cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Xenopus Tadpole Tissue Harvest

The procedures described here apply to Xenopus tadpoles from the beginning of feeding through the major changes of metamorphosis and are appropriate for downstream postoperative snap freezing for molecular analysis, fixation for histological analysis, and sterile organ culture. To the uninitiated, the most difficult aspects of tadpole tissue dissections are likely knowing the appearance and location of organs, and the difficulty manipulating and holding tadpoles in place to carry out the oftentimes fine and precise dissections. Therefore, images and stepwise instructions are given for the harvest of external organs (tail, head, eyes, tail skin, back skin, gills, thymus, hind limbs, forelimbs) and peritoneal organs (intestine, pancreas, liver, spleen, lungs, fat bodies, kidney/gonad complex), as well as brain, heart, and blood. Dissections are typically done under a dissection stereomicroscope, and two pairs of fine straight forceps, one pair of fine curved forceps, and one pair of microdissection scissors are sufficient for most tissue harvests.
Transforming the Organic Chemistry Lab Experience: Design, Implementation, and Evaluation of Reformed Experimental Activities—REActivities

Reformed experimental activities (REActivities) are an innovative approach to the delivery of the traditional material in an undergraduate organic chemistry laboratory. A description of the design and implementation of REActivities at both a four- and two-year institution is discussed. The results obtained using a reformed teaching observational protocol are described and correlated to the transferability of REActivities between different instructors and their transportability between different institutions.
Upregulation of nitric oxide in tumor cells as a negative adaptation to photodynamic therapy

One of the advantages of PDT is that it can often circumvent tumor resistance to chemotherapeutic agents such as cisplatin and doxorubicin. However, pre-existing and acquired resistance to PDT has also been demonstrated. One type of resistance, which involves nitric oxide (NO) generated by inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS/NOS2) in tumor cells, was discovered in the author's laboratory. When subjected to a 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA)-based photodynamic challenge, several cancer lines, including breast, prostate, and glioma, underwent intrinsic apoptosis that could be substantially enhanced by iNOS enzymatic inhibitors or a NO scavenger, implying iNOS/NO-mediated resistance. In most cases, iNOS was significantly upregulated by the challenge and this appeared to be more important in the hyper-resistance than pre-existing enzyme. Of added importance was our observation that cells surviving ALA/light treatment typically exhibited a more aggressive phenotype, proliferating and migrating/invading more rapidly than controls in iNOS/NO-dependent fashion. Most of these in vitro PDT findings have recently been confirmed at the in vivo level, using a human breast tumor xenograft model. We have also shown that upregulated iNOS in PDT-targeted cells can elicit a pro-growth/migration response in non-targeted bystander cells, NO again playing a key role. Post-PDT resistance and potentially dangerous hyper-aggressiveness can be attenuated by inhibitors of iNOS enzymatic activity, some of which have seen pharmacologic use in non-cancer or PDT settings. These various aspects of PDT antagonism by tumor iNOS/NO and how they might be overcome will be discussed in this review. Lasers Surg. Med. 50:590-598, 2018.© 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
N-Acetyl Cysteine Treatment Restores Early Phase Fracture Healing in Ethanol-Fed Rats.

BACKGROUND Fracture healing in alcoholics is delayed and often associated with infections resulting in prolonged rehabilitation. It has been reported that binge drinking of alcohol increases oxidative stress and delays fracture healing in rats, which is prevented by treatment with the antioxidant n-acetyl cysteine (NAC). Oxidative stress is a significant factor in pathologies of various organs resulting from chronic alcoholism. Therefore, we hypothesize that treatment with NAC reduces oxidative stress and restores fracture healing in chronic alcoholics. METHODS Rats (10 months old) were pair-fed the Lieber-DeCarli ethanol (EtOH) diet or control diet for 16 weeks. A closed fracture was performed and rats allowed to recover for 72 hours. Rats were divided into 4 groups-control, control + NAC, EtOH, and EtOH + NAC-and injected intraperitoneally with 200 mg/kg of NAC daily for 3 days. Serum and bone fracture callus homogenates were collected and assayed for traditional markers of inflammation, oxidative stress, and bone regeneration. RESULTS The oxidative stress marker malondialdehyde (MDA) was increased in both serum and bone tissue in EtOH-fed animals compared to controls. NAC treatment significantly (p < 0.01) reduced MDA to near normal levels and dramatically increased the index of antioxidant efficacy (catalase/MDA ratio) (p < 0.01). Inflammatory markers tumor necrosis factor-α, interferon-γ, and interleukin-6 were significantly decreased in serum and callus following NAC treatment. NAC treatment reduced EtOH-induced bone resorption as evidenced by significant decreases in C-telopeptide of type-I-collagen levels (p < 0.05) and band-5 tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase levels in the tissue (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS Oxidative stress and excessive inflammation are involved in the inhibition of fracture healing by EtOH. In this study, early short-term treatment of EtOH-fed animals with the antioxidant NAC reduced oxidative stress and normalized the innate immune response to fracture in the early phase of fracture healing, thereby restoring the normal onset of bone regeneration.
Electroweak physics from D0

The D0 detector was recently commissioned at the Tevatron p{bar p} collider and is presently taking data. Preliminary results from D0 are presented on properties of the W and Z electroweak gauge bosons, using final states containing electrons and muons.
Effects of homozygosity on sex determination in zebrafish Danio rerio

Gynogenetic zebrafish Danio rerio were obtained by activating D. rerio oocytes with UV irradiated common carp Cyprinus carpio sperm and then applying one of four different shocks [two (early) meiotic and two (late) mitotic shocks]. Gynogens produced by three of the shocks survived to maturity. All adult gynogens (n = 52) except one were found to be male. There was no difference in growth rate between the biparental controls and gynogens produced through the most effective shock, thereby eliminating growth rate as a possible cause of the skewed sex ratio. Gynogen males had reduced fertility compared to biparental controls, with about half of gynogens being unable to reproduce through natural spawning (all controls reproduced successfully). Gynogen males that did reproduce gave lower fertilization rates compared with controls. This demonstrates the negative effects of increased homozygosity on male reproductive function. Families sired by meiotic gynogen males were more likely to be female biased (33% of families) compared with families sired by biparental control males (11%). In addition to confirming the polygenic nature of sex determination in D. rerio, these observations suggest that recessive or over-dominant male-determining alleles are present in domesticated D. rerio populations.
COMPARISON OF MEDIA FOR THE ISOLATION OF CLOSTRIDIUM PERFRINGENS FROM FOOD.1, 2, 3

Summary The purpose of the study was to determine how SPS agar of Angelotti et al. (2) compared with certain other solid media proposed for the isolation or identification of clostridia. An attempt was made, therefore, to recover viable cells of three strains of Clostridium perfringens from various suspending media using five plating media. The results were analyzed statistically. The results may be summarized by stating that in every case SPS agar proved to be better than the other media examined for the recovery of the organisms; and that neither the food constituents tested nor mixed cultures of organisms affected the quantitative recovery of C. perfringens. The presence of sulfadiazine and polymyxin-B-sulfate in the medium did not affect the recovery of C. perfringens in a statistically significant manner.
Multivariate and Convex Quantitative Approximation by Choquet Integrals

Here we consider the quantitative approximation of positive sublinear operators to the unit operator. These are given a precise Choquet integral interpretation. Initially we start with the study of the rate of the convergence of the well-known Bernstein–Kantorovich–Choquet and Bernstein–Durrweyer–Choquet polynomial Choquet-integral operators. We introduce also their multivariate analogs. Then we study the very general comonotonic positive sublinear operators based on the representation theorem of Schmeidler [10]. We finish with the approximation by the very general direct Choquet-integral form positive sublinear operators. All approximations are given via inequalities involving the modulus of continuity of the approximated function or its higher order derivative. We derive univariate and multivariate results without or with convexity assumptions. In the latter case estimates become very elegant and brief. It follows [4].
New perspective on conceptus estrogens in maternal recognition and pregnancy establishment in the pig

The proposed signal for maternal recognition of pregnancy in pigs is estrogen (E2), produced by the elongating conceptuses between days 11 to 12 of pregnancy with a more sustained increase during conceptus attachment and placental development on days 15 to 30. To understand the role of E2 in porcine conceptus elongation and pregnancy establishment, a loss-of-function study was conducted by editing aromatase (CYP19A1) using CRISPR/Cas9 technology. Wild-type (CYP19A1+/+) and (CYP19A1-/-) fibroblast cells were used to create embryos through somatic cell nuclear transfer, which were transferred into recipient gilts. Elongated and attaching conceptuses were recovered from gilts containing CYP19A1+/+ or CYP19A1-/- embryos on day 14 and 17 of pregnancy. Total E2 in the uterine flushings of gilts with CYP19A1-/- embryos was lower than recipients containing CYP19A1+/+ embryos with no difference in testosterone, PGF2α, or PGE2 on either day 14 or 17. Despite the loss of conceptus E2 production, CYP19A1-/- conceptuses were capable of maintaining the corpora lutea. However, gilts gestating CYP19A1-/- embryos aborted between days 27 and 31 of gestation. Attempts to rescue the pregnancy of CYP19A1-/- gestating gilts with exogenous E2 failed to maintain pregnancy. However, CYP19A1-/- embryos could be rescued when co-transferred with embryos derived by in vitro fertilization. Endometrial transcriptome analysis revealed that ablation of conceptus E2 resulted in disruption of a number biological pathways. Results demonstrate that intrinsic E2 conceptus production is not essential for pre-implantation development, conceptus elongation, and early CL maintenance, but is essential for maintenance of pregnancy beyond 30 days .
Gaussian Layer Connectivity Parameterization: A New Approach to Topology Optimization of Multi-Body Mechanisms

Abstract Topology optimization is extended to the design of multi-body mechanisms. A Gaussian function is used to parameterize the location of inter-body connections, thereby enabling the optimization of both mass distribution and inter-body connectivity simultaneously. The potential for large rigid-body rotation necessitates the use of a geometrically nonlinear finite element analysis to properly model mechanism response. The unknown displacement field is calculated with a Newton–Raphson iterative scheme. An adjoint analysis is performed to efficiently compute the design sensitivities used in the gradient-based optimization procedure. The proposed technique is demonstrated on the design of multi-body grippers and force/displacement inverters.
“WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE, AND HOW DO WE GET THERE?”

With this last session, I hope we have saved the best for last. We've heard some of the problems we have in North Carolina; we've heard some of the solutions, some technical, some legal, and some public policy solutions. The question is, now, “Where Do We Go From Here, and How Do We Get There?” That, basically, is what this panel is supposed to answer. In selecting this panel, Don has put together representatives from the education field, government (both the regulatory and legislative side), industry, and environmental groups. Statements of the eight panelists follow:
Characterization of murine monoclonal antibody to tumor necrosis factor (TNF-MAb) formulation for freeze-drying cycle development.

Purpose. This study was designed to characterize the formulation of protein pharmaceuticals for freeze-drying cycle development. Thermal properties of a protein formulation in a freezing temperature range are important in the development of freezing and primary drying phases. Moisture sorption properties and the relationship between moisture and stability are the bases for the design of the secondary drying phase.
Abstract 015: Maternal High Blood Pressure Control Persistently Alters Gut-Brain Communication and Attenuates Hypertension of Offspring

Objective: Evidence suggests involvement of a dysfunctional gut-brain axis in hypertension. Maternal-fetal cross-talk is implicated in the long-term control of hypertension of offspring. Therefore,...
Liquid Inclusion Distortion by Lens Shape Effect: In Situ Observation and Quantification on LCAK Steels Using HT-CSLM

Because of interfacial and surface tension, micron-sized liquid oxide droplets are expected to change from spherical (when fully immersed in liquid steel) to lens shape on top of steel. Inclusion sizes were measured by automated analysis of polished sections of calcium-treated aluminum-killed steel. A sample of the same steel was remelted and observed using confocal scanning laser microscopy. Droplets on the steel surface appear to have approximately twice the diameter of fully immersed spherical inclusions.
Research on the Electricity Market Clearing Model and Price Fluctuation with Wind Power

The output of wind power is random and uncertain. As the proportion of wind power participating in the electricity market increases, it will have a great impact on the electricity price and the profit of traditional generators. Generating the scenarios of wind power by Monte Carlo method, this paper establishes unit commitment model and economic dispatch model of electricity spot market with wind power. Based on the actual operation data of a provincial electricity market, the changes of nodal price under different wind power penetration rates and different prediction accuracy of wind power are calculated. The influencing factors of electricity price fluctuation are studied, and the impact of wind power on the profit of traditional generators is analyzed.
Irritability characteristics and parameters in an international sample.

Abstract Background Irritability is a symptom of fifteen psychiatric disorders and is widely known to scholars and the public. However, little is known about irritability as an individual construct. The purpose of the current study is to identify conceptualizations of specific characteristics of irritability. Methods In this study, 402 participants from 10 countries answered nine qualitative questions about their personal causes, experience, and consequences of irritability as well as how they perceived the relationship between irritability and anger. They also answered three quantitative questions about the frequency, intensity, and duration of their irritability. Results Results indicated that 99.3% of participants reported a lifetime incidence of irritability. On average, participants reported feeling irritable approximately one to two times per week for 30 min with an intensity that was somewhat bothersome. Women reported feeling irritable for a longer duration than men, and residents of China, Singapore, and the USA generally reported having a longer duration than residents of Ireland and the UK. Some themes that appeared unique to irritability were the physiological/biological/internal aspects of irritability and treatments that address emotional and physiological coping such as relaxation and recreation. Limitations Many participants equated irritability with anger, and generalizations by countries should be interpreted with caution due to a small sample within each country. Conclusions These findings support the conceptualization of irritability as a universal construct. It is recommended that future research continue to explore irritability to better help understand it as an independent construct in the context of diagnosis, assessment, research, and treatment.
Characterizing anecdotal claims of groundwater contamination in shale energy basins.

Abstract The increased societal monitoring of unconventional oil and gas development (UD) has brought forth tremendous scrutiny over the environmental stewardship and subsequent public health impacts of surface and sub-surface activities. Concerns over groundwater quality in shale energy basins have prompted concerned citizens into monitoring UD activities for a series of qualitative parameters, and even coordinating sampling efforts for chemical analysis. Here we present a list of analytical parameters, hierarchically structured to guide concerned citizens through an efficient and cost-effective monitoring program. Utilizing this multi-step testing regime, we assessed groundwater quality from 36 private water wells involved in 19 anecdotal claims of alleged UD-related contamination across the Barnett, Eagle Ford, Haynesville, and Marcellus Shale formations in the United States. Our analytical findings aligned with the landowners' accounts of their situation in only 5 of the 36 collected samples, with several cases revealing environmental abnormalities that were unbeknownst to the landowners but likely unrelated to UD activities. These data are some of the first to assess the relationship between landowner perception and analytical determination in a cohort of highly variable anecdotal cases of alleged groundwater contamination, revealing a notable disconnect that is likely attributable to a myriad of societal and environmental factors. The analytical modalities presented here also serve as a step-wise method in a weight of evidence approach to assess the presence or absence of anthropogenic contamination under the most variable hydrogeological conditions.
Low- Versus Moderate-Sodium Diet in Patients With Recent Hospitalization for Heart Failure: The PROHIBIT (Prevent Adverse Outcomes in Heart Failure by Limiting Sodium) Pilot Study.

Background: We conducted a pilot study to assess feasibility, on-study retention, trends in natriuretic peptide levels, quality of life, and safety of a 12-week feeding trial with 1500- versus 3000...
Intraoperative Stereotactic Frame Registration Using a Three-Dimensional Imaging System with and without Preoperative Computed Tomography for Image Fusion.

Background The O-arm O2 imaging system (OAO2) is an intraoperative cone beam 3D tomogram imaging tool with a wide enough field of view to perform intraoperative fiducial registration with standard stereotactic frames. However, the OAO2 3D images (cone beam CT) provide limited tissue contrast, which may reduce the accuracy of fusion to a preoperative targeting MRI for planning awake deep brain stimulation (DBS) surgeries. Therefore, most users obtain a preoperative CT scan to use as the reference exam for computational fusion with the preoperative targeting MRI and the intraoperative OAO2 cone beam CT. Objective In this study, we retrospectively analyzed the discrepancy between stereotactic coordinates of deep brain targets on MRI derived from intraoperative OAO2 fiducial registration with and without the use of preoperative CT as the reference for image fusion. Methods Preoperative stereotactic CT/MRI and intraoperative OAO2 cone beam CT were retrospectively evaluated for 27 consecutive DBS patients, using two commercial surgical planning software packages (BrainLab Elements and Medtronic Stealth 8). The anterior commissure, posterior commissure, and left subthalamic nucleus were identified on preoperative MRI. Each patient had intraoperative fiducial registration using the OAO2 with a Leksell headframe. For each subject, the reference scan for image fusion was set as either the preoperative CT or the preoperative MRI (volumetric T1 with contrast). Computed stereotactic coordinates for each target were then compared. Results For 8 of 27 subjects, a discrepancy greater than 1.0 mm for at least one designated target was observed utilizing the Medtronic Stealth S8 planning station when a preoperative CT scan was not used. An additional 5 (5/27) had a discrepancy greater than 2 mm. The most common discrepancy was in the z axis. No coordinate discrepancies greater than 1 mm were observed utilizing BrainLab Elements. Conclusions Caution is advised in fusing intraoperative OAO2 images directly to preoperative MRI without a preoperative CT as the reference exam for image fusion, as the specific fusion algorithm employed may unpredictably affect targeting accuracy.
Global emissions of NH3, NOx, and N2O from biomass burning and the impact of climate change.

Emissions of ammonia (NH3), oxides of nitrogen (NOx; NO +NO2), and nitrous oxide (N2O) from biomass burning were quantified on a global scale for 2001 to 2015. On average biomass burning emissions ...
Assessing the Psychometric Utility of IQ Scores: A Tutorial Using the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children–Fifth Edition

IQ tests provide numerous scores, but valid interpretation of those scores is dependent on how precisely each score reflects its intended construct and whether it provides unique information indepe...
Quantitative imaging of intracellular density with ratiometric stimulated Raman scattering microscopy

Abstract Cell size and density impact a wide range of physiological functions, including tissue homeostasis, growth regulation, and osmoregulation. Both are tightly regulated in mammalian cells. In comparison, density variation of a given cell type is much smaller than cell size, indicating that maintenance of cell type-specific density is important for cell function. Despite this importance, little is known about how cell density affects cell function and how it is controlled. Current tools for intracellular cell density measurements are limited either to suspended cells or cells growing on 2D substrates, neither of which recapitulate the physiology of single cells in intact tissue. While optical measurements have the potential to measure cell density in situ and noninvasively, light scattering in multicellular systems prevents direct quantification. Here, we introduce an intracellular density imaging technique based on ratiometric stimulated Raman scattering microscopy (rSRS). It quantifies intracellular drymass density through vibrational imaging of macromolecules. Moreover, water is used as an internal standard to correct for aberration and light scattering. We demonstrate real-time measurement of intracellular density quantification and show that density is tightly regulated across different cell types and can be used to differentiate cell types as well as cell states. We further demonstrate dynamic imaging of density change in response to osmotic challenge as well as intracellular density imaging of a 3D tumor spheroid. Our technique has the potential for imaging intracellular density in intact tissue and understanding density regulation and its role in tissue homeostasis.
'Oh, I don't really want to bother with that:' gay and bisexual young men's perceptions of barriers to PrEP information and uptake

Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), a daily oral pill for HIV prevention demonstrated to be effective for adults, was recently approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for use with young people...
Local users, global takeaways: Methodological considerations for audience advocacy in communication design research

Seeking to understand user populations is a key aim of communication design research and practice. User-centered technical communicators seek to amplify the experiences of technology users to transform their experiences into practical knowledge for engineers, designers, and strategists. How do we grant primacy to the user's experience in this type of work? How do we act upon our accountability to users, through selecting and architecting methods that foreground their narratives of navigating varied technologies, journeys, and expertise? This experience report highlights the methodological practices used by three communication design scholars in their doctoral dissertations to advocate for users’ local as well as the global users’ needs in differing social, cultural, and technological contexts. The experiential insights from these projects can inform user research practice by grounding inquiry in socially just relations with participants.
The growth cycle of poliovirus in monkey kidney cells. I. Maturation and release of virus in monolayer cultures.

Abstract Monolayers of monkey kidney cells were infected with type 1 (Brunhilde) poliovirus and observed over a single cycle of virus growth. At intervals after infection assays of the amount of virus in the cell monolayer (“cell-associated” virus) and in the medium surrounding the cells (“free” virus) were carried out using the plaque technique. Fifty per cent of the total amount of virus produced appeared within 4.8 to 6.2 hours. At no time did the free virus constitute more than a small proportion of the total virus and even at 11 hours was less than 20%. This suggested that the virus was released at a slow rate. It was argued that mechanical retention (readsorption) of virus in the monolayer could account for only a portion of this apparent delay. Whatever interpretation is put on these results they show that in this and similar virus systems it is necessary to assay total virus (cell-associated plus free virus) in order to obtain an accurate picture of virus maturation. In studies concerned with the temporal relationship between virus synthesis and biochemical activities or morphological changes in the cells, assay of free virus may be misleading. This is in contrast to other systems (for example WEE—chick embryo fibroblasts) where virus is released very rapidly and free virus concentration may be considered a reasonable approximation of “total” virus.
Sure you can get to 100 DPPM in deep submicron, but it'll cost ya

The sub-100 DPPM numbers in deep submicron is being built, but the tolls is fairly steep. Traditional methods using simple fault models and pass/fail testing have to be abandoned in favor of probabilistic and statistical approaches. Tests generated for simple fault models detect numerous types of real defects. The cost is increased tester time, though this can be mitigated somewhat by the application of relatively new on-chip pattern compression schemes.
Glaucoma, Capillaries and Pericytes. 1. Blood Flow Regulation

Blood flow autoregulation may be deficient in patients with glaucoma, making the optic nerve circulation susceptible to the challenge of intraocular pressure (IOP). Adequacy or inadequacy of autoregulation may be a factor that decides whether a patient with elevated IOP develops glaucomatous optic nerve damage. Hypothetically, capillaries may assist arteries and veins in the regulation of blood flow. Our attention has become focused on the pericytes, particularly abundant in the optic nerve and retina, which are a contractile component of capillaries and may therefore be the cells responsible for the capillary's role in autoregulation.
Thermal Conversion and Microstructural Evaluation of Geopolymers or “Alkali Bonded Ceramics” (ABCs)

Geopolymers are a class of cementitious materials that do not depend on the presence of calcium. They are amorphous, inorganic materials that are formed by the mixing of alkali-silicate solutions with aluminosilicate minerals or glasses. Two processing routes for the thermal conversion of potassium-based geopolymers into ceramics were carried out for this study. A low water content geopolymer, having a molar composition of K 2 O•Al 2 O 3 •SiO 2 •7.5H 2 O and reinforced with amorphous 500 nm silica spheres, was thermally converted into crystalline leucite of the same dehydrated composition, by heating above 900°C. Upon thermal conversion, the dehydrated geopolymer exhibited macroscopic cracking. The microstructure consisted of a glazed surface covered with spherical voids, caused by entrapped air. In the second processing route, ceramic powders derived by crushing geopolymers having a molar composition of K 2 O• Al 2 O 3 •SiO 2 •7.5 H 2 O were die-pressed into pellets and sintered at 1200°C for 1 hour to form leucite. The resulting pellets exhibited no cracking upon conversion into leucite. SEM analysis also showed a similar glazed surface. The interior of the sample was compromised of -3 μm size phase, which according to XRD were leucite grains, dispersed in an intergranular, amorphous phase. TEM of the amorphous matrix showed a two-phase microstructure, a lighter continuous matrix, surrounding darker 5 nm diameter inclusions. The microstructure was reminiscent of spinodal decomposition such as might be formed in a thermodynamic miscibility gap. Selected area diffraction patterns of the continuous matrix phase suggested that it was mostly amorphous, with some incipient nanocrystals forming, presumably of leucite. Further indepth TEM studies are warranted. It is suggested that geopolymers may be thought of as an inorganic gel, and a type of chemically bonded ceramic, more specifically, as "alkali-bonded ceramics" or "ABCs".
Fine-grained photovoltaic output prediction using a Bayesian ensemble

Local and distributed power generation is increasingly reliant on renewable power sources, e.g., solar (photovoltaic or PV) and wind energy. The integration of such sources into the power grid is challenging, however, due to their variable and intermittent energy output. To effectively use them on a large scale, it is essential to be able to predict power generation at a finegrained level. We describe a novel Bayesian ensemble methodology involving three diverse predictors. Each predictor estimates mixing coefficients for integrating PV generation output profiles but captures fundamentally different characteristics. Two of them employ classical parameterized (naive Bayes) and non-parametric (nearest neighbor) methods to model the relationship between weather forecasts and PV output. The third predictor captures the sequentiality implicit in PV generation and uses motifs mined from historical data to estimate the most likely mixture weights using a stream prediction methodology. We demonstrate the success and superiority of our methods on real PV data from two locations that exhibit diverse weather conditions. Predictions from our model can be harnessed to optimize scheduling of delay tolerant workloads, e.g., in a data center.
Life and Death in the Third Reich – By Peter Fritzsche

One of the enduring questions on the Nazi era centers on the Germans themselves. Were they Hitler's first victims or Hitler's willing executioners? Contemporary commentators and historians have rep...
THE GENESIS OF WASHBOARD ROADS

We consider a model of cars driving along a compressible or erodible road. Each car is modeled as a mass supported above a wheel by a damped spring. We find conditions under which a flat road surface is unstable and gives way to a regular pattern of corrugations. The instability is mitigated by the damping of the cars' springs and also by the tendency of the road surface to harden as it is compressed. Similar phenomena occur in railroad rails and in calendaring of paper.
The Role of Time Frame in the Assessment of Family Functioning

The purpose of this study was to evaluate how the stated time frame of family questionnaires can influence the individual's report of family events and relationships. Three whole-family assessment procedures were administered to a large sample of intact families under two conditions—when the respondent was asked to describe his/her family “in general” and “during the past week”. Major findings indicated that (a) reports of family relationships reflected the same overall evaluation regardless of time frame, (b) the number or degree of positive endorsements was greater on the “in general” than the “past week” format, and (c) the impact of time frame varied greatly as a function of instrument. Explanations and implications of these findings are discussed.
Structural and functional insights into human vitamin K epoxide reductase and vitamin K epoxide reductase-like1

AbstractHuman vitamin K epoxide reductase (hVKOR) is a small integral membrane protein involved in recycling vitamin K. hVKOR produces vitamin K hydroquinone, a crucial cofactor for γ-glutamyl carboxylation of vitamin K dependent proteins, which are necessary for blood coagulation. Because of this, hVKOR is the target of a common anticoagulant, warfarin. Spurred by the identification of the hVKOR gene less than a decade ago, there have been a number of new insights related to this protein. Nonetheless, there are a number of key issues that have not been resolved; such as where warfarin binds hVKOR, or if human VKOR shares the topology of the structurally characterized but distantly related prokaryotic VKOR. The pharmacogenetics and single nucleotide polymorphisms of hVKOR used in personalized medicine strategies for warfarin dosing should be carefully considered to inform the debate. The biochemical and cell biological evidence suggests that hVKOR has a distinct fold from its ancestral protein, though the...
SNP Genotyping: Technologies and Biomedical Applications

Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) are the most frequently occurring genetic variation in the human genome, with the total number of SNPs reported in public SNP databases currently exceeding 9 million. SNPs are important markers in many studies that link sequence variations to phenotypic changes; such studies are expected to advance the understanding of human physiology and elucidate the molecular bases of diseases. For this reason, over the past several years a great deal of effort has been devoted to developing accurate, rapid, and cost-effective technologies for SNP analysis, yielding a large number of distinct approaches. This article presents a review of SNP genotyping techniques and examines their principles of genotype determination in terms of allele differentiation strategies and detection methods. Further, several current biomedical applications of SNP genotyping are discussed.
Monitoring adult populations of the screwworm (Diptera: Calliphoridae) with feeding stations baited with liver.

Populations of the screwworm,. Cochliomyia hominivorax (Coquerel), were monitored by capturing adults with hand nets from rotted liver set on the ground. Adults were marked and released. During the 61-d study conducted in a tropical dry forest in the dry season (January to March 1989), 2,640 individual females and 460 individual males were recorded at the four liver-baited stations. The total number of visits by females was 5,769 and by males 510. The mean number of unmarked adults per day was 44.1 females and 7.6 males in an area of ≈ 2.59 km2. The mean percentage of marked flies that were recovered was 64.3%. The mean number of feeding stations visited, times recaptured, and days in the study area by individual females was 2.1, 2.4, and 4.5, respectively. Daily visitational patterns by both sexes at the feeding stations were bimodal with peaks occurring between the hours of 0730 to 0859 and 1500 to 1629. Flies were most active when the mean temperature was 29.9°C; the majority of the visits occurred when air temperatures were between 26 and 33°C. Most females attracted to feeding stations were nulliparous (70.7%) and mated (69.7%). Our results suggest that observing adults at feeding stations is a reliable method of obtaining data on the behavior and population dynamics of indigenous populations of screwworm adults in tropical habitats. Although this method was labor intensive, the amount of data gleaned from the manipulation of wild populations more than compensated for such costs.
Comfort, climate analysis and building design guidelines

Abstract The paper discusses issues of thermal comfort standards, including the ASHRAE comfort zone, techniques of graphical climate data analysis, as well as the uses of building bioclimatic charts in the formulation of building design guidelines, especially for hot climates. The problematics of applying the Olgyay bioclimatic charts and the ASHRAE comfort standards for unconditioned buildings, especially in developing hot countries, are discussed. Revised building bioclimatic charts are described for the first time in this paper. The boundaries of applicability of various building design strategies and passive cooling systems in different climates are discussed. These strategies are based on the expected indoor temperatures achievable with the different strategies and include daytime ‘comfort” ventilation, the utilization of the structural mass for thermal storage in conjunction with nocturnal ventilation, and direct and indirect evaporative cooling.
Management of Budgetary Decline in the Department of Defense in Response to the End of the Cold War

This study analyzes the decisions and actions of the President, Congress, and Pentagon leadership for 1989 to 1992 to reduce the defense budget for the period 1990 to 1997. The objective of this research is to indicate how the Department of Defense developed and began to execute plans for significant downsizing. Management of declining budgets by DoD is evaluated employing a framework for analysis of fiscal stress in public sector organizations. Major force structure reductions and cuts in DoD operational and capital budget accounts are analyzed. Weapons system terminations and military and civilian personnel cuts are detailed. Efforts to improve DoD efficiency through implementation of the Defense Management Report are assessed. Military base closure and realignment is reviewed. Redefinition of the base force structure in response to revised threat assessment and changes in the international security policy environment including improved East-West relations, reduced probability of conventional war, tacti...
Electrochemical Aspects of Etching and Passivation of Silicon in Alkaline Solutions

Electrochemical polarization experiments were performed on Si wafers in ammoniacal solutions maintained at a pH in the range of 9.5 to 11.5. Anodic polarization of silicon yielded curves which are typical for materials that undergo passivation. The values of open circuit potential and passivation potential for p-type Si wafers were more anodic than for the n-type Si wafers. Corrosion current density of p-type Si wafers of low resistivity was lower than that of wafers of high resistivity. Corrosion current densities correlated well with surface roughness induced in alkaline solutions. Addition of surfactant or H2O2 to alkaline solutions reduced critical current density for passivation and corrosion current density.
Semiconductor manufacturing: An introduction to processes and hazards

Recent studies suggest that semiconductor workers have an increased incidence of work-related illness. Semiconductor manufacturing is a chemically intensive industry involving many potentially hazardous operations. As this industry moves into new geographic areas, health care professionals will be asked to evaluate medical or workplace conditions associated with unfamiliar and complex production processes. This paper provides an overview of semiconductor manufacturing processes for these health practitioners. Each step of device fabrication is detailed with its attendant chemical and physical hazards. Broader concepts of industrial control technology, clean room ventilation, and ergonomics are explained. The hazards are tabulated to allow rapid assessment of the risks inherent to each processing step. References have been chosen to guide the reader to more indepth information.
Plasma homocyst(e)ine concentrations in pregnant and nonpregnant women with controlled folate intake

Objective: To assess the effects of folate intake and pregnancy on plasma total homocyst(e)ine concentrations in women during the second trimester of pregnancy compared with young, healthy nonpregnant women. Methods: The diet provided either 450 or 850 μg of folate per day. These levels are approximately the current (400 μg/day) and previous (800 μg/day) Recommended Dietary Allowances for folate in pregnant women. Folate was provided as both food folate (120 μg/day) and supplemental folic acid (either 330 or 730 μg/day) for a period of 12 weeks. Plasma homocyst(e)ine (sum of free and protein-bound homocysteine), serum folate, and erythrocyte folate concentrations were determined weekly. Results: Homocyst(e)ine concentrations were lower in pregnant women during the second trimester of normal pregnancy than in nonpregnant controls, independent of dietary folate intake. The overall mean (± standard deviation) homocyst(e)ine concentration of the pregnant subjects (5.4 ± 1.4 μmol/L) was significantly lower than that observed in the nonpregnant control group (8.7 ± 1.7 μmol/L) (P < .0001). This difference in homocyst(e)ine concentrations remained constant throughout the 12 weeks of the investigation. Conclusion: The folate intakes in this investigation were adequate to maintain constant homocyst(e)ine concentrations in pregnant and nonpregnant women. The lower homocyst(e)ine concentrations observed in pregnant subjects compared with nonpregnant controls may be a physiologic response to pregnancy.
Recyclable Thermoresponsive Polymer–Cellulase Bioconjugates for Biomass Depolymerization

Here we report the construction and characterization of a recoverable, thermoresponsive polymer–endoglucanase bioconjugate that matches the activity of unmodified enzymes on insoluble cellulose substrates. Two copolymers exhibiting a thermoresponsive lower critical solution temperature (LCST) were created through the copolymerization of an aminooxy-bearing methacrylamide with N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAm) or N-isopropylmethacrylamide (NIPMa). The aminooxy group provided a handle through which the LCST was adjusted through small-molecule quenching. This allowed materials with LCSTs ranging from 20.9 to 60.5 °C to be readily obtained after polymerization. The thermostable endoglucanase EGPh from the hypothermophilic Pyrococcus horikoshii was transaminated with pyridoxal-5′-phosphate to produce a ketone-bearing protein, which was then site-selectively modified through oxime linkage with benzylalkoxyamine or 5 kDa-poly(ethylene glycol)-alkoxyamine. These modified proteins showed activity comparable to the con...
Comparing estimates of forest site quality in old second-growth oak forests

Abstract Site index is a useful tool for evaluating forest site quality, but the application of site index is currently problematic within the central Appalachian hardwoods because several of the assumptions required for site index are violated, particularly within older stands. This study evaluated the applicability of site index to relatively old (age range=74–134 years) second-growth, mixed-oak stands in western Maryland by comparing site index as traditionally calculated from age and height with two other models of site index based on (1) height and diameter, and (2) topographic position. Reproducibility statistics indicated that while site index calculated from age and height appeared to adequately reflect forest site quality relative to other old stands, they underestimated the expected site quality predicted by topographic position. Site index curves provided by Olson [Site index curves for upland oaks in the southeast, Research Note 125, USDA Forest Service, Southeastern Experiment Station, Ashville, NC, 1959, 2 pp.] performed better than those provided by Schnur [Yield, stand, and volume tables for even-aged upland oak forests, USDA Technical Bulletin 560, 1937], probably because asymptotic height was predicted to be more rapid using Olson’s curves. However, both of these site index formulations are outdated, particularly because they are not based on stem analyses. We recommend further study of asymptotic height growth in oak to better approximate forest site quality for upland oaks at more advanced growth stages, and new stem analyses of oaks in the central Appalachians to improve site quality evaluation within the region.
Patients and patience: the pitfalls of primary biliary cirrhosis trials

Controversy exists as to whether ursodeoxycholic acid improves survival in patients with primary biliary cirrhosis. This is mainly because the disease is uncommon and slowly progressive, which has meant that many clinical trials lack hard endpoints such as mortality. This Viewpoint article discusses the importance of the appropriate design of clinical trials in this field.
A comparative analysis of two models of behavioral intention

The theory of reasoned action (Ajzen and Fishbein 1980) has been widely used to predict behavioral intention toward marketing- and consumer-related behaviors. Miniard and Cohen (1983) have also proposed a model that is designed to predict behavioral intention. Their model is similar in structure to the theory of reasoned action, but has important theoretical and operational differences. The present research investigates the effects of experimental manipulations on both models’ constructs, as well as a comparison of their causal structures and predictive ability. The results offer support for the independent effects of personal and normative influences in the Miniard and Cohen model, and corroborate previous findings pertaining to crossover effects in the theory of reasoned action.
Plio-Pleistocene African Climate

Marine records of African climate variability document a shift toward more arid conditions after 2.8 million years ago (Ma), evidently resulting from remote forcing by cold North Atlantic sea-surface temperatures associated with the onset of Northern Hemisphere glacial cycles. African climate before 2.8 Ma was regulated by low-latitude insolation forcing of monsoonal climate due to Earth orbital precession. Major steps in the evolution of African hominids and other vertebrates are coincident with shifts to more arid, open conditions near 2.8 Ma, 1.7 Ma, and 1.0 Ma, suggesting that some Pliocene (Plio)-Pleistocene speciation events may have been climatically mediated.
Utilization of a hospital-based cyclotron for commercial radionuclide production

Abstract Mount Sinai operates a TCC (Cyclotron Corporation) CS-30 cyclotron capable of accelerating protons to 26.5 MeV. The machine was installed in 1972 and since that time it has been used for radiopharmaceutical research and development for nuclear medicine, for routine radiopharmaceutical deliveries, and for commercial sales of radiochemicals. The emphasis in each of these areas has changed over the years as a result of numerous factors. Various aspects of the production of 67 Ga will be used to illustrate how a commercial operation fits into the daily schedule and controls to a large extent the goals of the facility. Recently, in order to maximize output, we have investigated the production of several radionuclides that are produced simultaneously with 67 Ga from the same target. Some of these are 64 Cu, 67 Cu, and 62 Zn ( 62 Cu), all of which are useful in radiopharmaceutical R&D and have commercial potential.
On the range of the derivative of a smooth mapping between Banach spaces

We survey recent results on the structure of the range of the derivative of a smooth mapping f between two Banach spaces X and Y . We recall some necessary conditions and some sufficient conditions on a subset A of ℒ ( X , Y ) for the existence of a Frechet differentiable mapping f from X into Y so that f ′ ( X ) = A . Whenever f is only assumed Gâteaux differentiable, new phenomena appear: for instance, there exists a mapping f from l 1 ( ℕ ) into ℝ 2 , which is bounded, Lipschitz-continuous, and so that for all x , y ∈ l 1 ( ℕ ) , if x ≠ y , then 1$" xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"> ‖ f ′ ( x ) − f ′ ( y ) ‖ > 1 .