes for rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss , were sequenced and compared to the previously reported complete mitochondrial sequence. Analyses revealed 13 additional bp and 31 insertion/deletion (indels) sites between the four new sequences and the previously published sequence. Twenty-eight indels were single base pairs while the remaining were multiple base pair insertions, two in the ATPase6 gene, one of three bases and one of nine bases, and a two base insert in the control region. Indels in the new genomes were compared to a wide range of salmonid species and corresponded with sequences in closely related species, indicating that errors were likely incorporated into the previously published sequence. Although variable nucleotide positions were observed throughout the newly sequenced genomes, non-synonymous amino acid substitutions were observed in only six of seven ND genes. While there were only 14 amino acid substitutions between genomes, K a / K s ratios ranged between 0 and 1. A single amino acid deletion in the ND1 coding region unique to rainbow trout was also detected. Using complete mitochondrial genomes for all sequenced Salmonidae species, a phylogenetic analysis was performed to establish a salmonid mitochondrial phylogeny revealing support for Salvelinus , rather than Salmo , as the sister taxa to Oncorhynchus .
Basosquamous carcinoma and metatypical basal cell carcinoma: a review of treatment with Mohs micrographic surgery

Background Basosquamous carcinoma (BSC) and metatypical basal cell carcinoma (MBCC) are uncommon tumors poorly defined in the literature. Available studies suggest these tumors carry a greater risk of recurrence and metastases than basal cell carcinomas (BCCs) and, in some studies, squamous cell carcinomas. Formal treatment recommendations are not fully established. Objective To analyze BSC and MBCC separately, evaluate whether they are distinct tumor subtypes, and analyze Mohs micrographic surgery (MMS) efficacy for BSC and MBCC. Methods Retrospective review of medical records and histologic specimens was conducted for 293 patients with 303 biopsy-proven BSCs or MBCCs treated with MMS between 1996 and 2004. In total, 32 BSCs and 128 MBCCs were identified. Surgical and follow-up data were analyzed. Results Kaplan–Meier estimates of recurrence-free survival after MMS were 100% at one year for both tumor subtypes and were 100% for BSC and 93.8% for MBCC at 5 years. Initial mean sizes were 1.5 cm for BSC and 1.3 cm for MBCC. Approximately 7% represented recurrent tumors at surgery. Of six patients with recurrences, none had known metastatic disease. Limitations Limitations include retrospective design, analysis of only head and neck sites, and small sample sizes. Conclusion BSC and MBCC showed no significant distinguishing characteristics to separate them into two BCC subtypes. Reported recurrence rates for BSC and MBCC are 12–45% with wide local excision; estimated recurrence rates are 4.1% with MMS. Our study showed recurrence-free survival of 95.1% at five years. Hence, MMS is effective in treating these BCC subtypes.
The problem of finding a semantic strategy for focusing inference rules

This article is the fifteenth of a series of articles discussing various open research problems in automated reasoning. Here we focus on finding a strategy — other than a simple syntactic one — that can be used for focusing the attention of the inference rule(s) in use. The problem proposed for research asks one to find semantic criteria for selecting the clauses needed to complete the application of an inference rule. Suggestions for test problems are included. We note that Yuan Yu has solved two of these problems using a rather different approach with the Boyer-Moore theorem prover; his work is reported elsewhere in this issue of the Journal of Automated Reasoning.
Reconciling industry and academia: perspectives on the apparel design curriculum

Investigates which attributes were perceived to be important for the success of graduates from apparel design programs. The research design used was Q‐methodology, where 29 respondents from the apparel design industry and academia sorted 47 positive statements on a Likert scale. Results showed disparity of thought between the university educators and the apparel design professionals. The industry believed strong affective skills were the most desirable characteristics for the success of future design professionals. In contrast, almost half of the educators chose cognitive attributes as most important to students’ success. The industry’s general agreement was that academicians would rate different characteristics as important than did the industry professionals.
“Large rate accelerations in aldol reaction of ortho-substituted benzaldehydes”

Abstract The relative reactivities of ortho- and para-substituted benzaldehydes with the dibutylboron enolate of pinacolone have very different substituent dependences; ortho substituents give large rate enhancements with electron-releasing substituents, while para substituents give extremely small rate effects. Since chelation is inaccessible to the boron enolate (which must also complex to the aldehyde), the origin of the large ortho effects was investigated by multiple regression analysis, which shows that the rates are insensitive to steric effects, but are dominated by resonance interactions. The polarizability and, to a small extent, the field effect of the substituents also affect the reactivity. The most consistent mechanistic explanation involves a variable transition structure with the relative degrees of aldehyde bond-breaking and enolate-aldehyde C⋯C bond-making changing with substituents.
A characterization of the extension principle

Abstract We provide an alternative characterization of the extension principle of fuzzy sets. This characterization is based upon using relations to represent mappings. We apply this new characterization to develop an extension for non-deterministic mappings.
Capability Theory and the Future of NATO's Decisionmaking Rules*

After years of relative stability in terms of both mission and membership, NATO is undergoing rapid change in both areas, primarily because of the end of the Cold War. Currently, the most important membership issue involves the inclusion of former Cold War 'enemy' states from Central and Eastern Europe. In addition, NATO has, in effect, become a peacekeeping arm of the United Nations in Bosnia, a mission that was certainly not anticipated within the original NATO charter, as well as a peacemaker in Kosovo. These critical changes may have profound consequences for NATO's future. In this article we explore the attitudes towards NATO of a cross-national sample of international relations scholars and practitioners drawn from NATO nations. Taking the same approach used in Vincent's studies of UN delegate attitudes, we apply 'capability theory' to the observed variation in attitudes towards NATO's decisionmaking structure. That is, we expect that the critical explanation of the division of attitudes towards NATO's method of decisionmaking will relate to the 'capability' of the nation to which the respondent belongs. This is predicted since nations, under the theory, attempt to augment their capabilities through their membership in international organizations. It follows they will tend to value the organization to the extent of the augmentation. Because the decisionmaking rules of NATO, which are currently based on consensus, could prevent NATO from acting if a single 'new' member disagreed with a proposed NATO course of action, we feel that capability theory may be applicable, since this would affect the capabilities of the other members. In general, we find significant support for this 'capability' interpretation of attitudinal differences relating to possible alteration of NATO's decisionmaking rules.
James Turner Johnson, Just War Tradition, and Forms of Practical Reasoning

Abstract This paper argues that James Turner Johnson's work models a particular form of practical reasoning: a kind of historical casuistry. This means that Johnson's contributions are not only descriptive, but normative in nature. Tracing this theme through various works, this article seeks to point to distinctions drawn by Johnson between his own model and those in which just war thinking is tied to one or more philosophically or theologically grounded principles. By way of concluding remarks, a brief assessment of Johnson's contributions to comparative studies of just war and jihad traditions will be offered.
Actuator development for a flapping microrobotic microaerial vehicle

Low speed aerodynamics and its application to microflight and microaerial vehicles is an interesting problem. Small stout wings with small areas result in low Reynolds numbers. The Re's below 103 conventional fixed wing flight is no longer possible because drag becomes the dominant force. However it is possible to induce lift using those drag forces in the same manner as some birds and insects. Flapping is a good choice for microaerial vehicles since it is a highly efficient way to produce flight and power consumption is a major concern. Both insects and birds use a complex elastodynamic system that only requires excitation at its natural frequency or some lower harmonic. The actuation device presented is based on the same flight principle of insects and small birds. It is a solid-state, resonating, elastodynamic system excited by a piezoelectric actuator. It is composed of two major components. The first component is a solid-state flexure mechanism that is used to amplify the piezoceramic output and produce the flapping motion. The second components is the piezoelectric actuator. Since piezoceramics are capacitive and possess a high energy density and efficiency they can be used to excite the device and induce a flapping motion with low power losses. This allows for long distance flights that require little energy. The complex dynamics of the device involves not only the mechanics of the actuator and flexure mechanism but the interaction of the wing and the air and the actuators driving electronics. The resulting device is an electromechanically tuned resonating microrobot actuator.© (1998) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Hydatid disease of the central nervous system: a review of literature with an emphasis on Latin American countries.

Abstract Objective: To provide an up to date review of the epidemiology, etiology, treatment and prevention of hydatid cyst of the central nervous system, with an emphasis in South American countries. Methods: We searched the PubMed databases for articles containing the terms 'hydatid cyst' and 'nervous system'. Results: We found and reviewed 303 articles and their related references. We provide the available information on the pathology, life cycle and diagnostic modalities (laboratory tests and imaging) along with possible complications of the disease. Current treatment methods of hydatid cyst in the brain and spine are also being discussed. Discussion: Echinococcosis is a rare parasitic disease, endemic in some parts of South America. The epidemiology of echinococcosis is influenced by agricultural, educational, economic, medical and cultural factors. Human infestation occurs through the fecal–oral route. Infection of the central nervous system is rare, and the mainstay of treatment is surgical excisio...
Application of network theory to potential mycorrhizal networks

The concept of a common mycorrhizal network implies that the arrangement of plants and mycorrhizal fungi in a community shares properties with other networks. A network is a system of nodes connected by links. Here we apply network theory to mycorrhizas to determine whether the architecture of a potential common mycorrhizal network is random or scale-free. We analyzed mycorrhizal data from an oak woodland from two perspectives: the phytocentric view using trees as nodes and fungi as links and the mycocentric view using fungi as nodes and trees as links. From the phytocentric perspective, the distribution of potential mycorrhizal links, as measured by the number of ectomycorrhizal morphotypes on trees of Quercus garryana, was random with a short tail, implying that all the individuals of this species are more or less equal in linking to fungi in a potential network. From the mycocentric perspective, however, the distribution of plant links to fungi was scale-free, suggesting that certain fungus species may act as hubs with frequent connections to the network. Parallels exist between social networks and mycorrhizas that suggest future lines of study on mycorrhizal networks.
Diffraction of atoms from a standing light wave

Abstract This paper presents experiments concerning momentum transfer to atoms by a standing light wave in the absence of spontaneous decay. This momentum transfer, which occurs in discrete units of 2 ħ k along the k-vector of the standing light wave, can be viewed as absorption/stimulated emission of photon pairs from the counterpropagating traveling waves which make up the standing light wave. In a dual sense, this phenomenon can also be viewed as diffraction of an atomic de Broglie wave from the periodic intensity grating of the standing light wave. In addition, we address how the inherent Heisenberg uncertainty between the focussed waist of the standing light wave and the angular spread of the k-vectors of photons traveling through this waist affects momentum transfer to the atoms by the light. For large widths of the standing light wave, the reduction of the uncertainty in the direction of the photons results in resonances for the momentum transfer only for discrete values of atomic momentum along the k-vector of the standing light wave which satisfy the Bragg condition. We present experimental data which display the Pendellosung effect for Bragg scattering of atomic de Broglie waves from a standing light wave. Finally, we discuss the possibility of exploiting these phenomena to build an atomic interferometer, one that interferes atomic de Broglie waves.
Imaging of metabolic bone disease and marrow disorders in children.

The skeleton is the one of the largest organ systems in the body. Although they may seem static, the bones are dynamic structures and sites of physiologic activity. The bones are major repositories for calcium and phosphorus, reservoirs for hematopoietic marrow, and play key roles in calcium metabolism and the maintenance of blood cell homeostasis. In addition, the skeleton has a rich and extensive vascular network that makes it a frequent site for deposition of abnormal cells. This article reviews the pathophysiology, clinical presentation, and imaging findings of selected disorders of metabolic bone disease and bone marrow infiltration.
Protease-activated Receptor-1 Activation of Endothelial Cells Induces Protein Kinase Cα-dependent Phosphorylation of Syntaxin 4 and Munc18c ROLE IN SIGNALING P-SELECTIN EXPRESSION

Endothelial cells exhibit regulated exocytosis in response to inflammatory mediators such as thrombin and histamine. The exocytosis of Weibel-Palade bodies (WPBs) containing von Willebrand factor, P-selectin, and interleukin-8 within minutes after stimulation is important for vascular homeostasis. SNARE proteins are key components of the exocytic machinery in neurons and some secretory cells, but their role in regulating exocytosis in endothelial cells is not well understood. We examined the function of SNARE proteins in mediating exocytosis of WPBs in endothelial cells. We identified the presence of syntaxin 4, syntaxin 3, and the high affinity syntaxin 4-regulatory protein Munc18c in human lung microvascular endothelial cells. Small interfering RNA-induced knockdown of syntaxin 4 (but not of syntaxin 3) inhibited exocytosis of WPBs as detected by the reduction in thrombin-induced cell surface P-selectin expression. Thrombin ligation of protease-activated receptor-1 activated the phosphorylation of syntaxin 4 and Munc18c, which, in turn, disrupted the interaction between syntaxin 4 and Munc18. Protein kinase Cα activation was required for the phosphorylation of syntaxin 4 and Munc18c as well as the cell surface expression of P-selectin. We also observed that syntaxin 4 knockdown inhibited the adhesion of neutrophils to thrombin-activated endothelial cells, demonstrating the functional role of syntaxin 4 in promoting endothelial adhesivity. Thus, protease-activated receptor-1-induced protein kinase Cα activation and phosphorylation of syntaxin 4 and Munc18c are required for the cell surface expression of P-selectin and the consequent binding of neutrophils to endothelial cells.
Mapping a Future: Archaeology, Feminism, and Scientific Practice

Drawing on work in science studies, I argue for the importance of fieldwork and research practices when considering the relative significance of feminism within archaeology. Fieldwork, often presented as the unifying hallmark of all of anthropology, has a different resonance in archaeology at the level of material practice and specific techniques. In order to understand the relationship between archaeology and feminism we need to investigate methods, methodology, and interpretations of the material record simultaneously. Examining one practice, that of map making, I suggest venues amenable to feminist insights.
Modeling precipitation over ice sheets: an assessment using Greenland

The interaction between ice sheets and the rest of the climate system at long time-scales is not well understood, and studies of the ice ages typically employ simplified parameterizations of the climate forcing on an ice sheet. It is important therefore to understand how an ice sheet responds to climate forcing, and whether the reduced approaches used in modeling studies are capable of providing robust and realistic answers. This work focuses on the accumulation distribution, and in particular considers what features of the accumulation pattern are necessary to model the steady-state response of an ice sheet. We examine the response of a model of the Greenland ice sheet to a variety of accumulation distributions, both observational datasets and simplified parameterizations. The predicted shape of the ice sheet is found to be quite insensitive to changes in the accumulation. The model only differs significantly from the observed ice sheet for a spatially uniform accumulation rate, and the most important factor for the successful simulation of the ice sheet’s shape is that the accumulation decreases with height according to the ability of the atmosphere to hold moisture. However, the internal ice dynamics strongly reflects the influence of the atmospheric circulation on the accumulation distribution.
Sharp asymptotics of large deviations for general state-space Markov-additive chains in Rd

Abstract For {ξ i }⊂ R d , i=0,1,2,…. Markov-additive (MA) random variables, d⩾2, S n = ∑ i=0 n ξ i , and (Xn,Sn) a φ-irreducible, aperiodic, time-homogeneous MA-chain, a= inf x∈Γ I(x) , we extend to general state-space chains, under a regeneration hypothesis, asymptotic results of the form P(S n ∈nΓ;X n ∈A)=n γ e −na (d 0 + o (1)) as n→∞.
FDI and the costs of contract enforcement in developing countries

This article examines the relationship between foreign direct investment and host countries’ contracting institutions, the rule systems which govern commercial transactions between private actors. Given their liability of foreignness and costly exit options, we suggest that multinational corporations have incentives to influence the formal contracting environment in host countries. Further, host governments are more likely to respond to multinationals’ wishes when they are more dependent on foreign capital markets. We draw on the World Bank’s Lex Mundi dataset (Djankov et al. 2003) on micro-level contracting environment for private actors. Our analysis of a cross section of 98 developing countries suggests that FDI is associated with lower contract enforcement costs, particularly when the host country is more indebted.
Disruption of Microtubules Reveals Two Independent Apical Targeting Mechanisms for G-protein-coupled Receptors in Polarized Renal Epithelial Cells

G-protein-coupled receptors demonstrate differing trafficking itineraries in polarized Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK II) cells. The α2A adrenergic receptor (α2AAR) is directly delivered to the basolateral subdomain; the A1 adenosine receptor (A1AdoR) is apically enriched in its targeting; and the α2BAR subtype is randomly delivered to both domains but selectively retained basolaterally (Keefer, J. R., and Limbird, L. E. (1993) J. Biol. Chem. 268, 11340–11347; Saunders, C., Keefer, J. R., Kennedy, A. P., Wells, J. N., and Limbird, L. E. (1996) J. Biol. Chem. 271, 995–1002; Wozniak, M., and Limbird, L. E. (1996) J. Biol. Chem. 271, 5017–5024). The present studies explore the role of the polarized cytoskeleton in localization of G-protein-coupled receptors in MDCK II cells. Nocodazole or colchicine, which disrupt microtubules, did not perturb lateral localization of α2AR subtypes but led to a relocalization the A1AdoR to the basolateral surface, revealed by immunocytochemical and metabolic labeling strategies. Conversely, the apical component of the random delivery of α2BAR was not affected by these agents, suggesting microtubule-dependent and -independent apical targeting mechanisms for G-protein-coupled receptors in polarized cells. Apparent rerouting of the apically targeted A1AdoR was selective for microtubule-disrupting agents, since cytochalasin D, which disrupts actin polymerization, did not alter A1AdoR or α2BAR localization or targeting. These data suggest that multiple apical targeting mechanisms exist for G-protein-coupled receptors and that microtubule-disrupting agents serve as tools to probe their different trafficking mechanisms.
Wetting States on Circular Micropillars with Convex Sidewalls after Liquids Contact Groove Base

It is considered that the Cassie–Baxter wetting state should be transitioned to that of the Wenzel state if a water drop has contact with the base of a roughness groove. However, in recent tests on the leaf surfaces of three lotus varieties, we found that the transition did not occur. To explore the reason behind this, in this work we model the corresponding surface structures as circular micropillars with convex sidewalls, and derive an angle inequality for judging transition from Cassie–Baxter to Wenzel States. We also consider the transition on spherical microparticles, as well as that on circular micropillars with straight sidewalls. Finally, we validate the angle inequality through pressing tests on three lotus varieties and spherical microballs.
Potential distribution within semiconductor detectors using coplanar electrodes

Abstract The analytical form of the potential distribution within room-temperature of semiconductor detectors, which use periodic parallel strip electrodes, is presented. The results can be extended to account for the case of 2-D segmented electrode arrays. The induced charge on corresponding electrodes and implications of this analysis are discussed. This could help the design of detectors that have significant charge trapping problems, and to achieve good position sensitivity by making use of the trapping characteristics. Some calculated results have been compared with that obtained using finite element analysis by other groups and the consistency is demonstrated.