cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An Overview of Two-Component Signal Transduction Systems Implicated in Extra-Intestinal Pathogenic E. coli Infections.

Extra-intestinal pathogenic E. coli (ExPEC) infections are common in mammals and birds. The predominant ExPEC types are avian pathogenic E. coli (APEC), neonatal meningitis causing E. coli/meningitis associated E. coli (NMEC/MAEC), and uropathogenic E. coli (UPEC). Many reviews have described current knowledge on ExPEC infection strategies and virulence factors, especially for UPEC. However, surprisingly little has been reported on the regulatory modules that have been identified as critical in ExPEC pathogenesis. Two-component systems comprise the predominant method by which bacteria respond to changing environments and play significant roles in modulating bacterial fitness in diverse niches. Recent studies have highlighted the potential of manipulating signal transduction system function as a means to chemically re-wire bacterial pathogens, thereby reducing selective pressure and avoiding the emergence of antibiotic resistance. This review begins by providing a brief introduction to characterized infection strategies and common virulence factors among APEC, NMEC, and UPEC and continues with a comprehensive overview of two-component signal transduction networks that have been shown to influence ExPEC pathogenesis.
Ironies of Automation: Still Unresolved After All These Years

Lisanne Bainbridge's 1983 paper, Ironies of Automation, has had considerable influence on human–machine research, prescience in predicting automation-related concerns that have led to incidents and accidents, and relevance to issues that are manifested to this day. Bainbridge's paper displays influences of several researchers, but Rasmussen's work on operator performance in process systems has perhaps been most influential. Unlike those who had earlier considered operator input a unidimensional aspect of system performance to be considered equally with other system elements, Rasmussen viewed operator performance as multidimensional—to be considered, with training and experience, in examining the operator role in system operations. Expanding on his work and applying it to automated systems, Bainbridge described how automation fundamentally altered the role of the human operator in system performance. Requiring the operator to oversee an automated system that could function more accurately and more reliably than he or she could, can affect system performance in the event that operator intervention is needed. The influence of the insights Bainbridge provided on the effects of automation on system performance could be seen in both research on automation and in the recognition of ironies discussed in subsequent automation-related accidents. Its inspiration to researchers, accident investigators, regulators, and managers continues to this day as automation development and its implementation continue unabated.
Spin System Modeling of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectra for Applications in Metabolomics and Small Molecule Screening.

The exceptionally rich information content of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectra is routinely used to identify and characterize molecules and molecular interactions in a wide range of applications, including clinical biomarker discovery, drug discovery, environmental chemistry, and metabolomics. The set of peak positions and intensities from a reference NMR spectrum generally serves as the identifying signature for a compound. Reference spectra normally are collected under specific conditions of pH, temperature, and magnetic field strength, because changes in conditions can distort the identifying signatures of compounds. A spin system matrix that parametrizes chemical shifts and coupling constants among spins provides a much richer feature set for a compound than a spectral signature based on peak positions and intensities. Spin system matrices expand the applicability of NMR spectral libraries beyond the specific conditions under which data were collected. In addition to being able to simulate spe...
When Do PE Ratios Matter

This article explores why it is generally difficult to use price-to-earnings (PE) ratios in investment strategies and how PE ratios can be used in investment strategies. The basic insight is that when observed PE ratios are higher than predicted PE ratios, analysts’ earnings forecasts tend to increase over time and that when observed PE ratios are lower than predicted, analysts’ earnings forecasts tend to decrease over time. Therefore, what appears to be an expensive market with a high PE ratio based on analysts’ lower earnings forecasts may actually be a market that has higher expected earnings and thus is more reasonably priced. Likewise, what appears to be a cheap market with a low PE ratio based on analysts’ higher earnings forecasts may actually be a market that has lower expected earnings and is thus less attractively priced. As a result, the simple expectation that high observed PE ratios will result in lower future returns and that low observed PE ratios will result in higher future returns is often premature. When conditioned on the expected change in analysts’ earnings forecasts, however, PE ratios can be used to forecast market returns. Although the results are strongest in developed markets, they also hold in the major emerging market countries.
A Comparative Study of Plastic and Damage Mechanics Models for Polycrystalline Ice

ABSTRACT The mechanical deformation response predicted by two constitutive models for pure polycrystalline ice is studied. In the plasticity model, ice is idealized as a perfectly plastic material using an asymptotic yield function. In the continuum damage mechanics model, rate-sensitive constitutive equations are used which account for the effects of microcracking.
Shining the LAMP on Efforts to Transform Pain Care in America.

The editorialist believes that Thorn and colleagues' study shows that an engaged health care organization and staff, small financial incentives for patient travel, and a patient-centered approach t...
Self-Help Weight Control Groups: A Professional and A Consumer Perspective

Self-help groups have their limitations and may not have been carefully evaluated. Nevertheless, their potential benefits, especially to the obese patient, are great. They may be an effective complementary supplementary, or alternative means of helping the obese.
Computer Vision in Industry

Computer vision will revolutionise manufacturing in two important areas: inspection and adaptive control of robots. Already both these uses of computer vision are beginning to change manufacturing, with many systems now in production. The two specific industrial vision systems to be described in this paper, KEYSIGHT and CONSIGHT, will give a general indication of the state of the technology.
Embryological studies in Rotula aquatica lour

Sporogeneses, development of gametophytes, endosperm and embryo has been described in Rotula aquatica Lour. The flowers are borne on few flowered terminal and subterminal racemes. The floral parts develop in an acropetal succession. The anther archesporium is in the form of a plate of four to five cells. A mature anther consists of four wall layers, the innermost of these is the secretory tapetum with multinucleate cells. The endothecium develops fibrillar thickenings at maturity. The microspore tetrads are of tetrahedral, decussate and isobilateral types. Pollen grains are shed at two-celled stage. The ovules are anatropous, unitegminal and tenuinucellar. The archesporium is hypodermal and cuts off a parietal cell. The megaspore tetrad is of linear type. The chalazal megaspore is functional but sometimes any one of the remaining megaspores may also enlarge. The embryo sac develops according to Polygonum type. An integumentary tapetum is differentiated at the four-nucleate stage of the embryo sac. Endosperm is cellular and Myosotis-type. Chalazal and micropylar haustoria are organized; the chalazal haustorium is more aggressive. Embryo development is of Chenopodiad type.
Underwriter Manipulation in Initial Public Offerings

We provide a new explanation for the extremely high level of initial public offering (IPO) underpricing during the Internet bubble years of the late 1990s based on the allocation practices of underwriters. By requiring their customers to buy the stock in the aftermarket in return for IPO allocations (a tie-in agreement), the underwriters created artificial excess demand for the IPOs, leading to distorted (manipulated) price levels in the immediate aftermarket. Empirically, we show that IPOs with tie-in agreements exhibit a distinctly different pattern for the first-day and long-term returns than do IPOs without tie-in agreements during the 1998 to 2000 period, consistent with the model. IPOs with tie-in agreements have seven times higher first-day returns and considerably higher first-day trading volume. However, these stocks begin to underperform significantly starting from the sixth month after the IPO, and the lower returns persist for up to three years after the IPO. We also find that the tie-in IPOs experience significantly lower returns around the lock-up expiration period. Even after controlling for hot market conditions and issuer characteristics such as issue size, underwriter quality, and whether the IPO is a technology stock, we find that manipulation explains much of the unusually high level of underpricing during the late 1990s.
Subsistence under the canopy: Agrobiodiversity’s contributions to food and nutrition security amongst coffee communities in Chiapas, Mexico

This paper analyzes the relationship between agrobiodiversity and food security. Results demonstrate that agrobiodiverse landscapes can contribute to food and nutrition security. Maize and bean pro...
The Impact of Decision Rights on Innovation Sharing

While innovation sharing between a supplier and a buyer—a common practice in the automotive industry—can increase the efficiency of a supply chain, many suppliers are reluctant to do so. Sharing innovations leaves the supplier in a vulnerable position if the buyer exploits the information and re-shares the supplier’s innovation with competing suppliers. Anecdotal evidence from automotive suppliers tells that in some occasions the buyer’s decision is in the hands of a long-run focused employee (“engineer”), while in other occasions it is a short-run focused employee (“procurement manager”) who has more control. To examine how the allocation of decision rights to employees with different time horizons affects collaboration between the two firms, we model a buyer-supplier relationship where the buyer is a dual decision maker, consisting of long-run and short-run focused employees. We characterize the equilibrium of this model and show that the frequency of collaborative outcomes increases from a case where the decision is made by an employee with a short-term objective, to a case where the decision is made jointly, to a case where a decision is made by an employee with a long-run objective. Our experimental results verify this prediction, for the most part. An important result not predicted by the theory is that in the joint control case, both employees become significantly less trustworthy. With an additional treatment which allows for free-form communication, we identify social interaction effects in the form of a “bias to agreement” as a plausible driver of the more competitive behavior.
Beyond the Writing Crisis

This paper explores and analyzes what has been recently termed a “writing crisis” among this country's youth. The author rejects the notion that the writing crisis is merely a pedagogical problem i...
Overview of evidence-based treatment components for oppositional defiant disorder

Abstract Evidence-based treatment components are introduced, including differential attention, effective commands and consistent consequences including rewards, time-out, cognitive skills, problem-solving, and treatment for other related problems. These treatment components are linked with treatments and case examples. Online and other resources for treatment components are provided. Differential attention, effective commands, and consistent consequences including rewards, and time-out are the most important for young children, while cognitive skills and problem-solving are more important for adolescents. Treatment for other related problems can be important for children with cooccurring problems. A component-based approach can be useful for tailoring treatment to individual child and family needs.
Effects of plant species and soil history on root morphology, arbuscular mycorrhizal colonization of roots, and biomass in four tallgrass prairie species

Although dominant C4 grasses in tallgrass prairie are highly mycotrophic, for many non-dominant species neither extent of mycorrhizal colonization nor root morphology effects on plant–soil feedback interactions are known. In a laboratory study conducted from November 2013 to February 2014 at Governors State University (University Park, IL), we grew plants of a dominant C4 grass (Andropogon gerardii) and three non-dominant forbs (Symphyotrichum laeve var. laeve, Symphyotrichum novae-angliae and Parthenium integrifolium) individually in soil collected in the field beneath a conspecific, collected beneath another study species, or in sterilized soil. The study addressed the following questions: (1) Is extent of mycorrhizal colonization of roots related to root structure? (2) How does soil history interact with plant root traits to influence plant–soil feedback? (3) How might plant–soil feedback patterns influence competitive interactions among study species? We found that proportion arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) colonization decreased with increasing specific root length. Soil history had a stronger influence than plant species on total biomass of plants, with all species having highest total biomass when grown in Andropogon soil. Consequently, net, or heterospecific, feedback did not differ among pairwise species combinations, and was not different from 0. While these results suggest that no study species should have a competitive advantage in the field, Andropogon might still have an advantage through mechanisms such as competition for light. Future work in the field and including less mycotrophic species is needed to better understand AMF effects on competitive interactions.
The Effect of Free Chlorine on Parvovirus H-1

ABSTRACT The response of light and heavy full H-1 parvovirus particle types to free chlorine levels ranging between 0.06 and 0.22 mg/1 was compared. There appeared to be no difference in the inactivation by chlorine of the two particle types.
Some Pomological Properties of Promising Seed Propagated Walnut Genotypes from Inner Turkey

In this study, fruits from seed propagated walnut (Juglans regia L.) trees were collected two consecutive years in harvest seasons in Yozgat province in Turkey. Considering two years results, promising five genotypes were determined as cultivar candidate. In the promising genotypes, nut weight ranged from 12.55 (Y11) to 15.08 g (Y15), kernel weight ranged from 5.23 (Y11) to 7.34 g (Y15) and kernel ratio varied between 41.67 (Y11) to 50.84% (Y1), respectively. Linoleic acid was the only polyunsaturated fatty acids and oleic, palmitoleic and gondoic acids determined as major monounsaturated acids ranged from 30.36 to 48.43%, 0.05 to 0.14% and 0.22 to 0.29%, respectively. Propylparaben was the major phenolic acid among the determined phenolic acids in fruits of all five promising genotypes and Y16 had the highest amount of propylparaben (128.08 mg per kg) in its kernel. Malic and tartaric acid were the major organic acids in walnut kernels ranged from 47.88 to 78.51 mg per 100 g and 30.27 to 49.60 mg per 100 g, respectively. L-ascorbic acid was the another organic acids in walnut kernels ranged from 10.71 to 19.71 mg per 100 g. Citric acid was non-determined in kernels of Y1, Y14 and Y15 but determined at kernels of Y11 and Y16 as 4.51 and 7.55 mg per 100 g, respectively. It was determined that the oxalic, malonic, succinic, maleic and fumaric acid contents varied between 8.39-12.08 mg per 100 g, 6.02-9.19 mg per 100 g, 2.86-5.32 mg per 100 g, 0.26-3.00 mg per 100 g and 0.26-0.58 mg per 100 g, respectively.
C-Kit-Derived CD11b+ Cells are Critical for Cardiac Allograft Prolongation by Autologous C-Kit+ Progenitor Cells

Purpose Published results show that autologous C-Kit+ cells robustly prolong cardiac allografts in a C-Kit and dose-dependent fashion. To extend our understanding, we determined if the allograft protective effects of C-Kit+ cells were preserved under conditions of immune suppression, what the primary signal for differential engraftment of the allograft and related immune tissues by C-Kit-derived cells was, and the class of C-kit-derived cells responsible for allograft prolongation. Methods Survival studies were performed with 107 or 2 × 106 GFP-tagged C-Kit+ cells as previously published. CTLA4-Ig (200ug RO day 2) and Cyclosporine A (30mg/kg IP days 0-10) were utilized with C-Kit+ cells in co-therapy survival experiments. Differential engraftment and differentiation studies were performed with 107 GFP-tagged C-Kit+ cells on day 1 with harvest for FACS analysis on day 4 post-transplant. Diphtheria toxin was used to in vivo deplete C-Kit inoculum-derived CD11b+ cells in CD11b-DTR C-Kit+ cell treated allograft recipients. In vivo TCR75 T-cell proliferation assays were performed with fluor-labelled TCR75 cells on day 3 post-transplant as were intracellular IFNγ re-stimulation assays. Results Results demonstrated that Cyclosporine A and CTLA4-Ig did not inhibit the graft promoting effects of C-Kit+ cells with CTLA4-Ig co-therapy nearly abrogating rejection altogether. Results also showed that differential engraftment did not occur under isolated ischemia reperfusion whereas differential engraft did occur under combined alloimmunity/ischemia reperfusion - suggesting that alloimmunity may be an important signal for C-Kit cellular trafficking. Differentiation studies demonstrated that the majority of C-Kit+ inoculum-derived cells were CD11b+ by day 4 post transplantation and predominantly co-expressed myeloid markers. Importantly, CD11b depletion studies demonstrated dramatic abrogation of allograft prolongation when CD11b+ cells derived from the autologous C-Kit+ cellular inoculum were selectively removed in vivo. Conclusion These results strongly implicate a C-Kit-derived myeloid population as critical for allograft prolongation and demonstrate the potential therapeutic application of autologous C-Kit+ cells as calcineurin inhibitor-sparing agents and possibly as co-therapeutics for durable graft survival.
Near-sonic pure steam flow with real-gas effects and non-equilibrium and homogeneous condensation around thin airfoils

A small-disturbance asymptotic model is derived to describe the complex nature of a pure water vapour flow with non-equilibrium and homogeneous condensation around a thin airfoil operating at transonic speed and small angle of attack. The van der Waals equation of state provides real-gas relationships among the thermodynamic properties of water vapour. Classical nucleation and droplet growth theory is used to model the condensation process. The similarity parameters which determine the flow and condensation physics are identified. The flow may be described by a nonlinear and non-homogeneous partial differential equation coupled with a set of four ordinary differential equations to model the condensation process. The model problem is used to study the effects of independent variation of the upstream flow and thermodynamic conditions, airfoil geometry and angle of attack on the pressure and condensate mass fraction distributions along the airfoil surfaces and the consequent effect on the wave drag and lift coefficients. Increasing the upstream temperature at fixed values of upstream supersaturation ratio and Mach number results in increased condensation and higher wave drag coefficient. Increasing the upstream supersaturation ratio at fixed values of upstream temperature and Mach number also results in increased condensation and the wave drag coefficient increases nonlinearly. In addition, the effects of varying airfoil geometry with a fixed thickness ratio and chord on flow properties and condensation region are studied. The computed results confirm the similarity law of Zierep & Lin (Forsch. Ing. Wes. A, vol. 33 (6), 1967, pp. 169–172), relating the onset condensation Mach number to upstream stagnation relative humidity, when an effective specific heat ratio is used. The small-disturbance model is a useful tool to analyse the physics of high-speed condensing steam flows around airfoils operating at high pressures and temperatures.
A Case Study of Medical Device Wireless Coexistence Evaluation

This article aims to provide a narrative for addressing wireless coexistence in medical devices to help medical device developers, test engineers, and regulatory affairs per-sonnel throughout the device life cycle. Accordingly, we present a case-study covering the coexistence evaluation process including the risk analysis of the wireless functionality of a hypothetical medical device, determining the corresponding risk category, specification of the device functional wireless performance (FWP), wireless coexistence testing, and measurement of the intended/untended signal ratio. Also, we propose a simple method for translating the test outcome into user recommendations for minimum/maximum separation distances between the device, its intended companion, and the source of unintended signals.
Bedside VA-ECMO Cannulation for a Patient with CTEPH and RV Failure

Introduction Acute pulmonary embolus (PE) in the setting of chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) with elevated PA pressures and right ventricular (RV) failure is a complex condition associated with increased mortality if left untreated. We demonstrate an alternative bedside veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO) strategy used to facilitate stabilization and pre-operative optimization. Case Report A 29-year-old female with a history of previous PE (on Lovenox), RV dysfunction with elevated PA pressures, and IVC thrombus requiring VV-ECMO assisted suction embolectomy presented to an outside hospital with shortness of breath, hypoxia and CT demonstrating acute on chronic, bilateral PEs. A transthoracic echocardiogram (TTE) showed worsening RV function. She was normotensive, had a heart rate of 140, and was hypoxic so was placed on BiPAP. She was transferred to our facility for further management. On arrival, the patient was tachypneic and hypoxic. She was started on Epinephrine, Milrinone, and inhaled Epoprostenol but was persistently hypoxic with a rising lactic acid and worsening metabolic acidosis. With evidence of worsening RV failure, the patient was cannulated for VA-ECMO to facilitate optimization for advanced management. Prior to cannulation, bedside ultrasound revealed occlusive thrombus in both femoral and iliac veins. The venous drainage cannula was placed in the right internal jugular vein and the arterial return cannula was placed in the right common femoral artery, with antegrade reperfusion cannula. Bedside TTE was used to aide in cannula placement and cannula position was confirmed with x-ray.The patient was on VA-ECMO for 72 hours. During this time, her acidosis improved, Milrinone was weaned off, and she was diuresed. On ECMO day 3, she was taken to the OR for a pulmonary thromboendarterectomy and decannulated from VA-ECMO. The following day she was extubated and a TTE revealed improved right ventricular function. Summary Stabilization with VA-ECMO in patients with PE can be beneficial. This case illustrates the use of an alternative VA-ECMO cannulation strategy to optimize a patient with CTEPH. Of note, the cannulation occurred at the bedside with the use of ultrasound and without the need for intubation. Though this cannulation strategy is theoretically described in the literature, this case illustrates a concrete example of its use.
Look Ahead ORAM: Obfuscating Addresses in Recommendation Model Training.

In the cloud computing era, data privacy is a critical concern. Memory accesses patterns can leak private information. This data leak is particularly challenging for deep learning recommendation models, where data associated with a user is used to train a model. Recommendation models use embedding tables to map categorical data (embedding table indices) to large vector space, which is easier for recommendation systems to learn. Oblivious RAM (ORAM) and its enhancements are proposed solutions to prevent memory access patterns from leaking information. ORAM solutions hide access patterns by fetching multiple data blocks per each demand fetch and then shuffling the location of blocks after each access. In this paper, we propose a new PathORAM architecture designed to protect user input privacy when training recommendation models. Look Ahead ORAM exploits the fact that during training, embedding table indices that are going to be accessed in a future batch are known beforehand. Look Ahead ORAM preprocesses future training samples to identify indices that will co-occur and groups these accesses into a large superblock. Look Ahead ORAM performs the same-path assignment by grouping multiple data blocks into superblocks. Accessing a superblock will require fewer fetched data blocks than accessing all data blocks without grouping them as superblocks. Effectively, Look Ahead ORAM reduces the number of reads/writes per access. Look Ahead ORAM also introduces a fat-tree structure for PathORAM, i.e. a tree with variable bucket size. Look Ahead ORAM achieves 2x speedup compared to PathORAM and reduces the bandwidth requirement by 3.15x while providing the same security as PathORAM.
Legalization Without Disruption: Why Congress Should Let States Restrict Interstate Commerce in Marijuana

Over the past twenty-five years, states have developed elaborate regulatory systems to govern lawful marijuana markets. In designing these systems, states have assumed that the Dormant Commerce Clause (“DCC”) does not apply; Congress, after all, has banned all commerce in marijuana. However, the states’ reprieve from the doctrine may soon come to an end. Congress is on the verge of legalizing marijuana federally, and once it does, it will unleash the DCC, with dire consequences for the states and the markets they now regulate. This Article serves as a wake-up call. It provides the most extensive analysis to date of the disruptions the DCC could cause for lawmakers and the marijuana industry. Among other things, the doctrine could spawn a race to the bottom among states as they compete for a newly mobile marijuana industry, undermine state efforts to boost participation by minorities in the legal marijuana industry, and abruptly make obsolete investments firms have made in existing state-based marijuana markets. But the Article also devises a novel solution to these problems. Taking a page from federal statutes designed to preserve state control over other markets, it shows how Congress could pursue legalization without disruption. Namely, Congress could suspend the DCC and thereby give state lawmakers and marijuana businesses time to prepare for the emergence of a national marijuana market. The Article also shows how Congress could make the suspension temporary to allay any concerns over authorizing state protectionism in the marijuana market.
Spatial and temporal patterns of simulated slow slip events on the Cascadia megathrust

[1] In recent years, it has been discovered that sections of the subduction interface slip aseismically in slow slip events, during which stress is intermittently transferred to the section of the subduction zone that generates large or great earthquakes. Within the Cascadia subduction zone, the magnitude and frequency of SSEs and accompanying tectonic tremor exhibit complex patterns that vary systematically with depth. However, the loading mechanisms and interactions that precede great subduction earthquakes are poorly understood. Here we present results from physics-based simulations that reproduce the continuum of SSE characteristics reported for the Cascadia subduction zone. The simulations provide a basis for understanding the interactions that control both the observed complex patterns of SSEs and stress transfer to the seismogenic section that produce great earthquakes.
Localization of disinhibition-dementia-parkinsonism-amyotrophy complex to 17q21-22

Disinhibition-dementia-parkinsonism-amyotrophy complex (DDPAC) is defined by familial adult-onset behavioral disturbance, followed by frontal lobe dementia, parkinsonism, and amyotrophy in variable proportions. A genetic etiology of DDPAC was suspected because of the familial clustering in family Mo, despite their wide geographic distribution. We have mapped the DDPAC locus to a 12-cM (sex averaged) region between D17S800 and D17S787 on chromosome 17q21-22. The basis for the variability of the clinical findings and pathology in DDPAC is unknown but suggests that the DDPAC locus should be screened as a candidate locus in family studies of conditions with behavioral abnormalities and neurological degeneration.
Preparing Teachers: Highly Qualified to Do What? Editors’ introduction

The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 has had significant effects on teacher preparation programs, both in terms of changes required for policy compliance and through important program adjustments. These adjustments have largely been made in response to changes in partner schools and districts, where pacing guides, scripted curricula, benchmark testing and program improvement mandates are now the norm. In the context of anticipated robust policy activity in K-12 education and teacher education (e.g., possible re-authorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, adoption of the Common Core Standards, new teacher certification performance assessments, etc.), it is important to understand the ways in which the current federal law, focused primarily on K-12 education, has also shaped teacher preparation programs. Paying attention to the dynamics involved in such context that his article introduces the articles of EPAA/AAPE’s Special Issue on Preparing Teachers: Highly Qualified to Do What?
The Comparative Forecast Performance of Univariate and Multivariate Models

Does the use of information on the past history of the nominal interest rates and inflation entail improvement in forecasts of the ex ante real interest rate over its forecasts obtained from using just the past history of the realized real interest rates? To answer this question we set up a univariate unobserved components model for the realized real interest rates and a bivariate model for the nominal rate and inflation which imposes cointegration restrictions between them. The two models are estimated under normality with the Kalman filter. It is found that the error-correction model provides more accurate one-period ahead forecasts of the real rate within the estimation sample, whereas the unobserved components model yields forecasts with smaller forecast variances. In the post-sample period, the forecasts from the bivariate model are not only more accurate but also have tighter confidence bounds than the forecasts from the unobserved components model.
Tropical Agriculture: Is Africa Different?

We investigate the determinants of agricultural productivity in a panel of 27 tropical developing countries from 1984 to 2005 and test whether the coefficients of the right-hand side variables are significantly different in sub-Sahara Africa. We find evidence that the point estimates of fertilizer usage, telephones, tractor usage, rainfall and irrigation are positively and significantly related to agricultural productivity in the tropics. We also show that sub-Saharan Africa is different in several respects. For instance, we find no evidence that fertilizer is associated with greater agricultural productivity in the African sample. Also, while the coefficient on infrastructure is positively associated with agricultural productivity in the full sample, its quantitative effect is smaller in sub-Saharan Africa. As a robustness test, we experiment with an alternative measure of tropicality and find that the results are broadly similar.
Launching into the future of commodity cluster computing

Summary form only given. It is observed that once you've finally made it to the North Pole, no matter what direction your next step takes, you can't go anywhere but South. To some, it appears that Commodity Cluster computing is in somewhat of a similar position. Having firmly established itself as the leading approach to scalable high performance computing, commodity clusters such as Beowulf-class systems have no where to go. Yes, they will continue to track Moore's exponential growth in peak performance and storage capacity, and system software will become incrementally better But in terms of strategic advances, commodity clusters are largely corralled in a paradigm cul-de-sac. In some sense there is a kind of truth in this assessment: the fundamental premise of commodity clustering is invariant; Existing, i.e. predeveloped and standalone, systems (uninformatively referred to as "nodes") are integrated by means of a commercially available interconnect network and supporting software. However the flaw of this defeatist perspective is that the nodes look like more of the same, only faster The future of commodity cluster computing will be defined, not solely by Moore's Law, but by the revolutionary structures embodied by the nodes and the innovative ways in which they will be employed. This plenary presentation will explore the innovations in both hardware and software that are likely to drive the future of commodity cluster computing throughout the rest of this decade and toward the trans-Petaflops performance regime of performance. In so doing, we will examine current projections of device technology to anticipate the performance, capacity, power, size, and cost curves of future commodity clusters. Perhaps of more impact are the changes anticipated in hardware architecture including blade technology, system and SMP on a chip, processor in memory architecture, and anticipated advances in networking including Infiniband and optical switching. As new uses are found for clusters with a rapidly expanding customer base including commercial and business communities, a combination of open source and commercial software tools will be developed for ease of use and high productivity as well as resource management and fault recovery As system scale explodes even for moderate cost systems, the software tools to manage them will take on new responsibilities alleviating much of the burden experienced by today's practitioners. The talk will conclude with a look at some more bizarre possibilities made driven by other market and product trends. The future of clusters can show that even at the North Pole, with the right technology and vision, you can also go straight up.
Reliability, lifetime prediction and accelerated testing of prospective alternatives to lead based solders

In this paper, the mechanical properties, especially those related to fatigue, of two lead-free solder systems: 96.5 Sn-3.5 Ag and 91 Sn-9 Zn have been compared with those of 63 Sn-37 Pb solder to assess the reliability of lead-free solders as replacements for lead-tin solders in second level surface mount technology (SMT) interconnects. The strategy adopted to reduce the time required for generating a mechanical property database is discussed along with models to predict fatigue life from short time tests and early test data. The performance of single-connection feed-forward back-propagation neural nets in fatigue lifetime prediction is tested and compared with that of a semi-empirical model.
Biochemical aspects of fat absorption.

In considering the mechanisms involved in the absorption and transport of lipids, we must consider the maj or constituents which are normally presented to the intes­ tinal mucosal cell following the ingestion of a fatty meal. As has been amply demon­ strated (and discussed by Dr. Hofmann in one of the earlier presentations today), the ingestion of triglyceride is normally fol­ lowed by extensive intraluminal lipolysis. This process is catalyzed by pancreatic lipase in the presence of bile salts. The fatty acids and monoglycerides which are produced find themselves to a large extent in the form of mixed micelles with bile salts. I would like to concentrate on the subsequent fate of these fatty acids and monoglycerides. It has been amply demonstrated that, in the transport of long chain fatty acids and monoglycerides across the intestinal muco­ sal cell, re-esterification to triglycerides is essential. The esterification mechanism applies primarily to the fatty acids that contain greater than 10 carbon atoms. As will be mentioned subsequently, in the case of shorter or medium chain fatty acids es­ terification is not obligatory and the trans­ port pathways of medium chain and long chain fatty acids are thus quite different. One of the key steps in the esterification reaction in the intestinal mucosa is the Presented at the Symposium of the Gastro­
Genetic and evolutionary relationships among Asian Macaques

Published gene frequency data, checked for consistency of allele definitions across laboratories and for comparability of geographically identical samples, were pooled into a data set containing frequencies at nine loci for each of 20 populations that encompassed 10 macaque species. Genetic distances were calculated by the methods of Kidd and Cavalli-Sforza (1974). These distances were used to construct phylogenetic trees and to evaluate the relationships between divergence times and effective population sizes. Inter-and intraspecific genetic distances and the groupings defined by phenetic tree analyses support Fooden’s (1976) classification of the genus Macacainto four species groups. A paleozoogeographical model of Asia including the known times of major sea-level changes allows us to explain Macacainto four species groups. A paleozoogeographical model of Asia including the known times of major sea-level changes allows us to explain qualitatively the inferred evolutionary relationships among macaque species. Many assumptions are required in order to estimate the variables necessary in the quantitative prediction of genetic differences for a comparison between any two populations. Examination of those assumptions demonstrates the need for more accurate genetic as well as paleozoogeographic information.
Elastic Contact Between a Geometrically Anisotropic Bisinusoidal Surface and a Rigid Base

In the current study, a semi-analytical model for contact between a homogeneous, iso-tropic, linear elastic half-space with a geometrically anisotropic (wavelengths are differ-ent in the two principal directions) bisinusoidal surface on the boundary and a rigid baseis developed. Two asymptotic loads to area relations for early and almost complete con-tact are derived. The Hertz elliptic contact theory is applied to approximate the load toarea relation in the early contact. The noncontact regions occur in the almost completecontact are treated as mode-I cracks. Since those cracks are in compression, an approxi-mate relation between the load and noncontact area can be obtained by setting the corre-sponding stress intensity factor (SIF) to zero. These two asymptotic solutions arevalidated by two different numerical models, namely, the fast Fourier transform (FFT)model and the ﬁnite element (FE) model. A piecewise equation is ﬁt to the numerical sol-utions to bridge these two asymptotic solutions. [DOI: 10.1115/1.4029537]Keywords: periodic elasticity, sinusoidal normal contact, geometrically anisotropic,fracture mechanics, FFT model, ﬁnite element model
An exact reformulation-linearisation technique algorithm for solving a parameter extraction problem arising in compact thermal models

Compact thermal models (CTMs) are used to evaluate thermal characteristics of critical electronic chip packages under several hypothetical design and usage scenarios. In order to ensure that CTMs accurately estimate thermal response, an appropriate set of model parameters must first be selected. The challenge arising in this paper is to glean a set of parameters that best describes the performance of CTM over a set of test conditions. We examine a non-convex optimisation formulation for this parameter estimation problem, and derive the first exact optimisation algorithm for the problem using a continuous version of the reformulation-linearisation technique. We provide experimental results on real data to demonstrate the applicability of our approach.
Recovery of primary transformants of Valencia-type peanut using Agrobacterium tumefaciens.

Abstract Four regenerable seedling explants of peanut cv. New Mexico Valencia A, two different strains of Agrobacterium tumefaciens, and two transformation protocols were used in peanut genetic transformation experiments. The putative transformation-competent cell types were identified by transient expression of the β-glucuronidase (GUS) reporter gene, and were compared to the regeneration-competent cell types identified histologically in the four explant systems. One primary transformant plantlet and two primary transformant shoots were recovered from petiolule-with-blade-attached explants inoculated with Agrobacterium strain CKS (A208:pTi37ASE X pEMZ) following a long cocultivation time on the regeneration medium and using low selection pressure for kanamycin resistance. The leaves of the primary transformants expressed nopaline accumulation used as a marker gene, and the engineered 35S-15kD zein protein coding sequence as determined by western blot. The results from these experiments may be useful for ...
Are physicians sensitive to the special problems of older patients

The sensitivity of primary care physicians to the health care needs of older patients was explored by means of an analysis of the use of diagnostic tests and therapeutic procedures during ambulatory visits. Survey data on a total of 28,265 visits to internists, family and general practitioners were examined to determine possible age-related differences in care. The study found that diagnostic testing falls off significantly for patients 75 years of age or older and that internists use substantially more tests for each age group than do family and general practitioners. The pattern of use of diagnostic tests in this secondary analysis does not address the issue of "appropriateness" but does suggest a pattern that makes little sense based on the known distribution of disease and functional disability in aging populations.
Translational Molecular Imaging of Diabetes

Diabetes mellitus contributes to significant morbidity and mortality worldwide. Translational medicine and research facilitate the transition of in vitro and experimental animal research to human applications. Molecular imaging is one of the powerful tools for translational research in diabetes, which accelerates transition of laboratory hypotheses into the clinic. These imaging tools are also instrumental for furthering our understanding about the causes that trigger diabetes and facilitate its progression. Imaging of therapeutic response is yet another avenue that can be explored in our attempt to find a cure for this disease. In this review we briefly summarize molecular imaging studies that show promise for clinical translation. Emphasis is placed on imaging of endogenous and transplanted beta cell mass, including application of various imaging modalities and approaches. Finally, the review attempts to define the future role of these non-invasive imaging techniques in diabetes research and clinical care.
Ultrastructural organization of proteoglycans and fibrillar matrix of the tectorial membrane

The molecular and supramolecular structure of the tectorial membrane (TM) was studied by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Collagen (type A) fibrils in the TM were found associated with proteoglycans (PGs) and type B fibrils. Most PGs were orthogonally oriented and attached D-periodically to collagen fibrils. Computer averaged projections of PG particles and linear aggregates of PGs in crystalline arrays, stained with Cuprolinic blue, showed an elongated, electron-dense structure 50-65 nm in length and 10 nm in width. Image analysis of type B fibrils showed that they are constructed of globular domains arranged with a periodicity of 12-14 nm. Each globular domain contains two thin 'arms', extended in opposite directions, which contact the 'arms' of adjacent fibrils. Numerous type B fibrils were found between collagen fibrils. They are attached to adjacent collagen fibrils by the 'arms' of their globular domains. An association of type B fibrils and PGs with collagen seems to result in the local ordered arrangement of the TM matrix. A hypothetical model of the TM matrix supramolecular structure is presented.
Dealing with methionine/homocysteine sulfur: cysteine metabolism to taurine and inorganic sulfur

Synthesis of cysteine as a product of the transsulfuration pathway can be viewed as part of methionine or homocysteine degradation, with cysteine being the vehicle for sulfur conversion to end products (sulfate, taurine) that can be excreted in the urine. Transsulfuration is regulated by stimulation of cystathionine β-synthase and inhibition of methylene tetrahydrofolate reductase in response to changes in the level of S-adenosylmethionine, and this promotes homocysteine degradation when methionine availability is high. Cysteine is catabolized by several desulfuration reactions that release sulfur in a reduced oxidation state, generating sulfane sulfur or hydrogen sulfide (H2S), which can be further oxidized to sulfate. Cysteine desulfuration is accomplished by alternate reactions catalyzed by cystathionine β-synthase and cystathionine γ-lyase. Cysteine is also catabolized by pathways that require the initial oxidation of the cysteine thiol by cysteine dioxygenase to form cysteinesulfinate. The oxidative pathway leads to production of taurine and sulfate in a ratio of approximately 2:1. Relative metabolism of cysteine by desulfuration versus oxidative pathways is influenced by cysteine dioxygenase activity, which is low in animals fed low-protein diets and high in animals fed excess sulfur amino acids. Thus, desulfuration reactions dominate when cysteine is deficient, whereas oxidative catabolism dominates when cysteine is in excess. In rats consuming a diet with an adequate level of sulfur amino acids, about two thirds of cysteine catabolism occurs by oxidative pathways and one third by desulfuration pathways. Cysteine dioxygenase is robustly regulated in response to cysteine availability and may function to provide a pathway to siphon cysteine to less toxic metabolites than those produced by cysteine desulfuration reactions.
An introduction to radio frequency identification (RFID) methods and solutions

Purpose – This paper aims to introduce some of the most important engineering, and information systems management principles and challenges, that radio frequency identification (RFID) researchers, implementers and users should keep in mind when developing such systems, and/or planning for such applications.Design/methodology/approach – Provides a general review of RFID systems.Findings – RFID technologies with the appropriate IT infrastructure help both major distributors and manufacturers, as well as other logistics operations, such as the health‐care system, defense industries, and others, dealing with complex, global supply chains in which products and product shipments must be traced and identified in a non‐contact, wireless fashion using a computer network, because of cost, or security, or safety, or because parts are subject to corrosion, or food/medicine is subject to quality degradation, or other reasons. All of these requirements point to an automated, wireless‐readable sensory‐based identificati...