cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Improvements in the compositional uniformity of In-rich InxGa1-xN films grown at low temperatures by ENABLE

InGaN films have been grown over an In-rich composition range using a novel growth technique utilizing energetic N-atoms as the active growth species. A series of In-rich InGaN films grown over a wide range of substrate temperatures show how the film properties improve as the growth temperature is lowered. Under optimized conditions, In-rich InGaN films showing excellent compositional uniformity, a high degree of crystallinity, bright band edge photoluminescence, and smooth surface morphologies spanning a wide range of In compositions can be obtained. The results emphasize the importance of energetic N atoms and lower substrate temperatures for overcoming difficulties associated with growing high-quality In-rich InxGa1–xN thin film materials (© 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Stage‐specific detection of mRNA for the sperm antigen SP‐10 in human testes

SP-10 is a sperm-specific, intra-acrosomal protein that is considered to be a vaccine candidate for immunocontraception. In the present study, in situ hybridization with biotin and 35S labeled riboprobes was used to determine the pattern of SP-10 mRNA expression in human testes. Both methods demonstrated SP-10 mRNA primarily in round spermatids found in stages I, II, and III of the seminiferous cycle. Morphometric analysis of silver grains with the 35S-labeled probe showed less SP-10 mRNA in spermatids at stages IV, V, and VI than in previous stages, and rarely was label found in spermatogonia or spermatocytes. The expression of SP-10 mRNA first appeared at stage I coincident with the appearance of the protein, which was shown previously to persist in the acrosomal matrix throughout spermiogenesis. The decrease in SP-10 mRNA occurred when spermatids underwent polarization, nuclear condensation, and elongation. The appearance of SP-10 mRNA in round spermatids suggest that increases in SP-10 transcription or SP-10 mRNA stability or both occur as spermatids develop from the Golgi phase to the cap phase. The subsequent decline of SP-10 mRNA, despite the persistence of the SP-10 protein in all spermatids, suggests that a decrease in SP-10 transcription or an increase in mRNA degradation occurs when spermatids elongate. © 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
The Bull as One Cause of Delayed Returns to Service in Artificial Breeding

Summary The results or statistical studies indicate that the semen of bulls is one of the major sources of origin of the significant differences observed from bull to bull in the incidence of embryonic mortality, as measured by the difference between 1- and 5-mo. non-returns to service in artificial breeding. The level of embryonic mortality was negatively and highly significantly correlated with the original fertility level of bulls as measured by 1-mo. non-returns, the correlation coefficients being in the neighborhood of - 0.6 to - 0.7. A significant effect of the season of the year on apparent embryonic mortality was indicated, the maximum effect being produced from inseminations in January, February and March, the minimum being in May and June.
Lipids promote survival, proliferation, and maintenance of differentiation of rat liver sinusoidal endothelial cells in vitro

Primary rat liver sinusoidal endothelial cells (LSEC) are difficult to maintain in a differentiated state in culture for scientific studies or technological applications. Relatively little is known about molecular regulatory processes that affect LSEC differentiation because of this inability to maintain cellular viability and proper phenotypic characteristics for extended times in vitro, given that LSEC typically undergo death and detachment around 48–72 h even when treated with VEGF. We demonstrate that particular lipid supplements added to serum-free, VEGF-containing medium increase primary rat liver LSEC viability and maintain differentiation. Addition of a defined lipid combination, or even oleic acid (OA) alone, promotes LSEC survival beyond 72 h and proliferation to confluency. Moreover, assessment of LSEC cultures for endocytic function, CD32b surface expression, and exhibition of fenestrae showed that these differentiation characteristics were maintained when lipids were included in the medium. With respect to the underlying regulatory pathways, we found lipid supplement-enhanced phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase and MAPK signaling to be critical for ensuring LSEC function in a temporally dependent manner. Inhibition of Akt activity before 72 h prevents growth of SEC, whereas MEK inhibition past 72 h prevents survival and proliferation. Our findings indicate that OA and lipids modulate Akt/PKB signaling early in culture to mediate survival, followed by a switch to a dependence on ERK signaling pathways to maintain viability and induce proliferation after 72 h. We conclude that free fatty acids can support maintenance of liver LSEC cultures in vitro; key regulatory pathways involved include early Akt signaling followed by ERK signaling.
Towards A Fast Triple Correlation Algorithm

A program is described whose goal is the demonstration of triple correlation speckle imaging at a rate comparable to video bandwidth. To accomplish this, a Connection Machine Model CM-2 will be used to process the data using a fast version of the triple correlation algorithm. Two approaches to a fast algorithm are discussed, one based on computerized tomography and the other related to the direct phase methods of crystallography. Combination of a fast version of the algorithm and a massively parallel computer has the potential to meet the goal of video rate imaging.
Experimental Results for the Rotordynamic Characteristics of Leakage Flows in Centrifugal Pumps

In recent years, increasing attention has been give to fluid-structure interaction problems in turbomachines. The present research focuses on just one such fluid-structure interaction problem, namely, the role played by fluid forces in determining the rotordynamic stability and characteristics of a centrifugal pump. The emphasis of this study is to investigate the contributions to the rotordynamic forces from the discharge-to-suction leakage flows between the front shroud of the rotating impeller and the stationary pump casing. An experiment was designed to measure the rotordynamic shroud forces due to simulated leakage flows for different parameters such as flow rate, shroud clearance, face-seal clearance and eccentricity. The data demonstrate substantial rotordynamic effects and a destabilizing tangential force for small positive whirl frequency ratios; this force decreased with increasing flow rate. The rotordynamic forces appear to be inversely proportional to the clearance and change significantly with the flow rate. Two sets of data taken at different eccentricities yielded quite similar nondimensional rotordynamic forces indicating that the experiments lie within the linear regime of eccentricity.
In Situ Bioremediation of Carbon Tetrachloride: Field Test Results

Abstract Results of a 7-month field test of in situ bioremediation of carbon tetrachloride (CT) under denitrifying conditions are reported. The demonstration was conducted in a portion of a several-square-mile CT and nitrate plume. Pretest CT and nitrate levels were 12.5 ± 0.14 μM and 3.87 ± 0.26 mM, respectively. During the test, the CT concentration dropped by 3.71 ± μM, representing an estimated total of 1.42 kg of CT destroyed. The total quantities of acetate and nitrate injected during the demonstration were 221 and 300 kg, respectively. Nitra injection was composed of short-duration, high-concentration pulses added with acetate pulses, and continuously injected nitrate that was present in the surrounding groundwater. Biomass was distributed successfully within the flow field without fouling the injection well. Levels of planktonic denitrifiers increased 10- and 5-fold in monitoring wells 3 and 6 m downstream from the injection well, respectively. A distributed growth pattern was indicated through re...
Dependence of barrier height on energy gap in Au n-type GaAs/1-x/P/x/ Schottky diodes

Data are presented which show that the Schottky barrier height for gold on the ternary compound GaAs(1-x)P(x) follows the commonly assumed two-thirds of the band gap relationship. An explanation is given for the reason that previously published data did not exhibit this behavior.
The genetic susceptibility to Graves' disease.

Graves' disease (GD) develops as a result of a complex interaction between genetic susceptibility genes and likely environmental factors. Most epidemiological data support an important genetic contribution to the development of GD. The concordance rate of GD in monozygotic twins is 30–60% and in dizygotic twins 3–9%, and thyroid autoantibodies have been reported in up to 50% of the siblings of patients with GD. For many years now, HLA studies have consistently shown an increased frequency of HLA-DR3 in Caucasian patients with GD; but with only a risk ratio of 3–5. However, recent advances in human genome mapping techniques have enabled the study of many other candidate genes. Of these additional, non-HLA genes, only CTLA-4 has been consistently found to be associated with GD. Using a linkage based approach which only detects highly significant susceptibility genes we have recently reported preliminary results which demonstrated that a marker located ∼25 cM from the TSH receptor gene on chromosome 14q31 is linked to GD and in the same vicinity as the IDDM-11 locus. Such results, if confirmed, may signal the presence of a gene family related to endocrine autoimmunity on chromosome 14q31.
Price reversal, transaction costs, and arbitrage profits in the real estate securities market

This paper studies the return reversals of exchange traded real estate securities using an arbitrage portfolio approach. Using the approach, we find that there exist significant return reversals in such securities. These return reversals could be exploited by arbitrage traders if trading costs can be ignored. However, the arbitrage profits disappear after deducting trading costs and taking into account the implicit cost of bid-ask spread. Thus, the real estate securities market is efficient at weekly intervals in the sense that one could not exploit the price reversals via some simple trading rules.
Finite horizon stochastic optimal control of nonlinear two-player zero-sum games under communication constraint

In this paper, the finite horizon stochastic optimal control of nonlinear two-player zero-sum games, referred to as Nonlinear Networked Control Systems (NNCS) two-player zero-sum game, between control and disturbance input players in the presence of unknown system dynamics and a communication network with delays and packet losses is addressed by using neuro dynamic programming (NDP). The overall objective being to find the optimal control input while maximizing the disturbance attenuation. First, a novel online neural network (NN) identifier is introduced to estimate the unknown control and disturbance coefficient matrices which are needed in the generation of optimal control input. Then, the critic and two actor NNs have been introduced to learn the time-varying solution to the Hamilton-Jacobi-Isaacs (HJI) equation and determine the stochastic optimal control and disturbance policies in a forward-in-time manner. Eventually, with the proposed novel NN weight update laws, Lyapunov theory is utilized to demonstrate that all closed-loop signals and NN weights are uniformly ultimately bounded (UUB) during the finite horizon with ultimate bounds being a function of initial conditions and final time. Further, the approximated control input and disturbance signals tend close to the saddle-point equilibrium within finite-time. Simulation results are included.
Evaluation of OspA Vaccination-Induced Serological Correlates of Protection against Lyme Borreliosis in a Mouse Model

Background For clinical development of a novel multivalent OspA vaccine against Lyme borreliosis, serological assays are required which can be used to establish immune correlates of protection against infection with Borrelia. Methods Four assays (an OspA IgG ELISA, a competitive inhibition (CI) ELISA, a Borrelia surface-binding (SB) assay and a Borrelia killing assay) were used to evaluate the correlation between immune responses induced by rOspA 1/2 (a chimeric immunogen containing protective epitopes from OspA serotypes 1 and 2), and protective immunity against infection by B. burgdorferi s.s. (OspA-1) and B. afzelii (OspA-2). Mice were immunized with OspA 1/2 doses ranging from 0.3 ng to 100 ng, to induce a range of OspA antibody titers, and exposed to needle challenge with B. burgdorferi s.s. or tick challenge with B. afzelii. Receiver operator characteristics (ROC) curves were constructed for each assay, and the area under the curve (AUC), sensitivity, specificity and Youden Index were calculated. Potential cutoff antibody titers which could be used as correlates of vaccine-induced protection were derived from the maximum Youden Index. Results Immunization with OspA-1/2 provided dose-dependent protection against infection with B. burgdorferi s.s. and B. afzelii. Antibody responses detected by all four assays were highly significantly correlated with protection from infection by either B. burgdorferi s.s. (p<0.0001 to 0.0062) or B. afzelii (p<0.0001). ROC analyses of the diagnostic effectiveness of each assay showed the AUC to range between 0.95 and 0.79, demonstrating that all assays distinguish well between infected and non-infected animals. Based on sensitivity, specificity and AUC, the OspA IgG ELISA and SB assays best discriminated between infected and non-infected animals. Conclusions All four assays differentiate well between Borrelia-infected and non-infected animals. The relatively simple, high throughput IgG ELISA would be suitable to establish immune correlates of protection for the novel OspA vaccine in clinical trials.
Planetary Petrology and Geochemistry, The Lawrence A. Taylor 60th Birthday Volume, Geological Society of America, International Book Series, Volume 2

The Hubble Space Telescope images might lure us into believing that solar system exploration ended with the Voyager program but the Galileo (Jupiter), Cassini (Saturn), and Mars Global Surveyor missions prove that solar system exploration still yields spectacular new insights into the origin and evolution of planets and their satellites. The Apollo program already left a legacy of great images—such as Earth rising over the lunar horizon—to highlight the interconnected nature of the Earth-Moon system. Apollo's other legacy is a collection of lunar samples. Today a shrinking group of scientists who “were there” keeps lunar sample science alive. Lunar science received a boost with the realization that lunar rocks can be used as local resources for building materials and oxygen to support a manned lunar base. Attempts using the lunar sample database to calibrate the Clementine mission's high-resolution element distribution maps of the lunar surface reinforced a need for sample analyses from solar system bodies. The recent detection of hydrogen in craters at the lunar poles does not necessarily imply the presence of water ice but it does rekindle old interests.
Commentary: From Serendipity to Pilot Study and Then Pivotal Trial: Bimatoprost Topical for Eyelash Growth

Dr. Cohen has been a consultant and clinical trial investigator for Allergan (including related to Latisse).
Improved Method for Determining the Heat Capacity of Metals

An improved procedure for laboratory determination of the heat capacities of metals is described. The temperature of cold water is continuously recorded with a computer-interfaced temperature probe and the room temperature metal is added. The method is more accurate and faster than previous methods. It allows students to get accurate measurements on multiple samples in a laboratory period, making it suitable for a traditional laboratory course as well as for a discovery lab approach. Results for 267 student trials (excluding 15 outliers) on five metals are reported. The average molar heat capacity for each metal was within 3.3% of the ideal Dulong and Petit value of 3R.
A novel synthetic iminoquinone, BA-TPQ, as an anti-breast cancer agent: in vitro and in vivo activity and mechanisms of action

Herein, we report our examination of the anti-breast cancer activity of a novel synthetic compound, 7-(benzylamino)-1, 3, 4, 8-tetrahydropyrrolo [4, 3, 2-de]quinolin-8(1H)-one (BA-TPQ). This agent is an analog of a naturally occurring marine compound, and was found to be the most active out of more than 40 related compounds. We investigated the in vitro activity of BA-TPQ on the survival, proliferation, and apoptosis of breast cancer cells using the MTT and BrdUrd assays, and Annexin/Annexin-PI staining and flow cytometry. The in vivo anti-cancer effects of BA-TPQ were evaluated in xenograft models of breast cancer. Finally, the mechanisms of action of the compound were also assessed by cDNA microarrays, RT–PCR and Western blotting. In a dose-dependent manner, BA-TPQ inhibited cell growth and induced apoptosis and cell cycle arrest in human MCF-7 and MDA-MB-468 breast cancer cells in vitro, and showed in vivo efficacy in mice bearing MCF-7 or MDA-MB-468 xenograft tumors. We demonstrated that BA-TPQ modifies the expression of numerous molecules involved in cell cycle progression and apoptosis. Similar changes in protein expression were observed in vitro and in vivo, as determined by examination of cells and excised xenograft tumors. Our preclinical data indicate that BA-TPQ is a potential therapeutic agent for breast cancer that has multiple hormone-, Her2-, and p53-independent mechanisms of action, providing a basis for further development of the compound as a novel anticancer agent.
The cost-of-knowledge characteristic function: display evaluation for direct-walk dynamic information visualizations

In this paper we present a method, the Cost-of-Knowledge Characteristic Function, for characterizing information access from dynamic displays. The paper works out this method for a simple, but important, class of dynamic displays called direct-walk interactive information visualizations, in which information is accessed through a sequence of mouse selections and key selections. The method is used to characterize a simple calendar task for an application of the Information Visualizer, to compute the changes in characterization as the result of possible program variants, and to conduct empirical comparison between different systems with the same function.
Bio-inspired assistive robotics: Service dogs as a model for human-robot interaction and mobile manipulation

Service dogs have successfully provided assistance to thousands of motor-impaired people worldwide. As a step towards the creation of robots that provide comparable assistance, we present a biologically inspired robot capable of obeying many of the same commands and exploiting the same environmental modifications as service dogs. The robot responds to a subset of the 71 verbal commands listed in the service dog training manual used by Georgia Canines for Independence. In our implementation, the human directs the robot by giving a verbal command and illuminating a task-relevant location with an off-the-shelf green laser pointer. We also describe a novel and inexpensive way to engineer the environment in order to help assistive robots perform useful tasks with generality and robustness. In particular, we show that by tying or otherwise affixing colored towels to doors and drawers an assistive robot can robustly open these doors and drawers in a manner similar to a service dog. This is analogous to the common practice of tying bandannas or handkerchiefs to door handles and drawer handles in order to enable service dogs to operate them. This method has the advantage of simplifying both the perception and physical interaction required to perform the task. It also enables the robot to use the same small set of behaviors to perform a variety of tasks across distinct doors and drawers. We report quantitative results for our assistive robot when performing assistive tasks in response to user commands in a modified environment. In our tests, the robot successfully opened two different drawers in 18 out of 20 trials (90%), closed a drawer in 9 out of 10 trials (90%), and opened a door that required first operating a handle and then pushing it open in 8 out of 10 trials (80%). Additionally, the robot succeeded in single trial tests of opening a microwave, grasping an object, placing an object, delivering an object, and responding to various other commands, such as staying quiet.
Eta Carinae across the 2003.5 Minimum: Deciphering the Spectrum toward Weigelt D

Hubble Space Telescope Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (HST STIS) near-ultraviolet (NUV) echelle spectra reveal complex structure in the sight line toward the Weigelt D condensation located 0.25'' north-northwest of ? Car. In previous studies, the Weigelt condensations have been described to exhibit pure emission line spectra dominated by transitions in mainly singly and doubly ionized iron-group elements. However, high spectral (R ~ 100,000) and angular (<0.060'' FWHM) resolutions show that the spectra are modified by circumstellar (CS) absorption and stellar wind lines formed as far as 1500 AU from the central source. This analysis uses data recorded between 2000 October and 2004 March to monitor changes in emission and absorption as the UV photoexciting fluxes from ? Car drop and later reappear. We compare changes in the wind profiles seen against the star and the CS absorptions to gain knowledge of the properties of the extended wind and the ejecta. Complete spectra, in the wavelength region 2424-2706 ?, with line identifications are available in the electronic edition of this paper.
The Pleckstrin Homology Domain in the SKAP55 Adapter Protein Defines the Ability of the Adapter Protein ADAP To Regulate Integrin Function and NF-κB Activation

Adhesion and degranulation promoting adapter protein (ADAP) is a multifunctional hematopoietic adapter protein that regulates TCR-dependent increases in both integrin function and activation of the NF-κB transcription factor. Activation of integrin function requires both ADAP and the ADAP-associated adapter Src kinase-associated phosphoprotein of 55 kDa (SKAP55). In contrast, ADAP-mediated regulation of NF-κB involves distinct binding sites in ADAP that promote the inducible association of ADAP, but not SKAP55, with the CARMA1 adapter and the TAK1 kinase. This suggests that the presence or absence of associated SKAP55 defines functionally distinct pools of ADAP. To test this hypothesis, we developed a novel SKAP-ADAP chimeric fusion protein and demonstrated that physical association of ADAP with SKAP55 is both sufficient and necessary for the rescue of integrin function in ADAP-deficient T cells. Similar to wild-type ADAP, the SKAP-ADAP chimera associated with the LFA-1 integrin after TCR stimulation. Although the SKAP-ADAP chimera contains the CARMA1 and TAK1 binding sequences from ADAP, expression of the chimera does not restore NF-κB signaling in ADAP(-/-) T cells. A single point mutation in the pleckstrin homology domain of SKAP55 (R131M) blocks the ability of the SKAP-ADAP chimera to restore integrin function and to associate with LFA-1. However, the R131M mutant was now able to restore NF-κB signaling in ADAP-deficient T cells. We conclude that integrin regulation by ADAP involves the recruitment of ADAP to LFA-1 integrin complexes by the pleckstrin homology domain of SKAP55, and this recruitment restricts the ability of ADAP to interact with the NF-κB signalosome and regulate NF-κB activation.
Hair as a biomarker for exposure to tobacco smoke

This article provides an overview of the hair nicotine biomarker for assessment of exposure to tobacco smoke, with emphasis on environmental tobacco smoke (ETS). Measurement of nicotine in hair can be an informative tool for research looking at ETS and related illnesses. There are still unresolved issues in relation to this biomarker such as influence of hair treatment, hair colour, and growth rate on nicotine levels in hair, which need to be addressed in order to further refine this biomarker for exposure assessment. Nevertheless, hair nicotine promises to be a valid and reliable measure of longer term exposure that can be readily applied in epidemiological studies of exposure to tobacco smoke, and more specifically ETS, and its risk to health.
The Power of a Few: Bureaucratic Decision-Making in the Okavango Delta

Water is scarce yet vital in Botswana's desert climate. As one of only two perennial surface sources, the Okavango Delta has often been seen by the Government and international donors as under-utilised and ripe for development. Hence the major project proposed in the early 1980s by the Department of Water Affairs (DWA), albeit suspended, nearly a decade later, after both local and global protests. This article examines how a small group of state bureaucrats was able to control the decision-making process, and discusses the implications of this hegemony. It is based on research undertaken in Botswana during 1991–3 that included over 150 interviews with the members of a wide range of organisations in the public, parastatal, and private sectors.
Double Cantilever Beam Measurements of Crack Growth in Indium(III) Phosphide

Crack growth measurements in InP crystals were conducted using an applied-moment, double cantilever beam (DCB) geometry. Controlled, smooth crack growth was observed in water; however, the crack growth velocities were not constant for constant applied stress intensity (K{sub 1}). More importantly, there was no clear functional dependence of the crack growth rate (v) on K{sub 1}.
Planar Miniature RFID Antennas Suitable for Integration With Batteries

A class of planar, electrically-small UHF antennas suitable for direct integration with electronic components such as batteries is introduced. The new design approach combines a meander line section and a capacitive strip section. The geometries of the two sections can together be scaled in size over a wide range of planar form factors while still maintaining self-resonance and practically realizable line widths and spacings. No external matching network is required. Moreover, batteries can be mounted above or below the capacitive strip section, significantly reducing the total size of a wireless device. Three designs are demonstrated on printed circuit board at 433 MHz. Measurements show that the antennas provide good gain and excellent bandwidth, omnidirectional radiation patterns, and electrically small size. The results of this work have numerous uses in radiofrequency identification (RFID)
Experimental Brain Prosthesis for Stroke

Electrical control of motor behavior by programmed electrical stimulation of the brain has been described. Such programmed brain stimulation is referred to as a "brain prosthesis," meaning, in effect, "artificial brain." Areas in the brain which related to the production of elementary movements were located. From these preliminary experiments it was evident that programmed stimulation of the brain at sites typically unaffected by stroke could produce a "purposive" sequence of motor behaviors. Monkeys were made monoplegic by surgical (two-stage) resection of appropriate cortical and subcortical regions. After recovery electrodes were implanted in the brain. This technique is described. The electrodes are linked to a multiple-electrode programmable brain stimulator. The stimulator and computer programming make it possible to specify which electro-stimulators are to be turned on, and strength and duration of current to produce a pattern of complex motor function. Programs of stimulation, which cause the para...
Feline Insular Amyloid: Histochemical Distinction from Secondary Systemic Amyloid

Amyloid in islets of Langerhans from 48 domestic cats, one human, one non- human primate, and one raccoon was compared with secondary systemic amyloid from three domestic cats, one dog, one human, and one cow to determine affinity for Congo red dye after treatment of paraffin-embedded tissue sections with potassium permanganate and dilute sulfuric acid. Insular amyloid from all six species was resistant to pretreatment with potassium perman- ganate, i.e., affinity for Congo red was retained. whereas secondary systemic amyloid from all species was sensitive to the potassium permanganate pretreatment. Other stains did not distinguish between insular and secondary systemic amyloid. The potassium permanganate- Congo red staining procedure thus can be used to differentiate insular from secondary systemic amyloid in the cat and other species. The results also indicate that insular amyloid and secondary systemic amyloid are of different chemical composition and pathogenesis.
Special ethical issues in the management of PVS patients.

The patient in a persistent vegetative state (hereafter, the PVS patient) has played a central role in recent American bioethical discussions and in recent litigation involving bioethical issues. From Quinlan’ to Cruzan and Wanglie, some of the most important cases involving ethical issues at the end of life have involved PVS patients. Major American medical groups such as the AMA and the American Academy of Neurology have adopted important policy statements on the care of such patients, statements that have been followed by at least one European group. I have always found this activity a bit of a mystery. There is, after all, a relatively clear consensus about decision-making at the end of life, a consensus embodied in such documents as a report from the President's Commission and a report from the Hastings Center.
Serum Acute Phase Protein and Inflammatory Cytokine Network Correlations: Comparison of a Pre-Rheumatoid Arthritis and Non-Rheumatoid Arthritis Community Cohort

Serum concentrations of acute phase proteins, inflammatory cytokines, and other immunological components were individually assayed using high-sensitivity ELISA in a com-munity-based cohort of preclinical rheumatoid arthritis (pre-RA) and matched non-RA control (CN) subjects. Bivariate correlations of the biomarker panel concentrations were compared in pre-RA versus CN and female versus male subjects. Clinically elevated CRP levels (8+ mg/l) occurred in a higher (p = 0.010) frequency in 46 pre-RA (n = 8, 17.4%) subjects than in 179 CN (n = 9, 5.0%), and were independent of age, gender, smoking behaviors, and serum rheumatoid factor. Selected age and gender differences were found in levels of the immunological network factors. In each study group, the ratio of sTNF-RI to IL-2sRα mean concentrations was 2-fold higher in men than in women. Aging correlated positively with CRP, ASAA, and TNF-α levels, but negatively with IL-1β. Bivariate correlations were similar in pre-RA subjects versus CN and by gender, with few exceptions. Factor loadings in principal component analysis of the total subjects indicated that age- and gender-related variables constituted the two main components. Using multiple regression analyses, an integrative working model of all variable interrelations was generated. The tentative, directional model supports a concept of gender dimorphism of the ratio of sTNF-RI to IL-2sRα serum concentrations and displays differing effects of age on TNF-α versus IL-1β levels. These findings indicate complex age, gender, and cytokine interrelations in control of the immune systems network. Future research in testing such inflammatory pathways promises a better understanding of predisposition to diseases, like RA.
The impact of natural product chemistry on medicine

When invited to present this lecture I was assured that this subject would provide a unique opportunity for perspectives. Not only was this correct, but this subject has been a unique trial for decisions on which products to exclude and include; I have excluded antibiotics, but pay tribute to their vast importance in medicine. As a policy, contributions directly or indirectly from the chemistry of natural products are interpreted broadly, and I decided to minimize historical aspects and to maximize recent and current aspects of chemistry and medicine. Because most of us are interested in the future, I have included trends and medical objectives of great significance for new
Effects of Model Age on Adult Female Consumers’ Purchase Intentions and Attitudes for an Age-Specific Product, Clothing

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of model age on female consumers’ purchase intentions and attitudes for an age-specific product such as clothing. The sample for this study consisted of 377 women between the ages of 30-80. The instrument designed for this study included four major scales to assess participants’ beliefs about fashion models depicted in clothing advertisements, participants’ purchase intentions of the clothing worn by the models in the advertisements, participants’ perceived similarity to the models shown in the ads, and participants’ perceived fashionability of the clothing worn by the models. The stimuli used in this study included four full-colored photographs of current fashion models. Findings revealed that participants preferred older models over younger models, with consumers exhibiting greater purchase intent of clothing appearing on older models. Moreover, perceived similarity was found to be a significant predictor of participants’ perspectives of the models, in terms of appearance and attractiveness, fashionability, and purchase intentions.
Mesh Design: Lower Layer Issues

To enable the discussion of joint design in a following chapter, we introduce and discuss the more traditional design problems in this chapter. We focus on organizing our discussion by the fundamental problems and operations in the network. In particular, in this chapter, we focus on issues closer to the physical medium, such as the modeling of interference, power and topology control, scheduling, channel and radio assignment. Together with describing each problem, we describe approaches that have been advanced in the literature, concentrating for this purpose on more recent literature.
Left-Handed Metamaterials

The response of a material to electromagnetic radiation can be entirely characterized by the material parameters: the electrical permittivity, or e, and the magnetic permeability, or μ. The range of possible values for the material parameters, as dictated by fundamental considerations such as causality or thermodynamics, extends beyond that found in naturally occurring materials. We thus seek to extend the material parameter space by creating electromagnetic metamaterials—ordered composite materials that display electromagnetic properties beyond those found in naturally occurring materials. Recently, we have demonstrated a metamaterial made of a repeated lattice of conducting, nonmagnetic elements that exhibits an effective μ and an effective e, both of which are simultaneously negative over a band of frequencies [1]. Such a medium has been termed Left-Handed [2], as the electric field (E), magnetic intensity (H) and propagation vector (k) are related by a left-hand rule. We introduce the reader to the expected properties predicted by Maxwell’s equations for Left-Handed media, and describe our recent numerical and experimental work in developing and analyzing this new metamaterial.
Abstract P178: Association of Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor-1 with Prevalence and Progression of Subclinical Atherosclerosis: The Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA)

Background: Elevated circulating levels of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) have been associated with myocardial infarction and cardiovascular mortality. Since the fibrinolytic system plays an integral role in the pathogenesis of coronary artery disease, we sought to examine the association of PAI-1 with subclinical atherosclerosis. Hypothesis: PAI-1 is associated with prevalent CAC and predicts progression of CAC, independent of traditional cardiovascular risk factors and inflammatory markers. Methods: We studied the cross-sectional association of PAI-1 and CAC, as well as the prospective association with progression of CAC in a random sample from MESA who had PAI-1 measured at baseline and computed tomography at baseline and follow-up. Multivariable ordinal logistic regression was used to estimate associations of PAI-1 levels with baseline categories of CAC defined as 0, 1-99, 100-299, and ≥300 Agatston units. Multivariable logistic regression analyses examined CAC progression (defined using a ...
Solution Synthesis of Thiospinel CuCo2S4 Nanoparticles.

CuCo2S4 is an important mixed-metal spinel-type sulfide that is typically synthesized using high-temperature solid-state reactions, which produce agglomerated particles with low surface areas that are not optimal for applications such as heterogeneous catalysis. Here, we show that highly crystalline and nonagglomerated colloidal CuCo2S4 nanoparticles can be synthesized in solution at 200 °C, which is significantly lower than previously reported methods. The CuCo2S4 nanoparticles were found to be highly active electrocatalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) under strongly alkaline conditions (1.0 M KOH, pH 14), requiring an OER overpotential of 395 mV to produce a current density of 10 mA cm–2. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) studies showed evidence of oxide formation, suggesting, in conjunction with the observed electrocatalytic properties, that the mixed-metal sulfides may serve as precursors to oxides and/or hydroxides, which are likely to be the catalytically active species.
Thalamic Function and Vestibular Migraine

Investigators at Universities of Naples and Salerno, Italy; and Maastricht University, the Netherlands, explored the functional response of vestibular neural pathways using whole-brain blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) fMRI during caloric vestibular stimulation in 12 patients (mean age 31.2 +/- 5 yrs) with vestibular migraine (VM), in 12 healthy controls, and in a group of age- and sex-matched patients with migraine without aura (MwoA).
Case Closed: The Need for Closure and Judicial Decision Making

This paper will engage with the relationship between an individual’s personality and their methodology for legal rulings. The paper posits that one aspect of a person’s personality may dictate their responses in certain legal decisions and theories. The two areas of law analyzed will be contract law, specifically contract theory, with a focus on monistic and pluralistic theories and also the field of virtue jurisprudence. The paper will attempt to show that scholars, judges and lay people with a high need for closure personality type are more prone to adopt a monistic view of contract law. Whereas low need for closure personality types will more readily adopt a pluralist philosophy. Since one of the tenets of virtue jurisprudence is that the pluralistic nature of many legal decisions necessitates the reliance on judges of character, adherence to virtue jurisprudence would follow the same personality divisions. I will attempt to prove these relationships using empirical evidence deduced from quantifiable experiments.
A U.S. scientist addresses Gorbachev

The following is a speech delivered to General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev, other senior officials of the Soviet government, and the 1,500 participants in the eight International Forums on Drastic Reductions in Nuclear Weapons for a Nuclear-Free World, at the Kremlin Palace, February 16, 1987.
“Good” Patients and “Difficult” Patients — Rethinking Our Definitions

A physician-daughter accompanies her physician-father to the hospital when his blood pressure plummets weeks after bypass surgery. She suspects internal bleeding, but the ED team apparently doesn't. Lest she be deemed “difficult,” she performs a rectal exam herself.
Heat loss analysis and control optimization of furnace roller for roller hearth furnace

To design and control furnace roller better,heat loss law of water-cooled furnace roller which surface coat is composed of heat-resistant alloy or asbestos fibers before and after improvement was studied by mathematical models.After analyzing the problems of traditional roller hearth furnace,the improvement reason and key point were pointed out.Heat transfer models for cooling process of two kinds of rollers were established and solved with iteration planning algorithm based on Newton search.Then,the relation between water flow velocity( uw),inlet water temperature( tw-in) and roller cross section temperatures,outlet water temperature( tw-out),water temperature rise( Δtw),cooling water heat absorption( Qw) was studied.The conclusions and recommendations are mainly as follows: 1) Roller cross section temperatures,tw-out,Δtw decrease with the increase of uw.The water critical velocity( uwcv) of two kinds of furnace rolls is 0.07 m/s and 0.09 m /s respectively,and when uwis larger than uwcv,turbulent flow occurs.Considering less water scale and water treatment system cost,tw-outshould be under 45 ℃ and Δtwshould be less than 10 ℃.So suitable uw should be 0.4 ~ 0.8 m /s and 0.2 ~ 0.6 m /s,when cooling water is entire turbulent flow,cooling efficiency is high,and Δtwis small,above which energy consumption increase greatly and uselessly,but Qwalmost remains unchanged.2) Qwof asbestos fibers roller is small and 78% of heat-resistant alloy roller when cooling water is entire turbulent flow.Application result indicates that consumption of per ton steel is greatly reduced after the improvement and optimization control of furnace rollers,of which the reason is that production is greatly increased due to not grinding rollers,except for optimal control,fiber furnace roller heat loss is small.
Multiplex Relationships and HIV: Implications for Network-Based Interventions.

The number of network members and the roles they play can influence risk behaviors and consequently intervention strategies to reduce HIV transmission. We recruited 652 people who use drugs (PWUD) from socially disadvantaged neighborhoods in New York City (07/2006–06/2009). Interviewer-administered surveys ascertained demographic, behavioral, and network data. We used logistic regression, stratified by exchange sex, to assess the relationship between HIV status and the number of network members with different roles, treated as independent and multiplex (i.e., drug + sex). Those with more multiplex risk ties were significantly more likely to be HIV positive, but only among those not reporting exchange sex (AOR = 3.2). Among those reporting exchange sex, men reporting recent male sex partners were more likely to report HIV positive status (AOR = 12.6). These data suggest that sex and drug relationships among PWUD are interrelated. Interventions that target multiplex rather than single-role relationships may be more effective in influencing behavior change.
Extended state observer with phase compensation to estimate and suppress high-frequency disturbances

The extended state observer (ESO), as a special case of high-gain observers, can estimate not only the state variables but also unknown disturbances. ESO works well for slowly time-varying/low-frequency disturbances. To extend its performance to high-frequency disturbances, this paper proposes a phase compensator to recover the inherent phase loss in the traditional ESO. Furthermore, the ESO gains are designed as nonlinear functions to reduce the ‘peak phenomenon’ in linear high-gain observers. Based on the proposed ESO, a frequency-shaped sliding mode control algorithm is designed to further suppress high-frequency disturbances. Simulations are performed on a hard disk drive to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm.
Science, Society, and Knowledge of the Columbian Exchange: The Case of Cannabis

This chapter argues that botanical scientific knowledge of Cannabis has shaped its environmental historiography. This chapter engages the epistemological concerns of science and technology studies (STS) by examining how botanists have conceived biological speciation; it contributes to environmental history by showing that concepts of speciation—at least for domesticated taxa—bear narratives of human history that shape and constrain imperatives for historical research. Dominant concepts of Cannabis taxonomy have enabled biological hypotheses to substitute for historical evidence, thereby reducing imperatives to research the plant’s transatlantic dispersal history. Historiographical neglect has enabled a Eurocentric narrative of Cannabis that is not supported by the documentary record. The chapter proposes a historiography for Cannabis that is more attentive to past social, cultural, and environmental contexts.
Connecting the dots from a distance: Does mentally traveling through space and time increase searching for life’s meaning?

AbstractAs humans, we have the ability to travel beyond the present moment by considering past and future times as well as locations that are distant from oneself. An interesting possibility is that such mental travel to far-away times and places (vs. focusing on times and places closer to the present) may increase people’s desire to search for their lives’ meaning. Since searching for meaning involves the integration of separate life events into a coherent life story, mentally traveling farther away from the present may make people aware that their life stories include more than what is happening at this very minute. Such awareness, then, may increase their desire to ‘connect the dots’ between their life events by searching for some underlying meaning. Three experiments (N = 838) tested this prediction and found that greater (vs. lower) mental travel through space or time increased the search for life’s meaning.
Ensuring Quality Teacher Candidates: Does the edTPA Answer the Call?

As in many states, Illinois reforms related to teacher preparation accountability (Rich. Obama Administration Plans New Rules to Grade Teacher Training Programs. The New York Times, April 25, 2014. Accessed April 14, 2015, http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/26/us/obama-administration-plan-seeks-to-rate-teacher-training-programs.html?_r=0, 2014; Dunham and Nawaguna. U.S. Government Pursues New Rules for Teacher-Training Programs. The Huffington Post. April 25, 2014. Accessed April 18, 2015, http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/04/25/education-department-teacher-training-rules_n_5215233.html, 2014; Duncan. A New Approach to Teacher Education Reform and Improvement. U.S. Department of Education: Archived Information. October 3, 2011. Accessed April 18, 2015, http://www.ed.gov/news/speeches/new-approach-teacher-education-reform-and-improvement, 2011) have targeted quality assurance of teacher preparation programs through mandating of a relatively untested pre-service teacher performance assessment, the edTPA, as a teacher licensure requirement. This research, conducted by two professors of education and an undergraduate student researcher, focuses on the Illinois elementary literacy edTPA to determine if adoption of the edTPA state licensure requirement has resulted in more effective teachers. Its impact at a local institutional level on candidate preparatory programming, candidate perceptions of preparedness, and teacher efficacy is explored.