cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Determinants of Shrt-Term Real Interest Differentials Between Japan and the United States

Many past studies of relative financing costs in the United States and Japan have relied on interest rates from the 1970s and earlier when Japanese financial markets were subject to numerous regulations and controls and were shielded by capital controls from financial markets abroad. Interest rates on bank loans, the most important source of financing in Japan, in fact, systematically underestimated the true costs of borrowing. In the United States, capital controls were being dismantled by the early 1970s, but the prime loan rate used in past studies had by then become an unreliable measure of the true cost of borrowing in the United States. This study shows that most of the reported gap in short term financing costs between the two countries can be traced to past features of the national markets which have largely disappeared Now that markets have been deregulated and international capital flows liberalized, national interest rates are closely related to those in the unregulated Eurocurrency markets. And, as this study shows, average real interest differentials in the Eurocurrency markets have been close to zero over the last twenty years.
Dielectric relaxation spectroscopy of sheet molding compound

Dielectric relaxation spectroscopic studies of sheet molding compound from 400 Hz to 100 kHz reveal the relaxation processes that exist in this material. The frequency dependence of SMC is presented and analyzed in terms of different relaxation process models. A transition map of SMC is presented.
Dietary Mutagens and the Risk of Breast Cancer

In this issue of the Journal, Zheng et al. (1) report a positive association between the preference for well-done red meat and risk of postmenopausal breast cancer. Using color photographs of hamburger, bacon, and beefsteak showing increasing levels of doneness (from extremely rare to very well done), women who selected a cooking preference for ‘‘very well done’’ for each of these foods had a risk nearly five times higher than that for women who consistently selected a preference for rare/medium cooking. Overall consumption of red meat itself had only a weak association with risk, and white meats, including chicken, turkey, and fish, were not statistically significant risk factors regardless of cooking method. The specificity of the findings to meat preparation tends to rule out saturated fat as the causative factor and is consistent with the possibility that mutagens, including heterocyclic amines, formed during high-temperature cooking of meats may be mammary carcinogens in humans. The browned and charred surface of meats contains a hash of laboratory carcinogens. Among these are the heterocyclic amines, formed through chemical reactions involving amino acids. The formation of heterocyclic amines requires high temperatures, such as are found in radiative or conductive cooking (e.g., grilling or frying) but not as a rule in indirect convection (e.g., roasting) or boiling (e.g., poaching or steaming) methods (2). These substances are capable of inducing tumors in a number of species (2) and are reportedly among some of the most powerful mutagenic agents, based on the Ames test (3). Heterocyclic amines involving creatinine as a precursor are numerically most important. Among these, 2-amino-1-methyl-6phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine (PhIP) predominates, accounting for approximately one half of the total heterocyclic amine intake in the U.S. diet. Five compounds, i.e., PhIP, 2-amino3,8-dimethylimidazo[4,5-f ]quinoxaline (MeIQx), 2-amino3,4,8-trimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline ( DiMeIQx), 2-amino-3-methylimidazo[4,5-f ]quinoline (IQ), and 2-amino9H-pyrido[2,3-b]indole (AaC), make up approximately two thirds of the total intake (4). Based on animal bioassay data, the relative mutagenic potency of these compounds varies by a factor of more than 20, with IQ and DiMeIQx at the high end, PhIP and AaC at the low end, and MeIQx at an intermediate level of potency (4). Thus, the absolute concentration of specific heterocyclic amines in foods must be weighed against their individual potential for genetic damage when they are evaluated as potential human carcinogens. Major dietary sources of these compounds vary from population to population depending on a number of factors, including cultural mores and meat availability. In a study of female registered nurses (5), the major predictor of PhIP in the diet was grilled or broiled chicken, whereas the chief source of DiMeIQx was pan-fried steak.
Adoption of Risk-Related Factors Through Early Adolescence: Associations with Weight Status and Implications for Causal Mechanisms

Purpose To examine cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between weight status and measures of risk and protective factors in youth.
MicroRNA: a new target for improving plant tolerance to abiotic stress

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are an extensive class of endogenous, small RNA molecules that sit at the heart of regulating gene expression in multiple developmental and signalling pathways. Recent studies have shown that abiotic stresses induce aberrant expression of many miRNAs, thus suggesting that miRNAs may be a new target for genetically improving plant tolerance to certain stresses. These studies have also shown that miRNAs respond to environmental stresses in a miRNA-, stress-, tissue-, and genotype-dependent manner. During abiotic stress, miRNAs function by regulating target genes within the miRNA-target gene network and by controlling signalling pathways and root development. Generally speaking, stress-induced miRNAs lead to down-regulation of negative regulators of stress tolerance whereas stress-inhibited miRNAs allow the accumulation and function of positive regulators. Currently, the majority of miRNA-based studies have focused on the identification of miRNAs that are responsive to different stress conditions and analysing their expression profile changes during these treatments. This has predominately been accomplished using deep sequencing technologies and other expression analyses, such as quantitative real-time PCR. In the future, more function and expression studies will be necessary in order to elucidate the common miRNA-mediated regulatory mechanisms that underlie tolerance to different abiotic stresses. The use of artificial miRNAs, as well as overexpression and knockout/down of both miRNAs and their targets, will be the best techniques for determining the specific roles of individual miRNAs in response to environmental stresses.
GENDER-RELATED STRATEGIES IN ENVIRONMENTAL DEVELOPMENT: EFFECTS OF ANXIETY ON WAYFINDING IN AND REPRESENTATION OF A THREE-DIMENSIONAL MAZE

Gender differences in wayfinding behaviour in a complex walk-through maze and in representation of the maze were examined, as well as the relationships between anxiety, wayfinding behaviour and maze representation. Participants were 45 girls and 54 boys, aged 10 to 17, who explored the maze in five separate start-to-goal runs. After the fourth run the participants were asked to represent the maze in drawing or writing. Anxiety was assessed prior to the task and task-specific fear was assessed during the task. Girls scored higher on anxiety and fear scales than boys. Girls moved through the maze more slowly than boys and mentioned proportionally more landmarks and fewer directions in maze representation. No sex differences were found in the total number of elements that were recalled in maze representation. In general, subjects who scored higher on the anxiety and fear scales traversed the maze more slowly and tended (although not significant) to recall a higher proportion of landmarks and a lower proportion of directions than less anxious ones. In conclusion, gender differences in environmental strategies can be explained, to a certain extent, as a result of different levels of anxiety and fear of girls and boys.
Nuclear Translocation of Hand-1 Acts as a Molecular Switch to Regulate Vascular Radiosensitivity in Medulloblastoma Tumors: The Protein uPAR Is a Cytoplasmic Sequestration Factor for Hand-1

Urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor (uPAR) is overexpressed in the tumor–stromal invasive microenvironment in many human cancers, including medulloblastoma. The role of uPAR in tumor progression and angiogenesis has been well characterized. Previously, in medulloblastoma cells, we showed that ionizing radiation (IR)–induced uPAR is a potent activator of cancer stem cell (CSC)–like properties and is associated with various transcription factors that are involved during embryonic development and cancer. In the present study, we show that uPAR protein acts as a cytoplasmic sequestration factor for a novel basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor, Hand-1. The Hand-1 protein plays an essential role in the differentiation of trophoblast giant cells and cardiac morphogenesis, and yet its precise cellular function and its contribution to cancer remain mostly unknown. We also observed that the Hand-1 protein is upregulated in uPAR short hairpin RNA–treated medulloblastoma cells and accompanies sustained cell growth and angiogenesis. Furthermore, IR-induced uPAR overexpression negatively regulates Hand-1 activity and results in the stabilization of angiogenesis-promoting molecules, including hypoxia-inducible factor-1α. Finally, uPAR overexpression and its association with Hand-1 after IR treatment indicate that uPAR is capable of regulating Hand-1 and that uPAR has a role in the process of IR-induced tumor angiogenesis. Mol Cancer Ther; 13(5); 1309–22. ©2014 AACR .
Modeling carbon–nutrient interactions during the early recovery of tundra after fire

Fire frequency has dramatically increased in the tundra of northern Alaska, USA, which has major implications for the carbon budget of the region and the functioning of these ecosystems, which support important wildlife species. We investigated the postfire succession of plant and soil carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P) fluxes and stocks along a burn severity gradient in the 2007 Anaktuvuk River fire scar in northern Alaska. Modeling results indicated that the early regrowth of postfire tundra vegetation was limited primarily by its canopy photosynthetic potential, rather than nutrient availability, because of the initially low leaf area and relatively high inorganic N and P concentrations in soil. Our simulations indicated that the postfire recovery of tundra vegetation was sustained predominantly by the uptake of residual inorganic N (i.e., in the remaining ash), and the redistribution of N and P from soil organic matter to vegetation. Although residual nutrients in ash were higher in the severe burn than the moderate burn, the moderate burn recovered faster because of the higher remaining biomass and consequent photosynthetic potential. Residual nutrients in ash allowed both burn sites to recover and exceed the unburned site in both aboveground biomass and production five years after the fire. The investigation of interactions among postfire C, N, and P cycles has contributed to a mechanistic understanding of the response of tundra ecosystems to fire disturbance. Our study provided insight on how the trajectory of recovery of tundra from wildfire is regulated during early succession.
DEVELOPMENT AND PARTIAL CHARACTERIZATION OF HELIOTHINE CELL LINES FROM EMBRYONIC AND DIFFERENTIATED TISSUES

The goal of this study was to generate cell lines from a variety of insect tissues that could be useful for developing in vitro assays with tissue-specific properties. In this article, we describe the establishment of new cell cultures from differentiated (primarily neural) and undifferentiated tissues (primarily embryonic) and their initial characterization. Cell lines were established from the following tissues of the budworm, Heliothis virescens, and the bollworm, Helicoverpa zea: larval ventral nerve cords (4 lines), larval midguts (1 line), adult ovaries (1 line), and embryonic tissues (11 lines). Cell lines were primarily characterized by morphological examination and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) (both deoxyribonucleic acid amplification fingerprinting and inter-simple sequence repeats PCR).
Identification of neurotoxic cytokines by profiling Alzheimer’s disease tissues and neuron culture viability screening

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) therapeutics based on the amyloid hypothesis have shown minimal efficacy in patients, suggesting that the activity of amyloid beta (Aβ) represents only one aspect of AD pathogenesis. Since neuroinflammation is thought to play an important role in AD, we hypothesized that cytokines may play a direct role in promoting neuronal death. Here, we profiled cytokine expression in a small cohort of human AD and control brain tissues. We identified AD-associated cytokines using partial least squares regression to correlate cytokine expression with quantified pathologic disease state and then used neuron cultures to test whether cytokines up-regulated in AD tissues could affect neuronal viability. This analysis identified cytokines that were associated with the pathological severity. Of the top correlates, only TNF-α reduced viability in neuron culture when applied alone. VEGF also reduced viability when applied together with Aβ, which was surprising because VEGF has been viewed as a neuro-protective protein. We found that this synthetic pro-death effect of VEGF in the context of Aβ was commensurate with VEGFR-dependent changes in multiple signaling pathways that govern cell fate. Our findings suggest that profiling of tissues combined with a culture-based screening approach can successfully identify new mechanisms driving neuronal death.
Minimizing vehicle noise passing the street bumps using Genetic Algorithm

Abstract The purpose of this paper is to optimize noise emission level associated with two types of speed reducers for different speeds of a vehicle (20, 40, 60 km/h) by Genetic Algorithm and Artificial Neural Network. The optimization shows that the maximum level of noise is sensitive to speed reducer dimensions. It is reduced by 24 dB(A) by changing the width from 0.6 m to 0.3 m for the height 0.04 m whereas, it is reduced by 32 dB(A) by changing from the height 0.055 m and the width 0.9 m to the height 0.04 m and the width 0.3 m.
Lesbians, Gays and Religion

SUMMARY This study measured the effects of religious affiliation and gender on attitudes about lesbians and gay men among 2,846 college graduates who were beginning graduate study in social work or counseling. Males were more negative than females in their attitudes toward both lesbians and gay men. Conservative Protestants were the most negative in their attitudes toward lesbians and gay men, while those who were Atheist, Agnostic, Jewish or claimed no religion were most positive. Beliefs that the Bible forbids homosexuality are discussed and readings and arguments challenging this belief that can be used as class content are presented.
Cruise Passengers’ Perceived Value and Willingness to Recommend

This paper evaluates cruise passengers perceived value, satisfaction and willingness to recommend a cruise to someone. Passengers aboard an underway ship cruising the Caribbean were surveyed. Regression analyses revealed that, not surprisingly, perceived value and service quality aboard the ship are key determinants of willingness to recommend a cruise to someone else. More interestingly, however, the quality of the food aboard the ship and the degree to which cruisers found the destinations to be relaxing were also significant indicators. Implications for future research and practical recommendations to cruise operators are discussed
Primary placement of a constrained transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt: how we do it

Learning Objectives Three methods for placement of a primary constrained transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) will be reviewed. Background TIPS creation is often complicated by hepatic encephalopathy. Medical management fails in approximately 5-10% of cases. In those patients, TIPS revision may be required by creating a flow-limiting stent using a variety of methods. To avoid the complication of hepatic encephalopathy, however, we occasionally place primary constrained stents during the initial TIPS creation, particularly if the indication for TIPS is refractory ascites. Clinical Findings/Procedure Details We take one of three approaches to creating a primary constrained TIPS. In one approach, a self-expanding 10 mm Gore-Viatorr stent graft is deployed and a 5-0 Prolene suture is tied around the midpoint. The modified graft is then crimped into a peel-away sheath and re-sterilized. After formation of the intrahepatic tract, the graft is deployed and balloon dilated. The suture creates a flow-limiting constriction which may be dilated and/or broken as needed to improve flow. Prolene is favored due to its high elasticity, which allows for balloon expansion. Another approach involves deploying the stent graft through a balloon-expandable bare metal stent. After accessing the portal vein, we place a short 6-8 mm bare metal stent within the intrahepatic tract. Once this stent is in place, the Viatorr stent graft is deployed within it and the entire assembly is dilated to the diameter needed. The outer stent maintains a constriction in the inner stent graft due to its higher radial force, and can be dilated at a later time. In the third technique, a balloon-mounted Atrium iCast stent graft is placed on a 10-French sheath and a 4-0 absorbable suture is tied around its midpoint. This stent is then crimped onto a balloon and deployed, with the suture serving as the constriction point. Dilation can be done at a future time if needed. Conclusion and/or Teaching Points Creation of a primary constrained TIPS can be readily performed, enabling a degree of control over reduction of the portosystemic gradient both at initial TIPS creation and at follow up. Whether these techniques result in a reduction of hepatic encephalopathy requires further investigation.
Technical note: comparison of in vitro and in situ digestibility methods.

Relative comparisons were made between the in vitro and in situ methods for determining NDF digestion kinetics. In a split-split-plot design, eight cows and six heifers (whole plot) with ruminal cannulas were fed either alfalfa hay (20% CP) or bromegrass hay (8% CP; subplot) to determine differences between the methods (sub-subplot). Cattle were fed the diets for 28 d; d 1 to 20 were used for adaptation, and on d 21 to 28 the in situ experiment was conducted. On d 24 ruminal fluid samples were obtained for in vitro estimation of forage NDF digestion kinetics. In vitro incubation vessels contained a 1:4 (vol:vol) dilution of ruminal inoculum to buffer and .5 g of NDF substrate. Dacron bags containing .5 g of NDF substrate from alfalfa or bromegrass were incubated ruminally for 0, 3, 6, 12, 24, 48, 96, and 192 h to determine lag time, rate, and extent of digestion. In vitro samples were incubated for the same times and computations. Results from the four treatments (cows and heifers fed alfalfa and bromegrass) indicate that on average the lag time was 3.5 +/- .3 h less (P < .01), rate was .03 +/- .002/h faster (P < .01), and extent was 6.0 +/- .5% greater (P < .01) for the in situ than for the in vitro method for determining NDF digestion kinetics. These results should be useful when one is interested in making relative comparisons in the digestibility of forages among studies that used the in situ or in vitro method.
The Labor of (Re)reading Plantation Landscapes Fungible(ly)

This article centers Saidiya Hartman's and Hortense Spillers' theorizations of Black fungibility as well as two speculative visual works in order to read Black bodies on plantation landscapes as symbols of transition, process, genderlessness and boundarylessness. I argue that reading Black bodies in this way breaks with the totalizing visual, conceptual and ontological regime of labor that tends to over determine Blackness within critical theories. Two visual fields help me with this counter read: William Gerrard De Brahm's 1757 “Map of South Carolina and a Part of Georgia”, as well as Julie Dash's 1991 images of the porous indigo-stained hands of former slaves who worked indigo in the film Daughters of the Dust. While these two images oppose one another, their visual conventions enable a break with colonial and humanist scopic regimes like “Black labor” that tend to subsume multiple and intricate processes into the governing logic of labor.
Surface Disordering and Film Formation on Ice Induced by Formaldehyde and Acetaldehyde

Small aldehydes, such as formaldehyde (HCHO) and acetaldehyde (CH3CHO), are known to contribute significantly to the OH and O3 budgets in polar atmospheres via chemical interaction with snow and ice surfaces. However, our understanding of how these small aldehydes interact with ice surfaces is rather limited. In this work, ellipsometry was used to study the interaction of gas-phase HCHO and CH3CHO with ice under partial pressure and temperature conditions akin to polar snowpack interstitial space. Both HCHO and CH3CHO were found to induce surface change consistent with the formation of a disordered interfacial layer (DIL) at temperatures below which no intrinsic DIL is expected to exist (T < 238 K). For HCHO, induced surface disorder showed both temperature and partial pressure dependence. For CH3CHO, temperature seemed to be the dominant factor; a DIL surface transition was observed in the presence of CH3CHO at 223 ± 2 K, in agreement with earlier findings that partitioning behavior of CH3CHO is differen...
Augmentation of Natural Enemies for Suppressing Two Major Insect Pests in Stored Farmers Stock Peanuts

Two commercial warehouses containing farmers stock peanuts were used to demonstrate ability of Bracon hebetor Say (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) and Xylocorts flavipes (Reuter) (Hemiptera: Anthocoridae) to suppress field populations of Cadra cautella (Walker) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) and Plodta interpunctella (Hubner) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae). One warehouse (treatment) containing peanuts with only traces of malathion residues received periodic releases of B. hebetor and X. flavipes throughout the storage period from 5 October 1983 to 3 January 1984. The control warehouse received no natural enemies but contained peanuts conventionally treated with malathion. Moth populations in the treatment warehouse were 54–83% smaller than populations in the control warehouse throughout the storage period. Also, peanuts in the treatment warehouse sustained less insect damage during the storage period. Approximately 324,000 B. hebetor and 191,000 X. flavipes were released.
Regulation of Na+, K+-ATPase gene expression by insulin in vascular smooth muscle cells

Na+,K(+)-ATPase gene expression and activity and its modulation by insulin were investigated in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC). Messenger RNAs encoding for alpha 1- and alpha 2-isoforms of Na+,K(+)-ATPase were identified in a pure population of cultured VSMC (a7r5 cells). The predominant isoform in VSMC was alpha 1, but only alpha 2 was regulated by insulin. Insulin treatment of VSMC for 1 and 6 h caused significant increases in mRNA encoding the alpha 2-subunit of Na+,K(+)-ATPase (n = 7, P < .01). Under similar conditions, insulin had no effect on alpha 1-Na+,K(+)-ATPase mRNA levels. VSMC treated with insulin exhibited a significant stimulation of ouabain inhibitable ATPase activity (1 h insulin, n = 3, v control, n = 3, P < .025; 6 h insulin, n = 3, v control, n = 3, P < .05). Changes in insulin regulation of Na+,K(+)-ATPase gene expression in vascular smooth muscle may be an important factor in the development of hypertension in diabetes.
Organochlorine Residues, Eggshell Thickness, and Reproductive Success of Snowy Egrets Nesting in Idaho

Le DDE a ete detecte dans les 19 œufs examines, le DDT dans 63%, le DDD dans 53%. L'epaisseur de la coquille est inversement liee a la concentration du pesticide. Dans les colonies etudiees, le succes reproducteur est trop faible pour maintenir l'effectif normal de la population
Complex fluoroanions in solution—II: Reactions of boron trifluoride and phosphorus pentafluoride with group vb hexalfluoroanions☆

Complexing of boron trifluoride and phosphorus pentafluoride by solutions containing hexafluorotantalate and hexafluoroniobate ions occurs primarily by a disproportionation reaction to yield M2F11−, where M is tantalum or niobium. The relative complexing abilities of several fluoroanions towards boron trifluoride are listed.
CRISPR goes retro

Genetic invasions threaten nearly all cells and genomes. Bacteria and archaea “remember” encounters with invaders through an adaptive immunity strategy involving clustered, regularly interspaced, short palindromic repeats (CRISPRs). These repeats can store snippets of an invader's genome as “spacers” ( 1 ), which then constitute a heritable memory that can instruct an immune response against future encounters with foreign DNAs carrying those same sequences. The ability to form new memories of invasion depends on the ability of a CRISPR to incorporate new spacers. The mechanistic basis for this acquisition from DNA is increasingly understood ( 2 ) and has often been assumed to be the sole mode of CRISPR adaptation. On page 932 of this issue, Silas et al. ( 3 ) describe an intriguing twist on bacterial adaptive immunity, identifying a subset of CRISPR systems with the remarkable ability to incorporate new spacers directly from RNA.
Effect of Organic Contaminations on Rice Growth and Development

To explore the effect of organic contaminations on rice growth and development,rice line Ha 04-34 was investigated and studied as test material by pot experiments in the artifical air box to stimulate rice growth environment.The results showed that random concentration of organic contaminations could restrain the rice growth,and the performances were delaying heading,progress of heading and maturity.etc.Nitrobenzene and chlorobenzene declined surviving rate and delayed reviving period.Naphthaline of high concentration,which was above 97.2 mg/L,declined surviving rate of transplanting seedings,with the surviving rate only 90%.
A Fast Density and Grid Based Clustering Method for Data With Arbitrary Shapes and Noise

This paper presents a density- and grid- based (DGB) clustering method for categorizing data with arbitrary shapes and noise. As most of the conventional clustering approaches work only with round-shaped clusters, other methods are needed to be explored to proceed classification of clusters with arbitrary shapes. Clustering approach by fast search and find of density peaks and density-based spatial clustering of applications with noise, and so many other methods are reported to be capable of completing this task but are limited by their computation time of mutual distances between points or patterns. Without the calculation of mutual distances, this paper presents an alternative method to fulfill clustering of data with any shape and noise even faster and with more efficiency. It was successfully verified in clustering industrial data (e.g., DNA microarray data) and several benchmark datasets with different kinds of noise. It turned out that the proposed DGB clustering method is more efficient and faster in clustering datasets with any shape than the conventional methods.
Socializing Children and Parents in Families

The classical scientific approach for understanding human social development has been to isolate particular phenomena, examine their components, and identify cause-effect patterns. This tradition, often referred to as positivism, has dominated the study of parent-child relationships in recent decades (Peterson & Rollins, 1987; Stafford & Bayer, 1993). Until quite recently, research on this fundamental aspect of family life was conceptualized largely in isolation from its social context, with parents being viewed as the “socializers and shapers” of the young (Arnett, 1995; Baumrind, 1978; Collins & Repinski, 1994; Maccoby & Martin, 1983; Rollins & Thomas, 1979; Stafford & Bayer, 1993). During the past 2 decades, however, more comprehensive models of the parent-child relationship have received substantial attention (Maccoby, 1992; Peterson & Rollins, 1987).
Hierarchy of immune responses to antigen in the normal brain

For approximately 100 years the brain has been classified as an “immunologically privileged organ” based on the observations that tissue transplants into cerebral cortex survive longer than tissue transplants into conventional peripheral sites (Shirai 1921; Murphy and Sturm 1923; Medawar 1948; Scheinberg et al. 1966). Various conclusions and presumptions were attributed to these studies, including two predominant beliefs that: (1) there is no lymphatic drainage to alert the immune system to the presence of antigen in the brain (afferent arm of immunity), and (2) the tight endothelial junctions of the cerebral vasculature (blood-brain barrier; BBB) prevent blood lymphocytes from facilitating antigen elimination in the brain (efferent arm of immunity; for reviews see Barker and Billingham 1977; Brent 1990; Waksman 1998).
The Perils of Balance Testing in Experimental Design: Messy Analyses of Clean Data

ABSTRACTWidespread concern over the credibility of published results has led to scrutiny of statistical practices. We address one aspect of this problem that stems from the use of balance tests in conjunction with experimental data. When random assignment is botched, due either to mistakes in implementation or differential attrition, balance tests can be an important tool in determining whether to treat the data as observational versus experimental. Unfortunately, the use of balance tests has become commonplace in analyses of “clean” data, that is, data for which random assignment can be stipulated. Here, we show that balance tests can destroy the basis on which scientific conclusions are formed, and can lead to erroneous and even fraudulent conclusions. We conclude by advocating that scientists and journal editors resist the use of balance tests in all analyses of clean data. Supplementary materials for this article are available online
EHD1 as a Positive Regulator of Macrophage CSF1R

Macrophage biology is regulated via receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) CSF-1 receptor (CSF1R). Anomalous macrophage biology has been shown to be hallmark in diseases such as cancer and atherosclerosis. Although CSF1R signaling has been studied, little is known about the mechanisms which govern the endocytic trafficking of the receptor. EHD1 is known to regulate endocytic recycling of receptors, but the role of EHD1 in macrophages is unstudied. In this study, we discovered EHD1 knockout (KO) murine bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDMs) had markedly reduced total and surface CSF1R levels and a corresponding decreased downstream functional output due to decreased CSF1R signaling. EHD1 KO led to perinuclear CSF1R accumulation which co-localized with the Golgi (GM130). These findings reveal a novel and essential role for EHD1 in transporting newly synthesized CSF1R to the cell surface. Our study expands our understanding of RTK trafficking which has potentially dramatic implications for designing new targeted therapies for devastating human diseases.
A sharp-edge-based acoustofluidic chemical signal generator

Resolving the temporal dynamics of cell signaling pathways is essential for regulating numerous downstream functions, from gene expression to cellular responses. Mapping these signaling pathways requires the exposure of cells to time-varying chemical signals; these are difficult to generate and control over a wide temporal range. Herein, we present an acoustofluidic chemical signal generator based on a sharp-edge-based micromixing strategy. The device, simply by modulating the driving signals of an acoustic transducer including the ON/OFF switching frequency, actuation time and duty cycle, is capable of generating both single-pulse and periodic chemical signals that are temporally controllable in terms of stimulation period, stimulation duration and duty cycle. We also demonstrate the device's applicability and versatility for cell signaling studies by probing the calcium (Ca2+) release dynamics of three different types of cells stimulated by ionomycin signals of different shapes. Upon short single-pulse ionomycin stimulation (∼100 ms) generated by our device, we discover that cells tend to dynamically adjust the intracellular level of Ca2+ through constantly releasing and accepting Ca2+ to the cytoplasm and from the extracellular environment, respectively. With advantages such as simple fabrication and operation, compact device design, and reliability and versatility, our device will enable decoding of the temporal characteristics of signaling dynamics for various physiological processes.
Control of fracture at the interface of dissimilar materials using randomly oriented inclusions and networks

Abstract Fracture at or near the interface between two isotropic materials has been a subject of extensive research relevant to the problems encountered in aerospace, naval, electronic packaging, biomechanical engineering and other applications. The problems of edge cracks, semi-infinite interface cracks and substrate cracks under a thermally stressed film considered in the paper are representative of such analyses. We consider a possible improvement in the fracture resistance achieved by embedding randomly distributed stiff inclusions such as fibers, nanotubes, fiber or nanotube networks and ellipsoidal or spherical particles in the more compliant material. This results in a smaller mismatch between the stiffness of the joined materials that may prevent or alleviate fracture. Numerical examples demonstrate both the benefits and the limitations of enhancing the stiffness of the compliant material. In particular, the examples refer to the boundary between singular and non-singular interfacial edge stresses attempting to avoid the stress singularity by embedding random carbon nanotubes or networks. In the semi-infinite interfacial crack problem it is demonstrated that a small reduction in the stiffness mismatch of two materials at the interface causes a significant decrease in the strain energy release rate. The approach to the analysis of substrate cracks under a thermally stressed film is outlined accounting for the history of thermal loading and the effect of temperature on the properties of the film, substrate and embedded inclusions. The solutions presented in the paper rely on effective properties of randomly reinforced materials. The limitations of such approach in fracture problems and an estimate of its validity based on a comparison of scales at the tip of the crack and in the representative volume cell are discussed. It is suggested that fracture involving nanoparticle and nanotube reinforced materials can be characterized using effective properties.
Review of "Visions in Global Education"

This article is a review of Kirkwood-Tucker, Toni Fuss (2009). Visions in Global Education: The Globalization of Curriculum and Pedagogy in Teacher Education and Schools: Perspectives from Canada, Russia, and the United States. New York: Peter Lang Publishing. ISBN 978-1-4331-0309-4
Stahlleichtbau für Verbrennungsmaschinen

Die Entwicklung des Dieselmotors in den letzten Jahren vom ortsfesten Motor langsamer Drehzahl, zunachst zum ortsbeweglichen auf Schiffen und dann fur alle Verkehrsmittel bis zum Luftschiff und Flugzeug, war nur moglich durch standige Verringerung des Gewichtes und Raumbedarfs pro Leistungseinheit. Dieses Ziel ist nur auf drei Wegen erreichbar: 1. Erhohung der Drehzahl, um zeitlich schnellste Ausnutzung des Hubvolumens zu erreichen; 2. Anderung des Arbeitsverfahrens, z. B. Anwendung des Zweitaktverfahrens oder des Aufladeverfahrens fur Viertaktmotoren; 3. Verminderung des Aufwandes an Werkstoff fur 11 Hubvolumen.
Modeling Linear Head Impact and the Effect of Brain-Skull Interface

The aim of this research was to simulate a sever linear impact to the head and study the effect of impact on a brain substitute material in terms of deformations that generally lead to Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). Simplified 2D models of transverse section of human brain were made with 5% gelatin as brain surrogate material. The models underwent 55G deceleration and the strain distribution was measured through image processing. Finite element (FE) models of the experiments were developed using Lagrangian formulations and validated. Using physical material properties, the FE computational parameters were determined based on the results of strain distribution and posterior gap generation. The strain and pressure levels in the FE model both reach the injury threshold levels known for brain tissue.
AIDS in the Tropics

Almost any discussion of AIDS, verbal or written, generates controversy and strange opinions. The disease has been blamed on the colonial powers, “God’s punishment for promiscuity, sexual deviation or intravenous drug usage,” “a genetically altered virus pioneered in a military laboratory”, abnormal human contact with monkeys or apes in Central Africa, the vaccination programs against smallpox, polio and other infections, or some unknown factor in the border trade between Tanzania and Uganda. Some believe that it is being spread by walking in the footsteps of a sick person. Alternatively, AIDS “does not exist” is “an invention of the western media,” is the result of witchcraft, or “is not infectious.” Symptoms may be ascribed to diabetes or dysentery rather than to AIDS. The acceptance of the diagnosis can be fatalistic, “Acha inuiwe dawa sind” (“I have no medicine, so let it kill me”), or practical “we have no money” (Chairman of national AIDS committee).
Measurements Of Multipactor And Dark Current In A 17 Ghz Standing Wave Accelerator Structure

High power testing of a 17 GHz single-cell standing wave disk-loaded waveguide structure was conducted with the intent to study the generation mechanism of the dark current inside a high gradient accelerator, and its connection with the initiation of breakdown. A structure gradient of 70 MV/m was achieved with a pulse length of 100 ns at 17.141 GHz. We measured dark current directly from the high gradient cell through side slits, the behavior of which deviated from the prediction of field emission theories. The amplitude of the dark current showed features of spikes and plateaus at specific gradient levels, instead of increasing monotonically with the gradient. To analyze these features, a particle-in-cell simulation was carried out to calculate the secondary electron emission from the side wall of the accelerator cell initiated by field emission electrons during the pulse. The calculated multipactor and the collision current amplitude were consistent with that of the dark current observed in the experiment. The simulation also showed that the collision current on the structure side wall could reach up to several amps, which could be large enough to give rise to material outgassing and local gas ionization, indicating a possible cause for breakdown.
New weak-scale physics from SO(10) with high-scale supersymmetry

Gauge coupling unification and the stability of the Higgs vacuum are among two of the cherished features of low-energy supersymmetric models. Putting aside questions of naturalness, supersymmetry might only be realized in nature at very high energy scales. If this is the case, the preservation of gauge coupling unification and the stability of the Higgs vacuum would certainly require new physics, but it need not necessarily be at weak scale energies. New physics near the unification scale could, in principle, ensure grand unification, while new physics below ${10}^{10}\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{GeV}$ could ensure the stability of the Higgs vacuum. Surprisingly however, we find that in the context of a supersymmetric SO(10) grand unified theory, gauge coupling unification and the Higgs vacuum stability, when taken in conjunction with existing phenomenological constraints, require the presence of $\mathcal{O}(\mathrm{TeV})$-scale physics. This weak-scale physics takes the form of a complex scalar ${\mathrm{SU}(2)}_{L}$ triplet with zero hypercharge, originating from the $\mathbf{210}$ of SO(10).
Agricultural firm survival: The case of farmer cooperatives in the United States

The number of farmer cooperatives in the United States is declining, but empirical investigations of cooperative firm survival have been scarce. With demographic, financial, and strategic characteristics as possible explanations, we conduct survival analysis in relation to 950 U.S. farmers cooperatives for the 2005–2018 period. Following the results of our Cox proportional hazard regressions, we find (a) relatively young and old farmer cooperatives are more susceptible to exit; (b) the relationship of membership size to the survival rate of farmer cooperatives is U‐shaped; (c) farmer cooperatives with intangible asset portfolios have lower survival probabilities; and (d) the survival function of farmer cooperatives is not explained significantly by efficiency, leverage, or liquidity. Overall, we use our findings to inform recommendations in terms of cooperative firm behavior, in particular in relation to member heterogeneity and strategic orientation.
Comparative Analysis of Sensors in Rigid and Deformable Modular Robots for Shape Estimation

Modular self-reconfigurable robots have the ability to change their connection topology to form large networks of distributed sensors and actuators, for example to reason about gradients in the environment or the geometry of their surroundings. Past work has focused on distributed algorithms to compute the intrinsic shape of the robot. Here, we instead focus on distributed algorithms that permit planar modular robots to compute the shape of external objects in 2D. Grounded in characterization of physical sensors, we simulate shape estimation by modular robots for increasing object size and complexity. Specifically, we compare the use of connectivity and IR sensors which are commonly available on modules, and demonstrate what may be gained from deformable modules with integrated strain sensors. The algorithms we present are dependent only on motion constraints and may generalize to a wide set of modular platforms.
Isoform-selective KCNA1 potassium channel openers built from glycine.

Loss of function of voltage-gated potassium (Kv) channels is linked to a range of lethal or debilitating channelopathies. New pharmacological approaches are warranted to isoform-selectively activate specific Kv channels. One example is KCNA1 Potassium Voltage-Gated Channel Subfamily A Member 1 (KCNA1) (Kv1.1), an archetypal Shaker-type Kv channel, in which loss-of-function mutations cause episodic ataxia type 1 (EA1). EA1 causes constant myokomia and episodic bouts of ataxia and may associate with epilepsy and other disorders. We previously found that the inhibitory neurotransmitter γ-aminobutyric acid and modified versions of glycine directly activate Kv channels within the KCNQ subfamily, a characteristic favored by strong negative electrostatic surface potential near the neurotransmitter carbonyl group. Here, we report that adjusting the number and positioning of fluorine atoms within the fluorophenyl ring of glycine derivatives produces isoform-selective KCNA1 channel openers that are inactive against KCNQ2/3 channels, or even KCNA2, the closest relative of KCNA1. The findings refine our understanding of the molecular basis for KCNQ versus KCNA1 activation and isoform selectivity and constitute, to our knowledge, the first reported isoform-selective KCNA1 opener. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Inherited loss-of-function gene sequence variants in KCNA1, which encodes the KCNA1 (Kv1.1) voltage-gated potassium channel, cause episodic ataxia type 1 (EA1), a movement disorder also linked to epilepsy and developmental delay. We have discovered several isoform-specific KCNA1-activating small molecules, addressing a notable gap in the field and providing possible lead compounds and a novel chemical space for the development of potential future therapeutic drugs for EA1.
Life cycle assessment of rice husk torrefaction and prospects for decentralized facilities at rice mills

Abstract Utilization of rice husk, an abundant global residual biomass, represent a large opportunity for increasing the share of bioenergy in the power sector. The present work assesses the life cycle emissions of rice husk torrefaction in different reaction conditions and the techno-economic prospects for decentralized torrefaction facilities at rice mills. First, a cradle-to-gate life cycle assessment (LCA) is performed for processing rice husk into torrefied pellets for energy generation. Four system configurations of different temperature and torrefaction medium are considered for torrefied rice husk (TRH) pellet production. Medium torrefaction in inert medium shows the highest GHG emissions of about 0.043 kg CO2 eq/MJ of TRH pellet whereas severe torrefaction in oxidative medium shows the lowest GHG emissions of 0.021 kg CO2 eq/MJ of TRH pellet. The environmental impacts of torrefaction in partially oxidative medium and at higher temperatures are lower, only if a significant portion of the torgas and condensate is efficiently utilized. Second, a techno-enviro-economic evaluation is performed for multiple scenarios of utilizing raw or torrefied rice husk (partially oxidative conditions) for power generation. A case study of the rice mills in the Sacramento valley of California is considered, with an annual supply of about 0.2 million tons of rice husk, to operate a 26.5 MW biopower plant. A centralized facility at the power plant resulted in highest GHG emissions, and a rented mobile facility resulted in highest annual costs. The most desired scenario of having localized facilities at the rice mills proved most cost-effective, with excess TRH breakeven price of 61 USD/ton for medium torrefaction and 471 USD/ton for severe torrefaction. Instead of excess TRH, if the entire TRH is available for sale, the same scenario estimated the average breakeven price of 14.9 USD/ton and 21.1 USD/ton respectively. Sensitivity analysis for a single mill explains the role of factors such as availability of rice husk (milling capacity), transportation distance, and solid mass yield on the breakeven price, costs, and the GHG emissions.
Contrast-Induced Sialadenitis of the Sublingual Glands

Contrast-induced sialadenitis (CIS) is a rare, delayed pseudoallergic reaction from iodine containing contrast. Previously reported cases of CIS demonstrated that the two major salivary glands (parotid and submandibular) can be affected. The initial encounter of this entity can raise alarms to physicians as the differential diagnoses include serious infectious and inflammatory conditions such as Ludwig's angina and angioedema. Subsequently, it may lead to unnecessary testing and increased healthcare cost. Here we present a 60-year-old male who presented with bilateral sublingual gland swelling following exposure to iodinated contrast. With timely diagnosis by the otolaryngologist, the patient received conservative management that led to a full resolution within a few days. To date, this is the first case of CIS only involving the sublingual glands. We conclude that CIS can involve any of the major salivary glands.
Ridurre il riduzionismo genetico

In this paper we explain how the intentional objects of our mental states can be represented by the intensional objects of conceptual realism. We first briefly examine and show how Brentano’s actualist theory of judgment and his notion of an immanent object have a clear and natural representation in our conceptualist logic of names. We then briefly critically examine Meinong’s theory of objects before turning finally to our own representation of intentional objects in terms of the intensional objects of conceptual realism. We conclude by explaining why existence-entailing concepts are so basic to our commonsense framework and how these concepts and their intensions can be used to model Meinong’s ontology.