cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Photo-oxidative dissolution of CdS(s) in the presence of heavy metal ions

Abstract The dissolution of CdS(s) is enhanced in the presence of Cu(II), Pb(II), Zn(II), Co(II), and Ni(II), especially under photoirradiation and aerobic conditions. The degree of enhancement and the removal of these metal ions depend on the reaction between the metal and the CdS(s) surface (adsorption or exchange) and the photosensitivity of the corresponding metal sulfide.
Methyl 2,4,6-decatrienoates Attract Stink Bugs and Tachinid Parasitoids

Halyomorpha halys (Stal) (Pentatomidae), called the brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB), is a newly invasive species in the eastern USA that is rapidly spreading from the original point of establishment in Allentown, PA. In its native range, the BMSB is reportedly attracted to methyl (E,E,Z)-2,4,6-decatrienoate, the male-produced pheromone of another pentatomid common in eastern Asia, Plautia stali Scott. In North America, Thyanta spp. are the only pentatomids known to produce methyl 2,4,6-decatrienoate [the (E,Z,Z)-isomer] as part of their pheromones. Methyl 2,4,6-decatrienoates were field-tested in Maryland to monitor the spread of the BMSB and to explore the possibility that Thyanta spp. are an alternate host for parasitic tachinid flies that use stink bug pheromones as host-finding kairomones. Here we report the first captures of adult and nymph BMSBs in traps baited with methyl (E,E,Z)-2,4,6-decatrienoate in central Maryland and present data verifying that the tachinid, Euclytia flava (Townsend), exploits methyl (E,Z,Z)-2,4,6-decatrienoate as a kairomone. We also report the unexpected finding that various isomers of methyl 2,4,6-decatrienoate attract Acrosternum hilare (Say), although this bug apparently does not produce methyl decatrienoates. Other stink bugs and tachinids native to North America were also attracted to methyl 2,4,6-decatrienoates. These data indicate there are Heteroptera in North America in addition to Thyanta spp. that probably use methyl 2,4,6-decatrienoates as pheromones. The evidence that some pentatomids exploit the pheromones of other true bugs as kairomones to find food or to congregate as a passive defense against tachinid parasitism is discussed.
Building a Better Mosquito: Identifying the Genes Enabling Malaria and Dengue Fever Resistance in A. gambiae and A. aegypti Mosquitoes

In this interview, George Dimopoulos focuses on the physiological mechanisms used by mosquitoes to combat Plasmodium falciparum and dengue virus infections. Explanation is given for how key refractory genes, those genes conferring resistance to vector pathogens, are identified in the mosquito and how this knowledge can be used to generate transgenic mosquitoes that are unable to carry the malaria parasite or dengue virus.
Specific inhibition of the chymotrypsin-like activity of the proteasome induces a bipolar morphology in neuroblastoma cells

Abstract Background: Lactacystin inhibits cell proliferation and induces a distinctive, predominantly bipolar (two-neurite-bearing) morphology in Neuro 2A murine neuroblastoma cells. It binds with high specificity to the multicatalytic 20S proteasome and inhibits at least three of its peptidase activities (chymotrypsin-like, trypsin-like and peptidylglutamyl-peptide hydrolyzing), each at a different rate, without inhibiting other known proteases. The chymotrypsin-like and trypsin-like activities of the proteasome are inhibited most rapidly, and irreversibly. In an effort to determine which of the peptidase activities needs to be inhibited for neurite outgrowth to occur, we treated Neuro 2A cells with peptide aldehydes that selectively inhibit different proteasome activities. Results: Treatment with peptide aldehydes ending in a hydrophobic residue, all of which inhibit the chymotrypsin-like activity, results in a bipolar morphology in Neuro 2A cells, whereas treatment with a peptide aidehyde inhibitor of the trypsin-like activity does not lead to a detectable change in morphology. One of the inhibitors that induces neurite outgrowth has been previously shown to inhibit the chymotrypsin-like activity of the proteasome without inhibiting the other apparently distinct peptidase activities that cleave after neutral residues, the so-called ‘branched chain amino acid preferring' (BrAAP) and ‘small neutral amino acid preferring' (SNAAP) activities, or the peptidylglutamyl-peptide hydrolyzing (PGPH) activity. Conclusions: The chymotrypsin-like activity appears to antagonize bipolar-type neurite outgrowth in Neuro 2A cells, while the trypsin-like, PGPH, BrAAP and SNAAP appear not to do so. Selective inhibition of a single peptidase activity, as opposed to general inhibition of the proteasome, appears sufficient to induce a specific cellular process. Selective inhibition might be useful in managing diseases where only one activity is involved without completely inhibiting the proteasome. It is also possible that endogenous regulators of the proteasome could affect cellular processes and that certain peptidase activities of the proteasome may have roles in specifying a given cell fate,
Protein complexing in a methanogen suggests electron bifurcation and electron delivery from formate to heterodisulfide reductase

In methanogenic Archaea, the final step of methanogenesis generates methane and a heterodisulfide of coenzyme M and coenzyme B (CoM-S-S-CoB). Reduction of this heterodisulfide by heterodisulfide reductase to regenerate HS-CoM and HS-CoB is an exergonic process. Thauer et al. [Thauer, et al. 2008 Nat Rev Microbiol 6:579–591] recently suggested that in hydrogenotrophic methanogens the energy of heterodisulfide reduction powers the most endergonic reaction in the pathway, catalyzed by the formylmethanofuran dehydrogenase, via flavin-based electron bifurcation. Here we present evidence that these two steps in methanogenesis are physically linked. We identify a protein complex from the hydrogenotrophic methanogen, Methanococcus maripaludis, that contains heterodisulfide reductase, formylmethanofuran dehydrogenase, F420-nonreducing hydrogenase, and formate dehydrogenase. In addition to establishing a physical basis for the electron-bifurcation model of energy conservation, the composition of the complex also suggests that either H2 or formate (two alternative electron donors for methanogenesis) can donate electrons to the heterodisulfide-H2 via F420-nonreducing hydrogenase or formate via formate dehydrogenase. Electron flow from formate to the heterodisulfide rather than the use of H2 as an intermediate represents a previously unknown path of electron flow in methanogenesis. We further tested whether this path occurs by constructing a mutant lacking F420-nonreducing hydrogenase. The mutant displayed growth equal to wild-type with formate but markedly slower growth with hydrogen. The results support the model of electron bifurcation and suggest that formate, like H2, is closely integrated into the methanogenic pathway.
The preparation and properties of silyl methyl sulphide

Abstract The new compound, SiH3SCH3, has been prepared from SiH3I·N(CH3)3 and CH3SH. Its physical properties have been studied. Using B2H6 as a reference Lewis acid, SiH3SCH3 has been found to be a weaker Lewis base than (CH3)2S. Diborane was not a sufficiently strong Lewis acid to differentiate between the relative base strengths of SiH3SCH3 and (SiH3)2S.
A. S. Worrell's New Testament: A Landmark Baptist-Pentecostal Bible Translation from the Early Twentieth Century

English Bible translation has always been ideological, exposing the religious traditions of the translators. But A. S. Worrell's New Testament , published in 1904, is a rarity. Worrell was a Landmark Southern Baptist who converted to Pentecostalism late in life, and his Bible version reflects this unique combination of Landmark and Pentecostal sympathies. This article identifies the marks of both theologies and the ways in which Worrell integrated them into his singular Bible translation.
A pilot study on binocular rivalry and motion using virtual reality

When two eyes view different objects or scenes at the same time, stable binocular single vision gives way to alternations in perception. Called binocular rivalry, this beguiling phenomenon discloses the existence of inhibitory interactions between neural representations associated with the conflicting visual inputs. One strategy for learning details about this neural competition is to ascertain to what extent it is susceptible to top-down influences such as expectations engendered by one's own activity [Maruya et al. 2007]. Thanks to advances in virtual reality (VR) technology, this strategy can be implemented in the laboratory, which we have done. Specifically we are measuring the extent to which self-generated motion (walking) biases perception during binocular rivalry between two competing visual optic flow fields (one specifying forward locomotion and the other specifying backward locomotion). Our progress to date is reported in this poster.
Thermodynamic Extrapolation of Rocket Performance Parameters

[I31 It has been found useful in performance calculations to calculate molecular weight derivatives rather than volume derivatives to indicate changes in composition. From Eq. [I 31 there follows A further discussion of the molecular weight derivatives and a method for their numerical evaluation is given by Gordon et al. (4). With the aid of Bridgman's tables
Loss of Cytokine-STAT5 Signaling in the CNS and Pituitary Gland Alters Energy Balance and Leads to Obesity

Signal transducers and activators of transcription (STATs) are critical components of cytokine signaling pathways. STAT5A and STAT5B (STAT5), the most promiscuous members of this family, are highly expressed in specific populations of hypothalamic neurons in regions known to mediate the actions of cytokines in the regulation of energy balance. To test the hypothesis that STAT5 signaling is essential to energy homeostasis, we used Cre-mediated recombination to delete the Stat5 locus in the CNS. Mutant males and females developed severe obesity with hyperphagia, impaired thermal regulation in response to cold, hyperleptinemia and insulin resistance. Furthermore, central administration of GM-CSF mediated the nuclear accumulation of STAT5 in hypothalamic neurons and reduced food intake in control but not in mutant mice. These results demonstrate that STAT5 mediates energy homeostasis in response to endogenous cytokines such as GM-CSF.
Argumentation: A strategy for improving achievement and revealing scientific identities

In this paper we explore the relationship between learning gains, measured through pre‐assessment and post‐assessment, and engagement in scientific argumentation. In order to do so, this paper examines group discourse and individual learning during the implementation of NASA Classroom of the Future’s BioBLAST!® (BB) software program in a high school biology classroom. We found that the argumentative structures, the quality of these structures, and the identities that students take on during collaborative group work are critical in influencing student learning and achievement in science. We provide recommendations for instructors implementing argumentation in their science classrooms, and provide suggestions for the development of future research in this area.
All in the fiber optical communication

Summary form only given. It is now possible to perform all the major functions of optical communication in fiber based devices. This includes amplification, laser oscillation, dispersion correction, filtering, and modulation. The talk will describe the basic physics of all of these applications in their fiber setting and how they might be applied to an all in the fiber communication system in which the light is born, manipulated, and transmitted without ever leaving the optical fiber environment.
Monolithic integration of electronic and electro-optical devices exploiting the AlGaN/GaN-LiNbO/sub 3/ material system

The development of the monolithic integration of AlGaN/GaN FETs with LiNbO/sub 3/ structures for optical signal processing is presented. Wc also present new III-nitride material growth details and electronic device performance.
Tuberculosis: Resurgent Disease, Renewed Liability

AJR:190, June 2008 of Health and Human Services (CDC) dis­ covered that Speaker had traveled inter­ nationally against medical advice and that his whereabouts were unknown [5]. On May 22, the CDC determined that Speaker had the rarer and more deadly type of TB known as extensively drug­resistant TB, caused by a strain of mycobacteria identified in 2006 in a small rural town in South Africa [6]. This strain is resistant not only to the two standard anti­TB drugs but also to all of the quinolones and at least one of the three second­line drugs, capreomycin, kanamycin, and amikacin [7]. Also on May 22, CDC officials reached Speaker, who was in Italy, by telephone, informed him of the more serious diagnosis, and instructed him to terminate all travel and proceed immediately to a hospital in Italy for medical care. The officials also requested that U.S. Customs and Border Protection personnel detain Speaker on his reentry to the United States. Although they later claimed that they received assurances from Speaker that he would comply with their instructions, these officials later found that on May 24, Speaker had checked out of his hotel without disclosing his destination and traveled by commercial airliner first to the Czech Republic and then to Montreal, Quebec, Canada. On arriving in Montreal, Speaker rented an automobile and reentered the United States. Notwithstand ing the fact that U.S. Customs agents had been notified to detain him on reentry, Speaker crossed the border uneventfully. After multiple attempts, CDC officials contacted Speaker on his cell telephone and directed him to report immediately to Bellevue Hospital in New York City, where he would be served a quarantine order for isolation and medical evaluation [5]. Speaker Tuberculosis: Resurgent Disease, Renewed Liability
Impedance restrictions on independent finger grippers

The impedance matrices of independent point fingers of a multifingered gripper map to the impedance matrix of a grasped workpart. We find that in a planar geometry, three fingers are enough to allow an unrestricted range of workpart impedances, if finger impedances are selectable. In a spatial geometry however, five fingers are necessary for the broadest range of workpart impedances, and even so there is one impedance matrix that a workpart cannot attain regardless of the number of fingers that grasp it. We find this "unattainable" impedance matrix. We also characterize the impedance restrictions on workparts grasped with fewer than five spatial or three planar fingers.
A Novel Approach to Decoy Set Generation: Designing a Physical Energy Function Having Local Minima with Native Structure Characteristics

We suggest a new approach to the generation of candidate structures (decoys) for ab initio prediction of protein structures. Our method is based on random sampling of conformation space and subsequent local energy minimization. At the core of this approach lies the design of a novel type of energy function. This energy function has local minima with native structure characteristics and wide basins of attraction. The current work presents our motivation for deriving such an energy function and also tests the derived energy function. Our approach is novel in that it takes advantage of the inherently rough energy landscape of proteins, which is generally considered a major obstacle for protein structure prediction. When local minima have wide basins of attraction, the protein's conformation space can be greatly reduced by the convergence of large regions of the space into single points, namely the local minima corresponding to these funnels. We have implemented this concept by an iterative process. The potential is first used to generate decoy sets and then we study these sets of decoys to guide further development of the potential. A key feature of our potential is the use of cooperative multi-body interactions that mimic the role of the entropic and solvent contributions to the free energy. The validity and value of our approach is demonstrated by applying it to 14 diverse, small proteins. We show that, for these proteins, the size of conformation space is considerably reduced by the new energy function. In fact, the reduction is so substantial as to allow efficient conformational sampling. As a result we are able to find a significant number of near-native conformations in random searches performed with limited computational resources.
A representation-theoretic approach to the DFT with noncommutative generalizations

It is known that both the one-dimensional and multidimensional DFTs (discrete Fourier transforms) can be constructed as transition matrices associated with the decomposition of finite-dimensional complex commutative group algebras into simple components. Two key attributes of these transforms, orthogonality and the convolution property, are inherent in such a description, suggesting the possibility of enlarging the class by extending the construction to noncommutative groups. In this context, one speaks of a noncommutative or generalized transform, the definition of which is based on the theory of semisimple rings. The author reviews the ring theory and representation theory fundamental to the existence and computation of group algebra decompositions and sketches the representation-theoretic construction of both the classical and noncommutative discrete Fourier transforms. The noncommutative transform associated with the class of dihedral groups is explicitly constructed and shown directly to exhibit both orthogonality and a noncommutative convolution property. >
Drug discrimination procedures: A method to analyze adaptation level of affective states

When contrasting drugs (i.e., chlordiazepoxide versus pentylenetetrazol) are examined in drug-drug, drug-saline, or drug 1-drug 2-saline tasks, one can begin to assess whether such drugs represent orthogonal cues or reflect an underlying cue dimension. Both adaptation level theory and opponent-process theory are applied to the analysis of drug discriminative performance. Three indices that can differentiate between orthogonal and opponent affective states utilizing drug-drug discrimination tasks are discussed in relation to these two theories, and a model to characterize further the similarity between pharmacologically and environmentally induced anxiety is proposed.
Total Dose and Single Event Testing of a Hardened Single-Ended Current Mode PWM Controller

We report results of total dose and SEE testing of the ISL7884xASRH hardened single-ended current mode PWM controller including discussion of part design, process and radiation testing results. The part is implemented in submicron BiCMOS.
Body size and activity times mediate mammalian responses to climate change.

Model predictions of extinction risks from anthropogenic climate change are dire, but still overly simplistic. To reliably predict at-risk species we need to know which species are currently responding, which are not, and what traits are mediating the responses. For mammals, we have yet to identify overarching physiological, behavioral, or biogeographic traits determining species' responses to climate change, but they must exist. To date, 73 mammal species in North America and eight additional species worldwide have been assessed for responses to climate change, including local extirpations, range contractions and shifts, decreased abundance, phenological shifts, morphological or genetic changes. Only 52% of those species have responded as expected, 7% responded opposite to expectations, and the remaining 41% have not responded. Which mammals are and are not responding to climate change is mediated predominantly by body size and activity times (phylogenetic multivariate logistic regressions, P < 0.0001). Large mammals respond more, for example, an elk is 27 times more likely to respond to climate change than a shrew. Obligate diurnal and nocturnal mammals are more than twice as likely to respond as mammals with flexible activity times (P < 0.0001). Among the other traits examined, species with higher latitudinal and elevational ranges were more likely to respond to climate change in some analyses, whereas hibernation, heterothermy, burrowing, nesting, and study location did not influence responses. These results indicate that some mammal species can behaviorally escape climate change whereas others cannot, analogous to paleontology's climate sheltering hypothesis. Including body size and activity flexibility traits into future extinction risk forecasts should substantially improve their predictive utility for conservation and management.
Inter- and Intraspecific Variation in Excited-state Triplet Energy Transfer Rates in Reaction Centers of Photosynthetic Bacteria¶

Abstract In protein–cofactor reaction center (RC) complexes of purple photosynthetic bacteria, the major role of the bound carotenoid (C) is to quench the triplet state formed on the primary electron donor (P) before its sensitization of the excited singlet state of molecular oxygen from its ground triplet state. This triplet energy is transferred from P to C via the bacteriochlorophyll monomer BB. Using time-resolved electron paramagnetic resonance (TREPR), we have examined the temperature dependence of the rates of this triplet energy transfer reaction in the RC of three wild-type species of purple nonsulfur bacteria. Species-specific differences in the rate of transfer were observed. Wild-type Rhodobacter capsulatus RCs were less efficient at the triplet transfer reaction than Rhodobacter sphaeroides RCs, but were more efficient than Rhodospirillum rubrum RCs. In addition, RCs from three mutant strains of R. capsulatus carrying substitutions of amino acids near P and BB were examined. Two of the mutant...
The Application of High Energy Resolution Green's Functions to Threat Scenario Simulation

Radiation detectors installed at key interdiction points provide defense against nuclear smuggling attempts by scanning vehicles and traffic for illicit nuclear material. These hypothetical threat scenarios may be modeled using radiation transport simulations. However, high-fidelity models are computationally intensive. Furthermore, the range of smuggler attributes and detector technologies create a large problem space not easily overcome by brute-force methods. Previous research has demonstrated that decomposing the scenario into independently simulated components using Green's functions can simulate photon detector signals with coarse energy resolution. This paper extends this methodology by presenting physics enhancements and numerical treatments which allow for an arbitrary level of energy resolution for photon transport. As a result, spectroscopic detector signals produced from full forward transport simulations can be replicated while requiring multiple orders of magnitude less computation time.
Impacts of a PECS instructional coaching intervention on practitioners and children with autism

There is a growing research literature on the potential benefits of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) for individuals with autism; however few studies have investigated implementation of AAC within real-life contexts. Thus, the purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of training for practitioners in implementation of aided AAC, and to examine implementation of Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) in real-life contexts. In particular, this study involved the implementation of instructional coaching to increase opportunities offered by behavioral therapists for their preschool-aged clients to use PECS to make requests. Results indicated increases in therapist implementation of AAC and client use of AAC in trained contexts, with limited generalization to untrained contexts.
Data protection in the university setting: employee perceptions of student privacy

The right to privacy is not absolute and is often established by context and the need to know. The nature of the university environment sometimes distorts the sanctity of privacy because the "need to know" is so profuse. Although students are guaranteed the right to keep essential but confidential information private under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, student data are vulnerable because of the need for academic departments to share and manage these data. Recent articles in the popular press suggest consumers as a whole are questioning organizational practices that are designed to protect their personal information. Similar practices occur in the university setting, but fewer concerns are being publicized. Because of the vast amount of data sharing that occurs in an academic setting, it is imperative that we ensure the employees adhere to privacy policies that are structured to impose conscientious behaviors. University privacy policies are in practice, but there is no method of determining their effectiveness. This research seeks to ascertain the attitudes of employees regarding student privacy. Using a 15-item instrument, this study explores employees' privacy perceptions of a large university located in the Southeastern USA. Our study examines the level of concerns employees have concerning errors in, unauthorized secondary use of, improper access to and collection of data.
A three‐dimensional view of the stratosphere‐to‐troposphere exchange in the GFDL SKYHI Model

A three-dimensional perspective on the stratosphere-to-troposphere exchange is provided by trajectory calculations based on winds from the GFDL SKYHI general circulation model. For particles initialized at the 350 K isentropic surface, the exchange is initially (for up to 30 days) more vigorous in the summer hemisphere, in agreement with the isentropic results of Chen [1995]. However, on longer time scales the relative importance of the exchange in the winter hemisphere increases, as particles in that hemisphere descend more rapidly towards the extratropical tropopa.use. These results illustrate the importance of cross-isentropic transport for the stratosphere-to-troposphere exchange on seasonal time scales.
Bank Deposits in the United Kingdom, 1870–1914

I should like to dedicate this essay to the memory of Charles Rist. I. Introduction and basic contentions, 329. — II. Defectiveness of the usual statistics; deposits of joint-stock banks and private banks; the Economist's estimates; current accounts and fixed deposits, 332. — III. Growth of deposits in the long run and the short run, 345. — IV. Old and new explanations of the great depression (1873–1895), 348. — V. Gold, credit and prices in the United Kingdom, 354.
Myxoid Epithelioid Sarcoma: Clinicopathologic Analysis of 2 Cases

In the nearly 4 decades since its original delineation as a distinct clinicopathologic entity, several morphologic variations of epithelioid sarcoma have been described. Proximal, angiomatoid, and fibroma-like variants have been reported, as have cases displaying significant hyalinization, calcification, and/or ossification. Furthermore, it has long been recognized that epithelioid sarcoma may display focal myxoid change. Herein, the authors describe 2 examples of epithelioid sarcoma that displayed diffuse myxoid change. Both cases were otherwise typical, both morphologically and immunophenotypically, of epithelioid sarcoma. The tumors in both cases were localized, and the patients were treated with wide local excision followed by adjuvant radiotherapy. The patients are free of disease recurrence after 25 and 37 months of follow-up. Differential considerations that may arise because of the composite of morphologic and immunophenotypic findings noted in these cases are discussed, especially if encountered ...
Analysis of low-carbon transport in Beijing

This paper first analyses the status quo of transportation development in Beijing. Then, we use experiment approach to calculate carbon emissions. After fitting transportation carbon emissions by utilizing EKC curve, we forecast the peak of carbon emissions up to 2188.8315 ten thousand tons. And when it is around 2020, it will peak. Last, we provide some strategies on the development of low-carbon transportation in terms of transportation policy supply, demand and urban spatial policy.
Watershed decisions: the St. Lawrence Seaway and sub-national water diplomacy

Abstract/ResumesThe St. Lawrence Seaway and Power Project, authorized by a 1954 Canadian-American agreement after decades of negotiations, was a formative event in the history of North American sub-national governmental relations. This study examines the role of the Province of Ontario and the State of New York, and their respective power utilities, Hydro-Electric Power Commission of Ontario and the Power Authority of the State of New York, in the diplomacy that led to the St. Lawrence megaproject. Sub-national governments directly and indirectly shaped policy not only through formal federalism and diplomatic channels, but also via a number of transborder agencies and engineering boards. Employing a historical analysis to demonstrate that institutional and ideational factors shaped the Canadian state，s approach to border waters, the St. Lawrence project expanded opportunities for environmental paradiplomacy in subsequent Canadian- American relations.
Multi-Variable Agents Decomposition for DCOPs to Exploit Multi-Level Parallelism

Current DCOP algorithms suffer from a major limiting assumption---each agent can handle only a single variable of the problem---which limits their scalability. This paper proposes a novel Multi-Variable Agent (MVA) DCOP decomposition, which: (i) Exploits co-locality of an agent's variables, allowing us to adopt efficient centralized techniques; (ii) Enables the use of hierarchical parallel models, such us those based on GPGPUs; and (iii) Empirically reduces the amount of communication required in several classes of DCOP algorithms. Experimental results show that our MVA decomposition outperforms non-decomposed DCOP algorithms, in terms of network load and scalability.
New Techniques for the Study of Neural Tube Defects.

Neural tube defects (NTDs) are among the most common complex congenital malformations observed in newborns. When the neural tube fails to close completely, severe malformations of the brain and/or spinal cord and subsequent neurologic impairment occurs. It is widely believed that nutritional, environmental and genetic interactions contribute to NTDs. It is well established that low folate levels during pregnancy increases a mother’s risk of having pregnancy complicated by an NTD, and providing periconceptional folate supplementation reduces this risk. The underlying genetic mechanisms of NTDs are still unclear. We review the many new approaches to better understand the etiology, especially the genetic etiology, underlying this family of birth defects.
Comparative Oxidation of Hemoglobins A and S

The mutant hemoglobin S (HbS) previously was reported to undergo accelerated autooxidation during incubation in vitro. However, subsequent observations have raised the possibility that this might be explained by adventitious association of molecular iron with HbS, rather than reflecting an inherent property of HbS. Using purified HbA and HbS obtained from genotypic HbAS donors, we found that the observed oxidation rate of HbS, but not of HbA, is indeed exaggerated by adventitious iron. This result suggests a preferential partitioning of molecular iron to HbS over HbA, which was further supported by experimentation. However, after elimination of this effect, there still remains a significant increase in inherent autooxidation rate for HbS. Physiologic oxidants (superoxide, peroxide, hydroxyl radical) and various Fe(III) chelates all stimulate oxidation of oxyHb, but they do so equivalently for HbA and HbS. Nevertheless, these mechanisms also would contribute to excessive biologic oxidation of HbS because the cytoplasm of sickle red blood cells, unlike that of normal cells, would be exposed to abnormal amounts of oxidants and low-molecular-weight iron compounds.
Gingerbread, Architecture: A Reappraisal of Will Cotton

“Gingerbread, Architecture” examines the work of contemporary artist Will Cotton, outlining a case for sensual architectural representation wed to the edible and vicarious tasting of the built environment. Following tantalizing descriptions of eating architecture from Ruskin and Proust, the review finds contemporary examples of such in the work of Janine Antoni and the jellymonger team of Bompas and Parr. Narrative traditions including Hansel and Gretel offer some context for Cotton's painting of gingerbread structures in ruin alongside art historical ties to Thomas Cole's “Course of Empire” series and the snowscape as a specific subject genre. The author closely examines Cotton's projects, their atmosphere, and scale in an effort to discount their dismissal as metaphors for decadent culture and, instead, reveals their appropriation of landscape painting traditions, including the misty worlds of J.M.W. Turner, and the artist's allegiance—across several paintings—to the mapped territory featured in...
Allozyme Variation in Natural Populations of Heliothis virescens

Heliothis virescens (F.) is surveyed for allozyme variability in 11 populations from North Carolina to California. The mean genetic distance (Nei's) for 10 enzyme loci is 0.034±0.002. It is suggested that high dispersal rates observed for the species maintain this genetic similarity. No clinal variation is observed for any individual loci. Aox1.00 and ± gpdh-1.00 are significantly correlated with longitude (± <0.05). Two populations were collected from tobacco, 3 from ornamentals, and 6 from cotton. Tox1.00 and Tox1.01 are correlated with host plant (± <0.005). The mean heterozygosity of 5 western populations is significantly lower (± <0.01) than that of the 6 eastern populations. The mean percent monomorphic loci is also significantly higher (± <0.01) for western than for eastern populations. These differences are attributed to the increased number of alternate host plants in the east.
A theory of rotating stall of multistage axial compressors. I - Small disturbances

An analysis is made of rotating stall in compressors of many stages, finding conditions under which a flow distortion can occur which is steady in a traveling reference frame, even through upstream total and downstream static pressure are constant. In the compressor, a pressure-rise hysteresis is assumed. Flow in entrance and exit ducts yield additional lags. These lags balance to give a formula for stall propagation speed. For small disturbances, it is required that the compressor characteristics be flat in the neighborhood of average flow coefficient. Results are compared with the experiments of Day and Cumpsty. If a compressor lag of about twice that due only to fluid inertia is used, predicted propagation speeds agree almost exactly with experimental values, taking into account changes of number of stages, stagger angle, row spacing, and number of stall zones. The agreement obtained gives encouragement for the extension of the theory to account for large amplitudes.
Epidemiology of Tuberculosis and Treatment of Smear-positive Tuberculosis Cases From 2003 to 2006 in Dingcheng District

Objective To analyze the epidemiological characteristics of tuberculosis(TB)and to master its treatment,and to provide a scientific basis for TB control.Methods Descriptive epidemiological analysis was used for epidemic situation reports and registered TB cases from 2003 to 2006 in Dingcheng District,and statistical analysis was performed for treatment evaluation of smear-positive TB cases.Results A total of 6,908 suspicious patients were admitted and 3,284 patients were confirmed to be TB positive from 2003 to 2006.The average annual TB incidence was 96.15/100,000 and increased year after year.The rates had statistical significance between each year(P0.01).The average annual positive rate of sputum examinations was 66.51% and the peak-month for TB incidence was from March to June,accounted for 45.73% of the whole cases.The majority of the cases distributed in the age group of 35～64 years,accounted for 55.63%.The ratio of male to female was 2.93:1.And peasants were the majority,accounted for 82.73%.Wulin town and Dingjiagang town had the first and second high-incidence,with 183.53/100,000 and 153.33/100,000.The average cure rate of smear-positive cases after the initial treatment was 84.00%,while the average cure rate after the re-treatment was 79.13%,and the rates had statistical significance(P0.05).Conclusions TB patients in Dingcheng District are mainly young adult peasants.Further enhancing the centralized management of TB,strengthening self-building of TB institutions,and improving the detection rate of patient and diagnosis are the effective control measures for TB.
Perturbation of axonal elemental composition and water content: implication for neurotoxic mechanisms.

The concentration and distribution of labile elements in nerve cells is tightly regulated by multiple membrane transport processes and by binding to lipids and proteins. The multifaceted nature of elemental regulation provides numerous sites at which toxicants or disease processes might act to disrupt this regulation. Such disruption can affect cytoskeletal integrity, macromolecular synthesis, energy production, osmoregulation and other cellular processes. The possible role of perturbed elemental homeostasis in the mechanism of nerve injury caused by certain chemicals (e.g., acrylamide, 2,5-hexanedione) and neuropathic diseases (e.g., diabetes) has not been determined. To investigate this possibility, we have used electron probe x-ray micro-analysis (EPMA) to measure the distribution of elements and water in cellular compartments of myelinated axons (axoplasm, mitochondria) and glial cells (cytoplasm, myelin) in normal rat central and peripheral nervous systems. Results indicate that each compartment exhibits a characteristic composition of elements and water which might reflect function of that anatomical region or organelle. Injury-induced changes in elemental content of PNS axons and Schwann cells have been identified using several neurotoxic models (i.e., acrylamide, axotomy, diabetic neuropathy). Each type of injury initiated early alterations in element and water composition of both axons and glial cells. Compositional changes were specific and developed sequentially instead of simultaneously. Results of these studies suggest that, rather than being an epiphenomenon, altered elemental regulation might represent a primary component of many neurotoxic mechanisms.
Animals, prey, and enemies: hunting and killing in an African counter-insurgency†

ABSTRACTHistorians of Africa have frequently claimed that the violence of colonial conquest, and the slaughter of fauna that accompanied it, was reproduced in the repression of anti-colonial and nationalist insurgencies. Indeed the vocabularies of hunting, tracking and killing often seeped into the practices of counter-insurgencies. Using interviews, archives, and most of all the sizeable body of memoirs and novels by former Rhodesian soldiers, this article argues that the hunting of African animals and the hunting of African insurgents were markedly different. Animals were natural; they were innocent and instinctive, as were African trackers in government employment: they should not be hunted. The Africans who should be hunted were not the enemy, however, but allies and would-be allies who became prey. Thus the conduct of late twentieth century counter-insurgency was markedly different from that of nineteenth century hunting even as it reclassified prey and protected species as hunters did.
High Directional Sensitivity of Micromachined Magnetic Fluxgate Sensors

In this paper, we have investigated directional sensitivities of a new micromachined magnetic fluxgate sensor with different core geometries. A maximum sensor sensitivity of 900 V/T has been achieved for the sensor cell itself with a core width of 700 µm. These sensors have also shown excellent directional sensitivities with the variation of core geometries, where the attained maximum directional sensitivity is 50 mV/o without signal amplification. The sensors realized in this work can have good applications for magnetic field detections as well as for navigation systems.
Self-Reported Offending, Maturational Reform, and the Easterlin Hypothesis

The maturational reform hypothesis and the Easterlin cohort size hypothesis are used to specify models in which age, period, and cohort effects on self-reported crime and delinquency are estimated. Curvilinear effects, logarithmic transformations, and the distinction between prevalence and frequency of offending are considered. The maturational reform hypothesis is supported for general delinquency but not for serious (Index) delinquency, for which there appears to be a steady decline in the behavior with age. The Easterlin hypothesis is supported for both general and Index delinquency. Theoretical, methodological, and substantive implications of the results are discussed.
CHAPTER 13 – NUMERICAL SOLUTIONS AND CONDITIONING OF ALGEBRAIC RICCATI EQUATIONS

This chapter is devoted to the study of numerical solutions of the continuous-time algebraic Riccati equation (CARE) and its discrete counterpart (DARE). Historically, algebraic Riccati equations started as an important tool in the solution of Linear Quadratic Optimization problems. In recent years, they became a subject of intensive study, both from theoretical and computational viewpoints, because of their important roles in state-space solutions of H ∞ and robust control problems. The chapter discusses the following computational methods for the CARE and DARE that are widely known in the literature: the eigenvector methods; the Schur methods and tile structure-preserving Schur methods; the generalized eigenvector, the generalized Schur, and inverse-free generalized methods; the matrix sign function methods; and Newton's methods. The eigenvector methods are well known to have numerical difficulties in case the Hamiltonian matrix associated with the CARE or the Symplectic matrix associated with the DARE has some multiple or near-multiple eigenvalues. Newton's methods are iterative in nature and are usually used as iterative refinement techniques for solutions obtained by the Schur methods or the matrix sign function methods. The chapter also presents a comparison of the different methods and the recommendation based on this comparison.
Molecular Engineering of the Peptoid Nanosheet Hydrophobic Core

The relationship between the structure of sequence-defined peptoid polymers and their ability to assemble into well-defined nanostructures is important to the creation of new bioinspired platforms with sophisticated functionality. Here, the hydrophobic N-(2-phenylethyl)glycine (Npe) monomers of the standard nanosheet-forming peptoid sequence were modified in an effort to (1) produce nanosheets from relatively short peptoids, (2) inhibit the aggregation of peptoids in bulk solution, (3) increase nanosheet stability by promoting packing interactions within the hydrophobic core, and (4) produce nanosheets with a nonaromatic hydrophobic core. Fluorescence and optical microscopy of individual nanosheets reveal that certain modifications to the hydrophobic core were well tolerated, whereas others resulted in instability or aggregation or prevented assembly. Importantly, we demonstrate that substitution at the meta and para positions of the Npe aromatic ring are well tolerated, enabling significant opportunities...
Populist Argumentation in Bruce Springsteen's the Rising

This essay examines popular music as populist argumentation in Bruce Springsteen's post-9/11 tribute, The Rising. I argue Springsteen offers a therapeutic populism that acts ideologically to bolster patriotism. I advance a typology of populist advocacy and a theory of musical argumentation. Musical argument is examined through sound and lyrics, as well as media coverage, to illustrate the way therapy and ideology mask the potential insurgency of Springsteen's populism. The study concludes with a call to embrace music as a mode of civic argument and to fully interrogate the spectrum of populist advocacy in the public sphere.
Analysis and out-year forecast of beetle, borer, and drought-induced tree mortality in California

The level of tree mortality and drought observed over the past decade in North America has been described as ‘unparalleled’ in our modern history, in particular in the Sierra Nevada, California. Forest managers could use early warning of where and how much tree mortality to expect in the very near future to plan and prioritize hazard tree removal, pest suppression activities, infer location of funding needs and fuels reduction treatments as well as access for firefighting. To answer these needs, we developed an empirically-based forecast model for expected tree mortality for an upcoming year based on (1) previous years’ tree mortality as observed in late summer; (2) previous years’ hydrologic year precipitation levels; and (3) site characteristics including amount of available host. Using this approach, initial forecasts for the next growing season can be developed by late fall for the following late summer. We demonstrated the application of this model by developing a forecast for the state of California for 2017. The explanatory variables in the California model accounted for ∼43% of the variability in tree mortality. Overall, the model missed forecasting high levels of mortality in approximately 5% of forested or woodland locations for the state of California. Locations with more mortality than expected in 2015 & 2016 were mostly associated with new outbreaks of insects; land use changes, and margins of prescribed- or wildfires not initially attributed. The forecasts may also be useful to natural resource and land managers in locating new outbreaks that may be attributed to novel behavior or exotic insects.
ON THE NONLINEAR THEORY OF THIN PLATES

ABSTRACT This paper discusses a formulation of the theory of thin elastic plates which is valid for arbitrarily large deformations subject to the assumption of small strain and to the assumption of middle surface normal preservation during deformation. Of primary interest is the formulation of plate theory in such a way that its range of applicability extends beyond that of the small-finite-deflection theory associated with the names of Kirchhoff, A. Foppl and von Karman. This discussion is adapted from a special lecture presented to the Third Southeastern Conference on Theoretical and Applied Mechanics, March 31-April 1, 1966, at the University of South Carolina in Columbia.
On the Multilevel Nature of Meta-Analysis: A Tutorial, Comparison of Software Programs, and Discussion of Analytic Choices

The term "multilevel meta-analysis" is encountered not only in applied research studies, but in multilevel resources comparing traditional meta-analysis to multilevel meta-analysis. In this tutorial, we argue that the term "multilevel meta-analysis" is redundant since all meta-analysis can be formulated as a special kind of multilevel model. To clarify the multilevel nature of meta-analysis the four standard meta-analytic models are presented using multilevel equations and fit to an example data set using four software programs: two specific to meta-analysis (metafor in R and SPSS macros) and two specific to multilevel modeling (PROC MIXED in SAS and HLM). The same parameter estimates are obtained across programs underscoring that all meta-analyses are multilevel in nature. Despite the equivalent results, not all software programs are alike and differences are noted in the output provided and estimators available. This tutorial also recasts distinctions made in the literature between traditional and multilevel meta-analysis as differences between meta-analytic choices, not between meta-analytic models, and provides guidance to inform choices in estimators, significance tests, moderator analyses, and modeling sequence. The extent to which the software programs allow flexibility with respect to these decisions is noted, with metafor emerging as the most favorable program reviewed.