cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Energy Deprivation Alters in a Leptin- and Cortisol-Independent Manner Circulating Levels of Activin A and Follistatin But Not Myostatin in Healthy Males

Context: Activin A, myostatin, and follistatin have recently emerged as important regulatory molecules of reproduction and the musculoskeletal system. Little is known, however, about their day/night patterns of secretion and their physiological regulation by energy availability. Objective: The objective of the study was to explore day/night patterns of secretion and assess whether energy deprivation alters circulating levels of activin A, myostatin, follistatin, and cortisol and to examine whether leptin may mediate this effect. Design, Setting and Patients, and Interventions: Seven healthy lean men (aged 23.2 ± 3.7 yr, body mass index 23.6 ± 1.7 kg/m2) were studied for 72 h under three different conditions: on their baseline/isocaloric diet and in a complete fasting state with administration of either placebo or metreleptin. The two fasting studies were randomized and double blinded. Blood samples were obtained every 15 min from 0800 h on d 3 until 0800 h on d 4 and pooled hourly. Main Outcome Measures: ...
Neuropsychological performance in schizotypal personality disorder: evidence regarding diagnostic specificity

Abstract Background Individuals with schizotypal personality disorder (SPD) share cognitive deficits with schizophrenic patients, suggesting that these deficits represent a core feature of the schizophrenia spectrum. We investigated the neuropsychological profile in SPD patients compared with two comparison groups: healthy volunteers (HV) and patients who met criteria for another non-schizophrenia spectrum personality disorder (NSS). Methods We tested 48 DSM-III-R SPD patients, 22 NSS and 32 HV on a neuropsychologic battery that included the California Verbal Learning Test (CVLT), Trail Making A and B, the DOT test of working memory, the Stroop Color–Word Interference, the Paced Auditory Serial Addition Test (PASAT), the Wechsler Memory Scale Visual Reproduction Test (WMSV–R), and the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale vocabulary and block design. Results Normative standards for performance were created using the HV group. SPD patients performed significantly worse compared with HVs; specifically, SPD patients demonstrated impaired performance on the PASAT and the WMSV–R immediate and delayed recall compared to HV. Moreover, SPD patients were impaired in the PASAT and the WMSV–R immediate condition compared with the NSS group. The NSS patients did not differ from HV on any of the cognitive tasks. The interpersonal factor of the schizotypal symptoms inversely correlated with the PASAT score ( r = −.32, p Conclusions Compared with HVs, SPD patients demonstrate modest cognitive impairment. These differences reached statistical significance for the PASAT (an auditory working memory task), and the WMSV–R immediate and delayed recall (a learning–recall test). In contrast, performance of NSS patients did not differ from that of HVs. The types of deficits observed in SPD patients are qualitatively similar to but milder than those seen in patients with schizophrenia.
Numerical Simulation Of Miscible And Immiscible Fluid Flows In Porous Media

In this paper, the authors develop two related finite-difference techniques, first for the miscible problems and second for the immiscible ones. The power of the methods is derived from their hybrid structure, which incorporates some of the best aspects of the Marker-and-Cell (MAC) method, the Courant-Isaacson-Rees method, and several special techniques developed by Bulgarelli and by the authors. The resulting techniques are fast, economical, and yield numerical solutions that are in complete agreement with physical expectations, as seen from the computer examples described and discussed in the last section.
The Effectiveness of Threshold-Based Scheduling Policies in BOINC Projects

Several scientific projects use BOINC (Berkeley Open Infrastructure for Network Computing) to perform largescale simulations using volunteers? computers (workers) across the Internet. In general, the scheduling of tasks in BOINC uses a First-Come-First-Serve policy and no attention is paid to workers? past performance, such as whether or not they have tended to perform tasks promptly and correctly. In this paper we use SimBA, a discrete-event Simulator of BOINC Applications, to study new threshold-based scheduling strategies for BOINC projects that use availability and reliability metrics to classify workers and distribute tasks according to this classification. We show that if availability and reliability thresholds are selected properly, then the workers? throughput of valid results increases significantly in BOINC projects.
Regulation of Muscle Protein Synthesis in Neonatal Pigs during Prolonged Endotoxemia

In adults, protein synthesis in skeletal muscle is reduced by as much as 50% after a septic challenge, and is associated with repression of translation initiation. Neonates are highly anabolic and their muscle protein synthesis rates are elevated and uniquely sensitive to amino acid and insulin stimulation. In the present study, neonatal piglets were infused with Endotoxin (lipopolysaccharide, LPS) for 20 h at 0 (n = 6) and 13 microg/kg*h (n = 8). During the last 2 h, dextrose and an amino acid mixture were infused to attain fed plasma concentrations of amino acids, glucose, and insulin. Fractional protein synthesis rates and translational control mechanisms were examined. LPS reduced protein synthesis in glycolytic muscles by only 13% and had no significant effect in oxidative muscles. This depression was associated with reductions in the phosphorylation of 4E-BP1 (-31%) and S6 K1 (-78%), and a decrease in eIF4G binding to eIF4E (-62%), an event required for formation of the active mRNA binding complex. By comparison, LPS increased protein synthesis in the liver (+29%), spleen (+32%), and kidney (+27%), and in the liver, this increase was associated with augmented eIF4G to eIF4E binding (+88%). In muscle and liver, LPS did not alter eIF2B activity, an event that regulates initiator met-tRNA(i) binding to the 40S ribosomal complex. These findings suggest that during sustained endotoxemia, the high rate of neonatal muscle protein synthesis is largely maintained in the presence of substrate supply, despite profound changes in translation initiation factors that modulate the mRNA binding step in translation initiation.
A consideration of direct and indirect teaching styles with respect to achievement and retention of learning in science classes

Students taught by teachers of science with a higher I/D ratio, according to Flanders scale, will achieve more and retain more information than will students of teachers with a lower I/D ratio. This study tested students in high school chemistry and junior high school general science at the end of a year of study in their respective classes. They were then retested four months later. The teachers were scaled according to their I/D ratio. It was found that the I/D ratio of a teacher could be a guide toward determining the success of students so taught in a particular class.
AUDIOMETRIC BRAINSTEM RESPONSES (ABR) IN PREMATURE INFANTS WITH NORMAL AND ABNORMAL PNEUMOCARDIOGRAMS(PCG)

Apnea has been associated with abnormality in brain stem function in infants. For this reason we performed PCG (Resp Care 28:1569, 1983) and ABR on 14 infants (gestational age 31.2±0.7 wks; birth wt 1665±240 gms). They were divided into 2 groups: G I (n=7) have normal PCGs and G II (n=7) have abnormal PCGs. The gestational age, birth wt, apgar scores and postnatal age at time of test (G I 4.1±2.3, G II 3.7±1.9 wks) were similar. The absolute latencies (Table) for waves I, III, and V at 60 ndB and 45 ndB were not different between groups. The interwave latencies at 60 ndB were similar in G I and G II. The I-III latencies [but not I-V] at 45 ndB was longer in G II compared to GI. This difference could be due to possible wave asymmetry at the lower intensity (45 ndB). The absence of abnormalities in ABR absolute and interwave latencies in the 2 groups does not support the speculation that neonatal apnea is correlated with abnormality in the brain stem function in premature infants.
Standardized anatomic space for abdominal fat quantification

The ability to accurately measure subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) and visceral adipose tissue (VAT) from images is important for improved assessment and management of patients with various conditions such as obesity, diabetes mellitus, obstructive sleep apnea, cardiovascular disease, kidney disease, and degenerative disease. Although imaging and analysis methods to measure the volume of these tissue components have been developed [1, 2], in clinical practice, an estimate of the amount of fat is obtained from just one transverse abdominal CT slice typically acquired at the level of the L4-L5 vertebrae for various reasons including decreased radiation exposure and cost [3-5]. It is generally assumed that such an estimate reliably depicts the burden of fat in the body. This paper sets out to answer two questions related to this issue which have not been addressed in the literature. How does one ensure that the slices used for correlation calculation from different subjects are at the same anatomic location? At what anatomic location do the volumes of SAT and VAT correlate maximally with the corresponding single-slice area measures? To answer these questions, we propose two approaches for slice localization: linear mapping and non-linear mapping which is a novel learning based strategy for mapping slice locations to a standardized anatomic space so that same anatomic slice locations are identified in different subjects. We then study the volume-to-area correlations and determine where they become maximal. We demonstrate on 50 abdominal CT data sets that this mapping achieves significantly improved consistency of anatomic localization compared to current practice. Our results also indicate that maximum correlations are achieved at different anatomic locations for SAT and VAT which are both different from the L4-L5 junction commonly utilized.
BIOLOGIC AND THERAPEUTIC SIGNIFICANCE OF MYB EXPRESSION IN HUMAN MELANOMA

We investigated the therapeutic potential of employing antisense oligodeoxynucleotides to target the disruption of MYB, a gene which has been postulated to play a pathogenetic role in cutaneous melanoma. We found that MYB was expressed at low levels in several human melanoma cell lines. Also, growth of representative lines in vitro was inhibited in a dose- and sequence-dependent manner by targeting the MYB gene with unmodified or phosphorothioate-modified antisense oligodeoxynucleotides. Inhibition of cell growth correlated with specific decrease of MYB mRNA. In SCID mice bearing human melanoma tumors, infusion of MYB antisense transiently suppressed MYB gene expression but effected long-term growth suppression of transplanted tumor cells. Toxicity of the oligodeoxynucleotides was minimal in mice, even when targeted to the murine Myb gene. These results suggest that the MYB gene may play an important, though undefined, role in the growth of at least some human melanomas. Inhibition of MYB expression might be of use in the treatment of this disease.
Evaluation of Commercial Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assays to Identify Psychedelic Phenethylamines

The 2C, 2C-T, and DO series of designer drugs pose a number of challenges to forensic toxicology laboratories. Although these drugs are seized by law enforcement agencies throughout the United States, they are not readily detected in forensic toxicology laboratories. A systematic evaluation of the cross-reactivity of 9 commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) was conducted using 11 designer drugs. Cross-reactivity was measured towards 2,5-dimethoxy-4-bromophenethylamine (2C-B), 2,5-dimethoxyphenethylamine (2C-H), 2,5-dimethoxy4-iodophenethylamine (2C-I), 2,5-dimethoxy-4ethylthiophenethylamine (2C-T-2), 2,5-dimethoxy-4isopropylthiophenethylamine (2C-T-4), 2,5-dimethoxy-4propylthiophenethylamine (2C-T-7), 2,5-dimethoxy-4bromoamphetamine (DOB), 2,5-dimethoxy-4-ethylamphetamine (DOET), 2,5-dimethoxy-4-iodoamphetamine (DOI), 2,5-dimethoxy-4-methylamphetamine (DOM), and 4methylthioamphetamine (4-MTA). Cross-reactivity towards the 2C, 2C-T, and DO series of psychedelic amphetamines was < 0.4%. Concentrations as high as 50,000 ng/mL in urine, which greatly exceed those expected in forensic case samples, were not sufficient to produce a positive result. The only substance to produce any measurable cross-reactivity was 4-MTA. Cross-reactivities of 5 and 7% were obtained using four methamphetamine/MDMA directed assays, 25 and 200% using two amphetamine-directed assays. The absence of any measurable cross-reactivity towards the 10 2C, 2C-T, and DO psychedelic phenethylamines makes it harder to detect these drugs using routine screening. As a consequence, laboratories that rely upon immunoassay rather than more broad spectrum chromatographic screening techniques, may fail to detect these powerful psychedelic substances.
TRENDS AND INTERANNUAL VARIATIONS IN ERYTHEMAL SUNLIGHT,1978–1993

— Information on column ozone and the earth's reflectivity obtained from satellite-based data allows estimates of the long-term behavior in erythemal irradiance at any location, including the attenuation provided by clouds. Year-to-year changes in cloudiness over specific geographic regions make a major contribution to interannual variability in irradiance at the ground. Although the general decline in column ozone amounts acted to increase erythemal irradiance over the period November 1978 to April 1993, these changes tend to be obscured by the erratic variability associated with cloudiness. The noise introduced into a time series of erythemal irradiance by clouds effectively widens the error bars assigned to derived trends. This behavior could complicate attempts to establish links between any observed changes in the biosphere and measured changes in the ozone layer.
The maize brown midrib2 (bm2) gene encodes a methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase that contributes to lignin accumulation

The midribs of maize brown midrib (bm) mutants exhibit a reddish-brown color associated with reductions in lignin concentration and alterations in lignin composition. Here, we report the mapping, cloning, and functional and biochemical analyses of the bm2 gene. The bm2 gene was mapped to a small region of chromosome 1 that contains a putative methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene, which is down-regulated in bm2 mutant plants. Analyses of multiple Mu-induced bm2-Mu mutant alleles confirmed that this constitutively expressed gene is bm2. Yeast complementation experiments and a previously published biochemical characterization show that the bm2 gene encodes a functional MTHFR. Quantitative RT-PCR analyses demonstrated that the bm2 mutants accumulate substantially reduced levels of bm2 transcript. Alteration of MTHFR function is expected to influence accumulation of the methyl donor S-adenosyl-l-methionine (SAM). Because SAM is consumed by two methyltransferases in the lignin pathway (Ye et al., 1994), the finding that bm2 encodes a functional MTHFR is consistent with its lignin phenotype. Consistent with this functional assignment of bm2, the expression patterns of genes in a variety of SAM-dependent or -related pathways, including lignin biosynthesis, are altered in the bm2 mutant. Biochemical assays confirmed that bm2 mutants accumulate reduced levels of lignin with altered composition compared to wild-type. Hence, this study demonstrates a role for MTHFR in lignin biosynthesis.
Gamma/delta T cell mRNA levels decrease at mucosal sites and increase at lymphoid sites following an oral SIV infection of macaques

The oral and esophageal mucosa have been identified as possible sites of HIV/SIV entry following oral infection. Here, gamma/delta (γδ) T cells, a multi-functional T cell subset, were assessed at oral/esophageal mucosa and lymphoid sites at the earliest times (1-14 days) post-oral SIV inoculation utilizing quantitative RT-PCR. During these earliest times post-infection, decreased γδ TCR mRNA levels were observed at the oral gingiva and esophageal mucosa, while increased levels were observed within regional lymph nodes (cervical and retropharyngeal). Higher lymph node γδ TCR levels were associated with increased mRNA expression of the lymphoid homing chemokine/receptor (CCL21/CCR7) pair in these lymph nodes. In contrast to γδ TCR levels, CD4 mRNA expression remained relatively stable through 4 days post-infection, and depletion of CD4 T cells was only evident after 7 or 14 days post-infection. The decrease of γδ T cell mRNA from mucosal sites and the corresponding increase at lymphoid sites suggest a rapid redistribution of these immune cells at these earliest times post-SIV infection.
Mechanism of Action of Nalidixic Acid on Escherichia coli II. Inhibition of Deoxyribonucleic Acid Synthesis

Goss, William A. (Sterling-Winthrop Research Institute, Rensselaer, N.Y.), William H. Deitz, and Thomas M. Cook. Mechanism of action of nalidixic acid on Escherichia coli. II. Inhibition of deoxyribonucleic acid synthesis. J. Bacteriol. 89:1068-1074. 1965.-Nalidixic acid was shown to inhibit specifically the synthesis of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) in Escherichia coli. Slight effects on protein and ribonucleic acid (RNA) synthesis were observed only at higher levels of drug or after prolonged incubation. The inhibition of DNA synthesis in E. coli 15TAU, as measured by incorporation of C(14)-labeled thymine, was observed after exposure to nalidixic acid for 10 min. Inhibition of the incorporation of C(14)-labeled uracil into RNA and C(14)-labeled l-arginine into protein (21 and 28% inhibition, respectively) was observed only after 60 min of exposure. When cultures of E. coli 15TAU were exposed to 3.0 mug/ml of nalidixic acid (slightly greater than the minimal growth inhibitory concentration), the incorporation of C(14)-labeled thymidine was inhibited 30 to 40% after 90 min. Nalidixic acid at 10 mug/ml, a lethal concentration, inhibited thymidine incorporation 72% during this period. Nalidixic acid at 1.0 mug/ml had no apparent effect on the incorporation of C(14)-labeled adenine or C(14)-labeled uracil into RNA of cultures of E. coli 198, a wild-type strain. However, incorporation of both bases into DNA was strongly inhibited after 60 min of exposure (66 and 69%, respectively). Nalidixic acid inhibited DNA replication during a single round of synthesis. In contrast with "thymineless death," nalidixic acid was not lethal to E. coli 15TAU during restricted RNA and protein synthesis (i.e., in a medium containing thymine but lacking arginine and uracil). We have shown also that this chemotherapeutic agent has little effect on the synthesis of protein or RNA required to initiate DNA replication. After 75 min of inhibition, the capacity of E. coli 15TAU to synthesize DNA in a medium containing thymine, arginine, and uracil may be restored by a simple filtration and washing process, indicating that the drug is not firmly bound. These studies leave little doubt that a primary action of nalidixic acid is the inhibition of the synthesis of DNA in E. coli.
Energy-efficient scheduling on heterogeneous multi-core architectures

The use of heterogeneous multi-core architectures has increased because of their potential energy efficiency compared to the homogeneous multi-core architectures. The shift from homogeneous multi-core to heterogeneous multi-core architectures creates many challenges for scheduling applications on the heterogeneous multi-core system. This paper studies the energy-efficient scheduling on Intel's QuickIA heterogeneous prototype platform [6]. A regression model is developed to estimate the energy consumption on the real heterogeneous multi-core platform. Our scheduling approach maps the program to the most appropriate core, based on program phases, through a combination of static analysis and runtime scheduling. We demonstrate the energy efficiency of our phase-based scheduling method by comparing it against the statical mapping approach proposed in [5] and the periodic sampling based approach proposed in [11], The experimental results show that our scheduling scheme can achieve an average 10.20% reduction in the energy delay product compared to [5] and an average 19.81% reduction in energy delay product compared to [11].
Atypical Omenn Syndrome due to Adenosine Deaminase Deficiency

We present here a novel case of an atypical Omenn syndrome (OS) phenotype due to mutations in the ADA gene encoding adenosine deaminase. This case is noteworthy for a significant increase in circulating CD56brightCD16- cytokine-producing NK cells after treatment with steroids for skin rash.
What do we know about audit quality

Abstract This paper reviews empirical research over the past 25 years, mainly from the United States, in order to assess what we currently know about audit quality with respect to publicly listed companies. The evidence indicates that outright audit failure rates are infrequent, far less than 1% annually, and audit fees are quite small, less than 0.1% of aggregate client sales. This suggests there may be an acceptable level of audit quality at a relatively low cost. There is also evidence of voluntary differential audit quality (above the legal minimum) along a number of dimensions such as firm size, industry specialization, office characteristics, and cross-country differences in legal systems and auditor liability exposure. The evidence is very positive although there is some indication that audit quality may have declined in the 1990s, in which case there could be merit in recent reforms such as the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 in the US. However, we do not know from research the optimal level of audit quality and therefore whether we currently have ‘too little’ or ‘too much’ auditing? Despite this lacuna we are entering an era of more mandated auditing in response to high-profile corporate governance failures including the Enron–Andersen affair. Finally, while recent reforms have scaled back the scope of non-audit services due to independence concerns, a case can be made that audit quality will always be somewhat suspect if other services are provided that are perceived to potentially compromise the auditor's objectivity and skepticism. For this reason public confidence in audit quality may be increased by proscribing all non-audit services for audit clients. Recommendations are also proposed with respect to legal liability reform and changes in partner compensation arrangements.
An empirical study of automatic event reconstruction systems

Reconstructing the sequence of computer events that led to a particular event is an essential part of the digital investigation process. The ability to quantify the accuracy of automatic event reconstruction systems is an essential step in standardizing the digital investigation process thereby making it resilient to tactics such as the Trojan horse defense. In this paper, we present findings from an empirical study to measure and compare the accuracy and effectiveness of a suite of such event reconstruction techniques. We quantify (as applicable) the rates of false positives and false negatives, and scalability in terms of both computational burden and memory-usage. Some of our findings are quite surprising in the sense of not matching a priori expectations, and whereas other findings qualitatively match the a priori expectations they were never before quantitatively put to the test to determine the boundaries of their applicability. For example, our results show that automatic event reconstruction systems proposed in literature have very high false-positive rates (up to 96%).
Piezoelectric cement-based materials with large coupling and voltage coefficients

Abstract Cement paste containing short steel fibers (8 μm diameter, 0.18 vol.%) and polyvinyl alcohol (0.16 vol.%) exhibits longitudinal piezoelectric coupling coefficient d=2.5×10−11 m/V and piezoelectric voltage coefficient g=1.1×10−3 m2/C (10 kHz), compared to values of d=3.0×10−13 m/V and g=1.1×10−3 m2/C for cement paste without admixture, and values of d=1.4×10−11 m/V and g=1.5×10−3 m2/C for lead zirconotitanate (PZT).
A non-preemptive scheduling algorithm for soft real-time systems

Real-time systems are often designed using preemptive scheduling and worst-case execution time estimates to guarantee the execution of high priority tasks. There is, however, an interest in exploring non-preemptive scheduling models for real-time systems, particularly for soft real-time multimedia applications. In this paper, we propose a new algorithm that uses multiple scheduling strategies for efficient non-preemptive scheduling of tasks. Our goal is to improve the success ratio of the well-known Earliest Deadline First (EDF) approach when the load on the system is very high and to improve the overall performance in both underloaded and overloaded conditions. Our approach, known as group-EDF (gEDF) is based on dynamic grouping of tasks with deadlines that are very close to each other, and using Shortest Job First (SJF) technique to schedule tasks within the group. We will present results comparing gEDF with other real-time algorithms including, EDF, Best-effort, and Guarantee, by using randomly generated tasks with varying execution times, release times, deadlines and tolerance to missing deadlines, under varying workloads. We believe that grouping tasks dynamically with similar deadlines and utilizing a secondary criteria, such as minimizing the total execution time (or other metrics such as power or resource availability) for scheduling tasks within a group, can lead to new and more efficient real-time scheduling algorithms.
Real-time observation of signal recognition particle binding to actively translating ribosomes

The signal recognition particle (SRP) directs translating ribosome-nascent chain complexes (RNCs) that display a signal sequence to protein translocation channels in target membranes. All previous work on the initial step of the targeting reaction, when SRP binds to RNCs, used stalled and non-translating RNCs. This meant that an important dimension of the co-translational process remained unstudied. We apply single-molecule fluorescence measurements to observe directly and in real-time E. coli SRP binding to actively translating RNCs. We show at physiologically relevant SRP concentrations that SRP-RNC association and dissociation rates depend on nascent chain length and the exposure of a functional signal sequence outside the ribosome. Our results resolve a long-standing question: how can a limited, sub-stoichiometric pool of cellular SRP effectively distinguish RNCs displaying a signal sequence from those that are not? The answer is strikingly simple: as originally proposed, SRP only stably engages translating RNCs exposing a functional signal sequence.
Evidence that glycine mediates the postsynaptic potentials that inhibit lumbar motoneurons during the atonia of active sleep

Postsynaptic inhibition of somatic motoneurons underlies the atonia of active sleep. This inhibitory control depends, in large measure, on the bombardment of motoneurons during active sleep by a unique class of large-amplitude inhibitory postsynaptic potentials (IPSPs). These potentials are present only during this behavioral state and have therefore been designated as active sleep-specific IPSPs (AS-IPSPs). The present study was concerned with determining the neurotransmitter that mediates these AS-IPSPs. Lumbar motoneurons were recorded intracellularly during quiet and active sleep in intact, undrugged, normally respiring cats. The frequency and waveform parameters of the inhibitory postsynaptic potentials recorded from these motoneurons were examined following the microiontophoretic juxta-cellular administration of strychnine (a glycine receptor antagonist) and picrotoxin and bicuculline (GABA receptor antagonists). Microiontophoretically applied strychnine abolished the AS-IPSPs and a majority of smaller-amplitude IPSPs. Neither picrotoxin nor bicuculline modified the frequency, amplitude, or rising phase of the AS-IPSPs or the smaller-amplitude IPSPs. We conclude that the postsynaptic inhibitory drive that impinges on motoneurons during active sleep is principally mediated by glycine or a glycinergic substance.
Accurate device modeling techniques for efficient timing simulation of integrated circuits

Accuracy of a transient simulator is critically dependent on its device models, and device model evaluation is often a bottleneck in transient simulation performance. This paper presents comprehensive modeling techniques to compute Fast-to-evaluate and Accurate Simplified Transistor (FAST) models for aggressive MOS technologies. These FAST models accurately capture the static and dynamic behavior of the transistor, and lend themselves to efficient transient simulation. Use of FAST models in timing simulator AGES leads to speedups of 1000/spl times/ or more over traditional circuit simulators with little or no loss in circuit timing accuracy.
Structured product coding system (SPCS) for product cost evaluation in a CAE/CAD/CAM Product (C3P) environment

Virtual design and manufacturing has become a key technology in reducing both design errors and manufacturing cost. In order to have a realistic evaluation, the cost of assembling, disassembling, and manufacturing a product has to be realized. A product's design and its manufacturability will give an overall manufacturing efficiency and production cost. To eliminate future production failure and control the cost, management has to be able to foresee and evaluate the whole process from design to production, easily and wisely. In recognizing the importance of this capability, a CAE/CAD/CAM Product (C3P) management tool based on a structured product coding system (SPCS) is developed for the process of virtual design and manufacturing.
Linear Quadratic Gaussian-Based Closed-Loop Control of Type 1 Diabetes

Background:We investigated the applicability of linear quadratic Gaussian (LQG) methodology to the subcutaneous blood glucose regulation problem. We designed an LQG-based feedback control algorithm using linearization of a previously published metabolic model of type 1 diabetes. A key feature of the controller is a Kalman filter used to estimate metabolic states of the patient based on continuous glucose monitoring. Insulin infusion is computed from linear quadratic regulator feedback gains applied to these estimates, generally seeking to minimize squared deviations from a target glucose concentration and basal insulin rate. We evaluated in silico subject-specific LQG control and compared it to preexisting proportional-integral-derivative control.
Spin of Ni 61

The spin of the stable isotope N/sup 61/ was directly observed to be 3/2 from the electron spin resonance spectrum of Ni-doped germanium. (L. T.W. )
Phase Diagram of Ni-Pt from Linear Muffin-Tin Orbitals Total Energy Calculations

Progress in the calculation of the phase diagram of the Ni-Pt compounds from "first-principles" is reported. Our procedure consists of: (1) calculating total energies for ordered structures as a function of volume and including internal relaxations by means of the linear muffin-tin orbitals method within the atomic sphere approximation; (2) mapping these results onto an Ising model with effective interaction parameters; and (3) calculating the phase diagram by means of the cluster variation method. We identify the elastic energy related to the difference in the Ni and Pt lattice constant as one of the major problems in this system and discuss the convergence of the cluster expansion of the energy.
The Recovery in U.S. Fisheries

Fisheries are often considered a paradigmatic example of the tragedy of the commons, and many fisheries around the world are indeed overfished. However, this article emphasizes that the biological health of many U.S. fisheries under federal management has improved over roughly the past decade. As a result, it is no longer accurate to think of many U.S. fisheries as tragic or tending toward tragedy. The bulk of the article is concerned with outlining three possible explanations for the impressive improvement in U.S. fisheries. The first is a legal hypothesis, which attributes the improvement to changes in the main federal statute governing the management of these fisheries, the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (the Magnuson-Stevens Act or MSA). The second is an economic hypothesis. It ascribes the improvement to the spread of property rights in fisheries called catch shares, a policy change that economists have been advocating for decades. The third is the community hypothesis. It credits the improvement to fishing communities becoming engaged in more sustainable management of fisheries. The article calls for empirical testing of these three and other hypotheses for the improvement in U.S. fisheries. It concludes by emphasizing that the legal, economic and community hypotheses all raise an underlying question that itself is worthy of further inquiry: what was the political confluence of interests that facilitated the changes in fisheries management that appear to have benefited fish stocks?
Investigation into the Airborne Dissemination of H5N2 Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Virus During the 2015 Spring Outbreaks in the Midwestern United States.

SUMMARY We investigated the plausibility of aerosol transmission of H5N2 highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) virus during the 2015 spring outbreaks that occurred in the U.S. midwest. Air samples were collected inside and outside of infected turkey and layer facilities. Samples were tested to assess HPAI virus concentration (RNA copies/m3 of air), virus viability, and virus distribution by particle size. HPAI virus RNA was detected inside and up to 1000 m from infected facilities. HPAI virus was isolated from air samples collected inside, immediately outside, up to 70 m from infected facilities, and in aerosol particles larger than 2.1 μm. Direct exposure to exhausted aerosols proved to be a significant source of environmental contamination. These findings demonstrate HPAI virus aerosolization from infected flocks, and that both the transport of infectious aerosolized particles and the deposition of particles on surfaces around infected premises represent a potential risk for the spread of HPAI.
Anomaly detection in aircraft data using Recurrent Neural Networks (RNN)

Anomaly Detection in multivariate, time-series data collected from aircraft's Flight Data Recorder (FDR) or Flight Operational Quality Assurance (FOQA) data provide a powerful means for identifying events and trends that reduce safety margins. The industry standard “Exceedance Detection” algorithm uses a list of specified parameters and their thresholds to identify known deviations. In contrast, Machine Learning algorithms detect unknown unusual patterns in the data either through semi-supervised or unsupervised learning. The Multiple Kernel Anomaly Detection (MKAD) algorithm based on One-class SVM identified 6 of 11 canonical anomalies in a large dataset but is limited by the need for dimensionality reduction, poor sensitivity to short term anomalies, and inability to detect anomalies in latent features. This paper describes the application of Recurrent Neural Networks (RNN) with Long Term Short Term Memory (LTSM) and Gated Recurrent Units (GRU) architectures which can overcome the limitations described above. The RNN algorithms detected 9 out the 11 anomalies in the test dataset with Precision = 1, Recall = 0.818 and F1 score = 0.89. RNN architectures, designed for time-series data, are suited for implementation on the flight deck to provide real-time anomaly detection. The implications of these results are discussed.
Geminate Charge-Pair Recombination in Molecular Crystals

Intrinsic photoconductivity is now known in a number of molecular crystals. Beginning with the work of Castro and Hornig which established a threshold of 4.0 eV for anthracene,1 values of 3.0 eV for naphthacene,2 3.8 eV for pyrene,3 4.9 eV for phenanthrene,4 and 5.2 eV for naphthalene5 have been measured. These values may be rationalized in at least semi-quantitative fashion using the ideas of Lyons6 together with gas phase and crystal ionization potentials plus free molecule electron affinities.
Endourological Treatment of Ureteroenteric Anastomotic Strictures: Long-Term Followup

AbstractIn 1987 we reported our initial experience with an endosurgical incisional approach to ureteroenteric anastomotic strictures (that is endoureterotomy). We have extended that initial report to encompass 15 patients with 19 ureteroenteric strictures followed for an average of 2.5 years. In all cases an endosurgical approach was well tolerated, blood loss was less than 50 cc and hospital stay averaged 3.5 days. A 16 to 22F external stent was left in place for 4 to 6 weeks postoperatively in 14 strictures. A permanent external 12F catheter was left in 5 strictures due to the presence of metastatic disease (4) and a complete dense stricture (1). The only major complication was a ureteroenteric fistula that healed over a ureteral stent without any open surgical intervention.Among 14 ureteroenteric strictures in which the stent was removed, the ureteroenteric area has remained patent in 8 (57%) with an average followup of 28.6 months (range 9 to 57 months). Failures were associated with metastatic diseas...
Biochemical and thermochemical conversion of switchgrass to biofuels

With dwindling oil reserves and growing environmental concerns, researchers are looking at producing sustainable biofuels and chemicals from renewable resources like switchgrass. Biofuels and biochemicals will be produced in the near future from switchgrass in biorefineries using both biochemical and thermochemical platforms. We have summarized recent literature pertaining to different processing steps within the biochemical platform (pretreatment, enzyme hydrolysis, microbial fermentation, protein extraction) and thermochemical platform (pyrolysis, bio-oil, gasification, combustion, hydrothermal process) in this chapter. Though we have improved our fundamental understanding on the different processing steps to produce biofuels, several challenges still have to be overcome to create a bioeconomy and produce fuels and chemicals from biomass in an economic and sustainable manner.
Targeting cytokine signaling in salt-sensitive hypertension

Activated immune cell populations contribute to hypertension in part through inciting damage to the kidney and by provoking inappropriate sodium reabsorption in the nephron. Inflammatory mediators called cytokines produced by T lymphocytes and macrophages act on specific sodium transporters in the kidney, augmenting their activity or expression, with consequent expansion of intravascular fluid volume and cardiac output. The overlapping functions of these cytokines, each of which may activate multiple receptors, present challenges in precisely targeting inflammatory signaling cascades in hypertension. Moreover, broad immune suppression could expose the hypertensive patient to disproportional risks of infection or malignancy. Nevertheless, the possibility that incisive immunomodulatory therapies could provide cardiovascular and renal protection through both blood pressure-dependent and -independent mechanisms justifies comprehensive investigation into the relevant signaling pathways and tissue sites in which inflammatory cytokines function to exaggerate blood pressure elevation and target organ damage in hypertension.
Biological Activities of Extracellular Vesicles and Their Cargos from Bovine and Human Milk in Humans and Implications for Infants

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) in milk harbor a variety of compounds, including lipids, proteins, noncoding RNAs, and mRNAs. Among the various classes of EVs, exosomes are of particular interest, because cargo sorting in exosomes is a regulated, nonrandom process and exosomes play essential roles in cell-to-cell communication. Encapsulation in exosomes confers protection against enzymatic and nonenzymatic degradation of cargos and provides a pathway for cellular uptake of cargos by endocytosis of exosomes. Compelling evidence suggests that exosomes in bovine milk are transported by intestinal cells, vascular endothelial cells, and macrophages in human and rodent cell cultures, and bovine-milk exosomes are delivered to peripheral tissues in mice. Evidence also suggests that cargos in bovine-milk exosomes, in particular RNAs, are delivered to circulating immune cells in humans. Some microRNAs and mRNAs in bovine-milk exosomes may regulate the expression of human genes and be translated into protein, respectively. Some exosome cargos are quantitatively minor in the diet compared with endogenous synthesis. However, noncanonical pathways have been identified through which low concentrations of dietary microRNAs may alter gene expression, such as the accumulation of exosomes in the immune cell microenvironment and the binding of microRNAs to Toll-like receptors. Phenotypes observed in infant-feeding studies include higher Mental Developmental Index, Psychomotor Development Index, and Preschool Language Scale-3 scores in breastfed infants than in those fed various formulas. In mice, supplementation with plant-derived MIR-2911 improved the antiviral response compared with controls. Porcine-milk exosomes promote the proliferation of intestinal cells in mice. This article discusses the above-mentioned advances in research concerning milk exosomes and their cargos in human nutrition. Implications for infant nutrition are emphasized, where permitted, but data in infants are limited.
U.S. Summer Session Strategies in Context: Past, Present, and Future

The wide variety of summer session formats and strategies that were pursued in the past, are being enacted in the present, and will emerge in the future all reflect the diverse histories and contexts of specific institutions, as well as state and national trends. Exploring historical and present-day contexts that have driven summer session strategies at United States colleges and universities provides a basis for considering how summer session strategies can be developed to address current and emerging changes in higher education. To provide summer session staff and administrators with usable ideas, participants in three conferences for leaders of college and university summer sessions engaged in a small-group activity that focused on ideas for potential long-term strategies that would be responsive to what they viewed as key current and emerging institutional, state, and national developments. A wide range of common issues and trends were identified and linked to both well-accepted and emerging strategies, including alternative summer tuition models and course structures, novel summer-learning experiences, courses packaged to allow completion of minors in the summer, competency-based approaches, segmented and targeted marketing, and an emphasis on the role of summer sessions in on-time degree completion and revenue enhancement. These trends and strategies are presented here and can be adapted to the challenges and opportunities facing a wide range of colleges and universities that are considering how to position summer session as a key element of future institutional success.
Application of electrospun fibers for female reproductive health

Here, we present the current challenges in women's reproductive health and the current state-of-the-art treatment and prevention options for STI prevention, contraception, and treatment of infections. We discuss how the versatile platform of electrospun fibers can be applied to each challenge, and postulate at how these technologies could be improved. The void of approved electrospun fiber-based products yields the potential to apply this useful technology to a number of medical applications, many of which are relevant to women's reproductive health. Given the ability to tune drug delivery characteristics and three-dimensional geometry, there are many opportunities to pursue new product designs and routes of administration for electrospun fibers. For each application, we provide an overview of the versatility of electrospun fibers as a novel dosage form and summarize their advantages in clinical applications. We also provide a perspective on why electrospun fibers are well-suited for a variety of applications within women's reproductive health and identify areas that could greatly benefit from innovations with electrospun fiber-based approaches.
Dehydration and starvation yield energetic consequences that affect survival of the American dog tick.

Abstract Ticks are obligate hematophagous arthropods, but may have to endure extended time (1–2 years) between feedings. During these off-host periods, ticks must contend with a multitude of environmental stresses including prolonged or repeated exposure to desiccating conditions. In this study, we measured the energetic consequences of single and repeated bouts of dehydration of American dog ticks, Dermacentor variabilis, and examined the impact of energy reserves on tick survival during dehydration. Recently molted ticks exposed to a single period at 0% relative humidity (RH) for 5 d lost ∼26% of their body water and showed 1.3- and 1.7-fold reductions in protein and lipid, respectively. These reduced energy reserves coincided with increased O2 consumption in dehydrated ticks. Exposure to repeated cycles of dehydration (0% RH, 48 h) and rehydration (100% RH, 24 h) also reduced energy reserves; however, ticks were able to fully recover their body water after 12 cycles of dehydration/rehydration and endured >20 cycles. Starvation of ticks, in the absence of dehydration, for 18 or 36 weeks resulted in the loss of ∼20–40% of protein and 60% of lipid reserves. When ticks were exposed to continuous dehydration at 0% RH, their survival after 18 weeks of starvation was only minimally impacted; however, individuals starved for 36 weeks succumbed to dehydration much more rapidly than recently fed ticks. Both single and repeated dehydration exposures resulted in substantial energetic costs and ticks with limited energy reserves were more susceptible to dehydration-induced mortality, indicating that adequate energy reserves are critical for tolerance to dehydration stress and long-term success of ticks.
On the Correlation Approach and Parametric Approach for CVA Calculation

Credit value adjustment (CVA) is an adjustment added to the fair value of an over-the-counter trade due to the risk of counterparty defaults. When the exposure to the counterparty and the counterparty default risk tend to change in the same direction, the so-called wrong-way risk (WWR) must be taken into account. The right-way risk (RWR) takes place when the two factors move in the opposite directions. These two effects are also called directional-way risk (DWR). A lot of efforts have been made to reduce the computational burden to calculate CVA with DWR. The two most popular approaches are the parametric approach and the correlation approach. In this paper we develop a connection between these two approaches. In particular, by decomposing the DWR into a robust correlation coefficient and a profile multiplier, we bring the parametric approach into the correlation approach framework. This study allows us to explain the parameters in the parametric approach. Our results also suggest that the parametric approach can become sensitive when calculating the WWR in certain scenarios. For risk model governance and validation purposes, cautions should be given while using the parametric approach for CVA calculation.
Internationalization of higher education: an analysis through spatial, network, and mobilities theories

The global expansion of internationalisation in higher education (HE) is complex and multifaceted but tends to be driven by economic and social imperatives. Less economically wealthy countries are ...